The Gleek Critique: "I Kissed a Girl" Episode

The girls sing Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl."  Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

The lesbian focus on Glee continues with tonight’s episode, where we see the immediate repercussions of Finn’s outing of Santana last episode.  In order to make it up to her, Finn lies to Principal Figgins and insists that Santana never really slapped him.  It was a stage slap.  Just pretend.  And aside from helping her to avoid any disciplinary action she might have received for her violent outburst, he and the other New Directions members showed their love and support for the lady-lovin’ latina by serenading her with songs written and sung by female artists.  Eventually Santana’s hard heart was softened, and bolstered with confidence she came out to her family.  We are told that her parents were accepting, but in a heartbreaking scene with her abuelita we see that not everybody is ready to handle her lifestyle choice.

Speaking of breaking hearts, Coach Beiste’s inability to communicate her feelings to her crush Cooter the Recruiter left the playing field wide open for Sue to snatch him up.  Sue’s only motivation for dating him is to boost her numbers in the polls—and to rub it in Beiste’s face.  Beiste is determined to fight for her man, and Sue’s tactics don’t even work out for her in the end.  She loses the election to Burt Hummel.

And while we are on the subject of elections, Kurt discovers he has won class president and is initially thrilled… that is, until he is pulled into the principal’s office for stuffing the ballot boxes.  Nobody believes he didn’t do it, until Rachel comes in and admits it was she who did the dirty deed.  Her punishment?  Suspension for a week, a mark on her permanent record and a ban from competing in Sectionals.

Oh, Puck and Shelby have sex too… just throwing that in there.

The Pros:

• Sue's list of "booty calls" was hilarious!  Dan Quayle (too needy), Steve Baldwin (train wreck) and Vladimir Putin (contact through Russian embassy) were some of the lucky men to find themselves in that little black book!
• I liked Finn's slowed down rendition of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and Santana's final number of K.D. Lang's "Constant Craving" the best this episode, although neither one of them was half as powerful as last episode's Adelle mash-up.
• "I Kissed a Girl" was pretty fun, and I liked how all the girls stood up for Santana.
• Finn acted very maturely!  Way to go!
• Coach Beiste sang for the first time!  That was a happy surprise, even if her rendition of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" was less than impressive.
• Santana is officially out of the closet now, which is a good thing I think.

The Cons:

• Somehow Santana's storyline wasn't as emotional as it was last episode...
• Puck told Quinn about he and Shelby, which is a very dumb move!
• After all the praise Kurt received for playing fair in the elections, I was surprised to see him consider stuffing the ballots.  It just didn't seem like something he would even think about.
• Kurt's weird half-sweater thing cut on the diagonal.  What happened to the rest of it?
• Has everyone forgotten the minimum number of show choir members necessary to compete in Sectionals?  Because neither New Directions nor Troubletones make the cut.

Movie Review: 'Hugo'

Rating: 5/5
by Brian Kesler

Martin Scorsese is known for tense character studies with strong, lasting images of violence. It seems curious, then, that his latest is a family adventure in 3-D. Once the movie comes to fruition, however, it is clear that it is probably the closest to Scorsese's heart.

The plot revolves around the true story of French pioneer filmmaker Georges Melies, whose work includes 'A Trip to the Moon,' in which we are treated to the famous shot of a rocket plunging into the eye of the man on the moon. This true story is flourished with the fantasy of a boy who lives in a clock tower in a train station with his automaton. A broken automaton, that is, and he's been trying relentlessly to fix it. He believes the automaton has a message for him from his dead father.

The plot relies on voyeurism through the eyes of the boy, and in many ways he plays the part of Oliver Twist: a central character whose only purpose is to guide us through a labyrinth of peculiar and over-the-top characters. The only difference is that Hugo Cabret has dimension and Oliver Twist does not. Asa Butterfield is delightful as Hugo, with just enough underplaying to make him empathetic rather than sympathetic. He befriends Isabelle, played by breakout child actress Chloe Grace Moretz ('Kick Ass' anyone?). Isabelle loves reading and using large words without necessarily knowing what they mean. Her Godfather, Melies, played extraordinarily by Ben Kingsley, doesn't allow her to see movies. At one point, Hugo asks her, "Do you want to go on an adventure?" Her eyes light up, and he takes her to a movie, and she is absolutely entranced.

That's what the film is really about, you see ... movies. A love of early cinema. It's based on the novel, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," the illustrations of which are almost like storyboards. The book was designed with the purpose of teaching children about early film and the importance of film preservation, and the movie follows suit, an issue that is of utmost importance for Scorsese, whose been at the forefront of film preservation for many years. There are two scenes in the film that are haunting. One is a heartbreaking shot of all Melies's films being melted down and made into high-heeled shoes. The other is a line of dialogue spoken by Hugo, in which he talks about a person losing their purpose, as Melies feels he has with the loss of his pictures. In real life, Melies really did work as a toy-store owner during his later years, broke and forgotten by everyone. Thanks to film preservation, many of Melies's movies have been found and pieced back together, allowing his unique imagination to be shared by any Netflix subscriber alive.

