No Time for Love, Dr. Jones!

Movies will always be great date options. It might seem cliched to suggest to a new couple to go out for "diner and a movie", but to be fair, movies have the power to create a steady conversation that will last well into the dessert course. For that reason alone, the romance genre often has a shelf life that often exceeds most other style of film. Every Valentines day, movie studios pump out whatever romantic tale they can weave, because even if the movie itself is crap IT WILL MAKE MONEY. With every poll indicating that women make more decisions about what movies to see, there's no reason for studios not to make more of The Notebook or Gone with the Wind or Definitely, Maybe. That said, romance itself can be a bit repetitive. Many follow the same tropes, have the same conclusions and even star the same actors. So it's nice to see the industry try a twist on the all-too-familiar formula.When the director of Love Actually tosses time travel into the mix with his usual strengths, it can't NOT be worth a look. Time travel is cooler than ever now, with Looper, Doctor Who and the video game Braid using the plot device to increasingly-effective results. So when it comes to more traditional romance, how does it work out?

About Time: proof that Gingers can get hotties too.

In About Time, aspiring lawyer Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) is a normal young adult, who learns from his reserved father (Bill Nighy) that the men in their family have a unique ability; they can travel back in time to rewitness or change past events in their lives. With his newly-discovered talents, Tim decides he is going to find the love of his life, whom after some searching turns out to be Mary (Rachel McAdams). Using his gift, he adjusts any errors he makes in the wooing process, and he and Mary start a long and happy relationship with one another. The more Tim travels, however, the more complicated his simple life becomes, and soon he learns that not even time travel can fix every problem he wishes he could solve.

How many times has she gotten married, now?

The best thing About Time brings to the table is its cast. Not many people realize who Gleeson is (he played Bill Weasley in the last two Harry Potter movies, and he had a small role in Dredd), but he is a talented actor who does his absolute best to lead this film. He might not have been the best fit - he doesn't have the looks for the kind of role that would have gone to Hugh Grant over a decade ago - but he perfectly emulates the kind of nervous energy we've expected from British romance story in the past decade. He's definitely got the makings of an up-and-coming actor. McAdams, the other lead, is a natural at the romance game, and it's no surprise that she charms her way through the film so easily. But like much of her usual work, there isn't a whole lot of variation; she's exactly what you would expect from a love interest in any of her previous efforts. However, like many comedies, the About Time is owned by the supporting cast. There is a strong group here, especially Lydia Wilson as Tim's flighty sister Kit Kat, but also Tom Hollander as a malcontent playwright, and Joshua McGuire as Tim's equally-nervous co-worker. But Nighy outdoes everybody else and is of course wonderful - par for the course - and if the film had followed his own time-traveling adventures, I'm sure none of us would be disappointed. Nighy brings sophistication and charm to even his worst roles - I'm looking at you, Total Recall and Jack the Giant Slayer - and in doing so brings up the quality of any movie by his mere presence.

Hey, now.

Unfortunately, that's just about all About Time can be bothered to get right. As much as everybody and their dog adores Love Actually, it's easy to forget that classic came out over a decade ago, and while director Richard Curtis has been working as a writer since, his only other directorial effort was the little-seen The Boat That Rocked, which also received mixed reviews. His rustiness is readily apparent, as scenes run over-long, humor relies too much on awkward situations instead of actually-funny dialogue, and there is a rampant over-abundance of voice-overs by Gleeson. There ARE some funny bits, especially those that show Tim going back in time over and over again to fix the same problem, but those genuinely humorous moments are the exception, not the rule. About Time skates by as much as it can on natural charm, but make no mistake; this movie has more than its fair share of issues.

Gleeson gets a few pointers about being a great British actor.

About Time also suffers from one major problem; its time travel subplot doesn't make any sense. I know that sounds a bit odd after I somewhat defended Looper's nonchalance in its utter lack of scientific logic, but for the most part last year's thriller at least followed its own (admittedly nonsensical) rules. In comparison, About Time blindly adds in the almost-magical element and for a while it's merely an amusing diversion. But as time goes on, the audience is spoon-fed additional rules that change the entire nature of the plot device, only to break those rules down the line without consequence. It just seems like Curtis and his crew didn't know to do with this new element (much like most directors and 3D), and the result is that it really doesn't come off as anything other than a gimmick.

