“Away We Go”: So Good It Deserves a Font All Its Own

With the movie poster’s school-notebook title font and pregnancy-centered storyline, it might seem like Away We Go is a deliberate attempt to cash in on Juno’s box office success.  Yet this grown-up comedy starring Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski has a sweet charm all its own and could become another indie sleeper hit.  It’s already my favorite film of the year.

Directed with restraint and thoughtfulness by Sam Mendes and anchored by an honest, understated performance from Rudolph, Away We Go follows thirtysomethings Burt and Verona as they travel across and outside the country to find the best place to raise their unborn child.  There’s an early indication where the couple will eventually settle, but the encounters with family and old friends along the way is what makes the film so special. 

We’re introduced to some shocking and bizarre examples of parenting, from the truly insensible to the overly attentive.  Maggie Gyllenhaal’s new age feminist is a memorable standout.  Later the troubles aren’t as evident, as is the case with two married college friends and their seemingly happy bustling household. 

But at the heart of the film is Burt and Verona, one of the most believable screen couples I’ve seen in a long time.  As their journey progresses, initial concerns about starting a family eventually lead to questions about the everyday nature of happiness and regret.  And it’s made credible mostly by Maya Rudolph, who contributes so much to scenes with just an expression and quietly counterbalances Krasinski’s moments of upbeat goofiness from becoming self-indulgent routines.

By the end, two sets of doors open.  One completing the couple’s search and the other marking the journey that lies ahead as parents.  Burt and Verona just don’t find a place to live.   They discover a home and have realized how it can be a happy one.

Floating back and forth between humor and insight, Away We Go is a rewarding examination of family and relationships.

My Review of Hellboy 2 and Dark Knight; or How I spent $14.50 for five hours worth of air conditioning

I decided to beat the heat and catch a couple of matinees Thursday and Friday: Hellboy 2 and The Dark Knight.

First, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, or as I’d call it Hellboy Potter and the Golden Army.  It’s a good movie, and gorgeous to watch; but if someone had paid as much attention to the script as del Toro did the art design and special effects, this would have turned out much better.   Although the sequel follows many of the same plot points as the original, it’s when the team enters the Troll Market–which is just a weirder Diagon Alley– that there’s a definate shift in tone.  

While the first one wasn’t the greatest, it had certain scary thrills.  It wanted us to worry about things that go bump in the night.  This one wants us to be in geeky-awe of the otherworld.  The original had Nazis bent on sacrificing the planet to an octopus-like demon god.  This has an elfin Magneto-type who believes that humankind is too greedy and worthless and must be anhililated.  He’s a cool villain with an intriguing philosophy, but after awhile the movie seems more interested in showing off his martial arts skills than exploring his motives or sense of justice.

In fact, the main problem with the story is that it avoids any opportunity to further examine the character relationships established in the first film.  That sense of family has been replaced with more of a sitcom-cast interaction.  Maybe that’s why Hellboy seems different.  Less the tough guy and more like a smart alleck and a bit of a goofball.   I did enjoy Selma Blair’s Liz more in this one; but aside for some literal fiery, explosions of temper, she isn’t given much to work with here.  It’s a shame because Blair seems more than ready to both kick ass and explore her complex relationship with Hellboy if given the chance–or some decent dialogue.  Better dialogue might have helped Abe’s storyline, but I didn’t feel any chemistry between him and the Fairy Princess–or “Elf-y McBeal” as I call her because of the resemblance to Callista Flockhart. 

And now Dark Knight. 

I liked it.  Didn’t love it.  Liked it.  This was the first superhero movie that seemed more like a graphic novel than a comic book.  However, despite Christopher’s Nolan’s intent to tell a mature story, I sometimes thought I was being forced to take part in an ethics experiment rather than allowed to enjoy an action movie. 

His Gotham City is an elaborate maze.  Even the parking garages and skyscrapers are filmed as labyrinthine environments.  It’s the ideal playing field for the Joker’s twisted game of murder and mayhem.   And yet not so much for fully realized fight or chase scenes.   In fact, the attack of the tooth fairies in the Hellboy movie was a better filmed action sequence than anything  in Dark Knight.

The true appeal and energy of Dark Knight is in its performances.

I wouldn’t praise Heath Ledger’s Joker as one of the greatest screen villains of all time.  Seriously, I question how many of these film critics grew up ever reading a quality Joker story. But Ledger’s performance is the most accurate portrayal of a comic book villain in a motion picture.  He captured the Joker’s insane genius for manipulation and menace.

But Aaron Eckhart’s performance as Harvey Dent/Two Face took a character from the comics that I always thought was a bit gimmicky and transformed him into a fully realized, tragic figure.

Christian Bale does a fine job as Bruce Wayne/Batman.  I just wish this film series displayed Batman’s brilliant mind and detective skills more.  He’s Gotham City’s protector, but he comes across more like Secret Agent Batman than the Dark Knight Detective.

 Maggie Gylennhall is really the only weak link in the cast.  She’s an improvement over Katie Holmes, but she looks so tired, and I didn’t buy her as Bruce Wayne or Harvey Dent’s love interest.  I could see them wanting to protect her as older brothers would a younger sister, but I don’t see a love connection.  She might have been a good  Harley Quinn though.