Cary Fukunaga’s Jane Eyre is a beautifully crafted and well executed film whose subject matter will resonate wonderfully with fans of the genre and even entertain many that don’t sit so well with classic English romances.

The film follows the title character from her privileged but torturous beginnings in a wealthy relatives care before moving on to a violent boarding school and finally ending up in the home of Mr. Rochester.  Jane is set up in Rochester’s home, which he rarely visits, to be the governess for Rochester’s young French ward Adele.  When Rochester finally arrives to the story he and Jane begin to form an unlikely friendship and Jane’s feelings are sent spinning as she tries to figure out how to handle her growing attraction for a rich man who is actively courting another woman.  Added to all of this, strange instances have always surrounded Jane Eyre and while in the Rochester home a number of odd events arise.

First and foremost, Fukunaga’s film is technically superb and stunning to look at.  The score is marvelous, the cinematography beautiful using almost entirely natural light, and the actors are across the board fantastic.  Fukunaga is one to watch out for as this is only his second feature film and his technical hand has improved her from Sin Nombre.  Sadly, this film didn’t engross me nearly as much as Sin Nombre did but I don’t think that is at any fault of Fukunaga and his team.  The film is about as engaging as the source material could probably ever be to me but I was never sucked in by the deliberate pacing and story unfolding.

It is again no fault of Fukunaga and the actors, I think it more stems from my hope that the film would have had more of a suspense and horror twist to it than it did.  Fukunaga nails the scenes that he goes for suspense with ease, affectively creating some very tense moments using the dark reality of the times to full effect, but there are only a couple of moments sprinkled along the way.  I think the viewer had a right to expect more as well as there is a scene very early on that has a very deliberate supernatural effect that is never alluded to again.  Jane hears voices at times as well and that isn’t full explored either.  I did like how the events at the Rochester house were resolved but again I wish they had mixed in one or two more beats surrounding the situation.  My disappointment with the lack of suspense doesn’t mean it didn’t help elevate the film’s material though, as I think these moments made the film far more enjoyable for a non-fan of the genre.

The actors in the film are quite great though and the film really jumps to another level when Michael Fassbender shows up as Rochester.  He is cunning, handsome, kind of a jerk, but you can’t help but be mesmerized in him.  You can see why Jane would fall for such a commanding individual as Fassbender continues to show that he is one of the best working actors around right now.  This is not to take anything away from Mia Wasikowska who delivers another great turn as the title character and she has no problem shouldering the wait of the film on her shoulders.  She creates a confident and powerful female lead that we rarely see from this era of history on film.  Jamie Bell pops up in the latter parts of the film and works wonderfully as a symbol of inherent male oppression of the times that allows for Jane to solidify her individuality.  Sally Hawkins is memorable in her brief few scenes but that is to be expected from her nowadays.  Judi Dench is likable and fine as always as Mrs. Fairfax, Rochester’s head caretaker, and she and Wasikowska work wonderfully together.  Also turning in some memorable work is Romy Settbon Moore as Adele, Jane’s student, as she makes the most of every time she graces the screen.

In the end, Jane Eyre is a fine picture that will likely mesmerize fans of the genre.  The film is a technical marvel and Fukunaga continues to solidify himself as one of the strongest young directors working today.  His cast is wonderful and while the film didn’t resonate with me like it will with its target demographic I still quite enjoyed the show.  I look forward to seeing it again down the road (my girlfriend was a big fan) as the visual treats and acting are more than worth the price of admission regardless of your engagement in the story.

Jane Eyre is a B-

The Kids Are All Right is a unique and funny dramedy that is driven by its excellent acting on all fronts.

Following a pair of siblings born from the same sperm donor but were each birthed by their separate moms, we pick up just after the oldest, Joni, has turned 18 and can legally request to meet her donor.  Joni is hesitant but agrees at the insistence of her brother, Laser, who wishes to meet his father as he has missed out on that relationship his whole life.  Enter Paul, Nic and Jules’ (Joni and Laser’s moms, respective) sperm donor.  Paul owns a restaurant, is all about being “local”, and has a very laid back feeling on the world.  Paul quickly becomes anxious to be a part of his kids’ lives and Joni and Laser’s feelings are mutual before Joni heads off to college. Tensions arise though as Nic has a hard time letting Paul into her family’s life, while Jules and Paul fall a bit easier into step.

The film is a tad predictable but the scenario, clearly as you can see above, is something we haven’t really seen in a film.  The film’s subject matter is, sadly, still a bit taboo (even in this day and age) for some people but is never treated that way.  We are quickly introduced to this well rounded and loving family and the film, thankfully, never stops itself to say, “Look, Lesbians!”  That isn’t what this film is about, so anyone hoping for some lesbian lovemaking you will be sorely disappointed. (There is a good amount of man on man action though, used to excellent comic effect.)  The film is about a nice family dealing with its children trying to find their own paths when a wrench is thrown into the mix.

