New Book Review: Mitch Albom's Have A Little Faith

Have A Little Faith by Mitch Albom THE ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC BOOK REVIEW, BY JAMES MYERS http://jamesmyerstheentertainmentcritic.blogspot.com/ HAVE A LITTLE FAITH: A TRUE STORY By Mitch Albom Published by: Hyperion Publication Date: September, 2009 Price: $23.99 254 Pages ISBN-13: 978-0-7868-6872-8 Four Star Rating **** “Will you do my eulogy?” I don’t understand, I said. “My eulogy?” The old man asked again. “When I’m gone.” His eyes blinked from behind his glasses. His neatly trimmed beard was grey, and he stood slightly stooped. “Are you dying?” I asked. “Not yet.” He said, grinning. Then why- “Because I think you would be a good choice. And I think when the time comes, you will know what to say.” Picture the most pious man you know. Your priest. Your pastor. You rabbi. Your imam. Now picture him tapping you on the shoulder and asking you to say good-bye to the world on his behalf. Picture the man who sends people off to heaven, asking you for his send-off to heaven. “So?” he said. Would you be comfortable with that?”
________

“In the beginning, there was another question. “Will you save me Jesus?” The man was holding a shotgun. He hid behind trash cans in front of a Brooklyn row house. It was late at night. His wife and baby daughter were crying. He watched for cars coming down his block, certain the next set of headlights would be his killers. “Will you save me, Jesus? He asked, trembling. “If I promise to give myself to you, will you save me tonight?” Picture the most pious man you know. Your priest. Your pastor. You rabbi. Your imam. Now picture him in dirty clothes, a shotgun in his hand, begging for salvation from behind a set of trash cans. Picture the man who sends people off to heaven, begging not to be sent to hell. “Please, Lord, “he whispered. “If I promise. . .”’ Have a Little Faith, pp. 1-2. Mitch Albom writes emotionally powerful little books that always leave you wanting to read more. A sportswriter from Detroit, Michigan, his heart tugging books are a surprise to those of us who have read his cold, calculating sports articles or seen his razor sharp analysis of sporting events on ESPN. The author of For One More Day, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Fab Five and Bo, he is best known for his masterpiece in human studies and the philosophy of death with his book, Tuesdays With Morrie. Tuesdays is thought to be his best work; well it was until this recent best selling true story was published, Have a Little Faith. By far and away this is the most fascinating prose that Albom has penned; a pure page turning joy from the first page to the last page. He covers the stories of two uniquely religious men; Albert Lewis, his old Jewish Rabbi and Henry Covington, a Detroit Evangelist, who is a convict gone good. The two story lines are separate but as Albom points out there are parallels in the nature of belief and the sacrifices these men make in serving their flocks. Lewis is a Rabbi that is a master performer on Sundays; a man who can deliver a message with gusto; a happy, well-adjusted man who while Albom was a child, was the dominant figure in his synagogue. He has requested that Mitch write his eulogy and in return the two agree that meetings and discussions will be necessary. Albom’s meetings turn into masterful insights into the psyche of a deeply spiritual, singing, well-adjusted man who has moved seamlessly into the background of his group without loosing his kind and gentle nature. Beyond a writing assignment, a friendship develops, and fortunately for us as readers a deep vision into the soul of a man who at one time was asked to leave the seminary, but became a visionary due to his ability to communicate and make a difference. This affectionate tale of his unique ability to communicate, accept, and by his father like faith, overcome obstacles, and ultimately reinforce the faith of his congregation is a moving, inspirational tale. Albom’s book is a true tribute to man who as Albom says makes you feel like you are “in love with hope.” Albom’s ability to probe the human condition and find answers like with Morrie are razor-sharp here: “I laughed and he laughed, and he bounced his palms on his thighs and our noise filled the house. And I think, at that moment, we could have been anywhere, anybody, any culture, any faith- a teacher and a student exploring what life is all about and delighting in the discovery.” A book about Lewis alone would have cemented Albom’s reputation as a great psychological writer; a book that contrasts religious leaders and emphasizes the tremendous faith they have in their interactions with others makes Little Faith a truly remarkable book. Covington, on the other hand took a radically different path to becoming a religious leader. A drug dealer and substance abuser, his initial conversion came while he was in prison. His prayers to be ‘saved’ are answered on several occasions in this book before it finally takes. His conversion is a sufficiently interesting saga in itself; his ministry is the stuff that Albom turns into magic. He runs a church in downtown Detroit, called the I Am My Brother’s Keeper Ministry. His flock is a group of homeless people and his church is an old dilapidated building, with no heat or lights and a huge whole in the roof. Nonetheless, Henry continues to minister to his group of converts. Albom does what any good investigative reporter does; he checks this guy and his group out. Persuaded that they are legit, he begins to write about Henry and his group, the old church and the hole in the roof, the blue tarp covering the hole. Albom’s writing leads to donations and the book makes a point of telling us the effect that this has on this group of people. This seems to be an outgrowth of Albom’s experience with his beloved Reb, the gift of teaching and motivating people to act and do the right thing. This is a great book and a natural Christmas gift. Albom’s continual exploration into the human condition and the positive results he gets are a testament to his first rate skills as a writer. If this book does not move you, check your pulse; you may be dead. I love Mitch’s books. Better pick up two at the store: one to give as a gift, and one for you. Whoever you buy this book for is not going to lend it back to you to read. Website: http://mitchalbom.com/books/node/5515 Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddYV_Y53xvc

New Movie Review By James Myers, The Entertainment Critic: Watchmen

Movie Review:  Watchmen

 

The Entertainment Critic Movie Review

http://jamesmyerstheentertainmentcritic.blogspot.com/

In Theatres Now Review

Opened March 3, 2009

By James Myers

 

Rating: 7 of 10

 

Director:  Zack Snyder

 

Writers (WGA): David Hayter (screenplay) and Alex Tse (screenplay), Dave Gibbons             (graphic novel illustrator), Alan Moore (graphic novel) uncredited

 

Release Date: 6 March 2009 (USA)

 

Genre: Action | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

 

Malin Akerman ...        Laurie Jupiter / Silk Spectre II

 

Billy Crudup     ...        Dr. Manhattan / Jon Osterman

 

Matthew Goode           ...        Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias

 

Jackie Earle Haley        ...        Walter Kovacs / Rorschach

 

Jeffrey Dean Morgan    ...        Edward Blake / The Comedian

 

Patrick Wilson  ...        Dan Dreiberg / Nite Owl II

 

Carla Gugino    ...        Sally Jupiter / Silk Spectre

 

Matt Frewer     ...        Edgar Jacobi / Moloch the Mystic

 

Stephen McHattie         ...        Hollis Mason / Nite Owl

 

Laura Mennell  ...        Janey Slater

 

