A while back I asked my meager but dedicated audience for some suggestions on books which feature a female protagonist, and after receiving a surprising number of responses (for which I am very grateful), I decided to read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I felt like I should read some Jane Austen, especially since one of my web design clients, Susan Isaacs, has had her latest work referred to as “Jane Austen brought up to date” by The Atlantic Monthly. Not coincidentally, I have begun reading that particular book in the hopes of seeing that similarity, so you can look forward to that review eventually!

I haven’t read all that many books, but I have tried to read some of the great works of classic literature. As a result, I can tolerate old-fashioned speaking/writing to a certain extent. This book was written in 1813, and before this the oldest book I’ve read on my own was Oscar Wilde’s Dorian Gray which was written in 1890. Therefore the language in this book was very heavy and made for a slow read most of the time. Nonetheless, the pace of the book was busy enough to hold my interest throughout. The chapters are not very long, and something of note happens in each chapter, so I never got sick of the story or lost interest in the characters. The characters themselves are fairly complex, and some of them are likeable, but I think that the language barrier made it difficult to relate very closely to them. Nonetheless, the story is memorable and I enjoyed reading it very much. I especially appreciated that the book itself maintained a very upper-class air to it, and I could almost imagine what life must have been like for those kinds of folks living in that time.

Throughout the story, I felt like the scenes and characters were described so well that it really made it quite easy to depict them in my mind. I am going to watch the BBC movie version and after that I think I might leave Jane Austen alone for the time being, and try reading some more contemporary stuff that is easier to read! I think as far as love stories go, this was probably the most interesting one I’ve ever read/seen. This is not really my kind of book, but it’s impossible to deny the brilliance and the refinement that went into this work. I give it 5 stars.

Mean Girls was the point in Lindsay Lohan’s career when she transitioned from being a teen star to being a superstar, and I’d heard good things about it (a good script written by Tina Fey) so I was happy to have the chance to see it on DVD. Since I was a huge loser in high school I’ve always been facinated by social dynamics and the rules that people follow trying to appear cool or whatnot. Personally, I’ve never enjoyed social climbing and I prefer to stay out of the social arena, and this movie demonstrates the hardships of trying to “play the game” very well.

This movie is aimed squarely at a high-school audience, but it is readily enjoyable to anyone willing to stoop to that level, and even to somewhat snobby movie critics like me who are just looking for a good time. There are some very funny moments, some cheesy moments, and some predictable moments, but I was happy with the overall content of the movie and I’m actually suprised nobody had ever made a movie quite like this one before. The characters are all basically likeable: you either like them or you like to hate them. Also, Lindsay’s character is actually respectable, unlike Alicia Silverstone in Clueless.

On a side note, this movie was inspired by a parenting guidebook called Queen Bees and Wannabes, which I actually glanced at after watching this movie and it seemed pretty interesting. It had quotes from self-admitted “Queen Bees” about the privileges their power position grants them and it’s pretty shocking in a tabloidy way Anyway, Mean Girls gets 4 stars! I would give it 3.5 stars if I gave half-stars, but I don’t so I’m giving it 4. See this if you’re in the mood for watching a somewhat trashy but very refined comedy about high school girls… and who isn’t?

At last, I deliver a movie review in a somewhat timely fashion! I had a feeling Batman Begins was going to be very very good because (the director) Christopher Nolan’s “Memento” is one of my favorite movies ever. I liked Batman as a kid, but I never really read much of it at all. I was never really crazy about Tim Burton’s take on the story, and the Joel Schumacher sequels were almost unwatchable… basically a disgrace to the franchise. Frank Miller, of Sin City fame, created the “Dark Knight” batman, and it’s this dark and gritty feel that “Batman Begins” delivers.

Christian Bale is an excellent Bruce Wayne, and I think he shows a lot of talent in this role. I think Michael Keaton did a very good job, but Val Kilmer was shallow and uninteresting, and George Clooney was playing George Clooney the whole time. Bale really nails the complexities of the character that Christopher Nolan brilliantly sets up. Michael Cain is a delightful Alfred, and the two play well together. Katie Holmes is passable, but her character is (as it should be) not on screen very often anyway. Gary Oldman puts his usual top-notch talents to work as the minor (but important) character Commissioner Gordon and he does a great job.

There are some moments where you’ll have to suspend disbelief, but what do you expect from a Batman movie? All in all, this movie is a winner on many levels. You can enjoy it superficially, or you can look a little deeper and appreciate the extra complexities that you’ll see. 5/5 bat-stars.

