A timely, suspenseful military thriller starring Helen Mirren in top form, EYE IN THE SKY tells the story of a potential capture of a British traitor who has defected to ISIS in Kenya, but as the story unfolds thanks to secret cameras, the film shows that this situation has expanded from a capture to a "kill" because now the camera revels that a suicide mission is imminent. As the action to kill commences, a young girl wanders into the kill zone, compromising the mission, and several military and political issues threaten to sabotage the action. Drone action becomes discussed and argued and the tension rises to intense levels. The actors are all very effective, especially the recently deceased Alan Rickman, who is distracted trying to buy a doll for his daughter. Among many good lines, the closing one rings deepest. "You don't have to tell a soldier what the cost of war is." GRADE--------B+
From the writer/director of two very unique and special films from the last couple years--TAKE SHELTER (2011) and MUD (2012) comes Jeff Nichols newest film MIDNIGHT SPECIAL, which works like the best parts of E.T., CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, and a fine episode of T.V.'s X-FILES, smoothly mixed together, about a gifted child with special powers who may not be of this earth, and he needs to get "home". The fine actors, including child actor Jaeden Lieberher (seen last year in the Bill Murray comedy ST. VINCENT) along with Kirsten Durst, Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton and Adam Driver give intriguing depth and quirkiness to their roles. I also look forward to his next film due this fall called LOVING, based on the story of the interracial couple of Richard and Mildred Loving who are sent sent to prison in 1958 for getting married. GRADE-------------B+
I went into the new comedy MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 with low expectations, but this new film, written by and featuring Nia Vardalos, and following the way of the earlier film 14 years ago, is charming in it's own way. I especially enjoyed the fact that her parents, portrayed by Michael Constantine and Lainie Kazan, are the featured characters (it's their wedding, legalized after 50 years) and they carry the film in a low key, amusing way. The characters are lovable and funny, and the film has an easy going manner. It may not win any awards, but I had a continuous grin and many chuckles while watching. GRADE--------B-
AGE OF CONSENT (1969)--James Mason plays an Australian artist living in New York, but he travels back to a small island off the Great Barrier reef to find inspiration for his painting. He finds his muse in the form of the young Helen Mirren, although their relationship is non-sexual. She was working for the Royal Shakespeare Company in England at the time, and this was her first starring role. She poses nude many times for him, and there is uninhibited joy for both of them, but her grandmother finds out and threatens to turn him in because she is underaged. Mason and Mirren are both quite natural and good. Unfortuntely many of the supporting characters over act in silly desperate ways, making the film sort of a bipolar experience---silly comedy or touching love story. It was interesting to see the two Helen Mirren films back to back (see EYE IN SKY above)--her first and her most recent. I don't believe this film was ever released in the US, and this was viewed on DVD. GRADE----B-
I was not exactly bored, but the new super hero film BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE is done with such seriousness and heavy handed "darkness" (both visually and spiritually) that the film becomes somewhat of a drag to get through. It is also confusing. How exactly do these superheros become so antagonistic towards each other? Don't they have enough intelligence to know that the evil Lex Luther is playing them for chumps? At least Jesse Eisenberg, who seems overly stimulated as Luther, appears to be having fun. Amy Adams as Lois Lane is sprightly and positive, and Jeremy Irons as Alfred, Batman's man servant/assistant shows some sarcastic life. Unfortunately, Ben Afflect and Harry Cavill (I feel both are well cast) have to play it "straight" so to speak, and come across as dolts in a number of scenes. And that bizarre "kryptonite monster" at the end seems unbelievable. And what's with the new character Wonder Woman? We aren't given much information about her at all. And how can she survive all the explosions and fire balls with so much of her skin exposed???? Supposedly all will be explained in the next Superman or Batman film..... Still, there's more questions than answers in this version, and the film never quite takes off. GRADE----------C
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Viewed on DVD
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2014) ----One of my favorite films from that year, Wes Anderson's masterpiece of slapstick, double entrandes, romanticism, and imagination holds up well as a curious history full of vibrant wit and silly shenanigans. Ralph Fiennes is so funny as the lead of a vast and smart supporting cast including F. Murray Abraham, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law, Saoirse Ronan, Tilda Swinton , newcomer Tony Revolori, and dozens of others. The art and set direction are splendid, and the camera work and editing are very sharp. GRADE------A
