The Blind Side

Not knowing or caring much about the world of sports, sports movies always give me the same agonizing feeling of having to endure over-extended “field” clips and an overuse of jargon that I don’t understand. Though I didn’t have high expectations for the newest addition to the vast collection of “feel good” sports dramas, I was actually surprised that I liked this one. It seems that all sports films have the exact same plot line: there is an underdog who reaches their potential through coaching and development of skill and ultimately prevails over the opposing team creating the largest obstacle to victory (which is more often than not, the most prestigious team in whatever sports league they are playing in). And yea, “The Blind Side” did have those predictable characteristics, but I think the fact that the aspects of the game of football were downplayed and the story line was more predominant, focusing more on the compassion of human beings made the film much more enjoyable and entertaining.

“The Blind Side” is based on the true story of how Michael Oher climbed from the bottom of the ghetto to the top of the NFL through what began as a random act of kindness. The story begins when Michael Oher, played by Quinton Aaron, gets accepted into a private Christian school when he shows ample skills in the sports arena. Oher’s size and stature double the average kids’ and would be an asset on basically any sports field. This fact alone made the coach of the high school football team salivate at the opportunity for Oher to help him win the championship. Though he had scant records from his previous schools and barely even had a GPA, Oher was admitted on special circumstances via the coach’s excellent persuasion to the school board. However, Oher’s admittance into this prestigious school did not change the fact that he was living on the streets with no home, had only one change of clothes and no money to buy food.

One night as Oher was walking to the gym for the sole reason that it is a warm location that he could spend a few hours, Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock, found it odd that this boy would be walking in the middle of the night to the gym that was soon going to be closed. Out of both curiosity and kindness, Leigh Anne asks if Michael has a place to stay. With hesitation, Michael admits that he disn’t have a place to sleep to which Leigh Anne insists that he stay with her and her family for the night. This kindness extends to her buying Michael a few extra clothes, providing meals and eventually integrating Michael as a member of the family by adopting him as her own child. With their kindness, Michael begins to come out of his introverted shell and trust that someone in the world actually cares about him.

Because of the strong football background of the Tuohy family, they encourage Michael to try out for the high school football team. Much to the coach’s disappointment, Michael has never played football and does not grasp the point of the game. Thinking that Michael will flourish in a blocking position, the coach makes Michael the offensive left tackle. But, much to his disappointment, Michael doesn’t seem to fathom his duty of protecting the quarterback. After several months of living with Michael and getting to know him, Leigh Anne approaches Michael with a solution. She gave Michael the scenario of thinking of the football team like a family and his job was to protect the quarterback and the other members of the team as if they were Leigh Anne, her husband or one of Michael’s new siblings. With a new perspective, Michael let nothing come between him and the quarterback. Baffled, the coach asked Leigh Anne what she said to Michael to make him change. She retorted, “You should really get to know your players. Michael scored in the 98th percentile in protective instincts.” From that first day on the field, Michael began finding his niche in football.

I would have to say that the cast for “The Blind Side” was really well chosen. Sandra Bullock did a beautiful job of depicting a woman who has a heart of gold but has difficulty being vulnerable in front of others. Tim McGraw played Leigh Anne Tuohy’s husband, Sean, and did a really great job at being the understanding, patient husband who made the best of his family’s situation. His sarcastic, but loving comments toward Leigh Anne were comical and well-received, making him a very likeable character. The favorite character of the film though had to be Leigh Anne and Sean’s little boy, S.J. who adopted his mother’s heart and his father’s wit. These characteristics combined with his own spunk and love for attention made S.J. the most fun part of the film. At the beginning of the film, all of the kids at the Christian school stare at Michael because not only is he an African-American student in a predominantly white school, but he also towers over everyone else he comes in contact with. Though Michael did well to keep to himself and avoid showing his emotions, his feelings of alienation and isolation were evident on his face. To no avail, S.J. took it upon himself to befriend Michael and talk freely to him when no one else would. Courage and compassion are qualities that ran deep within the Tuohy family.

