One of the joys of SIFF 2010 was the delightful discovery of THE TOPP TWINS; Untouchable Girls, New Zealand born, country-singing, yodeling, comedians, and political activist--and lesbians!--the twins have been entertaining audiences since they were young teen agers growing up on the farm. The documentary films them in intimate concert, interviews friends and family, and cuts to many film clips showing their development into one of New Zealand's greatest iconic National Treasures. There is a lot of comedy and music on this journey, and if you've never heard of them, you'll want to get to know them more after watching this. Showing in limited engagements around the country this week and next. In Seattle at the Grand Illusion. GRADE----------A-
SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL---opens tonight--here are more films I saw this week May 16-19 at press screenings.....
TOUCH--------GRADE B
This low budget film starts out tritely and predictable, but it becomes more complex once the sexy plot kicks in--a young manicurist helps to jump start a male clients waning marriage with some tittalating "hands on" advice, and the cast is very charming and attractive.
MAN AT BATH--------GRADE---D+
There were many many walkouts during this short (73minute) film, not necessarily because of the full frontal male nudity and brief, explicit sex scenes. But rather because this was obviously filmed with just one cameraman working a very busy, giggly hand held camera, and working with out a script or story to tell. A chaotic mess which reminded me of early Andy Warhol films--however, they were more coherent, barely. In the middle, two men and a woman are in bed together singing, rather sweetly, Kate Bush's The Man With the Child In His Eyes. Go figure. Or better yet, go buy a Kate Bush CD. A big disappointment for everyone.
AN AFRICAN ELECTION--------C
Only those truly interested in Africian (particularilly Ghana) politics will find anything to keep them awake in this dry, dull political documentary.
ON TOUR---------B-
Altmanesque dialogue and rambling story line is at times engaging, at times annoying. Some actors (professional and non) are better than others. The story finds a disfunctional manager (Mathieu Amalric) dragging around his burlesque troop all over France. His character seemed especially cliched, but the cast is otherwise game and the glimpses of stage acts were often amusing.
PERFECT SENSE---------B+
Chef Ewan McGregor and scientist Eva Green discover each other just as a strange epidemic starts sweeping the world--one where the senses, one by one, start failing, and the emotional devastation starts to take it's toll. An intelligent, thoughtful, haunting science-fiction thriller.
PAPER BIRDS-----------B+
Spanish film set in the Franco era, this sentimental melodrama grows considerable dramatic and emotional strength by the (tearful) ending. Because of the war, two men and a young boy bond to become a "family" while trying to entertain in vaudeville during the depression of post-Civil War Spain.
NOBODY-------------C+
A retelling of Romeo and Juliet--instead of sword fighting, the young men participate in drag racing along some astonishingly deserted Greek highways. At times this plays like THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS in Greek and Russian and Bulgarian, but we know where this is headed and we've seen it done before, better.
HIT SO HARD----------B
I wasn't looking forward to this documentary of Courtney Love drummer Patty Schemel's battle with drugs, but there's some telling footage and interviews with Love, Kurt Cobain and other rock band members, and film fascinated me.
ON THE ICE----------B-
Filmed in Barrow Alaska, the setting is impressively opressive, and the cast (including some locals) is not bad. A tragic accident tears apart the small, close knit community, and lies tend to snowball (no pun intended) out of control.
SAIGON ELECTRIC----------B
At times simplistic and predictable, this entertaining, commercial Vietnamese (!) film about break/rap dancers is sensitively and enthusiastically acted by the youthful and attractive cast.
EVERY SONG IS ABOUT ME----------D+
Boring Spanish film, a minor attempt at a Woody Allen type of relationship comedy/drama, but nothing interesting or funny occurs or is spoken. Dull young man can't decide what he wants from any relationship. Sit at home and stare at your navel for 10 minutes instead, and you'll get an idea of what watching this film is like.
THE WHISTLEBLOWER------------A
A compelling and riviting thriller/true story about an American cop (Rachel Weisz) who takes a job as peace-keeper in Bosnia, only to discover a human trafficking ring that has corrupted the highest reaches of United Nations involvement. A whopper of a story, and the best movie of this past week.