DARK VICTORY (1939)---Somehow I've managed to miss this Bette Davis classic, but as usual she is magnificent (another Oscar nomination) as a fun loving spoiled rich girl who discovers she has a brain tumor. She scorns the love of her horse trainer (Humphrey Bogart), falling for her brain surgeon (George Brent), who keeps the diagnosis from her with the help of her best friend, an intriguing first US film by Irish actor Geraldine Page. It's a three hanky melodrama at its most entertaining. When she accidentally finds out that she's going to die, she throws a snit at a fancy restaurant. "I think I'll have a large order of PROGNOSIS NEGATIVE!" GRADE---------B+
A LITTLE CHAOS (2015)---Story of an independent woman hired to build one of the impressive gardens of Versailles--sort of an outdoor ballroom, and her relationship with the head of the king' s landscaping architect team. The relationship builds slowly and carefully, and she is not intimidated by the "court" which makes her stand out among them. The cast is mostly very successful in keeping our interest, and the grounds, gardens, and set design are fascinating. But in the end, the film doesn't quite pop dramatically the way it should. Still, a fine directorial effort from the late Alan Rickman, who also appears as King Louis XIV. GRADE----------B
POINT BLANK (1967)---Early film by director John Boorman (DELIVERANCE 1972, EXCALIBUR 1981, HOPE & GLORY 1987) has Lee Marvin double crossed after a robbery and left for dead, but he recovers and catatonically spends the rest of the film seeking violent revenge, and trying to get his money back. He succeeds in leaving a trail of dead bodies. There are some striking scenes, including one where a sexy Angie Dickenson is nearly raped, a money exchange ends with several surprise deaths, and a twisted manipulator is exposed towards the end. Viseral and engaging. GRADE------------B
BARNEY'S VERSION (2011)--Messy version (just like real life) of Mordecai Richler's novel tells story of Barney (Paul Giamatti) and his three wives and the relationship with his father (Dustin Hoffman) . He first marries a world traveling hippie because she's pregnant, but when the baby turns out not be be his, he rejects her, and she commits suicide. This second wife is a rich Jewish princess who talks constantly, played by Minnie Driver, and on that wedding day he meets (and persues!) the woman who will become his third wife (Rosamond Pike) and mother of his children. The film is longish and rambling, but is held together by an interesting cast, especially Giamatti as Barney, who despite being an unpleasant and unlikeable schmuck, becomes, in our eyes, something of a tragic hero. Comic, tragic, melodramatic, mostly fascinating. GRADE---------B
ODD MAN OUT (1947)---Irish film by Carol Reed--one of the first to deal with the political conflict with Great Britian, but in an obscure manner. When a robbery goes wrong, James Mason is shot, and spends the rest of the film trying to escape police detection, while his girlfriend (Kathleen Ryan) tries to find him and help him escape. Filmed in norish black and white, the film feels static at times, and fascinating at other times, as he comes across people who want to either help him or hurt him, or just want something from him. At times Mason's character is so dumb I wanted to scream at the screen. No matter what your politics you have to admit he makes a lot of stupid decisions. GRADE------------B
DARLING COMPANION(2011)---Diane Keaton adopts and bonds with an abandoned dog, but becomes angry with her distracted doctor husband Kevin Kline when the dog runs off under his watch. She enlists some relatives to help with the 3 day search. This feels like a film based on a single sentence idea, and the film is often dull and protracted, but the cast, which includes Mark Duplass, Richard Jenkins, Diane Wiest and Sam Shepard have their moments. Director Lawrence Kasdan did fine films back in the 1980's with BODY HEAT, THE BIG CHILL, and THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST, but lately he's been a writer of many of the recent STAR WARS films including the latest FORCE AWAKENS (2015). DARLING COMPANION is not a come back for him in the director's chair. GRADE----------C
JAMAICA INN (2014)---This three hour BBC version of the Daphne duMauier novel is sinister and awkward and very dark, and features Jessica Brown Findlay as the young girl who goes to live with her aunt and uncle at a remote inn, only to discover sinister evil and threatening characters who want to harm her or make her do awful things. Findlay was killed off in DOWNTON ABBEY for this?!?! She played Lady Sybil, but this version of J. I. feels slow, morbid and static. GRADE--------C
THE VIRGINIAN (1946)---Lack luster version, filmed many times, of cowboy in Wyoming Old west trying to stop the cattle rustling that goes on in a small town. He also tries to seduce the new school teacher played by Barbara Britton, who is really dull and forgettable in the role. Star Joel McCrea is not much better. GRADE----- C
AMOR DE HOMBRE (1997)---Spanish film about relationship between gay man and his best female friend. When he finally becomes involved with a lover, she becomes left out of the friendship causing much drama, although the film does have comic moments. Still, we've seen it all before.
GRADE---------C
