AT THE MOVIES WITH KASEY BUTCHER
December is always a big month for movies. The attack of blockbusters comes in two infantries. The first is the early-mid December “Hurrah! It’s almost Christmas” onslaught of features. The second is a Christmas Day ambush. Two highlights of the former are: Ocean’s Twelve and Spanglish.
Ocean’s Twelve reunites the all-star cast of Ocean’s Eleven, including Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, and Bernie Mac for a second thrilling comedy about a multi-million dollar heist. The difference is that this time the crime is not for leisure, but a matter of life and death. In the first movie, Danny Ocean (Clooney) and his gang stole a significant chunk of change from the high security casino vault owned by scummy Terry Benedict (Garcia). Several years later, Benedict has received a tip as to the whereabouts of each member of the Eleven and he is demanding the full amount they stole plus interest or else. They have seven days to come up with the $90 million they need to pay Benedict back.
Ocean’s Twelve is a lot of fun to watch. The story keeps the audience interested, laughing, and wondering how this motley crew of con-men will ever pull off another heist like in the first movie. This movie is not as good as the first, but is still worth going to see. I rate it three out of five stars.
Spanglish is one of the most endearing movies I’ve seen all year. It features Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni, and Paz Vega in a story about the trials of love and parenthood. This is a story that could have turned out as cliché as possible, but the writer, James L. Brooks made it as wonderful as I can imagine.
In order to keep a better eye on her blossoming young daughter, Mexican immigrant Flor Moreno (Vega) must leave the cozy home of her Spanish-speaking neighborhood in LA and get a job as a housekeeper to a rich white family. She has no idea what she will be getting into as she starts her new job at the Clasky residence. Mr. John Clasky (Sandler) has a good heart and a kind nature, but he shows more emotion than any man she has encountered before. Mrs. Deborah Clasky (Leoni) is a selfish head-case who works out a lot, but cries even more. Her mother, Evelyn Norwich (Cloris Leachman) is a well-mannered alcoholic. The Clasky’s daughter, Bernice (Sarah Steele) has as good a heart and nature as her father, but is tortured by her mother about being overweight. While the Clasky’s struggle to get “on the same page” as parents and not hurt their children, Flor has to deal with a cultural and lingual divide that keeps her sane but prevents her from helping, until she moves in with the Clasky’s for a summer in Malibu. With the move, her daughter, Cristina (Shelbie Bruce) is brought into the equation. Until now, Cristina was unknown to the Clasky’s, but as soon as Deb sees the beautiful little girl, she can’t resist getting involved and getting in the way of Flor’s parenting. Flor has to make the tough decision of doing what feels right and what is right. She has to choose between what appears to be best for Christina and what really is the best.
Spanglish is a story about many things: love, honesty, parenthood, and identity. It is a great movie with talented acting, an amazing script and enough laughter and tears to make it echo what life is really like. I highly recommend it and give it four out of five stars.
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