Through the tunnel you are reborn into a seemingly perfect world in “Coraline,” Henry Selick’s sinister adaption of Neil Gaiman’s children’s novel Coraline.  From the scenery to the action to the music the aesthetics are magnificent, and the story line isn’t bad either.  Bored by her new home and neglected by her parents (voiced by Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman), Coraline (Dakota Fanning) seeks attention and excitement through a small door in her family room that leads to a parallel reality.  Coraline’s dream world turns into a nightmare when she discovers that her alternate mother (Teri Hatcher) wants to trap her in this new world forever.

The soundtrack fits in perfectly with the scenes.  The music captures all of Coraline’s moods – the monotony of living with her parents, the thrill of meeting her other parents, and the trepidation upon realizing her other mother’s intentions.  Just from listening to the soundtrack, you would be able to identify Coraline’s disposition.  But taking your eyes off the screen would be the last thing you would want to do.

As writer and director, Selick chose some the world’s best animators and puppet fabricators at LAIKA to create his landscape.  Almost everything was hand-made and filmed in stop-motion 3-D.  The characters’ facial features were painstakingly crafted to allow for more than 200,000 different expressions.  The clay characters don’t miss a beat when expressing their emotions.  LAIKA earns a tip of the hat when Coraline’s other mother’s tender smile transforms into a malicious sneer – not to mention her proportioned arms and legs becoming spindly and spider-like.

Perhaps Selick’s most satisfying use of animation comes when Coraline’s other father’s garden comes to life.  In contrast to the dull, gray colors found in the real world, the parallel reality is filled with warm, radiant ones.  As Coraline walks through the garden of the other world, the plants sprout flowers and nip playfully at her heels as they glow in shades of red, blue, and yellow.  Despite this one and many other accurate and well-directed scenes, there were several scenes with lots of movement that appeared to be in slow motion.

Dakota Fanning (“New Moon” and “Charlotte’s Web”) lends her voice well to Coraline.  Fanning’s voice captures Coraline’s inner feelings as she changes from bored to inquisitive to resolute.  (“You are NOT my mother!”)  You can hear the awe and amazement in her voice as Coraline is introduced to wonders in her new world.

As Coraline’s real mother, Teri Hatcher (“Desperate Housewives”) is a disappointment.  She humors Coraline as if she is a puppy demanding constant attention.  However, Hatcher redeems herself as Coraline’s other mother with her carefully chosen and calculated words.  (“You know, you could stay forever, if you want to. There’s one tiny thing we have to do first…”)  From her tone, it is clear that Hatcher is scheming, but you don’t find out her plan until she is ready to tell you.

Selick takes Gaiman’s classic and adds a dark spin.  Despite the PG rating, “Coraline” manages to startle you with the motive and appearances of some of the characters.  While it can’t outright scare you, “Coraline” challenges our desire for a dream world.  Maybe we just don’t know how to find the excitement in what we have.

Released August 22, 1995, Rancid’s …And Out Come the Wolves is arguably the best punk album of the 90′s.  The essence of reggae and ska entwined with California-street-punk style make …And Out Come the Wolves a true  representation of the bands legacy.  First off, before the CD had even been created Rancid, with growing popularity from their first two albums, decided to stay with their indie label, Epitaph Records, rather than sign with the mainstream label, Maverick Records.  One could argue that the band was referring to this early conflict in the song “Disorder & Disarray” with the lyrics, “Business man come shake my hand, Show me numbers that i understand…  Say goodbye when you see the sign, Now I’m crucified!”

The CD starts with a bang as “Maxwell Murder” illustrates the potential of Lars Frederiksen and Armstrong’s cigarette tattered vocals.  Then after the second chorus Freedman delivers a bass solo that seems to punch its way out of your chest.  Shortly after is one of the hits of the album “Time Bomb.”  One will notice the heavy ska influence in this song.  This song describes a story of young man getting involved in gangs and eventually gets shot; the tittle suits this sort of lifestyle well.

By the time “Junkie Man” is reached the listener is so wrapped around the California-street-punk he or she may miss the excerpt taken from Jim Carroll’s Basketball Diaries. Both Carroll and Tim Armstrong suffered from drug addiction.

