The Fighter, Green Hornet, 127 Hours, How Do You Know

Director of the current, splendid BLACK SWAN, Darren Aronofsky was originally slated to direct THE FIGHTER, but David O. Russell was chosen after Aronofsky moved on to the aborted ROBOCOP sequel and ended up making SWAN instead. Aronofsky is listed as an executive producer on THE FIGHTER, and his influence shows. Basically a true life sports movie, THE FIGHTER benefits greatly from a half dozen very fine performances, and some straightforward no nonsense direction which propels the plot along on the gasoline of the intense interpersonal relationships between the central characters. Crack addicted ex-boxer older brother (played with his usual creative energy by Christian Bale) tries to train his younger brother (a fine Mark Wahlberg), but is no help due to his addiction. Their mother, who remains delusional about the drug problem, is played by the magnificent Melissa Leo, who right now is at the TOP of her game. I didn't even recognize her for several minutes after her attention getting entrance--I was so transfixed by her antics. In the past couple years she's blown me away as the lead in FROZEN RIVER, and amazing small roles in this year's CONVICTION and THE DRY LAND. She appears in many many small, independent films as well as TV (especially HOMICIDE:Life on the Streets) and this could very well be her big year--she's the leading contender for the best supporting actress Oscar and just won the Golden Globe in that category, as did Christian Bale for supporting actor. Amy Adams as the fighter's girlfriend is also quite good, as are the many other characters that populate this engrossing film. My only complaint is that the film ends on a predictable note, but getting there is the pleasure. GRADE-------A-

A terrific surprise, THE GREEN HORNET benefits from the sensationally ballsy presence of Seth Rogen, who wrote and executive produced the film. I've never been a big fan of his, but he is slimmed down, beefed up, and cocky as hell, and it works in a funny, disarming way. He is being reigned in a bit by director Michael Gondry (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, SCIENCE OF SLEEP) who takes his time building character relationships and carefully building the preposterous plot, without depending too much on car chases and explosions. This film feels like BATMAN RETURNS or KICK ASS, and a better, lighter WATCHMEN. Jay Chou is a lot of fun as Kato, and Christof Waltz (last year's Oscar winner for INGLORIOUS BASTERDS) is a great bad guy, again. Unfortunately, the film is being promoted for it's 3-D features, which is totally unnecessary. There are very few moments when the uncomfortable 3-D glasses are needed. Note to filmmakers:---STOP RIPPING US OFF BY CHARGING US AN EXTRA $4 FOR BAD 3-D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GRADE-----B+

Directed by Danny (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) Boyle, 127 HOURS is made about as well as a basically one character movie can be made, and James Franco is very convincing in the true story of how a lone hiker survived 127 HOURS in a desert cavern while his arm was pinned by a large boulder. To say the least, he (Boyle, Franco and the main character) are/is/was remarkably resourceful. The film is "opened up" with flash backs, dreams, visions and beautiful shots of nature at work. It is surprisingly upbeat and powerful, in spite of the limited storyline. It works a lot better than the recent BURIED which had Ryan Reynolds trapped in an underground casket with his amazingly powerful cell phone for 90 minutes. GRADE----B+

James L. Brooks is a hit or miss writer/director, especially these days. Here is a miss---HOW DO YOU KNOW. His best films (BROADCAST NEWS 1987, AS GOOD AS IT GETS 1997, TERMS OF ENDEARMENT 1983) seem effortlessly funny and smart and dramatic. HOW DO YOU KNOW plods along with some clever ideas and charming actors, but the laughs are very weak and inconsistent, and the plot seemed very belabored and unbelievable. Are we to believe that the VP of a big company headed by his father has no idea as to why he is being indited and audited by the IRS? That he must sell all he has to move into a small apartment because his company (and father) won't pay his legal bills? That a young talented female athlete is so insecure that she must keep returning to her sexist, philandering boyfriend three times during the course of this film--even though someone much more suitable is there in front of her??? Jack Nicholson, Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd and Reese Witherspoon are attractive, effective actors, but the fault in this one is squarely with Mr. Brooks. GRADE-------C-

