Bryce Dallas Howard and Paul Giamatti in "Lady In the Water"
courtesy of Warner Home Entertainment
"This Lady Is No Tramp"

When M Night Shyamalan released his film "Lady In the Water" the critics were out to get him. They savaged the film, and wrongly so. This interesting if not overly entertaining film stars Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard. Their talent plus the unique aspects of the story make this a movie to be appreciated.

The film takes place in Philadelphia at a hotel where Cleveland Heep (Giamatti) is the building superintendent/caretaker. One night he is awakened by the sound of someone swimming in the pool outside his room. He discovers a young woman who calls herself Story (Howard). He learns that she is a "narf," which is a water sprite from the waterworld.

The rest of the film concerns Heep's efforts to protect Story and also to help her safely return to her world. This requires Heep to enlist the aid of various people who live and/or staying at the hotel. There are certain people who can help Story in her quest but Heep has to determine who they are and what their special talents are in relation to her.

The film is a fairy tale and is not to be taken literally. Rather it should be taken symbolically, and if this is done then the movie is enjoyable. The acting is first rate and the "special" touches make the film a good one even if it is not one that is perfect.

"ER: The Complete Sixth Season" is available on DVD and this is great new for the millions of fans of the show. The sixth season is the year that Abbey Lockhart (Maura Tierney) first appeared on the scene, and she has been a welcome addition to the cast.

This season also featured the talents of Kellie Martin, Noah Wyle, Laura Innes, Anthony Edwards and Alex Kingston among others. That is a lot of talent but this is a show that has always had a strong cast. So get "ER: The Complete Sixth Season" and relive those memories one more time.

Agnes Bruckner stars in the new DVD "Dreamland." In it she plays a girl named Audrey who is a caretaker for everyone she knows. She just has that disposition. Dreamland is the name of the trailer park where she lives with her father. One day a young man named Mookie (Justin Long) moves in and soon Audrey finds herself really caring about him, not for him. But then she introduces him to her friend Calista (Kellie Garner). Calista starts liking him too, which really complicates things.

This is a movie full of good characters and complicated storylines. In addition to Bruckner, Long and Garner the cast also includes John Corbett and Gina Gershon. That is a lot of talent in one movie. Watch it!

If you like Asian movies, and a lot of people do these days, then you are going to enjoy the Chinese film "The Promise." This is a movie about love and war. It's full of passion and martial arts. The story concerns one woman and her effect on three men. 

This is a beautifully filmed movie and the intensity of the battles and of the love affairs makes for compelling viewing. "The Promise" is a wonderful Asian film, I promise.

Just when you think you have seen everything along comes a movie like "A Scanner Darkly." It is a film that has real life action that has been overlaid with animation. I guess that is the correct way to describe it.

The movie is directed by Richard Linkletter who used this same process in "Waking Life." It stars Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr and Woody Harrelson. They star in a futuristic story based on a book by Phillip K Dick. There are more twists and turns than you can believe and the look of the film gives it that "something extra."

"A Scanner Darkly" is not your average movie. It has a unique look and a twisted story, so dive into it and have a great time.

The world of beauty pageants seems to fascinate America. Therefore many will want to see the documentary, "The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania." This film tells the story of actress Sarah Rush and how she started her career as an actress by entering the local beauty pageant in her native town of Carmichaels, Pennsylvania.

The town is very proud of its pageant and the film traces the step by step involvement of Rush and the other contestants. The movie was produced by "Everybody Loves Raymond" star Patricia Heaton and her husband David Hunt.

Also in stores is the DVD of "All the King's Men." This movie had everything going for it - great cast, story from a Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Robert Penn Warren, and a previous film based on the same book that won the Academy Award. But all this pedigree didn't help the movie and it tanked - and rightly so.

Sean Penn, Kate Winslett, Jude Law, James Gandolfini and Patricia Clarkson star in the movie and though each is good they are not able to hold the film together. The plot is too convoluted and the viewer never relates to any of them.

This was one of the big flops of the year and the DVD can't do anything to improve it. It is hard to say just what is wrong with the film but there definitely is something missing.
 

 

 

 

 

©2007 Jackie K. Cooper

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