Rachel McAdams and Diane Keaton in "The Family Stone"
courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment
"An Ensemble Cast That Doesn't Work"

It looks like the dream team of acting on paper. You have Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Claire Danes, Luke Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Craig T Nelson and Diane Keaton. That is a potential powerhouse packed cast for one movie - "The Family Stone." So why doesn't it work? You can rent the DVD, now out, and see for yourself.

For one thing the public likes Sarah Jessica Parker when she is sweet. Exhibit A - "Failure To Launch," In "The Family Stone" she is cold, aloof and not altogether likeable. Secondly is this a comedy or a tragedy? The answer is both and the two pieces do not gel together. Thirdly, this is a movie so determined to pair everyone off that you have some situations that go beyond believability into "don't expect me to believe that" status.

This movie also mishandles the wonderful talents of McAdams, one of the most delightful actresses we have seen in quite some time. In "The Notebook" and "Red Eye" she was vibrant. In this movie she is ordinary. It takes a lot to do her in but this movie manages to do it. It would rather focus its attention on Claire Danes, an actress who hasn't impressed me since her days on "My So Called Life."

The movie just doesn't get how it should be done and so a potentially wonderful movie becomes a very ordinary one. There are some pleasures in "The Family Stone," most of them seen in the trailers for the film.

A much better movie is "Shadows In the Sun." This is a simple little tale about a man who goes to Italy to try to convince a famous author to write a new book. The rub is that the author (Harvey Keitel) doesn't want to write a new book. He is happy with his life just as it is, and no matter what the young man (Joshua Jackson) says his answer remains no.

An added complication is the author's daughter (Claire Forlani). She and the young man fall in love and he wants to return to the real world and she wants to stay at home. As always the course of true love doesn't run smoothly.

All of the actors in this film are at their best. Keitel is one of the master actors of the day and Forlani is one of the great beauties of the screen. Jackson has grown up a lot since his days as "Pacey" on "Dawson's Creek."

He scenery is beautiful as is Forlani, and the acting is good. Plus the story is interesting. What more could you ask!

"The Passenger" has come to be regarded as a classic of sorts. This film by acclaimed director 
Michelangelo Antonioni was first released in 1975 but it has stayed modern in the sense of entertainment and enjoyment. Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider co-star in this story of one burnt out journalist's escape from his world by assuming the identity of someone else.

The themes of the movie are well defined and the thoughts still are relevant some thirty years later. Nicholson and Schneider were in their prime both in their looks and in their acting skills. And of course the directing prowess of Antonioni was magnificent.

"Shopgirl" is a DVD that stars Steve Martin in a movie written by Steve Martin. It is based on his novella and shows that acting is not his only talent. Claire Danes and Jason Schwartzman co-star in this love triangle.

Danes is the "shopgirl" who meets an eager young man (Schwartzman) who falls hard for her. She also meets an older wealthy man played by Martin. He takes her away form her simple world and into a much more elegant one. The issue comes down to who is right for who and what do these three people really want from life.

This is not the typical Steve Martin movie and it is only so-so successful. The acting is okay but the performances aren't appealing. You might want to "shop" around for something better.

"Everything You Want" is another romantic movie. This one is about a young woman who thinks her life is all mapped out. She is an art student and she has a boyfriend. But then along comes a new fun-loving type of guy who starts to play with her heart. Suddenly the predictable doesn't seem to be such a sure thing.

Shiri Appleby is the young woman in the middle of this mix, and Nick Zaro is the quirky new guy. They are likeable and believable and that is all that is required of them. The rest is taken care of by a sweet script and some comedy thrown in for good measure. "Everything You Want" is a DVD you will want to see.

How would you enjoy a movie titled "Bachelor Party Vegas"? Well this is a DVD full of profanity, nudity and violence so it should appeal to the wilder crowd. Kal Penn, Donald Faison and Jonathan Bennett star in this film about a group of five guys who head to Vegas for a bachelor party. Once they get there the good times roll - for a while. But then things go wrong and everything goes downhill.

This is a movie about the best times turning into the worst times. It also concerns friendship and what it really means. There are lessons to be learned for this movie, but most will just sit back and enjoy the ride.

For the very young children in your house there is a new "Little Einstein" adventure DVD available. This one is titled "Little Einsteins: Team Up For Advenure" and it is a film that combines animation and real life settings.

The little superheroes who have the adventures are Leo, June, Quincy and Annie. They board a rocket ship and travel to all sorts of wonderful places. Along the way your children are learning simple lessons that will help them advance. This is learning in the best way with fun and adventure and music combined.

 

 

 

 

 

©2006 Jackie K. Cooper

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