What makes 'Hugo' entrancing is that it is a magical film about the magic of film. Shots of people watching Melies's films with wide eyes and enormous grins brings tears. It is so lovingly crafted by a man who wonders at the magic of filmmaking. There's never been anything like the movies before, and there never will be. I have always been skeptical of 3-D, but this film does it absolutely right. What intrigued Melies about the movies was the special effects, after all, and a 3-D film about his life actually feels kind of right.

From the Queue: 'Smiles of a Summer Night'

by Brian Kesler

Ingmar Bergman's classic black-and-white Swedish film about male vanity and feminine manipulation doesn't waste a single frame of celluloid. Everything is tightly controlled, from the angle of the camera, to the length of each shot, and even the lighting. The dialogue has equal importance and the entire thing comes together to create one of the great lush romantic comedies in the style of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.'

Lawyer Fredrik Egerman has a new, young wife: Anne. Anne is delightful, gorgeous, and full of energy. She's also the same age as Fredrik's son, Henrik, who has just returned from seminary in hopes to become a priest. He says gloomy, religious things like, "You can't prevent the birds from flying above your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair." The household has a young bisexual maid who fancies all three of her masters and makes it her mission to spoil the righteousness of gloomy Henrik. Of course, when the moment comes, Henrik cries, "We have sinned. And it was a complete failure." Anne looks lovingly at old Fredrik as he sleeps until he unconsciously mutters the name, "Desiree." Desiree happens to be the name of an actress, "The One and Only," the posters say. Fredrik is eager to see her latest show when it comes to town. When they see the show, The One and Only Desiree Armfeldt gives a glance in Fredrik's direction. "Why did she stare at us?" Anne demands, and quickly insists that they leave. It is then revealed that Anne is still a virgin, even through a year and a half of marriage with old Fredrik. When they come home from the theater, they find they've interrupted Henrik's failed sin with the maid.

And this is the moment that Fredrik looks around and realizes he's living with a group of young, hormonal kids at the peak of their sexual discovery. Whether excited by it, or frightened by it, they are all preschoolers. He needs to get out, and he goes to see that actress whom, it is learned, he'd had a liaison with many years ago. The dialogue between the two is relieving. At last, two adults unafraid and unembarrassed and unamused about the nature of sexuality. The joke is soon on them when Fredrik falls in a puddle and wears Desiree's lover's nightshirt as they wait for his clothes to dry. The lover won't be by, Desiree explains, he's a dragoon and can only visit when he has leave. Turns out, he had leave. He peacocks in, "Five hours with you, three hours with my wife," he explains. A duel for the actress's passion ensues between the two men, one vain and cocky enough to discuss his mistress openly with his wife, the other who loves his wife as a novelty and doesn't wish to hurt her.

The men are the peacocks, and the women are the manipulators. The dragoon's wife tells Anne of Fredrik's midnight rendezvous with the actress and the two plot to get their men back, "Men are horrible, vain and conceited, with hair all over their bodies." Desiree has other plans. She wants Fredrik permanently. She devises a weekend at her mother's country estate, inviting Fredrik and co. and the dragoon and spouse. Her mother inquires about the invitees, "If they're actors, they'll have to sleep in the stables." Desiree explains to a suspicious mother, "For once I was truly innocent." "It must have been early in the evening," says Mother.

The rest involves an ancient wine infused with a stallion's sperm that induces the drinkers with lustful thoughts; a suicide attempt by Henrik: "Dear God, please let the bird's nest in my hair," he pitifully begs; a shocking elope; a plot from the women against the men; an epiphany; an affair; and a tense game of Russian roulette. And of course, the three smiles of the summer night.

'Smiles of a Summer Night' is of a genre long gone, a genre in which a group of coupled lovers switch, have affairs, compete for affection, and end up in the most convenient place for all concerned, all with a light brevity and lush atmosphere. The costumes are lavish and the locations and sets gorgeous. This is the film that solidified Ingmar Bergman as a true filmmaker. It was an enormous success in the foreign market in the 50s, but didn't have the same success in the United States until after the censorship board was dismantled. It's the kind of movie that makes you wish you were born in that time and place. A time when the country was still green and full and the roads were paths of dirt. A time when houses were built with style and people dressed with formality. A time when middleclass families had maids and ate home cooked meals and read books and went to the theatre. No television or celebrities or billboards along the roads to clutter their minds. A simple time when people took pleasure in very simple things, like tending to the garden. How sad that in today's world, such a life seems romantic.        