Overall, I’d have to say that, even though it was a sports movie, it was definitely one of the warmest, most heart-felt movies I’ve seen in a long time. The compassion that one human being reaching out to another in need is an amazing thing to see. Because we live in a world full of untrustworthy people that thrive on either deceiving others or embodying a complete sense of apathy, movies like “The Blind Side” are pivotal to keeping the hope alive that people can retain their humanity and offer what they have to those in need. Without the help of the Tuohy family, Michael Oher would not be the famous all-American football player that he is today. Because of movies like this one, perhaps more people will be inspired to offer a helping hand to someone who truly needs it. I would have to say that whether you are a sports fanatic or not, this movie is for everyone and I would strongly recommend it.

New Moon

I’d have to say that I’m surprisingly satisfied with “New Moon.” After the release of Stephenie Meyer’s first novel to film, “Twilight,” I completely lost all hope for Hollywood and their ability to capture the essence of the feelings a novel conveys. I think I can speak for most “Twilight” readers in the fact that the movie did not come even close to how fantastic the novel is. For the “Twilight” film, “bland” is the word that comes to mind. But, with “New Moon,” the only word I can think to describe my feelings is “content” which is funny considering I personally thought that “New Moon” was the worst book in the saga, but far succeeded “Twilight” in the motion picture department.

If you’ve read the second installment of the “Twilight” saga, then you know that this story is the saddest of the four. Beloved, picturesque Edward, played by Robert Pattison, decides to leave the town of Forks so that he can give Bella, played by Kristen Stewart, an opportunity at a normal life. He believes that if he and Bella continue their relationship – as vampire and human – then a catastrophe will occur considering she is endangering her life every day she is around Edward and his clan because her blood offers too much of a temptation to them. So, in order to spare Bella’s life, Edward embodies the notion that “if you love something, set it free,” but does so by breaking up with Bella in the middle of a forest saying, “I don’t want you. You just don’t belong in my world, Bella.” As Bella crumples beneath the blow of rejection from the one perfect man she felt unworthy of all along, she curls up into a ball and watches the world pass by as she remains immobile. I just want to say as a side note that I was balling when I read this part in the book and, for me, Kristen Stewart really falls short in conveying the deep, distraught feelings of abandonment of her one true love. I had no tears of empathy for her in the theatre because she really isn’t believable.

Bella’s depression intensifies as the months pass with no signs of Edward’s return. When all hope seems lost and even the reality of Edward’s existence seems to fade, Bella recalls his last sentiment pleading for her not to do anything stupid or reckless. After having a close encounter with danger, Bella “sees” Edward – his face materializes – to remind her of her promise to him to be safe. In a frenzy to do more dangerous, hasty acts in order to “see” Edward more, Bella buys a couple of beat-up old motor bikes in hopes that her friend Jacob, played by Taylor Lautner, can fix them up. For the first time in months, Bella distracts herself from Edward’s abandon by immersing herself in Jacob and his ability to reconstruct her death machines. Bella’s plan works and each time she embraces an adrenaline-prone task, she sees Edward begging her to stop putting her life in danger. Though Bella spends the majority of her time with Jacob and they get closer and closer, she loves him as her best friend and does not look to replace him with Edward. On the other hand, Jacob loves Bella and waits patiently for her to give him a chance to prove that he will never hurt her like Edward did. Bella seems to be an attractor for mystical heroes though when she learns that Jacob is a shape shifter – a werewolf to be exact. Because I don’t want to give any more away, I won’t go any further on the plot line; but ultimately Bella can’t help but be pulled between her perfect vampire love, Edward and masculine, protective werewolf, Jacob.

