Dallas Buyers Club

Seen recently at AMC Oakview Plaza 24
Rating: Wag

All the talk is about Matthew McConaughey, but Jared Leto (Jordan Catalano for all you My So Called Life fans) is Oscar worthy as Rayon.

Bonus Bones: 0

Nebraska

Seen recently at Film Streams
Rating: Wag

Beautifully shot, worth it for Bruce Dern's performance, almost brought down by June Squibb's overacting and its shopworn view of small-town America.

Bonus Bones: 0

Thor: The Dark World

Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema
Rating: Sniff

Dark elf sports great braids, Frigga is one bad ass mom, great cameo by Captain America, some funny moments.

Bonus Bones: 0

New Format, New Rating Scale

Okay, so after a brief hiatus, we're back with a new format - the Twitter review (140 characters or less) - and a new rating scale.

Grrrrr

- A real stinker.

Sniff

- Worth checking out.

Wag

- This is how you make a movie.

We'll continue to award bonus bones to denote the presence/absence of dogs in the film.

Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me

2.5 Paws
Seen recently at Film Streams

So there I was, sitting in a theatre packed with local indie music types, tears streaming down my face. Caught unprepared, I had to wipe my nose on my sweater. We exited through the side door into the parking lot, which gave me a chance to recover my voice - and a little of my dignity - as we made our way to the car.

I had no idea who Big Star was until recently when I rushed into my husband's home office one evening to find out who he had on the turntable. The music was sweet, sad and shot me straight back to the seventies - why hadn't I ever heard this on the radio back in the day?

It turns out I wasn't alone. The story of the group's lack of breakthrough success - despite critical acclaim - is covered in this documentary, which runs a bit too long and relies a bit too much on still photos in heavy rotation to accompany the voice-over. But here it is three days later, and I'm still haunted by Chris Bell and all he was and all he wanted to be.

I think he might have liked that.

Bonus Bones: 1
Look for a basset hound in the lap of an interviewee.

Man of Steel

2 Paws
Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

Super performances, not so super plot.

I've never forgiven Kevin Costner for 1995's Waterworld, but it just doesn't get much better than his turn as Jonathan Kent, the earthly father of the wonder child. Truth be told, it almost produced a tear or two. Russell Crowe brings a Shakespearean presence to Jor-El, the caped one's real dad, and Henry Cavill gives Superman a serious, badass quality that makes you look at the character in a different way.

But that's where my gushing ends. In terms of the second half of the film, it's like Cavill came back from lunch one day, accidentally walked onto the set and into the script of a Transformers movie (doesn't matter which one) and director Jack Snyder just went with it. Superman's not my favorite comic book hero, but he deserves better.

Bonus Bones: 10
Best showing of dogs on film so far this summer. Look for the two Kent family pets, one of which is featured in a pivotal scene.

The Way Way Back

3 Paws

Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

I love little movies that say a lot without whacking you over the head to do so. This one adds up to the perfect summer flick - a setting that makes you want to book a trip to Cape Cod, an ensemble cast that's so good you feel like you're spying on a group of real people and a script that's funny, genuine and a little bit dark.

The always lovable Steve Carrell excels as Trent, the asshole boyfriend of Toni Collette (Pam) who ruthlessly torments her son, Duncan (played by Liam James), during a summer season at the beach. But it's Sam Rockwell who brings a needed kindness to the film and a little bit of a lump to your throat as Owen, the water park manager who gives Duncan a job and a true sense of his self-worth.

I reached for my iPad as soon as I got home to read more about Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, the writer/directors who also had two great cameo roles (see if you can figure out who they are without cheating). It turns out they know a thing or two about writing, having taken home the Oscar - along with Alexander Payne - for The Descendants (best writing, adapted screenplay). I hope fame doesn't screw up their partnership.

Bonus Bones: 0

Where are all the frisbee-playing beach dogs?

20 Feet from Stardom

2 Paws
Seen recently at Film Streams

When I was 10, I wanted to be Diana Ross. I would go on to participate in "swing choir" and my high school's annual spring musical, but it was apparent I didn't have the talent to make that happen. But talent, it turns out, isn't always a guarantee of success.

