Baby Mama
by Eddie Applefeld
When you're hot, you're hot, and right now Tina Fey is hot. If you don't know, Miss Fey was the head writer for Saturday Night Live for years and has done a few movies. She is also the star and creator of the NBC hit comedy, 30 Rock.
Her latest film is the comedy Baby Mama where she plays a successful business women who decides to hire a surrogate mom after other means of getting pregnant failed. Unfortunately the person she chooses turns out to be not the best choice she could have made. That part is played by Amy Poehler, who currently is on Saturday Night Live.
As the movie moves on, there is what can be called an unexpected twist. It's important to the plot, but the laughs are supposed to come from watching these two girls together. There are indeed some laughs. Both of these ladies can handle comedy, but like in all movies, if it fails chances are it's the fault of the writing. In this case, I did think overall it could have been funnier.
Also in the cast, but in much smaller roles, are Steve Martin, Greg Kinnear and Sigorney Weaver. If truth be told, it isn't easy to write and cast a comedy and have it be really funny. That talent belongs to Mel Brooks and Woody Allen.
One final important point, I do believe this is what you would call a chick flick. So make it a girls night out. It's rated PG-13.
Nim's Island
by Eddie Applefeld
In a recent interview Jodi Foster stated she thought it was time for her to lighten up a bit in her choice of roles. In her last few films she was a female in distress and fighting for her life. Her role in Nim's Island is without question a departure.
Basically what we have here is an action, adventure, comedy set, for the most part, on a deserted island in the South Pacific populated by a young girl, Nim, played by oscar nominated Abigail Breslin. The only other person is her scientist father, played by Gerard Butler. He was the hulking lead in 300.
Nim has a vivid imagination as she cavorts daily in the jungle. She plays her own games and talks with her animal friends, consisting primarily of a seagull, sea lion and a lizard. For Nim life couldn't be better, just her and her dad. No one else was welcome. That is shattered when her dad disappears at sea during a solo scientific mission.
She reaches out online to Alex Rover, who she believes is a hero since he is the action character of some books she has read. Reading her pleas Alex, played by four time Oscar nominated and two time winner Jodi Foster, decides to make the trip to the island from California. A trip filled with peril for Alex, since she hasn't left her apartment in more than a year.
I would imagine this film is good for the kids. It's rated PG.
Flawless
by Eddie Applefeld
It's been awhile since Demi Moore was in a film. That could be for many reasons. One of her best movies was Ghost.
Her new film is Flawless, a film about a fictional diamond heist of the London Diamond Corporation in London in 1960. Her co-star, Michael Caine, is considered to be one of today's better actors, with two oscars for proof. Over his long career he has been in what could be close to 100 films. I think Hannah and Her Sisters was one of his best.
In this film he plays a night janitor who has a great deal of inner knowledge on how the company is run. He also has an overwhelming desire for revenge. He eventually convinces Moore to join him in his plot to remove diamonds from the vault. He feels she would be receptive since she has been overlooked for job promotions many times. He tells her he will only steal a small amount of diamonds, but actually winds up stealing all of them.
The company is of course baffled as to how anyone could first of all get into the vault, secondly carry away all the diamonds and then get them out of the building. To find out, you'll just have to see the film.
I found the film to be entertaining. My biggest complaint was that at times it was hard to understand all the dialogue with that english accent. One curious fact, the film was released on HD Net before hitting the big screen. A rare occurrence. The rating is PG-13.
