Movie Reviews

The actual title of this fine new movie is one of the most awkward I’ve ever heard: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. Apparently a forgettable movie named Push opened earlier this year and stole the novel’s title. Despite the awkwardness of the title, Precious is anything but forgettable. I imagine anyone who sees it will remember this tough, but ultimately hopeful film, for a long time. It’s certainly one of the bright spots in a mediocre movie year.

Based on the children’s book by Roald Dahl (who also wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Fantastic Mr. Fox tells the story of a fox who promises to turn from his crafty ways of stealing chickens from local farmers. But, hey, he’s a fox! And foxes are, by nature, crafty. So needless to say, Mr. Fox is soon reverts back to his old ways, driving the local farmers Boggis, Bunce, and Bean to distraction. Wonderfully voiced by George Clooney, Mr. Fox is as smooth and charming as Clooney’s character in Ocean’s 11.

It’s hard to be totally objective about a movie based on a true story that occurred in the city where I live. A few days after it opened, a parishioner told me that I had to see The Blind Side because it “does Memphis proud.” That’s a pretty good recommendation for a much maligned city.

Happily, there are many good things to be said about this true story of a wealthy suburban Memphis family, Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, their daughter Collins, and son S.J. (Sean, Jr.).