Julie & Julia (2009)

This film could basically have been broken up into two separate movies, one of which might have been good enough to stand by itself. The second line of the story would probably not have been worth watching by itself, but as a couple, this duet works pretty well. Julie & Julia parallels the story of Julie Powell's 2002 adventure of cooking her way through Julia Child's ground-breaking cookbook with the winding road that the world's first celebrity chef took to become this country's most famous food author. In Julie & Julia, Julia Child is portrayed amazingly by the one person who could do her justice, Meryl Streep. The only actor in the film who is possibly more likable than her is Stanley Tucci, playing Child's extremely supportive and understanding husband. While this is not their first one screen coupling, it still amazes me what incredible chemistry exists between the two, almost as if they were meant for each other. Julia Child's life on film is so captivating that it makes the viewer, at times, wish that the producers had turned this portion of the movie into its own feature length film, and not bothered to interrupt it over and over again with the story of someone whom they've never heard. Julie Powell, the typical modern American woman, is played admirably by Amy Adams. She is grinding her way through the hardships of every day life, but is able to renew herself by cooking Julia's masterpieces and blogging about it. Keep in mind, this occurred in 2002, before everyone and his wife had a blog, so at the time it was a little more significant, but as she goes along, she becomes more popular and begins to believe in what she's doing and in herself. This half of the film is interesting, but at times, I found myself wishing that I was watching Meryl Streep instead. In fact, one of the most interesting things the director of this film accomplished was making Amy Adams quite homely, and not a little annoying, which doesn't help. That said, considering the target audience of Julie & Julia, I really enjoyed this film. However, that is not to say this movie is without its problems. There are two specific points in this film that I specifically disliked. First of all, nearing the end of Julie's journey through the cookbook, she and her husband get into a large, but not all that significant an argument. The husband walks out for the night, and the whole next day, Julie wonders whether or not her marriage is over. Keep in mind, this is the only time in the movie that there has been the slightest disagreement between the couple, and the idea that they would end their arrangement after one little fight is laughable. The other issue that I take is that towards the end, Julie gets word from Julia Child's people that the latter does not care for the former's point of view. While this may have been true in real life, I found it took a lot of the luster off of her story. All told, I really liked Julie & Julia and would recommend it to anyone who is planning on watching a film with his wife. I give Julie & Julia 3 and a half stars.

Vizard's Off the Avenue

There are several restaurants in New Orleans where my wife and I have been dying to eat. While Vizard's was not at the very top of her list, it was at the top of mine, and seeing as how it was my birthday, we decided to give this Uptown gem a try. Formerly Vizard's On the Avenue, Vizard's Off the Avenue has relocated to a beautiful building on Magazine St. with great views of what's going on in the surrounding neighborhood. It is a small restaurant with a very intimate environment that provides an excellent atmosphere for romantic dining. My wife and I had little trouble getting reservations, but for those of you who do not plan ahead, there is also a nice little bar at which you can wait for a table or even eat. Once you get your food, you will not be disappointed. My wife and I were delighted to find that every patron is started out not only with bread and a spicy butter, but with a complimentary shot glass of the chef's favorite soup. Last Friday it was a leek and cauliflower bisque, which may not sound all that great, but was phenomenal. Not only did I take this small sample down quickly, but I would have happily eaten an entire bowl. My wife and I shared an appetizer, and my only regret in this is that I only got to eat half. We got the Oysters Mancuso, which was five fried oysters served on a piece of toast with claw crab meat and mushrooms smothered in a delicious demi sauce. It was amazing. As an entree, my wife got the Filet of Beef, which was a perfectly cooked piece of meat served with roasted potatoes and a very subtle demi. I got the Vizard's Cut, which was a succulent rib eye served with sour cream and chive mashed potatoes and an unreal bordelaise. Both my wife and I enjoyed our steaks immensely. I will say one thing though; normally when we go out for higher end meals, we rarely order the standard steaks. This leads me to the one major drawback of Vizard's; the menu was very limited. There were plenty of amazing sounding appetizers, but there were only a handful of entrees, and for me, nothing sounded better than a steak with mashed potatoes. This is not to say that we were in anyway disappointed by our dining experience, but if you are a very picky eater, or someone who likes to have a wide variety of options, Vizard's may not be the ideal place for you. The service was what you would expect at a high end restaurant, phenomenal, and the expense of the meal was also what you would expect, high. This is not the type of place that you would take a child to eat unless you were in a really large group, and the size of the restaurant is so limited that this might not be the best idea. I loved our meal and would happily go back again at the next available possibility. The only limiting factor is the small menu, but as long as they keep that top notch steak as an option, I will not complain. I give Vizard's Off the Avenue 4 stars.