Ruffalo plays that wrench to perfection in Paul as he is instantly likable and you can never really get upset with the guy as he sort of forces, even if he was invited, himself into this family’s life.  Annette Bening’s Nic is rightfully guarded as the mother hen of the house hold, but again you can easily see why she makes an easy enemy of the ones she loves.  Bening owns a many silent glares Nic casts upon those around her and I applaud her effort; even if she is playing a bit less cold and more realistic version of her American Beauty character.  Julianne Moore is also an easy standout as the hippy-ish Jules who is laid back and a bit of a dope at times.  But Moore walks the line perfectly, making Jules’ dopiness part of her charm while still showing that she is a smart individual; just prone to dumb decisions.

The kids are more than alright (sorry, that was awful) as Mia Wasikowska proves she can act after her dreadfully dull turn in Alice in Wonderland this year.  As Joni, Wasikowska creates a believable sharp witted high school grad ready to move on to college while struggling with her mother’s short leash.  Equally good is Josh Hutcherson as Laser and he really gets to shine when his moms confront him about a sensitive subject.

While the acting is superb and the humor is wonderful throughout, it is the tense, quiet, moments that I remember the most.  A dinner scene at Paul’s house later in the film is worth the price of admission alone and is one of the finer scenes of the year.  The sex in the film is also handled extremely well in that it is both hot, believable, and played for some good humor.  I do wish we got a bit more closure surrounding Paul though in the end; minor quibble.

In the end, The Kids Are All Right is a fine indie dramedy that almost anyone should be able to relate too.  A refreshing spin on the family focused dramedy has enough familiar struggles for people to latch on to and the film will shock you on more than one occasion.  You can’t ask for finer acting in a film and it is a fine mainstream coming out party (no pun intended) for director Lisa Cholodenko who has long dabbled with some quality television programs.  If you are looking for a fresh, funny, and affecting film this summer and you are tired of the big blockbuster affairs look no further than The Kids Are All Right.

The Kids Are All Right is an A-

The 1951 animated version of Alice’s story is far from the top of my list of favorite Disney films from my childhood, but that does not keep me from being overly disappointed in the additional trip down the rabbit hole in this year’s Alice in Wonderland.

13 years following young Alice’s nightmare riddled nights of a mysterious world with crazy talking creatures, Alice finds herself all grown up and in the midst of an engagement party celebrating the proposal that has yet to occur.  When the question is finally popped Alice decides to avoid responding and exercise her affinity for chasing clothed rabbits down really deep holes.  When she eventually makes it into Wonderland a welcoming party of a few familiar faces greets her and we learn that the run in with the rabbit in the real world was a planned occurrence on his part.  Apparently since the last time Alice was there things have taken a turn for the worse and the inhabitants have been searching for the right Alice to fulfill the prophesy of bringing an end to the Red Queen’s reign of terror.  Unfortunately for them Alice is less that enthusiastic about filling those big shoes.

The design work used to create Wonderland is definitely the highlight of the film for me, with a lot of beautifully constructed costumes and amazing CGI environments and creatures (including the Cheshire Cat, Jabberwocky, and both the red and white armies) filling out the world.  Unfortunately the story is not one to match the scale of the world.  The majority of the film is actually a revisiting of places Alice came across in the animated film, such as the room with the “drink me” bottle to enter Wonderland and the tea party with the Mad Hatter.  Though this set up plays into a memory sequence later in the film, it just seems like a bunch of uninspired allusions to the prior film as they play out on the screen.  What’s worse is that the time taken going through these familiar scenes overshadows Alice’s mission in this film, which fails to build as the film progresses.  Instead she just spends the majority of the film going through the motions as she prattles on about wanting to wake up from this dream with a chorus of “but you are our champion!” being spouted from the citizens of Wonderland, who are just hoping she will decide to slay the Red Queen’s dragon for them no matter how unenthusiastic she seems about the whole idea.  Once the ending finally does comes around it just seems rushed and tacked on, and continues to get worse as the credits get closer.

The characters of the film go the same way as the story, with acting that could have been much better from the talent collected.  Mia Wasikowska could have been much stronger as Alice instead of just sticking to her “I don’t want to be here” range of expressions and line readings, but I do feel like she has the potential to do much better with a stronger role.  Anne Hathaway is fine as the White Queen, amusingly playing up the upper crustiness in how she carries herself (which you will either find annoying or amusing.  I fell into the latter group, but I love Hathaway).  The actor who does the best in their role is Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, who shines in the moments when she is given more to do than just shout “off with their heads!”  Unfortunately, Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter is actually a weaker part of the film.  For starters, his character is far too difficult to understand.  He may be insane and should therefore be anything but cut and dry, but usually there is some mind to the madness.  Here it just seems as if Depp was given so much freedom with his interpretation of the character that he never actually finds it.  Furthermore, the spotlight he is given is just not warranted in the end because it pulls focus from Alice, who I am assuming this film is actually supposed to be about.  I mean, her name is in the title and everything…

On the whole I am a big fan of Tim Burton’s films, but unfortunately Alice in Wonderland is not something I can add to the list of his movies that I love.  Overall the design elements may create a really pretty world, but the substance just isn’t there.  And though it may have some of the craziness of the 1951 animated film, it fails to come together in its attempt to become something more than just a trip through madness.