Movie Reviews: Breaking Immortals

by Jack Garcia

The big movie last weekend was Immortals and this weekend is all about the newest Twilight movie, Breaking Dawn Part 1.  Neither one of them is really my cup of tea, but out of the two, I definitely enjoyed Breaking Dawn more.  I saw it at the midnight showing last night with my friend Michelle and we had a blast!

Immortals AWFUL

Henry Cavill is Theseus, a mortal man touched by the gods and destined to be a hero.  The evil King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) is set to take over Greece and unleash the Titans.  Phaedra (Freida Pinto), the virgin oracle, sees visions of the future and she guides Theseus in his quest, ultimately falling in love with him and giving up her gift.  She’s kind of a skanky virgin oracle.  And while you might think Zeus (Luke Evans) would be of some help, he’s actually very wimpy.  He commands all of the other gods not to get involved, and when they do, they all get their butts kicked by the titans.  Thankfully Theseus is there to save the day.  Or something.

This movie is visually stimulating with the rock-hard pecs, creative set pieces, lavish costumes and in-your-face show-offy computer-animated spectacle.  And again, I mention the rock-hard pecs.  However, all of this eye candy is ultimately devoid of any real human emotion or relevance.  While the plot is somewhat interesting, the motivations behind the actions are never quite there and the non-stop barrage of tactless slaughter eventually grows tiresome.  You never care about a character enough to lament their decapitation, and the sight of powerful Greek gods being brutally murdered by titans is probably the most depressing thing you will ever see.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 AVERAGE

Following in Harry Potter’s footsteps, Breaking Dawn is hitting theaters in two parts.  The first part—although scorned by movie critics worldwide—was actually a lot better than I thought it would be.  Our pouty-faced heroine, Bella (Kristen Stewart), is marrying the love of her life Edward (Robert Pattinson).  Maybe I should say “love of her un-life” because he is technically dead.  Anyway, the two go off on a romantic honeymoon on a remote island off of Brazil and Bella is very happy to consummate the marriage, even if sex with a vampire involves a broken bed, lots of bruising, and a pregnancy.  Yes, I said pregnancy, and the baby seems to be killing her from the inside… no bueno.  Bella’s other lover Jacob (Taylor Lautner) is terribly upset and determined to kill whatever it is growing inside her.  That is, until he imprints—which is kind of hard to explain and you really just have to be “in the know.”

Breaking Dawn Part 1 ends on a cliff-hanger just after the climactic birth of Bella’s child.  While most of the movie is cheesy and riddled with teenage angst or strange werewolf telepathy, once Bella gets pregnant the story really goes into a much creepier direction than what we’ve become accustomed to.  And do you know what?  I liked it!  Finally, a movie about a girl in love with a blood-sucking vampire got a little, well, gross…  and it should be! 

Bella, drinking blood to satiate the fetus’ thirst, talks about how delicious it is with blood-stained teeth and dripping mouth.  The audience cringes.  When the sickly looking Bella finally goes into labor, we are treated to one of the most horrific scenes in Twilight history as Edward rips her stomach open with his teeth, pulling the baby out of her bloody guts...  So delightfully creepy!  Go check it out!

From the Queue: 'Network' (1976)

by Brian Kesler

Television has made mindless droids out of millions of people. It's a noisy, passive clutter of advertisements, propaganda, and naive stories and situations, glorifying and capitalizing on violence, infidelity, and vague caricatures of human beings. And how brilliant. If you don't like a program, simply change the channel. There are literally hundreds of options. Television networks make their living on ratings and they'll do just about anything, sink to unnatural, ungodly lows, in order to achieve good ratings and gain more shares. In 'Network,' Faye Dunaway plays a television executive with just that intention.

Howard Beale is a news anchor for a failing network and his show is in the tanks. He is told that he only has two more shows left. He uses the opportunity to declare on live television that he will commit suicide during the broadcast of his last show. This scene is so outrageously, sinfully funny because of the dreadful seriousness in which it is played. None of the people on set or in the editing room even realize the death threat because they're busy saying, "and cue howard," "be ready to cut to a wide shot," "do we have the commercial reel ready?" After a few hilariously calm minutes, the script supervisor finally says, "Did you hear what Howard said? He said he was going to kill himself next week." Of course, they should fire him without having a final episode. But, wonders Dunaway's character, Diana Christensen, what would the ratings look like for a live suicide?

Beale doesn't kill himself, but his show is a hit, because of his manic behavior. His anger and vehemence against the conservative government and big corporations, with his ability to say whatever he wants, causes the network to become number one in the world, peaking at the classic scene in which Beale utters his famous line, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" causing a movement of people screaming the creed out their windows.

