Truth, lies and football

OK, time for some serious catch-up. While I haven't made it to the movie house since My Tiny Ray of Light was born, Mommy and I have managed to catch a veritable buttload (metric, not U.S.) of movies on video and cable. These covered a good half-century, but today we'll tackle a few recent DVD releases.

Next thing you'll say is that my SUV gets bad mileage: "An Inconvenient Truth"

I wanted to catch this in the theater, especially since it hung around for several weeks in my relatively conservative community. Alas, I think I was too busy strip mining and spraying aerosol cans into the air for no reason.

Although this look at former Vice President and winner of the presidential popular vote Al Gore's traveling powerpoint isn't much more than a lecture on the sad state of our environment, it's still somewhat compelling. We probably shouldn't confuse it with a true documentary, I think, because it's all about Al's research and campaign to get people to take better care of the earth. Then again, would it have mattered if the oil companies or W. got equal time? Not really.

Since I generally like Gore and generally care about the environment -- I recycle and try to walk instead of drive at least a few times a year -- this movie is all right by me. Preachy? Sure. Eye-opening? I guess. For all the raves "Truth" got about its message, I have to ask if people didn't know about much of this stuff already. I mean, when's the last time anyone said, "The ice caps? They're fine!"

Too much lip: "The Last Kiss"

I may have said this before, but it's worth repeating: Zach Braff was thisclose to being my fraternity brother. Well, maybe not thisclose, but close enough that we rejected his ass. I don't recall the details, but he apparently was something of a tool in college. I guess we showed him, huh?

These days, I don't mind Braff so much. I'm not a regular "Scrubs" watcher, but it's funny enough. "Garden State" wasn't bad, although a bit on the mopey/aren't-I-deep side. "The Last Kiss" is pretty much the same ilk, although it has a different writer and director than his one man show in "State." Even so, we get a lot of talky-talky and what-is-it-all-about jabber, which delivers both hits and misses.

My biggest problem with this movie about a few guys going through various "turning 30" crises is a rather key plot point -- that is, a nubile college girl scoping out Braff's character from across a crowded wedding reception, then pursuing him. Nothing against Braff, but guys like him -- hell, like me, too -- don't turn the heads of hot young things. Oh, I'm not saying he couldn't get her. It's just that it would take a little work -- some chit-chat, a chance to show your sense of humor and get under her skin. But to have hottie Rachel Bilson look at him and go, "Mmm mmm, that's what I want" ... um, no.

But did he ever play in the Pee Wee league?: "Invincible"

Another entry into the "Disney Movies That Adults Would Like" library, this time the story of a blue-collar Philly guy who manages to play for the NFL's Eagles. Mark Wahlberg -- yes, all 5-foot-7 of him -- is a bartender who attends open tryouts for the woeful Eagles, then wins a spot on the team, carrying all the hopes and dreams of his working-class 'hood with him to the big time.

It's a sweet, true story, from the same folks who brought you "The Rookie" with Dennis Quaid. Like that movie, you have to suspend belief, which is odd for a couple of real-life tales. In "Rookie," Quaid was just too old -- even for a guy who was 35 when he made the major leagues. In "Invincible," Wahlberg looks like he's in great shape, and I dig the 70s hair. But he's a tiny guy, and even if he's fast and has great hands and spirit, I can't believe someone that size with no college experience and pushing 30 would make the team.

But hey, it's all in good fun, and you can't help but root for Marky Mark and his coach, Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear). You also have to love Elizabeth Banks -- Beth from "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" -- as another bartender and Wahlberg's love interest. Just look close to make sure she's not taller than him.