Opening night is tonight, and here is the last bit of pre-festival films I've viewed, in order of preference.
GRADE A
VENUS IN FUR is Roman Polanski's excellent version (in French) of a play based on an adaption of a story about pleasure and pain and the relationship between men and women, written originally by Leopold Von Sacher-Masoch in the 19th century. A story within a story, this concerns a frustrated director (Mathieu Amalric) who cannot find the right actress for the lead. When a wet and very late actress (Emmanuelle Seigner) arrives and demands an audition, he finds she may be just what he needs, but quickly finds the tables turned as the afternoon progresses. Funny, smart, sexy and audacious, this is a battle of the wits and the sexes, and the actors are sensational. It's a big crowd pleaser.
GRADE B
NIGHT MOVES was filmed in the Bend, Oregon area, and works like a slow burn thriller , building suspense and tension. Three friends build a bomb to destroy a dam that is blocking the salmon runs in their area---they are committed environmental activists. But when things go wrong, they find their emotions are running out of control.
BELLE AND SEBASTIEN is a French family film about a young boy during WWII who befriends a wild dog that the towns people think is a beast. The photography, music and setting are beautiful, the actors are accomplished, and the drama, which includes smuggling Jews cross the border to Switzerland, is engrossing. Surprisingly disarming.
GRADE B-
FIGHT CHURCH is a US documentary about the popularity of churches starting up clubs to train fighters for "cage" fighting--trying to appeal mostly to men. The film feels like a long commercial for fight club activities, with ministers who fight and train doing a lot rationalizing as to why this is a good idea. Towards the end, two other pastors appear to give the opposing view point. It raises a lot of controversial issues regarding religion versus violence, and it also raises a lot more questions than it answers. If you don't like seeing (mostly) men beat each other senseless in the ring, than stay away from this film, as it got a lot of early walkouts.
THE SUNFISH is a charming Danish love story about a divorced fisherman trying to rebuild his life after a nasty divorce. He finds love with a lovely biologist who tries to help him with his fishing, but he can't seem to stay out of trouble. I might have liked this more except for the obnoxious hand held camera that seemed to creep into most scenes.
GRADE C+
BEYOND THE BRICK; A LEGO BRICKUMENTARY. The title says it all in this proficient but long info commercial about the LEGO product and how kids and adults have created the second biggest toy company in the US. Strictly for LEGO fans.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
SIFF Screenings May 12-13--BEST BETS----IDA, HALF A YELLOW SUN, TIME IN QUCHI
I'm trying to blog at least twice a week due to the heavy flow of films I'm seeing starting this week.
Films are listed in order of preference.
GRADE B
IDA from Poland is a curious film about a young novice nun who is sent to live temporarily with her aunt prior to her taking her vows. It is the early 1960's and she learns quickly that her aunt is a prostitute, and that her parents were Jewish. She also learns the story behind her parent's death. The black and white film is solid and well made, with terrific characterizations from all the actors, and an odd cinematic style that seems superfluous but is striking at times.
A TIME IN QUCHI from Taiwan is a minor but touching slice of life film, as young Bao is sent to live with his grandfather in the mountains for the summer while his parents work out their divorce. He spends his time going to summer school, playing basketball and making new friends. Not much happens in this leisurely, subtle film, but the kids are remarkable and the film lingers as a series of pleasant or sad or silly memories, all from a child's point of view.
GRADE B-
HALF A YELLOW SUN is based on a popular Nigerian novel, set in Nigeria during the 1960's just before and during the Civil War and featuring the tragic events that occurred in Biafra during that time. The strong cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 YEARS A SLAVE) and Thandie Newton, and the production values are strong. Unfortunately, the first hour prior to the war comes across as laughably melodramatic, with high society affairs, out of wedlock babies, over the top angry "Mamas", servants who see and say things they shouldn't, etc. When suddenly the mood changes to the violent uncertainties of the civil unrest, it's jarring, and the story line which covers about a dozen years starts to move in fast motion, with events, cities, characters and time flying by. It is difficult to keep the factions and sometimes the character's politics straight, so the end result of this want-to-be epic is vaguely disappointing. That said, the film is nothing if not EXOTIC, and the melodrama made me laugh a lot, and as the film hurtles to the ending, I felt modestly entertained and certainly never, ever bored.
DIOR AND I from France is a documentary about Raf Simon's first year as director of the haute couture collection of this iconic fashion company. It's compelling at times, although if you are a TV's PROJECT RUNWAY fan among other shows, you've seen it all before.