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THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ALICE CREED (2009) is a smart, wicked British film that never opened theatrically in the US about a couple of ex-cons who kidnap a rich girl for ransom. It's an economical film that effectively uses realism and violence and big twists to keep the plot moving in unexpected ways. Although I predicted the first two big twists (I guess I've seen too many movies....) it was still riveting to watch and is well acted by the three main characters. It is now out on DVD. GRADE--------B

Another great performance by Alec Guinness highlights the droll little British comedy THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT (1951) which features Guinness as an eccentric chemist who invents a fabric that resists dirt and will never wear out. Unfortunately, the clothing industry wants to suppress this as it will mean fewer new clothes will need to be manufactured. (Think how car companies suppressed the electric car....for example) and soon the chemist is on the run from executives and co-workers alike. Clever, intelligent and amusing. GRADE-------B

Frank Sinatra is a rich playboy with a half dozen girl friends, and you know that one of them will get him to settle down, but good, in the film adaptation of the Broadway play THE TENDER TRAP (1955). The comedy is rather tame, and the serious subjects (infidelity, divorce, loneliness, obsessiveness) are glossed over, but the cast, which includes Debbie Reynolds, Celeste Holms, and David Wayne are smooth and curiously compelling---Reynolds has her whole married life mapped out before even meeting her future husband, Holms is so desperate not to be left an old maid that she's willing to settle for either a married man or a philanderer, and Wayne seems willing to toss out his 12 year marriage with kids just to have an affair. And of course the song THE TENDER TRAP is sung and reprised about 4 times during this film--it is one of Sinatra's best signature songs. GRADE--------B-

A weak Country Strong

The new film about an alcoholic, struggling-against-demons country western singer, COUNTRY STRONG compares unfavorably with last years similar CRAZY HEART. Jeff Bridges won his Oscar for that film, and although I didn't really like the plotting and unbelievability of many scenes, at least Bridges performance had some authenticity and rawness to it. In COUNTRY STRONG Gweneth Paltrow is just getting out of rehab (apparently several weeks early--red flag warning!) and put back on the road by her manager husband. He is smitten with a new young "country Barbie doll" and wants her to be the warm up for his headliner wife. His wife has been having a fling with a young male singer and wants him to be the warm up. Guess what? They both are hired, and very typical complications ensue. And unfortunately, there's nary a spark of feeling and tension between any of the characters. Although the songs and singers are not bad, the music brings whatever dramatic tension that is being developed to a complete stop. Besides that, Paltrow doesn't have any rolling-around-on-the-bathroom-floor-in-her-own-vomit scenes, like Bridges had, to really get the audience rooting for her. (!?) I couldn't wait for this one to be over. GRADE-------D+

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In my last blog, I forgot to write about a DVD seen on Christmas Day evening with some relatives called LOVE ACTUALLY (2003), one of my favorite Christmas themed films, because it is set during the month of December leading up to Christmas and features carols, Christmas parties, school pageants, a crass, pop Christmas song played many times on the soundtrack, shopping and stores in decoration in London and other cheerful and symbolic events of the season. It's a multi-storied, multi-charactered film, with pleasing and occasionally amusing performances by Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Alan Rickman, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Keira Knightly, Billy Bob Thornton, and many, many others. Because it covers so many stories and characters, it can be a bit uneven, but it is entertaining and the 2 hour 15minutes goes down very easily. GRADE-----B+

Based on a novel by James Jones (FROM HERE TO ETERNITY), the Vincente Minnelli film SOME CAME RUNNING (1958) features Frank Sinatra as a disillusioned writer just out of the service who ends up back in the hypocritical small Indiana town that he grew up in. His family is trying to maintain their upper middle class standing, and don't want him around. He hooks up with a gambler (Dean Martin) and a luckless floozy (Shirley McLaine in a fearless, memorable breakout role for which she was Oscar nominated) and falls for one of the upper class women he would normally be distainful of. It's definitely, and ultimately 50's melodrama, but the tone was so uneven--a weird mix of comedy, satire, drama, romance????--that it put me off. (I thought PEYTON PLACE which I wrote about last February did it a lot better.) And the ending, filmed in a completely chaotic, boldly colorful, jazzy style completely different from the rest of the restrained proceedings, didn't make much logical or emotional sense. Interesting, but in my mind, unsuccessful. GRADE-------C+

