Here are more films from the upcoming SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2012 that I can, for the most part, recommend.
A long haul trucker from Argentina is annoyed when a woman he is asked to drive over 900 miles to Buenos Aires shows up with a babe-in-arms in the lovely LAS ACACIAS. As expected, his gruff demeanor starts to melt as the baby starts to steal the film. The film works very well as a prolonged character study of two lonely people, and there is a lot of tension as they start to "connect." This is a priceless little film. GRADE------A-
This film called TEY from Senegal is what I would call a typical FILM FESTIVAL movie--you might never have a chance to see it any other place, and it most certainly appeals to film-goers who like exotic, ambiguous fables that transcend subject matter with lyrical, moving moments of cinematic poetry. Satche, the main character, is a middle aged man who spends his last day alive on earth visiting friends and family, yet we never know why he is going to die. Somehow it doesn't matter, in the moving, poetic TEY. GRADE-------A-
Filmed in the Southwest but well produced in Washington state with local director Megan Griffiths, the suspense film EDEN is based on a true story of a teen who is kidnapped and forced into prostitution. The film (at times gratefully) pulls its punches when dealing with sexual slavery--the details are skimmed over, but still manages to suck the viewer into this tawdry world in an engrossing and well filmed manner. The actors are quite effective, especially the surprisingly insidious Beau Bridges. GRADE-------B+
I normally LOVE French Canadian films, so in spite of some awkward plotting and motivations, the lavishly photographed and well acted production WETLANDS impresses. A struggling farm family must deal with mourning, debt, sex and loneliness as they try to keep the farm afloat. GRADE-------B
Several films below were certainly worth seeing, but they have some issues that make me hesitant to give them a grade higher than the cut off point of B-.
Three young, beautiful and occasionally naked people fall in love in the Brazilian/Spanish film THE SEX OF THE ANGELS, which wants to take the bisexual theme seriously (two men and one woman), but keeps glossing over some more important issues, and there are at least two scenes that come off as totally unbelievable. Still this is easy to watch eye-candy. GRADE-------B-
This epic documentary HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE about the political efforts of ACT UP and TAG--two organizations in the 1980's that provided publicity and support in the efforts to make AIDS an important issue for the complacent US government (and general population), is a mixed bag. Alternately moving and chaotic, inhumane and joyous, preachy and critical, dry and emotional, intelligent and yet reactive, dull yet at times enthralling, this film is all over the map. I learned a lot, but I wish it had been better edited, with the focus kept more on the personalities, which are moving, and less on the politics. GRADE--------B-
The once beautiful, now polluted lake village in Kashmir is the setting of this pretty but languid film VALLEY OF SAINTS about an aimless young man who wants to leave his village but becomes fascinated with a female researcher who is trying to find ways to rescue the lake (and village) from suffocating in pollution. The environmental issues seem important, but they distract in a clinical way from the relationship themes the man is experiencing. GRADE--------B-
The intriguing premise and visuals of THE MEXICAN SUITCASE are sabotaged by some dull, confusing narration. After 75 years, a suitcase holding 4,500 negatives from world famous photographers Robert Capa, Gerda Taro and David Seymour, taken during the Spanish Civil War, are discovered in a closet and now on display in museums and in books. Unfortunately, the film makers assume that the viewer knows all about the Spanish Civil War, and all about the photographers, which mad me feel lost and unfulfilled while watching this documentary. GRADE-------B-
Pleasant but minor comedy drama SLEEPWALK WITH ME, which plays like a lessor Woody Allen film, this is "based on a true story" of THIS AMERICAN LIFE (radio show) contributor Mike Birbiglia, who finds that commitment to his long time girlfriend is maybe something he can't continue, especially when the "marriage" subject comes up. Birbiglia stars along with Lauren Ambrose, Carol Kane, James Rebhorn and others. GRADE-------B-
An 11 year old boy living with his grandmother, is taken out for a (long) day by his ex-con uncle, who one quickly realises has not yet been rehabilitated. The uncle wants to "make a man" out of this child. There are some very intense, disturbing scenes in LUV as the uncle takes him on his "business" deals, which include real estate transactions, drug dealing, teaching him to drive, and murder. A number of plot points stretch credibility, but the cast which includes Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton, Lonette McKee and Common is effective. GRADE-------C+
Monday, May 14, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
Terrific AVENGERS, and notes of SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2012!!!!!
There is no herky jerky camera work, every character is well played and has a lot to do, the plotting is logical (for science fiction, that is) and easy to follow, the special effects feel visionary and clear, the photography and editing are sharp and vivid (in 2D) and overall, I thought the new film MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS is really terrific---the first great action sci-fi of the year. I was especially impressed with Tom Hiddleston, who plays the villain Hoki, evil brother of Thor. He was the best thing in last year's THOR and brought some sensitivity and depth to his evilness. Adding Mark Ruffalo as Bruce (Hulk) Banner, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye and Scarlett Johanson as the Black Widow really adds some classy and humorous actors to the already established entourage of Robert Downey's Iron Man and Chris Evans Captain America. Only Thor's Chris Hemsworth seemed a little flat to me. Other supporting characters sparkle, like Gregg Clark and Gweneth Paltrow and Stellan Skarsgard. The film takes it's time to establish the characters and relationships. Kudos to Joss Whedon who directed and wrote the screenplay; he really knows how to create fascinating stories and characters---see his other creations like BUFFY VAMPIRE SLAYER, SERENITY, and FIREFLY. I eagerly look forward to the sequel. GRADE-----A-
Speaking of science fiction, I forgot to comment on LOGAN'S RUN (1976) from several weeks ago. It holds up as a sexy, creative story of humanity on the run from an impersonal, dehumanizing society. Michael York play Logan, sort of like a futuristic police man, who tries to keep 30 year olds from running away from certain death--no one is allowed to live beyond 30, so they are tricked into believing they are "retiring" to a better place. Outside the sterile city he finds the truth. Old man Peter Ustinov is there to fill in the gaps, with some humor, and Jenny Agutter is there to keep him warm and together they like to get naked. There have been many films with similar themes, but this one seems so charming and innocent. Apparently it is being remade with Ryan Gosling in the lead. GRADE-------B
-------------------------
1st SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Report
_________________
HIGH GROUND--This powerful US documentary follows a dozen disabled veterans from the Afghan/Iran conflict as they scale Mt Everest, sharing emotional stories and personal revelations. Spellbinding, with exquisite photography and production values. GRADE-----A
STARBUCK----Pleasing French Canadian comedy about an irresponsible man/child who apparently has fathered dozens of children due to his sperm bank donations, and now they all want to meet him! GRADE----A-
ELENA----Psychological character study of Russian woman married to a rich man. She struggles to keep her inheritance from him in tact. Fascinating art/set direction, and well acted, gripping, twisted, understated. GRADE----B+
POLISSE---Engrossing French police thriller about cops working in the Child Protective Unit. There are a lot of stories and characters intertwined, and, surprisingly, a lot of humor. GRADE------B+
CRACKS IN THE SHELL---Solid German film centered on a stressed out drama student, who must balance home life, her naivety, and a demanding director when she lands her first starring role. Shades of BLACK SWAN and WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE, and just as powerfully acted.
THE DO-DECA-PENTATHLON---If it weren't for the silly, aggressive hand held camera jitters, I'd give this funny, independent Duplass brothers film an "A"--- The story has two super-competitive brothers trying to one-up-each other at a weekend-long birthday party, but it hits close to home on many levels, especially by dissecting the man-child syndrome. GRADE-----B+
SUPERCLASICO---Pleasant, comic film from Denmark. Depressed man (with his teen aged son) follows his estranged wife and her soccer-star lover to Argentina in an effort to win her back. Visually amusing and stylish (especially dancing cockroaches!). GRADE------B
STARRY STARRY NIGHT---A production of China and Korea, but quite Western in style and visuals, this is based on a children's book, about a teen ager whose parents are going through divorce, so she throws herself into a fantasy world with another teen boy. A curious film, creatively stylish and beautiful to watch, but it maintains a cool distance. GRADE------B
SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED---This US independent film starts slowly, as some young journalists try to find the real story of an eccentric, possibly loony, clerk (Mark Duplass) who claims to know about time travel. The film warms up as the characters become more developed, and the humor and Pacific Northwest scenery add a lot of interest. GRADE-----B
FAT KID RULES THE WORLD----Well filmed in Seattle, this modest story tells of a fat, outcast student who becomes involved with a drug addict while trying to form a punk rock band. The actors are all great, especially Billy Campbell as the ex-Marine father who tries to balance being a good parent with protecting his struggling teen from the grittiness of life.
GRADE----------B
AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY---Informative US/China documentary on political artist Weiwei, who was recently "arrested and detained" for several months for criticizing the Chinese government. His art works are highly symbolic forms of criticism, also, but I did get a bit tired of the middle finger which is used in a lot of his work. GRADE-------B
TRUE WOLF---Well intentioned, serious US documentary about a wolf born in captivity, and raised by humans. Unfortunately, the photography is grainy, the narration is repetitive, the film makers have a strong single mindedness (that wolves should be allowed to live all over the wild---an idea to which I'm not opposed), and the theme has been done much better in the past---particularly with last year's PROJECT NIM. GRADE------C
38 WITNESSES----A French thriller without any thrills, this slow moving drama about an urban neighborhood that ignores the screams of a woman being stabbed to death, takes one hour to get to the point, then seems to fizzle away without any climax. GRADE------C-
I will write about more films next weekend---I recommend any film rated B- or higher.
