THE OTHER F WORD opens in Los Angeles on November 4, at the Landmark Nuart. This revealing, funny, and touching film asks what happens when a generation’s ultimate anti-authoritarians – punk rockers – become society’s ultimate authorities – dads. With a large chorus of punk rock’s leading men – Blink-182′s Mark Hoppus, Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Flea, Rise Against’s Tim McIlrath – THE OTHER F WORD follows Jim Lindberg, a 20-year veteran of the skate punk band Pennywise, on his hysterical and moving journey from belting his band’s anthem ”F–k Authority,” to embracing his ultimately authoritarian role in mid-life: fatherhood. Other dads featured in the film include Art Alexakis (Everclear), Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo), Tony Adolescent (The Adolescents), Fat Mike (NOFX), Lars Frederiksen (Rancid), skater Tony Hawk, and many others. THE OTHER F WORD world premiered at the 2011 SXSW; surprising audiences with its humorous take on parenthood and punk rock. THE OTHER F WORD will open In Los Angeles this Friday November 4, at the Landmark Nuart; punk rock dads expected to be in the house Friday night! THE OTHER F WORD THE OTHER F WORD is directed by Andrea Blaugrund Nevins, produced by Cristan Reilly, and executive produced by Morgan Spurluck & Jeremy Chilnick.

Puss in Boots

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis

Director: Chris Miller

Rated: PG

An epic adventure where the cartoon cat Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) aka Gato Diablo aka Frisky two times, teams up with Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) and Humpty Dumpty (Zack Galifianakis) to steal the magic beans from Jack (Billy Bob Thornton) and Jill (Amy Sedaris) with hopes of growing the beanstalk that will lead them to the Golden Goose. Along the way through flashbacks we are told the backstory of Puss, from his days in an orphanage to his exile from said orphanage due to the actions of his brother Humpty Dumpty.

Puss in Boots Finely straddles the edge of the blade between childrens film and more adult content. The best animated films have adult sensibilities that children won’t get but will entertain the parents. Nothing says adult like a catnip/glaucoma joke and a cat that laps up leche out of a shot glass in a bar. Puss is both a lover and fighter who happens to be a bit of a dancer as well, particularly when he and kitty softpaws have a dance off to the sounds of Rodrigo y Gabriella in the underground kitten club the Glitter Box.

While the tales of Shrek have grown tiresome Banderas and company breath new life into a familiar character, and what will no doubt become a new franchise.

The hallmark of a good animated feature outside of a clever script and top notch animation is the heartwarming lessons involving love and redemption and this cat delivers them both in spades. Puss in Boots is easily the best animated film of the year.

This cat oozes the Machismo..

Grade-86

The Double

Starring: Richard Gere, Topher Grace, Martin Sheen

Rated: PG-13

Directed by: Michael Brandt

A retired CIA operative is pulled back into duty and paired up with an FBI agent to solve the murder of a US Senator with all signs pointing to a legendary Soviet assassin.

Gere stars as Sam Shepherdson the former CIA operative who retired unable to catch the man he spent the majority of his career chasing the fabled Russian Spy Cassius; When a US Senator is murder by what looks to be the return of Cassius, Shepherdson is pulled out of retirement and forced to team up with Ben Geary (Topher Grace) a young FBI agent, based on Geary’s knowledge of the Cassius case. Together the pair partner up to capture Cassius once and for all.

Screenwriter Michael Brandt’s (3:10 to Yuma, Wanted) Directorial debut gives us a buy the book thriller, that gives away the mystery of who Cassius is way too early, rather than pace out the identity of Cassius and use this plot point to propel the story the identity is revealed in the first third of the film. The Gere/Grace chain can only be as strong as its weakest link and  with the misplaced casting of Topher Grace in a role he is ill equipped to pull off, he is way over his head here. It’s nice to see Gere embrace his darker side, Gere delves back into territory he hasn’t been in since 1990’s Internal Affairs, He gives it his all to elevate the material but he can only do so much. Still watching Gere not play a romantic lead is refreshing. The story has too many similarities to the Angelina Jolie vehicle Salt, both utilize the indoctrination of Russian youths into a training program and both pose the question as to who is the Russian spy. While not ground breaking The Double is a competent thriller, that will find its home on DVD or with heavy rotation on Cable.

