May 4, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & IV • Page 25 Bergman comedy heads list of new releases by Dennis Seuling “Smiles of a Summer’s Night” (The Criterion Collection), new on Blu-ray, is Ingmar Bergman’s 1955 lighter-than-air comedy. Set in Sweden in 1900, the film takes place mostly at an old country estate where love and romance permeate the summer air. Because of the scheming of actress Desiree Armfeldt (Eva Dahlbeck), a group of former, present, and yet-to-be lovers gather at her mother’s country home. Guests include Desiree’s one-time lover Fredrik Egerman; Anne, his 20-year-old still-virgin wife of two years; Fredrik’s son Henrik, a theology student a little younger than his stepmother; Desiree’s current lover, Count Malcolm; and his wife, Charlotte. The film influenced Woody Allen’s “A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy” and was adapted by Stephen Sondheim into the musical, “A Little Night Music.” Inspired by the magic of the season and a lush, beautiful location, the mismatched lovers find their appropriate partners as frustrations give way to clarity. Bergman pokes fun at the bourgeois aristocrats as they stumble through their lovesick machinations. This is certainly one of director Bergman’s lighter films, a comedy of manners that deals with love, sex, and marriage more frankly than American movies dared at the time. The movie plays beautifully as comedy man, original theatrical trailer, and a booklet featuring a critical essay by theater/film critic John Simon. “The Green Hornet” (Sony Home Entertainment), adapted from the hit radio show, tells of the cad-to-hero transformation of Britt Reid (Seth Rogen). The son of metropolitan newspaper publisher James Reid (Tom Wilkinson), Britt spends his days throwing wild parties and carousing, much to the chagrin of his father. When his father unexpectedly dies, Britt is thrust into his father’s job -- a job for which he is unqualified and does not take seriously. Mostly as a lark, Reid assumes the identity of the Green Hornet to secretly battle crime. Rogen is not action-hero material. He goes through the motions, recites the lines, and tries to look determined, but one never once believes his character as a serious threat to the bad guys. His Green Hornet is a human cartoon doing everything but running off a cliff and remaining suspended in midair as he looks helplessly toward the camera. Gunnar Bjornstrand and Eva Dahlbeck in Ingmar Bergman’s ‘Smiles of a Summer’s Night.’ and satire. Viewers laugh at the central characters. To Bergman, they represent a stratum of society often blinded to true happiness by requisites of station and polite behavior. A dose of bawdy humor is provided by the housemaid, Petra, the embodiment of unbridled passion. She sets her sights on Henrik, who is torn between his Bible and his hormones. The movie has a fairy tale quality in which humans are affected by a magical atmosphere. Like a fairy tale, its conflicts are smoothed over in due course, leading to a satisfying, happy ending. The digitally restored Criterion Blu-ray edition contains a video introduction by Bergman, a video conversation about Berg- As Kato, Jay Chou is effective at showing off the sidekick’s lightning-fast karate moves, proficiency at building amazing gadgets, and equipping cars with gimmicky weaponry. But he simply falls flat trying to deliver comic dialogue. There is no irony, no timing, and no humor in lines meant to elicit chuckles. Cameron Diaz plays a secretary hired by Britt shortly after he takes over at the newspaper. Modeled on girl-Friday Pepper Potts in the “Iron Man” films, Diaz’s Lenore Case has little to do and is present primarily for window dressing in this testosterone-driven flick. There are some good action sequences in “The Green Hornet,” including one involving several cement mixers, excitingly staged car chases, and an improbable scene in which a severed car rampages through an office building. Extras include Chou’s audition; 3-D animated storyboards; filmmakers’ commentary; gag reel; and featurettes on director (continued on Crossword page ) C • O • R • T• I • N • A R I S T O R A N T E Fine Dining For Lunch & Dinner Dine & Dance • Live Entertainment Friday, May 13: Joe Zisa & Friends, 8pm Friday, May 20: Sounds of Sinatra Call for reservations Lunch Starts at $7.00 • Mon-Fri 11:30AM–2:30PM Dinner Starts at $12 • Mon-Thurs 5PM–9:30PM • Fri & Sat 5PM–10PM Our Deck is Open Wednesdays: ��������������������������������������������� Saturdays: Ray La Rovere, Piano and Emil Rizzo, Mandolin Mike Constantino, Piano Join us on Mother’ s Day Sunday, May 8th, 2011 ������������� ��������� Private Party Room For Up To 60 People • Call for Reservations - 973-942-1750 118 Berkshire Ave., Paterson, NJ (Totowa Section) • www.cortinarestaurant.com Charge ������������������� ������������������ ������������� ������ ����������������� ��������������������� ������������������� ��������������������� 4-27-11 ester/janine Bistro Ristorante CortinaRestaurant3x3(4-27-11) 3 x 3” Open Daily at Our Old Location: 97 W. 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