Rob LaBelle     ...        Wally Weaver

 

Gary Houston   ...        John McLaughlin

 

James M. Connor         ...        Pat Buchanan (as James Michael Connor)

 

Mary Ann Burger         ...        Eleanor Clift

 

John Shaw        ...        Doug Roth

 

Robert Wisden ...        Richard Nixon

 

Jerry Wasserman          ...        Detective Fine

 

Don Thompson ...        Detective Gallagher

 

Frank Novak    ...        Henry Kissinger

 

Sean Allan        ...        Norad General #1

 

Ron Fassler      ...        Ted Koppel

 

Stephanie Belding         ...        Janet Black

 

Chris Burns      ...        Dumb Thug

 

 

Produced by

Wesley Coller   ....       Co-producer

Herb Gains       ....       Executive producer

Lawrence Gordon        Producer

Lloyd Levin      ....       Producer

Deborah Snyder           Producer

Thomas Tull      ....       Executive producer

 

            Watchmen has been one of the more anticipated films of the early spring season.  There is always a tension in creating a film like this one, where the subject matter and storyline is well-know to the followers of the comic/graphic novels and engaging the members of the public that are not familiar with the comics and not cult followers.  This film succeeds on both levels; true to the original graphic novels of writer Alan Moore, artist, Dave Gibbons, and colorist John Higgins, yet intriguing and engaging to those of us not as familiar with the story.  In this story of a parallel universe still stuck in the Nixon Administration, we are immediately drawn into this tale of retired and outlawed superheroes/vigilantes when one of the superheroes is murdered in the opening scene.  You have no pulse if you are not immediately drawn into the story of the personal development and struggles of the protagonists as an investigation into the murder of a government sponsored superhero pulls them out of retirement and eventually leads them to confront a plot by one of their own to stave off nuclear war by killing millions of people.  The secondary plotline is of course to find the killer of the fallen hero, The Comedian, who had plenty of potential enemies when he has was alive, who would want him dead.

 

            By 1985, only one Watchman, a masked vigilante named Rorschach, (Jackie Earle Haley) remains active. Investigating the murder of government agent Edward Blake (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Rorschach discovers him to be a fellow Watchman known as The Comedian and concludes that someone is trying to eliminate masked heroes. He goes off to warn his retired comrades: the emotionally detached Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup), his lover Laurie Jupiter (Malin Akerman), the second Silk Spectre, Dan Dreiberg (Stephen McHattie), the second Nite Owl, and Adrian Veidt (Matthew Goode) Ozymandias, but makes little progress.

 

After Blake's funeral, Dr. Manhattan is accused of causing cancer in his former friends and colleagues from before the accident that turned him into the being he is now. Manhattan exiles himself to Mars, giving the Soviet Union the confidence to invade Afghanistan in his absence. Later, Rorschach's conspiracy theory appears to be justified when Adrian, who had long since made his identity as Ozymandias public before retiring, narrowly avoids an assassination attempt, and Rorschach himself is framed for murder.

Meanwhile, Laurie falls in love with Dan, having previously broken up with Manhattan, and the two former heroes decide to come out of retirement as they grow closer to one another. After breaking Rorschach out of prison alongside Nite Owl, Silk Spectre is confronted by Manhattan, who takes her to Mars and explains he is no longer interested in humanity, denying her request to intervene. Probing her memories, they both discover that The Comedian is her father. His interest in humanity renewed, Manhattan returns to Earth with Silk Spectre.

 

Investigating further into the conspiracy, Rorschach and Nite Owl discover that Adrian may be behind everything. Rorschach records his suspicions in his journal, which recounts the events of the story thus far from his perspective, and posts it to a newspaper office. Rorschach and Nite Owl confront Adrian, presumably now Ozymandias once again, in his Antarctic retreat. Ozymandias confirms that he is the mastermind behind The Comedian's murder, Manhattan's exile, and the framing of Rorschach; he also staged his own assassination attempt to place himself above suspicion. He explains that his plan is to unify the United States and Soviet Union and prevent nuclear war by destroying the world's main cities with exploding energy reactors he had Dr. Manhattan create for him under the pretense of providing free energy for the world. Rorschach and Nite Owl attempt to stop him, only to find his plan has already been enacted; the energy signatures are recognized as Dr. Manhattan’s and the two opposing sides of the Cold War unite to combat their “common enemy.”

 

Silk Spectre and Manhattan arrive at the ruins of New York City and realize Ozymandias plan. They arrive to confront him, only to agree that, with the cessation of hostilities around the world, this conspiracy is best left unrevealed to the public. Rorschach, however, is unwilling to cooperate, and allows himself to be vaporized by Manhattan as a means of stopping him from revealing the truth. Manhattan shares a final kiss with Silk Spectre and departs for another galaxy.

 

With the end of the Cold War and the transformation of humanity into a united front, Laurie and Dan return to the destroyed New York City, which is being rebuilt, and begin life anew together. Meanwhile, a newspaper editor in New York complains about how there is nothing worthwhile to print, and has a young employee look for something in a collection of crank letters in which he finds Rorschach's journal.

            This is a heavy, urban, graphic film, with earth shaking violence, cool special effects, and a little gratuitous sex thrown in for extra fun.  I like the film as a viewer, because it was done in such a compelling manner as to draw you into the personal lives of these remarkable beings.  The character development made the film worth watching, and the plot was a shocker, particularly after the assassination attempt.  The reoccurring theme of ‘who watches the watchmen’ was startling in light of the fact that much like real life politics, the people who are supposed to watch out for our survival may also become the authors of our destruction.  The drop of blood on the smiley face reinforces the uneasiness of the ‘who watches those in power’ theme that permeates this film, making it a contemporary parable for our modern times.  Costuming was well done in this film as well.  By updating and modernizing the original masks, the film takes on a contemporary point of view that makes it more realistic and acceptable.  The music in the film, Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are a-Changin'", which is played over the opening montage; Jimi Hendrix's cover of Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower"; Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sounds of Silence"; the German version of Nena's "99 Luftballons"; a musak version of Tears For Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule The World"; and Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" added to the alternative universe/contemporary for 1980’s feel of the picture.  This was a great superhero picture, not as jolting as ‘The Dark Knight’ or quite as engaging as the first ‘Spiderman,’ but this film was more an exploration into each characters motivation, background, and psychology than other flicks of this genre had attempted before.  This one is a striking, free for all, fun ride and thriller that jarred the sensibilities to thought and comparison with the universe of political philosophy we currently find ourselves engaged in.  Worth the money, go see Watchmen.  It is a film that will thrill you and give you more to think about then the liberals vs. the conservatives.