Between the two main men, many “Twilighters” have chosen sides – either Team Edward or Team Jacob. Though on the surface, Team Edward supports Robert Pattison as one of the hottest men alive, it also represents the notion of love at first sight and the belief in men being perfect and true gentlemen. On the other hand, Team Jacob backs up Taylor Lautner as being jaw-droppingly gorgeous as well as represents the idea that love develops through initial friendship and blossoms into a deeper, more passionate form of love. I have to say that I fully support Taylor Lautner taking on the role as Jacob. He is sexy, drop-dead gorgeous and completely ripped. I have to admit though that I am a Team Jacob supporter; I think I’m a sucker though for tall, dark, handsome, completely masculine men who begin as the underdog and emerge as a real fighter for true love that is rooted in a friendship of understanding rather than instant infatuation. Between the two types of guys, every girl has her preference. So ladies, pick your side – Team Edward or Team Jacob.

One thing that I think is interesting in “New Moon” is the emphasis of aging. Our society focuses so much on anti-aging that the emphasis on remaining young seems like a ridiculous endeavor. Bella finds herself surrounded by two men who are timeless. They will never become old or decrepit; they will always remain beautiful while she will inevitably keep accumulating years and wrinkles. The only way that Bella can remain young is if Edward will transform her into a vampire which will rob her of her humanity, but will give her the everlasting beauty she desires. Doesn’t that seem a little messed up? With age does come wrinkles, but wisdom and life should come with age as well. Our society shouldn’t fear that, it should embrace it.

From my disappointment in “Twilight” to my contentment in “New Moon,” there is a little bit of my faith restored in directors trying to breathe life into novels through film. Even though “New Moon” was my least favorite novel, it trumps “Twilight” – the film – ten-fold. Even if you haven’t read the novels, I think this movie would be enjoyed by any female – I’m not going to make that guarantee for guys though. Two hott, shirtless men would probably make any guy a little intimidated.

The Box

So, I have mixed feelings about “The Box.” Although the movie was so elaborate to the point of confusion, it was definitely intriguing and had a lot of hidden messages that my friends and I did our best to decipher, but still fell short. But really, I would rather be a little stumped by the elements of a complex film which I can constantly mull over than feel more stupid after stepping out of a moronic film any day.

The film begins with Cameron Diaz and James Marsden as Norma and Arthur Lewis. They are an average, happily married couple with above-average occupations and their only son Walter. It seems that their financial world crashes down on them all at the same time when Norma loses her employee discount for her son’s attendance at an elite private school and Arthur gets rejected from the astronaut program. Amidst their disappointment and sudden stress to make ends meet, a box appears on their door step. Inside the box is a wooden box with a button in the center. After being visited by Arlington Steward, played by Frank Langella, the couple is given the opportunity to press the button or not press the button. If one of them pushes the button in the next twenty-four hours, two things will happen: “Someone, somewhere in the world, whom you do not know, will die. Secondly, you will receive one million dollars.” As Norma and Arthur weigh the possibilities of the deal, they come to a decision. I’m not going to tell you, because what fun would that be if you wanted to see this movie? You’ll just have to see where the Lewis’s decision fell – to push, or not to push; that is the question!

I love the stream of thought in this film though. It is always fantastic to see a movie made that comments on our society’s humanity, or the lack thereof. The question of whether this couple should choose to supposedly take another’s life – even though they do not know him or her – just so that they can financially prosper is a really prevalent question in today’s society. Essentially, the message here is that we have come to a point where our individual needs and greed cloud our judgment so much so that it trumps the immoral guilt of potentially taking a human life. Therefore humanity is depleting at the hands of humans.

It seems that there were a lot of things which the audience either needed prior knowledge of or needed further explanation in the film. For example, Cameron Diaz plays a high school teacher conducting a class discussion about Jean-Paul Sartre’s existential play, “No Exit.” Having no prior knowledge of this play, I tried to catch every detail because, being an English major, I am programmed to see the significance of symbolism and foreshadowing as it correlates to the larger plot line. Well, after failing to grasp the significance of the drama in relation to the bigger picture, I had to look it up when I got home. So, for all of you that are planning to see this film, I am doing you a great favor in explaining some of the key elements that were integral to the story. The play itself is called “No Exit”; at least twice in the film, the words “No Exit” appear in odd places prior to and after the decision of pushing the button has been made. The other thing you need to know is the main idea in Sartre’s play. He conveys that “Hell is other people.” Knowing this, it is obvious that this is a theme throughout the film. The presence of people who are destructive or prone to making your life worse could either cause you to live in a hell on earth or some other hell that is unfathomable. This reference will be more clear once you see the film.

