‘The Blind Side’: I Smell an Oscar

At first glance, this sports drama is another football vehicle in the vein of Facing the Giants or Remember the Titans, where the main characters have internal or team challenges to overcome in order to beat the opposing team and succeed in life. After all, the term “blind side” is a football term.

But this movie is really more about two things: believing that you can have a better life if you can apply yourself through hard work and believing in the goodness of humanity. Actually, in the end, the film is really about change, change for the better.

Sandra Bullock not only looks amazing in this film, but she also really does a wonderful job of portraying a very different type of woman than we have seen her play. Bullock’s typical comic or anal idiosyncrasies fall away and suddenly you aren’t watching Bullock on screen anymore. Instead, you are pulled into the life of strong, Southern socialite Leigh Anne Tuohy as she rallies around her new cause, a young and talented athlete from the projects called Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron).

‘Whip It’ Equals Skip It

Don’t waste cash on this Fox Searchlight Pictures comedy/drama that marks Drew Barrymore’s debut as director. This sports movie starring Ellen Page as a young roller derby queen has the teen angst and issues of an after-school special.

Let’s take a brief look at the plot and then uncover the good, the bad, and the ugly about this Flower Films production.

Doin’ Church with Tyler Perry

On Friday, September 18, I chatted with friend and radio personality Liz Lane from Positive Hit Radio The Current about Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself.

I was talking specifically about how in this particular Lionsgate comedy/drama the audience gets a wonderful taste of church, complete with excellent music from real-life Pastor Marvin Winans and stellar recording artist Gladys Knight. Plus, their is a hope-filled message from the pulpit. It’s enough to make you want to raise your hands in praise, wave a hanky, and say, “Preach it!” That’s exactly how I felt. And believe me, I wasn’t alone in my sentiments in the packed theatre on opening night.

Listen to this short, edited audio clip of our conversation, taken when taping for the radio broadcast. This is not the final on-air version, but I hope you will enjoy it anyway.

And be sure to check out Liz Lane’s “Heart of Praise” show Sunday’s from 8 a.m – 11 a.m.

Audio Commentary:

— Laura J. Bagby

Being Bad Fares Well on Screen

From writer/director/actor Tyler Perry, the Lionsgate comedy/drama I Can Do Bad All By Myself centers on the fractured life of a nightclub singer called April (Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and her difficult journey back to faith, love, and family.

April is living a selfish, dysfunctional life, letting her ailing mother raise her sister’s three kids Jennifer (Hope Olaide Wilson), Manny (Kwesi Boakye), and Byron (Frederick Siglar) while April spends her days abusing alcohol, sleeping all day, and having an affair with Randy (Brian White), a cold-hearted married man.

April’s lonely life is suddenly interrupted when Madea (Tyler Perry) brings by her troublesome niece and nephews and the local church – represented by churchgoer Wilma (Gladys Knight) and Pastor Brian (Marvin Winans) – sends over a handsome, out-of-work stranger with carpentry skills called Sandino (Adam Rodriguez, CSI: Miami), who hopes to get room and board in exchange for a job.

‘Time Traveler’s Wife’: Genetic Wardrobe Malfunction Meets Melodrama

Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana star as two destined lovers, Clare Abshire and Henry DeTamble, who try desperately to nurture a relationship constantly complicated by Henry’s uncontrollable time traveling tendencies.

Henry has learned to live with this genetic disorder since childhood that not only strips him of his present reality, but literally of his clothes as he travels through time. (Can we say constant ‘wardrobe malfunction’?)

But the faithful Clare is becoming increasingly tired of Henry’s sudden and unpredictable disappearances that have caused him to disappear into thin air at the worst of moments. (I say ditto to that.)

Depp Shines in ‘Public Enemies’

Recently escaped from prison, infamous criminal mastermind John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) goes on the rampage, robbing banks across the Midwest during the Depression-riddled 1930s with his gaggle of gun-toting ex-cons like “Baby Face” Nelson (Stephen Graham).

Eventually, however, Dillinger meets his overdue fate when faced with the law-enforcing Bureau of Investigation (later to be named the FBI), headed by Director J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup). Special Agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) and the other G-men who have been trailing Dillinger for the past 14 months finally bring justice.

Full ‘Public Enemies’ Review Tomorrow

Hey, Everyone,

Look for the review of Public Enemies right here on the Celluloid Critic tomorrow. My review will also be featured on Preview Online.

I am talking to radio personality Liz Lane of Positive Hit Radio The Current tomorrow morning all about this new gangster crime drama starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. You will hear that full radio review on Friday.

I can tell you now that I really enjoyed the film. It’s not the kind of movie I would typically go see. But Johnny Depp rules the silver screen as the sympathetic John Dillinger.

More about it tomorrow!

For now, enjoy the trailer on the Public Enemies official movie site.

Laura