 

 

Movie Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3orQKBxiEg

New Interview From James Myers, The Entertainment Critic: Lisa Black on Takeover

NEW INTERVIEW FROM JAMES MYERS, THE ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC: LISA BLACK, AUTHOR OF TAKEOVER

Please check out the new interview by James Myers, The Entertainment Critic, of Author Lisa Black about Her New Top Selling Book, Takeover.

From Library Journal: Make room for another gutsy forensic pathologist unwilling to stay put in her lab. Theresa MacLean is horrified when the banker found murdered in his driveway connects, just a few hours later, to a bank hostage situation at the Federal Reserve Bank in downtown Cleveland. Why does her fiancé, detective Paul Cleary, have to be one of the hostages being held by two men who are either incredibly stupid (who robs the Federal Reserve?) or very much clued in to the bank's unique delivery patterns? After a few tense hours observing from the command post across the street, Theresa impulsively defies the hostage negotiator's protocol and swaps places with her wounded fiancé. Now on the inside, she uses her keen observational skills and gains a clearer idea of the robbers' motives. Human behavior, unpredictable as always, forces the hand of the robbers and the situation escalates messily. Theresa is caught in a harrowing conclusion-car chase and all. Fans of Tess Gerritsen's Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles novels will enjoy this debut thriller by a forensic specialist for its steady suspense, female intuition, and distinctive venue. A terrific vacation read; recommended for all popular collections.

This interview is available exclusively on The Entertainment Critic website found at http://www.theentertainmentcritic.com.

To listen to the interview: To access the interview, look under the Interview section. Click on the MP3 player in the lower left corner. You'll see the interview listed, click on Lisa Black’s name in the player, the interview will take a moment to download and then will begin playing Enjoy the interview, and please drop us a line at james@theentertainmentcritic.com and let us know how you liked the interview and if there is anything we can do to improve our process.

Lisa’s Website: http://www.lisa-black.com/

You Tube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFT-GvnA8iA

New Interview From The Entertainment Critic: Teresa Summers

NEW INTERVIEW FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC: TERESA SUMMERS, PROSPECTIVE AUTHOR LOOKING FOR HELP TO WRITE HER BOOK

A new interview by James Myers, The Entertainment Critic, of prospective Author, Teresa Summers

In Teresa’s own words: “I have lupus, I’m in stage 1 remission and I take it day by day because of pain and swelling from the lupus. One day i hope to publish a book I have started on. My book will be about my life story and the foster care system and how bad it is and how it can fail you not once but twice. I am looking for someone who would be willing to take over and help me to finish my story and publish my book. I have a hard time with my lupus and it gets hard to write for very long. I am also looking for someone who would be willing to possibly produce a film based on my book. In my book I am going to detail about the abuse I went through and the abuse the other foster children went through. My book will also have a section about being adopted as an older child and what it is like and what you go through with the courts. I will also write about how abusive my adoptive father was and how my adoptive mother allowed it to happen. My book will be very hard for some to read. But I think it will encourage others to come forward. So please if there is anyone who is willing to take over with my book, please contact me and let me know. I'm not worried about a price I will be happy for my story to just be out there to help others and educate about the foster care system.”

This interview is available exclusively on The Entertainment Critic website, found at http://www.theentertainmentcritic.com.

To listen to the interview: To access the interview, look under the Interview section, and then click on the MP3 player in the lower left corner. You'll see the interview listed, click on Julia Reed’s name in the player, the interview will take a moment to download and then will begin playing Enjoy the interview, and please drop us a line at james@theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com and let us know how you liked the interview and if there is anything we can do to improve our process.

New Interview From The Entertainment Critic: Julia Reed

NEW INTERVIEW FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC: JULIA REED, AUTHOR OF THE HOUSE ON FIRST STREET: MY NEW ORLEANS STORY

A new interview by James Myers, The Entertainment Critic, of Author, Julia Reed and her New NY Times Selling Book about New Orleans, The House on First Street.

From The Publisher: “Julia Reed went to New Orleans in 1991 to cover the reelection of former (and currently incarcerated) governor Edwin Edwards. Seduced by the city's sauntering pace, its rich flavors and exotic atmosphere, she was never entirely able to leave again. After almost fifteen years of living like a vagabond on her reporter's schedule, she got married and bought a house in the historic Garden District. Four weeks after she moved in, Hurricane Katrina struck.

With her house as the center of her own personal storm as well as the ever-evolving stage set for her new life as an upstanding citizen, Reed traces the fates of all who enter to wine, dine (at her table for twenty-four), tear down walls, install fixtures, throw fits and generally leave their mark on the house on First Street. There's Antoine, Reed's beloved homeless handyman with an unfortunate habit of landing in jail; JoAnn Clevenger, the Auntie Mame—like restaurateur who got her start mixing drinks for Dizzy Gillespie and selling flowers from a cart; Eddie, the supremely laid-back contractor with Hollywood ambitions; and, with the arrival of Katrina, the boys from the Oklahoma National Guard, fleets of door-kicking animal rescuers and the self-appointed (and occasionally naked) neighborhood watchman. Finally, there's the literally clueless detective who investigates the robbery in which the first draft of this book was stolen. Through it all, Reed discovers there really is no place like home.

Rich with sumptuous details and with the author's trademark humor well in the fore, The House on First Street is the chronicle of a remarkable and often hilarious homecoming, as well as a thoroughly original tribute to our country's most original city.”

This interview is available exclusively on The Entertainment Critic Magazine, found at http://www.theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com.

To listen to the interview: To access the interview, look under the Interview section, and then click on the MP3 player in the lower left corner. You'll see the interview listed, click on Julia Reed’s name in the player, the interview will take a moment to download and then will begin playing Enjoy the interview, and please drop us a line at james@theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com and let us know how you liked the interview and if there is anything we can do to improve our process.

You Tube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9WIZRGl24c

Website: http://www.wowowow.com/users/julia

New Interview From James Myers, The Entertainment Critic: Tana French on her book, The Likeness

NEW INTERVIEW FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC: EDGAR AWARD WINNING AUTHOR TANA FRENCH ON HER NEW BOOK, THE LIKENESS

Please check out a brand new interview by James Myers, The Entertainment Critic, of an Edgar Award Winning (Best New Book)Author, Tana French on her brand new best seller, The Likeness.

Tana French has lived in Ireland, Italy, the United States, and Malawi. She trained as a professional actress at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

About The Likeness: The eagerly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestselling psychological thriller In the Woods.

“Six months after the events of In the Woods, Detective Cassie Maddox is still trying to recover. She's transferred out of the murder squad and started a relationship with Detective Sam O'Neill, but she's too badly shaken to make a commitment to him or to her career. Then Sam calls her to the scene of his new case: a young woman found stabbed to death in a small town outside Dublin. The dead girl's ID says her name is Lexie Madison—the identity Cassie used years ago as an undercover detective—and she looks exactly like Cassie.

