It's late August and the summer has been busy with travel and other activities this years, so here's a quick rundown on what I've been watching in the last four weeks.....
Lee Daniels' THE BUTLER (the director's name is in the title because another film is titled just THE BUTLER) is an effectively strong bio type picture, based on real life, but possible fictionalized (and condensed and idealized much like FORREST GUMP) about the long life of an African American man in service as a butler to a long succession of American presidents seen dealing with civil rights issues. Told mostly his eyes, the film is fascinating and powerful at times, a bit sentimental and perhaps exaggerated at other times, but mostly fascinating and moving through out. The large cast includes stalwarts Oscar winner Forest Whitaker in the title role, Oprah Winfrey as his wife, and Vanessa Redgrave, Mariah Carey, Terrance Howard, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr, John Cusack, James Marsden and Alan Richman and many others as political figures and various friends and family. Considering how much time passes in this film (from the 1950's up to 2009) most of the scenes have an intimate emotional pull and are historically resonant. Daniels previous film PRECIOUS (2009) was a powerful and insightful Oscar winner--one of the most jolting and profound films of that year. This new effort is profound in it's own way. It remains an ambitious and entertaining event, this in spite of the fact that a whopping 39 producers (executive, associate and assistant) are listed in the credits. GRADE-----A-
Another film based on a true event is quite powerful and fascinating in a different way. FRUITVALE STATION starts with the filmed video shooting of an unarmed African American man in an Oakland B.A.R.T station, who had been out that evening with a large group of friends. The film backtracks to the start of his day, introducing his long suffering girlfriend, his charming 5 year old daughter, his loving mother (whose birthday the family is celebrating on this New Years Eve day), his friends, and his co-workers (although he has recently been fired.) The film is done in a semi-documentary style and even though we know what the ending will bring, the proceedings are riveting, as we see his world changing and get to know the person behind the man. My biggest grip is the use of wiggly hand held camera work through nearly a third of the film. Still, a very worthy effort. GRADE----B+
THE SPECTACULAR NOW tells the story of teenagers in love, but in a very realistic and honest way. They are miss matched from the start---she's a super nerdy, serious student, and he's a care free, popular BMOC, but he has a very serious drinking problem which challenges their relationship. The leads are terrific and the supporting cast is at a high level. GRADE-----B+
Fans of the new TV series written by Stephen King about a small town encapsuled by an invisible wall (title has slipped my mind) will want to rent the new German film called THE WALL, about a middle aged woman trapped inside this same type of bubble, but the people outside appear to be dead, or at least in a dead like state. She is forced to live alone among nature and her animals, and the film, which is almost all her narration (in English) is introspective and gripping--a real thought provoker. GRADE-----B+
Another German film making the art house rounds, THE HUNT is a superior melodrama set in a small town about a divorced male teacher who suddenly finds himself the center of controversy and hatred because a very young girl has made a false accusation of sexual abuse against him, and even though the facts keep pointing to his innocence, the towns people tighten the grip of anger and frustration. This an intense film to watch, and opens up discussion about sexual hysteria in our society. GRADE------B+
The French film THE ARTIST AND THE MODEL is based on a true story set in WWII about an elderly artist's relationship with a 20 year old girl who inspires him to create a nude sculpture of her. Filmed in lovely black and white, the film, though not terribly dynamic, is very pleasant to watch and the actors, including the old pros Jean Rochefort and Claudia Cardinale are a pleasure. ....GRADE-------B
The new film by Wong Kar Wai (IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE and 2046) is called THE GRANDMASTER, and is set in the first half of the 20th century when China was invaded by Japan--including just before and after and tells the true story of IP MAN, a famous kung fu, martial arts master who helped unite the North and South regions in their martial arts style. The film is beautifully filmed, with some arresting scenes of fighting, bones crushing, and stylized violence.