Another interesting thing that I just have to touch on was the overt recurrent “Adam and Even syndrome.” It seems like the woman always gets the brunt of the fall; it is always her who takes the apple from the silver-tongued snake. It is always Adam who sides his Eve after she has chosen the pathway of sin because they are an inseparable unit – or Adam just doesn’t want to be alone. Ultimately, the sin is always committed by the woman. Now, in actuality, there are a lot of choices made in this film that supersede the obvious, “Did they push the button?” so I don’t think I have ruined the movie for you – not entirely anyway.

I would definitely say that “The Box” is worth a try. There is so much to this film that you will probably walk out of the theatre completely confused. After mulling it over for multiple hours, I think I have come to a lot of conclusions about hidden meanings, reasons as to why certain aspects were integrated, what their significance was, etc. I wish I could share those findings with you, but I feel that that would just ruin the movie before you had a chance to see it yourself! I would have to say that I liked it. If nothing else, James Marsden is in the film. Enough said; go watch it!

You can't fight fate with "Law Abiding Citizen"

Where there is Gerard Butler, I know I will not be disappointed; but I wasn’t expecting “Law Abiding Citizen” to blow me away. This movie far exceeded my expectations and left me on the edge of my seat for the majority of the time. It is smart, cunning and action-packed. I’d recommend it to anyone with a love for Gerard Butler, or just a good movie. Same difference, right?

The movie begins with Clyde Shelton, played by Gerard Butler, spending an average day like any other indoors with his wife and daughter. When the doorbell rings, he believes it to be the take-out he ordered. Surprisingly though, he is met by two men who force their way into his home, tying him and his family up, stabbing each of them several times and raping Clyde’s wife. As one of the unmasked men slides his blade into Clyde’s stomach, he says, “You can’t fight fate.” Clyde is the only survivor of the three. I just have to say as a side note that the night I watched this movie, I went home to an empty house where the power unexpectedly went out. This made my usually insouciant night of slumber into one of frenzied, sobbing panic. I’d have to say that “Law Abiding Citizen” was in large part due to this response because of the aforementioned scene. The fear of some menacing rogues who could potentially break into the house with the intent of stabbing and raping would make any girl living by herself a little freaked out.

But, back to the plot line. Clyde, being the only survivor, seeks vengeance through the legal system, hoping that he will receive justice by putting the perpetrators away for life or having them sentenced to death for the wrongs they did to his family. Though, when discussing the matter with his attorney Nick Rice, played by Jamie Foxx, he is told that the case would be better settled with a deal. The deal would ultimately dodge the financial downfall of both the firm and Clyde that the case would be sure to amass on trial. The deal would also ensure one of the men the death sentence and the other a few years in prison. Clyde, knowing that the man receiving the death sentence is wrongfully accused due to insubstantial evidence and the real murderer, Darby, is getting away scot free incurring a barely significant prison term, makes Clyde a helpless man. Clyde discovers that the government which is supposed to abide by the law and persecute those who don’t is, in reality, unwilling to right the wrongs if it is easier to make corrupt deals with bad men if it means that the law firms will not lose money in the process. This is, therefore, defined by our law firms as a “win” even though justice has not been duly served.

After Clyde sees Nick exchange a handshake with the Darby, he exits with a look of helpless fury. Ten years pass and Darby is back on the streets while the other man who broke in but didn’t harm any of Clyde’s family is up for lethal injection. Usually a painless procedure, the man ends up dying a gruesome death due to an unknown chemical added to the mix. On the only evidence found – a container for the foreign, lethal chemical – are the words, “You can’t fight fate.” This automatically sets the police on Darby’s track, leading him right into the open arms of a fate far worse than he could imagine.

