Pariah

3 Paws

Seen recently at Film Streams

I thought part of having kids meant loving them for who they are and encouraging them to achieve their dreams, not yours. Apparently, this view is not shared by all.

Kim Wayans, known for her comedic timing, waited until age 50 to tackle her first dramatic role. Her performance is raw, honest and unflinching as the mother of the conflicted teen (Adepero Oduye) - I'm sure her agent's office is piling up with serious scripts. I have no idea where writer/director Dee Rees found the rest of the cast, but they all deliver in their respective roles. Charles Parnell, an All My Children alum - of all things, is nothing short of mesmerizing as the supportive parent.

Despite the highly charged subject matter, the film manages to avoid being heavy-handed or preachy - it's a collection of small, seemingly real moments that add up to a powerful story about the family dynamic. It also subtly recognizes those rare teachers who equip their students with the courage to transcend incomprehensible circumstances.

See this one and talk about it with your kids.

Bonus Bones: 0

No dogs in this one, which isn't surprising, given the temperament of Audrey (Kim Wayans).

The Secret World of Arrietty

2 Paws

Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

It's beautiful to watch, I'll give you that much. But the bleak undertones of the storyline gave me the creeps. I couldn't help thinking about Speed Racer as I watched poor Shawn, convinced he's going to die, poke around the country estate where his recently divorced mother stashed him with an aunt to await his impending surgery. As if that isn't enough, he's 'looked after' by one of the most dispicable characters - human or animated - to hit the screen in some time. Yikes. It's no wonder he was looking for little people under the floorboards to befriend.

Lighten up, Disney.

Bonus Bones: 1

Look for someone walking a dog in the film's opening sequence - but that's it. The featured cat acts like a dog, if that does anything for you.

And The Sammie Goes To...

Billy was back, Christopher Plummer finally took home a golden idol and Uggie looked cute in a bow tie. The Oscars are over (although people will be talking about Angelina Jolie's disturbing leg pose for weeks), which means it's time to announce the inaugural winner of the annual Sam on Cinema award. As a reminder, all films nominated for a Sammie were reviewed by this blog (well, sort of) in 2011 and featured a performance by a dog or dogs. The nominees:

• Hugo
• 50/50
• Super 8
• Jane Eyre
• Beginners

And the winner is:

• Beginners

It was a no brainer. I still can't believe the Academy managed to nominate nine movies in the best film category without this one getting a nod. Here's what I said after viewing this quiet gem in July at the Dundee Theatre, my neighborhood one screen (still musty, still open). Director/writer Mike Mills - your Sammie is in the mail (unless you want to swing by Omaha and pick it up).

2012 Oscar Nominated Shorts: Live Action

2.2 Paws

Seen recently at Film Streams

Watching the Oscar-nominated live action short films has become an annual tradition in our household, right before the big show itself. This year's offerings were a mixed bag - I loved two, two were "eh" and one I detested (this accounts for the odd Paw rating).

The Shore (31 minutes, English/Gaelic)

Aye, The Troubles. Perhaps I was unduly influenced by the Irish part of my heritage, but this one got me right in the heart. It skillfully mixes pain with comedy, and the haunting beauty of northern Ireland that tourists are told to avoid is on full display.

Raju (24 minutes, English/German)

Oooooh, this one grabs you at the very beginning and holds on tight until the very end. German actor Wotan Wilke Mohring mesmerizes as the newly minted father who is faced with an unthinkable decision. I'd like to see more of him, Hollywood.

Time Freak (11 minutes, English)

If you're the neurotic type (as I am), you will probably relate to this kind-of-funny time machine saga, but it reminded me of something you might see on an old episode of "The Electric Company."

Pentecost (11 minutes, English)

The Catholics in the audience roared at the antics of the main character, a football-obsessed altar boy with the face of an angel. It's too bad this type of behavior isn't the church's biggest problem.

Tuba Atlantic (25 minutes, Norwegian)

Remind me never to visit Norway - I just don't get the humor. I hope a flock of seagulls hunts director Hallvar Witzo down and showers him with a special gift.

Bonus Bones: 1

A street dog makes a brief appearance in Raju - that's it.

Haywire

2 Paws

Seen recently at Great Escape Omaha Stadium 16

About the film:

It's kind of fun to watch, the soundtrack is '70s groovy, and it's packed with a lineup of famous faces you wouldn't normally associate with thriller fare. The action is hard to follow, though, so try and pay attention from the get go - we headed to the Internet when we got home to read about what we just saw. It also has one of the best last lines in recent memory.

About the girl:

I've got a new role model. When I grow up, I want to be Gina Carano (Mallory), even though I've got two decades on her. At a sleek yet muscular 5'8", she's calm in the face of chaos and can kick the stuffing out of just about anyone who crosses her path. A word of advice to all the female youngins out there - put down the Barbie and tell your mom you want to start taking Muay Thai lessons.

Bonus Bones: 0

About the dogs:

No black ops pups here.

The Artist

3 Paws

Seen recently at Film Streams

Every once in a while, something magical happens on screen that defies the odds. Why - in this country, anyway - would anyone give a whit about a new black-and-white silent film whose best known cast members are Roseanne's husband and the "that'll do, pig" guy from Babe?

Jean Dujardin is nothing short of mesmerizing as George Valentin. He's part Gene Kelly in look and movement and part Jimmy Stewart in heart. His climactic scene reminded me of George Bailey's desperate moments in Giuseppe Martini's bar (I found tissues necessary). I'd love to see what he could do with dialogue.

Maybe I'm just a romantic. Maybe I was seduced by the costuming and set design. Maybe I needed a stunningly beautiful reminder about the potential of humans (and canines) to change the direction of a life. Does any of that matter? Go see it.

Bonus Bones: 25
Uggie's tricks are awesome, but his best moments are the quiet ones when he's just doing his companion thing (the recovery scene with George Valentin in Peppy Miller's home is incredibly sweet). Here's to a happy and healthy retirement.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

2.5 Paws

Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

I was warned going in that I had to concentrate to keep up with this cerebral thriller. That was a little like icing the kicker. I found myself distracted by the set design (I want a dumbwaiter, even though I have no secret files to transport) and the retro costuming (that's my kind of office Christmas party).

Now that I know how it ends, I'd like to watch it from the beginning again to see which clues I missed that pointed at the outcome. Although Gary Oldman got the Oscar nomination for his lead role, I was most impressed by three of the lesser-known actors in the all-star cast - Tom Hardy as Ricky Tarr, Benedict Cumberbatch (I'm not making this up) as Peter Guillam and Mark Strong (the bad guy in the 2009 version of Sherlock Holmes) as Jim Prideaux.

The moral of the story? It's never who they want you to think it is.

Bonus Bones: 4
Two for the two street dogs we see in the street scenes, and two for the black yapper who lives in the house where the traitor does his trading.