Meryl Streep in "Julie and Julia"
courtesy of Sony Home Entertainment
“Meryl Is Magic”

By this time it should be known by most people that Meryl Streep can do anything, and be anyone she wants to be. That is certainly true in the new DVD “Julie & Julia”. This may not be one of the best movies ever made but it is certainly one of the most exuberant. Streep gives a boisterous and rambunctious performance as Julia Child. Amy Adams is wide eyed and wonderful as Julie Powell. The relationship of these two women spans across time to combine into the unique story that is “Julie & Julia.”

Nora Ephron directed this film which is based on a combination of two books – Julia Child’s MY LIFE IN FRANCE and Julie Powell’s JULIE & JULIA. It takes a bit of doing but Ephron manages to squeeze them together in something of a discernible story.

Julie’s story concerns her quest to find purpose in her life. She does this by vowing to cook every recipe in Child’s cookbook MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING and to do it in the space of one year. She also plans to blog about her experiences in doing this.

Julia’s story takes place in the forties and concerns her decision at age forty-something to find a purpose for her life. She is living in Paris with her husband Paul (Stanley Tucci) and decides to go to the Cordon Bleu School of Cooking. She does this and later decides to write a cookbook.

Both of these women adore their husbands. Paul is everything to Julia, and Julie thinks her husband Eric (Chris Messina) is a saint for putting up with her. Both couples are childless and spend their time devoted to each other – when they are not cooking.

Streep nails Child’s over the top personality and the distinguishing lilt to her voice. She also looks to be Julia’s six two height. They must have hired every short actor in Hollywood and France to make Julia seem so tall.

Adams performance as Julie is more low key. Julie comes off as a little self centered and a little flaky. She is also endearing and appealing. Although Adams and Streep have no scenes together they seem to permeate each other’s.

The movie is a few scenes too long and nothing much really happens over the course of the film, still it is funny and enjoyable for the most part. Plus watching Streep and to a lesser degree Adams do their thing is fascinating. Jane Lynch also adds a charming touch as Julia’s equally tall sister Dorothy.

“Julie & Julia” is an amusing movie heightened in enjoyment by the delightful performances of the actors. Once again Streep is at the top of her game and nails her role with pure enthusiasm.

On the other hand the new Harry Potter film, now out on DVD, is not the best of the bunch. It deals with so much teen romance that it should have been titled “I Love You, Hermione Granger.” The first half of the film is downright boring and the last half is downright confusing. Is the acting good – yes. Are the sets and special effects impressive – yes. But everything else is middle of the road.

This film starts out with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) meeting up with Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) to try to convince Professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) to return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to teach. Meanwhile the Death Eaters are terrorizing London and taking someone hostage.

I got confused at this point and never really found my way back. It doesn’t matter because most of the movie concerns Harry’s blossoming love for Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) and Hermione (Emma Watson) trying to get Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) to notice her. Her main competition is Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave) who is much more aggressive in her pursuits than poor Hermione.

This is the sixth Harry Potter film and each one has built on the one preceding it. A little bit of a recap would have helped get the viewer into the present offering. If you haven’t read the book (which I haven’t) there are plot points that just aren’t going to mean anything to you.

The three leads in the film are growing up nicely and are convincing in their roles. Gambon is terrific as Dumbledore and Alan Rickman is menacing as Snape. Maggie Smith is always a welcome treat as Professor Minerva McGonagall. Tom Felton is complex as Lucas Malfoy.

This movie, more than any of the other five, seems to exist just to set up the remaining two movies which will be released in 2010 and 2011 (they are splitting the last book in two). There is no actual resolution in this film and that makes it feel incomplete.

If you are a Harry Potter fan and a devoted follower of the books then you are going to enjoy this movie. If, like me, you have seen the movies but not read the books this one is going to be a disappointment. It is lovestruck and confusing which is not my idea of great entertainment in any sense of the word.

Those of you who are Clint Eastwood fans are going to want to get his new documentary “Johnny Mercer: The Dream’s On Me.” This DVD is being released to coincide with Mercer’s 100th birthday and it is a present for musical fans everywhere.

The film chronicles his life and career and has interviews with Mercer himself along with the royalty of Hollywood. Everyone loved to sing Mercer songs and most of the “who’s who of singers” did. This included Bing Crosby, Pearl Bailey, Julie Andrews and tons more. 

My favorite Mercer song is also one of my favorite performances of a Mercer song. It is non-singer Audrey Hepburn singing “Moon River: in the film “Breakfast At Tiffany’s. This just the perfect combination of singer and song and Mercer worked that magic many, many times in his illustrious career.

So get the DVD of “Johnny Mercer: The Dream’s On Me” and settle into the wonderful world of Mercer music. It is a special place and Eastwood serves it all up perfectly.

Finally we have a new DVD that is a collection of eleven episodes of “Rescue Me.” The set is titled “Rescue Me: Season Five Volume Two” and it has Denis Leary starring along with some talented women such as Maura Tierney, Patti d’Arbanville and my favorite Tatum O’Neal.

There are also deleted scenes, featurettes and bloopers on this three disc set. It is a perfect gift for the “Rescue Me” fan and who isn’t? Denis Leary found the perfect role and the perfect setting for his stories. “Rescue Me” is a classic!
 

 

 

 

 

©2009 Jackie K. Cooper

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