With no leads, no suspects, and no clue to Lexie's real identity, Cassie's old undercover boss, Frank Mackey, spots the opportunity of a lifetime. They can say that the stab wound wasn't fatal and send Cassie undercover in her place to find out information that the police never would and to tempt the killer out of hiding. At first Cassie thinks the idea is crazy, but she is seduced by the prospect of working on a murder investigation again and by the idea of assuming the victim's identity as a graduate student with a cozy group of friends.

As she is drawn into Lexie's world, Cassie realizes that the girl's secrets run deeper than anyone imagined. Her friends are becoming suspicious, Sam has discovered a generations-old feud involving the old house the students live in, and Frank is starting to suspect that Cassie's growing emotional involvement could put the whole investigation at risk. Another gripping psychological thriller featuring the headstrong protagonist we've come to love, from an author who has proven that she can deliver.”

Kirkus Reviews

This interview is available exclusively on The Entertainment Critic Magazine, found at http://www.theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com.

To listen to the interview: To access the interview, look under the Interview section, and then click on the MP3 player in the lower left corner. You'll see the interview listed, click on Tana French’s name in the player, the interview will take a moment to download and then will begin playing Enjoy the interview, and please drop us a line at james@theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com and let us know how you liked the interview and if there is anything we can do to improve our process.

You Tube Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXxbM_h2Xws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFkov3zgRf0

Website: http://www.tanafrench.com/pagesus/books.htm

New Interview By James Myers, The Entertainment Critic of Deborah Crombie on Where Memories Lie

NEW INTERVIEW FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC: DEBORAH CROMBIE, AUTHOR OF WHERE MEMORIES LIE

Please check out the new interview by James Myers, The Entertainment Critic, of Author Deborah Crombie, About Her New Top Selling Book, Where Memories Lie.

From The Publisher: “Erika Rosenthal has always been secretive with her friend and neighbor, Detective Inspector Gemma James, about her past, except for one telling detail: She and her long-dead husband, David, came to London as refugees from Nazi Germany. But now the elderly woman needs Gemma's help. A unique piece of jewelry stolen from her years ago has mysteriously turned up at a prestigious London auction house. Erika believes the theft may be tied to her husband's death, which had always been assumed a suicide.

Gemma has a tough challenge. She must navigate the shadowy and secretive world of London's monied society to discover the jewelry's connection to David's murderer. However, the cold case needs to be put back on the books and possibly into the hands of her partner, Duncan Kincaid. When a second, present-day murder kicks the investigation into high gear, Gemma becomes more determined to exact justice for Erika—in a case that will have lasting repercussions.”

This interview is available exclusively on The Entertainment Critic Magazine, found at http://www.theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com.

To listen to the interview: To access the interview, look under the Interview section, and then click on the MP3 player in the lower left corner. You'll see the interview listed, click on Deborah’s name in the player, the interview will take a moment to download and then will begin playing Enjoy the interview, and please drop us a line at james@theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com and let us know how you liked the interview and if there is anything we can do to improve our process.

New Interview From James Myers, The Entertainment Critic: Iris and Roy Johansen on Silent Thunder

NEW INTERVIEW FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC: ROY AND IRIS JOHANSEN, CO- AUTHORS OF SILENT THUNDER

Please check out the new interview by James Myers, The Entertainment Critic, of Co-Authors, Roy and Iris Johansen, about their New NY Times Selling Book, Silent Thunder.

From The Publisher: “Bestseller Johansen (Quicksand) and her Edgar-winning son, Roy (Deadly Visions), collaborate on their first thriller with entertaining results. Hannah Bryson, a top-notch submarine designer, and her brother, Conner, must make sure that a Russian nuclear submarine, the Silent Thunder, recently purchased by the U.S. government for use as a maritime museum, is safe for visitors. Working alone on the sub in a Maine harbor, the two make a strange discovery that's swiftly followed by a deadly attack. Others, both Russian and American, want what the Brysons have uncovered and will stop at nothing to obtain it. One Russian, Nicolas Kirov, has a special interest in the submarine as well as a growing interest in the feisty, beautiful Hannah. The constantly bickering Hannah and Kirov are forced to work together for a common goal as they fight various enemies and, of course, fall in love. The romantic subplot threatens to take over the action, but is thankfully reined in at the exciting finale. 12-city author tour. (July)”

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

This interview is available exclusively on The Entertainment Critic Magazine, found at http://www.theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com.

To listen to the interview: To access the interview, look under the Interview section, and then click on the MP3 player in the lower left corner. You'll see the interview listed, click on Roy and Iris Johansen name in the player, the interview will take a moment to download and then will begin playing Enjoy the interview, and please drop us a line at james@theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com and let us know how you liked the interview and if there is anything we can do to improve our process.

You Tube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x0ifFX0hzc

Iris’s Official Website: http://www.irisjohansen.com/

New Movie Review From James Myers, The Entertainment Critic: The Dark Knight

Movie Review: The Dark Knight

The Entertainment Critic Movie Review

www.theentertainmentcritic.com

www.theentertainmentcritic.net

www.theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com

In Theatres Now Review

Opened July 18, 2008

By James Myers

Rating: 9 of 10

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writers (WGA): Jonathan Nolan (screenplay) and

Christopher Nolan (screenplay)

Release Date: 18 July 2008 (USA)

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller more

Tagline: Why So Serious?

Plot:

Batman and James Gordon join forces with Gotham's new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, to take on a psychotic bank robber known as The Joker.

Plot Keywords:

One Man Army | Scarred Face | Based On Comic | Evil Clown | Ice Cream Parlor

Numbers Show 'Dark Knight' Will Smash Several Box-Office Records (From Rope Of Silicon. 19 July 2008, 2:40 AM, PDT)

Cast:

Christian Bale ... Bruce Wayne / Batman

Heath Ledger ... The Joker

Aaron Eckhart ... Harvey Dent / Two-Face

Michael Caine ... Alfred Pennyworth

Maggie Gyllenhaal ... Rachel Dawes

Gary Oldman ... Lt. James Gordon

Morgan Freeman ... Lucius Fox

Monique Curnen ... Det. Ramirez

Ron Dean ... Detective Wuertz

Cillian Murphy ... Dr. Jonathan Crane / The Scarecrow

Chin Han ... Lau

Nestor Carbonell ... Mayor

Eric Roberts ... Salvatore Maroni

Ritchie Coster ... The Chechen

Anthony Michael Hall ... Mike Engel

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace.