Black Swan, True Grit, King's Speech, Tourist, Lady Killers

Much like last years THE WRESTLER, the new film by Darren Aronofsky called THE BLACK SWAN is an operatic, frenzied vision of an artist who gives their all to their craft at the risk of losing their ---sanity, dignity, safety net, mind, life, etc.--you pick one, or better yet, pick at least three. Aronofsky's best films (and they are all pretty good--especially REQUIEM FOR A DREAM) go sometimes way over the top, but he sucks you into the milieu and drama with fast and creative editing and photography so that it's easy to forgive his excesses. He also has an excellent cast helping him. This would be Natalie Portman's best performance since she started in film in 1994's THE PROFESSIONAL. Some of her most memorable moments have been in the STAR WARS Episodes 1,2 and 3, and CLOSER, V FOR VENDETTA, GARDEN STATE, and THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL. She gives her all as the talented but insecure ballerina who is given the lead in a SWAN LAKE production only to have her confidence undermined by her mother (the remarkable Barbara Hershey), her best friend understudy (the amazing Mila Kunis ) and her director (an excellent Vincent Cassel) who seems to want to use (or misuse) her sexually to get the right performance out of her. An unrecognizable Winona Ryder is also good as the retiring ballerina. The style is passionate and at times overwrought, with growing tension and psychological horror used to great effect--at times this film reminded me of Roman Polanski's most effective horror films like REPULSION, THE TENANT and ROSEMARY'S BABY. My only complaint--the persistent use of a jerky hand held camera. GRADE------A-

The amazing Coen brothers are back with an excellent remake of the popular story TRUE GRIT which won John Wayne his only Oscar back in 1969. This version is grittier, and much less campy than the Wayne version, because Wayne won for his huge popularity and as make-up for being ignored for 50 years at award shows, and for a wink-in-the-eye spoof performance of all the macho westerns he'd been in previously--I liked his role, too. Fresh off his Oscar win last year for the film about an alcoholic country singer in CRAZY HEART, Jeff Bridges now expertly tackles the role of Rooster Cogburn--another alcoholic, who joins up with a 14 years old girl (an excellent Hailee Steinfeld in her first role ) and a Texas ranger played well by Matt Damon to find the murderer of the girl's father. The western is very engrossing, and sprinkled with wit and clever dialogue. My only complaint--the 1969 version is still strong in my mind, but if you've never seen Wayne do his thing, then this new version of TRUE GRIT will deeply satisfy you. GRADE------B+

Anglophiles rejoice, for THE KING'S SPEECH is everything you'd want from a period piece which showcases the very talented Colin Firth (see him in last years superb A SINGLE MAN) as King George VI and Geoffrey Rush as his speech therapist trying to overcome a deadly stammer that stands in the way of the King being able to lead Great Britain into WWII with effective prose and inspirational speeches. The entire cast is excellent, especially the two leads and Helena Bonham-Carter as King George's wife. The music, costumes, photography and editing are well done, and the film is a marvelously simple time capsule of an historical drama. GRADE-----B+

Two popular actors, Angelina Jolie and Johnnie Depp meet up in THE TOURIST, and the results, while not always sensational, are at least intriguing. Both have had other big hits this year (SALT and ALICE IN WONDERLAND, respectively) and while this film is more modest in box office draw, it nonetheless has one gigantic plus---the fabulous canals of Venice are beautifully photographed and used to great effect. Venice is wonderfully captured in these other films, too--DEATH IN VENICE (1971), CASINO ROYALE (2006), DON'T LOOK NOW (1973) and THE ITALIAN JOB (2003). The director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (!) made the wonderful German Oscar winner from a few years ago called THE LIVES OF OTHERS, and the film flows with assurance and control, and the cast also includes effective turns by Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton and Rufus Sewell. The film is more of a romantic thriller than a "thriller" spy story, but it does have a twist that I really didn't see coming, and it does have Venice....... GRADE------B-