Final Grade: D

Tim Burton’s latest collaboration with Johnny Depp is a gigantic, uninspired, and boring mess of an adaptation of the Alice in Wonderland mythology.

The story is a sequel to Disney’s previous animated version of Alice in Wonderland and picks up some years later with Alice, now nineteen, about to be married off to the son of an old family friend that is very well to do but Alice is still haunted? By reoccurring “dreams” of her trip to Wonderland as a child.  When the young man proposes to her in front of a giant crowd at a prearranged engagement party, Alice gets cold feat and runs off into the garden, chasing the white rabbit, and down into a rabbit hole and back into the world of Wonderland.  The look of the place has changed significantly and we discover from a few familiar faces that there is a long standing search for Alice and they aren’t quite sure if this Alice is the real one.  The prophecy is that Alice will return to Wonderland to rid it of the tyrant Red Queen and restore peace to the once jovial nation.

Now, I have a lot of problems with this film, but first and foremost I just didn’t find it at all that engaging or entertaining.  When the film isn’t seemingly just walking down memory lane of Wonderland, and it does a lot of this for the first hour, the story they try to concoct is so unoriginal and uninspired it just never grabs you.  The plot also has countless gapping holes in it, just ignores logic, and makes no sense on a number of occasions.  From the desperate attempt to give the Mad Hater some depth to his character, the complete surface depth of the evil characters, the use of CGI for Crispin Glover’s body, and the fact that nobody in Wonderland seems to like the Red Queen yet she is some how in power, these are just the tipping point of problems I have without spoiling things.

Possibly my biggest issue with the film is Alice’s demeanor and logic on her being in Wonderland.  She is convinced this experience is a dream, even though her old method of waking up from one doesn’t work.  Also, she doesn’t seem to remember or recognize Wonderland, how is this possible?  It doesn’t look all that different and she has previously told us that she is still having “dreams” about her first trip to Wonderland so why is everything so foreign to her?  It takes 95% of the movie to unfold before she starts to finally come to this realization and I don’t know if she ever acknowledges that she really had been here before, but more or less just bought into the laid out prophecy.

Burton given this endless world of imagination brings next to nothing new to table and the film is creatively dry if you ask me.  The moments that work in the film are re-hashes of the animated film, Cheshire Cat and the Blue Caterpillar are a pair of the very few highlights, and I just didn’t find the world incredibly rich or wondrous.  Also of note, the use of 3-D is just as uninspired and pointless and not necessary for the viewing enjoyment of the picture.  Avatar has spoiled us and I think a lot of the 3-D pictures this year will come across as a disappointment in that element as most directors are still trying to figure out how to use the medium.  The CGI in the picture, especially for one that cost two hundred million dollars, was also not that impressive stylistically or consistently.  There are a number of shots in the picture that do look gangbusters, don’t get me wrong, but for every winner there are two shots that look a little too eh.  Danny Elfman’s score is even an uninspired and unnoticeable element to the film.

The acting work in the film is also nothing to write home about and none of the on screen actors do anything special for the entirety of the picture.  Helena Bonham Carter is the highlight as the Red Queen but her part gets stale and repetitive in a hurry.  Johnny Depp’s interpretation of the Mad Hatter is bad weird and never really worked for me as he tried to give him a dark side, or something, on the inside.  The kookiness of the character never charms or is all that funny and it is probably one of the worst turns of the gifted actor’s careers.  Mia Wasikowska stars as Alice and she is unfortunately really flat and has no pep what so ever in the picture.  She dully delivers her lines and doesn’t have the cheery aloofness Alice has in the animated classic, Wasikowska does come a bit alive in the third act.  Anne Hathaway needs to put her hands down, Crispin Glover does alright and kind of weird work, but most of the voice actors do solid jobs in their roles.  Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat and Alan Rickman as Blue Caterpillar are the highlights of the voice actors, and the voice casting was one of the few things Burton got right.

In the end, Alice in Wonderland is nothing but a big mess.  Where the original film was a crazy and tripped out adventure through this mysterious and wondrous world, Burton and company try and give this iteration a plot that is stale, uninspired, and unoriginal that leaves us scratching our heads.  Beyond being unoriginal the film doesn’t really flow very well, idling with nothing much happening for the majority of the picture, and then tries to patch together a plot that makes no sense with gaping plot holes to get us to the finale.  The acting is weak, the direction uninspired, effects that are dull, and 3D that is pointless and misused there is nothing to really recommend about this picture.  A front runner for biggest flop of the year due to the talent involved, there are at least a couple characters and scenes worth checking out but this is a rental at best and the worst Burton and Depp film to date by a wide margin.

Alice and Wonderland is a F