This documentary, which runs a bit too long (like some encores), takes a look at the life of a backup singer. It features those who made it (Sheryl Crow), those who cleaned toilets for a time (Darlene Love) and those who ended up teaching Spanish after a youth spent grinding on Mick Jagger (Claudia Lennear). It also follows a backup with big dreams on her way up (Judith Hill), but that's where I got a little bored.

The best moments are when Merry Clayton recounts the story of being rousted out of bed and hustled to a studio for backup duties on "Gimme Shelter." I've been singing "rape, murder, it's just a shot away" for days now.

Bonus Bones: 0
I guess their lifestyles aren't suited for dogs.

Star Trek Into Darkness

2 Paws
Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

Here's the not-so-secret secret to a good reboot - it's got to be as good or better than the original "boot." I absolutely love Chris Pine - he's the perfect version of a 2013 James T. Kirk. I also have to give it up for the always hilarious Simon Pegg as Scotty and John Cho's take on Sulu. And you can never go wrong with a tribble appearance.

But the mashup of roles (nobody will ever top Leonard Nimoy's "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one" speech) came up a little bit short for me. And although I think Benedict Cumberbatch (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) is one of the most talented actors working today, there is just no way to out-Khan Ricardo Montalban, the biggest, baddest, most charismatic villain to terrorize the galaxy ever. I miss his chest-baring jacket and giant Klingon necklace.

Bonus Bones: 1
Look for the giant, cuddly dog in the opening sequence. Other than that, there are no dogs in space.

Iron Man 3

Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema
3 Paws

Robert Downey Jr. is an Oscar nomiee for his role in Chaplin (1992), but he's a lot more fun to watch in his third outing as Tony Stark, the man behind the iron suit.

Who wouldn't want to hang out with this guy? He's insanely smart, he's funny, he dresses well, and he attracts great people who are able to cut through his layers of bravado to the man who lies beneath. I don't know what the comic book crowd thinks, but I enjoyed seeing a vulnerable Iron Man, one who's willing to accept help from a young small-town loner (Ty Simpkins in a breakout role) who accepts the hero at face value.

There's also lots of noise and lots of things that blow up, if that's your thing. And the villains in this one - if you wait it out - deliver in true blockbuster fashion.

Bonus Bones: 0
I guess he doesn't have time for a pet.

The Company You Keep

1.5 Paws
Seen recently at Regal Omaha Stadium 16

I love Robert Redford. But at 77, I don't want to see him running through the woods in fugitive mode or exposing his chest hair after a night in a ramshackle cabin with Julie Christie.

That's only the beginning of my problems with this one, which may have assembled the best cast of veteran actors ever - Susan Sarandon, Chris Cooper, Nick Nolte, Stanley Tucci, Richard Jenkins, Sam Elliott, Brendan Gleeson and Terrence Howard. Unfortunately, they're stuck with craptacular dialogue that prevents them from living up to the promise of the storyline - a former activist is pursued by a journalist who has discovered his identity. And, if you really want to spoil your chances of cinematic success, cast Shia LaBeouf as the muckraking newspaper reporter. Could there be a more annoying, self-important, talentless actor taking home big bucks these days?

On the bright side, it made me go home and brush up on my scant knowledge of the Weather Underground. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Bonus Bones: 2
The FBI's police dog had a few nice moments at the end of the film.

The Place Beyond the Pines

3 Paws

Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

This one should eventually make its way onto the list of the top 100 films of all time.

A sweeping modern-day saga that spans 15 years, it looks at the lives of two characters (Ryan Gosling's Luke and Bradley Cooper's Avery) forever connected by a single, violent encounter that was over just moments after it began. Think Lawrence of Arabia on a motorcycle.

It's a bit on the long side (two hours and 20 minutes) for you fidgeters out there, but get your snacks ahead of time and then suck it up - it's masterful filmmaking from director/writer Derek Cianfrance, who started making movies at age 13. It also puts to rest any notion that Gosling and Cooper are nothing more than pretty faces - if it were Oscar time, both would be nominated for the best actor trophy. The entire supporting cast, which includes knowns (Ray Liotta) and unknowns (Ben Mendelsohn as Robin, who befriends Luke), is just as stellar.