I felt like I was probably the only film enthusiast around who had never seen Goodfellas, so I finally got around to renting it last weekend. I liked the Godfather movies (I and II) and the Sopranos, so I figured I would like this movie as well. It was definitely worthy of all the praise I had heard about it. I have not seen much Scorsese (Taxi Driver and Gangs of NY) but his skill is very evident in this picture. This is a story that spans 30 years, and each time period is impressively accurate. During the older times, shots look like they were produced back then (I heard he gave the same treatment to The Aviator), and it really adds to the credibility of it all.

Goodfellas had several strong main characters, but centered around Ray Liotta’s character: Henry Hill. Hill is a real-life wiseguy and this movie is based on his story. Other main characters are Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci, who both deliver excellent performances. Also playing important supporting roles are Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino. Looking back on it, I think Scorsese has done a masterful job of pacing the story so that you have time to absorb the memorable experiences and learn about the characters; something that must be very difficult with such a wide array of important characters. This movie had several thought-provoking moments and I will remember it for a long time. I felt like Godfather I and II were more “powerful” but this movie is a memorable must-see. 5/5 gang-stars

This 2001 sleeper comedy is probably the ultimate summer camp movie! Set in 1981, this movie takes you back in time with lots of classic summer camp moments, and has some great original comedy. With a cast like this, I don’t know how I didn’t hear about this movie sooner: Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black, Paul Rudd, Molly Shannon, Amy Poehler, and some unknowns who do a great job. If anyone remembers the MTV comedy show “The State”, this is written by (and stars) those guys.

I am not going to discuss any further. See this movie! 4/5 stars

Elf looked like a Will Ferrell vehicle, and it probably is, but if you’re a Will Ferrell fan that should not be a problem! He plays a human who has been accidentally adopted by Santa’s elves, and grows up thinking he is an elf. When he finally learns that he is a human and that he can go to New York to find his biological father, he decides to drop everything and discover the world beyond the North Pole.

Basically, Buddy (Will’s character) is a clueless laughing stock. He walks around in his bright green jacket and golden tight pants, which is funny enough, but his naivete is where his character really makes you laugh. I love Will Ferrell, but this movie was a little too innocent for my tastes. I guess I have a sick sense of humor, but this PG-rated movie was as clean as a whistle and so I felt like I was watching a kid’s movie. In contrast, I loved The Incredibles, even though it was also a PG movie aimed at kids. Nonetheless, Elf has many laughs and its innocence was kind of refreshing.

My biggest complaint is that things get really weird towards the end of the movie. I can’t talk about it without ruining the plot, but I’ll just say that things got overdramatic to the point of making me groan. Also, the character development is a bit hard to believe. Nonetheless, I think this would be a good movie for kids or for a family. 2/5 stars.

I should have been a bit more timely with this review, but I’m sure there’s someone out there who hasn’t seen it yet! I had very low expectations for this movie until I heard all the positive reviews. It seemed like maybe George Lucas might have taken some writing classes before working on this screenplay, but unfortunately I have to disagree with most of the positive reviews I heard about.

Here is George Lucas at his worst (SPOILER ALERT):

ANAKIN: . . . every second I was thinking of you. Protecting the endless, nameless Outer Rim settlements became a torture . . . the battles were easy, the longing became unbearable . . . I’ve never been so happy as I am at this moment.

PADME: Annie, I want to have our baby back home on Naboo. We could go to the lake country where no one would know . . . where we would be safe. I could go early-and fix up the baby’s room. I know the perfect spot, right by the gardens.

ANAKIN: You are so beautiful!

PADME: It’s only because I’m so in love . . .

ANAKIN: No, it’s because I’m so in love with you.

PADME: So love has blinded you?

ANAKIN: Well, that’s not exactly what I meant . . .

PADME: But it’s probably true!

They laugh.

ANAKIN: I haven’t laughed in so long . . .

PADME: Neither have I.

Can you feel the love? Are tears raining from your eyes like they are from mine? The dialog in this movie is just awful. I heard George Lucas say that he “didn’t care what the fans think of the movie”… wow, how nice of you, George. I think one of the reasons LOTR was so great is because the people involved were all huge fans, and they cared what the other fans thought about the movie!

On the plus side, there were some really stunning action scenes in the movie that were 100% wowzers, and I don’t consider myself easily dazzled by movie action scenes. This movie was much more fun than the two preceding it, and if you consider yourself any kind of Star Wars fan, you will have a fun time at this movie (and you need to see it, of course). If you’re looking for the next “Citizen Kane”, this is not the place, but as long as you don’t take this movie too seriously, you will definitely enjoy it. 3/5 Stars