Early on in the new Disney live action musical film BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the main character Belle is running up a floral mountain meadow, flinging open her arms to start singing THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC, or so I sang, aloud, in the crowded theatre, and all I got was elbowed by my wife. I thought it was pretty funny myself, for that moment and some others are stolen from other great, iconic movie musicals. Just to be certain, I don't really care if they were stolen consciously or not, but the makers of this new BEAUTY/BEAST have given this new film the energy, creativity, exotic looks and romantic texture that has graced many a classic, and this one will be remembered as well. There's a bit of slowness about 3/4th the way through, but the ending is absurdly exuberant, and the film received a hearty applause at the ending. The film follows closely the plotting and musical interludes of the animated success from 1991, but includes such new for Disney themes as an amusing homosexual bromance that ends in a same sex dance by the finale, along with some interracial pairings, although those are not clear until the final scene where everyone turns back into a human form from their magically induced teapot, candlestick, wardrobe, etc that has kept their racial identity secret until the end. I liked this new film. GRADE------------A-
The British have a way of making true historical events blessedly clear minded and entertaining, and such is the case for the new film UNITED KINGDOM, which tells of the interracial romance and marriage between the prince of Botswana--an African nation trying to break from British rule, who has been studying in London, and his bride to be, a white secretary/clerk who is willing to give up her British life to be the wife of a king as his father dies forthwith. Set in the late 1940's to the early 1950's, the marriage causes a scandal in both Botswana and England, and there is a lot of political drama and personal conflict on display here, but the overall effect is one of progress over prejudice with right (love) triumphing over wrong (hate and suspicion.) The straight forward direction is beautifully framed and filmed by director Amma Asante who also directed the beautiful story of a mixed race woman who is raised by her dead father's aristocratic uncle in 18th century England, called BELLE (2013). Even my non-movie going brother in law thought that UNITED KINGDOM was fascinating and excellent! GRADE------A-
Watching the magnetic, elegant thriller PERSONAL SHOPPER, I realized that suddenly, with this film and her last film CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA, Kristen Stewart has become the best actress of her generation--serious, vacant, melancholic, compelling, fascinating, sometimes all at the same time. Here is a film about a bored young woman working a possible dream job of buying clothes for a rich, though absent, actress, while riding her motor bike around Paris looking for clues that will lead her to connect (metaphysically) with her recently deceased twin brother. The film plays like a psychological mystery, with vacant, shallow exteriors and interiors, creepy stalkers, shocking murders, and beautiful clothes. It didn't really dawn on me until the finale that this was also a love story and a ghost story--there are so many different moods afoot. Appearing in nearly every scene is the fascinating Stewart who continues to impress us with each great performance. The film reminded me of Hitchcock at his most esoteric (ie VERTIGO), and Nicholas Roeg's classic DON'T LOOK NOW--this one is for the serious adult movie goer. This film has been floating around my mind since I saw it at VIFF last October. GRADE----------B+
Part of the X MEN franchise, this film brings back Hugh Jackman as LOGAN, a mutant that grows long deadly knives from his knuckles that he uses to slash his enemies whenever he is provoked. He has long taken to drink, and he is the helper/care giver to Patrick Stewart, an elderly Professor X who has a deadly mind control that paralyzes those around him, and his "gift" is starting to get out of control. They team up with a young girl who also has some powers similar to Logan--in fact--she is ----well I can't give away any more secrets---but you'll figure it out in the first 30 minutes. The actors are effective even if the plot is one long violent kill scene after kill scene. In fact, I don't think I've seen a film with a bigger body count in the last 5 years! GRADE--------B
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Viewed on TV/DVD
MARGARET---Filmed in 2005, then finally shelved in 2007 due to lawsuits over length and endings, this film written and directed by Oscar winner (for MANCHESTER BY THE SEA) Kenneth Lonergan clearly illuminates his skillful writing style, and is now available on DVD. Teenage Lisa witnesses a tragic accident as a bus runs over and kills a woman, and she becomes obsessed with transferring the blame to the bus driver, yet she also feels guilty that she may have had something to do with distracting the driver. When she tries to set the record straight, she finds that the adults in her life want her to play it safe and avoid getting involved. She becomes hostile to her parents, family, friends and teachers, all of whom seem to have alternative motives. The film is bookended by beautiful music from tragic operas as she tries to come to emotional terms with adulthood. This is a demanding film for an audience to watch, but it is nonetheless thought provoking and disturbing. The lead is played by the excellent Anna Paquin, and the effective adults in her life are played by J. Smith-Cameron, Jean Reno, Allison Janney, Matthew Broderick, Mark Ruffalo, Matt Damon, and Jeannie Berlin. It is a fine, ambitious film. GRADE-------A-
THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD (1965)--Based on the cold war spy novel by John le Carre, this drama was a grim counter point to the flashy James Bond films that were being made in the early 60's like DR NO, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE and GOLDFINGER. Richard Burton gives a solid performance as a tired spy who wants to retire but takes on one last job, inadvertently involving his new girl friend Claire Bloom. Filmed in dreary black and white, the film is a more realistic vision of spy work, and deserves to be remembered for it's naturalistic approach and tragic ending. Director Martin Ritt went on to make HUD 1963, HOMBRE 1967, MOLLY MAGUIRES 1970, SOUNDER 1972, THE FRONT 1976, NORMA RAE 1979, and MURPHY'S ROMANCE 1985 among others. GRADE-------B+
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN 1946, aka A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH---Directed by Michael Powell, this odd dramatic fantasy featured David Niven as a World War II pilot who somehow escapes death when he lands in the ocean from his burning plane, and is nursed back to health by Kim Hunter. But DEATH is stalking him, and he must defend his life before the almighty being if he wants to keep living. There is literally a huge staircase to heaven that he climbs to have his philosophical discussion with other dead souls. Odd but not boring. GRADE--------B
NIGHT CRAWLER (2014)--It took me a few scenes to realize that a supporting character in this thriller was portrayed by the late Bill Paxton, who had died just a few days earlier--he had climbed so completely into his character of a sleazy ambulance chasing photographer. Jake Gyllenhall is effectively creepy as a shiftless man who stumbles onto a career of filming horrific accidents to sell to the evening news. Rene Russo is also effective as a news producer willing to do anything for a great video to show on the evening news. GRADE-------B
THE WAVE (2015)--This Norwegian catastrophic drama deals with mountain slides that fall into a fjord that can send a wall of water (much like a tsunami) into the unsuspecting citizens of small villages that exist at waters edge, with only 10 minutes of warning. The film is predictable for the first half--no one will believe him when he predicts a pending catastrophic event, but the film is effective when the inevitable does occur, with powerful special effects, and the aftermath is also riveting. GRADE----------B
DODSWORTH (1936) William Wyler directed this moving drama about a wealthy man (Walter Huston) who retires, only to find that his long time wife (Ruth Chatterton) would rather live without him. Then he reconnects with a friendly woman (Mary Astor) he met on a cruise with his wife. I was interested to see this film since I'd just read a book called Mary Astor's Purple Diary. Apparently she got around in Hollywood quite a lot, and kept a running tally and ratings of all her lovers and encounters. This caused a giant scandal at the time as her husband tried to get full custody of their daughter because if it. The diary was ultimately destroyed by a judge, so this biography only guesses what it said based on newspaper clippings and interviews at the time. Astor's most famous film is MALTESE FALCON, but she was a solid, calm performer in a number of character roles. DODSWORTH is a fine drama even if the plot is a bit predictable. GRADE--------B
EDDIE THE EAGLE (2016)--Based on a true story of the only British ski jumper who attended the 1988 Olympics and ended up in 73rd place out of 73 jumpers. The film is a charmer--a true audience pleaser. Taron Edgarton plays Eddie, and Hugh Jackman plays his washed up coach out to redeem himself. GRADE------B
BUCHANAN RIDES ALONE (1955)--Western director Budd Boetticher film with Randolph Scott--he loses all his money in a corrupt town he passes through and stays to get it all back. Subtle, thoughtful western, heavier on charterizaton than on action. GRADE-------B
RIDE LONESOME (1959)--Another Budd Boetticher western has Randolph Scott as a bounty hunter--he uses his bounty to lure the brother into his control. Psychological twists with some surprise plotting. GRADE--------B
THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD (2005)--TV movie based on Zora Neale Hurston's classic novel features a miscast Halle Berry, who is a little too beautiful to be believed. The film feels edited and skimpy in detail. GRADE----------B-