Grade- 64

Update I saw the movie before I ever saw the trailer, The producers of the film care so little about the mystery of Cassius that they give it away in the trailer, Maybe they think the title “The Double” will add some ambiguity to the story and make people believe that there are two Gere’s in the film. If they don’t care enough about there own film to  not spoil major plot points then neither do I, Yes Gere is Cassius and he is easily the best part of the film.  Is there another plot twist yes, but its nothing that will tax the brain, Whats more taxing is why they repeatedly say the name Cassius throughout the film(Great Drinking Game).

DISNEY

Disney.com/Arrietty

Release Date:  February 17, 2012

 Voice Cast:  Bridgit Mendler, Amy Poehler, Carol Burnett, Will Arnett, David Henrie, Moises Arias

Director:  Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Based on “The Borrowers” by:    Mary Norton

Director – English Language

Residing quietly beneath the floorboards are little people who live undetected in a secret world to be discovered, where the smallest may stand tallest of all.  From the legendary Studio Ghibli(“Spirited Away,” “Ponyo”) comes “The Secret World of Arrietty,” an animated adventure based on Mary Norton’s acclaimed children’s book series “The Borrowers.” Arrietty (voice of Bridgit Mendler), a tiny, but tenacious 14-year-old, lives with her parents (voices of Will Arnett and Amy Poehler) in the recesses of a suburban garden home, unbeknownst to the homeowner and her housekeeper (voice of Carol Burnett). Like all little people, Arrietty (AIR-ee-ett-ee) remains hidden from view, except during occasional covert ventures beyond the floorboards to “borrow” scrap supplies like sugar cubes from her human hosts. But when 12-year-old Shawn (voice of David Henrie), a human boy who comes to stay in the home, discovers his mysterious housemate one evening, a secret friendship blossoms. If discovered, their relationship could drive Arrietty’s family from the home and straight into danger. The English language version of “The Secret World of Arrietty” was executive produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, and directed by Gary Rydstrom. The film hits theaters Feb. 17, 2012.

The IDA Announces 2011 Nominations and Honorees
For the 2011 IDA Documentary Awards

Les Blank to Receive Career Achievement Award and
Danfung Dennis to Receive Emerging Filmmaker Award in
Evening to Highlight Achievement in Nonfiction Filmmaking

LOS ANGELES, October 27, 2011–The International Documentary Association (IDA) announced nominations and honorary awards for the 2011 IDA Documentary Awards today. The 27th Annual IDA Documentary Awards will be held on Friday, December 2nd at the Director’s Guild in Los Angeles.

“The past year has been a remarkable one for documentary films,” said IDA Executive Director Michael Lumpkin, “on both a national and international level documentary films have demonstrated time and time again the power of nonfiction storytelling to change lives and have direct impact on our world.”

The five films nominated in IDA’s Feature category are: BETTER THIS WORLD, Katie Galloway and Kelly Duane de la Vega’s riveting account of two boyhood friends from Midland, Texas who wind up arrested on terrorism charges at the 2008 Republican National Convention; HOW TO DIE IN OREGON, Peter Richardson’s life-affirming and staggeringly powerful portrait of what it means to die with dignity; Chilean master director Patricio Guzmán’s moving, and deeply personal odyssey, NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT; Daniele Anastasion and Eric Strauss’ compelling portrait, THE REDEMPTION OF GENERAL BUTT NAKED, which confronts hard questions about both the power and limits of forgiveness in a nation searching for healing and justice; and from Mexico, THE TINIEST PLACE (EL LUGAR MAS PEQUENO), Tatiana Huezo’s story of an annihilated Salvadorian town that re-emerges through the strength and deep love of its inhabitants for the land and the people.

The five nominated films in the Short category are: BROKEN DOORS, Goro Toshima’s look at a young, homeless couple, struggling to survive on the streets of Hollywood; Barbara Hammer’s MAYA DEREN’S SINK, an engaging tribute to the mother of avant-garde American film; MINKA, Davina Pardo’s intimate story about architecture, memory and the meaning of home; Sara Nesson’s POSTER GIRL, a portrait of an all-American high-school cheerleader turned ‘poster girl’ for women in combat struggling with the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress order (PTSD); and THE WARRIORS OF QIUGANG, Ruby Yang and Thomas Lennon’s look at villagers in a remote district of central China who battle a chemical company that is poisoning their water and air.

