Movies

Kris Kristofferson, Seymour Cassell & Harry Dean Stanton carry this little film on their able backs. They are hilarious. Harry Dean Stanton in particular is brilliant in his part. The Owen brothers are usually good but in this they're mediocre, even though Owen Wilson relishes his role as a 'villain'. Will Ferrell has fun in a small, but pivotal role. It's a silly film with a silly plot, you'd be forgiven for forgetting within five minutes of seeing it. Eva Mendes,though luminous, doesn't have much to do with her role and is criminally under-used. The script is weak and the dialogue inane. The cinematography is pretty though but does not make up for a bad film.

I saw the Wendell Baker Story last weekend at the Vail film festival and thought it was a charming, funny, truly enjoyable movie. It was very different from Luke Wilson's work with Owen Wilson & Wes Anderson, but in a great way. The quirkiness of Anderson's films was evident, but there was an added tenderness and empathy between the characters, which says a lot about the quality of the script, the direction, and the acting. Luke Wilson was very appealing in the title role--his face is so expressive! As always, Owen Wilson & Will Ferrell were hysterical. I'd recommend this movie to anyone who likes not only the Owen/Anderson combination, but to anyone who likes romantic comedies. (I must mention, and I hope this doesn't sound derogatory, the scenery in the film made me want to visit Texas for the first time ever.)

Once upon a time movies were for entertainment. They made you feel good about life. They were visual fairy tales that ended with the line ---"and they all lived happily ever after." That's what this movie is to me. Doesn't require a degree in psychology or a doctorate in human behavior. It just tells the story of a guy who messes up, then has an epiphony and decides to make it right. He helps others along the way without putting his personal agenda first. Anyone who goes along with his philosophy ends up getting rewarded in the end. And after all, isn't that what fairy tales are supposed to be about? There is enough heartache and sorrow in life without using it for entertainment purposes.