After ten years and with nothing left to lose, Clyde launches his elaborate revenge plan, beginning with Darby’s gruesome death that somewhat resembled the dismemberment and slasher plots of the “Saw” series. With no effort to conceal his involvement in Darby’s murder, Clyde is arrested and taken into custody. The interesting part is that Clyde is the only prisoner who is still able to kill every person involved in the case regarding the death of his family – including Darby, the law firm and the government officials by extension – within the confines of his solitary jail cell.

This is unlike any other psychological thriller though in the fact that it appears at first glance to resemble the plotline of “The Punisher” where the protagonist wreaks havoc on all those who had a hand in murdering his family, but Clyde is different. He is seeking revenge, but not merely on those who murdered his family; he is teaching the attorneys and lawyers and government officials – the government in essence – that to be a law-abiding citizen, one must follow the laws and be judged accordingly, not to allow the corrupt to walk free just because that is the easier choice. Therefore, he is teaching his lesson by being the law-abiding citizen upholding the laws that all men are to be held by. “It’s gonna be biblical,” says a calm, collected Clyde as more people die for the sake of his message.

I don’t want to give anything away, but nearing the end there is a specific death where I was awe-struck. It reminded me of a question I was once asked: “Isn’t there something beautiful about death?” As this particular person died in an encasement of flames, there was something romantic about the scene. It wasn’t horrifying as it probably should have been, but rather was, for lack of a better word, beautiful.

I’d have to say that I could not figure out how Clyde was committing the murders from within the prison, but let me say, “Wow.” It is fantastic. There are twists and turns and if no one has told you how the film turns out, there is a great ending in store. I would recommend this film without a doubt. It’s the first movie in a long while where I was on the edge of my seat, felt swept off my feet and left me replaying the movie over and over, mulling over the rich content just once more. “You can’t fight fate”; so make sure you watch this one!

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant

Oh, to have yet another vampire film to grace the presence of our ever-multiplying library of the vampire genre is so… entertaining yet taxing in one fell swoop. Being somewhat of a vampire connoisseur, it is obvious that some elements of Bram Stoker’s initial vampire is still present in creating “The Vampire’s Assistant,” but it is exasperating that Hollywood and writers always seem to take their liberties with adding or subtracting the restrictions and powers of the vampire in whatever situation they see fit.

Darren Shan, author of the Cirque du Freak series, made himself the hero of his own novel series. Darren, played by Chris Massoglia in the film, is the vampire’s assistant who, in life, is perfect – the perfect kid, the perfect friend, the perfect student, you name it. He is friends with the popular kids, he gets A’s in school, he lives in the suburbs with his middle to upper-class parents, making up the two and half average family to a “T.” Darren’s best friend Steve, played by Josh Hutcherson, on the other hand, doesn’t have it so easy. Steve grew up without a father and his mother is an alcoholic, making his day-to-day just short of ideal. His only real drive for life is stirring up trouble with his “perfect” best friend and dreaming about his passion – vampires. While Steve wishes that vampires were real so that he could channel his anger and satiate his blood lust in order to strike back at the atrocities his life has already undertaken, Darren is ruled by his parents’ wishes. One night, after already being grounded for doing something stupid with Steve, Darren sneaks out for the one-time-only showing of the Cirque du Freak. The graphics were absolutely amazing in depicting the wolf man, the woman who could regenerate her limbs, the Kafka-inspired hunger artist, the two-bellied man, the reptilian boy, the lethal spider and the bearded fortune teller (who interestingly is played by Selma Hayek). After the show comes to a sudden halt because of the commotion raised by the enraged, narrow-minded townspeople, Darren (who has a queer fascination with spiders) decides to steal the vampire’s pet spider. In seeking out the tarantula, Darren overhears his best friend’s plea to the vampire to make him a member of the undead. The vampire, Larten Crepsley, played by John C. Reilly, refuses and sends him on his way. In a series of sudden events, Crepsley decides to make Darren into a “half-vampire,” leaving Steve insanely jealous that with Darren’s already-perfect life, he now is fulfilling Steve’s dream of becoming a vampire too. With this, Darren must say goodbye to his old life and embrace a new, half-human existence as well as endure the wrath of his best friend.