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

This was the first movie that my wife and I took our daughter to see in the theaters, and in retrospect, I think it was a pretty good choice. She did well, for the most part, and the movie was very good. The Princess and the Frog is Disney's re-imagining of the classic tale of a princess kissing a frog. This movie takes place in New Orleans, where a carefree prince is turned into a frog by the Shadowman, and an ambitious young girl who is not herself a princess, gets turned into a frog by kissing someone she should not have. This film was produced in the classic Disney manner, without any computer animation or 3D imaging, but with the old-school hand drawn pictures that made Disney famous. It was cool to see a movie that took me back to the days of The Fox and the Hound and Robin Hood, and while The Princess and the Frog was no Lion King, I think it belongs on the higher end of classic Disney animated features list. The film fell victim to the same problem that a lot of cartoons do, the middle portion is very slow. The beginning and the end of The Princess and the Frog are great, with a lot of riveting action that keeps the audience, adults included, engrossed; during the second third of the film, I was checking my watch and wondering how much longer we would be in the theater. The ending was great though, and while at certain times the action was a little scary to my two year old, I have no real complaints. Something I liked about the film was that the producers did not overwhelm the story by getting a lot of big name actors to voice the characters. Instead, they let the movie speak for itself, and I think it worked really well. All told, my wife and I really enjoyed the movie and think that it was the perfect film for my daughter's first theater experience. I would recommend it to any child and to most adults. I give The Princess and the Frog 3 stars.

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

It may seem odd that I am reviewing a children's movie, but my daughter has reached the age where she can be raised by Disney movies, and my wife and I are taking advantage. Disney's Beauty and the Beast is the recreation of a classic tale in which Belle sacrifices her freedom for her father, and becomes prisoner to an enchanted Beast who she eventually comes to love. This was one in a classic line of Disney films, including Lion King and Aladdin, that were each as remarkable as the next. There is only so much that can be said about an animated film, but as far as I am concerned, Beauty and the Beast is great. The music in this film is amazing; I remember loving it the second I heard it as a child, and now my daughter is beginning to fall for it as well. I think it is significant when a film can be passed to down subsequent generations and be continually enjoyed. I think it is also significant that a movie that was created for children can also be appreciated by adults, which makes it a lot easier for us new parents to sit through. Just about everyone I know, including my wife, really enjoyss this movie, and I think if I had to pick one, Beauty and the Beast would be my favorite Disney animated film. I hope one day my daughter will introduce it to her children, because I am sure it will still be considered a classic. I give Beauty and the Beast 4 and a half stars.

Taxi Driver (1976)

This is one of the classic movies that everyone should make time to see. I do not think it is the greatest thing I've ever watched, but it is an iconic film. In Taxi Driver, Robert De Niro plays a mentally unstable Vietnam veteran who drives a cab at night and slowly slips into insanity as he tries to deal with the decadence and sleaze that exists in his city. I was not sure what to expect from this film, but I had only heard good things, especially with respect to Robert De Niro. In Taxi Driver, De Niro is forced to do excellent work by the fact that he is the only person on screen for a significant portion of the movie. He is extremely convincing as the mildly psychotic driver who thinks he's making the world a better place. This film gives us De Niro in one of the most iconic scenes in movie history, the 'are you talkin' to me' sequence, which is pretty cool. The rest of the cast is also pretty impressive, including very young looking versions of Harvey Keitel, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd and Peter Boyle. They are all really good in their roles, and for me, this type of film was a new element for most of them. That said, I did feel a little empty at the end of the film. The finale is pretty cool, but it is not all that unique and even kind of predictable. On top of that, (spoiler alert) at the end of the film, De Niro turns out not to be dead, which does not only seem unrealistic, but it wraps the film up a little too neatly for my taste. I did not watch this film with my wife, and while I do not think she would have hated it, I think she would have wondered why I was subjecting her to it. I am really happy that I have seen Taxi Driver, if for nothing other than cinematic history sake, but I doubt that I will ever watching it again. I give Taxi Driver 3 stars.