Wow.

Bonus Bones: 5

Ryan Gosling's character dances with a sweet old dog. If that doesn't get you out of the house, I don't know what will.

Oz the Great and Powerful

2 Paws
Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

I'm not sure exposing young children to flying monkeys and a melting witch is a good idea. In fact, I hold it partially responsible for the delicate state of my psyche today. There's something about the original, though, that draws me to it almost every damn time it's on tv - I can pretty much sing every song and recite an embarrassing number of lines (it's the original Rocky Horror Picture Show).

So I started to wonder - while being pounded by the Great and Powerful's mammoth advertising budget - could the 2013 offering deliver on the same scale? Nope, not even close.

It has its moments, though, thanks to James Franco's endearing performance as the con man turned wizard and the amazing facial animation of his flying monkey sidekick (Zach Braff). The evil witches, on the other hand, could have turned it up a notch - Margaret Hamilton would have kicked their wicked butts.

Bonus Bones: 0
No Toto this time.

Life of Pi

1.5 Paws
Seen recently at Regal Omaha Stadium 16

I passed on seeing this one the first time around - it seemed like a guy flick to me (special effects and a Robinson Crusoe-like storyline). But we're in the movie doldrums, that time of year after awards season and before the first summer blockbuster. Plus it won four Oscars, and director Ang Lee has made some pretty fabulous films (The Ice Storm, Crouching Tiger - Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain).

I should have trusted my gut. The only thing I warmed to is the performance of Irrfan Khan, the actor who plays an adult version of the boy who survives a shipwreck that claims his family and the zoo animals that are their livelihood. The rest I could have lived without. I was horrified by the actions of the animals in the lifeboat, metaphoric or not.

It also confirmed one of my absolutes - never travel by sea, for business or for pleasure.

Bonus Bones: 1
A walk-on dog makes a brief street scene appearance before the family sets sail.

Side Effects

2 Paws
Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

This isn't a thriller, as the trailer sneakily implies. This isn't the type of movie where you can run out and buy Junior Mints when you start feeling a little peckish, as you're apt to miss something pivotal. This isn't the best choice for Channing Tatum fans, as he doesn't make it very far into the film.

This is, however, a pretty good psychological exercise, a twisty-turny tale that shows viewers the seedy side of the pharmaceutical business - any more said will ruin the intricately-woven plot.

On a side note, it's nice to see Polly Draper - Ellyn from the thirtysomething gang - looking fine in a small role as the lead character's boss. I think it's time for a fiftysomething reboot.

Bonus Bones: 0
No dogs, not even any in need of meds.

Oscar Nominated Short Films 2013: Live Action

1.5 Paws

Seen recently at Film Streams

Wouldn't it be great if local theatres incorporated short films into their lineups on a regular basis? At least I get to see them on the big screen once a year. 2013's quintet of Oscar-nominated shorts in the live action category is a mixed bag - one is stellar, one is good, one is odd and two deserve a great big eye roll for their heavy handedness.

Curfew

This one is a mini-masterpiece about brother-sister relationships, timing and the power of hope.

Asad

This one is a well-told version of the "life is what you make of it" tale filled with humor, hope and a great ending.

Death of a Shadow
This one - a Jules Verne/Grim Reaper/photography mashup - I didn't get.

Buzkashi Boys
This "it's tough if you're a poor kid in Kabul" one doesn't show us or tell us anything new.

Henry
This one, about the dark side of aging, reeks of after-school special - I'd rather watch a hopped up Helen Hunt jump out a window.

Bonus Bones: 0

No dogs, but there's a cat in costume in one of the shorts that's pretty darn spectacular.

A Royal Affair

3 Paws
Seen recently at the Dundee Theatre (still musty, still awaiting its promised renovation)

This one's got everything you could ever want in a period drama - killer costumes, compelling characters and smoldering passions, plus a little insanity thrown in for good measure.