Runtime: 152 min

Country: USA

Language: English

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS | Sonics-DDP (IMAX version)

Certification:

Norway:15 | New Zealand:M | Finland:K-13 | Singapore:PG | Canada:14+ | USA:PG-13 | Australia:M | UK:12A | South Korea:15 | Ireland:15A

Filming Locations:

Battersea Power Station, Battersea, London, England, UK more

Company: Warner Bros. Pictures

Every summer there is that one blockbuster that is the marquee event of the summer, the ‘Jaws’ type blockbuster that film buffs are willing to stand in line to see. The Dark Knight is 2008’s top blockbuster, and by the time its run ends, it may be the most pervasive blockbuster ever. Dark, mysterious, and foreboding, this is an edgy, gripping thriller. The performance by the late Heath Ledger more than meets the hype, and it alone is worth the price of admission. The Dark Knight is a 2008 American superhero film co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Begins (2005). Christian Bale reprises the lead role. Batman's primary conflicts in the film include his fight against the Joker (Heath Ledger) and his strained friendship with district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart).

For his conception of the film, Nolan was inspired by the Joker's first two appearances in the comics and Batman: The Long Halloween. The Dark Knight was filmed primarily in Chicago (as was Batman Begins), as well as in several other locations in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. The director used an IMAX camera to film six major action sequences, including the Joker's first appearance in the film. The Batsuit was redesigned, with a cowl allowing Bale to move his head. The film also introduces a recreation of the Batcycle, known as the Batpod.

The film begins with the Joker robbing a mob-owned bank, and double crossing his accomplices so he can have all the money. That night, multiple Batman impersonators interrupt a meeting between mobsters and the Scarecrow. The real Batman shows up and subdues everyone, but injuries suffered during the confrontation force him to acquire a new, more functional suit of armor. Batman and Lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman), contemplate bringing new district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) in on their plan to eradicate the mob, and the possibility that Dent will become the hero to the people that Batman cannot be. At the same time, Bruce and Harvey are both competing for the love of Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal). The mob bosses meet to discuss how to handle Batman, Gordon, and Dent, while a Chinese mobster accountant, Lau (Chin Han), lets the gang leaders know he has taken their money to Hong Kong to prevent the police and the district attorney from seizing it in an imminent bank raid. The Joker arrives and proposes to kill Batman for them, and also tries to convince them that Lau will give them all up to the police if he is caught.

After Batman successfully abducts Lau in Hong Kong and delivers him to the Gotham City police, the mobsters agree to pay the Joker half of their money in return for killing Batman. The Joker tells all of Gotham that if the Batman does not unmask himself and turn himself in to the police, then he will kill innocent people every day. When the Joker begins killing off public officials despite the best efforts of the police and Batman to thwart him, Wayne decides to give in and turn himself in to the police. However, before he can do so, Dent publically admits to being "the Batman" to draw the Joker out of hiding. The Joker attempts to kill Dent during transport, but Gordon and Batman arrive in time to stop and arrest him. With the Joker in custody, Batman interrogates the Joker, physically beating him until he reveals that Rachel and Dent have been taken to opposite sides of the city, far-enough apart that Batman does not have time to save both of them. Batman speeds off to save Rachel, while Gordon and the police head after Dent. Unknown to them, the Joker has switched the locations of both, sending Batman after Dent and Gordon after Rachel. With the help of a pre-planted phone bomb, the Joker escapes with Lau in tow.

Dent and Rachel awaken to find themselves tied to chairs with barrels of explosive material surrounding them. Dent attempts to free himself, but accidentally immerses the left side of his face in turpentine when he falls on the floor. Batman arrives and rescues Dent just as both buildings explode; the left side of Dent's face is burned during the explosion. Gordon does not reach Rachel in time and she dies in the explosion. In the hospital, Dent is driven to madness over the loss of Rachel, which he blames on Batman, Gordon and the Joker. The Joker sets up another elaborate plan; first he convinces Harvey to exact revenge on those responsible for Rachel's death.

While "Harvey Two-Face"(Aaron Eckhart) confronts the corrupt cops and the mobsters one by one, flipping a coin to decide their fates, the Joker burns Lau at the top of the clown's share of mob money, stacked into a tower. The Joker then declares that he will rule the streets and that anyone left in Gotham at nightfall will be subject to his rule, but also suggests the outbound bridges and tunnels are booby trapped which makes the ferries the preferred method out of the city. Knowing the large ships would be filled to capacity, the Joker plants explosives on two ferries and gives the passengers on board the chance to destroy the opposing vessel, one full of prison convicts and another with civilians, in order to save their own lives. Batman tracks the Joker to an uncompleted skyscraper—turning all the cell phones in Gotham into a giant sonar system—and prevents him from blowing up two ferries when both vessels' occupants decide they would rather die than kill innocents.

Dangling from a wire, the Joker acknowledges that Batman really is incorruptible, but that Dent was not and he has unleashed Harvey's madness upon the city. Batman finds Gordon and his family with Dent at the building where Rachel died. Harvey proceeds to judge Batman, himself, and Gordon's son through the chance of coin flip, which he sees as the only fairness left in the world. Harvey shoots Batman in the stomach but before he can determine the boy's fate, Batman tackles him over the side of the building, saving Gordon's son. As Dent lies motionless on the ground, Batman and Gordon decide that the Joker would win if anyone found out about Dent's corruption and madness. In order to uphold Dent's vision, Batman convinces Gordon to blame all of Dent's murders on him to preserve Dent's image as Gotham's hero and give the city hope. As Gordon destroys the Bat-Signal, a manhunt is issued for Batman.

The competing themes in the movie make the dark, sinister backdrop even more persuasive. Does the vigilante have to abandon his code of helping law enforcement within some set of rules to rid the world of uncontrollable evil? Bruce Wayne as Batman longs for ‘a normal life’ with Rachel, who he has lost to the larger that life DA Harvey Dent. As long as he remains the Batman, he cannot have a normal life; he cannot have Rachel. The Joker, a "psychopathic, mass murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy," played expertly by Heath Ledger (“I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger.”), is reminiscent of Alex (Malcolm McDowell) in a Clockwork Orange. He seems to want only anarchy and chaos, existential disaster to prove his paradigm of life: all goodness is corruptible and men are innately evil, contemptible beings. (“Introduce a little anarchy... Upset the established order... Well then everyone loses their minds!”) If you have ever read Mark Twain’s ‘The Man Who Corrupted Hadlyburg’ you get the idea. Man is cable of only good or evil; the Joker’s real mission is to prove man is capable of only ‘ultraviolent’ evil, particularly the Batman. His mission is to put his adversaries in impossible ethical and moral dilemmas that have no real solution and where the problem solvers do not know the truth behind their choices until it is too late. And once they choose, the inadvertently commit acts of evil violence. Humiliation, exposure, and dominance motivate the Joker. Micheal Caine as ‘Alfred’ says it best: “Some men aren't looking for anything logical. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”

Unknowingly, it is his desire to exposure Batman as evil by performing acts of incredible violence that keeps Bruce Wayne from achieving his goal of acceptance and ‘a normal life.’ This tension is incredible throughout the movie, buttresses by living and vivid action sequences that simply have to be seen to be believed.