GRADE C+
THE TRIP TO ITALY is a sequel of sorts to THE TRIP (2010) where actor/comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, in this case, drive around Italy instead of Great Britain, sampling great cuisine, joking about their careers, doing numerous actor and movie imitations, and then head home after a week. The best thing about this film is the eye candy of location scenery and haute cuisine. This time, the film felt very "scripted" as opposed to improvised, and the jokes were less funny and the imitations less than sparkling. To be fair, some in the audience were obviously having a great time, but mostly I felt I'd seen it all before in THE TRIP, only better.
GRADE D
ANOTHER is a poor, uninspired man's rip off of THE OMEN/ROSEMARY'S BABY that is laughably cliched, and comes complete with blurry images, giggly camera moves, obvious music cues, over-the-top acting, and "acid trip" special effects--all of which grow wearisome very quickly. I walked out after 25 minutes.
Films are listed in order of preference.
GRADE B
IDA from Poland is a curious film about a young novice nun who is sent to live temporarily with her aunt prior to her taking her vows. It is the early 1960's and she learns quickly that her aunt is a prostitute, and that her parents were Jewish. She also learns the story behind her parent's death. The black and white film is solid and well made, with terrific characterizations from all the actors, and an odd cinematic style that seems superfluous but is striking at times.
A TIME IN QUCHI from Taiwan is a minor but touching slice of life film, as young Bao is sent to live with his grandfather in the mountains for the summer while his parents work out their divorce. He spends his time going to summer school, playing basketball and making new friends. Not much happens in this leisurely, subtle film, but the kids are remarkable and the film lingers as a series of pleasant or sad or silly memories, all from a child's point of view.
GRADE B-
HALF A YELLOW SUN is based on a popular Nigerian novel, set in Nigeria during the 1960's just before and during the Civil War and featuring the tragic events that occurred in Biafra during that time. The strong cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 YEARS A SLAVE) and Thandie Newton, and the production values are strong. Unfortunately, the first hour prior to the war comes across as laughably melodramatic, with high society affairs, out of wedlock babies, over the top angry "Mamas", servants who see and say things they shouldn't, etc. When suddenly the mood changes to the violent uncertainties of the civil unrest, it's jarring, and the story line which covers about a dozen years starts to move in fast motion, with events, cities, characters and time flying by. It is difficult to keep the factions and sometimes the character's politics straight, so the end result of this want-to-be epic is vaguely disappointing. That said, the film is nothing if not EXOTIC, and the melodrama made me laugh a lot, and as the film hurtles to the ending, I felt modestly entertained and certainly never, ever bored.
DIOR AND I from France is a documentary about Raf Simon's first year as director of the haute couture collection of this iconic fashion company. It's compelling at times, although if you are a TV's PROJECT RUNWAY fan among other shows, you've seen it all before.
GRADE C+
THE TRIP TO ITALY is a sequel of sorts to THE TRIP (2010) where actor/comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, in this case, drive around Italy instead of Great Britain, sampling great cuisine, joking about their careers, doing numerous actor and movie imitations, and then head home after a week. The best thing about this film is the eye candy of location scenery and haute cuisine. This time, the film felt very "scripted" as opposed to improvised, and the jokes were less funny and the imitations less than sparkling. To be fair, some in the audience were obviously having a great time, but mostly I felt I'd seen it all before in THE TRIP, only better.
GRADE D
ANOTHER is a poor, uninspired man's rip off of THE OMEN/ROSEMARY'S BABY that is laughably cliched, and comes complete with blurry images, giggly camera moves, obvious music cues, over-the-top acting, and "acid trip" special effects--all of which grow wearisome very quickly. I walked out after 25 minutes.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2014--Screenings begin--Best Bets--CASE AGAINST 8, LUCKY THEM, OBVIOUS CHILD, I'M BIG BIRD, CHICAGO GIRL, DAMNATION, SKELETON TWINS
It's SIFF time, and here's a quick rundown on the first 18 films that have been screened in the last week and a half for the press and pass holders. The Film Festival begins May 15, and GUIDES are available around town and on line. Anything rated B- and higher is certainly recommended---any lower, then see it at your own risk. I've listed these films in order of my preference, and left off the pluses or minuses
GRADE A
THE CASE AGAINST 8 is a high quality HBO documentary about the five year struggle to overturn California's Proposition 8--it would declare unmarried those same sex couples that had been legally married during the year prior. I thought I knew this story, but some facts astounded me and there are some powerfully moving moments.