Armstrong goes on to tell more from his life in the song, “As Wicked.”  he sings, “I saw an old man on the street, he was in a dumpster lookin’ for somethin’ to eat…. I saw this kid who was about 5 years old, he was in the park all alone he was cold….. I know this girl she’s barely alive, she’s all haggard she’s only twenty-five, she said she never had a friend before, I said ‘hey girl I’ll be your friend but who’s keepin’ score.’”   Prior to Rancid’s existence Armstrong and Matt Freedman were members the short lived, ska-punk band Operation Ivy.  The band fell apart and Armstrong slipped into a world of drug addiction and homelessness.  Freedman concerned for his friends life helped Armstrong get clean and together they formed Rancid.  Tim Armstrong knows how far he has come, the last line in this song is, “my friend Marty says ‘Tim you’re a lucky man.’”

The distinct sound of  slap guitar and the high tuned snare drum, in “Daly City Train,” points out the heavy reggae influence in the album , One may think a track from Peter Tosh somehow got added to this punk CD.

With the varying genres having influence in this album,  must not forget the key punk themes that fuel every punker’s ambition to mosh around the circle pit: rebelling against parents who don’t understand. Rancid depicts this theme in the song “This Wars End” by giving those kids advice in true punk fashion.

People of all ages would like this album, from the now-grey-haired punks of the era of Dead Kennedys and the Clash to the kids who are just now discovering Green Day and Blink 182, all will appreciate the time and effort this west coast band put into their album.  …And Out Come the Wolves, now 15 years old, helped to put Rancid on the map the only way an indie-punk band knows how, through music.

A good portion of the comedic hijinks arises from the couple meeting each other’s families after hitting it off. First, Baruchel introduces Eve to his just as awkward family who are all stunned in disbelief. Baruchel’s mom, played by Debra Jo Rupp of That 70s Show fame, is so excited her son found a beauty that she is absolutely giddy at the first sight of Eve. Adding for some conflict is the fact that Baruchel’s last girlfriend, Marnie (Lindsay Sloane), has become part of his family and is frequently at the Kettner home with her new boyfriend. A rivalry of sorts develops between Sloane and Eve as Sloane feels she must compete with Eve.

Later in the film, Eve’s family drops in on her and Baruchel in the middle of a make out session, which to Baruchel’s horror, ends in him ejaculating in his pants. Eve’s parents are played by her real life parents, Trevor Eve and Sharon Maughan. One of the most memorable moments in the film is what Baruchel does when Eve’s father goes to shake his hand. Let’s just say he craftily does a good job of not revealing what had just occurred and Eve’s large pet dog gets involved.

True to the genre, “She’s Out of My League” follows the predictable formula of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, and boy wins girl back. But if you can stomach said predictability, letting the mush engulf you as it floods the theater, this film is worth seeing. Much of the merit lies in the hilarious, original quips uttered by Baruchel’s friends. Like when Devon (Nate Torrence), who compulsively blurts out Disney references described Baruchel as “Aladdin going to meet the Princess and whisk her off on a magic carpet ride”, delivering the line with child-like wonder.

The film has the mushy take home message of accepting yourself and having the courage to aim for what you want instead of what’s easiest. While the scenario is of questionable plausibility, and the supporting characters are comically over the top, the main cast comes off wonderfully sincere. Baruchel of Million Dollar Baby and Knocked Up is beyond believable in his quirky average guy role and Eve of Stage Beauty and BBC’s “The Rotter’s Club”, is comparably believable in her gorgeous girl role.

“She’s Out of My League” is driven by a talented cast that makes the familiarity of the storyline more of a comfort than a disappointment. So if you’re up for a good laugh to put your mind at ease, this movie’s the one to see.

★★★★☆

Singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson from Staten Island, NY, has grown during the short time between her release of Be OK (2008) and Everybody, her newest album that debuted on August 25, 2009. This fact might be obvious just by reading the names of the albums, but listening to them, the change in depth is clear.