The writing and direction in this film is first-rate. The background and sets are incredibly gritty and urban. Chicago provides much of the locale in the film. The acting for a comic book movie is truly surprising, and the special effects are memorizing. The score and the music for the film make the dark sets seem even darker. But the glue that truly holds this film together is Health Ledger’s amazing performance. His obsessive performance of a complex and inexplicable criminal make this story more than just a comic book crime thriller, but a study of the intricacies of a serial killer that rivals Charles Manson. This is a performance that may well rate an Oscar nomination. Emotionally, you may leave the theatre feeling drained. This is an involving film that requires your attention. Don’t be surprised if your neighbors tell you to see it twice.

Complex, dark and disturbing, this is an intense film that has moments when you are startled right out of your chair, and may be too intense for young viewers. The Dark Knight is clearly this summer’s best film so far and maybe the best grossing summer film ever. The Dark Knight opened on July 16, 2008 in Australia and July 18, 2008 with midnight screenings in 3,040 theaters. From the first midnight screenings, the film has earned $18.5 million and has set a new midnight debut record beating Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith which earned $16.9 million. The Dark Knight set a single-day box office record of $66.4 million, breaking a record of $59.8 million previously held by Spider-Man 3. This weekend as I write this, it has been widely reported that all 4000 theatres nationwide are sold out. An ambitious film, this one is this summer’s must see. Almost perfect, I give this one an enthusiastic recommendation.

Movie Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M_dzsvEfyM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2efmHXjCwc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vWRDs-jEto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Reo19mW5p7w

New Interview From The Entertainment Critic: Jeffery Deaver on The Broken

NEW INTERVIEW FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC: JEFFERY DEAVER, AUTHOR OF THE BROKEN WINDOW

Please check out the new interview by James Myers, The Entertainment Critic, of Author Jeffery Deaver, about his new Lincoln Rhymes book, the new best seller, The Broken Window.

From The Publisher: “Lincoln Rhyme and partner/paramour Amelia Sachs return to face a criminal whose ingenious staging of crimes is enabled by a terrifying access to information....

When Lincoln's estranged cousin Arthur Rhyme is arrested on murder charges, the case is perfect -- too perfect. Forensic evidence from Arthur's home is found all over the scene of the crime, and it looks like the fate of Lincoln's relative is sealed.

At the behest of Arthur's wife, Judy, Lincoln grudgingly agrees to investigate the case. Soon Lincoln and Amelia uncover a string of similar murders and rapes with perpetrators claiming innocence and ignorance -- despite ironclad evidence at the scenes of the crime. Rhyme's team realizes this "perfect" evidence may actually be the result of masterful identity theft and manipulation.

An information service company -- the huge data miner Strategic Systems Datacorp -- seems to have all the answers but is reluctant to help the police. Still, Rhyme and Sachs and their assembled team begin uncovering a chilling pattern of vicious crimes and coverups, and their investigation points to one master criminal, whom they dub "522."

When "522" learns the identities of the crime-fighting team, the hunters become the hunted. Full of Deaver's trademark plot twists, The Broken Window will put the partnership of Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs to the ultimate test.”

This interview is available exclusively on The Entertainment Critic Magazine, found at http://www.theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com/.
To listen to the interview: To access the interview, look under the Interview section. Click on the wavy lines in the top right hand corner to stop the music, and then click on the MP3 player in the lower left corner. You'll see the interview listed, click on Jeff’s name in the player, the interview will take a moment to download and then will begin playing Enjoy the interview, and please drop us a line at james@theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com and let us know how you liked the interview and if there is anything we can do to improve our process.

Jeff’s Website: http://www.jefferydeaver.com/

You Tube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JfQopn4uMY

New Movie Review From The Entertainment Critic: Hancock

Movie Review: Hancock

The Entertainment Critic Movie Review
http://www.theentertainmentcritic.com/
http://www.theentertainmentcritic.net/
www.theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com

In Theatres Now Review
Opened July 2nd, 2008
By James Myers

Rating: 8 of 10

Director: Peter Berg

Writers (WGA):Vincent Ngo (written by) &
Vince Gilligan (written by)

Release Date: 2 July 2008 (USA)
Genre: Action Comedy Drama Fantasy more
Tagline: There are heroes. There are superheroes. And then there's... more
Plot: A hard-living superhero who has fallen out of favor with the public enters into a questionable relationship with the wife of the public relations professional who's trying to repair his image.
Plot Keywords: Train Wreck Superhero Interracial Relationship Character Name In Title
Awards: 1 nomination more

Cast (Cast overview, first billed only)

Will Smith ... John Hancock

Charlize Theron ... Mary Embrey

Jason Bateman ... Ray Embrey

Jae Head ... Aaron Embrey

Eddie Marsan ... Red

David Mattey ... Man Mountain

Maetrix Fitten ... Matrix

Thomas Lennon ... Mike

Johnny Galecki ... Jeremy

Hayley Marie Norman ... Hottie
Dorothy Cecchi ... Woman in Dive Bar
Michelle Lemon ... Girl at Bus Bench
Akiva Goldsman ... Executive #1

Michael Mann ... Executive #2
Brad Leland ... Executive #3

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language.
Runtime: 92 min
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Color
Aspect Ratio: 2.35: 1
Sound Mix: DTS SDDS Dolby Digital
Certification: South Korea:12 USA:PG-13 Ireland:12A Singapore: PG UK:12A Australia:M Malaysia: U
Filming Locations: 105 Freeway, Los Angeles, California, USA


The King of July 4th is back with a most unusual film about super heroes and public relations. Will Smith is Hancock, an alcoholic superhero who is despised by the public, down on his luck, and an irresponsible bum. Hancock saves the day while demolishing pavement, cars, hurting the people he intends to save, and in general racking up costs by the millions in damages as a result of his handiwork. Surly and unlovable, he opens the film drunk on a park bench. He then flies off to run down a trio of robbers on the freeway who is driving an O.J. looking van. To stop them, he places them atop the needle on the Capital Records building after smashing up several cars on the freeway. His public is not amused.

His next feat brings Ray Embrey, (Justin Bateman) into the picture as an unsuccessful public relations executive that Hancock saves from a train. Typical of Hancock, he flips Bateman in his car upside down and demolishes the train. Despite the difficulty, Ray offers to take Hancock under this PR wing to make him over as a more public friendly superhero. Hancock is an automatic hit with Ray’s son, Aaron (Jae Head), particularly after he scares the bejeesus out of the neighborhood bully. Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron) does not seen taken with her husband’s new client. Ray points out to Hancock that his exploits on You Tube that include him flipping a whale off of a beach and landing him on the only boat in the ocean, and knocking children down for an ice cream while scantly dressed have not helped his image. Then after a Nancy Grace tirade on television, Ray comes up with a brainstorm to restore Hancock’s image; Hancock must make amends publicly and report to jail.