Showing posts with label Topp Twins:Untouchable Girls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Topp Twins:Untouchable Girls. Show all posts
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
R.E.D, Conviction, Last Train Home plus more Dickens
LAST TRAIN HOME is a fascinating documentary about the eye opening mass holiday migration that nearly all of China takes at the same time--like what happens to a lessor degree in the Christmas holiday season in the US, but in China most factories close down for the two week period, and most everyone wants to go home to visit family since so many workers have left their families to find work in the city. Of course, there are never enough seats on the planes or trains to accommodate everyone at the same time, and this causes lots of emotional stress and a great expense of time and money just to spend what may end up to be a few days with their family. (If ever a country needed to space out their vacation time for workers, this is the one.) The film follows a family trying desperately to board an overcrowded train, and having to spend several days at a very packed train station waiting for room--it seems to be every man for himself. Then when they finally get to their destination, the stress of living apart takes it's toll, especially on the young kids, who resent living with grandparents apart from their parents. It's an emotional roller coaster of a film. Grade-----B
An action popcorn movie, easy to watch with some great moments by the actors including Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John Malkovitch and Mary Louise Parker, the film R.E.D (which stands for Retired Extremely Dangerous) soon disappears from memory within hours after viewing. The setup has the FBI trying to terminate a retired agent (Willis), but of course he's too good for them in spite of the 25 to 1 odds. He sets out to recruit some other ex-agents to find out why this is happening and discovers that the corruption comes from very high up. The bullets fly, there's lots of running around the country, and far-fetched plotting. Forgettable fun.... Grade-----B-
Two-time Oscar winner Hillary Swank seems to do her best work playing down home, lower class characters (such as her winning performances in BOYS DON'T CRY and MILLION DOLLAR BABY) and she is the main attraction here. In CONVICTION, based on a true story, she spends nearly twenty years trying to free what she believes to be the unlawful incarceration of her beloved brother for murder, going so far as to become a lawyer during the process. It is an intriguing story, but the film making is routine, making it feel more like a quality made-for-TV drama than a theatrical release. The story and the actors keep you interested, however. Grade-----B-
----------------------------------
The following eight films were shown as part of the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival held last week at several theatres. Three of them I saw screened at SIFF last May. But since they may not get anymore of a release than festivals, I'm writing about them as possible DVD rental options, since most were quite good.
Beautifully filmed in a Peruvian coastal fishing village, the Spanish film UNDERTOW tells the story of a young married family man with a child on the way, but he also has a secret lover--a sensual male painter/artist who is viewed with suspicion by the locals. Half way through, the movie takes a surprising turn towards the supernatural, but manages to become a heartfelt and moving love story about tolerance, acceptance and the importance of loyalty. Grade----A-
Documenting the likable comedians and singers from New Zealand, THE TOPP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS tell the story of how twin girls born on a farm grew up to be the famous country/pop/folk singers and entertainers (and they yodel, too!) that they are today.