Speaking of science fiction, I forgot to comment on LOGAN'S RUN (1976) from several weeks ago. It holds up as a sexy, creative story of humanity on the run from an impersonal, dehumanizing society. Michael York play Logan, sort of like a futuristic police man, who tries to keep 30 year olds from running away from certain death--no one is allowed to live beyond 30, so they are tricked into believing they are "retiring" to a better place. Outside the sterile city he finds the truth. Old man Peter Ustinov is there to fill in the gaps, with some humor, and Jenny Agutter is there to keep him warm and together they like to get naked. There have been many films with similar themes, but this one seems so charming and innocent. Apparently it is being remade with Ryan Gosling in the lead. GRADE-------B
-------------------------
1st SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Report
_________________
HIGH GROUND--This powerful US documentary follows a dozen disabled veterans from the Afghan/Iran conflict as they scale Mt Everest, sharing emotional stories and personal revelations. Spellbinding, with exquisite photography and production values. GRADE-----A
STARBUCK----Pleasing French Canadian comedy about an irresponsible man/child who apparently has fathered dozens of children due to his sperm bank donations, and now they all want to meet him! GRADE----A-
ELENA----Psychological character study of Russian woman married to a rich man. She struggles to keep her inheritance from him in tact. Fascinating art/set direction, and well acted, gripping, twisted, understated. GRADE----B+
POLISSE---Engrossing French police thriller about cops working in the Child Protective Unit. There are a lot of stories and characters intertwined, and, surprisingly, a lot of humor. GRADE------B+
CRACKS IN THE SHELL---Solid German film centered on a stressed out drama student, who must balance home life, her naivety, and a demanding director when she lands her first starring role. Shades of BLACK SWAN and WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE, and just as powerfully acted.
THE DO-DECA-PENTATHLON---If it weren't for the silly, aggressive hand held camera jitters, I'd give this funny, independent Duplass brothers film an "A"--- The story has two super-competitive brothers trying to one-up-each other at a weekend-long birthday party, but it hits close to home on many levels, especially by dissecting the man-child syndrome. GRADE-----B+
SUPERCLASICO---Pleasant, comic film from Denmark. Depressed man (with his teen aged son) follows his estranged wife and her soccer-star lover to Argentina in an effort to win her back. Visually amusing and stylish (especially dancing cockroaches!). GRADE------B
STARRY STARRY NIGHT---A production of China and Korea, but quite Western in style and visuals, this is based on a children's book, about a teen ager whose parents are going through divorce, so she throws herself into a fantasy world with another teen boy. A curious film, creatively stylish and beautiful to watch, but it maintains a cool distance. GRADE------B
SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED---This US independent film starts slowly, as some young journalists try to find the real story of an eccentric, possibly loony, clerk (Mark Duplass) who claims to know about time travel. The film warms up as the characters become more developed, and the humor and Pacific Northwest scenery add a lot of interest. GRADE-----B
FAT KID RULES THE WORLD----Well filmed in Seattle, this modest story tells of a fat, outcast student who becomes involved with a drug addict while trying to form a punk rock band. The actors are all great, especially Billy Campbell as the ex-Marine father who tries to balance being a good parent with protecting his struggling teen from the grittiness of life.
GRADE----------B
AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY---Informative US/China documentary on political artist Weiwei, who was recently "arrested and detained" for several months for criticizing the Chinese government. His art works are highly symbolic forms of criticism, also, but I did get a bit tired of the middle finger which is used in a lot of his work. GRADE-------B
TRUE WOLF---Well intentioned, serious US documentary about a wolf born in captivity, and raised by humans. Unfortunately, the photography is grainy, the narration is repetitive, the film makers have a strong single mindedness (that wolves should be allowed to live all over the wild---an idea to which I'm not opposed), and the theme has been done much better in the past---particularly with last year's PROJECT NIM. GRADE------C
38 WITNESSES----A French thriller without any thrills, this slow moving drama about an urban neighborhood that ignores the screams of a woman being stabbed to death, takes one hour to get to the point, then seems to fizzle away without any climax. GRADE------C-
I will write about more films next weekend---I recommend any film rated B- or higher.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
PINA 3D, FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT, KID W/A BIKE, THINK LIKE A MAN, THE FAIRY
Finally caught up with PINA 3D, and what a treat. It puts you right into the dance performance as if you had front row seats at McCaw Hall. In this case the 3D was subtle, but possibly still unnecessary, but I did enjoy the way the dancers seemed to float in air at times. As a film, there is no story or narrative, and one doesn't really get any biography of Pina Bausch, a German dancer and choreographer, but we do get excited for the creative process and the dedication she put into her work. A must see for lovers of modern dance. GRADE------A
This years BRIDESMAIDS, in theme, at least, is the warm and hilarious comedy THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT, which features a wonderful coupling of two very likable actors--Jason Segel (TV's HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER) and Emily Blunt (see the delightful SALMON FISHING IN YEMEN). It is directed by Nicholas Stoller, who made one of my favorite recent comedies GET HIM TO THE GREEK (2010). The opening 20 minutes is a riot, and the final 20 minutes is very sweetly memorable, and in between it is funny, moving, charming, and immensely entertaining. GRADE--------A-
Film makers Luc and Jean Pierre Dardenne have made a number of memorable films together, many of them featuring children. These include LA PROMESSE (1996), ROSETTA (1999), and L'INFANT (2005). Their new film KID WITH A BIKE also features a young boy who has been abandoned by his birth father and turns to a single hairstylist for attention. Actor Jeremie Renier has appeared in most of their films, ---in L'ENFANT he played the father who tries to sell his baby for money, without the mother knowing. In KID he's the flaky father, and it almost plays like a sequel to that earlier heart breaking film. KID W/ A BIKE is another moving look at struggling children looking for love (see LA PROMESSE and ROSETTA). GRADE-------B
THE FAIRY (LA FEE) is a charming, slapstick, nearly silent French film created by actor/writer/producers Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Bruno Romy, the team responsible for L'ICEBERG (2005) and RUMBA (2008), and the three films are very much in the same style. The sets are whimsical, the actors deadpan and engaging, and the stories are sweet, quirky and at times funny. The humor may not be appreciated by everyone--sometimes, if you do not have the patience to wait for the payoffs in each scene, you may grow weary of watching. But you have to admire the creative world that each film creates. Like Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton, the pratfalls are everything and the characters are always endearing. You can give me these films any day over the manipulative THE ARTIST. GRADE-------B
Based on the Steve Harvey best seller, THINK LIKE A MAN is a smart, amusing sex comedy where 4 women try to get their men to change by applying the rules in the book to their relationships. When the men learn about this conspiracy, they try to turn the tables. It is a satisfyingly acted and plotted entertainment. Standout is Taraji P. Henson who raised BENJAMIN BUTTON (2008)from "infancy." She plays a sexy, corporate mogul who wouldn't dream of dating a younger man, much less one who is unemployed. It is refreshing to see a film that features a mostly African American cast where there are no gangsters, drug dealers, pimps, ghetto talk or Atlanta housewives. GRADE-------B
Shown last year at SIFF, NATURAL SELECTION had a brief run last week. When a woman realizes that her husband has fathered a child through a sperm bank --the reason he hasn't touched her sexually for many years--she sets out on a road trip to find him and bring him back to meet his biological father. The characters are determinedly "white trash" in language and attitude, and I hated the first hour. But as the characters start to learn about each other, we learn, and start to care, about them. It's a strange mix of humor, pathos and drama, but by the end it becomes moving. GRADE--------B---
______________ DVD SELECTIONS OF THE WEEK ______________
One of my favorite actresses stars in HOT MILLIONS (1968). Maggie Smith nearly steals every movie she's in, and this one is no exception. I'm normally no fan of Peter Ustinov, but he was pretty funny in this one, and Karl Malden has his moments. It is amusing to see how they try to steal from a "computer"----a giant boxy machine. Obviously dated, but still sly and sweet. GRADE--------B-
James Cagney stars in "G" MEN (1935)--a no nonsense action film about an FBI agent trying to avenge a friend's death. It was fun to watch, if rather routine. GRADE-----B-
CITY OF CONQUEST (1940) features James Cagney as a (short) boxer, with a classical musician brother and a faithful girlfriend (Ann Sheridan), but it wasn't very believable. GRADE-------C
The 6th film of Natalie Wood that I've seen this month is INSIDE DAISY CLOVER (1965). In spite of the fact that Alan J. Pakula produced and Robert Mulligan directed, and Robert Redford, Roddy McDowall and Christopher Plummer are in the cast, the film is an odd, trite story of a young (!?) 15 year old woman (a miscast Wood--she was a whopping 27 years old at the time) who makes it to the top in show biz, then back down again, in two years. It is trite, cliched and very nearly a dud. Only the quirky, ornery Ruth Gordon emerges unscathed. GRADE------D
COMING NEXT WEEK---THE FIRST REPORTS FROM THE Seattle International Film Festival 2012!!!