LUCKY THEM is the best film yet by local director Megan Griffiths (EDEN 2012, OFF HOURS 2011) and highlights a sexy, rainy Seattle location and sparkling and witty acting by Toni Collette, Thomas Hayden Church and Oliver Platt. Added bonus---it's disarmingly funny, too.
GRADE B
OBVIOUS CHILD is a quirky, humorous and ultimately lovable story about a struggling stand up comedian who gets dumped by her BF, loses her job, and becomes pregnant--all just before Valentine's Day. Jenny Slate plays the lewd comedian with a forceful comedic flair.
I AM BIG BIRD: the CAROLL SPINNEY STORY--Perhaps he's not the most dynamic puppeteer to get national attention, yet this sweet, skillful documentary is classy, informative. joyful and most moving at times.
#CHICAGOGIRL: SOCIAL NETWORK TAKES ON A DICTATOR--Who knew that a 19 year old girl could coordinated months of dangerous political protesting in Syria from behind her computer in her Chicago home? It's an astonishing documentary.
DAMNATION--Smart beautiful documentary on the need to get rid of most of the US's 20000 plus dams. My only minor complaint--it's almost too ambitious as it covers over 20 specific dams , instead of focusing on just a handful.
SKELETON TWINS---Saturday Night's Bill Hader and Kristen Wigg are sensational as suicidal siblings struggling to rebuild their estranged relationship in this entertaining comedy-drama. You can't miss the very fine lip sinc scene.
GARDEN LOVERS---From Finland comes a strong documentary about various couples who love to show off their gardens, their naked bodies, and spout about what love and relationships mean to them. It's the typical, lovely "Film Festival" film.
ZIP AND ZAP AND THE MARBLE GANG. Mix up GOONIES, and HARRY POTTER (minus the special effects magic) and add in some substantial Art and Set design, and a clever plot, and you get this way better than average young adult adventure from Spain.
THE SIGNAL is an intriguing art-house science fiction with a terrific set up and premise, but it never quite takes off to that higher level that we want it to, due to a protracted chase ending. Still, the actors and direction are fine. Maybe the sequel will give us more......
BALLET 422 is a bare bones documentary that is both fascinating as it explores the creative mind, and frustrating in the absence of plot or details. A young dancer is given the opportunity to create a totally new dance for the company, and he does ultimately succeed, but most of the time he looks like a deer caught in the headlights.
BORGMAN--We enter "midnight film" territory here, but the plotting is so bizarre and absurd that this portrait of human evil lacks logical progression. It is consistently interesting to watch, but ultimately ends up in the WTF! category.
GRADE C
HELLION is well acted by Aaron Paul and Juliette Lewis and several kids. This story of a troubled teen and his broken family feels raw and real, but is sabotaged by a consistently annoying hand held camera. It that doesn't bother you, check it out, as I'd rate it higher if the camera work wasn't so obnoxious.
DEAR WHITE PEOPLE is another close call for me. Set on a college campus, this racial dramatic comedy is an ALMOST--but leisurely paced film needs better script and faster pacing. NEXT TIME!
40 DAYS OF SILENCE---Loooonnnnnggg takes, dark scenes impossible to make out, and obtuse themes frustrated me, but some in audience felt entitled to fill in a lot of blanks that are NOT in the script. Set in small Uzbek village, main character has no dialogue, and what little there is is ambiguous.
MOOD INDIGO--Witty, clever and bizarre surreal scenes ultimately become tiresome and there's very little to connect to in this slightly plotted romance from France. For some, the visuals may be enough.
THE CONGRESS--Half live action, half animation, this science fiction film based on an early 1970's novel feels dated with themes of actors giving their souls to the studio heads, and the possibilities of psychedelic drugs to reach different planes of your mind, etc. The pacing is slow, the plot feels half backed and the lead character, played by Robin Wright, is so passive you want to reach out and slap her.
CLOWNWISE--Dull and talky, and I can't get into clown shtick (with the exception of SEND IN THE CLOWNS) so I walked out after 45 uneventful minutes.