Guy gets girl... snore...

There are moments in About Time that are genuinely sweet, raucously funny, and cause many an audience member to shed a few tears. It's a shame however that these bits add up to about twenty minutes of a full two hour movie. Richard Curtis just can't pull this little bit of a mess together, which is too bad since there was a ton of potential present in every facet of this production. But then again, this is what movie dates were created for. Despite its flaws, About Time is a near-perfect movie to take your significant other to, if for no reason that options are fairly sparse. Otherwise, there's no pressing need to see this. Maybe it'll find a second life on DVD, but for now there are way too many better options for you to give this British RomCom the time of day.

Open Letters Monthly: Jack the Giant Slayer

Wow, I've been gone for a little bit, huh? This week was an abysmal one for writing, almost as bad as the weekend grosses for Jack the Giant Slayer, 21 and Over, The Last Exorcism Part II and Phantom. I'll return to regular posts next week, but while it's generally accepted that nothing good hits the movies this time of year, you would at least hope that an up-and-coming star and a generally reliable director would be enough to carry a potentially fun movie.

In an ancient age of kingdoms and legends, Jack is just a simple farm boy, tricked into trading his pony for a handful of beans. When one manages to send his house and a wandering princess into the clouds via a giant beanstalk, he joins a group of knights seeking to rescue the young woman from her fate. But they'll have more to contend with than heights, as charlatains, Giants and other dangers threaten to make sure that nobody - Jack included - will ever make their way back down to Earth.

Jack the Giant Slayer is directed by Bryan Singer and stars Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Stanley Tucci, Ian McShane, Bill Nighy, John Kassir, Eddie Marsan, Ewen Bremner and Ewan McGregor.

Click here for the full review at Open Letters Monthly.

Age Before Beauty

With Marvel's The Avengers both being the best film of the year AND making money hand over fist, it's difficult not to be swayed into seeing the superhero extravaganza a fourth time (I will, but only after I've met my writing obligations). This is especially true since there really isn't all that much out there on the big screen that I WANT to see. I'm not particularly jazzed to watch Think Like a Man, and The Lucky One is no longer playing at a theater near me. Besides the mediocre The Dictator and Battleship, the only other major release this past weekend was What to Expect When You're Expecting, and I'm pretty much done with half-assed book adaptations for the time being. That doesn't leave a whole lot of options on the table.

The most appealing of what was left turned out to be The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, directed by Shakespeare in Love's John Madden and starring a bevy of veteran British talent, including Dame Judi Dench, Bill Nighy and Tom Wilkinson. Released the same weekend as the favorite Avengers, albeit in a limited capacity, the film has been receiving some strong support overseas and even among our local theaters, where it has done quite well in the face of the Summer Blockbuster season. It will finally getting a wide release this Memorial Day weekend, but will the story of a groups of relocated older folk really be worth your time?

It's like a "who's who" of elderly Brits.

Based on Deborah Moggach's 2004 novel These Foolish Things, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel looks at seven retirees who have journeyed to India to start the next phase of their lives. Evelyn (Dench) is a widower whose husband's debts forced her to sell her home after his death. Graham (Wilkinson) recently left his life as a high court judge to return to the country in which he grew up. Douglas (Nighy) and Jean (Penelope Wilton) are a married couple who lost their life savings investing in their daughter's failed Internet startup, with this hotel being all that they can afford. Madge (Celia Imrie) wants to get away from her family so that she can find her next husband. Norman (Ronald Pickup) is an aging lothario who has become lonely, searching for new experiences. And Muriel (Smith) has come to expedite the much-needed surgery for her hip, despite her reservations and generally racist views. They've arrived at the retirement hotel looking for new lives, but owner Sonny (Dev Patel) has his own problems: he's having difficulty getting funding for the building's renovations, and between that and his mother's dislike of his girlfriend Sunaina (Tena Desae), nothing seems to be going right for the young entrepeneur; he may soon be forced to close down the hotel that belonged to his family and has become his dream, forever.

It's okay, Dev; we forgive you for The Last Airbender.