Ingrid Michaelson got her first break when she uploaded her self-produced album Girls and Boys (later reaching No. 2 in most sold pop albums on iTunes) onto MySpace, where Secret Road, a music licensing and artist management company in Los Angeles, noticed it. Her singles started appearing on TV: “The Way I Am” on an Old Navy commercial, others were featured on shows such as 90210 and One Tree Hill, and Grey’s Anatomy used three songs, even asking Michaelson to write a piece specifically for the season finale.

Although each of her twelve tracks brings something new to the DJ table, Ingrid Michaelson has two styles, resembling a musically split personality. There are the catchy tunes that repetitively strum along, with sing-songy stanzas and swelling choruses (“Everybody”). Then there are the emotionally charged choruses paired with piano-and-string big players and quirky lyrics (like an angry apple tree, I’ll throw my apples if you get too close to me). Typically she combines characteristics of both sides. Songs that more resemble the first type will probably be heard on the radio, but her long-term fans will likely recognize the Ingrid they know and love in the second.

Some exceptional tracks stuck out above the rest. “The Chain” shining bright, swells and flows in repeating rounds over crescendos of strings and piano, is almost a lullaby. “Locked Up,” has a sturdy beat even while matched with questioning lyrics (If I look to my right will I see the one I fight for?) and “Soldier” proves that Michaelson doesn’t really mind marching to the beat of her own drums.

The slow ballad “Incredible Love” is the failure of the album, combining deep somber vocals, empty pauses, and a harpsichord. Between the lyrics and the mood, which are conflicting (incredible love, you fill me/ incredible love, you spill me), the listener is left confused about what they are supposed to be feeling. Also, it’s just not pretty to listen to.

That’s not to say that the other tracks are not charming, because many of them are.

To anyone who has seen the film, it’s no wonder why Pixar’s tenth animated film Up received five nominations and two Oscar wins in 2010. Director and writer Pete Docter (Toy Story, Monsters Inc.) created yet another clever, funny, outrageous story enjoyable to almost anyone, making it one of the most popular movies of the year.

Up begins with Carl Fredricksen (Edward Asner) as a young boy wearing aviator goggles and a pilot’s cap who has dreams of one day becoming a pilot. Carl meets his eventual wife Ellie who has very similar dreams about flying. The two are immediately inseparable, and a magnificently well done montage shows their transformation from childhood sweethearts to an older married couple. When Ellie dies in old age, Carl as a retired balloon salesman is left in the house by himself.

When Carl meets the young Russell (Jordan Nagai), and decides to lift off his house with thousands of helium filled balloons to escape from his dreary old life, the adventures really begin. From here, the sky is the limit. The unrealistic adventures – encounters with talking dogs and a gigantic rainbow colored bird – excite the viewers and leave them wondering what to expect next.

When I first heard about Up, I didn’t want to pay to see the movie in theatres, as it was rated PG and I didn’t think I would enjoy it as an eighteen year old. Once hearing my twenty-one year old brother rave about it, I immediately regretted this decision and popped in the DVD. The beginning montage had me crying within the first twenty minutes.

Not only was I crying, but the film had me cracking up not even five minutes later. Russell’s witty sayings to Carl such as, “I could help you cross your porch” help to make Up the funniest Pixar film to date. The ability to give viewers drastic change in emotion is part of what makes the film so wonderfully written.

Composer Michael Giacchino did a fantastic job with the soundtrack music as the songs play a large part in the emotional changes throughout the movie. The same tune is played at several points in the film, but the tone and volume change depending on what sensation viewers are meant to feel. When Ellie passes away for example the song sounds sad and empty, but when Carl lifts off in his house the same song is uplifting and hopeful.

The way that young, energetic Russell has an influence on Carl’s stereotypical, grumpy, old man attitude is touching. Up is yet again a feel good Pixar movie short enough so the talking dogs don’t become annoying, but any shorter and viewers would be left unsatisfied.