Watched on DVD
Hard to believe I had the time, but I did catch up with writer/director Paul Schrader's THE WALKER (2006) and found it very interesting. The plot involves an aging gay gigolo ("a walker") who spends his time with elderly married women, escorting them to social and entertainment events when their husbands are unavailable. He seems to balance their friendships well--they all know about him and they know each other, too, and no one seems jealous. (And he makes some money off them too) . When one of his women friends seems implicated in a political murder (the story is set in Washington DC) he tries to cover for her, and ends up implicated in her place. It was fascinating to see a modern film set around a totally gay character (played well by Woody Harrelson) and there are many scenes showing prejudice, and how hurtful people can become towards gays in particular, with slurs and insinuations and downright bigotry. (So many gay characters are in supporting roles, or in comedies. or period pieces. This one felt "fresher" and more organic.) Kristin Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall, Lily Tomlin, Ned Beatty and Moritz Blibtreu head a fine cast. Schrader's career has had ups and downs, (AFFLICTION 1997, AMERICAN GIGOLO 1980, CAT PEOPLE 1982) plus he wrote the screenplays for RAGING BULL, among others classics, so he certainly knows what buttons to push to keep you fascinated. GRADE------B
GRADE A
THE CASE AGAINST 8 is a high quality HBO documentary about the five year struggle to overturn California's Proposition 8--it would declare unmarried those same sex couples that had been legally married during the year prior. I thought I knew this story, but some facts astounded me and there are some powerfully moving moments.
LUCKY THEM is the best film yet by local director Megan Griffiths (EDEN 2012, OFF HOURS 2011) and highlights a sexy, rainy Seattle location and sparkling and witty acting by Toni Collette, Thomas Hayden Church and Oliver Platt. Added bonus---it's disarmingly funny, too.
GRADE B
OBVIOUS CHILD is a quirky, humorous and ultimately lovable story about a struggling stand up comedian who gets dumped by her BF, loses her job, and becomes pregnant--all just before Valentine's Day. Jenny Slate plays the lewd comedian with a forceful comedic flair.
I AM BIG BIRD: the CAROLL SPINNEY STORY--Perhaps he's not the most dynamic puppeteer to get national attention, yet this sweet, skillful documentary is classy, informative. joyful and most moving at times.
#CHICAGOGIRL: SOCIAL NETWORK TAKES ON A DICTATOR--Who knew that a 19 year old girl could coordinated months of dangerous political protesting in Syria from behind her computer in her Chicago home? It's an astonishing documentary.
DAMNATION--Smart beautiful documentary on the need to get rid of most of the US's 20000 plus dams. My only minor complaint--it's almost too ambitious as it covers over 20 specific dams , instead of focusing on just a handful.
SKELETON TWINS---Saturday Night's Bill Hader and Kristen Wigg are sensational as suicidal siblings struggling to rebuild their estranged relationship in this entertaining comedy-drama. You can't miss the very fine lip sinc scene.
GARDEN LOVERS---From Finland comes a strong documentary about various couples who love to show off their gardens, their naked bodies, and spout about what love and relationships mean to them. It's the typical, lovely "Film Festival" film.
ZIP AND ZAP AND THE MARBLE GANG. Mix up GOONIES, and HARRY POTTER (minus the special effects magic) and add in some substantial Art and Set design, and a clever plot, and you get this way better than average young adult adventure from Spain.
THE SIGNAL is an intriguing art-house science fiction with a terrific set up and premise, but it never quite takes off to that higher level that we want it to, due to a protracted chase ending. Still, the actors and direction are fine. Maybe the sequel will give us more......
BALLET 422 is a bare bones documentary that is both fascinating as it explores the creative mind, and frustrating in the absence of plot or details. A young dancer is given the opportunity to create a totally new dance for the company, and he does ultimately succeed, but most of the time he looks like a deer caught in the headlights.
BORGMAN--We enter "midnight film" territory here, but the plotting is so bizarre and absurd that this portrait of human evil lacks logical progression. It is consistently interesting to watch, but ultimately ends up in the WTF! category.
GRADE C
HELLION is well acted by Aaron Paul and Juliette Lewis and several kids. This story of a troubled teen and his broken family feels raw and real, but is sabotaged by a consistently annoying hand held camera. It that doesn't bother you, check it out, as I'd rate it higher if the camera work wasn't so obnoxious.
DEAR WHITE PEOPLE is another close call for me. Set on a college campus, this racial dramatic comedy is an ALMOST--but leisurely paced film needs better script and faster pacing. NEXT TIME!