Dramatically, the story of how Ip Man met his wife (she was the daughter of the man who turned over the reigns, so to speak, of the martial arts legacy) and how he become a famous teacher who would eventually meet and train Bruce Lee. The film is very luxurious to watch, with pleasing scenes of fighting, love, costume and set design and musical score. It is also quite sentimental in it's approach to the two leads (the handsome Tony Leung and the luminous Ziyi Zhang.) Dramatically, the film struggles to find it's way, with many characters introduced, then dropped, and many times I was confused as to what exactly the motivations of some of the actions were. That's been my main complaint of Wong Kar Wai's films for many years. Lovely to look at, with style galore, but not much meat on the dramatic bones. GRADE------B
It plays much like a Masterpiece Theatre mystery, and that's not a bad thing. The new British spy thriller CLOSED CIRCUIT is engrossing to a point, and the actors are fun to watch, but the low key thrills and double crosses are rather routine these days, and I had some trouble understanding some of the motivations of the characters. GRADE------B
The small American indie comedy IN A WORLD is set in the unique world of voice over actors who work in commercials, previews, cartoons, etc. Bell Lake wrote and directed and stars in this story of an up and coming v.o. actor who finds herself in competition with her own father for some big event previews. It's a very entertaining story with some delightful characters, and very amusing jokes and gags, but a day after seeing it, you might not remember much about it. GRADE------B
DRUG WAR from Hong Kong is a manic cop thriller about chasing down the upper levels of drug king pins, and it certainly is fun and at times exciting to watch. But in the end, it becomes a bit predictable. At least in this one (WARNING:SPOILER ALERT----ENDING REVEALED)
every one dies (!) so at least there will be NO sequel. I think. GRADE-----B
Recently played (and also from SIFF, as some of the above were) is the stylish looking AIN'T THEM BODIES SAINTS which also suffers from a thin plot beefed up with lots of sunsets, glitzy photography, and longing and long walks, etc. A woman waits for her imprisoned lover to come get her, but in the meantime she entertains the lonely local sheriff who put him away. GRADE----B-
Based on the Marvel comic book character, THE WOLVERINE is the least of the films I've seen featuring a super hero (THE AVENGERS from last year is the best). Hugh Jackman does his best, but the plot made little sense to me, and the back story left me in the fog. I was really rather bored, yet you can appreciate the special effects. GRADE-----C+
SEEN ON DVD----------------
Alec Guiness is a master, and another viewing of KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS (1949) confirms that, but the story of a man (Dennis Price) who seeks revenge on a royal family by murdering them all because they mistreated his mother is a masterwork of wit, cleverness, sophistication and low brow laughs. Guiness plays all the royal family members. GRADE------A-
THE WOMEN (1939) was written and directed by the great "women's" director George Cukor, and it features a startling array of witty and funny women including Norma Shearer, Rosaland Russell, and Joan Crawford and Mary Boland, among many others. They mostly speak if double time--it almost makes you miss some of the catty jokes and witty asides, so it's always fun to watch this one a couple of times. GRADE------B+
Alfred Hitchcock made ROPE (1948) as an experiment using what seems like a single camera that normally can only hold about 20 minutes of film, but making it seem like one long take. Based on a play (there's only a single apartment setting---watch how the night sky subtly changes color and mood) this story of a cold hearted murder that takes place just as a fashionable dinner party is about to begin has, with time, become one of his most fascinating films. Featuring Jimmy Stewart, John Dall and Farley Granger. GRADE-----B+
After watching THE CONJURING a few weeks ago, I came across a DVD copy of director James Wan's earlier film INSIDIOUS (2010) which plays very well as another haunted house/ possessed child story. The ending is especially effective, with a jaw dropping final shot cliff hanger. INSIDIOUS 2 opens in a couple of weeks. I can't wait. GRADE--------B
THREE CORNED MOON (1933) is a slight, daffy comedy featuring Claudette Colbert and Mary Boland as a rich family that goes broke in the recession (of 1929) and they must all go to work to pay the mortgage. Interesting. GRADE-----B-
Friday, August 30, 2013
Friday, August 2, 2013
Summer Catch-up! STILL MINE, MAN OF STEEL, MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, THE CONJURING, THE HEAT, WORLD WAR Z, STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS, THE TO DO LIST, plus some duds.