While you might think that watching a film about older people accepting the difficulties of change isn't your idea of fun, I argue that should you give this title a chance; you might be surprised with how good this thing actually is. The story at times does feel a bit unbalanced, as juggling the adventures of eight different characters proves to be slightly too much for even an experienced director as Madden, whose 2011 title The Debt had similar challenges. His way of solving the problem, by relegating some of the characters to the background, works enough so that we can focus on the film's main plot points, while still allowing for side jaunts with others when the time is right. For this reason pacing is also not an issue; Madden does such a good job telling these characters' stories and showing us the discrimination that society shows towards its elders that we can forgive the occasionally overwrought cliche, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel never gets stale while we watch, waiting with eagerness to see what happens next..

Happy to see M back on the big screen!

It's not only the work of Madden, but the excellent cast he's put together that really makes this film stand out from your typical geriatric comedies. Per usual the film is carried by the amazing talent and star power of Dench, Wilkinson and Nighy, the last of whom displays such an amazing subtlety in his performance that if you couldn't plainly see that it was him, you'd be forgiven for confusing him with someone else. Wilton is perfectly cast as a woman unswayed by the charm and humanity of India, and she plays such a perfect foil for those who cannot help but be swayed by the experience. I would have loved to see more of Imrie and Pickup, who share some comic relief but otherwise are only observers in the grand scheme of things. Pickup especially charms, with his character's irreverent outlook on life and the choicest, funniest lines of the cast. Patel still charms, though at times his performance is a bit over-the-top to the point of absurdity. Fortunately, that appears to be more the script's fault than his, and the young actor still has a good career ahead of him, should he take it. It's Maggie Smith though who steals the show. I was not expecting to like the character of Murial, a racist, bitter old woman who has no redeeming qualities at the film's start. Still, I shouldn't have doubted the Downton Abbey star and two-time Academy Award winner, who by the end was by far my favorite character in movie chock full of great ones.

Smith: Another Academy Award in her near-future?

It's that great sense of character that makes The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel an absolutely wonderful film, and places it at #5 for 2012. While it certainly could have been more complex, and leaves a few loose ends dangling in the breeze, this was a movie that loves its characters enough to treat them with the respect they so richly deserve. I know The Avengers and the typical Summer smashes won't appeal to everybody, or at least not everybody will want to see it more than once. For those people, this film presents an excellent alternative, a feel-good film about aging that hits all the right notes, but not in a predictable and old-fashioned way. Maybe not a must-see, but certainly better than you might have been expecting.

It's a Monster Mash

Two years ago, Clash of the Titans was remade for the big screen, directed by Transporter helmsman Louis Leterrier and starring the action genre's newest hero Sam Worthington. Buoyed by those names, the film was a huge success by any standards, grossing almost $500 million worldwide. Looking back on it today, it's difficult to consolidate that success with what we see now as one of the worst excesses of Hollywood moviemaking in the modern era. Clash was one of the first films to embrace 3D conversion following James Cameron's Avatar; but unlike the Oscar-nominated epic, criticism for it generally revolved around the effects, which were nowhere near the same standard as Cameron's piece. Worse, the film never felt like anything more than an endless hall of action sequences, character development apparently crushed beneath the technical designs of a released Kraken. I saw the film on DVD and so never had to witness its 3D conversion, but for the most part I enjoyed Clash as a mindless diversion, if not necessarily a good focus for my free time. Now Clash of the Titans has succeeded in one way in which the 1981 Harryhausen classic never did: it spawned a sequel. With the bland name Wrath of the Titans, the trailers made the film look little more than same as what I'd already seen on DVD. Still, a chance to witness a monster mash of classic mythological creatures was too much to ignore, and became the primary target of my weekend film trip.

Ray Feinnes, adding to his bank account

A decade after defeating the Kraken and saving the world in Clash, demigod Perseus (Worthington) lives the life of a simple fisherman and family man. Despite losing his wife Io some time back, Perseus is dedicated to the raising of his son Helios. While he has not accepted his role as half-immortal, he cannot avoid the problems coming to his world; people no longer pray to the Gods, whose powers wane without support from mortals. This has the unfortunate side effect of weakening the walls of Mount Tartarus, prison of the ancient Titans. Now monsters are breaking free and being loosed upon the world, but even that is not the worst. Kronos, King of the Titans, will soon be able to escape his confinement and wreak havoc on the world. It is up to Perseus and a small force to stop it, but it will not be easy. God of the Underworld Hades (Ralph Fiennes) and God of War Ares (Edgar Ramirez) are desperate to retain their godly powers, and in doing so they have made a deal with Kronos: limitless power by sacrificing Perseus' father Zeus (Liam Neeson) to the power-hungry Titan.