Looking at the previews for this movie, I was a little put off by the fact that John C. Reilly was the main vampire in the film. A vampire, as seen via literature and film, is a suave, charismatic, gorgeous being that is both smooth in his approach but lethal in his attack. Reilly, in no way, is someone I would describe as suave, charismatic or gorgeous, but I do have to say that he played a pretty good heart-felt vampire. He didn’t pop out any ridiculous lines which would be typical in his usual movies and he actually conducted himself in a way that made him believable. I was pleasantly surprised.

Being a future teacher and potential future parent, it really irritated me how the teachers and adults were portrayed in this movie. It is as if the message being sent is: all adults are ignorant, close-minded idiots who care nothing of diversity or of their kids’ future; the only thing they do care about is enforcing their self-motivated rules and regulations in order to pigeonhole their kids into socially-accepted, monotonous, consumer-driven lives.

Darren and Steve’s teacher infuriated me because we, as teachers (or future teacher in my case), are taught to embrace new ideas and concepts in order to aid the growth of students. Their teacher ridicules the two boys for even mulling over the idea of going to the Cirque du Freak and, when breaking up the show later on, does so because he “is standing against the exploitation of these freaks” when, in reality, he is just too insular to think that freaks are people too, not just the trash you need to sweep out of the town.

Darren’s parents show little to no concern for what Darren wants in life and continually force their own wills on him, expecting perfection at every turn. Darren, not wanting to upset his parents, is ruled by the choices they make for him. The motto in the family is “college, job, family.” Therefore if Darren acts out or strays from the “perfect” path that his parents created for him, then he may not achieve true, American-style bliss: to attend college, get a job and have a family. Now, I’m not trying to say that parents shouldn’t instill values in their children that push toward their overall happiness and success, but the way in which Darren’s parents conduct themselves suggests that nothing is more important than having a “successful” son in a world full of corrupt kids who are, in our day and age, followed by a sea of disappointed parents. Therefore, Darren’s direct opposition to his parents’ and his teacher’s wishes show that to discover happiness is to free yourself from the dictation of others and decide for yourself what will make you happy in life.

Overall, I was really impressed with “The Vampire’s Assistant.” I think the film was colorful, fun and definitely entertaining. Josh Hutcherson especially did a great job of developing his character and fully embodying the evil, enraged, envy-driven best friend. In part, I am glad that I have not read the book series by Darren Shan because I always seem to walk out of the theatre disappointed that Hollywood couldn’t live up to my high expectations which I constructed on my read-through. So, with that in mind, I would recommend you to check out the Cirque du Freak; you never know what you may find.

Couples Retreat

I’ve heard a lot of mixed feelings about “Couples Retreat.” Either people loved it and thought it was hilarious or they just hated it. I’d have to say that yea, there were entertaining moments, but the film itself was pretty forgettable. I am, once again, just unimpressed and can’t say that the movie was awful but it really wasn’t good either. Frankly, it was just mediocre.