I ended up taking off the month of July for travel, including trips to Denmark (Bornholm Island), Copenhagen, Chicago, Moline, and Portland. I did still manage to see some films, so here is a capsule of what I saw in the past month.
Top of the heap is a SIFF film that opens today, called STILL MINE, a Canadian production with the incomparable James Cromwell (BABE) and the radiant Genevieve Bujold as a long married couple. When he realizes that his wife is showing signs of dementia, he decides to build a simple, one level dream house, but runs into resistance from the local county inspectors and his adult children. This film plays like the anti-AMOUR from last year, with scenes full of emotion and heart and drama, yet the actors refuse to be tempted to dip into sentimentality--making the film all the more effective. Based on a true story, the film deals with many issues facing the aging and their families. It is a beautiful, generous film. GRADE---------A-
A wildly joyful documentary about a lost music punk rock album from the 1970's created by an African American group which suddenly becomes a music sensation in the current music scene. The film, A BAND CALLED DEATH has much in common with last years SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN. There's a lot of heart, humor and discovery in this story, so in spite of the nihilistic title, give this film a chance---you'll love it. GRADE--------A-
STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS continues in the style of the terrific jump start film from 2009 STAR TREK, with all the beloved characters very effectively revamping their roles that emulate so wonderfully from the late STAR TREK TV series from the 1960's. Director of the last two films, J.J. Abrams knows how to entertain and thrill, and this is one sequel I can't wait to see again. GRADE------B+
Surprisingly effective in storytelling, mood creation, and acting, the unexpected hit of the summer just may be THE CONJURING, which tells a familiar story of a true life haunted house (think THE AMITYVILLE HORROR). The actors are quite good, including Lili Taylor, Vera Farmiga, Ron Livingston and Patrick Wilson, and the film is smoothly directed and shot, with suspense and tension earned rather than flaunting in your face gore and blood. The audience was very attentive and transfixed, and I had a chilling good time. GRADE------B+
Four sommeliers (wine experts) attempt to pass the very difficult exams to become Masters in the exciting and intense documentary called SOMM, which came and went quickly last month. I suggest requesting it on Netflix or On Demand. It plays in an informative and entertaining manner. GRADE-------B+
Mismatched cops are certainly nothing new, and in THE HEAT, Sandra Bullock is still playing the uptight, prissy one, like she did so well in the two MISS CONGENIALITY films, but the great shock and pleasure of THE HEAT is that Melissa McCarthy neatly steals the picture with her filthy , bizarre shocks of profanity and vulgarity, She really jolts you into laughter and gives the film some much needed energy. I had much fun watching this one. GRADE-------B
The new version of the Superman saga called MAN OF STEEL has a dashing, brooding star in Henry Cavill, who gives Superman some sexy and soulful gravitas. Michael Shannon is an effective villain, and even though much of the action is underplayed and somewhat subtle (!), I was very engrossed. GRADE-----B
MONSTERS UNIVERSITY is a slick and clever animated "prequel" to Pixar's MONSTERS, INC (2001) but it is not necessary to have seen the earlier film first. This film tells the story of two opposites who start off disliking each other, but in the end find a fast friendship. There are a lot of clever, witty lines and situations, and the student monster characters are well voiced by John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Helen Mirren, among others. GRADE------B
The documentary DIRTY WARS tells of the possibly illegal involvement in the CIA's participating in waging war in the Middle East. It is informative, sad and frustrating. GRADE-----B
It's got a BIG budget and a big star (Brad Pitt) and some big special effects, but WORLD WAR Z plays more like a new version of THE HOT SPOT or some other plague out of control drama, than the horrific zombie thriller it is supposed to be. I was kind of bored. GRADE-----C+
It never quite transcends the "basic gross out teen sex comedy" genre, but not for the lack of trying. THE TO DO LIST starts out well, but gets rather tiresome by the "sex is better with the one you love" final theme. GRADE-----C+