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

My expectations were pretty high going into this film, considering the massive hype and excellent cast, and I have to say, I was not in the least bit disappointed. Sherlock Holmes is the tale of London's most brilliant detective and his almost equally as brilliant sidekick Watson. This most recent film in the Holmes saga chronicles Sherlock's inquiry into the actions of a nemesis who seemingly has unworldly dark powers. All things considered, this movie was actually better than I thought it would be, maybe even exceeding expectations. I have always been a fan of Robert Downy, Jr. and I thought that he did a great job in and as Sherlock Holmes. Jude Law, who plays Watson, is equally impressive, and does this character as much justice as anyone ever has. The most remarkable thing about these two is the incredible chemistry that exists between Downy and Law. If they did not work well together, this film would not have worked at all. That said, this duo is good that without both of them, a sequel would be inconceivable. The direction and plot of Sherlock Holmes are also pretty good. There are a lot of cool action scenes and interesting special effects that, unlike most movies, actually add to the enjoyment of the film rather than confuse it. This film also does a good job of incorporating a lot of intrigue and mystery in a way that further engrosses the audience rather than alienating it. One thing that I thought was a little laughable about this film was that it was left so open-ended in terms of a sequel that it made me wonder how anyone could be so sure that a film franchise would be a success. That said, Sherlock Holmes was a good enough movie that I am definitely interested in seeing what happens next. The end of this film was unique to me in a really impressive way. There was a cool fight scene at the end, but it was rather protracted. What I found interesting was that the main climax was Holmes' description of how he had come to solve the crime, and the impressive deductions that led him to the truth. I, personally, found it to be a little different and very enjoyable. My wife and I saw this film together and we both really enjoyed it. I would recommend it to anyone and look forward to watching the sequel. I give Sherlock Holmes 3 and a half stars.

McAlister's Deli

I am aware that this is not the type of restaurant that we normally review, but one was just put into a strip mall near our house, so I figured I give it a brief once over on our blog. McAlister's Deli is an above average chain restaurant that has a vast menu offering several options that are actually quite good. I would say that my favorite options are the French Dip, which is pretty basic but delicious, and the New Yorker, which is very tasty. My wife is a big fan of the Memphian and the McAlister's Club, and she always seems to enjoy her meal. The service is what you would expect from a walk-up restaurant and the prices are a little high, but neither of these issues are prohibitive. One of the nicest things about McAlister's is that it is extremely kid friendly. There is a macaroni and cheese side dish option that is more than enough to satisfy my daughter, and allows us to take her out to eat without having to order anything extra. McAlister's does not really compare to all the great lunch restaurants that New Orleans has to offer, but if you are looking for something simple, or a change from the standard po'boy, it is a pretty good option. I give McAlister's Deli 2 and a half stars.

Up in the Air (2009)

I have heard from several people who have not actually seen this film that it looks like a well-written, well-acted, pretty standard romantic comedy. Before seeing it, I was honestly not sure what to make of this movie, but after leaving the theater, I would have to describe that initial assessment as extremely inaccurate. In Up in the Air, Ryan Bingham (Clooney) spends more than half of his time traveling for his job, and is beginning to realize that no matter how much he enjoys his lifestyle, that perhaps there is something missing. That afore mentioned assessment of the film was inaccurate, but not in the sense that Up in the Air is, in fact, both extremely well-written and well-acted. The story flows very seamlessly, with some excellent cinematic devices that lend a very specific uniqueness to this movie. Additionally, Up in the Air is performed amazingly. George Clooney could have written this role for himself. He is flawless as the quick-witted, world-learned loner who has no intentions of changing. I would not be surprised if he was not only nominated, but won an Oscar for this portrayal. Jason Bateman also does great work in this film as the callous but amusing boss. While the role is moderately comedic, it is a far cry from the normal slap stick humor he usually does, and I found him very convincing. In terms of Up in the Air being a typical romantic comedy, I would say that I do not think this movie falls into that category at all. It does have a lot of funny moments, but it also has some very serious themes, and while romance plays a large role, it is not the crux of the film, which revolves much more around Clooney's inner turmoil than it does a couple. I do not want to give anything away, but the ending is not in any way typical, and is one of the things that makes Up in the Air really impressive. My wife and I saw this film together in the theater, the first one we'd seen since The Hangover, and we both really liked it. There has been a lot of talk about this movie in regards to the Oscars and in particular Best Picture. I do not think this is one of the best movies that I have ever seen, but in terms of this year's field, I have not seen much else, so who knows? This was a really good movie that I would recommend to anyone. I give it a very high 3 and a half stars.

