Harmless fun. Carole Lombard plays a fast-talking, slow-thinking high-society girl who picks up a ‘forgotten man’ Godfrey, played by the incomparable William Powell, and turns him into her family’s butler. The family- and what a family- is insane. That premise is all that the movie is really about, though it benefits from never taking itself seriously and the brilliant comic timing of the leads.

Fortunately, for the sake of this blurb, I have not seen Michael Caine’s original ‘Alfie’. That lets me judge this one without the baggage. Jude Law and director Charles Shyer elevate the material above mediocrity- Jude Law playing a less likeable version of Hugh Grant in ‘About a Boy’. Like ‘Ray’ from last week, this movie is more about the acting and the craft than actual story. Thirtysomething modern-day male angst has been the subject of many films, though they are usually comdies. ‘Alfie’ seems like a comedy, but that is only because of its lead character’s sunny disposition. As the layers peel off, the tragedy emerges, surprising us almost as much as it does Alfie.

Many critics will take the easy way out in reviewing this film by saying “the film lives up to its name”. I think I’ve just about had enough of that kind of writing. You know what I’m talking about- some movies are just asking for it, though. In any case, Pixar’s ‘The Incredibles’ is great, fun, edge-to-edge, start-to-finish, chock-full of things to look at and admire. But we’ve come to expect so much of Pixar that none of this is a surprise. The easiest way to review this is- better than ‘Bug’s Life’, ‘Toy Story’; as good as ‘Monster’s Inc.’ but not as good as ‘Finding Nemo’ and ‘Toy Story 2’. Does that help? As a side note, however- the director Brad Bird is a genius and if you’ve missed his ‘Iron Giant’ go see it now!

‘Ray’ has so much going for it that it surprises you when it fails to impress. With one of the greatest performances of the year by Jamie Foxx and a life story that was bubbling with details, ‘Ray’ surprisingly overstays its welcome. There were many interesting story arcs in there, unfortunately the movie was devoted to all of them and none of them. The best moments are when the film concentrates on the musical genius. When was the last time there was a ho-hum movie with an Oscar worthy performance? ‘Training Day’ perhaps?