FREEZE FRAME WITH RUSS SIMMONS DEAR JOHN Published 02/05/2010 - 12:00 a.m. CDT Reviewed by Russ Simmons Nicholas Sparks has discovered a literary path that leads directly to the tear duct. Six of Sparks’ novels have been converted into hankie-wringing cinematic melodramas, including “The Notebook,” “Message in a Bottle,” “A Walk to Remember,” “Nights in Rodanthe” and the upcoming “The Last Song.” The latest Sparks adaptation is “Dear John,” brought to the big screen by a director who knows a thing or two about the weeper genre, Lasse Halstrom (“My Life as a Dog,” “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” “Chocolat”). Amanda Seyfried (“Mamma Mia!”) stars as Savannah, a pretty UNC-Chapel Hill student from an affluent Southern family. She and John (Channing Tatum from “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”) ‘meet cute’ when the Army Special Forces soldier risks his life by diving into the Atlantic to rescue Savannah’s fallen purse. Can amour be far behind? ...Read More EDGE OF DARKNESS Published 01/29/2010 - 12:00 a.m. CDT Reviewed by Russ Simmons With the exception of a couple of cameo appearances, the last time that Mel Gibson appeared onscreen was in the 2002 sci-fi curiosity, “Signs.” Of course, he’s been preoccupied by directing (“The Passion of the Christ,” “Apocalypto”) and with some highly publicized personal matters. Choosing to keep a relatively low profile for a box office superstar, Gibson hoped to find a suitably lighthearted comedy script for his Hollywood comeback. No such luck. Gibson’s return to the big screen is a violent, hardboiled conspiratorial thriller with lots of gnashing teeth, beads of sweat and throbbing forehead veins. “Edge of Darkness” is a big screen, Americanized adaptation of an acclaimed series that was named one of the twenty best in British TV history. Something, apparently, was lost in the translation. ...Read More WHEN IN ROME Published 01/29/2010 - 12:00 a.m. CDT Reviewed by Russ Simmons “When in Rome” is the best romantic fantasy of the year! Don’t be too surprised to see that quote, or one very much like it, on the billboard ads for this whimsical Hollywood offering. Here’s the kicker: “Leap Year” and “Youth in Revolt” are the only other romantic comedies to come out so far this year. The only fantasy has been “The Tooth Fairy.” Yes, that first sentence is a case of damning with faint praise. It really takes a deft touch to pull off this sort of thing and while it’s well meaning and has a very likable cast, “When in Rome” is a clichéd romantic fantasy. ...Read More A SINGLE MAN Published 01/22/2010 - 12:00 a.m. CDT Reviewed by Russ Simmons Many filmmakers struggle for years to hone their skills and learn the nuances of their craft. Undoubtedly, some of them are green with envy when an untrained outsider decides to make a movie…and does an outstanding job of it. Tom Ford is a noted fashion designer and former creative director at Gucci. He has successfully adapted a Christopher Isherwood novel, “A Single Man,” into an effective and affecting drama. But Ford had a little help. He collaborated with another newcomer, David Scearce, on the screenplay and assembled a first rate cast to bring it to life. ...Read More