Apparently in this film Perseus prefers blondes.

As in Clash, the plot in Wrath of the Titans is very simple: Perseus leads a small party consisting of a few important characters and a bunch of cannon fodder against supernatural beasts, and by the end all the cannon fodder has died in horrific and violent ways, while the heroes stand triumphant. Thankfully the characters here are more varied and entertaining than the dry, humorless personalities of the first film. The best example might be Agenor, played by War Horse's Toby Kebbell. Described as a "disappointing" demigod, Agenor has comedic timing, adequate character development and a solid foundation, and Kebbell manages to master both Poseidon's Trident and the audience's attentions with his wit and charm. Another stroke of casting genius is elder funnyman Bill Nighy as Hephaestus, a god who assists the party with their quest. Nighy's is a small role, but since it's fricking Bill Nighy, he does better with it than anybody else could. Rosamund Pike takes over the role of Andromeda from Clash's Alexa Davalos, and the transformation in Andromeda from helpless princess to warrior queen is probably the biggest change (besides the apparent invention of hair dye, anyway) in the sequel. Pike does a good job overall, even if Andromeda's change doesn't do much when she tries to take on Gods like Ares in a stand-up fight. Still, it's nice to see the film's lone female not stuck in the "damsel in distress" role, and I've generally liked Pike's performances in general. Worthington himself seems almost like dead weight. The man doesn't even bother to hide his Australian accent, as if challenging director Jonathan Liebesman to make him change his tune. He also doesn't seem on board with the film's almost humorous direction, and his performance is even more charmless and dry than it was the original Clash. If it wasn't for last year's under-appreciated The Debt, I doubt I would have any faith in Worthington to carry on with a successful Hollywood career, so lackluster is his effort. I know he can act; I just wish he'd stop turning it on and off at whim and get to work.

Zeus forgot to bring the beer again. D'oh!

At least one of my main criticisms of the original film has been addressed: the Gods are AWESOME now! The characters of Zeus and Hades have been legitimately beefed up, as befitting the talents that are Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes. While I won't go into details for spoiler reasons, it's nice to see these characters become a little more relevant even as they have little overall importance to the people of their own universe. It was also nice to see other gods get in on the act, from Nighy's Hephaestus to Edgar Ramirez as Ares, the God of War. Ramirez in particular gets afforded some well-deserved attention, his biggest role to this point being in the miniseries Carlos in 2010. Here, his performance is not necessarily varied but powerful, and he arguably out-grimaces Worthington in their shared scenes. I'd definitely be interested in seeing more of him, whether it be in Kathryn Bigelow's new bin Laden film or simply going back to finally watch Carlos.

Somehow I don't think he wants to play "patty cake."

The film's special effects are a decent improvement over the original (I didn't see the sequel in 3D either, due to timing), but I had a serious issue with the way Liebesman, who made last year's Battle: Los Angeles, handled things on the action front. Taking over for Leterrier, Liebesman tries to do the same thing the Frenchman did in going from action sequence to action sequence, with barely a character moment in between. The real problem with that is that Liebesman is a major proponent of the "shaky cam" effect in trying to make events more exciting. When are directors going to learn that shaky cam doesn't engage the audience, but confuses them? There are almost a dozen major battles throughout the film, featuring such massive creatures as the Chimera, Cyclops, Minotaur and Kronos, but Liebesman manages to make every single fight feel small and unworthy of our attention. What I had hoped would be the film's greatest strength ends up being its biggest flaw, as nothing is ever clear, and like a drunken excursion we're not really ever sure what's happening until it's over.

Not quite as endearing as the Kraken, no...

After seeing the trailers for Wrath of the Titans, I would have been more than happy if the film had just been a collection of Perseus taking on mythological creatures from beginning to the end. With amazing special effects, it was all for which I could have hoped. But with the narrow view of Liebesman, that unambitious idea was more than the film actually attain. While it tries its hardest to charm itself into your hearts, lousy action in an action film is inexcusable, and really sinks Wrath down near the bottom of 2012's rankings. Another potential blockbuster that missed wide, seeing a film like this makes me long for the days of summer, when dreck like this will be replaced by far more tantalizing fare such as Prometheus, The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-Man.

I really can't wait.

