Award Season

I don't go into movie theaters much any more. Both the product and the audiences leave a lot to be desired. But the Award Season and its Guild and Academy freebies does draw me out a little.

HOLLYWOODLAND was a bit of a pleasant surprise. Not much of a story, but a fairly good mood and some excellent acting by the whole cast. Adrien Brody got some pretty short shrift from the critics, but his is an excellent performance, so much so that I am looking forward to his future work.

FIND ME GUILTY, now on DVD, is good entertaining corn, though based on the actual trial of a large New York, New Jersey "Family." It was especially satisfying to see Vin Diesel return to a human level character performance. His action personna of recent films has overshadowed his previously recognized acting ability and charm.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE is a trite, predictable and irritating feel-good fable of a dysfunctional family that becomes an unmotivated love-functioning family during a serious of improbable and uninventive on-the-road experiences. This movie is the only box-office hit of this group, but then Dr. Phil does reign on TV.