The Kids Are More Than All Right

The Kids are, in fact, a refreshing story about a family and a marriage (and I'm not even talking about gay marriage since the movie isn't trying to be an advocate for same-sex unions). The Kids Are All Right directed by Lisa Cholodenko simply wants to tell a story about a family. This family may be unconventional - the mother/father roles are lesbian couple Nic and Jules (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore, respectively) and their teenage children (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson) are actually products of a sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo) - but they are real.

Before Paul (Ruffalo) enters their lives and upsets the fruit basket, Nic, an overprotective and overbearing doctor, her partner Jules, an earthy and free-spirited "landscape designer," and their kids are one big happy family who act like, well, a family. Rather than abusive parenting and teenage angst (I heart you John Hughes films but only because that's not my reality!) we are given conversations about the importance of writing thank you notes in a timely fashion (if my mother sees this film she will nod her head vigorously in agreement) and moving a college-bound daughter into her new dorm (does she need extra bedding? and make sure she has a desk lamp!). This is what happens after couples say "I do." The credits don't roll because it's not the end of the story. It's just the beginning. It's the happily-ever-after roller coaster of life; an adventure of building a home together through life's bumpy ups and downs and sharp right turns that catch you off guard. Enter Mark Ruffalo.

Oh, if only those teens didn't care about finding their sperm donor dad. Haven't they ever heard of curiosity killed the cat? While Ruffalo is down-to-earth in a sexy "I dropped out of college because I wanted to do rather than learn" kind of way and the kids totally take to him right off the bat, he of course causes the tension that moves the plot along. When the kids introduce Paul to their moms, Nic is hesitant about their new relationship while Jules agrees to landscape his backyard. As Jules and the kids grow closer to Paul, Nic finds herself becoming more and more isolated from the family unit she nurtured and carefully cultivated for so long.

The Kids Are All Right is not only supported by brilliant acting turns from Bening, Moore, and Ruffalo, it also plays with the full spectrum of human emotion from funny (very!) to awkward to concerning to tearful and finally to comforting. It's a winning portrayal of family life at its best and worst, with its successes and failures, and most importantly, its unconditional love for the people who know you better than anyone else.

Dream A Little Dream

It's a shame I wasn't asked to contribute my dreams to the new Christopher Nolan movie, Inception. I didn't see Leo walking through his high school hallways butt-naked and anxiously wondering when his classmates will notice that he's not wearing any clothes. And Ellen Page certainly didn't experience how unbelievably frustrating it is when, no matter how hard you try, you just can't seem to open your eyes. And Joseph Gordon-Levitt, in his zero-gravity hotel room, doesn't know what it feels like when your bed suddenly flips over, sending you hurtling through the earth at 100 mph. And I won't even mention the dream where all my teeth fall out. What's that about??

Apparently my dreams are tame (and lame!) compared to the crazy nightmares in Inception. Somewhere between the suspenseful action sequences you'd find in a James Bond film and the sci-fi fantastical imaginings you'd see in The Matrix, lies Inception, a film about dreams. More specifically, dream snatchers. Leonardo DiCaprio (put his name up on the marquee and watch Angelenos practically drool) is Dom Cobb, an industrial spy who steals secrets when his victims are asleep and dreaming. Dom and his team of specialists, including a right-hand man (Gordon-Levitt) and an architect (Page) have developed technology to actually enter the victim's dream. Once on the premises, they can steal secrets. Dom has an even rarer ability, that of inception. He can plant an idea in someone's sleeping mind and watch it grow and take root in reality. This specialty captures the attention of a tycoon (Ken Watanabe) who hires Dom and his team to undo a business rival (Cillian Murphy).

The movie plays to your head and heart as you are constantly trying to keep up with the techniques and lingo being thrown at you - best to believe whatever they tell you and refrain from ordering a large Diet Coke as you don't want to risk a bathroom run while Leo is explaining what "somnacin" is - while feeling for Dom as he struggles with the grief and guilt of his wife's (Marion Cotillard, a beautifully cruel and tender portrayal of a woman who disrupts Dom's dreams and reality) suicide and his long absence from his children. Like Momento before it, director Nolan gets a kick out of audiences who desperately try to put the pieces of the puzzle together for two hours only to have the entire film culminate in the last ten minutes. Gotta love the "ah-ha" moment when you realize that a second viewing of this film might be necessary.

With a string of mostly disappointing summer movies, Inception is a popcorn blockbuster - not amazing but definitely fascinating and entertaining. Escape the heat and get ready for a total mind-trip that rides on a haunting Hans Zimmer score.

Just for Fun: Check out this Up and Inception trailer mash-up.