Arlen Faber (The Answer Man)

So maybe if your movie does not sell a lot of tickets all you have to do is change the name and put it out on DVD? Originally released as Arlen Faber in 2009, it made the rounds of several film festivals gleaning only one nomination. Then it went to VOD, TV, and some limited theaters. Now it's out on DVD as The Answer Man.

Arlen Faber, the title character is played by Jeff Daniels. This is an unusual character for Daniels and I can see the appeal. Grumpy and reclusive on the outside, he is funny and vulnerable on the inside. Not a really new story, but the twist is interesting. It seems that Faber wrote a book once upon a time that captured the world's imagination. He had answers from God.

Whether he did talk to God or not is not really the issue. The story is about how he deals with the fame and back-splash from his claims. The story begins on the 20th anniversary of the publishing of the book.

Faber finds himself in need of the help of people outside his normal circle and he is changed by them. Lauren Graham plays the chiropractor the gets Faber back on his feet - figuratively and literally.

Watch this with someone who dreams of writing a bestseller.

The Lookout

Little bit crime drama. Little bit thriller. Little bit comedy. Not sure what to call it, but it's fun to watch. You'd think, based on the story-telling advice of one of the main characters, that this story would be easy to predict. And, while you CAN see the train coming, and you know it's going to smack you, what you don't see coming is how the characters will react. That makes for some fun.

Joseph Gorden-Levitt plays a high school kid who suffers from head trauma. His memory loss and other troubles are shown all due reverence. But the effects on himself and others are often funny.

Jeff Daniels plays his roommate and best friend who also happens to be much older and blind.

The bad guys are played perfectly by Matthew Goode and Greg Dunham. These are nasty villains you will love to hate. The supporting cast is rounded out nicely by some fun performances with a few familiar faces.

The only plot problem I noticed was that the main character's memory problems are episodic rather than constant. Some things he must write down to remember. But the bad guy's name he remembers from the very first meeting. Odd.

I even liked the partial narration by the main character. To me it felt like it was used just right.

Watch this movie with someone who might think their dreams are not worthy of cultivation.

Gettysburg (1993)

If you enjoy historic dramas - this is a great one. If you like battle re-enactments, this one is epic. Shot on location with locals who make it a hobby to play these roles, the audience gets a real feel for what it might have been like.

The cast is huge and full of big names in roles large and small. Great efforts were taken to use authentic accents, equipment, and clothing. The haze of camp smoke is ever present. The confusion of battle long before the days of instant information is strongly felt. Added together this is a production of high results.

While this movie covers just one pivotal battle in the American Civil War, it condenses most of the emotions and ideologies of the time.

Watch this with someone who be patient through over 4 hours of detailed dialogue and story-telling.

State of Play

While some similarities exist, not much other than the character names and the title are carried over from the brilliant BBC series to this very smart movie. You don't need to have seen the series to enjoy this movie. In fact, you may enjoy it more if you are not distracted by the differences.

In the extra features a producer makes the statement to the effect that everyone in Hollywood wanted to be part of this project. And there are huge names aplenty to be sure. Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck turn in very different roles than their norm, and both are great. Helen Mirren continues to be one of the best actors from any country. Robin Wright Penn and Rachel McAdams are both very strong and sexy characters here. Jason Bateman does his best acting to date and was a very pleasant surprise for me.

Set in DC this political murder thriller is good a keeping the audience guessing. The pace is brisk and one has to keep up with plot twists as they happen.

Watch this with someone who like to guess who did what to whom and watch them react at the end when all is revealed.