Leading into July

Trying to get back into the swing of things with these reviews, folks. It's been a few months, so I figured what better way to kick things off than a review idea I'd been tossing around in the back of my head for a while...it's pretty easy to pick out...

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March of the Penguins (2005)

The Basics: Originally a French nature documentary, the version shown on American screens was narrated by Morgan Freeman and won an Oscar for best documentary

In the Beginning...: Simultaneously, several troops of penguins in Antarctica leave their separate safe havens and trek for miles to gather together for a big ol' penguin orgy. Good times.

The Plot Thickens: The several months that follow involve a gauntlet of challenges: the male penguins keeping the eggs warm, the females venturing out on their own in search of food, the young penguins surviving the cold and predators. All done to perpetuate the species.

And I Quote: Narrator: "There is a mysterious ritual that dates back thousands of years. No living creature has survived it except the penguin. They have wings but cannot fly. They're birds that think they're fish. And every year, they embark on a nearly impossible journey to find a mate."

IMDB Plot Keywords: Penguin, Egg, Ice, Fish, Blizzard

Random Trivia: For March of the Penguins, Morgan Freeman recorded all of his narration in one day.

Curt's Take - Must See: I had gone into this expecting the worst. Well, let me clarify...I wasn't expecting a terrible film, but I WAS expecting it take a nasty turn at some point. Somewhere along the line, I swear I'd heard from someone that you goes in a direction you don't expect. So my mind, of course, is going all sorts of wonderful directions: cannibalistic parents, mutant killer seals, death by glacial drift. No dice, though. What I got was a great story about how life...(to quote Jurassic Park)...finds a way. Check this one out.

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April Fool's Day (2008)

The Basics: A supposed homage to the 1986 cult classic film of the same name, this horror film was straight to video and starred a bunch of folks you probably don't know (including Taylor Cole, who had a small role on NBC's Heroes and Josh Henderson, who played Edie's nephew onDesperate Housewives).

In the Beginning...: Desiree and Blaine Carter, millionaire siblings and orphaned members of the North Carolina upper crust (which, apparently, does exist) throw an elaborate debutant ball for a friend of theirs, invite half the town...all to pull an elaborate prank to embarrass their former friend, Milan. Any bets as to whether or not the prank goes horribly wrong?

The Plot Thickens: The prank goes horribly wrong.

IMDB Plot Keywords: Penguin, Egg, Ice, Fish, Blizzard

Random Trivia: The producer, Frank Mancuso Jr., was also the producer for the "original" film from the 1980s. He also produced Lindsay Lohan's I Know Who Killed Me, as well asSpecies III. Translation: He must be stopped.

Curt's Take - Don't Bother: At least the original is kind of funny. This was just painful. And predictable. And as a public service, I'm spoiling the hell out of this one: everyone starts getting bumped off a year later, one by one, and Torrance (the actress) is the killer...except the deaths are all a prank designed to get Desiree Carter to confess to poisoning Milan. No need to thank me.

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May (2002)

The Basics: A romantic thriller/horror film, starring Angela Bettis, Jeremy Sisto and Anna Faris; Rated R for strong violence/gore, some sexuality and language

In the Beginning...: May, a shy, young woman who has a lazy eye, a collectible doll for a best friend and takes "socially awkward" to a whole new level, develops a crush on a local mechanic and becomes the target of a friendly female co-worker's affection.

The Plot Thickens: May, not the most stable person to begin with, doesn't really know how to handle it when her new-found relationships hit a rough patch, and the results are a bit...unsettling.

And I Quote: May: "I saw someone today. A boy. You know how when you meet someone...and you think you like them? And then, the more you talk to them, you see parts you don't like. Like that guy on the bench. And sometimes, you end up not liking any parts at all. But this boy is different. I like every part of him. Especially his hands. They're beautiful."

IMDB Plot Keywords: Doll, Hand, Eye, Sewing, Surgery

Curt's Take - Not a Priority: A good word to describe this film? Unsettling. You know from the beginning that May is just a bit...off. And you don't really know where that's going to lead. You just know it's not going to end well...and when things DO take a turn, it's a pretty no-holds-barred ride through to the end. That constant tension kept me interested most of the time...but looking back, I can't wholeheartedly recommend it.

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Junebug (2005)

The Basics: A comedic drama, starring Embeth Davidtz, Amy Adams, Alessandro Nivola and Ben McKenzie; Rated R for sexual content and language

In the Beginning...: Madeleine, a British art dealer based in Chicago, travels to rural North Carolina to track down a reclusive local artist. While in the area with her husband of six months, George, she visits her new in-laws for the first time...and hopes to make a positive first impression.

The Plot Thickens: While a guest of her husband's family, Madeliene struggles to navigate this rustic lifestyle that is unfamiliar to her, while puzzling out George's parents, his brother, Johnny and pregnant sister-in-law, Ashley...who themselves seem unsure how to react to this woman who is suddenly part of their family.

And I Quote: Ashley (to Johnny): "God loves you just the way you are...but He loves you too much to let you stay that way."

IMDB Plot Keywords: North Carolina, Art, Art Gallery, Pregnany, Artist

Curt's Take - Not a Priority: This is a tough one to rate. I think that, technically, it was a fine film: great cast, good script, etc. It's just that it wasn't something that I normally find on my plate, so to speak. You can't help but like Amy Adams in this, and the family dynamics are kind of interesting to watch...but there's nothing that really pulled me in and got me excited to see how the next 15 minutes were going to play out. And because of that, I can't wholeheartedly get behind it.