IDA also announced that the Best Feature and Best Short award winners would again be selected by IDA’s members through an innovative online viewing and voting process. Launched in 2010, the secure, password-protected online system will allow IDA members to cast their votes online after viewing each of the five nominees in the Feature and Short categories. Screening committees of industry professionals based in New York City, Washington, DC, the San Francisco Bay Area, Vancouver, BC, Canada and Los Angeles determine other award categories.

The five nominees for the Continuing Series Award are: 30 FOR 30 (ESPN Films), AMERICAN EXPERIENCE (WGBH), THE PASSIONATE EYE (CBC), POV (American Documentary, Inc. | POV) and VANGUARD (Current). Limited Series nominees are: BOOMTOWN (Planet Green), IF GOD IS WILLING AND DA CREEK DON’T RISE (HBO Documentary Films), ON SERIES (Current), MICHAEL FEINSTEIN’S AMERICAN SONGBOOK (PBS) and THE NATIONAL PARKS PROJECT (Discovery World HD).

Nominees for the IDA HUMANITAS Award are: THE CARRIER (Maggie Betts, Director), HOW TO DIE IN OREGON (Peter Richardson, Director), THE LEARNING (Ramona Diaz, Director), POSITION AMONG THE STARS (Leonard Retel Helmrich, Director) and THE TINIEST PLACE (EL LUGAR MAS PEQUENO) (Tatiana Huezo, Director). Five student films are nominated for the DAVID L. WOLPER STUDENT DOCUMENTARY AWARD: GUAÑAPE SUR (János Richter, Director), HEART-QUAKE (Mark Olexa, Director), RIVER OF VICTORY (Trevor Wright, Director), SMOKE SONGS (Briar March, Director) and TRANSIT (Regina Tan, Director).

Nominees for the ABCNEWS VIDEOSOURCE AWARD, which recognizes the use of news footage in documentary filmmaking include: BEST BAND IN THE LAND (Amber Edwards, Director/Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook- Episode 2), THE GREEN WAVE (Ali Ahadi, Director), THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS (Judith Ehrlich & Rick Goldsmith, Directors/POV), THE PRUITT-IGOE MYTH (Chad Freidrichs, Director) and REAGAN (Eugene Jarecki, Director/HBO Documentary Films).

The IDA will award its prestigious 2011 Career Achievement Award to legendary documentary filmmaker Les Blank. This award is given to a filmmaker who has made a major impact on the documentary genre through a long and distinguished body of work.

For over 40 years, Les Blank has created films about the lives and music of passionate people who live at the periphery of American society, including rural Louisiana French musicians and cooks; Mexican-Americans; chef Alice Waters and other San Francisco Bay Area garlic fanatics; Appalachian fiddlers; Polish-American polka dancers; rock musicians; and even gap-toothed women. With the selection of Blank’s Garlic Is As Good As Good Mothers and Chulas Fronteras for The National Film Registry, the filmmaker joined Fred Wiseman and the Maysles brothers as the only documentarians to be honored with two films on the Registry list.
The New York Times’ Vincent Canby declared that Blank “is a master of movies about the American idiom… one of our most original filmmakers.” Werner Herzog, recipient of IDA’s Career Achievement Award in 2008 and subject of Blank’s Burden Of Dreams and Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe, will present the Award.
In previous years, IDA has bestowed its Career Achievement Award on documentary luminaries such as Barbara Kopple, Errol Morris, and Michael Moore.

Each year IDA also recognizes the achievements of a filmmaker who has made a significant impact at the beginning of his or her career in documentary film. Danfung Dennis, director of one of the year’s most celebrated films, HELL AND BACK AGAIN, will receive the 2011 Jacqueline Donnet Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award.

A still photographer who has covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2006, Danfung Dennis won the 2010 Bayeux-Calvados Award For War Correspondents and in the same year was named one of the 25 New Faces of Independent Film by Filmmaker Magazine. He directed and filmed his first feature length documentary on the war in Afghanistan, HELL AND BACK AGAIN, which premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and won both the World Cinema Jury Award and the World Cinema Cinematography Award. The film has also received awards at the Moscow International Film Festival and the Camden International Film Festival.

Tickets for the 2011 IDA Documentary Awards are available for purchase now at http://www.documentary.org/awards2011.