They are also fierce, but charming activists, fighting racism, sexism, global warming, nuclear proliferation and homophobia. And, yep, they are both lesbians, too. Delightful, funny and informative. Grade----A-
EYES WIDE OPEN (from Israel, in Hebrew with English subtitles) is a very thoughtful and intense drama set in Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox community. A butcher with a wife and children finds repressed homosexual feelings coming to the surface when he hires a handsome young outsider as his assistant. His happiness is quickly conflicted by the pressures of the insidious conformity that the community imposes on anyone who does not live according to the majority laws of their religion and responsibility. Beautifully acted and directed. Grade-----A-
SASHA (Germany/Croatia) is a young handsome teen living with his immigrant Croatian family in Cologne and trying to hide his sexuality from his girlfriend and parents, but when his sexy piano teacher announces that he is moving to Vienna, SASHA must make some big moves of his own. This comedy-drama is quite delightful as a wacky family farce, amusing romantic (mis) adventures, coming out drama, and showing the difficulties of trying to live someone elses dream. Grade-----B+
Oh, those Spanish twenty-somethings. A young man gets jealous of his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend, so he decides to befriend the new boyfriend to stay close to his ex. Since she doesn't want him back, that is his PLAN B (from Argentina). The film moves very slowly as they get to know each other, and is surprisingly contemplative in it's theme of how carefully thin the line can be between homo and hetro sexual proclivities It also explores bi- and ambi- sexual natures in very subtle ways. It is interesting, but you will need a lot of patience to get through some of the long takes, some of which include gratuitous crouch shots. (It plays like the Spanish version of the French JEANNE DIELMAN. Or is could have been made by Ming-liang Tsai-- the director of GOODBYE DRAGON INN and THE HOLE and THE RIVER--but not as insightful or fascinating.) Grade----B-
From Tunisia and France comes a film called THE STRING, about a young man who returns after the death of his father, from France to his family estate in Tunisia. His well meaning mother (it's been a long time since we've seen Claudia Cardinale....she looked and seemed more like a grandmother than mother) wants him to marry but he has other plans, mainly the handsome handy man employed at the estate. It's exotic and watchable, as the family members struggle with tradition and change and open sexuality, but I wish it had a bigger punch to it. Grade-----B-
A DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE (from Czech Republic) is a short 60 minutes, but quickly paced film (with too much herky-jerky camera movements for my taste) about a married woman's discovery of her gayness. Her husband is not too happy with her affair with another teacher at her school, and does and says a lot of typical mean things that we have seen before in other movies about infidelity---these things would have been said even if she was seeing a man instead of a woman. Perhaps that is what is so interesting about this film. The actors are quite natural and likable, and the tension between the characters feels real. Grade----B-
From the Bahamas comes CHILDREN OF GOD, an exotic and sumptuous-looking film of an interracial love between two men--an introverted white artist and a sexy, irresponsible black man, but their ethnic differences hardly matter in this ambitious but pointless, convoluted plot. Things get complicated when the black man's mother and his girlfriend (!) show up unannounced. There's also a sub plot where a preacher's wife is spear heading a political anti-gay crusade on the island--her own marriage is troubled by the preacher who has given her a venereal disease because he's on the "down-low." Not very subtle stuff here. Grade-----C
--------------------
On DVD this week was an eight hour BBC version of Charles Dickens MARTIN CHUZZELWIT (1994) with Paul Scofield and Tom Wilkenson. While not as delightful and eyeopening as the recently reviewed LITTLE DORRIT, this intriguing and in depth version was satisfying as drama and for it's cast of wacky, memorable characters. Every actor seemed to really capture something funny or unique about their character's personality. Grade------B+
An action popcorn movie, easy to watch with some great moments by the actors including Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John Malkovitch and Mary Louise Parker, the film R.E.D (which stands for Retired Extremely Dangerous) soon disappears from memory within hours after viewing. The setup has the FBI trying to terminate a retired agent (Willis), but of course he's too good for them in spite of the 25 to 1 odds. He sets out to recruit some other ex-agents to find out why this is happening and discovers that the corruption comes from very high up. The bullets fly, there's lots of running around the country, and far-fetched plotting. Forgettable fun.... Grade-----B-
Two-time Oscar winner Hillary Swank seems to do her best work playing down home, lower class characters (such as her winning performances in BOYS DON'T CRY and MILLION DOLLAR BABY) and she is the main attraction here. In CONVICTION, based on a true story, she spends nearly twenty years trying to free what she believes to be the unlawful incarceration of her beloved brother for murder, going so far as to become a lawyer during the process. It is an intriguing story, but the film making is routine, making it feel more like a quality made-for-TV drama than a theatrical release. The story and the actors keep you interested, however. Grade-----B-
----------------------------------
The following eight films were shown as part of the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival held last week at several theatres. Three of them I saw screened at SIFF last May. But since they may not get anymore of a release than festivals, I'm writing about them as possible DVD rental options, since most were quite good.
