'Game Plan' bedazzling, 'Transformers' realistic

How does one word describe a movie so effectively, as well as the whole culture of stars who rise to the top and then come crashing down? In “The Game Plan,” Joe Kingman (played by Dewayne “The Rock” Johnson) bedazzles his fans as quarterback for the Boston Rebels. At the same time, he is bedazzled by the entry into his life of an 8-year-old daughter, Peyton James (Madison Pettis), he never knew he had.

The Bedazzler is a new product which has been sparkling up young girls and women’s plain clothes and accessories, but the definition of the word “bedazzling” perfectly describes everything going on in the “Game Plan.” Bedazzling: as to blind or confuse; to impress forcefully so as to make oblivious to faults or shortcomings.

Joe can do no wrong. It’s a story that was similarly played out by Elvis Presley and O.J. Simpson in the past. Elvis bedazzled fans and then by the end of his career wore these shiny rhinestone-studded outfits that somehow concealed the far-from-perfect life he was living when out of the public eye.

Even though this movie would be considered just another Disney kids’ movie, it delves into the whole question of seeing football stars and other stars as beyond contempt or the ability to make mistakes. Just as little Peyton bedazzles her father’s footballs, jackets and everything else her Bedazzler will bedazzle, the media does the same to people like the fictional Joe. The most recent example of a fall from this shiny stardom involved Michael Vick.

During the course of the movie, Joe is put under a microscope when his daughter appears and he makes some big mistakes. At three in the morning, he leaves Peyton at the new club/restaurant he has opened and the media wants to eat him alive.

Joe’s manager/publicist Stella Pack (Kyra Sedgwick) does some major damage control to clean up the mess. Stella is the ultimate bedazzler and her bright lipstick-painted smile is all she needs to keep Joe’s reputation unblemished so he can continue to make millions from his product endorsement contracts. The red lipstick Sedgwick wears bears an uncanny resemblance to Grandpa (Al Lewis) on the original “Munsters.”

“Game Plan” is a very, very insightful look into the world of the star. Joe lived within the ritual of his routine, which included extravagant parties with beautiful girls, endorsements, watching and quoting himself when he was featured on ESPN (very funny). And the whole time he was oblivious to any of his faults and therefore unable to have a normal life. This is a tight, must-see movie.

The re-release of “Transformers” on IMAX screens is even more realistic than the first release. Hasbro has out-perfected itself in animation. Another new generation will be lost to “Transformers,” but at least the young women in the movie – Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) and others – are treated as intelligent and valued members of society.

Both movies artfully outdo themselves so well that it’s hard to find a flaw, so most critics tout them as “being for kids,” but they’re so much more.