Christmas in December

Usually, when I make a morning to visit the theater, I know exactly what I'm going to see, and do so well before I leave my home. Whether I expect to see an amazing film like Drive or a cringe-worthy one like Red Riding Hood, I generally know exactly what type of experience I'm getting myself into. Sometimes I decide this the morning of. Sometimes it's the day before that I officially make plans. And sometimes I plan days in advance as I figure out my schedule. But on this particular day, I suffered a strange occurrence: I had no idea what I actually wanted to watch. As I've seen most of the current film releases by now, there was very little available that I had not yet caught. Three acceptable options were playing at approximately the same time, and so with a shrug I told myself that I would figure it all out once I'd made the actual trip to the theater. Even when I arrived, it was not an easy decision. Should I see The Descendants, the popular adult drama directed by Alexander Payne and starring a used-looking George Clooney? Should I instead partake of My Week with Marilyn, the semi-biopic starring Michelle Williams as the titular movie star and ingenue? Both came highly recommended, but I found myself honestly lacking in interest for serious dramas, and decided to put them aside for the time being. Now, as for Arthur Christmas... well, an animated family film was JUST what my mood called for. With that in mind, I bought my ticket and gaped at the shockingly-empty theater that housed my morning's excursion, wondering what I was in for.

A "one-horse open sleigh" it ain't

Every Christmas Eve, we are told as children that Santa Claus travels around the planet in a reindeer-driven sled, delivering toys to all the boys and girls of the world. Judging if you're naughty or nice, he crawls down your chimney, fills the stockings with goodies and leaves exactly what you wanted under the Christmas tree. Ah, what we believed when we were young, right? Well, what if it really WAS true? How would it be possible? Arthur Christmas answers these questions, introducing to the audience a new, more updated version of Christmas Eve events. Santa Claus (Jim Broadbent) is still in charge, the latest in a long succession of Santa's, acting more as a figurehead while his legion of elf special forces and a giant futuristic air-ship do most of the heavy lifting. The entire operation is practically and efficiently run by his eldest son Steve (Hugh Laurie), who covets his chance to become Santa once his father retires. Santa's dedicated wife (Imelda Staunton) simply can't wait for him to quit so they can spend their twilight years together. His father, the previous Santa Claus (Bill Nighy) is bored with his own retirement and loves to taunt the newfangled methods Steve has introduced to his former position. And then there is Arthur (James McAvoy), Santa's younger son, whose passion for Christmas cannot be denied. However his bumbling, worrisome ways grate on others, and he is out of his element in a world in which Christmas has become so numbers-oriented that children are identified by serial numbers and addresses than names and what is in their heart. When an error occurs and a child is accidentally missed, Arthur's belief in Christmas spirit drives him to, against all odds, deliver this gift so as not to let a little girl think that Santa doesn't care about her.

Is it a puppy? I bet it's a puppy!

It's amazing that the concept itself is presented so soundly. In just the opening ten minutes, Arthur Christmas does all it can to halt any arguments you might have against its feasibility in their tracks. Everything is covered. How Santa avoids detection? Check. Homes without chimneys? Check. Large toy delivery? Check. What Santa needs with all those cookies and glasses of milk? Check. Every detail was planned out and properly answered here, even going so far as to cover what happens when kids wake up at inopportune times. Brilliantly planned down to the last detail and with military precision, there is not a moment in the opening sequence (or for that matter, anywhere in the film) that feels any less magical than when you ran downstairs on Christmas Day.

Obviously they took it literally when I declared this film "the bomb"

Of course, what makes Arthur Christmas truly magical are the characters we meet along the way. Arthur himself is such a perfectly-realized blend of comedic neuroses and good-natured innocence that you forget that he's played by an actor best known for his serious, dramatic roles. James McAvoy impressed me with his ability to mold himself into the part, and his character never gets dull or overly-righteous with the message he carries. I've never heard Hugh Laurie do voice work in an animated film, but just the fact that a skinny, older Brit can pass for a cocksure, buff and brilliant (okay, that part I can believe) young man with his vocal prowess is impressive indeed. Right from the start we can tell that Steve is lacking in the empathy needed to be the next Santa, and yet we can't outright dislike him, as the character refuses to be completely irredeemable. Jim Broadbent plays the elderly Santa extremely well, his pitch-perfect portrayal of a past-his-prime legend who doesn't know when to hang up the hat a well-thought-out fit between his polar opposite sons. Bill Nighy is of course wonderful as Grandsanta, quick to judge the newer implementations used for Christmas while pining for his glory days. Grandsanta's a few ornaments short of a Christmas tree, and Nighy plays up that irreverence as he so often does in comedic roles. Best of the cast though might be Emmy nominee (for her role in the BBC/HBO series Extras) Ashley Jensen as Bryony, an elf obsessed with gift-wrapping who follows Arthur on his quest. Not only is each character great, but the way in which they come together by the film's end (of course they do, it's a family film) feels special, as each family member learns to overcome their mental locks to see the story through to the correct conclusion.