40 DAYS OF SILENCE---Loooonnnnnggg takes, dark scenes impossible to make out, and obtuse themes frustrated me, but some in audience felt entitled to fill in a lot of blanks that are NOT in the script. Set in small Uzbek village, main character has no dialogue, and what little there is is ambiguous.
MOOD INDIGO--Witty, clever and bizarre surreal scenes ultimately become tiresome and there's very little to connect to in this slightly plotted romance from France. For some, the visuals may be enough.
THE CONGRESS--Half live action, half animation, this science fiction film based on an early 1970's novel feels dated with themes of actors giving their souls to the studio heads, and the possibilities of psychedelic drugs to reach different planes of your mind, etc. The pacing is slow, the plot feels half backed and the lead character, played by Robin Wright, is so passive you want to reach out and slap her.
CLOWNWISE--Dull and talky, and I can't get into clown shtick (with the exception of SEND IN THE CLOWNS) so I walked out after 45 uneventful minutes.
Watched on DVD
Hard to believe I had the time, but I did catch up with writer/director Paul Schrader's THE WALKER (2006) and found it very interesting. The plot involves an aging gay gigolo ("a walker") who spends his time with elderly married women, escorting them to social and entertainment events when their husbands are unavailable. He seems to balance their friendships well--they all know about him and they know each other, too, and no one seems jealous. (And he makes some money off them too) . When one of his women friends seems implicated in a political murder (the story is set in Washington DC) he tries to cover for her, and ends up implicated in her place. It was fascinating to see a modern film set around a totally gay character (played well by Woody Harrelson) and there are many scenes showing prejudice, and how hurtful people can become towards gays in particular, with slurs and insinuations and downright bigotry. (So many gay characters are in supporting roles, or in comedies. or period pieces. This one felt "fresher" and more organic.) Kristin Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall, Lily Tomlin, Ned Beatty and Moritz Blibtreu head a fine cast. Schrader's career has had ups and downs, (AFFLICTION 1997, AMERICAN GIGOLO 1980, CAT PEOPLE 1982) plus he wrote the screenplays for RAGING BULL, among others classics, so he certainly knows what buttons to push to keep you fascinated. GRADE------B
Sunday, April 27, 2014
The OTHER WOMAN, BAD WORDS, RIO 2, CUBAN FURY, TRANSENDENCE plus THE SAPPHIRES, 56 UP, BERNIE, and MURDER MY SWEET 1945
A forty year old man weasels his way into becoming a children's spelling bee contestant in search of some kind of redemption ploy, causing havoc among the other contestants, parents, and spelling bee organizers. That is the unlikely plot of a very funny film, played and directed by Jason Bateman with wicked glee and potty mouth precision. BAD WORDS is a comic fantasy which indulges the lead to say whatever is on his mind, and the result is a refreshingly politically incorrect skewering of spelling bees, over possessive parents, spoiled kids, spoiled adults and small town morals. GRADE----------B+
Not quite as witty as BAD WORDS, but perhaps funnier in a more physical way is THE OTHER WOMAN, a comic story of three scorned women (all by the same man) who eek out some sort of revenge plot to punish him for his philandering and, it turns out, illegal financial activities. The highlight here is Leslie Mann who neurotically and comically plays the betrayed wife. She gets to mug and scene steal in nearly every scene, whether she's crying, drunk, being mauled by a huge dog, or incredibly angry. Cameron Diaz plays the "straight" role--the woman who realizes after two intense months together that her wonderful new boyfriend is actually married. Model turned actress (but she should stay model) Kate Upton is the third girlfriend that sets the revenge plot in motion and all three actresses have some great funny scenes of running, tripping, screaming, pratfalls, etc.......