I never paid a whole lot of attention to the Age of Enlightenment when I was in school, but it must have been one wacky time, particularly if you were on the throne. Mads Mikkelsen, the physician hired to "manage" the mad king, pulls you in with his other-worldly appearance and then smacks you upside the head with his acting chops. He alone is worth the ticket price. But it's Mikkel Boe Folsgaard's performance as the mentally unbalanced Christian VII that gives the film its depth - I went from despising him to understanding him in 137 minutes.

It's nominated for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, and it's worth the subtitles.

Bonus Bones: 5
This one has a royal dog, the much-beloved pet of the troubled king (it's easier for some of us to relate to animals as opposed to humans), as well as a few others that appear in crowd shots.

Zero Dark Thirty

2 Paws
Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

I intended to stay away because of the torture scenes. Then I was seduced by the real-world headlines surrounding the film's opening as well as the Oscar buzz. The final analysis? I could have lived without seeing this one on the big screen.

The bright spots - if there is any light in such a dark undertaking - are the performance of Jason Clarke as Dan, the magnetic administrator of torture in the film's opening sequences, and the seemingly real camaraderie of the Navy S.E.A.L. team that carries out the raid on (and eventual capture of) Osama bin Laden. 

It would be nice if this were all make believe.

Bonus Bones: 2
It was pretty dark, but I think I saw one street dog and one four-legged member of the Navy S.E.A.L. team.

A Late Quartet

2 Paws
Seen recently at Film Streams

This one has some really great moments that just don't add up to a satisfying whole. The bright spots - a stripped down Christopher Walken puts in some Oscar worthy screen time as a cellist facing the end of his celebrated career, the tonier parts of NYC have never looked more beautiful under a winter sky, and Mark Ivanir is intense as the quartet's first violinist, former love interest of the quartet's violist and (spoiler alert) current love interest of the daughter of the quartet's violist and second violinist (aaaaah, the intrigue).

My biggest gripe - I had a hard time relating to the cerebral, artistic world the quartet inhabits, and the coldness of the violist (Catherine Keener, whom I love) and the second violinist (Philip Seymour Hoffman, whom I love even more) didn't help matters much. Can't you be both a world-class musician and a person you'd want to hang out with?

Bonus Bones: 0
I guess music is everything to these people.

Django Unchained

2 Paws

Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

My dad loved Westerns. I remember watching the "How the West Was Won" television mini-series with him when I was in high school. There's just something magical about the genre - the stark beauty of the landscape, the sheer determination of simple folk to do what it takes to get through the day, the absolute rightness and wrongness of the time.

There's a little bit of all of that in Django Unchained, plus a whole lot of blood geisers, bad hair and rotten teeth. Jamie Foxx makes one badass slave-turned-bounty hunter who's on a mission to save his wife, and I'd kill for his green corduroy jacket (think Little Joe from "Bonanza"). But you never get to know him, which is a mistake - as is cutting his hair when he earns his freedom. The other bright spots in the long and rather ho-hum execution of the plot - Christoph Waltz's turn as Django's mentor and the cameos from a number of good ole' boys.

Bonus Bones: -2

The pair of killer dogs in this one are pure evil - way to set the dog world back, Quentin.

Silver Linings Playbook

3 Paws

Seen recently at Aksarben Cinema

Let's get right to it - this is the best film I saw in 2012.

Okay, so I have more than a passing interest in mental illness. And I like movies that don't require earplugs or funny glasses. And I'm a sucker for a happy ending. But even if you set all of that aside, I dare you to sit through this one and not feel better leaving the theatre than when you entered it.

It's surprising. It's funny. It's full of flawed characters. It makes your throat tighten and your eyes wet. It has an amazing ensemble cast (Robert De Niro will tear your heart out during the bedside scene, Bradley Cooper is almost unrecognizable as the struggling Pat and the 22-year-old Jennifer Lawrence must have an old soul). It even makes a Giants fan (me) root for the Eagles (at least temporarily).

It doesn't pretend to have all the answers, but sometimes, just trying your very best is enough.

Bonus Bones: 3

I think I counted three dogs in the trick or treat/running scene.