This years BRIDESMAIDS, in theme, at least, is the warm and hilarious comedy THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT, which features a wonderful coupling of two very likable actors--Jason Segel (TV's HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER) and Emily Blunt (see the delightful SALMON FISHING IN YEMEN). It is directed by Nicholas Stoller, who made one of my favorite recent comedies GET HIM TO THE GREEK (2010). The opening 20 minutes is a riot, and the final 20 minutes is very sweetly memorable, and in between it is funny, moving, charming, and immensely entertaining. GRADE--------A-
Film makers Luc and Jean Pierre Dardenne have made a number of memorable films together, many of them featuring children. These include LA PROMESSE (1996), ROSETTA (1999), and L'INFANT (2005). Their new film KID WITH A BIKE also features a young boy who has been abandoned by his birth father and turns to a single hairstylist for attention. Actor Jeremie Renier has appeared in most of their films, ---in L'ENFANT he played the father who tries to sell his baby for money, without the mother knowing. In KID he's the flaky father, and it almost plays like a sequel to that earlier heart breaking film. KID W/ A BIKE is another moving look at struggling children looking for love (see LA PROMESSE and ROSETTA). GRADE-------B
THE FAIRY (LA FEE) is a charming, slapstick, nearly silent French film created by actor/writer/producers Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Bruno Romy, the team responsible for L'ICEBERG (2005) and RUMBA (2008), and the three films are very much in the same style. The sets are whimsical, the actors deadpan and engaging, and the stories are sweet, quirky and at times funny. The humor may not be appreciated by everyone--sometimes, if you do not have the patience to wait for the payoffs in each scene, you may grow weary of watching. But you have to admire the creative world that each film creates. Like Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton, the pratfalls are everything and the characters are always endearing. You can give me these films any day over the manipulative THE ARTIST. GRADE-------B
Based on the Steve Harvey best seller, THINK LIKE A MAN is a smart, amusing sex comedy where 4 women try to get their men to change by applying the rules in the book to their relationships. When the men learn about this conspiracy, they try to turn the tables. It is a satisfyingly acted and plotted entertainment. Standout is Taraji P. Henson who raised BENJAMIN BUTTON (2008)from "infancy." She plays a sexy, corporate mogul who wouldn't dream of dating a younger man, much less one who is unemployed. It is refreshing to see a film that features a mostly African American cast where there are no gangsters, drug dealers, pimps, ghetto talk or Atlanta housewives. GRADE-------B
Shown last year at SIFF, NATURAL SELECTION had a brief run last week. When a woman realizes that her husband has fathered a child through a sperm bank --the reason he hasn't touched her sexually for many years--she sets out on a road trip to find him and bring him back to meet his biological father. The characters are determinedly "white trash" in language and attitude, and I hated the first hour. But as the characters start to learn about each other, we learn, and start to care, about them. It's a strange mix of humor, pathos and drama, but by the end it becomes moving. GRADE--------B---
______________ DVD SELECTIONS OF THE WEEK ______________
One of my favorite actresses stars in HOT MILLIONS (1968). Maggie Smith nearly steals every movie she's in, and this one is no exception. I'm normally no fan of Peter Ustinov, but he was pretty funny in this one, and Karl Malden has his moments. It is amusing to see how they try to steal from a "computer"----a giant boxy machine. Obviously dated, but still sly and sweet. GRADE--------B-
James Cagney stars in "G" MEN (1935)--a no nonsense action film about an FBI agent trying to avenge a friend's death. It was fun to watch, if rather routine. GRADE-----B-
CITY OF CONQUEST (1940) features James Cagney as a (short) boxer, with a classical musician brother and a faithful girlfriend (Ann Sheridan), but it wasn't very believable. GRADE-------C
The 6th film of Natalie Wood that I've seen this month is INSIDE DAISY CLOVER (1965). In spite of the fact that Alan J. Pakula produced and Robert Mulligan directed, and Robert Redford, Roddy McDowall and Christopher Plummer are in the cast, the film is an odd, trite story of a young (!?) 15 year old woman (a miscast Wood--she was a whopping 27 years old at the time) who makes it to the top in show biz, then back down again, in two years. It is trite, cliched and very nearly a dud. Only the quirky, ornery Ruth Gordon emerges unscathed. GRADE------D
COMING NEXT WEEK---THE FIRST REPORTS FROM THE Seattle International Film Festival 2012!!!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
HUNGER GAMES nearly ruined, JOHN CARTER better than expected, fine SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY, WANDERLUST, FRIENDS w/KIDS, SALMON FISHING IN YEMEN
Had a nine day break driving parents home from Palm Springs area, so I'm backlogged with film comments this week.
Top of the list is the Disney production of the Japanese animated film THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY (KARI-GURASHI NO ARIETTI) which is a different version of THE BORROWERS--but it features possibly the loveliest animation and story and heartfelt scenes of them all. I was fascinated by every fascinating frame. GRADE------A-
A big subtle surprise for me was the British film SALMON FISHING IN YEMEN, which manages to combine a sweet, moving love story, a metaphysical discourse on salmon fishing, middle-East politics complete with terrorism, and the buffooning of British policies toward Yemen and itself. When a billionaire sheik wants to set up a salmon run in Yemen, the British Prime Minister's eager press secretary Kristin Scott-Thomas pressures scientist Ewan McGregor and the sheik's financial advisor (Emily Blunt) to push forward on the unlikely project. There are a number of amusing scenes and situations, and a handful of surprises, but the overall tone is elegant and earnest, and in spite of some plot missteps toward the end, the film is very pleasing. GRADE-----B+
Here is a case of an excellent story, characters and direction, being sabotaged by some very ill advised and aggressive HAND HELD CAMERA imagery that really distracts from what is otherwise an engrossing and exciting science fiction story about sometime in the future where young teens are filmed fighting to the death in search of glory for the district that they represent. The film THE HUNGER GAMES has some themes similar to THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (where humans hunt and kill humans), THE NAKED PREY and perhaps LORD OF THE FLIES, but it is quite exciting and original in the society it tries to portray, and the mostly young actors are quite effective. Now, if they can just terminate that 11 year old cinematographer using the hand held camera on roller skates, and decently frame the action so we can clearly see what is happening, instead of turning our head away from dizziness, then perhaps we'd have a true, "A" grade classic on our hands. For now,..........GRADE------B+
Based on the stories written by TARZAN author Edgar Rice Burroughs (based on his story A PRINCESS OF MARS), the new film JOHN CARTER suffers from unknown name recognition from most of the masses. Too bad, because JOHN CARTER is a lot of fun for the sci-fi fan. It reminded me of some of the STAR WARS films, with many scenes shot in desert like country, and there is a lot of humor with some of the creatures and aliens that appear. A main species is similar (in a good way) to Jar Jar Binks character (from STAR WARS: ATTACH OF THE CLONES), with the humor, floppy ears, and in this case, four arms. It's an impressive pop-corn movie and deserves to be seen by a greater audience. GRADE---------B
Two films with similar struggling 30-something characters were seen nearly back to back, and I enjoyed them both. First was WANDERLUST with Jennifer Anniston and Paul Rudd as yuppies who drop out of the Manhattan grind, and find themselves attracted to communal living, with hilarious results. I laughed so hard at times during this film that I had to stop eating my smuggled in donut, which was causing me to choke. Paul Rudd and Jennifer Anniston have such great chemistry that it feels like they've made half a dozen films together, instead of just two. The earlier film THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION (1998) is a minor, but feel good film of a woman who is in love with a gay man. But I can't help but think that these two could become the modern day Katherine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy duo if they can find material as funny and bright as WANDERLUST. A few days later I went to see FRIENDS WITH KIDS, about six friends (two couples and two singles) who find their lives changing when kids enter the picture. The two singles---best friends but not lovers-- decide to have a baby without the hassle of marriage or commitment, and all the while still dating others to find the ONE......and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how this one will turn out. The film gets quite serious during the last 20 minutes, but the cast which includes several from last year's comedy hit BRIDESMAIDS, including Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Chris O'Dowd, is headed by Adam Scott (TV's Community) and writer/director Jennifer Westfeldt (KISSING JENNIFER STEIN 2001). There are a lot of laughs and some insightful and thoughtful scenarios. WANDERLUST and FRIENDS WITH KIDS both----- GRADE-----B.
---------------------------
DVD's watched this past two weeks include several featuring Gary Cooper, and several
featuring Natalie Wood.
My favorite "find" is the Elia Kazan film SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS (1961) based on the play and novel by William Inge--he won the screenplay OSCAR for this film. Natalie Wood stars as a teenager who falls in love with the handsome football star, but due to repressed sexual urges finds herself suffering heartbreak and mental anguish. This was Warren Beatty's first film. Both are terrific, and the sensitive film and story belies cliches. It actually features a positive view of mental health institutions, and there are no villains in the plot--only the frustrations of time and place (1928, small town in Kansas) to keep us engrossed.