Going in I didn’t know exactly what to expect I had heard it was inspiring and moving. After watching Precious I discovered Lee Daniels, the director, delivered this and more. Daniels worked with Sapphire, the author of Push, to transform the book into this emotional and powerful piece. Precious was nominated for six Oscars in 2010, it won two: Mo’Nique won Best Supporting Actress and Geoffrey Fletcher won Best Adapted Screenplay. Despite being a fairly inexperienced director, having only previously directed one film, Daniels did a great job. From the very start of the movie you understand Precious, played by Gabourey Sidibe, and her life’s goals and dreams.

Sidibe is a tough girl who comes from a tough neighborhood and tough school. Almost immediately you are told she is pregnant with her second child. It is when you find out who the father is that it becomes clear just how intense this movie is going to be. The mother Mary played by Mo’Nique is abusive towards Sidibe and this is a main part of the story. Mo’Nique played this difficult part flawlessly. She embodied an angry woman full of hate towards her own daughter. This whole movie was full of wonderful acting; the casting fits all of the characters perfectly.

Throughout the movie Sdibe is a punching bag, taking everyone’s punches one after another. This movie never quits, there are no moments of just filler. It is packed full of emotion and reality. Everything that is said or done has some form of truth behind it, no one can deny the horror that these events happen in real life. This is what makes the viewer really think because there is no way to hide from it.

Sidibe is strong and when she is forced into a terrible situation she escapes into her dreams and imagination. Daniels shows this in a great way, he showed what was happening to Sdibe and then it would turn into her dream self. Sdibe longed to be famous and loved and this is who she was in her dreams.

So many movies that are similar to Precious will go too far with the drama and everything will be over the top and way over done but Daniels kept everything in check. Sdibe goes through so much and if listed, it may seem like way too much for one movie and one person. But the acting and the script made it so real that it just isn’t questioned.

One warning about the movie is that what makes it so intense and emotional are the topics that are covered. They are serious issues that many people face on a day to day basis and are not issues that people like to think or talk about. Many scenes are extremely graphic and can be considered disturbing to some. Also the language makes this movie deserve its “R” rating completely. It is definitely not a movie for everyone. But you should go and watch it; it is completely worth the money and the time.

The movie is about exactly what the title says – Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. Connor Mead, played by McConaughey, is in fact, haunted by the ghost representing all of his former girlfriends – big surprise. I feel like I’ve heard this whole story before, time and time again. A ghost comes, scares the main character into changing, and the story ends happily after the character realizes his flaws. Maybe that sits well for some people. Maybe some people like knowing exactly what is going to happen before even sitting down to enjoy a movie. But when I sat down to watch Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, I found myself looking for more.

The whole controversy starts when McConaughey, a photographer who has no problem attracting the attention of females, returns home to attend the wedding of his younger brother Paul (Breckin Meyer). McConaughey doesn’t believe in marriage, and therefore tries to convince his brother, without even being home for more than five minutes, that settling down might not be the best thing for him. After performing a drunk speech in front of the entire extended family, where McConaughey says, “You know where I come out on all this, to me, love is a myth,” and is haunted by his ex’s – what a surprise! After realizing his mistakes, McConaughey realizes he still loves his first crush/girlfriend/heartbreak, played by Jennifer Garner. He wins her back in the end (obviously), but only after giving another girl (Chabert) a heartfelt apology. The ending was very loosely tied together – a perfect way to end a perfectly pathetically attempt at a hit movie.

The script clearly lacks originality. The writers were clearly looking to relate their script to Charles Dickens’ original story, but I found myself almost guessing lines before they were said. The viewer needs so little brain activity to watch this movie that I actually fell asleep during it and had to finish it the next morning. Keep in mind that I had been dying to see this movie all summer and could not even manage to stay away during it.

However, one redeeming quality the film has is the fact that the actors were very good. The cast was an experienced cast. Besides McConaughey, the filmed starred Jennifer Garner (Daredevil, Juno), Michael Douglass (You, Me, And Dupree, Disclosure), Emma Stone (Superbad, The House Bunny) and Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls). The cast interacted well together and portrayed the feeling that they were all really lifelong friends. There are a few funny moments, but they do not live up to the standards I have set for experienced actors like McConaughey, Garner, and the cast of secondary roles. Stone is always hilarious and she plays a very good ghost of girlfriends past. The movie would probably have been better and less of a chick flick if the actors with the secondary roles had gotten the lead roles.

