Not As Good As It Should Be

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Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan in "Gone Baby Gone"
courtesy of Disney Home Entertainment

"Not As Good As It Should Be"

Any book by Dennis Lehane should be made into a movie. He wrote the story on which the movie "Mystic River" was based, and now it has been done with is book GONE BABY GONE. With the complex plot Lehane produced the movie should have been a totally engrossing one - but it isn't. And it is all the fault of Casey Affleck's genes. He just looks too young (even though he is the right age) to play the part of the lead detective.

The film marks a strong directorial debut for Casey's brother, actor Ben Affleck. Ben took the strong story by Dennis Lehane and fashioned it into a mesmerizing screenplay. But then he hired his younger brother Casey and gave him one of the best roles of his career. Plus he got a rock solid supporting cast to join in and the result is a very good, if not great, film.

Casey Affleck plays private investigator Patrick Kenzie. He and his girlfriend/co-investigator Angie (Michelle Monaghan) work in Boston. At the start of the film they are hired by Lionel and Beatrice McCready (Titus Welliver and Amy Madigan) to investigate the disappearance of their niece Amanda (Madeline O'Brien).

The police are already working the case but the head of the investigation, Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman), agrees to share information about the case with them. Patrick and Angie end up working closely with police investigators Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) and Nick Poole (John Ashton).

They learn that Amanda's mother Helene (Amy Ryan) has a checkered past. She is a drug user and has been involved in various illegal activities. Eventually they come to suspect some of her past associates. Still nothing in this case is simple or as it appears to be. There are a million twists and turns before the final unsettling outcome.

Affleck and Monaghan are good in their roles but they look years too young for their parts. It is hard to take them seriously as private investigators when they look like they are teenagers playing at being detectives. This one factor keeps "Gone Baby Gone" from being the triumphant film it should be.

Madigan is amazing in her role, as is Ryan, and it is Ryan who ended up with the Oscar nomination. Harris has some good moments as Bressant, but Freeman is strangely wooden as the policeman with a tragedy in his past. Ben Affleck makes an impact with his directing. He keeps the film moving and lets the secrets unfold slowly but surely. His work is not that of someone tentative in this new role but rather is that of someone who is assured and confidant.

"Gone Baby Gone" will draw you into its story and hold you there for the length of the film. Its impact will also stay with you long after the movie has ended. Still, as good as Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan are in their roles, they just don't look the parts. There is even a line in the movie addressing how young Patrick looks and how he can't possibly be the thirty-one years of age he claims to be.

That nepotism thing will slow you down every time. If Ben had given the lead role to someone other than Casey he might have had a bigger hit and more critical success.

Kids and adults both love "Scooby-Doo" and all his adventures. The release of a new "Scooby-Doo" DVD is cause for celebration. So get ready to celebrate because there are two new "Scooby-Doo" adventures being released. It is a double feature DVD and it includes "Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders" as well as "Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island."

Both of these adventures also include Velma, Daphne, Fred and Shaggy. They combine forces to solve a new mystery about zombies and aliens, and of course they always get their man (or woman) before the show has ended.

It is a fun filled time your kids will love, and you can watch with them and have a ball too. So get this "Scooby-Doo" double feature today!

Some "General Hospital" fans have not had the chance to watch the late night spin-off titled "General Hospital: Night Shift." Now they have the chance to see what all the clamor is about because the DB+VD of the entire first season is being released on DVD. This more adult series has Kimberly McCullough, Steve Burton, Jason Thompson and Kirsten Storms in the cast but it has also added Billy Dee Williams to add more jazz to the show.

On the DVD you also get a behind the scenes look at what happens while filming. This helps you get to know the actors better and you get to see them from a different vantage point. So get the whole package when you get the DVD of "General Hospital: Night Shift: The Complete First Season."

There's a lot of fun in "Three Can Play That Game," a romantic comedy starring Viveca A Fox, Jason George, Jazsmin Lewis and Tony Rock. The story concerns an ordinary guy (George) who gets a makeover of sorts and turns into a man with appeal to many, many women. His girlfriend (Lewis) doesn't want to lose him so she turns to a relationship expert (Fox).

All of this leads to confusion and mismatched love but it all sorts itself out in the end. The cast is attractive and talented and the plot of the film allows for comedy and romance. This is one to enjoy.

Music and comedy abound in "The Aristocats," one of Disney's most beloved animated films. Eva Gabor leads the cast as Duchess, a female cat with three adorable kittens. They have a variety of adventures and music and excitement as well as comedy play into the plot.

This new DVD is titled "The Aristocats Special Edition" because it contains extras such as a bonus cartoon, a backstage look at "The Aristocats" scrapbook, a song that was deleted from the original production, and even more games and fun. You get the wonderful movie plus all these extras.

Finally we have "Snow Buddies". This is a wonderful movie featuring five puppies that can talk. Whoopi Goldberg, Jim Belushi, Kris Kristofferson and Dylan Sprouse provide some of the voices. But it wouldn't mean a thing if the puppies were not so appealing.

This is the perfect movie for kids as they can just totally loose themselves in the story of talking animals. The story is sweet and clean and totally family suitable. So get this one for the kids and let them laugh and enjoy it to their hearts content.

Click above to find out more about Jackie's books!