Monsters vs. Aliens. I have a feeling this was a really fun movie...

Yep, you read that correctly. I honestly believe that had I been able to see the complete movie, I would have loved it.

Here is the synopsis for "Monsters vs. Aliens," provided by IMDB.com: When a meteorite from outer space hits a young lady and turns her into a giant monster, she is taken to a secret government compound where she meets a ragtag group of monsters also rounded up over the years.

First, I'm a sucker for animated movies. I love them. My oldest daughter and I go to every one. More on that later. Throw in the 3-d and we are excited to get there. This also happens to be one of the few times that I head straight for the concessions, you can't not get the popcorn for the kiddies, right?

This flick starts off with the classic "Attack of the 50 ft. woman" premise. You've got to love the classic references! At this point I started to see the signs that this might not be going well for the 6 year old though. Something about a meteorite landing on a girl might have put a little tremor in the kid.

Next we get the inevitable military interference. Capture the 50 ft. woman and secure her back to the secret military installation! Now my darling child is sitting on my lap holding MY arms around her, but I'm definitely digging this flick as we get the comedy sequences that introduce us to the supporting cast of monsters. She buries her face in my chest.

Third we have the introduction of the Alien antagonists who launch a giant robot probe to track down the landing of the meteorite and acquire the precious mineral inside. Off come the 3-d glasses; she's now staring at a blurry screen. Honestly, I'm kind of digging the design and intro to our space enemies.

Finally, we have what I "assume" is the first battle of "Monsters vs. Aliens." This was filled with great comedy pieces, spectacular graphics and wondrous 3-d effects. The monsters are getting their asses handed to them, but we're starting to see a turn-around in the battle...and we're leaving. My daughter is seconds away from crying, I'm out $60 total. Screw those recycling boxes for the glasses; I'm getting something out of this. Even if I can't use them anywhere else.

Based on what I saw of "Monsters vs. Aliens," I'm giving this film 4.5 emotionally scarred little girls out of a possible 5 emotionally scarred little girls. So, when the dvd comes out in 6 months, I'll finally get to see the film and hope that I don't have to eat my words.

For those of you wondering how the kid made out, I leave you with this: after leaving the theater we promptly went across the street to the bookstore to pick out somethings to calm the nerves and return to a happy place. We enter the kids' section and the first thing my child sees is the book version of "Monsters vs. Aliens." At least I have that book to read to my child before bedtime for the next six months while I wait for the dvd.

I'm just saying,

Elijah

Sunshine Cleaning. I think you missed a spot.

Remember "Little Miss Sunshine?" It was the little independent comedy that carried Alan Arkin to the promised land of Oscar winners. The people responsible for that surprise hit are back with another serving and they've brought Mr. Arkin with them.

As not to spoil the overall story, here is a brief synopsis from IMDB.com: In order to raise the tuition to send her young son to private school, a mom starts an unusual business -- a bio hazard removal/crime scene clean-up service -- with her unreliable sister.

The potential in this movie for hilarity is off the charts...but if you've seen the previously referenced "Little Miss Sunshine," then you know that the humor will be inferred or the predicament itself will be inherently funny. In fact, this film plumbs the same depths and emotions but fails to deliver where the little differences occur.

I may be the worst person to review "Sunshine Cleaning" for the simple fact that the two movies are so alike in structure and circumstance, I can't separate one from the other.

I will say that the acting in this film is very good! The main cast all shine in their respective roles. Amy Adams continues her successful string of good roles here as the main character, "Rose." You can sense her desperately searching for a foothold throughout the film; a way to regain past glory, to be the good parent, to keep the family afloat. All the while, life gets in the way. What can happen, does happen. Unfortunately, everything is so telegraphed that you know it's inevitable and there is no way for the audience to jump into the screen and stop just one little event from befalling our champion. The spectacular thing about Amy Adams is the way her acting helps you to feel every emotion her characters encounter. Whether it's glee, embarrassment, jealousy, disgust or just plain sadness, you absolutely know and feel what the character is feeling. That's a direct credit to the actress.

Emily Blunt turns in the equally fun and self-destructive little sister, Norah. We learn so much as her story unfolds throughout the film. We learn not just about why this woman is the way she is, but why the family in it's entirety is in fervent need of a caretaker. Older siblings everywhere will quickly identify the slightly off younger sibling, that can't seem to get it together as a lack of common sense and perpetual bad luck go hand-in-hand. Her journey seems so disjointed, until we see the answers slowly unfold in a series of flashbacks as the movie progresses. It's through these interludes that we begin to see insight into everything that this family does; a brief glimpse into the missing heart, if you will. Emily Blunt's turn here is so far from her role in "The Devil wore Prada," that I had a hard time seeing the actress at all. That is an accomplishment.

Alan Arkin virtually reprises the role that won him an Oscar just two years ago. He's good. I won't say he's not. This time the quirks are taken up a notch, but this is where the film loses it's appeal. He isn't given a cute little girl as his "straight man." The entire reason the last film held together so well, was the connection between Arkin and Abigail Breslin. This time around, the child in the film is his grandson, Oscar. Jason Spevack steps in to fill the role as Amy Adams son here, but the character is written as a equally quirky boy, perhaps too smart for everyone around him, but unrecognized for a dolt. Frankly, where the story of a little girl's adorable relationship with her grandfather and pursuit of a dream carried the last movie, the loss of that connection hurts here. We are left with only despair, loss and craziness. There's no occasional respite; the actual laughs are few and far between.

The one shining knight in the film comes from an unlikely source in the form of a store owner. Clifton Collins, Jr. plays Winston, the one person who goes out of his way to offer assistance to our heroines, whether he likes it or not. Steve Zahn makes an appearance in the film and turns in another solid performance. That is what Mr. Zahn does; shows up and does the work.

To sum up: "Sunshine Cleaning" had the potential to match the success of "Little Miss Sunshine." In order to do that it had to replicate the lovable draw between Grandfather and Grandson, but that attempt ended up in a disjointed mish-mash. Further, had that succeeded then it would have just been a remake of the previous film (and let's face it, it pretty much is anyway).

I'm giving "Sunshine Cleaning" 2 Trunks full of Bay Shrimp out of a possible 5 Trunks full of Bay Shrimp. Despite the desperate attempt at the end of the movie to pull me out of the depression it had actually inflicted on me, I just couldn't walk away from this film without wishing that I had just rewatched "Little Miss Sunshine."

I'm just saying,

Elijah