Peter Finch as Beale is wonderful, but we never see him aside from his speeches on television. To us, he is just the messianic prophet, so to speak, to reach the television goers of America. But, do we listen? He even rants in front of a live audience for people to turn off their television sets, yet they go on watching, ratings going up, shares going up, executives getting richer. Soon, the show gets a bigger budget, a segment with a psychic, a group of assassins, and a far left radical group doing real bank robberies and abductions for a cameraman. It gets a jazzy theme song and a heavenly stained glass window framing Beale as he greets an impressionable crowd.

Amidst the chaos is ex-television executive Max Schumacher, played by legendary William Holden, who is fired for attempting to stop Beale's number one hit show. He begins a relationship with Christensen, and must explain to his wife that he's leaving her. He tells her that life is not like television, and not to expect him to be back in her arms by the end of the show. Beatrice Straight plays his wife, appearing only in this scene, less than six minutes long, and she won an Academy Award for it. She plays the desperate wife for a bit, than the angry wife, unmerciful: "After 25 years of building a home and raising a family and all the senseless pain that we have inflicted on each other, I'm damned if I'm going to stand here and have you tell me you're in love with somebody else. Because this isn't a convention weekend with your secretary, is it? Or - or some broad that you picked up after three belts of booze. This is your great winter romance, isn't it? Your last roar of passion before you settle into your emeritus years. Is that what's left for me? Is that my share? She gets the winter passion, and I get the dotage? What am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to sit at home knitting and purling while you slink back like some penitent drunk? I'm your wife, damn it. And, if you can't work up a winter passion for me, the least I require is respect and allegiance.." Ironically, he does end up back in her arms.

Dunaway represents the "television generation." A generation that has seen life through a tube since they were children and now have a skewed sense of how to live it. She is unable to connect on any sort of human level, even with her savvy charms. In a very funny scene, she and Holden make love as she continues talking about how shares have gone up, what is expected of the show, and a new series the network is working on. She is a quick manipulator and knows how to get what she wants (she was taught by the best: television). She needs Schumacher, needs to have some sort of physical connection with another human being. But, she is unable to rid herself of television's addiction.

The movie climaxes when, suddenly speaking in defense of big business, Beale's ratings have dropped and the head of the company refuses to cut the show. In order to save their ratings, a group of executives, including Christensen, decide the best course of action is to kill Howard Beale. They'll have the assassins from their other show do the deed, and then they can rebroadcast it for added ratings. The scene is funny and chilling. Nobody seems to tiptoe around the issue or question the validity of the proposition. It is simply stated. Like reading a report or coming up with a new storyline for a soap opera. "Well, the issue is: Should we kill Howard Beale, or not?"

'Network' is dark satire. A warning of society's dependence on television. So, after thirty-five years, did it predict well? Youtube has taken over. Thirty minute sitcoms were too much of a time commitment. There are millions of hits on videos little more than a minute in length of girls singing out of pitch in their closets, animated stick figures shouting a word or two, and cats climbing walls. Video games put you in the driver's seat, but the stories and characters have been replaced with mindless violence and noisy jumping. Kids will play 'Angry Birds' for hours on end, and what mental stimulation do they gain? Flipping the channels is not enough. We watch t.v., listen to music (flipping through the playlist, of course), text, and fiddle around with our i-pads all at once. We are a nation of noise. We need constant noise at all times, or else we go crazy. It's addicting. 'Network' has never felt more prophetic than today. Read a book. Write. Think. Go out for a walk. Take a look at the world around you. Sit in silence and enjoy it. Get together with friends and leave your phone and any other distractions at home. Don't let television guide your lives. There are only more distractions to come. Ignore them.

The Gleek Critique: "Mash Off" Episode

Santana belts out some Adelle with Mercedes and Brittany.  Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

With both New Directions and the Troubletones competing at the upcoming sectionals, Mr. Schuester and Ms. Cochran decide that it would be fun to have the first ever McKinley High School Mash-Off.  Perhaps it will spark some friendly competition... or not-so-friendly.  Insults fly and soon the kids are battling it out not only vocally but grade school style with a game of dodge ball.  But things quickly turn from bad to worse when Finn calls Santana out on her homosexuality and everyone finds out.  How do they find out?  It's leaked in a campaign ad.

Speaking of campaign ads, Sue Sylvester is playing dirty, spreading ridiculous lies about Burt Hummel.  But she's not the only one.  Even in the campaigning for school president the students are getting vicious.  Everyone but Kurt that is.  Just like his father, Kurt plays fair.  Rachel is impressed with his ethics, and wanting to restore their friendship, she drops out of the race and encourages everyone to vote for Kurt.  Very cute.