GRADE--------A-
Fred Zinneman's production of THE DAY OF THE JACKAL (1973) remains an excellent thriller about the based on true story of the attempt to kill French president Charles de Gaulle in the 1960's. It closely follows the "Jackal" Edward Fox, who is hired to assassinate the president, as he meticulously prepares for his mission, and the tension is palpable and fascinating. I've seen this film a dozen times, and never fail to fall under it's grip. GRADE--------A-
Right after she made WEST SIDE STORY (1961), Natalie Wood starred in the film GYPSY (1962) which featured music by Stephen Sondheim, and was choreographed and co-directed (with Mervyn LeRoy) by Jerome Robbins. It takes a awhile for her character to appear--she is the untalented daughter of the ultimate pushy stage mother, played by an over the top Rosalind Russell, who when her more talented daughter runs off with a young man, and others in the vaudeville troup have quit, determinedly sings to Natalie Wood that
We recently saw the stage version of MAMMA MIA! so we wanted to compare that to the popular film version featuring Meryl Streep from 2007. The plot is rather silly---a young girl about to be married invites three possible men who may have been her biological father (according to her single mom's diary) to her wedding held on a small Greek island, without telling her mother. This is an excuse to sing a lot of songs from the Swedish rock group ABBA, popular in the 1970's. The songs are infectious and in most cases, appropriate to the situation, and I'm happy to report that while both stage and film versions are amusing, the film really makes things more logical and clear, and I enjoyed that one the best. Meryl Streep has a lot of fun, and I, for one, thought Pierce Brosnan's voice was just fine. And those damn ABBA tunes have been floating around in my head for over 2 weeks now. GRADE------B
I believe I wrote about PETER EBERTSON (1935) last year, but it remains a haunting story of childhood sweethearts that are torn apart, then reunited by fate, who will stay together throughout eternity. Directed by Henry Hathaway, the film almost feels like two different styles patched together--the first hour is sentimental, heart wrenching drama, the last 40 minutes ventures into the mystical, although Ann Harding needed to be more ethereal. Gary Cooper is very effective, and this odd film is strangely memorable. GRADE-------B
Ernest Lubitsch's film, written by Noel Coward, called DESIGN FOR LIVING (1933) features the menage-a-trois theme of two men in love with the same woman, and all trying to share in a sophisticated manner. For its time it was quite provocative, I'm sure. Gary Cooper, Fredrick March and Miriam Hopkins play the lovers. The timing seems off on some of the line deliveries. It might be interesting to see a modern day remake--I seem to remember a film about 12 years ago from Canada with the same name and/or theme, but it wasn't very memorable. GRADE------B-
Two more films starring Natalie Wood were both interesting---the first is CASH MCCALL (1959) based on a novel by Cameron (EXECUTIVE SUITE)Hawley and set in the world of big business , and believe me, things have not changed much in corporate America since the 1950's. It's not as good as EXECUTIVE SUITE (1954) but James Garner, Natalie Wood, Dean Jagger and Nina Foch are operating at full star power, and the film is fun, in a superficial, glossy way. Based on the novel by Helen Gurley Brown, SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL (1964) is a silly comedy, redeemed by the gung ho cast which includes Wood as Brown, Tony Curtis, as an unscrupulous trash magazine editor trying to expose Brown, but instead falls in love with her, and Henry Fonda, Lauren Bacall and Mel Ferrer, all of whom provide fascinating, if insubstantial, support. Some of the jokes and scenes work better than others, but I was mildly entertained. Even the improbable highway car chase that covers the final 20 minutes of the film was at times amusing, and reminded me of IT'S A MAD X4 WORLD. CASH MCCALL and SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL both rate----GRADE-------B-
The strangely titled film BOMBERS B-52 (1957)starred Karl Malden, with Natalie Wood as his daughter, who falls for the arrogant Efrem Zimbalist Jr, who plays Malden's boss (!?!)--this being the armed forces after Korea. The story is serious and intelligently written at times, but there are flaws in the plotting, and the attempts to create suspense seemed unnecessary. GRADE------C+
An all star cast barely helps THE BATTLE FOR BRITAIN (1969), which tells the story of England's struggle in 1940 during the Blitz, when German planes bombed London. There are some impressive air battle scenes, and watching the big cast, including Michael Caine, Micheal Redgrave, Laurence Olivier, Susannah York, Christopher Plummer, Robert Shaw, ETC was interesting, but in the end the story seemed too big and spread out to have much dramatic effect. If anything, I wanted to learn more than the film could relay. GRADE-------C+
The Gary Cooper film called THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN (1936) has a strong reputation, but I thought it was awkwardly plotted and unconvincing--trying to be a film noir, but the motives were confused and murky. Madeleine Carroll tries to be a spy for China, endangering Cooper's life, while falling in love. Having just seen CASABLANCA recently, this is a very poor man's version. GRADE-----C+
Top of the list is the Disney production of the Japanese animated film THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY (KARI-GURASHI NO ARIETTI) which is a different version of THE BORROWERS--but it features possibly the loveliest animation and story and heartfelt scenes of them all. I was fascinated by every fascinating frame. GRADE------A-
A big subtle surprise for me was the British film SALMON FISHING IN YEMEN, which manages to combine a sweet, moving love story, a metaphysical discourse on salmon fishing, middle-East politics complete with terrorism, and the buffooning of British policies toward Yemen and itself. When a billionaire sheik wants to set up a salmon run in Yemen, the British Prime Minister's eager press secretary Kristin Scott-Thomas pressures scientist Ewan McGregor and the sheik's financial advisor (Emily Blunt) to push forward on the unlikely project. There are a number of amusing scenes and situations, and a handful of surprises, but the overall tone is elegant and earnest, and in spite of some plot missteps toward the end, the film is very pleasing. GRADE-----B+
Here is a case of an excellent story, characters and direction, being sabotaged by some very ill advised and aggressive HAND HELD CAMERA imagery that really distracts from what is otherwise an engrossing and exciting science fiction story about sometime in the future where young teens are filmed fighting to the death in search of glory for the district that they represent. The film THE HUNGER GAMES has some themes similar to THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (where humans hunt and kill humans), THE NAKED PREY and perhaps LORD OF THE FLIES, but it is quite exciting and original in the society it tries to portray, and the mostly young actors are quite effective. Now, if they can just terminate that 11 year old cinematographer using the hand held camera on roller skates, and decently frame the action so we can clearly see what is happening, instead of turning our head away from dizziness, then perhaps we'd have a true, "A" grade classic on our hands. For now,..........GRADE------B+
Based on the stories written by TARZAN author Edgar Rice Burroughs (based on his story A PRINCESS OF MARS), the new film JOHN CARTER suffers from unknown name recognition from most of the masses. Too bad, because JOHN CARTER is a lot of fun for the sci-fi fan. It reminded me of some of the STAR WARS films, with many scenes shot in desert like country, and there is a lot of humor with some of the creatures and aliens that appear. A main species is similar (in a good way) to Jar Jar Binks character (from STAR WARS: ATTACH OF THE CLONES), with the humor, floppy ears, and in this case, four arms. It's an impressive pop-corn movie and deserves to be seen by a greater audience. GRADE---------B
Two films with similar struggling 30-something characters were seen nearly back to back, and I enjoyed them both. First was WANDERLUST with Jennifer Anniston and Paul Rudd as yuppies who drop out of the Manhattan grind, and find themselves attracted to communal living, with hilarious results. I laughed so hard at times during this film that I had to stop eating my smuggled in donut, which was causing me to choke. Paul Rudd and Jennifer Anniston have such great chemistry that it feels like they've made half a dozen films together, instead of just two. The earlier film THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION (1998) is a minor, but feel good film of a woman who is in love with a gay man. But I can't help but think that these two could become the modern day Katherine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy duo if they can find material as funny and bright as WANDERLUST. A few days later I went to see FRIENDS WITH KIDS, about six friends (two couples and two singles) who find their lives changing when kids enter the picture. The two singles---best friends but not lovers-- decide to have a baby without the hassle of marriage or commitment, and all the while still dating others to find the ONE......and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how this one will turn out. The film gets quite serious during the last 20 minutes, but the cast which includes several from last year's comedy hit BRIDESMAIDS, including Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Chris O'Dowd, is headed by Adam Scott (TV's Community) and writer/director Jennifer Westfeldt (KISSING JENNIFER STEIN 2001). There are a lot of laughs and some insightful and thoughtful scenarios. WANDERLUST and FRIENDS WITH KIDS both----- GRADE-----B.
---------------------------
DVD's watched this past two weeks include several featuring Gary Cooper, and several
featuring Natalie Wood.
My favorite "find" is the Elia Kazan film SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS (1961) based on the play and novel by William Inge--he won the screenplay OSCAR for this film. Natalie Wood stars as a teenager who falls in love with the handsome football star, but due to repressed sexual urges finds herself suffering heartbreak and mental anguish. This was Warren Beatty's first film. Both are terrific, and the sensitive film and story belies cliches. It actually features a positive view of mental health institutions, and there are no villains in the plot--only the frustrations of time and place (1928, small town in Kansas) to keep us engrossed.
GRADE--------A-
Fred Zinneman's production of THE DAY OF THE JACKAL (1973) remains an excellent thriller about the based on true story of the attempt to kill French president Charles de Gaulle in the 1960's. It closely follows the "Jackal" Edward Fox, who is hired to assassinate the president, as he meticulously prepares for his mission, and the tension is palpable and fascinating. I've seen this film a dozen times, and never fail to fall under it's grip. GRADE--------A-
Right after she made WEST SIDE STORY (1961), Natalie Wood starred in the film GYPSY (1962) which featured music by Stephen Sondheim, and was choreographed and co-directed (with Mervyn LeRoy) by Jerome Robbins. It takes a awhile for her character to appear--she is the untalented daughter of the ultimate pushy stage mother, played by an over the top Rosalind Russell, who when her more talented daughter runs off with a young man, and others in the vaudeville troup have quit, determinedly sings to Natalie Wood that
Everything's Coming Up Rosesfor them. The acting styles of Russell and the rest of the cast are so extremely different that you may grow tired of MOTHER, but Wood and Karl Malden bring you back to earth, and the musical numbers are quite good--they include Together Wherever We Go (seen only in the outtakes), Small World, and Some People, and of course, by the final scenes when Natalie Wood becomes the famous Stripper from Seattle, Gypsy Rose Lee, she reprises Let Me Entertain You!!! Yeah. GRADE------B
