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-
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