I'm not sure why I didn't blog at all in March--the month just slipped on by, but I kept up my movie watching with nearly 20 films now to report........
At the top of the heap is Wes Anderson's newest, THE GRAND HOTEL BUDAPEST, a happy, odd, cinematic treat which tells the story (tongue held firmly in cheek) of the current owner of the fading establishment, and how he came to be. The big, BIG cast includes relish comic turns by Adrien Broady, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Saorise Ronan, Tilda Swinton, among others, with special mention to the witty leads--Ralph Finnes, F. Murray Abraham and newcomer Tony Revolori, as the "lobby boy" who comes into contact with nearly the whole cast at one time or the other.
The witty script had me smiling throughout, the art and set decoration creates a whole other "character" and provides a nuance and gravitas as well as a setting for numerous sight gags, the cinematography is unique, the score is playful, and the director really nails the complicated plot twists. This is a film that will stand the test of time and repeated viewings should continue to delight any audience. It's the TOP FILM of the year so far. GRADE-------A
Sharp as nails, much like the subject, the documentary ANITA; SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER is a fascinating look at the life and past times of lawyer, teacher and activist Anita Hill, and how her encounter with Supreme court nominee Clarance Thomas shaped her future. It's fascinating stuff.
GRADE-------- A-
A new "end of the world" blockbuster based on the Genesis story of Noah's ark, NOAH is an intelligent and thoughtful rendering of what might have happened when the world was washed clean to rid humanity of evil and thoughtless people who didn't take care of the world as the creator had asked. (It gave me pause, thinking of the beating the earth is taking today with our dependency on greenhouse gases and other issues causing the global warming issues.) Director Darren Aronosky has taken a serious and introspective view and created one of the few realistic versions of a Bible story, without a hint of campiness or humor. I came home from seeing this and reread the story (Genesis Chapter 5--Chapter 9) and realized that the film, in spite of a few plot contrivances for dramatic tension, is actually pretty accurate, even with those rock like "fallen angel" giants. Aronovsky is a genius, and I was memorably impressed and entertained. GRADE---------B+
I haven't read the books, but I enjoyed the new film DIVERGENT as a solid entry into the "young adult" book to movie category. It did remind me of the HUNGER GAMES story, in that it is the teenagers who must make big decisions and end up killing innocents (adults and kids)---but always at the will and demand of corrupt or misguided adults. GRADE-----------B
It may not be as good as the original 300 film, mainly because that one takes viewers by surprise with the bloody, brutal, stylish visuals of slow motion warfare, but the sequel 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE which takes place at the same time as 300 but in a different location has all the same ingredients (stylish cinematography, brutal fight scenes, near nudity, graphic blood spurting, muscle bound bodies in action, etc.)--perhaps to slightly diminishing effect. The biggest change is that in spite of this new film being stocked with hundreds of muscled soldiers, the film belongs to the vicious leader of the navy played to great effect by Eva Green, and the Queen Gordo of the Spartans--a returning Lena Headly. It may take a whole long movie for the anticipated "cat fight" to occur, but each woman commands the action through out the film. Very satisfying of its kind. GRADE-----B
Artistically drawn and thoughtfully created, THE WIND RISES is purportedly director Hayao Miyazoki's last film (he plans to retire). His previous animated films, which include PONYO, SPIRITED AWAY, WORLD OF ARRIETTY and HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE take great pains to clearly establish place and time even if the films are quite fantastical in plot and action. THE WIND RISES is very well drawn, and although it concentrates on the life of the man who invented the Japanese bombers for use during World War II, it never becomes political--in fact there are no scenes showing the planes being used to bomb the US, and one is never fully aware until the end that his "suicide" planes are anything but a fanciful dream. Indeed, the film really comes alive in the sequences where the hero is dreaming/fantasizing about flight and speed. It is an odd film, but then that could be said about all his films. GRADE-------B
