August Rush

V: Movie of a young boy who must "follow the music" to find his parents. This show had so many unlikely and unbelievable elements, we were constantly rolling our eyes, "yeah, right"-ing, or being plain creeped out. So girl and boy play in their respective concerts, girl meets boy on rooftop, boy sings Moondance and says he talks to the moon, so girl sleeps with boy on rooftop, they part the next morning, both forswear music and pine for each other for 11 years, 3 months and 15 days, son searches for parents, they all "follow the music" to their happily-ever-after. And when they find each other, they seem remarkably unsurprised and underwhelmed. The script was bad, predictable and rushed to dramatic points. This could have worked had it been treated in a more fantastical way (ala Big Fish or Pushing Daisies). But since it took itself so seriously, we just couldn't. The best part was the little African American girl from the church choir. (She had about 10 lines.) Music was good, by Hans Zimmer. 2 stars

M: A couple that knew each other for less than 11 hours pine away for 11 years, abandoning their music and being generally blue. Girl gets hit by a car and her dad forges her signature to give away her baby while she is unconscious. She thinks the baby is dead. Baby grows up in an orphanage, but can hear his parents "music" so, at about age 12, he follows it, literally, through the streets. Meets an incredibly creepy Robin Williams and his gang of singing ruffians. Creepy Williams really likes music. Baby, now kid, learns to play a guitar like a pro overnight. Escapes to a church, where he learns to play the piano and write symphonies in an afternoon. Is enrolled by the minister/choir director into Julliard (what is that, $40,000 a year tuition) where he naturally becomes the top student. Conducts the philharmonic in central park as they play his music. Of course! My neck hurts from shaking my head so much. Otherwise, its a feel good movie, if you can only accept the heavy heavy cheese that comes along with that good feeling. I couldn't. 1 1/2 stars