Becoming Jane (2007)

This is the type of movie that will only appeal to a very specific audience, but if you are a fan of the genre, this is a pretty enjoyable film. Becoming Jane is a biographical portrait of Jane Austin's life before she became famous for her immense literary talent. Jane is played by Anne Hathaway, who does an excellent jobs. There are certain roles in which I find her rather obnoxious, like those stupid princess movies, but she does really well blending herself into Victorian England. Her love interest is played by James McAvoy, who thus far in his blossoming career has shown himself to be quite a versatile actor. In Becoming Jane, he does not disappoint; he is extremely convincing as future chancellor of Ireland Tom Lefroy. The story of Jane Austin's life, according to this film, is not a particularly happy one. It is very similar to a lot of the novels she wrote, although the ending of the film is not nearly as satisfying. Jane was unfortunate that she grew up in a time where it was not ok to fall in love with anyone, and the man that she loved turned out not to be a suitable match for her. Becoming Jane does do a good job revealing where a lot of Jane Austin's inspiration came from, and while her life never ended with true love and happiness, her experiences led her to create some of the greatest literature ever produced. My wife watched this movie and, as a big Jane Austin fan, really liked it. I do not believe that I could recommend this film to most people, but for a very specific audience, this movie really works. I give Becoming Jane 3 stars.

The Producers (2005)

I understand that after the success of Broadway-Hollywood crossovers like Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King, a lot of people have the motivation to move classics from one format to another, but just because this worked well for once or twice in the past does not mean it will work for every production in existence. In The Producers, Max Bialystock teams up with a timid accountant, Leo Bloom, to try to create Broadway shows that intentionally lose money. I can see where this would be a pretty enjoyable live show, but as a movie, The Producers is pretty much a waste of time. The cast sounds like it would be impressive, headlined by Nathan Lane as Bialystock and Matthew Broderick as Bloom. Under most circumstances, I do not have any serious problems with either of these actors. However, they were the leads in the original Broadway production of The Producers and play their parts in the movie as though they were still on stage. Both men keep making over-exaggerated, goofy-idiot faces and winking at the audience, which works in live theater, but is absolutely unnecessary on film. Also, and this is not entirely fair, if you are a fan of the show Curb Your Enthusiasm, it is very disappointing to see Nathan Lane walk out when you feel like you should be seeing Larry David. The films actual producers try to fill out the rest of the cast with A-listers Will Ferrell and Uma Thurman, who are at least a little more enjoyable to watch, but are not really right for the roles. There are some musicals that translate well to the big screen, like Phantom, but these are few and far between. Having seen several crappy film versions of live stage shows that I enjoy, I am of the opinion that this conversion should generally be avoided. I have never seen The Producers live, and after watching the movie, I am hesitant, but I imagine that I would enjoy it. Part of me wonders if it would have been better to remake the storyline, rather than cut the Broadway production word-for-word onto film. If someone had rewritten the script of The Producers, made it a comedy with no music and planned it specifically as a Hollywood farce, I imagine it could have been moderately enjoyable. That said, there is some decent music in the film, and as it is, that is its only redeeming quality. My wife did not watch this movie with me, and I would never recommend it to her or anyone. I will make no judgements on the live show, but this movie was pretty bad. I generously give The Producers 2 stars.