After the kiss they shared, Puck is convinced that he is in love with Shelby and that the two of them should be together.  Shelby insists that the kiss was a mistake, but still lets Puck come over to see baby Beth.  During one visit, Puck comes clean about Quinn's plot to gain custody of the baby.  Shelby is upset and tells Quinn that she isn't allowed to see Beth anymore and that even though she got rid of her piercings and crazy hair color, she's still a lost little girl.

The Pros:

• Sue's hateful campaign ads about Burt Hummel's "baboon heart" and "donkey bride" were hilarious!  For as Sue says, "Winning is really about poo flinging."
• "You and I/You and I" was a pretty fun song.  Mostly because I don't think we've seen Matthew Morison and Idina Menzel sing a duet before.
• While a dodge ball war was a bit silly, I really liked the mash up they sang.  "Hit Me With Your Best Shot/One Way Or Another" was totally rockin.'
• Santana's character is one of my favorites and I really enjoyed her scenes this episode.  The very ending where she slapped Finn was so intense and quite possibly my very favorite ending to a Glee episode yet!
• Speaking of the end, the final song mashing up two of Adelle's songs "Rumour Has It" and "Someone Like You" was phenomenal!  I loved loved loved it!  I might have listened to it all week long leading up to tonight... just maybe.  Yes.  Yes, I did.  I love it!

The Cons:

• "Hot For Teacher" wasn't my favorite Glee number...  although some of Blaine and Mike's sexy dance moves were fun to watch.
• The hockey mullets make me want to vomit.
• You all know I love Kurt, but I found him to be a bit too preachy this episode for my tastes.
• No Glee next week?  Sad.

Movie Review: 'Immortals'

Rating: 2/5 
by Brian Kesler

Tarsem's 'The Fall' is one of the great movies from the last decade. It was gorgeous, imaginative and chock-full of delightful, odd, and empathetic characters. It seems almost unfathomable that 'Immortals' was directed by the same man. This is a film totally at odds with that gem. It's big, noisy, ugly, with a thin meandering plot and characters so underdeveloped, they might as well be played by androids.

Videogames, in many ways, have changed and reshaped the way movies are made. For the worse. Directors and producers take the storyboard more seriously than the screenplay. Who cares about a screenplay? It's purpose was once as a sturdy backbone in which all other elements of film were supported. Now, it's an outline for a string of over-the-top computer effects and videogame violence. Who cares if our hero has a personality? As long as he's got pecks as hard as rocks, a spear to impale countless enemies, and the ability to scream as macho as Dwayne Johnson's poodle, we're good.

We see shots of characters looking worried or sad and are asked to sympathize. What we need, instead, is dialogue in which something interesting is said at least once. Is it so hard? Old Hollywood had that one in the bag. Even horrible dialogue was, at least, still interesting back then. 'Plan 9 from Outer Space' is one of the worst film's ever made, yet it's opening line, "Future events such as these will affect you in the future," seems like Shaw compared to this. There's nothing memorable about it. How long can you see the same shot of people being beheaded or impaled before it becomes tiresome?

And why are the Gods wimps? They get their asses kicked faster than the elementary student with labyrinthine wires protruding from his mouth. I'm just saying, you're asking me to be invested in characters whose only saving grace is their ability to fight like simulators and you make them cream puffs? Just sayin'.

Movie Review: 'J. Edgar'

Rating: 3/5
by Brian Kesler

J. Edgar Hoover is one of the most controversial men in American history, and for good reason. As head of the FBI, he secretly taped conversations and love affairs of Presidents, first ladies, senators, and so on. He never released this information, but held it in his "secret files," hinting at a shrewd kind of voyeurism. He claimed responsibility for the arrests of countless mobsters in the 20s and 30s, even though all were carried out by other agents. He deported Emma Goldman and several other revolutionaries from the early 20th century, even though they were United States citizens, and (although not explored in the film) played a big role in McCarthyism of the 1950s. Amidst all this, his personal life was plagued with rumors that he was a cross dresser and a homosexual.

This movie assumes that the second rumor is true. Historically, J. Edgar and fellow FBI agent, Clyde Tolson, worked very closely, ate lunch and dinner together nearly every day for 40 years, went to nightclubs together, held hands, and vacationed with one another in shared rooms. Neither married or had children. Tolson received Hoover's estate, accepted the flag from his casket, and was buried next to him. It's safe to assume they were lovers or, as this movie suggests, celibate life partners who were clearly in love but forced to hide it from the world.