I loved director Danny Boyle's last two films SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (2008) and 127 HOURS (2010) but in spite of some interesting technical effects, I was dumb founded by his latest film TRANCE. The story is so unbelievable and full of contrivances that I lost interest in all the mumbo jumbo psycho babble about hypnosis and memory loss and analysis. These characters all seemed to love and hate each other at the same time, and there was no one that I cared about. I did enjoy the soundtrack created by MOBY, however. GRADE----C
Some folks found the hippie trippy tale of an obnoxious American tourist (an unpleasant Michael Cera) who hooks up with an equally obnoxious free spirit woman called CRYSTAL FAIRY, as they travel with some locals to a deserted beach in Chile to get high on a psychedelic drug amusing, but I was annoyed by these characters, and the herky jerky hand held camera work and awkward improvisations were wince inducing. GRADE-----D
DVDs watched recently include:
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT (1940) is Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller set at the start of WW2 with Joel McCrea as a reporter caught in a web of conspiracy and traitorism as he falls for the girl whose father seems increasingly suspicious. Some famous set pieces include an assassination in the rain and the subsequent chase through a sea of black umbrellas, and a suspenseful sequence inside a creaking windmill. GRADE-------B+
I loved the Broadway musical THE WIZ--the hip music and staging were sensational at the time, so I was quite disappointed when the 1978 film version was released. Never has a film been so incredibly miscast, especially when you have the lead role of the adolescent girl Dorothy played by the then 34 year old Diana Ross. She was so totally unbelievable as the teen that I wanted to scream. It doesn't help that Michael Jackson plays the Scarecrow in such a lame, amateurish manner (he was only 20 at the time), and many of the other "one song stars" over sing or over emote to the point of embarrassment (like Richard Pryor and Lena Horne). I tried to watch this again on the plane ride back from Amsterdam, and winced all the way home. It is even worse than I remembered. Considering how director Sidney Lumet (!!!) managed to mangle the joyfulness of most of the songs, it may be one of the worst films of all time. GRADE-------F
Top of the heap is a SIFF film that opens today, called STILL MINE, a Canadian production with the incomparable James Cromwell (BABE) and the radiant Genevieve Bujold as a long married couple. When he realizes that his wife is showing signs of dementia, he decides to build a simple, one level dream house, but runs into resistance from the local county inspectors and his adult children. This film plays like the anti-AMOUR from last year, with scenes full of emotion and heart and drama, yet the actors refuse to be tempted to dip into sentimentality--making the film all the more effective. Based on a true story, the film deals with many issues facing the aging and their families. It is a beautiful, generous film. GRADE---------A-
A wildly joyful documentary about a lost music punk rock album from the 1970's created by an African American group which suddenly becomes a music sensation in the current music scene. The film, A BAND CALLED DEATH has much in common with last years SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN. There's a lot of heart, humor and discovery in this story, so in spite of the nihilistic title, give this film a chance---you'll love it. GRADE--------A-
STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS continues in the style of the terrific jump start film from 2009 STAR TREK, with all the beloved characters very effectively revamping their roles that emulate so wonderfully from the late STAR TREK TV series from the 1960's. Director of the last two films, J.J. Abrams knows how to entertain and thrill, and this is one sequel I can't wait to see again. GRADE------B+
Surprisingly effective in storytelling, mood creation, and acting, the unexpected hit of the summer just may be THE CONJURING, which tells a familiar story of a true life haunted house (think THE AMITYVILLE HORROR). The actors are quite good, including Lili Taylor, Vera Farmiga, Ron Livingston and Patrick Wilson, and the film is smoothly directed and shot, with suspense and tension earned rather than flaunting in your face gore and blood. The audience was very attentive and transfixed, and I had a chilling good time. GRADE------B+