We recently saw the stage version of MAMMA MIA! so we wanted to compare that to the popular film version featuring Meryl Streep from 2007. The plot is rather silly---a young girl about to be married invites three possible men who may have been her biological father (according to her single mom's diary) to her wedding held on a small Greek island, without telling her mother. This is an excuse to sing a lot of songs from the Swedish rock group ABBA, popular in the 1970's. The songs are infectious and in most cases, appropriate to the situation, and I'm happy to report that while both stage and film versions are amusing, the film really makes things more logical and clear, and I enjoyed that one the best. Meryl Streep has a lot of fun, and I, for one, thought Pierce Brosnan's voice was just fine. And those damn ABBA tunes have been floating around in my head for over 2 weeks now. GRADE------B
I believe I wrote about PETER EBERTSON (1935) last year, but it remains a haunting story of childhood sweethearts that are torn apart, then reunited by fate, who will stay together throughout eternity. Directed by Henry Hathaway, the film almost feels like two different styles patched together--the first hour is sentimental, heart wrenching drama, the last 40 minutes ventures into the mystical, although Ann Harding needed to be more ethereal. Gary Cooper is very effective, and this odd film is strangely memorable. GRADE-------B
Ernest Lubitsch's film, written by Noel Coward, called DESIGN FOR LIVING (1933) features the menage-a-trois theme of two men in love with the same woman, and all trying to share in a sophisticated manner. For its time it was quite provocative, I'm sure. Gary Cooper, Fredrick March and Miriam Hopkins play the lovers. The timing seems off on some of the line deliveries. It might be interesting to see a modern day remake--I seem to remember a film about 12 years ago from Canada with the same name and/or theme, but it wasn't very memorable. GRADE------B-
Two more films starring Natalie Wood were both interesting---the first is CASH MCCALL (1959) based on a novel by Cameron (EXECUTIVE SUITE)Hawley and set in the world of big business , and believe me, things have not changed much in corporate America since the 1950's. It's not as good as EXECUTIVE SUITE (1954) but James Garner, Natalie Wood, Dean Jagger and Nina Foch are operating at full star power, and the film is fun, in a superficial, glossy way. Based on the novel by Helen Gurley Brown, SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL (1964) is a silly comedy, redeemed by the gung ho cast which includes Wood as Brown, Tony Curtis, as an unscrupulous trash magazine editor trying to expose Brown, but instead falls in love with her, and Henry Fonda, Lauren Bacall and Mel Ferrer, all of whom provide fascinating, if insubstantial, support. Some of the jokes and scenes work better than others, but I was mildly entertained. Even the improbable highway car chase that covers the final 20 minutes of the film was at times amusing, and reminded me of IT'S A MAD X4 WORLD. CASH MCCALL and SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL both rate----GRADE-------B-
The strangely titled film BOMBERS B-52 (1957)starred Karl Malden, with Natalie Wood as his daughter, who falls for the arrogant Efrem Zimbalist Jr, who plays Malden's boss (!?!)--this being the armed forces after Korea. The story is serious and intelligently written at times, but there are flaws in the plotting, and the attempts to create suspense seemed unnecessary. GRADE------C+
An all star cast barely helps THE BATTLE FOR BRITAIN (1969), which tells the story of England's struggle in 1940 during the Blitz, when German planes bombed London. There are some impressive air battle scenes, and watching the big cast, including Michael Caine, Micheal Redgrave, Laurence Olivier, Susannah York, Christopher Plummer, Robert Shaw, ETC was interesting, but in the end the story seemed too big and spread out to have much dramatic effect. If anything, I wanted to learn more than the film could relay. GRADE-------C+
The Gary Cooper film called THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN (1936) has a strong reputation, but I thought it was awkwardly plotted and unconvincing--trying to be a film noir, but the motives were confused and murky. Madeleine Carroll tries to be a spy for China, endangering Cooper's life, while falling in love. Having just seen CASABLANCA recently, this is a very poor man's version. GRADE-----C+
Thursday, March 15, 2012
PERFECT SENSE, ALBERT NOBBS, This Means War, Sound of Noise, Rampart
An odd science fiction romance film that played at SIFF last May and recently had a brief run at SIFF Cinema Uptown a couple weeks ago, PERFECT SENSE has haunted me for many months. Eva Green and Ewan McGregor meet just as the world is being besieged by a virus that is slowly taking away humanity's senses, one by one. First to go is the taste sense--which McGregor really despairs about, since he is an aspiring top chef. Green is a scientist trying to figure out what is happening and what can be done about it. The film is obviously low budget, but it has a thoughtful progression and doesn't back down when it comes to apocalyptic messages. GRADE-----B+
ALBERT NOBBS is another film that has lingered in my mind for several weeks. It plays like a low budget UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS or DOWNTON ABBEY, with less melodrama and much slower pacing. Glenn Close plays a man servant who is really a woman, but she has suppressed her sexuality so that she can keep working--this being England in the mid-1800's. When s/he befriends another woman who is posing as a man (and married to a woman!), it rocks his world. The film is low key---there are no big revelations or shocks, but we do feel sad for Albert Nobbs because his options seems so limited in spite of his gender change. The actors are all quite good, especially Janet McNeer as the male painter who has a much better grasp on life than ALBERT NOBBS seems to have. GRADE-------B
SOUND OF NOISE played briefly last week and was first reviewed in my SIFF noes last May. It is an urban, noisy film about a group of modern day radicals in Sweden who try to disrupt contemporary life with loud doses of abstract music (think STOMP). It is actually a clever little film, with thoughtful laughs. GRADE------B
I went in with low expectations, but the film THIS MEANS WAR certainly exceeded them by being a jaunty, "cute" (if minor)comedy about a woman attracted to two different men at the same time. The men are government agents and friends, and their jealously escalates as they try to outdo each other to gain the woman's favors. Reese Witherspoon is the lucky woman, and young studs Chris Pine (STAR TREK) and Tom Hardy (INCEPTION) are the agents. Bring on the popcorn, please. GRADE-------B-
Now playing is a Woody Harrelson vehicle that was geared toward an Oscar nomination for him, but when he failed to get nominated, the film was put on the slow burner. Called RAMPART and named after that section of Los Angeles, the film tells of a loner renegade cop who has problems with his racism, sexism, and his ex and current wives. The police management don't know how to get rid of him--he's definitely a loose cannon, as well as vulgar, violent and generally unpleasant. He smokes like a chimney, and the camera features a lot of hand held photography. The cast is intriguing. Anne Heche plays his long suffering wife, Sigourney Weaver is trying to get him fired off the force, Cynthia Nixon is his still suffering ex, Robin Wright is a hard nosed lawyer/lover who may or may not be trying to help him, and Ben Foster and Ned Beatty turn up in smaller but interesting character roles. Unfortunately, with the nauseating hand held camera and the unpleasantness of the main character, RAMPART earns only a GRADE------C+
Hopefully by the time you read this, the new film starring Amanda Seyfried called GONE will be gone. It is a single minded story of a woman trying to track down her sister who has been kidnapped (by mistake?)--the police won't help her or believe her, because several years ago she was kidnapped and escaped, but they never found any evidence of that crime. It is watchable, but by the end you don't really care, and the perpetrator is not clearly identified, so you are not sure who did it after all. Grade-----C-
________
The following are the DVD's (or revivals) I watched in the past couple weeks......
CASABLANCA (1943) remains a strong entertainment, with vivid turns by Peter Lorre, Ingmar Bergman, Humphrey Bogart and Claude Rains. I was surprised at how many classic lines and memorable scenes there are, all still fascinating, since I hadn't seen this for over 10 years. GRADE-------A
I had seen Otto Preminger's LAURA (1944) several years ago, but it struck me as strong a mystery as ever made, and features very entertaining supporting performances by Judith Anderson, Vincent Price, and the witty Clifton Webb. Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews are pretty smooth, too, in this classic film-noir. GRADE-----A-
Co-featured with LAURA at the FILM NOIR showings at SIFF was a film I had never seen before, but only heard about, called GILDA (1946). Glenn Ford works for a sinister casino boss in South America--then meets the boss' new wife GILDA (Rita Hayworth), with whom he was once in love. This film has become Hayworth's signature role, and it's easy to see why. She sings and vamps and tosses her luscious hair all over the place, while teasing every man that she meets. The plot gets rather ludicrous towards the end but I was fascinated by the characters, nonetheless. GRADE-----B+
I felt that MILK (2008) was a strong film at the time, and it holds up very well today, especially because of the actors which include Emile Hirsh, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, Alison Pill and the glowing James Franco. But the real glue here is the Oscar winning turn by Sean Penn, who really climbs into the part of the first openly gay man to be elected public office, and how he fought to open doors for disaffected gays and others. Great credit must also go to director Gus Van Sant for recreating the early 1970's in San Francisco so well and so dramatically. GRADE------B+
Because he had just won the Oscar, I watched again OSS 117: CAIRO NEST OF SPIES (2006), a silly French farce of James Bond films, featuring the charming Jean (THE ARTIST) Dujardin, and found myself giggling for 90 minutes. Now I've got to track down the sequel. GRADE-----B+
I had not seen it since it came out, but OUT OF AFRICA (1985) doesn't hold up as well as I remembered. The scenic plane ride swooping over the animal reserves and open vistas were still memorable (especially in Blu Ray!) and I loved the music, photography and Meryl Streep, but the film as a whole felt prolonged, disjointed, and strangely unemotional. Interesting that Robert Redford gets top billing, but he has a rather modest supporting role (and less than half the screen time as Streep), and his character seems rather undeveloped. GRADE--------B
Another double feature shown at the FILM NOIR festival was a pairing of two films featuring Valentina Cortese, an intriguing and underused actress from Italy who never quite made it into the big time Hollywood scene. Shown first was THEIVES HIGHWAY (1949)--a rather unconvincing story of apple truckers who get taken by a corrupt fruit vendor in San Francisco. (!?!?) Handsome Richard Conte is trying to find revenge for his father, but falls into the same trap. He is befriended by the prostitute (heart of gold variety) played by Cortese, who is fascinating to watch. Lee J. Cobb chews the scenery as the corrupt vendor. Next up was HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL (1951)
a Robert Wise film with an ambitious plot that has Cortese playing a concentration camp survivor who switches identity with her dead friend, moves to San Francisco to become the mother of her friends child, but then finds herself in a possibly deadly situation where someone may be trying to kill her. (!!!????!!!) It's familiar stuff (think GASLIGHT or REBECCA), but Cortese is terrific. She is a great discovery.