Surprisingly, it's the personal story of a man failing to denounce his own homosexuality that keeps the film interesting. The historical aspects of his career are treated so textbook and with no structure. The film moves back and forth between Hoover in the 30s and Hoover in the 60s, but does so inconsistently. 'The Godfather: Part II' is a much better film that takes place in two polarized decades. There is a scene-by-scene correlation in that film that helps us accept jumping back and forth between the two. I would've liked this film to play chronologically with, maybe, brief flashbacks of Hoover's relationship with his mother.

That's another interesting aspect of the film. Judi Dench plays Hoover's mother with as much greatness as ever. When a stuttering Hoover attempts to tell her of his homosexuality, she stops him before he gets a chance and tells him, "I'd rather have a dead son than a daffodil for a son." He worships her. Lives with her for the majority of his life. She is disappointed when he fails to find the kidnapped son of Charles Lindbergh until it is too late, saying, "That baby's blood is on your hands." She hates communists and immorality and keeps a tight grip on her son who, as she says, will "restore our family to greatness."

There are some other delightful performances, including a violent sexual release between Tolson and Hoover (played by Armie Hammer and Leonardo DiCaprio, respectively), that are unfortunately drenched in clunky dialogue. Tolson, upset at Hoover's reproach from his love, throws a glass against a wall, shattering it. Hoover says, "Pick up that glass." Tolson says, "I've no reason to." This too-formal dialogue is very prevalent, especially in the horrific voice-over narration from DiCaprio that is neither genuine nor poetic. One wonders what happened between Dustin Lance Black's Academy Award-winning screenplay of 'Milk' and this sloppy script of incomprehensible dialogue.

Clint Eastwood's direction is consistent with his direction in the past. Stark, without much style, subtle, and observant. Eastwood doesn't take sides here. Hoover is neither glorified nor vilified. We simply observe his life and some fictional assumptions. His self-penned score sounds the same as his score from 'Hereafter' and 'Changeling,' light and touching without being sympathetic or sentimental. His inability to take sides dulls Hoover's character and makes him seem less a man and more a picture from a history book. 

I've one more complaint, though not about the film itself. Usually, I don't pay any bit of attention to MPAA Ratings, as they are a baseless resource of the content and context of a film. We don't put ratings on books or literature, so why do we subject film to this inconsistent form of discrimination? Anyone under the age of 17 is restricted to seeing this film because of "brief strong language," which includes one (1) usage of the word 'fuck.' That is it. For that reason this film is rated 'R,' even though countless PG-13 action films use that word at least once and go on to use many other profanities. No, the real reason this film is rated 'R,' though not stated for PC reasons, is because of the homosexual content, which includes one (1) genuine and serious kiss between two men. This is a clear indication of homophobia from the MPAA. This film, though not great, has more to say on life and humanity, and is a better influence for teenagers than the crude and braincell-killing PG film, 'Jack and Jill.'

Movie Reviews: It's Time for Rum with J. Edgar in Boots

by Jack Garcia

I haven’t posted a movie review in a really long time and I’m really sorry!  Please forgive me!  I’ve been busy with school and work and writing a novel… but I’m sure nobody cares to hear my excuses.  I will say, however, that I might make more of an effort to go see movies if the movies were a bit more exciting.  Oh well.

In Time AVERAGE

Justin Timberlake—who I may or may not be in love with—stars as Will Salas in this fun sci-fi flick written and directed by Andrew Niccol.  The premise is a world where time is literally money and nobody physically ages past 25.  Will is poor, therefore meaning that he lives day by day.  That is, until he meets a man who’s got centuries of time left and gives it all to Will.  With all the time in the world, Will leaves the ghetto and meets Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried), the daughter of a wealthy man with eons of time.  Together, the two of them become anarchists intent on disrupting the system, stealing time from the wealthy and giving it the poor. 

Cillian Murphy plays a “time keeper” intent on stopping Will, and he’s probably the most fascinating to watch.  He really is a very talented actor.  Timberlake and Seyfried are decent but I feel like I’ve seen them do better work in other pictures.  While the premise is very interesting and some of the action sequences are cool and even nerve-wracking, the dialogue gets to be a little too clichéd for the majority of the movie.  There are way too many time puns!  However, I still found myself enjoying the movie, even if the execution never quite lived up to the idea in Andrew Niccol’s head.

The Rum Diary AVERAGE

Johnny Depp plays American journalist Paul Kemp in this Bruce Robinson film based on the novel by Hunter S. Thompson.  Kemp takes a job in Puerto Rico writing for a dying newspaper in the 1950s and quickly becomes fond of rum.  While there he meets Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart), a shady real estate developer, and his girl Chenault (Amber Heard) who eventually help him to discover his own morals.  Or something like that.  There’s also his pal Sala (Michael Rispoli) and a very strange man named Moburg (Giovanni Ribisi).