The film lacked surprise and some scenes seemed to drag on. The viewer gets the message. McConaughey was a pig and needed someone to show him the error of his ways. It did not need to take two hours to explain this. The action scene, consisting of McConaughey driving his uncle’s car through the woods and crashing it into the lake, just makes the film even more of a joke. If anyone is looking for the typical PG13 love comedy, then Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is one to consider viewing. If not, then don’t waste your time watching, just guess at what you think will happen and you’ll probably be correct.

Grade: A-

It has been awhile since a war epic caught my attention. Saving Private Ryan, set the standard of all World War Two movies to follow.  The last war movie that delivered was Black Hawk Down, while all the others were either mediocre or thoroughly disappointing.

Defiance is based on the book “Defiance:  The Bielski Partisan” by Nechama Tec. Defiance begins by stating it is based on true events.  The opening scene starts with Nazis pillaging a village and killing all the inhabitants.  The only ones left alive are two brothers.  They grab their rifles and flee into the woods.  They meet up with the eldest brother Tuvia (Craig), and as they venture deeper into the woods, the brothers stumble upon more Jews who fled their villages.  They build their own makeshift town in the middle of the forest.  To supply for the amount of people, numerous Polish stores and farms are raided.  As the group continues to raid and occasionally fight German scouts, the Nazis decide to send a whole division to kill the Jews.  Craig is now responsible to get his people to safety through a dense forest with women, children, and the elderly.

Defiance stars Daniel Craig, who plays the infamous 007 in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.  Although these movies are spectacular, his performance in Defiance absolutely trumps all of his previous roles.  Unlike 007, Craig does not have the luxury of beautiful women and exotic cars to take the pressure off of his acting, instead, he is stuck in a forest and must assume the role of a man who lived and fought against Nazis.  Playing the role of Tuvia must have been a hard one, but Craig does it to perfection.  I could feel the intensity of his actions, his hatred towards the Nazis and his dedication and drive to keep him and his people alive.

Although Daniel Craig is the only major star in this film, his supporting cast of Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell and George MacKay delivers.  They truly portray the role

of brothers who have lost everything but each other.  You can feel their desperation and anger by their extraordinary acting.  They give a surprising yet very enjoyable performance.

The setting is a wonder unto itself.  The actual spot of the filming is a few miles away from where the Bielski Partisans lived.  Some descendents of the people the brothers saved are actually used as extras in the background.  The authenticity of the setting and people is unmatched in this film.

The props used in this film are mostly accurate.  The Germans wielded MP-40 submachine guns, MG-42 machine guns, and Panzer tanks  There were also the Russian PPSH and Mosin Nagant rifle.

The storyline is great, even if it is exaggerated.  Hollywood being Hollywood, a movie wouldn’t be good unless there are explosions and death, and Defiance follows this basic strategy.  In an interview with the author of the book, Tec mentions that a lot of the fighting taking place in the movie didn’t actually happen.  Although it’s disappointing to hear that the Bielskis weren’t as bad-ass as portrayed, it enhanced the movie by making it move faster and action packed.  The movie also sneaks in a little romance making the viewers relate more to the characters because love is such a strong emotion.

Defiance is among the best World War Two movies.  If you want to see a true war epic, this is your answer.  It’s such an inspirational story that has not been told yet, and you will be mesmerized for the entire two hours.

Bullock forces her assistant (Reynolds) to marry her so she can keep her Visa status and avoid being deported to Canada. The pair then engages in an amusing battle of who can hold the power, the boss holding her assistant’s job over his head or the assistant helping his boss commit fraud and escape deportation. An investigator must be fooled and believe their marriage is real and not just an escape from deportation, so they embark on a trip to Alaska to meet Reynolds’s family. Upon their arrival we are introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Paxton (Mary Steenburgen and Craig Nelson) and Grandma Annie (Betty White) who embarrassingly refer to Bullock as several of the malevolent names Reynolds had clearly used to describe his boss. Their reactions are priceless and will keep you laughing.  They warm up and accept her into the family by throwing her a bachelorette party and by customizing White’s wedding dress to fit Bullock.