GRADES-------THIEVES HIGHWAY----B- and HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL----B
I was very excited to find a NEW Blu Ray copy of MEET ME IN ST LOUIS (1944) for $7. The picture looks great, and there are 3 classic songs (including THE BOY NEXT DOOR, HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS and THE TROLLEY SONG) as well as other joyful standards like the title song. The cast sparkles, and Judy Garland is terrific, since her future husband Vincente Minnelli films her lovingly, but the plot is pretty treacly----it is so sweet it makes my teeth hurt. GRADE-----B-
ALBERT NOBBS is another film that has lingered in my mind for several weeks. It plays like a low budget UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS or DOWNTON ABBEY, with less melodrama and much slower pacing. Glenn Close plays a man servant who is really a woman, but she has suppressed her sexuality so that she can keep working--this being England in the mid-1800's. When s/he befriends another woman who is posing as a man (and married to a woman!), it rocks his world. The film is low key---there are no big revelations or shocks, but we do feel sad for Albert Nobbs because his options seems so limited in spite of his gender change. The actors are all quite good, especially Janet McNeer as the male painter who has a much better grasp on life than ALBERT NOBBS seems to have. GRADE-------B
SOUND OF NOISE played briefly last week and was first reviewed in my SIFF noes last May. It is an urban, noisy film about a group of modern day radicals in Sweden who try to disrupt contemporary life with loud doses of abstract music (think STOMP). It is actually a clever little film, with thoughtful laughs. GRADE------B
I went in with low expectations, but the film THIS MEANS WAR certainly exceeded them by being a jaunty, "cute" (if minor)comedy about a woman attracted to two different men at the same time. The men are government agents and friends, and their jealously escalates as they try to outdo each other to gain the woman's favors. Reese Witherspoon is the lucky woman, and young studs Chris Pine (STAR TREK) and Tom Hardy (INCEPTION) are the agents. Bring on the popcorn, please. GRADE-------B-
Now playing is a Woody Harrelson vehicle that was geared toward an Oscar nomination for him, but when he failed to get nominated, the film was put on the slow burner. Called RAMPART and named after that section of Los Angeles, the film tells of a loner renegade cop who has problems with his racism, sexism, and his ex and current wives. The police management don't know how to get rid of him--he's definitely a loose cannon, as well as vulgar, violent and generally unpleasant. He smokes like a chimney, and the camera features a lot of hand held photography. The cast is intriguing. Anne Heche plays his long suffering wife, Sigourney Weaver is trying to get him fired off the force, Cynthia Nixon is his still suffering ex, Robin Wright is a hard nosed lawyer/lover who may or may not be trying to help him, and Ben Foster and Ned Beatty turn up in smaller but interesting character roles. Unfortunately, with the nauseating hand held camera and the unpleasantness of the main character, RAMPART earns only a GRADE------C+
Hopefully by the time you read this, the new film starring Amanda Seyfried called GONE will be gone. It is a single minded story of a woman trying to track down her sister who has been kidnapped (by mistake?)--the police won't help her or believe her, because several years ago she was kidnapped and escaped, but they never found any evidence of that crime. It is watchable, but by the end you don't really care, and the perpetrator is not clearly identified, so you are not sure who did it after all. Grade-----C-
________
The following are the DVD's (or revivals) I watched in the past couple weeks......
CASABLANCA (1943) remains a strong entertainment, with vivid turns by Peter Lorre, Ingmar Bergman, Humphrey Bogart and Claude Rains. I was surprised at how many classic lines and memorable scenes there are, all still fascinating, since I hadn't seen this for over 10 years. GRADE-------A
I had seen Otto Preminger's LAURA (1944) several years ago, but it struck me as strong a mystery as ever made, and features very entertaining supporting performances by Judith Anderson, Vincent Price, and the witty Clifton Webb. Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews are pretty smooth, too, in this classic film-noir. GRADE-----A-
Co-featured with LAURA at the FILM NOIR showings at SIFF was a film I had never seen before, but only heard about, called GILDA (1946). Glenn Ford works for a sinister casino boss in South America--then meets the boss' new wife GILDA (Rita Hayworth), with whom he was once in love. This film has become Hayworth's signature role, and it's easy to see why. She sings and vamps and tosses her luscious hair all over the place, while teasing every man that she meets. The plot gets rather ludicrous towards the end but I was fascinated by the characters, nonetheless. GRADE-----B+
I felt that MILK (2008) was a strong film at the time, and it holds up very well today, especially because of the actors which include Emile Hirsh, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, Alison Pill and the glowing James Franco. But the real glue here is the Oscar winning turn by Sean Penn, who really climbs into the part of the first openly gay man to be elected public office, and how he fought to open doors for disaffected gays and others. Great credit must also go to director Gus Van Sant for recreating the early 1970's in San Francisco so well and so dramatically. GRADE------B+
Because he had just won the Oscar, I watched again OSS 117: CAIRO NEST OF SPIES (2006), a silly French farce of James Bond films, featuring the charming Jean (THE ARTIST) Dujardin, and found myself giggling for 90 minutes. Now I've got to track down the sequel. GRADE-----B+
I had not seen it since it came out, but OUT OF AFRICA (1985) doesn't hold up as well as I remembered. The scenic plane ride swooping over the animal reserves and open vistas were still memorable (especially in Blu Ray!) and I loved the music, photography and Meryl Streep, but the film as a whole felt prolonged, disjointed, and strangely unemotional. Interesting that Robert Redford gets top billing, but he has a rather modest supporting role (and less than half the screen time as Streep), and his character seems rather undeveloped. GRADE--------B
Another double feature shown at the FILM NOIR festival was a pairing of two films featuring Valentina Cortese, an intriguing and underused actress from Italy who never quite made it into the big time Hollywood scene. Shown first was THEIVES HIGHWAY (1949)--a rather unconvincing story of apple truckers who get taken by a corrupt fruit vendor in San Francisco. (!?!?) Handsome Richard Conte is trying to find revenge for his father, but falls into the same trap. He is befriended by the prostitute (heart of gold variety) played by Cortese, who is fascinating to watch. Lee J. Cobb chews the scenery as the corrupt vendor. Next up was HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL (1951)
a Robert Wise film with an ambitious plot that has Cortese playing a concentration camp survivor who switches identity with her dead friend, moves to San Francisco to become the mother of her friends child, but then finds herself in a possibly deadly situation where someone may be trying to kill her. (!!!????!!!) It's familiar stuff (think GASLIGHT or REBECCA), but Cortese is terrific. She is a great discovery.
GRADES-------THIEVES HIGHWAY----B- and HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL----B
I was very excited to find a NEW Blu Ray copy of MEET ME IN ST LOUIS (1944) for $7. The picture looks great, and there are 3 classic songs (including THE BOY NEXT DOOR, HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS and THE TROLLEY SONG) as well as other joyful standards like the title song. The cast sparkles, and Judy Garland is terrific, since her future husband Vincente Minnelli films her lovingly, but the plot is pretty treacly----it is so sweet it makes my teeth hurt. GRADE-----B-
Thursday, February 23, 2012
TOP FILMS of 2011---Plus OSCAR WEEKEND!!!!!
Just in time for OSCAR Weekend, here are my FAVORITE FILMS of 2011!!!!!!!!!
1. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
2. THE HEDGEHOGE
3. CRAZY STUPID LOVE
4. THE DESCENDANTS
5. THE HELP
6. UNDERTOW
7. BRIDESMAIDS
8. MONEYBALL
9. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
10. WAR HORSE
11. MELANCHOLIA
12. MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
13. THE SEPARATION
14. JANE EYRE
15. ANONYMOUS
16. SLEEPING BEAUTY
17. THE WHISTLE BLOWER
18. RISE OF PLANET OF THE APES
19. GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
20. WARRIOR
PLUS--HIPSTERS, WEEKEND, MARTHA MARY MAY MARLENE, ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN, and TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY.
ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TOP DOCUMENTARIES COULD BE FIT INTO THE TOP 20 ABOVE--THEY ALL RATED B+ or better--
HOT COFFEE, HOW TO DIE IN OREGON, TOPP TWINS; UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS, LAST MOUNTAIN, PROJECT NIM, BUCK, PAGE ONE; INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES, TABLOID.
VERY PLEASANT SURPRISES----
THE BIG YEAR, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 4, ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN, HAPPY HAPPY, CAPTAIN AMERICA, A BETTER LIFE, PAUL
LOVABLE GUILTY PLEASURES----
HUGO, CEDAR RAPIDS, GREEN HORNET, HORRIBLE BOSSES, DETECTIVE DEE AND THE PHANTOM FLAME, RIO, FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, NO STRINGS ATTACHED
WEIRD, KINKY AND THOUGHT PROVOKING----
THE SKIN I LIVE IN, SLEEPING BEAUTY, THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE, RANGO, THE FUTURE
BEST EMOTIONAL PUNCHES AND/OR SURPRISES (A PERSONAL FAVORITE CATEGORY)----
EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, THE HELP, UNDERTOW, THE HEDGEHOG, WEEKEND, HOW TO DIE IN OREGON, THE SKIN I LIVE IN, BUCK, and, for it's incredibly emotional final scene, WARRIOR.
It's not bad, but the MOST OVERRATED FILM THIS YEAR for me is THE ARTIST. There is a reason why silent films died out in the early 1930's--slow moving, belabored plotting, actors who mug their way through a scene, tiresome, predictable musical scores, etc. And this is the front-runner for many OSCARs this year!?! I've seen dozens of silents over the years, but this one isn't that unique.
WORST of the YEAR---BEASTLY, HOW DO YOU KNOW, RUM DAIRY, ELECTRA LUXX and my most despicable film---COWBOYS AND ALIENS.
-------------------------
Ready or not, here comes OSCAR--SUNDAY 26 February, 5pm PST.
Here are the main Best Picture nominees, in my order of preference.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Descendants
The Help
Moneyball
Midnight in Paris
War Horse
Hugo
The Artist
The Tree of Life
THE ARTIST seems to be the favorite (see my above comments) but I would love for anything else to win this one--even THE TREE OF LIFE was certainly more challenging and ambitious.
Best Actor seems to come down to a close race between Jean Dujardin (The Artist) and George Clooney (Decendants). I loved Clooney, but Dujardin may ride the Artist crest. I don't feel too bad, because I've loved him in many French films that not many in the US have seen--two films in the OSS-117 series--funny spoofs of 007 films, and recently in A CLINK OF ICE--he's a disturbed writer with mental block, and a cancerous tumor (in human form) who follows him everywhere. He's been great in the past. I'd also love to see the understated Demian Bichir win for the little-seen A BETTER LIFE about a struggling illegal trying to raise his son gang-free, and Gary Oldman and Brad Pit are worthy too, for TINKER TAILOR and MONEYBALL respectively.
Viola Davis seemed to have a lock on Best Actress for THE HELP this summer, but then THE IRON LADY opened, and we now know that Meryl Streep has given just about the BEST performance of her entire and spectacular career!!!!!!!!! Unfortunately, IRON LADY is not a very satisfying film, and Davis may have her edge back. Either one is fine with me.
Rooney Mara and Michelle Williams (Dragon Tattoo and Week w/Marilyn, respectively) are both fine, and young and will have other shots. Glenn Close (ALBERT NOBBS) has never won despite 6 nominations. Unfortunately, her film is rather subtle, and she is out preformed by Janet McTeer in a similar supporting role in the same film.