In my opinion, the film suffers from a lack of focus.  Several storylines and characters come and go into Kemp’s life without any real weight or purpose.  Some of the characters are very colorful and the locations are vibrant even when dirty and disgusting, but overall the movie just doesn’t have any emotional relevance or punch.  Not even Johnny Depp could save this one…

Puss in Boots AVERAGE

Antonio Banderas is back as the voice of Puss in Boots who the world first met in Shrek 2.  And while Dreamworks may have gotten the hint that four Shrek movies is one or two too many, that doesn’t seem to have stopped them from doing a Shrek spin-off by giving Puss his very own movie without the big green ogre.  And while it’s not the greatest thing to come out of their animation studio, it was enjoyable enough. 

Puss runs into Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) who happens to be working for his old friend Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) who is obsessed with finding the magic beans that will take them to the giant’s castle where the mythical golden goose resides.  Putting their checkered past behind them, they work together against the murderous Jack and Jill (voiced by Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris) to steal the beans, climb the beanstalk and embark on the adventure of a lifetime.  And just as to be expected with Dreamworks, true character development is shortchanged for adult low-brow humor and the outcome is a movie that’s ultimately forgettable and never quite as magical as it could have been.

J. Edgar AWESOME!

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as the fascinating historical figure J. Edgar Hoover in this biopic by director Clint Eastwood.  The film cuts back and forth between an aged Hoover dictating a book on the FBI’s history and the younger Hoover starting the organization from scratch.  We see the initial opposition to the bureau, some of its early successes including the Lindbergh kidnapping, and some of the drastic measures Hoover took to ensure the ultimate success of the bureau and to protect his image.  The film also explores J. Edgar Hoover’s closeted homosexuality by beautifully depicting his relationship with his mother Annie (Judi Dench), his secretary Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts) and most importantly the close relationship he had with his friend and protégé Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer) with whom J. Edgar dined both lunch and dinner every day of his life.

I absolutely loved this movie and found it to be a fascinating portrayal of such an important player in American history.  Dustin Lance Black wrote a terrific screenplay and Clint Eastwood is a superb director and I found they both handled the subject matter with care and precision.  Of course the cast was superb, including the renowned Judi Dench who seems to be the perfect choice for any role.  Leonardo DiCaprio continues to be one of the greatest American actors in our day and age, embodying Hoover with a great underlying vulnerability beneath the passionate leadership.  Armie Hammer is relatively new to the acting scene and proves with this movie that he is one to keep an eye on.

The Gleek Critique: "The First Time" Episode

Blaine and Rachel perform as Tony and Maria in McKinley's production of West Side Story.

by Jack Garcia

Artie has gotten a little full of himself as a director and he's been giving pointers to everyone.  And he's kind of overstepping his boundaries.  For example, he's been giving sex advice to Coach Beiste and telling Blaine and Rachel that their scenes together might be more passionate if they weren't both virgins.

Artie finds out that Coach Beiste has a crush on a football recruiter named Cooter (yes, that's really his name) so he does his best to match them up.  Luckily, Cooter likes Beiste too and he finally has the courage to ask her out on a date.  Beiste's insecurities flare up, but Cooter assures her that he really is interested in her.  By the episode's end they are holding hands and it is probably the cutest thing ever.

Meanwhile, Rachel takes Artie's advice to heart and decides to do the deed with Finn.  Finn of course is really excited that Rachel is ready to take that step with him, until he finds out that her true motivation is to gain life experience to improve her acting.  Kind of a mood kill.  And if that news wasn't rough, Finn also finds out that the recruiter isn't interested in him at all.  Looks like he won't be getting a football scholarship.

Things with Blaine and Kurt get complicated when Blaine visits his old school and meets Sebastian.  Sebastian isn't shy about expressing his desire for Blaine, which could mean trouble for Kurt.  The three of them decide to go to a small gay bar called Scandals where Blaine dances the night away with Sebastian.  While sitting at the bar alone, Kurt happens upon Karofsky.  Turns out Karofsky has transferred to another school and is coming to grips with his own homosexuality.

Blaine assures Kurt that Sebastian means nothing to him and the two consummate their love.  Rachel also has the realization that Finn means more to her than anything, and the two of them have sex for the first time as well.  The episode ends on a very tender note for both couples.