The French animated feature ERNEST AND CELESTINE about the relationship between a bear and a mouse is a charming movie that was recently nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, which was won by the popular FROZEN. It's perfectly sweet without being coy. GRADE-------B
It many not have the shocking satirical power of the original, but the new version of ROBOCOP is intriguing on it's own merits, and for those unfamiliar with the original 1987 version, this new update concentrates more on the human tragedy of a machine/man than on the social aspects. GRADE--------B-
I've never been a fan of Tyler Perry's films--the couple I've seen have seemed hackneyed and cliched, but I give him a lot of credit for making films mostly peopled by African American actors and geared for the black audience, when most directors won't take that chance. His films nearly always make money because he makes them cheap and knows his audience. His newest film, SINGLE MOM'S CLUB includes more white people than his earlier films, yet still features black actors in most of the key roles. The plot, about five harried single women with troubled kids all in the same school who try to see past their differences and start a support group is amusing and mostly successful, even though it still deals with situations that seem fairly familiar. Director Perry takes a supporting role here as a potential love interest to one mom. Thankfully he plays it straight, for a change. Often he is cast in his own films in drag as the Medea character--a sassy black women who is over the top for me. Here I especially enjoyed the comic energy of Cocoa Brown, who plays an overweight mother from the poor side of town who is dealing with two of her boys in jail, and the younger one wanting to stretch his wings. She is also being pursued by an obnoxious small business owner, but of course, in reality, he has a heart of gold. Cocoa Brown has been appearing in LOTS of unmemorable TV series--hopefully this role will give her some even better roles worthy of her talents. GRADE--------B-
Liam Neeson continues his action hero roles with NON-STOP, a satisfying, if familiar action thriller about a trans Atlantic flight that is being hijacked by unknown "terrorists" who make is seem that Neeson, who plays an air Marshall is the actual terrorist. There are some modest plot turns, and the action keeps flowing. Not great, but certainly watchable. GRADE--------B-
Author Tom Clancy's popular hero is back in the movies, this time played by Chris Pine. JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT is an OK action thriller that goes back to the beginning to explain how Ryan became the super spy that he became---especially odd in that he starts off as a systems analysis/accountant! I was engrossed but had to swallow a lot of contrivances along the way--one involves the showing up of girl friend Kiera Knightly. She manages to get a last minute flight to Moscow and manages to find his hotel room- and be admitted- although she is not wanted! Another involves the ease in which Ryan infiltrates the security headquarters of his nemesis and finds the right security computer codes, etc etc etc, without ANY trouble, And in less than 10 minutes. Pleeaassee. Still, there are some effective moments and I liked the actors (including Kevin Costner and Kenneth Branagh.) GRADE------B-
An unofficial remake of the Demi Moore/Rob Lowe version in 1986, ABOUT LAST NIGHT features an attractive cast including Michael Ealy, Regina Hall, and the spitball Kevin Hart as a group of singles who go from the bar room to the bedroom in attempts to hook up. The dialogue is from a play SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO from the mid 1980's written by David Mamet, and while there's nothing new, it is fun to watch and listen to. GRADE--------B-
Comedian Kevin Hart is still the best thing in RIDE ALONG, but the film is a tired attempt to mix violence and cop action with comedy, and the result is a very uneasy mishmash. Ice Cube plays the cop brother of the woman Hart is trying to marry, and basically plays the straight man who doesn't care much for the immature antics of his sister's fiance so he invites Hart along, trying to intimidate him and put him in his place. Things get out of hand when Hart proves to be more perceptive than Cube gives him credit. The film is watchable, and there are some bright, tense moments,and again, Kevin Hart is a whirlwind of double talk and bravado. I've enjoyed all his films, which have included THINK LIKE A MAN, 5 YEAR ENGAGEMENT and THIS IS THE END. GRADE-------C+
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FOLLOWING ARE FILMS VIEWED ON DVD-----