“Couples Retreat” is about four couples who go on a therapy retreat disguised as a mini-vacation. Dave and Ronnie, played by Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman, are a cute married couple with two kids and the average go-go-go lifestyle. OCD perfectionist Jason, played by Jason Bateman, is married to Cynthia, played by Kirsten Bell. Jason and Cynthia thrive on control and order and when they fail in conceiving a child after multiple attempts, their relationship is strained, leaving Cynthia fed up and Jason seeking abstract ways to control the situation. Joey, played by John Favreau, and Lucy, played by Kristen Davis, are spitefully unfaithful high school sweethearts who got pregnant just before graduating high school. They both look at their marriage as a union that only lasts so long as their obligation holds them – a.k.a when their daughter graduates and moves out, they’re splitting up. Lastly, Shane, played by Faizon Love, has recently got a divorce from his wife Jennifer after she walked out on him. In his grief, he begins dating a twenty-year-old teeny-bopper Trudy, played by Kali Hawk, who is sucking Shane’s already-limited finances dry while pushing him to the max on the twenty-something scene of booze and partying. At this island, the couples are confronted with a maniacal relationship master, shark encounters, and a Fabio-like yoga instructor in skimpy speedos which either strengthens their relationships or drives them further apart.

Obviously each of the couples has their quirks and dysfunctional tendencies which makes the film entertaining but infuriating at the same time. There are a few of the people in these relationships where the individualistic, modern feminist in me screams, “Why are you still putting up with him?!” Don’t get me wrong, some of the girls were irritating too, not just the guys – but there is a point where enough is enough and it seems like when a relationship is obviously over and all that is keeping it together is a small strand of a relational title, then it is time to throw in the towel and move on to the next chapter in your life. I think that a lot of times comedies have Shakespearitis in the fact that they feel like they need to tie up all the loose ends – no matter how absurd or unrealistic – with a nice big ribbon on it.

You know what I don’t understand? Vince Vaughn. He doesn’t seem to be a very progressive actor at all. He seems to play the exact same character in every role he’s in. Isn’t the point of acting to prove that you are talented enough to take on versatile roles spanning all genres? If that isn’t the point of acting, then why would talented actors like Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal and Robin Williams choose homosexual roles when that isn’t their sexual preference? From my perspective, it seems that seasoned actors enter a genre, conquer it and move on to a more challenging one, resulting in a well-rounded portfolio at the end of their career. What does Vince Vaughn have to show for his acting diversity? He doesn’t! He is always the witty goofball who always has a snide comeback in his arsenal which seems like his personality in real life. If that’s the case, all he has to do is be himself in different on-set situations. Should we then – those of you who like Vince Vaughn – be glorifying a man who doesn’t even put an effort into his job? I know I’d like to see him step up to the plate and take on a role that he hasn’t done before; it’d be epic. On another interesting note, I think it’s funny that all four women are absolutely gorgeous and they’re married to men who, well, aren’t so gorgeous. That just doesn’t seem fair. Couldn’t we girls get a little eye candy too?

In our world of crisis, where jobs are hard to come by, the economy is slipping and divorce rates are sky high, there is one profession that is blooming – Psychologists. Being a therapist seems to be a very lucrative profession nowadays considering so many people go to couples therapy in order to sit down, talk out your problems and then be analyzed and diagnosed in how their relationship should be fixed – or worse how you should be fixed. I think it’s funny that we in our society put the fate of our relationships in the hands of an objective observer so that we may get their professional opinion on how bad or good we’re doing in our lives. This is somewhat of a parody in “Couples Retreat” where all of the therapists ask the bromidic question, “And how does that make you feel?” Some of the psychologists conducting the sessions for the couples seemed ludicrous in their diagnoses and shed more doubt than they did encouragement.

Probably the best part of this movie is Malin Akerman and Vince Vaughn’s little boy who steals the show with his cute little comments and his naively adorable mistakes. Though this little cutie doesn’t have a lot of screen time, I think he is the funniest attribute to this movie when he spends the majority of his time in home appliance stores practicing his potty training skills. Moral: Try to help your kids differentiate between a bathroom toilet and an on-display toilet; otherwise store clerks will hate you forever. In sum, “Couples Retreat” had a few good parts, a few bad parts and a few ugly parts, but all in all, the film was just stream-line. It is forgettable and has no real thought-provoking morals or lessons which anyone can take away and put to use in their own lives. If you’re a Vince Vaughn fan, you’ll probably like this one because he doesn’t change one bit – which is probably why you like him. But really, “Couples Retreat” fails to impress.