The two Supporting acting categories seems like locks. For the Actors, Kenneth Branagh (MY WEEK W/MARILYN), Jonah Hill (MONEYBALL), Nick Nolte (WARRIOR) and Max Von Sydow (EXTREMELY LOUD...) are all worthy nominees, but you have likable Christopher Plummer from THE SOUND OF MUSIC--oops, I mean BEGINNERS, as the big likely (and over due) winner here. The women have Berenice Bejo (THE ARTIST), Jessica Chastain (who's been in a remarkable 5 films this year alone) for THE HELP, Melissa McCarthy (BRIDESMAIDS) and Janet McTeer (ALBERT NOBBS--see above comments) and they are all quite good. But from it's opening in August, Octavia Spencer has been winning all the awards for her great comic performance in THE HELP.
Since THE ARTIST seems the front runner, Michel Hazanavicius seems sure of the director's nod, but the other nominees also did a very creative job this year: Woody Alen (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS), Terrance Malik (THE TREE OF LIFE), Alexander Payne (THE DESCENDANTS) and Martin Scorsese (HUGO).
I'd love to see Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo win Best original screenplay for BRIDESMAIDS, and also Asghar Farhadi for A SEPARATION, or even Woody Allen for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, but odds have THE ARTIST winning, for the 2 dozen subtitles put up on the screen for us to read. REALLY?
Best adapted screenplay is a mystery to me. I'd pick Alexander Payne et al for THE DESCENDANTS, but HUGO, MONEYBALL and TINKER TAILOR etc seem also strong. Even IDES OF MARCH (George Clooney) has a shot here.
I loved the Original score for WARHORSE (and TINTIN) (John Williams) and HUGO (Howard Shore)--but both have won several times. THE ARTIST score has been a source of controversy, since a great section of it (towards the ending) is actually lifted from Alfred Hitchcock's film VERTIGO by Bernard Hermann, and I think the rest is dribble. It will probably win nonetheless.
The technical awards will likely be scooped up by the popular HUGO. Only a couple nominated documentaries have screened in Seattle--same for the short subjects, none of which I've seen.
I've only seen 2 of the nominated best foreign language films. A SEPARATION is excellent (see recent blog for review) and would be my guess for the winner, but the Academy seems to love films about the Holocaust, and IN DARKNESS (from Poland) may win that vote, even though 80% of it is filmed in near total darkness. I could not see who was speaking to who, or what was being done in almost all the underground scenes. Add to that an aggressive hand held camera, and I really DISLIKED this film a lot, even though it's heart may have been in the right place. Based on a true story, it tells of hundreds of Jews who survive the war by being hidden and fed by Poles in a small town in the underground sewer system.
If nothing else, you get to ogle the fabulous and/or tacky gowns that are worn down the red carpet. The best part of the Oscar show for me this year may be on Monday, when Joan Rivers and her crew praise or rip to shreds some of the best/worst fashions of the Oscars on FASHION POLICE. Check your local TV listings.
1. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
2. THE HEDGEHOGE
3. CRAZY STUPID LOVE
4. THE DESCENDANTS
5. THE HELP
6. UNDERTOW
7. BRIDESMAIDS
8. MONEYBALL
9. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
10. WAR HORSE
11. MELANCHOLIA
12. MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
13. THE SEPARATION
14. JANE EYRE
15. ANONYMOUS
16. SLEEPING BEAUTY
17. THE WHISTLE BLOWER
18. RISE OF PLANET OF THE APES
19. GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
20. WARRIOR
PLUS--HIPSTERS, WEEKEND, MARTHA MARY MAY MARLENE, ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN, and TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY.
ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TOP DOCUMENTARIES COULD BE FIT INTO THE TOP 20 ABOVE--THEY ALL RATED B+ or better--
HOT COFFEE, HOW TO DIE IN OREGON, TOPP TWINS; UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS, LAST MOUNTAIN, PROJECT NIM, BUCK, PAGE ONE; INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES, TABLOID.
VERY PLEASANT SURPRISES----
THE BIG YEAR, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 4, ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN, HAPPY HAPPY, CAPTAIN AMERICA, A BETTER LIFE, PAUL
LOVABLE GUILTY PLEASURES----
HUGO, CEDAR RAPIDS, GREEN HORNET, HORRIBLE BOSSES, DETECTIVE DEE AND THE PHANTOM FLAME, RIO, FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, NO STRINGS ATTACHED
WEIRD, KINKY AND THOUGHT PROVOKING----
THE SKIN I LIVE IN, SLEEPING BEAUTY, THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE, RANGO, THE FUTURE
BEST EMOTIONAL PUNCHES AND/OR SURPRISES (A PERSONAL FAVORITE CATEGORY)----
EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, THE HELP, UNDERTOW, THE HEDGEHOG, WEEKEND, HOW TO DIE IN OREGON, THE SKIN I LIVE IN, BUCK, and, for it's incredibly emotional final scene, WARRIOR.
It's not bad, but the MOST OVERRATED FILM THIS YEAR for me is THE ARTIST. There is a reason why silent films died out in the early 1930's--slow moving, belabored plotting, actors who mug their way through a scene, tiresome, predictable musical scores, etc. And this is the front-runner for many OSCARs this year!?! I've seen dozens of silents over the years, but this one isn't that unique.
WORST of the YEAR---BEASTLY, HOW DO YOU KNOW, RUM DAIRY, ELECTRA LUXX and my most despicable film---COWBOYS AND ALIENS.
-------------------------
Ready or not, here comes OSCAR--SUNDAY 26 February, 5pm PST.
Here are the main Best Picture nominees, in my order of preference.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Descendants
The Help
Moneyball
Midnight in Paris
War Horse
Hugo
The Artist
The Tree of Life
THE ARTIST seems to be the favorite (see my above comments) but I would love for anything else to win this one--even THE TREE OF LIFE was certainly more challenging and ambitious.
Best Actor seems to come down to a close race between Jean Dujardin (The Artist) and George Clooney (Decendants). I loved Clooney, but Dujardin may ride the Artist crest. I don't feel too bad, because I've loved him in many French films that not many in the US have seen--two films in the OSS-117 series--funny spoofs of 007 films, and recently in A CLINK OF ICE--he's a disturbed writer with mental block, and a cancerous tumor (in human form) who follows him everywhere. He's been great in the past. I'd also love to see the understated Demian Bichir win for the little-seen A BETTER LIFE about a struggling illegal trying to raise his son gang-free, and Gary Oldman and Brad Pit are worthy too, for TINKER TAILOR and MONEYBALL respectively.
Viola Davis seemed to have a lock on Best Actress for THE HELP this summer, but then THE IRON LADY opened, and we now know that Meryl Streep has given just about the BEST performance of her entire and spectacular career!!!!!!!!! Unfortunately, IRON LADY is not a very satisfying film, and Davis may have her edge back. Either one is fine with me.
Rooney Mara and Michelle Williams (Dragon Tattoo and Week w/Marilyn, respectively) are both fine, and young and will have other shots. Glenn Close (ALBERT NOBBS) has never won despite 6 nominations. Unfortunately, her film is rather subtle, and she is out preformed by Janet McTeer in a similar supporting role in the same film.
The two Supporting acting categories seems like locks. For the Actors, Kenneth Branagh (MY WEEK W/MARILYN), Jonah Hill (MONEYBALL), Nick Nolte (WARRIOR) and Max Von Sydow (EXTREMELY LOUD...) are all worthy nominees, but you have likable Christopher Plummer from THE SOUND OF MUSIC--oops, I mean BEGINNERS, as the big likely (and over due) winner here. The women have Berenice Bejo (THE ARTIST), Jessica Chastain (who's been in a remarkable 5 films this year alone) for THE HELP, Melissa McCarthy (BRIDESMAIDS) and Janet McTeer (ALBERT NOBBS--see above comments) and they are all quite good. But from it's opening in August, Octavia Spencer has been winning all the awards for her great comic performance in THE HELP.
Since THE ARTIST seems the front runner, Michel Hazanavicius seems sure of the director's nod, but the other nominees also did a very creative job this year: Woody Alen (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS), Terrance Malik (THE TREE OF LIFE), Alexander Payne (THE DESCENDANTS) and Martin Scorsese (HUGO).
I'd love to see Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo win Best original screenplay for BRIDESMAIDS, and also Asghar Farhadi for A SEPARATION, or even Woody Allen for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, but odds have THE ARTIST winning, for the 2 dozen subtitles put up on the screen for us to read. REALLY?
Best adapted screenplay is a mystery to me. I'd pick Alexander Payne et al for THE DESCENDANTS, but HUGO, MONEYBALL and TINKER TAILOR etc seem also strong. Even IDES OF MARCH (George Clooney) has a shot here.
I loved the Original score for WARHORSE (and TINTIN) (John Williams) and HUGO (Howard Shore)--but both have won several times. THE ARTIST score has been a source of controversy, since a great section of it (towards the ending) is actually lifted from Alfred Hitchcock's film VERTIGO by Bernard Hermann, and I think the rest is dribble. It will probably win nonetheless.
The technical awards will likely be scooped up by the popular HUGO. Only a couple nominated documentaries have screened in Seattle--same for the short subjects, none of which I've seen.
I've only seen 2 of the nominated best foreign language films. A SEPARATION is excellent (see recent blog for review) and would be my guess for the winner, but the Academy seems to love films about the Holocaust, and IN DARKNESS (from Poland) may win that vote, even though 80% of it is filmed in near total darkness. I could not see who was speaking to who, or what was being done in almost all the underground scenes. Add to that an aggressive hand held camera, and I really DISLIKED this film a lot, even though it's heart may have been in the right place. Based on a true story, it tells of hundreds of Jews who survive the war by being hidden and fed by Poles in a small town in the underground sewer system.