The Pros:

• The Warblers!  Oh, how I've missed them and their little uniforms!  Their version of "Uptown Girl" was very fun to watch.
• Sebastian's opinion of Blaine?  "Sex on a stick and sings like a dream."  Agreed.
• I am a fan of Coach Beiste's character and I really like that she has found a love interest.  When Cooter said, "I don't date girls.  Just women.  Beautiful women like you," I almost cried.
• I'm a huge fan of West Side Story so I'm really loving the song choices this season, and tonight was no exception.  Matching "A Boy Like That" with Sebastian's shameful pursuit of a guy in a relationship was very smart in my opinion, and I really thought "One Hand, One Heart" fit perfectly with the much-anticipated love-making scene.
• Speaking of the big sex scene, I'm very grateful that it wasn't raunchy or crude but rather artistic and tasteful.  Good job, Glee.
• There were some good dramatic scenes this episode, including Kurt and Blaine's argument outside of the bar and Finn's realization that his dreams might never come true.  Chris Colfer always does such a good job with his character, and I've been waiting for a big scene from Cory Monteith all season.
• Tina actually had a decent amount of dialogue!  Woohoo!  Her little monologue about her first time with Mike was sweet.
• My favorite song this episode was hands down their performance of "America."  What a great number!

The Cons

• Artie is a pervert!  Why is he going around asking everyone about their sex lives?  Even teachers?
• Sue and Mercedes were absent as was Mr. Schue really...  And speaking of Mr. Schue, when are he and Emma ever going to make love?
• The sentimental background music can be a bit rough.  Let's tone down the sappy piano a bit, shall we?
• This episode didn't talk about the Shelby-Puck kiss at all, and I am dying to know what happens with that!  But luckily for me, the promo for next week's episode shows that it will be explored soon enough!

The Gleek Critique: "Pot O' Gold" Episode

One of The Glee Project winners, Damian McGinty, plays an Irish foreign exchange student on Glee.

by Jack Garcia

Brittany's family is housing a foreign exchange student from Ireland named Rory, and Brittany assumes her new house guest must be a leprechaun!  She asks him to grant her three wishes in order to receive her "pot o' gold" and the lovestruck young Irishman readily agrees!  Santana decides she deserves a wish as well, and asks Rory to convince Brittany that she should join the rival glee club with her.

Why?  Well, since Mercedes left New Directions last episode, she's been trying to recruit more girls to Shelby's glee club.  Santana figures she will get more opportunities to shine there, but doesn't want to switch choirs without Brittany by her side.  So once Rory works his "magic" (aka the power of suggestion) Brittany decides to do it, and she and Santana join Mercedes and the off-key Sugar in the newly formed Troubletones all-female glee club.

Meanwhile, Sue Sylvester is continuing her war against the arts.  After a rant she gives on her television spot Sue's Corner about the alleged over-funding of the high school musical at McKinley High, parents start to harass Principal Figgins until he is forced to cut the funding all together for the production of West Side Story.  Mr. Schuester and the kids are upset about this, but come up with the idea of selling ad space in the playbill to cover the show's costs.  When Kurt talks to his father about the whole situation, his dad gets so upset about it that he confronts Principal Figgins and makes quite a stand in favor of the arts.  Mr. Schuester is so impressed by Burt's passion that he encourages him to run against Sue as a write-in.

Quinn Fabray is still desperate to have her baby back in her life and comes up with a vicious plot to frame Shelby as an unfit mother.  But after Shelby helps Puck get some more pool-cleaning business, he feels bad about Quinn's plan and goes to Shelby's apartment to undo all that Quinn did.  While there he sings a song to soothe his poor daughter's crying, and he and Shelby find themselves sharing a very scandalous kiss...

The Pros:

• Damian McGinty made a good debut on the show.  I'm still a little unsure of his acting chops, but he definitely has a nice voice.  His two songs, "Take Care of Yourself" by Teddy Thompson and "Bein' Green" by Kermit the Frog, were both really good.  He even hit some high notes to rival Kurt!
• I really like the idea of Burt Hummel running for a local political office!  He's such a great father to Kurt and a really grounded individual...  I would vote for him!
• I also like the very inappropriate teacher-student relationship between Shelby Cochran and Puck.  It will create a lot of drama, especially between he and Quinn who seemed to be coming together better than ever.  Not to mention all the trouble Shelby could be in if it ever got out...
• Sue said something about being "literally horny with fear"... or something like that... and I thought it was hilarious!  She sure had some fun zingers in this episode.
• The Troubletones rendition of Christina Aguilera's "Candyman" was lots of fun and I really dug the retro outfits!  The girls looked hot!
• Puck was shirtless and lookin' dreamy!

The Cons:

• Rory's character wearing green every day is kind of silly.  Do we think Irish people just wear green all the time?  Perhaps he was wearing green only to go along with Brittany's idea that he was a leprechaun... but I guess we'll see what he wears in the next episode.
• I really haven't enjoyed Finn's character at all this season.  Tonight he was just jealous and annoying.  And Quinn isn't so enjoyable either.  She really needs to get a grip on her situation.  On a plus side, I'm starting to like Sugar!
• Blaine's cover of Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" was enjoyable enough, but is it his mission in life to cover every Katy Perry single ever recorded?  He needs some new material...