Four sommeliers (wine experts) attempt to pass the very difficult exams to become Masters in the exciting and intense documentary called SOMM, which came and went quickly last month. I suggest requesting it on Netflix or On Demand. It plays in an informative and entertaining manner. GRADE-------B+
Mismatched cops are certainly nothing new, and in THE HEAT, Sandra Bullock is still playing the uptight, prissy one, like she did so well in the two MISS CONGENIALITY films, but the great shock and pleasure of THE HEAT is that Melissa McCarthy neatly steals the picture with her filthy , bizarre shocks of profanity and vulgarity, She really jolts you into laughter and gives the film some much needed energy. I had much fun watching this one. GRADE-------B
The new version of the Superman saga called MAN OF STEEL has a dashing, brooding star in Henry Cavill, who gives Superman some sexy and soulful gravitas. Michael Shannon is an effective villain, and even though much of the action is underplayed and somewhat subtle (!), I was very engrossed. GRADE-----B
MONSTERS UNIVERSITY is a slick and clever animated "prequel" to Pixar's MONSTERS, INC (2001) but it is not necessary to have seen the earlier film first. This film tells the story of two opposites who start off disliking each other, but in the end find a fast friendship. There are a lot of clever, witty lines and situations, and the student monster characters are well voiced by John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Helen Mirren, among others. GRADE------B
The documentary DIRTY WARS tells of the possibly illegal involvement in the CIA's participating in waging war in the Middle East. It is informative, sad and frustrating. GRADE-----B
It's got a BIG budget and a big star (Brad Pitt) and some big special effects, but WORLD WAR Z plays more like a new version of THE HOT SPOT or some other plague out of control drama, than the horrific zombie thriller it is supposed to be. I was kind of bored. GRADE-----C+
It never quite transcends the "basic gross out teen sex comedy" genre, but not for the lack of trying. THE TO DO LIST starts out well, but gets rather tiresome by the "sex is better with the one you love" final theme. GRADE-----C+
I loved director Danny Boyle's last two films SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (2008) and 127 HOURS (2010) but in spite of some interesting technical effects, I was dumb founded by his latest film TRANCE. The story is so unbelievable and full of contrivances that I lost interest in all the mumbo jumbo psycho babble about hypnosis and memory loss and analysis. These characters all seemed to love and hate each other at the same time, and there was no one that I cared about. I did enjoy the soundtrack created by MOBY, however. GRADE----C
Some folks found the hippie trippy tale of an obnoxious American tourist (an unpleasant Michael Cera) who hooks up with an equally obnoxious free spirit woman called CRYSTAL FAIRY, as they travel with some locals to a deserted beach in Chile to get high on a psychedelic drug amusing, but I was annoyed by these characters, and the herky jerky hand held camera work and awkward improvisations were wince inducing. GRADE-----D
DVDs watched recently include:
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT (1940) is Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller set at the start of WW2 with Joel McCrea as a reporter caught in a web of conspiracy and traitorism as he falls for the girl whose father seems increasingly suspicious. Some famous set pieces include an assassination in the rain and the subsequent chase through a sea of black umbrellas, and a suspenseful sequence inside a creaking windmill. GRADE-------B+
I loved the Broadway musical THE WIZ--the hip music and staging were sensational at the time, so I was quite disappointed when the 1978 film version was released. Never has a film been so incredibly miscast, especially when you have the lead role of the adolescent girl Dorothy played by the then 34 year old Diana Ross. She was so totally unbelievable as the teen that I wanted to scream. It doesn't help that Michael Jackson plays the Scarecrow in such a lame, amateurish manner (he was only 20 at the time), and many of the other "one song stars" over sing or over emote to the point of embarrassment (like Richard Pryor and Lena Horne). I tried to watch this again on the plane ride back from Amsterdam, and winced all the way home. It is even worse than I remembered. Considering how director Sidney Lumet (!!!) managed to mangle the joyfulness of most of the songs, it may be one of the worst films of all time. GRADE-------F
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