Hancock makes his speech and reports to the pokey. His first encounter with the inmates is one of the funniest scenes in the movie, and maybe the most memorable. Ray is right; crime goes up and eventually, the authorities clamor for Hancock to be let out and to help them with a bank hold up. The new and improved Hancock wears a leather uniform, tells the cops they are doing “a good job,” and asks women if he has permission to touch them, even when they are under bullet fire. His handling of the head robber is another funny moment in the film.

The texture of the film changes from comedy to romantic drama when Hancock is attracted to Ray’s wife, Mary. I won’t spoil the plot here, but there is a major, major twist that comes out of no where; but in effect makes the film much more interesting than just the comedic ‘let’s fix the super guy’s manners.’ In the final, climatic scene, Hancock overcomes the 2 cons he disciplined in the joint, plus their new leader, the head bank robber. All ends well.

The film is carried by the trio of Smith, Bateman, and Theron. The script seemed to me that that film could not make up its mind to be a comedy or a romantic drama, but Smith’s star power keeps everything together. Peter Berg as the director seems to have kept a difficult project together. Considering that story was originally written by Vincent Ngo in 1996 and had languished in Hollywood for some time, and that the project had various directors attached, including Tony Scott, Michael Mann, Jonathan Mostow, and Gabriele Muccino, the film came out remarkably well. Hancock was originally intended to be filmed before I Am Legend, also starring Will Smith. Special effects were outstanding and underrated in this film.

The film was at its very best when it was trying to reform the crestfallen superhero and there are unresolved issues of origin and his strange ties to Theron that arise in the course of the picture. You also get the feeling at the end when Hancock takes his act to New York that there could be a sequel. All in all, Hancock is a good time. Smith somehow manages to pull the hodge-podge script together and in the end a more likeable Hancock is loved by the movie audience. There was open and loud applause by the audience in the early screening that I attended, largely made up of some members of the public and other movie critics. The King of the 4th of July has delivered once again for his public. Long live the king. This one is an entertaining summer effort, held together by superstar, Will Smith.



Movie Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqrktGTZAdw

New Interview From The Entertainment Critic: Lily Koppel on The Red Leather Diary

NEW INTERVIEW FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC: LILY KOPPEL, AUTHOR OF THE RED LEATHER DIARY

Please check out the new interview by James Myers, The Entertainment Critic, of Author Lily Koppel, About Her Completely Unique, Top Selling Book, The Red Leather Diary.

From The Publisher: “Rescued from a Dumpster on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, a discarded diary brings to life the glamorous, forgotten world of an extraordinary young woman.

For more than half a century, the red leather diary lay silent, languishing inside a steamer trunk, its worn cover crumbling into little flakes. When a cleaning sweep of a New York City apartment building brings this lost treasure to light, both the diary and its owner are given a second life.

Recovered by Lily Koppel, a young writer working at the New York Times, the journal paints a vivid picture of 1930s New York–horseback riding in Central Park, summer excursions to the Catskills, and an obsession with a famous avant-garde actress. From 1929 to 1934, not a single day's entry is skipped.

Opening the tarnished brass lock, Koppel embarks on a journey into the past, traveling to a New York in which women of privilege meet for tea at Schrafft's, dance at the Hotel Pennsylvania, and toast the night at El Morocco. As she turns the diary's brittle pages, Koppel is captivated by the headstrong young woman whose intimate thoughts and emotions fill the pale blue lines. Who was this lovely ingénue who adored the works of Baudelaire and Jane Austen, who was sexually curious beyond her years, who traveled to Rome, Paris, and London?

Compelled by the hopes and heartaches captured in the pages, Koppel sets out to find the diary's owner, her only clue the inscription on the frontispiece–"This book belongs to . . . Florence Wolfson." A chance phone call from a private investigator leads Koppel to Florence, a ninety-year-old woman living with her husband of sixty-seven years. Reunited with her diary, Florence ventures back to the girl she once was, rediscovering a lost self that burned with artistic fervor.

Joining intimate interviews with original diary entries, Koppel reveals the world of a New York teenager obsessed with the state of her soul and her appearance, and muses on the serendipitous chain of events that returned the lost journal to its owner. Evocative and entrancing, The Red Leather Diary re-creates the romance and glitter, sophistication and promise, of 1930s New York, bringing to life the true story of a precocious young woman who dared to follow her dreams.”

This interview is available exclusively on The Entertainment Critic Magazine, found at http://www.theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com.
To listen to the interview: To access the interview, look under the Interview section. Click on the wavy lines in the top right hand corner to stop the music, and then click on the MP3 player in the lower left corner. You'll see the interview listed, click on Lily’s name in the player, the interview will take a moment to download and then will begin playing Enjoy the interview, and please drop us a line at james@theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com and let us know how you liked the interview and if there is anything we can do to improve our process.


The Red Leather Diary Website: http://www.redleatherdiary.com/

You Tube Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc6IV93DpMw

The Red Leather Diary on MySpace: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=336127468

The Red Leather Diary on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=15777600230

The Red Leather Diary in The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lily-koppel/

Lily’s NY Times column on The Red Leather Diary: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/16/nyregion/thecity/16diar.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss (check out the cool interactive multimedia section in this article)

New Movie Review From The Entertainment Critic: The Incredible Hulk

Movie Review: The Incredible Hulk

The Entertainment Critic Movie Review
www.theentertainmentcritic.com
www.theentertainmentcritic.net
www.theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com

In Theatres Now Review
Opened June 13, 2008
By James Myers

Rating: 8 of 10

Director: Ang Lee

Writers (WGA): Stan Lee (Marvel comic book character) and
Jack Kirby (Marvel comic book character)...