Whip It!

Well, Ellen Page does it again. She is by far one of the most talented actresses I’ve seen in a long time. Give her whatever role you want – comedy, drama, chick flick, suspense, horror – she can do it, and do it flawlessly.

Page plays Bliss, a misunderstood, awkward teenager who resides in ho-dunk town Bodeen, Texas where she spends her time serving “squealers” at the local diner and reluctantly participating in local beauty pageants. She doesn’t fit in with the rest of the pageant girls and is under relentless scrutiny from her mother who can’t seem to understand why Bliss does not derive the same enjoyment that she did from the pageants of her youth. Bliss seems to be floating on a sea of indifference, attempting to please her mother and gain her approval but all the while feeling a sense of emptiness at the lack of passion in her life.

This all changes when introverted Bliss comes across a roller derby flyer which her and her friend Pash sneak out to go watch. Seeing the intensity and the freedom of the unrestricted world of roller derby, Bliss has finally found her calling. She decides to try out for the vacant position on the Hurl Scout team. Because of her speed and agility, Bliss is easily chosen as the “quarterback” of derby skating. The initiation of roller derby requires a prodigious game name. With other team members choosing names like “Smashley Simpson,” “Dinah Might,” “Maggie Mayhem,” “Malice in Wonderland,” “Bloody Holly” and “Rosa Sparks,” Bliss is bequeathed the name “Babe Ruthless.”

As Bliss lives out her act of rebellion against her mother’s beauty pageants, she falls more in love with roller derby. She has finally found something that she was meant to do, that makes her feel truly alive, unique and happy. In the course of Bliss’s transformation, she leaves behind the quiet, lugubrious girl and forges ahead as a girl with attitude, with a passion for life and charisma she never embodied before. She finds what makes her spirit fly and she runs with it, regardless of what anyone thinks – and for once she stops trying to please everyone else and be true to who she is and what she wants. I wish it came so easy to all of us.

Now, I know a lot of people have generated some animosity towards Drew Barrymore, but you have to give her this one; she knows how direct a five-star movie. Though Barrymore does have a cameo in the film as “Smashley Simpson” of the “Hurl Scouts” roller derby team, she by no means is taking center stage and actually does a really great job of being a psychotically loveable character. Smashley is the most “bad ass” of the group, when her only time on-screen is spent throwing elbows on the track, starting brawls with the competing derby girls, mauling her fiancé or bleeding from her perpetually-fresh wounds, all of which is equally entertaining.

I love that “Whip It!” isn’t just a happily ever after, as is typical in Shakespearean comedies, chick flicks and Disney films. Rather “Whip It!” is more realistic in the fact that sometimes relationships aren’t meant to work out. Sometimes it’s just a fact that you’re dating a jerk and you just shouldn’t be with that guy. So many girls fall victim to a guy’s weakly-constructed excuses and ultimately, they choose to ignore the obvious facts that scream out that that one guy who seems so great is frankly just no good for you. Yet what we typically want to see on the big screen is a relationship to work out – for a guy to change and conform to be the perfectly-reformed boyfriend. But that barely ever happens in real life. Bliss, like a truly self-confident feminist, would not stand for a boy’s bull; she tells a guy what’s what even though it hurts to leave but would hurt even more to stay. There are many life lessons that can be learned from Bliss, like” “Be an individual,” “Stand up for yourself,” “Find what makes you, you” and “Have enough self-respect to know when enough is enough.”

After seeing the advertisements for “Whip It!,” I figured that a roller derby movie would be about as interesting as – well a roller skating movie – dull, typical and forgettable. But where there is Ellen Page, nothing can be forgettable. I love the message that the film sends: Finding something you love will make you feel alive, helping you appreciate every moment. “Whip It!” is definitely worth seeing in theatres; it’s heart-felt, moving, fun and inspirational with a realistic touch. Who needs another unrealistic romantic comedy? Give me the potential of a contented reality any day!