Beautifully filmed in a Peruvian coastal fishing village, the Spanish film UNDERTOW tells the story of a young married family man with a child on the way, but he also has a secret lover--a sensual male painter/artist who is viewed with suspicion by the locals. Half way through, the movie takes a surprising turn towards the supernatural, but manages to become a heartfelt and moving love story about tolerance, acceptance and the importance of loyalty. Grade----A-
Documenting the likable comedians and singers from New Zealand, THE TOPP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS tell the story of how twin girls born on a farm grew up to be the famous country/pop/folk singers and entertainers (and they yodel, too!) that they are today.
They are also fierce, but charming activists, fighting racism, sexism, global warming, nuclear proliferation and homophobia. And, yep, they are both lesbians, too. Delightful, funny and informative. Grade----A-
EYES WIDE OPEN (from Israel, in Hebrew with English subtitles) is a very thoughtful and intense drama set in Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox community. A butcher with a wife and children finds repressed homosexual feelings coming to the surface when he hires a handsome young outsider as his assistant. His happiness is quickly conflicted by the pressures of the insidious conformity that the community imposes on anyone who does not live according to the majority laws of their religion and responsibility. Beautifully acted and directed. Grade-----A-
SASHA (Germany/Croatia) is a young handsome teen living with his immigrant Croatian family in Cologne and trying to hide his sexuality from his girlfriend and parents, but when his sexy piano teacher announces that he is moving to Vienna, SASHA must make some big moves of his own. This comedy-drama is quite delightful as a wacky family farce, amusing romantic (mis) adventures, coming out drama, and showing the difficulties of trying to live someone elses dream. Grade-----B+
Oh, those Spanish twenty-somethings. A young man gets jealous of his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend, so he decides to befriend the new boyfriend to stay close to his ex. Since she doesn't want him back, that is his PLAN B (from Argentina). The film moves very slowly as they get to know each other, and is surprisingly contemplative in it's theme of how carefully thin the line can be between homo and hetro sexual proclivities It also explores bi- and ambi- sexual natures in very subtle ways. It is interesting, but you will need a lot of patience to get through some of the long takes, some of which include gratuitous crouch shots. (It plays like the Spanish version of the French JEANNE DIELMAN. Or is could have been made by Ming-liang Tsai-- the director of GOODBYE DRAGON INN and THE HOLE and THE RIVER--but not as insightful or fascinating.) Grade----B-
From Tunisia and France comes a film called THE STRING, about a young man who returns after the death of his father, from France to his family estate in Tunisia. His well meaning mother (it's been a long time since we've seen Claudia Cardinale....she looked and seemed more like a grandmother than mother) wants him to marry but he has other plans, mainly the handsome handy man employed at the estate. It's exotic and watchable, as the family members struggle with tradition and change and open sexuality, but I wish it had a bigger punch to it. Grade-----B-
A DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE (from Czech Republic) is a short 60 minutes, but quickly paced film (with too much herky-jerky camera movements for my taste) about a married woman's discovery of her gayness. Her husband is not too happy with her affair with another teacher at her school, and does and says a lot of typical mean things that we have seen before in other movies about infidelity---these things would have been said even if she was seeing a man instead of a woman. Perhaps that is what is so interesting about this film. The actors are quite natural and likable, and the tension between the characters feels real. Grade----B-
From the Bahamas comes CHILDREN OF GOD, an exotic and sumptuous-looking film of an interracial love between two men--an introverted white artist and a sexy, irresponsible black man, but their ethnic differences hardly matter in this ambitious but pointless, convoluted plot. Things get complicated when the black man's mother and his girlfriend (!) show up unannounced. There's also a sub plot where a preacher's wife is spear heading a political anti-gay crusade on the island--her own marriage is troubled by the preacher who has given her a venereal disease because he's on the "down-low." Not very subtle stuff here. Grade-----C
--------------------
On DVD this week was an eight hour BBC version of Charles Dickens MARTIN CHUZZELWIT (1994) with Paul Scofield and Tom Wilkenson. While not as delightful and eyeopening as the recently reviewed LITTLE DORRIT, this intriguing and in depth version was satisfying as drama and for it's cast of wacky, memorable characters. Every actor seemed to really capture something funny or unique about their character's personality. Grade------B+
Monday, July 5, 2010
5 A's in 3 Days:Please Give, Toy Story 3, City of Your Final Destination, Topp Twins, Daisy Kenyon
Celebrated the Fourth of July with a mini-movie marathon--and all were corkers.