Release Date: 20 June 2003 (USA) more view trailer
Genre: Action Drama Fantasy Sci-Fi Thriller more
Tagline: Unleash the fury!
Plot: A geneticist's experimental accident curses him with the tendency to become a powerful giant green brute under emotional stress.
Plot Keywords: X Ray Diffraction Dream Sequence Barefoot Crushed To Death Shaving more
Awards: 1 win & 8 nominations more

Cast (Cast overview, first billed only)

Eric Bana ... Bruce Banner

Jennifer Connelly ... Betty Ross

Sam Elliott ... Ross

Josh Lucas ... Talbot

Nick Nolte ... Father
Paul Kersey ... Young David Banner

Cara Buono ... Edith Banner

Todd Tesen ... Young Ross
Kevin Rankin ... Harper
Celia Weston ... Mrs. Krensler

Mike Erwin ... Teenage Bruce Banner

Lou Ferrigno ... Security Guard
Stan Lee ... Security Guard

Regi Davis ... Security Guard
Craig Damon ... Security Guard

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some disturbing images and brief partial nudity.
Parents Guide: View content advisory for parents
Runtime: 138 min
Country: USA
Language: English Spanish
Color: Color
Aspect Ratio: 1.85: 1 more
Sound Mix: DTS-ES Dolby Digital EX SDDS

Company: Universal Pictures more

To say that there was concern when this picture opened would be an understatement. There had already been a television series and another failed motion picture, but the Marvel Comics movies have peaked the public interest. In this regard, The Incredible Hulk was surprising entertaining and successful. The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk, which was released on June 13, 2008. It is directed by Louis Leterrier and stars Edward Norton as Bruce Banner / the Hulk, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, William Hurt as General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, and Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky / the Abomination. The film follows Banner as he flees the pursuit of General Ross while attempting to find a cure to rid himself of the Hulk. When Blonsky personally volunteers to be injected with Banner's gamma formula to aid Ross in his capture, he becomes an even greater monster, and Banner must accept his inner beast to defeat Blonsky.

A series of flashback shots show the gamma radiation accident that transformed scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) into the Hulk, and hospitalized his lover Betty Ross (Liv Tyler). Now a fugitive from the United States Army, and Betty's father, General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (William Hurt), Banner goes on the run for five years. He settles in Brazil, working in a soft drink bottling factory while attempting to find a cure for his condition with the help of an Internet friend, "Mr. Blue". He also studies martial arts and meditative breathing techniques with a Brazilian Jujitsu expert (Rickson Gracie) to help control his emotions, and has not suffered a transformation for five months.

After Banner suffers a cut, and his blood drips into a soda bottle eventually drank by an ill-fated consumer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Stan Lee), Ross discovers Banner's location, and sends a team to capture him, led by Russian-born British special operations expert Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth). Following a ferocious battle in the soft drink bottling plant where he transforms into the Hulk, Banner escapes Blonsky, and ends up in Guatemala. He travels to the United States, where he sees that a now-recovered Betty is working at Culver University and is dating psychiatrist Leonard Samson (Ty Burrell). He also sees his old friend Stanley, a pizzeria owner, who gives him a job as a delivery boy. Banner uses this job to sneak past a security guard (Lou Ferrigno) to continue his research. After Betty visits the pizzeria and sees Bruce, she later reunites with him.

Blonsky reports to Ross that Banner evaded them in Brazil because of the appearance of a large green monster. Ross explains that the monster is Banner, and that he was created accidentally during an experiment in radiation-resistance that was inspired by World War II era military bio-force enhancement research (or "Super-Soldiers", as Blonsky puts it). Blonsky, seeking both revenge and power, volunteers as a test subject in order to capture Banner, and receives a small dose of the mothballed original Vita Ray serum. He leads an assault on Banner at Culver University, during which Betty is knocked unconscious. Despite Blonsky's increased strength, speed and agility, the Hulk crushes most of the bones in Blonsky's body. The Hulk saves Betty from an explosion and escapes with her to the Smoky Mountain National Forest.

Banner and Betty then travel to Empire State University in New York City, where they meet "Mr. Blue", Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson). Accompanying Sterns to his lab, Banner and Betty learn that Sterns has developed a possible antidote that may cure Banner's condition or merely reverse each individual transformation while an overdose could kill him. Despite the risks, Banner agrees to test Sterns' antidote and is restrained before being shocked into transforming with electricity before being reverted to normal with an injection of the serum. Exhilarated by the success of the antidote, Sterns reveals that he has synthesized Banner's blood sample into a large supply with the intention of using it to enhance the human condition to the next evolutionary level. Appalled by what Sterns had done and fearful of the Hulk's power falling into the wrong hands, Banner attempts to convince Sterns to destroy the blood supply but is shot by a tranquillizer from one of General Ross' snipers.

As both Banner and Betty are taken into custody, Blonsky, whose super-soldier treatment has healed all his injuries but is desperate for more power, demands Sterns subject him to a dose of the Banner's gamma radiation treatment. Sterns warns that the combination of the Super Soldier formula and a gamma treatment would be an unpredictable combination that could turn him into an "abomination". Blonsky is less than concerned about this, and Sterns promptly administers the gamma charge. As Blonsky mutates into the monstrous Abomination, he knocks Sterns aside and an irradiated sample of Banner's blood-derivative drips into an open wound on Sterns’ temple, causing his cranium to mutate and expand. In an attempt to draw the Hulk out, the Abomination goes on a rampage through Harlem and Banner, realizing that he is the only one who can stop the Abomination, convinces General Ross to release him. He jumps out of Ross' helicopter as it hovers over the city, hoping the fall will stimulate his adrenal glands into triggering a transformation. Banner's plan succeeds and after a brutal battle the Hulk manages to defeat the Abomination by strangling him with a huge chain, though he releases his grip after a plea from Betty. The Abomination collapses and the Hulk flees the scene with the army in hot pursuit.

Thirty-one days later, Banner is in Bella Coola, British Columbia. Instead of trying to suppress his transformations, he is attempting to initiate them in a controlled manner. As his eyes turn green, a grin appears on his face. Meanwhile, General Ross is drinking in a bar when he is approached by Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) who reveals that a "team" is being put together.



The film is well-directed and the special effects were striking. The performances by Norton and Liv Tyler are excellent, giving the film an authentic quality. William Hurt as the military figure Ross is convincing as an obsessed, stop at nothing Army man. The best performance in the film goes to Tim Ross, the everyman of acting and motion pictures. His Emil Blonsky is convincing and a bad guy who inspires fear and tension in the picture, making the movie fun. Tim Blake Nelson as the overzealous scientist was perfect in his role, and a scene stealer. Overall, this was a great job by a good cast.

In its opening weekend, the film grossed an estimated $54.5 million in 3,505 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking #1 at the box office. Behind Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, it was the second-highest gross for a film released over a Father's Day weekend. This surpassed the Los Angeles Times’ report of expectations of a $45 million opening, following the disappointing response to the 2003 film. Universal believed word of mouth will contribute to the film eventually breaking even. A Cinemascope poll indicated the majority of viewers were male and graded the film an A-, and 82% of them had seen the 2003 film. It also opened in thirty-eight other countries, which added $31 million to the total opening. You can count on a sequel.

Overall, this was a fun action joyride that I give a big thumbs up to. It is a great summer film, and it definitely overcame the shortcomings of both the television show and the prior film. Rate this one a pleasant summer surprise, buy an extra large popcorn and enjoy the picture.