Oof, if that was Santa, I'm glad I never woke up early

And it doesn't hurt that the animation (a joint venture of Aardman Animations and Sony Pictures Animation) is a clear winner in keeping the audience entranced. While not as amazing visually as, say, Rango, Arthur Christmas engages in a more cartoonish look that expresses its comedic elements nicely. When it DOES step up the animation a notch however, its one of the prettiest movies this year. Lately I've been seeing far more competent use of 3D technology in films, especially animated ones. Arthur continues this trend, as the immersion that 3D provides actually serves to draw you in more, as opposed to jarring you with obvious flaws. The great visuals also help the multitude of physical jokes appear more natural, as if they were being performed by live actors instead of being generated on a computer.

Never... Ever... wear that sweater again

In fact, the only real complaint I have about Arthur Christmas is that I was forced to watch a stupid music video featuring Justin Bieber singing what seemed to be a mix of Christmas caroling and Michael Jackson. It was situated before the actual film began, and what would normally be a throwaway in the Special Features options on a DVD release was instead the first instance in memory of being punished for actually showing up to a movie on time. Bad decisions aside, I am more than happy that I decided to make Arthur Christmas my eventual choice for movie mirth on this particular day. Director Sarah Smith knew the tale she wanted to tell, and despite inexperience making feature films this was arguably the best time I've had in a movie theater this year. Arthur Christmas has a wonderful story, exquisite pacing, and more than enough emotion to moisten the lenses of my 3D glasses. You might not guess going in (I certainly didn't), but Arthur Christmas ends up as my #5 Film for 2011. Even if you don't have kids yourself, you've got to go out and see this release, as even as a full-grown adult you will find yourself remembering what made Christmas so special when you were the little one chomping at the bit hoping to catch Santa making his yearly visit. Arthur Christmas makes you want to believe again.

Chameleons of the Mojave

As I've mentioned before, it often takes a lot for me to want to see an animated film in the theaters. Despite the universal appeal associated with films like The Incredibles, Up, WALL-E and the Toy Story franchise, I tend to wait until they're available on DVD rather than pay the ticket price when they first come out. Of course, "eye-popping" 3D technology has become a game-changer, as most animated films released in the past year did so with that gimmick in hand. Though 3D has yet to garner a mainstream appeal in home entertainment systems, mostly due to price and uneven reviews (thus rendering the medium moot on DVD for the time being), it still isn't enough to drive me to the theaters to see such a film. Mainly I think I have problems paying good money to see a title geared towards small children, but the best animated features appeal to viewers of all ages. Still, I tucked that thought away to see my first animated film of 2011 (and the first in the theater since who knows when) in the Gore Verbinski-directed Rango. The trailer caught my eye some months ago, and so as it was one of my more awaited March films, I chose it over The Adjustment Bureau and Take Me Home Tonight when picking which film I wanted to see this past weekend.

"Psst! Are you holding?"

Johnny Depp voices the film's main character, a mysterious stranger who goes by the name of Rango. Actually, Rango is an unnamed and domesticated chameleon who ends up separated from his human owners in the middle of the Mojave Desert, consequently a fish out of water trying to find salvation from certain death and  - possibly more important - from loneliness. Rango feels so alone in the world, and when he comes across the animal-run town of Dirt, the actor in him creates the Rango persona to be notorious, heroic, mysterious; all the things he wasn't in his previous life. It works well until the facade begins to crumble under the pressure of keeping up appearances and the town's need for a real hero, something Rango isn't sure he truly is.