INTRODUCING DOROTHY DANDRIDGE (1999)--Another TV movie based on a biography about the life of Dandridge, the first black woman to become an Oscar nominated actress in a leading role for CARMEN JONES (1954). She was also a well known night club singer, yet suffered many indignities due to racial discrimination even at the hotels where she preformed. (She had to enter the hotel through the back kitchen door, and wasn't allowed to use the pool--the one time she dipped a leg into the pool, it was drained and cleaned that night.) Halle Barry is much more effective here, and Brent Spiner as her faithful friend and one time manager is also quite good. GRADE--------B-
BANDITS (2001)--Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton and Cate Blanchet are bank robbers on the run, and they form sort of a menage a trois. The dialogue is witty and the threesome are all engaging together, even if we think we know what will happen since the ending plays first chronologically. But the film does have a surprise up it's sleeve. Enjoyable, if minor, entertainment. GRADE--------B-
BERLIN EXPRESS (1948)--It took me 30 minutes to remember that I'd seen this film noir mystery in the last couple years. Director Jacques Tournier (CAT PEOPLE) creates some moody, slick moments. Several international peace makers from around the world meet on a train where one of them is killed by Nazi spies, just after World War II. The chase is on to find the murderer and keep the others safe. With Merle Oberon, Robert Ryan and others, the best part of the film is that much of the action after the first half on the train,was filmed in war torn Berlin with shocking scenes of bombed out buildings creating a moody, tense feel. GRADE-----------B-
PIRATES OF PENZANCE (1983)--This is the filmed Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, with glorious music well sung by a lively, lovely cast which includes Kevin Kline, Angela Lansbury, Linda Rondstad, George Rose and Rex Smith. Fans of the opera will be pleased, but for the uninitiated, the silly, slapstick action can at times become tiresome. GRADE-------B-
THE CARPETBAGGERS (1964)--Loosely based on the life of Howard Hughes, this film from a novel by Harold Robbins features sleazy men, loose women, cruelty, violence and lurid (although strangely chaste) sex scenes---and oddly this is only rated PG!!!!!!!! George Peppard is rather effective as a very unlikeable "hero" who takes over his father's business in a flurry within minutes of his father's death (while the corpse lays on the sofa!), and that includes a sexual encounter with his father's sexy widow Carroll Baker--a woman his own age. He treats women, business partners, family and friends with heartless disdain, tossing them out when he gets what he wants (reminded me of a young Trump), all the while buying up companies and airlines and finally a movie studio with all his billions. In his final film, Alan Ladd plays his only friend from the old days, sort of a father figure, but why he stays around I don't know. Perhaps the best, most satisfying scene has the two leads come to blows. This is trashy drama, but it does get a hold on you if for no other reason than the pleasure of watching him self destruct. Also featuring Lew Ayers, Elizabeth Ashley as his long, long suffering wife, and Robert Cummings as an (gay?) ex friend. GRADE--------B-
DIE, DIE MY DARLING (1965)--OK version of young woman (Stephanie Powers) imprisoned by the mother (Tallulah Bankhead) of her dead fiance. One of the first films of Donald Sutherland who plays somewhat of a mentally stunted farm hand. Powers-- unfortunately named--is anything but, as she whimpers and quivers through her role, bested by every odd character in this creepy house. The film is watchable mainly for the final leading role of Tallulah Bankhead without makeup as the repressed, religious crazy lady. She keeps our attention like no other character in the film, despite some predictable plotting, She doesn't even appear to be the eccentric, bisexual, outrageous character who called everyone "Darrrlinh"in a deep sexual voice (because she said she could never recall any ones name) that she was notorious for in real life. GRADE----------C+
ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW (1959)--Director Robert Wise (THE SOUND OF MUSIC) film that I wish was better, this is a typical caper film with film noir trappings. Harry Belafonte is a young musician (he gets to sing!) who is seriously in debt to a gangster due to his compulsive gambling, and he joins two other men (Robert Ryan and Ed Bagley) to rob a bank in another town--(one last deal before retirement say them all!) but there is conflict because Ryan is a severe bigot and that affects his actions. Shelley Winters is a desperately in love girlfriend to Ryan, and as always she knocks her two scenes out of the park. A young Cicely Tyson has an uncredited scene in a bar. GRADE----------C+
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Hmm, well, Janie, the point of view character in Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God IS a little too beautiful. Her beauty a pivotal plot point in the book. I taught that novel for years, and despite changing the metaphor, and despite not having seen it in years, I recall the film as a good version, as good as film versions generally are of novels.
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