Be Kind Rewind

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: February 22, 2008

DVD Release Date: June 17, 2008

Plot 411: Two friends endeavor to recreate popular movie rentals when they discover that all the VHS tapes have been erased.

Review: Mos Def stars as Mike, a video store clerk left in charge when his boss Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover) leaves on vacation. Unfortunately, his best friend Jerry (Jack Black) becomes magnetized and erases all the tapes as soon as he walks through the doors. To cover their tracks, the two friends attempt to remake some VHS classics in hopes that their patrons won't know any better. Their tapes become a hit and the store starts turning a profit, a boon for Mr. Fletcher who had received an eviction notice. Unfortunately, lawyers show up with cease and desist orders based on copyright infringement and the store seems to be on its final legs. The best part of the film is definitely watching the one-take remakes being shot. There are some great laughs during their filming process. Other than that, the movie was pretty tiresome with lame jokes. This is probably one of Black's worst efforts. Then again, I've only seen a couple of his other movies and wasn't overly thrilled by them either.

Watch It: Only if you're a huge fan of Jack Black.

Skip It: If you have any respect left for Mos Def because this will just kill it for you.

Les parapluies de Cherbourg / The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: February 19, 1964 (France) / December 16, 1964 (USA)

DVD Release Date: October 28, 1997

Plot 411: Young lovers are separated for two years and are confronted with real life and the consequences of their choices.

Review: Alright, this is the second time I'm doing this because I lost the first one somehow. Genevieve (Catherine Deneuve), 17, and Guy (Nino Castelnuovo), 20, are madly in love and, in youthful exuberance, want to get married. This, of course, is not approved of by Genevieve's mother (Anne Vernon), and when Guy receives his notice to serve in the French army they must put their wedding plans on hold. This destroys them, but they both vow to wait for each other. Shortly after Guy leaves, Genevieve discovers she's pregnant. She also meets a sophisticated, older man named Roland. Unlike Guy, Roland can offer a much better future for her and has the full support of her mother, but can Genevieve forget Guy so easily? This was a unique musical that was at times too operatic for my tastes. The continuous singing was a bit much, especially since I had to read the subtitles. Perhaps in it's native language, the singing would not be as distracting. But from a foreign standpoint, it seemed terribly melodramatic. Despite this, I still enjoyed this film a lot because while it was romantic, it wasn't sentimental. It portrayed real life and real life decisions were made. The characters lived with the consequences, and there were no knights on white horses to save the day. There was no Hollywood ending. This, in itself, was refreshing. The brightly colored costumes and set also created a unique feeling within the film. I don't know if this is a purely '60s thing, if it has something to do with musicals of that generation or if it's just plain French, but all the colors were wonderful. The wallpaper within Genevieve's house alone could chase the clouds away. The wardrobe colors were also unique because the characters all seemed to match each other. The color pallete was definitely something you don't see everyday.

Watch It: For the paradox of a realistic plot set in the fantasy of a musical.

Skip It: If a sweeping melodrama and romance set to song makes you grind your teeth in resistance.

Shades Of Ray

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: October 01, 2008

DVD Release Date: April 7, 2009

Plot 411: A half Pakistani/half Caucasian guy has lived with an identity crisis his entire life and is finally able to confront this when he meets a girl just like him.

Review: This was an interesting rom com because there were definitely deeper issues involved besides the normal love triangles. Ray (Zachary Levi) has lived his entire life questioning who he is. Is he Pakistani (aka brown) like his father (Brian George) or Caucasian (aka white) like his mother (Kathy Baker)? He cannot answer this question, but he realizes that he's different from everyone else. This makes him feel alone. In his effort to categorize himself, he also puts others into compartments as well. Ray distances himself from his Pakistani side and does not like to acknowledge it because this is what has made him different. When he asks his girlfriend Noel (Bonnie Somerville) to marry him, she doesn't give him an answer right away. During his time in wedding limbo, Ray's father introduces him to a Pakistani girl named Sana (Sarah Shahi) who is also half Caucasian. For the first time in his life, Ray finds someone like him and instantly feels connected to her. These feelings quickly complicate matters as he now struggles to redefine himself and his future. The issues of race and self-identity are introduced in a humorous manner allowing the audience to ease into the discussion. However, I suppose because we live in Hawaii we're a lot more tolerant of mixed races than other places. It just doesn't seem to be as big a deal here. Still, Ray's self-doubt and the angst he feels because of the pressure he receives from his father is universal. This movie is also unique because it comes from a male point of view.

Watch It: For a rare ethnic rom com that deals with interracial relationships and self-identity.

Skip It: If you're easily offended by racial jokes and stereotyping.