If nothing else, you get to ogle the fabulous and/or tacky gowns that are worn down the red carpet. The best part of the Oscar show for me this year may be on Monday, when Joan Rivers and her crew praise or rip to shreds some of the best/worst fashions of the Oscars on FASHION POLICE. Check your local TV listings.
Friday, February 17, 2012
THE SEPERATION, THE VOW, DECLARATION OF WAR, GOING POSTAL plus Michael Powell--RED SHOES, PHANTOM LIGHT, Red Ensign
Surprising in many ways, the Iranian film which has 2 Oscar nominations for best Foreign Film and best screenplay is a searing inditement of life in a repressive country. THE SEPARATION starts out with an intense scene between husband and wife in front of a judge, trying to explain why they want a divorce, although the reason given (he won't move out of the country with her and their 11 year old daughter) seems quite lame at best. It becomes clear that his reason for not moving--his elderly father suffers from severe dementia and cannot travel, and he feels compelled to keep providing for his care--is a valid one, and makes the wife seem rather selfish from the start. But as the film progresses, we see a complicated relationship that comes under even more stress when they have a trial separation, as a dramatic yet innocent fight (with a newly hired caretaker) takes on tragic proportions, emphasising the husband's stubbornness and selfishness. Through it all, the daughter plays a delicate balancing game to placate both parents, not wanting to loose either one. The film captures the frustrations of middle class daily life very well--streets crowded with masses of humanity and cars, no parking, noise pollution rampant, long lines for basic necessities, desperation with homelessness and unemployment, and a judicial system that seems possibly rife with corruption and/or persuasion with no justice or satisfaction for anyone. It is an eye-opening film. GRADE-----A-
A new film from Belgium called DECLARATION OF WAR has just opened for what will likely be a brief run in Seattle, but is is worth the effort to catch it. A young couple meet, mate, marry and procreate in the first 15 minutes, then start their life together with baby and assorted friends and family members in a newly renovated apartment. Not quite two years later they discover that baby has a serious brain tumor, and the film turns on the heat as all concerned fight for the life and health of the baby. It's a snappy, energetic film, which even though it is cut quickly and contains many restless scenes (of hospital visits, travel, visiting friends, trips to the disco, medical professionals opinions, etc) it resists the use the busy hand held camera (HALLELUJAH!), and becomes a positive testament on the love (and energy) that can triumph in the end. GRADE-------B+
The situation in THE VOW has a newly married, deeply in love young couple involved in a serious car accident. The husband (Tatum Channing) survives unscathed, but the wife (Rachel McAdams) who has inconveniently just unfastened her seat belt to kiss her love as they are rear-ended, suffers amnesia. She can't remember anything about her new life, but she remembers being in love with her sleazy boyfriend a few years before. Based on a true story, one wants to go with the film as a romantic will she or won't she theme. Unfortunately, the actors are incredibly dull. Channing is a hunk and takes his shirt off to prove it half a dozen times, but he talks like he has too many muscles in his mouth to make much sense. McAdams fares slightly better, but as we discover the life she left to be with her new husband, you want to scream at the screen--"do you really want to go back to your sleazebag ex-boyfriend and your intensely unhappy rich parents???!!!???" The direction is still-born, and the result is possibly the most boring film I've seen in years. GRADE-------D+
Following are DVD CHOICES for the week------------------------
Based on a book by Terry Pratchett, who has, I gather, a large cultish following for his fantastic other worldly stories that seem buried in modern themes but set in fantastical countries with fantastical creatures, the British film GOING POSTAL (2010) may be a good introduction to his twisted world. Based on a two part TV movie (185 minutes) the film, I was told, is pretty faithful to the novel, and I enjoyed the extravagant sets and amusing story, as a struggling post office is forced to compete with a company that uses computer like machinery to transfer mail around the country. The cast includes an amusing Richard Coyle as a con man forced to take over the dying post office by city leader Charles Dance (played as.....god?!?) and the devious David Suchet is the evil owner of the mechanical system out to stop him. The film is greatly benefited by being filmed on location in Hungary, with it's run down opulent buildings and other worldly streets. GRADE-----B
Ended up seeing 3 Michael Powell directed films this past week. First up, because I received a new Blu Ray edition, is the classic THE RED SHOES (1948) which holds up even better than ever. Based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, this film, beautifully photographed in color by legend Jack Cardiff tells the story of a young dancer who is willing to give up everything to become a star, even if it means giving up the man of her life. I'm always impressed by the cast, as real-life dancer Moira Shearer gives a great performance as dancer Victoria Page, which established her as a fine actress as well. I also find Anton Walbrook fascinating--he plays the cruel ballet director Boris Lermontov. Walbrook only made a few movies that made it to the US--I recently saw him in the memorable THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP (1943), and 49th PARALLEL (1941)--both fine Powell films. I want to catch some of his early films from Europe (which include LA RONDE, an earlier version of GASLIGHT, and the original version of VICTOR/VICTORIA.)
Made earlier were RED ENSIGN (1934), a mildly interesting film about the struggle of a man eager to rebuild England's reputation as a major-ship building nation after WWI, but he struggles with money problems and sabotage, and THE PHANTOM LIGHT (1935) a slightly more interesting film about shady and mysterious goings on at a light house where several light house masters have disappeared, and where several ships have crashed. An interesting premise, but alas, the ending is rather predictable and flat. GRADE-----RED SHOES- A, PHANTOM LIGHT- C+, and RED ENSIGN- C
On the same disc as RED ENSIGN and PHANTOM LIGHT (called Classic British Thrillers) is a little known film noir called THE UPTURNED GLASS (1947). James Mason stars as a doctor and lecturer who becomes a sleuth to discover the meaning of his lover's mysterious death, but when he uncovers some information, he decides to seek revenge instead of going to the police. Mason is suburb, and the film has stuck in my mind for nearly two weeks since seen, a good sign of a strong movie. GRADE-----B
A new film from Belgium called DECLARATION OF WAR has just opened for what will likely be a brief run in Seattle, but is is worth the effort to catch it. A young couple meet, mate, marry and procreate in the first 15 minutes, then start their life together with baby and assorted friends and family members in a newly renovated apartment. Not quite two years later they discover that baby has a serious brain tumor, and the film turns on the heat as all concerned fight for the life and health of the baby. It's a snappy, energetic film, which even though it is cut quickly and contains many restless scenes (of hospital visits, travel, visiting friends, trips to the disco, medical professionals opinions, etc) it resists the use the busy hand held camera (HALLELUJAH!), and becomes a positive testament on the love (and energy) that can triumph in the end. GRADE-------B+
The situation in THE VOW has a newly married, deeply in love young couple involved in a serious car accident. The husband (Tatum Channing) survives unscathed, but the wife (Rachel McAdams) who has inconveniently just unfastened her seat belt to kiss her love as they are rear-ended, suffers amnesia. She can't remember anything about her new life, but she remembers being in love with her sleazy boyfriend a few years before. Based on a true story, one wants to go with the film as a romantic will she or won't she theme. Unfortunately, the actors are incredibly dull. Channing is a hunk and takes his shirt off to prove it half a dozen times, but he talks like he has too many muscles in his mouth to make much sense. McAdams fares slightly better, but as we discover the life she left to be with her new husband, you want to scream at the screen--"do you really want to go back to your sleazebag ex-boyfriend and your intensely unhappy rich parents???!!!???" The direction is still-born, and the result is possibly the most boring film I've seen in years. GRADE-------D+
Following are DVD CHOICES for the week------------------------
Based on a book by Terry Pratchett, who has, I gather, a large cultish following for his fantastic other worldly stories that seem buried in modern themes but set in fantastical countries with fantastical creatures, the British film GOING POSTAL (2010) may be a good introduction to his twisted world. Based on a two part TV movie (185 minutes) the film, I was told, is pretty faithful to the novel, and I enjoyed the extravagant sets and amusing story, as a struggling post office is forced to compete with a company that uses computer like machinery to transfer mail around the country. The cast includes an amusing Richard Coyle as a con man forced to take over the dying post office by city leader Charles Dance (played as.....god?!?) and the devious David Suchet is the evil owner of the mechanical system out to stop him. The film is greatly benefited by being filmed on location in Hungary, with it's run down opulent buildings and other worldly streets. GRADE-----B
Ended up seeing 3 Michael Powell directed films this past week. First up, because I received a new Blu Ray edition, is the classic THE RED SHOES (1948) which holds up even better than ever. Based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, this film, beautifully photographed in color by legend Jack Cardiff tells the story of a young dancer who is willing to give up everything to become a star, even if it means giving up the man of her life. I'm always impressed by the cast, as real-life dancer Moira Shearer gives a great performance as dancer Victoria Page, which established her as a fine actress as well. I also find Anton Walbrook fascinating--he plays the cruel ballet director Boris Lermontov. Walbrook only made a few movies that made it to the US--I recently saw him in the memorable THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP (1943), and 49th PARALLEL (1941)--both fine Powell films. I want to catch some of his early films from Europe (which include LA RONDE, an earlier version of GASLIGHT, and the original version of VICTOR/VICTORIA.)
Made earlier were RED ENSIGN (1934), a mildly interesting film about the struggle of a man eager to rebuild England's reputation as a major-ship building nation after WWI, but he struggles with money problems and sabotage, and THE PHANTOM LIGHT (1935) a slightly more interesting film about shady and mysterious goings on at a light house where several light house masters have disappeared, and where several ships have crashed. An interesting premise, but alas, the ending is rather predictable and flat. GRADE-----RED SHOES- A, PHANTOM LIGHT- C+, and RED ENSIGN- C
On the same disc as RED ENSIGN and PHANTOM LIGHT (called Classic British Thrillers) is a little known film noir called THE UPTURNED GLASS (1947). James Mason stars as a doctor and lecturer who becomes a sleuth to discover the meaning of his lover's mysterious death, but when he uncovers some information, he decides to seek revenge instead of going to the police. Mason is suburb, and the film has stuck in my mind for nearly two weeks since seen, a good sign of a strong movie. GRADE-----B
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