From famed director Howard Hawks comes John Wayne and Robert Mitchum in EL DORADO (1967), an unusual western where the "heroes" are a drunkard (Mitchum) and a cripple (Wayne from the start, and then both Wayne and Mitchum by the end). The story may be predictable--both men join forces to prevent a land grab in a small western town by evil guys, and there are several gun battles. There's also a lot of macho humor between the men and between the women and the men. Mitchum really gets down to play a dirty drunk scene that lasts for 20 minutes--you almost feel embarrassed for him, except he's incredibly good at it. A young James Caan plays a poetry spouting novice who can't shoot a gun, and the good guys win in the end, natch. GRADE----------B
From earlier this summer comes the perceptive coming of age comedy drama THE WAY WAY BACK which features sly performances by Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph and Allison Janney. Young Duncan (newcomer Liam James) becomes annoyed with the adult games his mother and new boyfriend play, and seeks his friendships with the adults who run a summer water park while on vacation at the ocean. It's a subtle, thoughtful film with many charming moments and revelations. GRADE---------B
Director Todd Hayes has made some special films in his career including I'M NOT THERE (2007), FAR FROM HEAVEN (2002), VELVET GOLDMINE (1998), SAFE (1995) and of course, SUPERSTAR: THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY (1988) which he filmed using Barbie dolls as all the main characters! He wrote and directed the new version of MILDRED PIERCE (2012)--a six hour mini series version for HBO. The film, based on a novel by James M. McCain, is truer to the story than the Joan Crawford version from 1945, which framed the story as a murder mystery. I liked Kate Winslet's portrayal as the normal housewife who has to reinvent herself, but the HBO version adds some nude sex scenes which didn't feel right for the story. Frankly, I like Crawford's Oscar winning interpretation better--it's tougher and more memorable, and I like the way the older version moved along the story in an economical way, when sometimes the 6 hour version just seemed too slow in spite of the detail and minor missing story lines. GRADE----------B (2012 version)
From Australia comes a film based on a musical stage play called BRAN NUE DAE (aka BRAND NEW DAY) 2009 which has the leading young man only wanting to hang out at the beach, fish, and meeting his new girl friend for fun, but his mom sends him off to a Catholic boarding school for Aboriginal boys, run by the kindly but strict priest (Geoffrey Rush). The characters all get to break into song and dance, and the film is definitely in the feel good category, with a wild revelatory ending the is beyond belief, but loads of fun. GRADE---------B
In 1956, the nominees for Best Picture included FRIENDLY PERSUASION, GIANT, THE KING AND I, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, and other top films in release that year were THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, WAR AND PEACE, LUST FOR LIFE, HAMLET, HIGH SOCIETY, SOLID GOLD CADILLAC, ANASTASIA, WRITTEN ON THE WIND, BABY DOLL, and INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS. That makes at least 14 films that were better and more memorable than the winning picture, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. Now, I'm not saying that AROUND THE WORLD....is bad--I believe there have been worse Best Picture winners, but after watching the three hour plus DVD last weekend, I can honestly say that I don't remember much about the plot and characters. Shirley McLaine is so understated that I hardly recognized her, the British gents at the gentleman's club are such stuffy cliches that they fade from memory, the many cameos that populate the picture are so underused and poorly used that I felt rather sorry for them, including Frank Sinatra,
Peter Lorre, George Raft, Red Skelton, Buster Keaton, Trevor Howard and Noel Coward. On the plus side is the musical score, the cinematography, and the exotic locations, which mostly made it feel like a travelogue. David Niven was his usual debonair self, and I enjoyed watching the Mexican superstar Cantinflas steal some of the scenes. GRADE------------C+ (the plus is for the pretty pictures.)
Coming up at the bottom this month is the action fantasy thriller BATTLESHIP (2012) which is based on the HASBRO company board game!!!!!! I guess that says it all there. The cast is game--Taylor Kitsch (maybe it should be "kitch"--he's got the dumb hunky guy down well), singer Rihanna puts out the energy, Liam Neeson for some somber gravitas) but as lively as the editing is, the plot is beyond preposterous and the film feels empty and dull despite the explosions and maneuverings of the battleships that are trying to fight off invaders from space that look like men wearing diving suits.
GRADE---------C-
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