Saturday, July 14, 2007 Rant Archive
We don’t watch MONK for the same reasons we watch CSI or HOMICIDE, or even THE SOPRANOS. We’re not looking for a fright or a gross-out or a deep thinker. Heck, if you really consider it, the plots in a typical episode of MONK are about as complicated as — jinkies! — a SCOOBY-DOO adventure.
No, to be perfectly honest with ourselves, we have to admit that we watch MONK to see Monk being … well … Monk-ish.
After five seasons, one would think that this one-note gag of the anal-retentive, obsessive-compulsive pseudo-detective would have grown far too old and moldy, but Tony Shalhoub’s interpretation of the title character continues to evolve and impress.
In fine form, the season six opener does not disappoint, and in fact, Mr. Shalhoub is almost upstaged as guest star Sarah Silverman reprises her role as Monk’s biggest fan (Marci Mave; she even goes so far as to recover his discarded clothing and wears it when he is forced to ‘hang out’ with her after she purchases him at a bachelor charity auction).
Plot in a nutshell: Marci’s neighbor’s wife has been killed and Marci’s dog is to blame. Problem is, the murder happened days after she claims the dog was dead and buried. And, of course, only Monk can solve the case!
.jpg)
It’s one thing to get Bruce Dern and Billy Bob Thornton — two of the best actors in the game when it comes to playing unrepentant jackasses — in the same movie together; that’s a coup right there. To get them both playing warm, sympathetic characters, however, is a sign of the Apocalypse. It’s like water running uphill; it just doesn’t happen. But, the Polish brothers pulled it off, and made a pretty damn good movie to boot.
Unlike many filmmakers who have trod in Capraesque fields, Mark and Michael Polish understand that wholesome doesn’t have to mean sappy, and uplifting films don’t all have to be about sports. THE ASTRONAUT FARMER is, outside of Pixar’s body of work and a few notable exceptions, one of the few mainstream films in the last few years that gets that. Thornton plays Charles Farmer, a former aeronautical engineer and fighter jockey who bowed out of astronaut training when his father died so he could go home and run the family farm.
Dreams of flying into space, however, are stronger than that for Charles, who has the loving and steadfast support of his wife, Audie (Virginia Madsen), and his three kids. To that end, he’s built a rocket in his barn, which makes him just another colorful character in his Texas hometown — that is, until he tries to buy 10,000 pounds of high-grade fuel for his rocket. Now, the Feds want to get to know Charlie and his plans; typified by a cynical FBI agent (Jon Gries) and the officious head of the FAA (J.K. Simmons).
.jpg)
MIMZY is whimsy; fun for kids, and safe enough for adults to watch with minimal eye-rolling.
In the future, the human genome becomes so corrupted and polluted that humanity is withering on the vine. To save the species, a lone scientist sends a robot back in time to collect a pure sample of DNA from an exceptional child. The robot, in the form of a stuffed bunny, is called a Mimzy, and it is the future’s last hope.
Mimzy finds its way to Emma Wilder and her brother Noah, played competently by Rhiannon Leigh Wryn and Chris O’Neil, respectively. At first, Mimzy and its various components are the greatest toys ever, imparting special gifts to the children: Noah learns to speak to insects and Emma learns telekinesis. But, then adults get involved, including the Office of Homeland Security, so the mission becomes that much more of a challenge.
Though derivative, this is still an enjoyable ride and a solid choice for a family rental.
This movie borrows heavily from E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL. However, Mimzy the character is less dynamic than E.T., which is nice. This allows the children to step forward and discover their strengths and weaknesses through their actions, and not just how they relate to the alien presence. As Noah, O’Neil does a nice job of balancing annoyance and wonder at his little sister. He is bespectacled and nameless in his fifth grade class, and reveals a nicely understated yearning for his workaholic father’s attention. Noah is a good kid who makes good choices and gets a special gift. He’s not a super-genius or a prodigy or a boy wizard, which should be refreshingly relatable to kids of a similar age.