First up is the Pixar sequel to the TOY STORY films, TOY STORY 3, which in spite of the fact that it is showing in 3-D, it was not necessary to see it that way. In fact, I'm coming to the conclusion that the only reason for 3-D in most cases is to bilk an extra $3 from the film-going public. 3-D for me is hard to watch--most of the theatres are not projecting the film in strong enough light, so you end up squinting and getting a headache or strained eyes. And the glasses don't fit over regular glasses very well, so it is uncomfortable to wear them. In this case, the story and script are strong enough that the few swooping 3-D effects weren't that necessary or interesting anyway. The film made us all (four adults) cry at the end, and when was the last time an animated feature made you do that? (CHARLOTTE'S WEB 1973 and RATATOUILLE 2007 spring to mind.) A simple, logical story carries all of life's emotions (joy, laughter, sadness, hatred, love, friendship) and in a most unusual and potentially frightening scene, the acceptance of death by fire (hell?) is explored with graphic and powerful imagery. This is another smart, thoughtful masterpiece of animation. GRADE----- A
Director Nicole Holofcener has directed four very definitive films featuring strong women
and intelligent dialogue and wry contemporary story lines, and all of them have featured Catherine Keener. Interestingly enough, she looks a lot like Keener, too.
Her first film is the cult favorite WALKING AND TALKING (1996) with Anne Heche, followed by LOVELY AND AMAZING (2001) with the memorable Brenda Blythen, FRIENDS WITH MONEY (2006) with the amazing Frances McDormand and Jennifer Aniston, and now her new film called PLEASE GIVE which also features a strong cast including Oliver Platt, Rebecca Hall, and Amanda Peet. But it is Catherine Keener's film, and she gives the most un-neurotic performance of her career. She's a bleeding heart liberal embarrassed by her successful chic furniture store--the film is character driven, so we see her interact with her neighbors and clients and daughter and husband. See also her Oscar nominated performances BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999) and CAPOTE (2005). PLEASE GIVE is a smart, intelligent comedy drama with strong uses of the streets and attitudes of New York City (Holofcener also directed some episodes of TV's SEX IN THE CITY.) GRADE------- A-
THE CITY OF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION is the latest from James Ivory, and it is a low-key, subtle story set mostly in Uruguay of a young professor who visits the family of a dead author to get permission to write his biography, but meets some resistance from the widow (a tightly clenched Laura Linney) and the gay brother (Anthony Hopkins) and the mistress with whom the author had had a child. The plot is secondary to the leisurely mood, the flavor of the characters, the boredom of living in so much seclusion, and the pleasure of watching the relationships between the characters change and develop. For serious film-goers it is a thoughtful, unique treat. GRADE------- A-
The surprise winner of this year's Best Foreign Language film, THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES is still playing a long (but limited) run. I can see what was so attractive for Academy voters. This Spanish film plays like a murder mystery (think TV's COLD CASE). A now retired law clerk investigator is troubled by a 25 year old murder and does some research to settle his mind about the ambiguities of the case, and in so doing reopens his love interest in his old boss with whom he almost had a relationship, but she got married when they had a miscommunication long ago. There are a couple of surprise twists, although the final shocker I guessed correctly about 10 minutes before it is revealed. Well made and engrossing thriller. GRADE------ B+
It plays exactly like you think it will play, but that is enough, because the cast is so likable in the new comedy CYRUS. John C. Riley is in check, and a very charming actor this go-around. As he states early on, he's a SHREK, so when he meets and clicks with the lovely Marisa Tomei (MY COUSIN VINNY, THE WRESTLER) he can't believe it. Then he meets her son Jonah Hill (who is so funny in GET HIM TO THE GREEK) who has a possessive thing for mama, and the conflict leads to ---well, it leads to exactly where you think it will lead. GRADE------B