Despite popular conception, cowboys and baked beans don't mix

Rango is a true homage to films set the wild west; it plays out like a light-hearted Sergio Leone spaghetti western, right down to its authentic character archetypes and camera angles. While Rango himself is more of an outsider, the townsfolk are legitimate western folk, from the orphaned daughter of an alcoholic father fighting to control her land (voiced by Isla Fisher) to an overly-nervous bank manager (Stephen Root), a bandit outlaw (Bill Nighy) and a charismatic double-talking mayor (Ned Beatty), just represented by animals. While being perhaps cliches of preexisting characters, the director and actors do amazing work by treating the material straight and making what could have been a ridiculous farce into quality craftsmanship. The film even has it's own narrative mariachi band ("manned" by owls, no less) to help keep the film going on at a brisk pace.

Most awkward wedding photo EVER

The acting here is simply outstanding, and Verbinski made the right choice issuing Depp to lead this cast, though perhaps not for the reasons you might think. Despite his fame for playing such eccentric characters as The Mad Hatter, Edward Scissorhands and of course Captain Jack Sparrow, Depp actually plays the role of "the normal guy" so well that he disappears into this role. Having a voice-over part in this vein actually helps hide the fact that Depp is in fact he character in question, adding to his smooth delivery. He is also perfect in the cockier "Rango" persona, a mix between classic Robert Redford and a giddy schoolchild living out his wildest dream. Depp's more subdued performance also plays perfectly to his less-heralded co-stars, letting them shine around him. Fisher is perfect as the tough-girl romantic interest Beans, a desert iguana with self-defense mechanism (freezing in place) so out of kink that she suddenly stops at inopportune times. She also is the most vocal advocate against the problems the town has, and is most suspicious of this new stranger in town. Nighy is completely unrecognizable as the evil bandit Rattlesnake Jake, who terrorizes the small town of Dirt. Nighy is delightfully evil and revels in the role, though it's not a very big one by most standards. Beatty is similarly smarmy as the resident mayor/businessman, eyes constantly looking towards "the future." Abigail Breslin is underused but not misused as a young smart-mouthed child who eventually looks up to Rango, and Root is his usual outstanding self as several characters, most notably the nervous bank manager. Harry Dean Stanton, Alfred Molina, Timothy Olyphant, and Ray Winstone all do great work playing characters who help and hinder Rango along the line of the film's plot. The acting, with Depp at its core, is talent extraordinaire, a testament to Verbinski's skills at finding the best people for the roles.

"Fitting in" is usually not so impossible for a chameleon

The film surprised me in a many ways, but a few of them weren't as good. For one, a film supposedly geared towards children was surprisingly violent. I'm not suggesting all kids are going to be scared by this film, but the doesn't gloss over the violence inherent in the Western genre (guns, dehydration, explosions), painting a film that probably should have been marketed to teens instead. Though not overly or even aggressively violent (more focusing on the spirit of adventure), the film does have its scary moments, mostly thanks to Rattlesnake Jake and a giant hawk. Secondly, for a supposed comedy, it wasn't particularly funny. The first half of the film elicited nary a chuckle from the dialogue, mainly dependent on the slapstick elements of the film to get over on the kids. There are some good bits after the midway point (SPOILER: When Rango and his posse go undercover as traveling actors, their target responds "Thespians? That's illegal in seven states!"), the film is much more serious than the trailers would lead you to believe, including topics of death, mild and implied profanity and the consumption of alcohol. I'm not against these things; in fact, when the subject at hand is an homage to Western film, I should pretty much EXPECT it. I didn't, however, expect to find it here.

"But why is the RUM gone!?"

One of the more amazing things about this film is that it's a 3D animated film by a company that is usually only known for it's effects work. George Lucas's special effects company Industrial Light and Magic is usually associated with other films' special effects departments, but here they created the 3D modeling for their first feature film. The biggest surprise from all of this may be how amazingly well their first time went. Visuals, especially the sun-baked desert, are perfectly rendered, and the characters are expertly built, especially the multi-faceted Rango. Still, if the film had half of the technological wonder it did, it would still have all it needs to be a worthy film. Authentic environments, interesting characters, and respect for the source material; Rango takes all these things and turn it into one of the more unassumingly fun films this year. Charming itself to #1 on 2011's Top Film's list, Rango was a very different film than I had imagined going in. But when you focus on what the film IS, instead of what it was supposed to be, you can appreciate it for the amazing feeling it gives.