-----------------------------------------DVD choices------------------------------------

Alec Guiness heads a motley group of robbers (which include a young Peter Sellars) who camp out in an old woman's house in the British film THE LADY KILLERS (1955) in this droll black comedy. Of course the old woman manages to spoil the robbery just by her innocence, so they decide she must be killed. Easier said than done. This film was remade in 2004 by the Coen brothers with Tom Hanks. Just as black and witty, with a bit more slapstick, and although it is different plot wise, it is also very entertaining. GRADE-----A-

CAPTAIN'S PARADISE (1953) has Alec Guiness (again) as a sea captain who shuttles back and forth between Gibraltar and northern Africa. His wife lives in Gibraltar and his mistress lives further south. The film was banned for many years due to this subject matter, and is not well known, but it is rather entertaining and delightful just the same, with Celia Johnson and Yvonne de Carlo as the wife and mistress, respectively. All is well until one day he gets careless with his anniversary gifts..........GRADE-------B

THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM (1955) is an Otto Preminger film starring an overacting Eleanor Parker and an effective Kim Novak who both love the drug addicted Frank Sinatra. This was one of the first films to deal with drug (heroin) addiction, and the film was banned and finally released without government approval. Today it seems rather tame and dated, but it does maintain interest due to the cast. GRADE-----B-

Irving Berlin's music is the the draw to the lush, colorful WHITE CHRISTMAS (1954) which was a loose remake of the b/w HOLIDAY INN (1942). The song White Christmas was introduced in HOLIDAY INN, a film that has an inn opening only for the specific holidays of the year (!) (there are songs about Washington's birthday, Thanksgiving and Easter (Easter Bonnet) and some other unforgettable tunes.) I don't really appreciate Bing Crosby's singing and acting--too laid back and lethargically lazy for me. WHITE CHRISTMAS takes the song and has a much better plot and actors including Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and a dangerously skinny (anorexic?) Vera-Ellen and better director Michael Curtiz and production values. Plus it has a better emotional, Christmas ending. GRADE------HOLIDAY INN---C and WHITE CHRISTMAS----B-


-------Other movie stuff-------

Just finish two autobiographies about two very strong, iconic women. The first was by Katherine Hepburn called, appropriately, ME. It is obviously written (or at least spoken) by her in her clipped, fragmented voice, with lots of humor, generalizations, partially remembered stories, and what I felt was a lot of editorializing---I think a lot of the details were sanitized. Still, she is a force to be reckoned with and you really get a good idea of the strong willed actress and personality she became. The portion about making ON GOLDEN POND in the early 80's was especially interesting, as the next book I had on my shelf was the autobiography of Jane Fonda called MY LIFE SO FAR. This was a fascinating book, extremely well written and thought-out, with a lot of character and psychoanalysis where she really gets to the meaning of her feelings and failures and movies and causes. She is obviously very smart, and has led an incredibly interesting life. Her mother committed suicide when she was 12, her father Henry Fonda was distant and emotionally cold (also confirmed by Hepburn in her book), her first husband insisted on sexual three-somes, she becomes politicized with her anti-war views and many travels (including an illuminating report on her infamous visit to Hanoi) and then she meets Ted Turner who seemed so different, but we can sure tell why she was attracted to him in a funny and astute section of her book. She is active in all sorts of fine liberal causes---trying to stop sexual abuse and genderfication of young girls and boys, conservation issues, ecological issues, and health issues--including her very popular work out tapes. It's all there, and it was a fabulous read, fascinating, humorous, shocking, insightful. It is the best autobiography of a film actor I've ever read. GRADE for ME---------B and JANE FONDA: MY LIFE SO FAR-----A