Watched a DVD of one of the top SIFF documentaries TOPP TWINS : UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS that I purchased at SIFF and it is still a funny and informative story of their lives up to now. What struck me this time is the humor each has towards their career and lives, and how their personal story is so involved in the history of New Zealand and Kiwi politics. U.S. politics seems like a shadow when it comes to be compared with New Zealand's social politics--dealing with indigenous land rights, gay rights, women rights, nuclear proliferation and other issues, New Zealand is much more progressive. Hopefully this will have a theatrical run--or watch for this on DVD soon. GRADE------ A-
I'd never heard of DAISY KENYON (1947) but my wife caught part of it on TV and ordered it through Net Flix. This is a very smart and adult love triangle story, directed by the notoriously fine Otto Preminger just before he started to explore his big themes in the late 50's like drug addiction, homosexuality, interracial love, etc. , and the cast is top notch. Independent Joan Crawford, who may have been a bit old for this part but still engages our sympathies, is mistress to an arrogant married lawyer (Dana Andrews, who of course promises to divorce his wife Ruth Warrick when the time is right...) but then she becomes attracted to Henry Fonda, just back from the war and an odd, emotional wreck. The film really plays with our sympathies and keeps us guessing which guy she will end up with, but also includes subplots of child abuse, Japanese internment during WW2, and infidelity. And I kept wondering--these are the only choices Joan has?!? This is filmed like a moody film noir, with characters going into and out of shadows, and music and direction suggesting suspense and tension, but it really keeps you on your toes, and has some great lines. This could be the lost classic of the year, so definitely look for it. GRADE----- A-
Bottom of the barrel this week was the recent version of THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 (2009) which takes the sly, cynical, humorous mood and plot of the original 1974 film with Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw and turns up the volume 100%, but to diminishing results. The camera work is herky jerky, the sound is deafening, and the subtlety is gone. In an effort to update the plot, they make Washington's character a suspected white collar criminal (!?!) and Travolta's character a cruel revenge seeking psychopath. In today's world I don't think they could do the things the 1974 version got away with. I did enjoy the efforts of Denzel Washington to bring some depth to an awkwardly written role, but mostly I was just glad when it was finally over. I plan on watching the original classic again soon so make sure to order the original from 1974 when you request it on DVD. GRADE------ C-
First up is the Pixar sequel to the TOY STORY films, TOY STORY 3, which in spite of the fact that it is showing in 3-D, it was not necessary to see it that way. In fact, I'm coming to the conclusion that the only reason for 3-D in most cases is to bilk an extra $3 from the film-going public. 3-D for me is hard to watch--most of the theatres are not projecting the film in strong enough light, so you end up squinting and getting a headache or strained eyes. And the glasses don't fit over regular glasses very well, so it is uncomfortable to wear them. In this case, the story and script are strong enough that the few swooping 3-D effects weren't that necessary or interesting anyway. The film made us all (four adults) cry at the end, and when was the last time an animated feature made you do that? (CHARLOTTE'S WEB 1973 and RATATOUILLE 2007 spring to mind.) A simple, logical story carries all of life's emotions (joy, laughter, sadness, hatred, love, friendship) and in a most unusual and potentially frightening scene, the acceptance of death by fire (hell?) is explored with graphic and powerful imagery. This is another smart, thoughtful masterpiece of animation. GRADE----- A
Director Nicole Holofcener has directed four very definitive films featuring strong women
and intelligent dialogue and wry contemporary story lines, and all of them have featured Catherine Keener. Interestingly enough, she looks a lot like Keener, too.