Betty White steals the show. She fits her character perfectly, props to the casting crew. Her character’s pretend innocence can’t help but remind you of Rose from “The Golden Girls” and you will fall in love with her natural comedic personality. It is her small gestures and comments that really complete the movie. Everything about White is a riot –her facial expressions, and comments, when she forces the couple to kiss in front of a crowd, and when she throws her “special” blanket at the couple. She yells out to Bullock during a scene with a stripper, “Smack his ass.” It made the scene.  And you cannot forget White’s rituals to mother earth and her demands for Bullock to join in. The pair outdoes themselves and will have you laughing out loud.

All around the cast is well selected and has an impressive array of comedic talent. Bullock and Reynolds have great chemistry and will win your approval when they land on each other naked and the first thing Reynolds yells is, “Why are you wet!”

Anne Fletcher is brilliant as she directs her third film. I would never have guessed she was fairly new to directing, and I am eager to see future films. “The Proposal” holds up to if not surpassing her preceding films, “Step up” and “27 Dresses”.  Writer Pete Chiarelli created a very entertaining film. Through my uncontrollable laughter a sense of comfort was found in the film’s cliché scenes and predictable ending. If you are interested in a good laugh, and want a fun movie to watch with a bowl of popcorn and a few girlfriends “The Proposal” is the movie for you. You will find yourself relaxed and not needing to obsess with the little details, but enjoying the skill and humor of each actor and character.

Christopher Williams’ latest CD, Something As Simple, is just what the title implies, simple. This CD is a stripped down, live recording of his most popular songs along with a few brand new songs and stories sprinkled in. This just might be his best album yet.

Released on March 24^th, 2009 it is his second live CD and it picks up right where Side Streets – Live leaves off. Williams tweaked his preferred style of music to give this CD a gospel, southern feel to it. The CD starts off by showcasing Williams’ exquisite drumming skills in the song “Deep Blue Sea” where he works in breath-taking drum fills that add color and life to his already mesmerizing beats.

Williams also includes funny and interesting stories throughout the album that are each connected to a specific song. They also give the listeners a lot of background information on Williams’ personal life and the meaning behind the songs. He also complements these stories by playing along with his guitar. By doing this Williams turns his story about the song “Anything but Fail” into a upbeat song full of jokes that still makes the listener  laughing even after hearing them dozens of  times.

Following this story, Christopher Williams dives straight into one of his best tracks on the CD,  “Anything but Fail”. In this song, Williams combines unique rhythmic guitar with strong vocals to make the listener want to jump out of their seat and start to sing along to the classic gospel lyrics, “God can do anything but fail!” He also breaks out his harmonica and brilliantly solos on it while continuing to play guitar. This track showcases his extraordinary songwriting, as well as his phenomenal vocals and instrumentals. Although Williams is performing all these songs by himself he has the extraordinary ability to make it sound like there is an entire band playing along behind him. His guitar strumming patterns are unique, original and he does not need anyone else on stage with him. In fact, adding anyone or anything to his masterful mix would diminish it’s originality.

Williams shows his softer side towards the middle of the album with the track “When it Don’t Come Easy”. It is the type of song that everyone can relate to. In it he sings, “But if you break down, I’ll drive out and find you, If you forget my love, I’ll try to remind you, And stay by you when it don’t come easy,” which when complimented by a soft and delicate guitar draws the listener in.

One of the funniest moments on the CD is at the start of the song “Glimmering Gates” where Williams plays the wrong chords for the song. Instead of just stopping and starting the song over, he turns what would be a very embarrassing mistake for most artists into a short song about the benefits of recording a live CD. Williams is unique in this ability to take any moment, either good or bad, and make it his own.

Through original lyrics, creative drumming, inspirational stories and his own southern-boy kind of humor, Christopher Williams has proven once again that he is a uniquely talented and engaging artist. Something as Simple is not only a sure buy, it is also his best albums yet.