Her first film is the cult favorite WALKING AND TALKING (1996) with Anne Heche, followed by LOVELY AND AMAZING (2001) with the memorable Brenda Blythen, FRIENDS WITH MONEY (2006) with the amazing Frances McDormand and Jennifer Aniston, and now her new film called PLEASE GIVE which also features a strong cast including Oliver Platt, Rebecca Hall, and Amanda Peet. But it is Catherine Keener's film, and she gives the most un-neurotic performance of her career. She's a bleeding heart liberal embarrassed by her successful chic furniture store--the film is character driven, so we see her interact with her neighbors and clients and daughter and husband. See also her Oscar nominated performances BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999) and CAPOTE (2005). PLEASE GIVE is a smart, intelligent comedy drama with strong uses of the streets and attitudes of New York City (Holofcener also directed some episodes of TV's SEX IN THE CITY.) GRADE------- A-
THE CITY OF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION is the latest from James Ivory, and it is a low-key, subtle story set mostly in Uruguay of a young professor who visits the family of a dead author to get permission to write his biography, but meets some resistance from the widow (a tightly clenched Laura Linney) and the gay brother (Anthony Hopkins) and the mistress with whom the author had had a child. The plot is secondary to the leisurely mood, the flavor of the characters, the boredom of living in so much seclusion, and the pleasure of watching the relationships between the characters change and develop. For serious film-goers it is a thoughtful, unique treat. GRADE------- A-
The surprise winner of this year's Best Foreign Language film, THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES is still playing a long (but limited) run. I can see what was so attractive for Academy voters. This Spanish film plays like a murder mystery (think TV's COLD CASE). A now retired law clerk investigator is troubled by a 25 year old murder and does some research to settle his mind about the ambiguities of the case, and in so doing reopens his love interest in his old boss with whom he almost had a relationship, but she got married when they had a miscommunication long ago. There are a couple of surprise twists, although the final shocker I guessed correctly about 10 minutes before it is revealed. Well made and engrossing thriller. GRADE------ B+
It plays exactly like you think it will play, but that is enough, because the cast is so likable in the new comedy CYRUS. John C. Riley is in check, and a very charming actor this go-around. As he states early on, he's a SHREK, so when he meets and clicks with the lovely Marisa Tomei (MY COUSIN VINNY, THE WRESTLER) he can't believe it. Then he meets her son Jonah Hill (who is so funny in GET HIM TO THE GREEK) who has a possessive thing for mama, and the conflict leads to ---well, it leads to exactly where you think it will lead. GRADE------B
Watched a DVD of one of the top SIFF documentaries TOPP TWINS : UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS that I purchased at SIFF and it is still a funny and informative story of their lives up to now. What struck me this time is the humor each has towards their career and lives, and how their personal story is so involved in the history of New Zealand and Kiwi politics. U.S. politics seems like a shadow when it comes to be compared with New Zealand's social politics--dealing with indigenous land rights, gay rights, women rights, nuclear proliferation and other issues, New Zealand is much more progressive. Hopefully this will have a theatrical run--or watch for this on DVD soon. GRADE------ A-
I'd never heard of DAISY KENYON (1947) but my wife caught part of it on TV and ordered it through Net Flix. This is a very smart and adult love triangle story, directed by the notoriously fine Otto Preminger just before he started to explore his big themes in the late 50's like drug addiction, homosexuality, interracial love, etc. , and the cast is top notch. Independent Joan Crawford, who may have been a bit old for this part but still engages our sympathies, is mistress to an arrogant married lawyer (Dana Andrews, who of course promises to divorce his wife Ruth Warrick when the time is right...) but then she becomes attracted to Henry Fonda, just back from the war and an odd, emotional wreck. The film really plays with our sympathies and keeps us guessing which guy she will end up with, but also includes subplots of child abuse, Japanese internment during WW2, and infidelity. And I kept wondering--these are the only choices Joan has?!? This is filmed like a moody film noir, with characters going into and out of shadows, and music and direction suggesting suspense and tension, but it really keeps you on your toes, and has some great lines. This could be the lost classic of the year, so definitely look for it. GRADE----- A-
Bottom of the barrel this week was the recent version of THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 (2009) which takes the sly, cynical, humorous mood and plot of the original 1974 film with Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw and turns up the volume 100%, but to diminishing results. The camera work is herky jerky, the sound is deafening, and the subtlety is gone. In an effort to update the plot, they make Washington's character a suspected white collar criminal (!?!) and Travolta's character a cruel revenge seeking psychopath. In today's world I don't think they could do the things the 1974 version got away with. I did enjoy the efforts of Denzel Washington to bring some depth to an awkwardly written role, but mostly I was just glad when it was finally over. I plan on watching the original classic again soon so make sure to order the original from 1974 when you request it on DVD. GRADE------ C-
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)