It many not be much in the long run, but there is enough serious real feeling between the characters that the film carries some sting after the running time. GRADE----------B
It's pretty minor stuff, but the ill named CUBAN FURY features some lively salsa dancing, some subtle comic performances by Chris O'Dowd, Nick Frost and Rashida Jones and others, and enough good hearted good will to last half a year. I don't know why they call it CUBAN FURY since the film is set in a small salsa bar in London, and I'm not sure that any of the characters were Cuban....but Brit Nick Frost decides he wants to get back into salsa dancing ever since he was assaulted by some thugs on the night of his potential big win 20 years earlier and quit in embarrassment. His motivation is his new boss, Rashida Jones, who is also being pursued by a slimy Chris O'Dowd co-worker. We all know how it will end, but this is definitely a case where getting there is all the fun. GRADE---------B-
The new animated RIO 2 is musical, colorful, lively, and at times funny. It was not as clever and charming as the original RIO, but my 5 year old grand daughter was vastly entertained. GRADE------B-
Based on a true story is THE RAILWAY MAN, a subtle, gentle story of a British man who was horribly tortured by the Japanese in WWII and how this affects him later in life (flash forward to 1980) when he marries the kindly woman who tries to heal him. Lovely performances by Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman keep the film watchable, but the real saving grace is the final 20 minutes when he gets a chance to confront his main captor. GRADE---------B-
Technically, the film TRANSCENDENCE is spectacular to watch, and there are dozens of provocative themes and ideas rolling around, but the film seems to take off into the least interesting of these ideas and nearly grounds to a halt by the end. It is a disappointing mishmash. GRADE-------C+
SEEN ON DVD==============
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (2012) holds up well in repeated viewings (a friend had never seen it)--in fact, I liked the Maggie Smith character better this time than the previous two. She manages to be very funny while being the most subtle of the characters. The photography is bright and colorful, the music is charming, and the dozen characters are handled with great respect and given equal time. GRADE-------------- B+
Director Michael Apted started his SEVEN UP series 50 years ago. Based on the saying, "Give me a child until the age of 7, and I'll show you the man"---he has interviewed the same dozen children every 7 years since that first film, and this film 56 UP (2013) has these subjects all at age 56 and he flashes back to show what they were saying at various times in their life. It's a fascinating subject with interesting interviews, and the chance to see an individual every seven years throughout their life is INVALUABLE. GRADE-------------B+
Based on a true story, the Australian film THE SAPPHIRES features four struggling Aboriginal girls who try to make it to the big time by forming a girl group and touring Vietnam in the 1960's. Their manager is played by Chris O'Dowd (see CUBAN FURY above, and BRIDESMAIDS 2011) in his liveliest, most heartfelt performance, and the soundtrack is filled with great soul songs and lively characters. This would make a great double bill with BRAN NUE DAE (2009)--another lively Aussie musical. GRADE-----------B
Another based on a true story film, BERNIE (2011) tells the tale of a possessive widow (Shirley MacLaine) who latches onto the assistant funeral director (Jack Black) who acts as the town walker (he unofficially entertains the single older woman by taking them out dancing or dining, etc). When his new widow becomes overwhelming, the scene is set for tragedy, yet the towns people refuse to believe what has happened. It's a strange mix of satire, comedy, drama, and thriller, with Matthew McConoughy playing the lawyer trying what turns into a sensational court case. GRADE-----------B-
One of the first films to use private detective Philip Marlowe as a main character, MURDER MY SWEET (1945) is a mixed bag. The first half hour is intriguing enough, but the characters keep coming and going, and so do the motivations. Things become so convoluted that by the ending, I didn't really care. I've seen this several times, but can never remember from time to time any scenes or resolutions. Dick Powell played Marlowe and gets knocked HARD on the noggin at least four times that I remembered---hard enough to cause any professional football line backer to lapse into a coma for the rest of his life. Claire Trevor and Anne Shirley were suitable femme fatalles. GRADE---------B-
Not quite as witty as BAD WORDS, but perhaps funnier in a more physical way is THE OTHER WOMAN, a comic story of three scorned women (all by the same man) who eek out some sort of revenge plot to punish him for his philandering and, it turns out, illegal financial activities. The highlight here is Leslie Mann who neurotically and comically plays the betrayed wife. She gets to mug and scene steal in nearly every scene, whether she's crying, drunk, being mauled by a huge dog, or incredibly angry. Cameron Diaz plays the "straight" role--the woman who realizes after two intense months together that her wonderful new boyfriend is actually married. Model turned actress (but she should stay model) Kate Upton is the third girlfriend that sets the revenge plot in motion and all three actresses have some great funny scenes of running, tripping, screaming, pratfalls, etc.......
It many not be much in the long run, but there is enough serious real feeling between the characters that the film carries some sting after the running time. GRADE----------B
It's pretty minor stuff, but the ill named CUBAN FURY features some lively salsa dancing, some subtle comic performances by Chris O'Dowd, Nick Frost and Rashida Jones and others, and enough good hearted good will to last half a year. I don't know why they call it CUBAN FURY since the film is set in a small salsa bar in London, and I'm not sure that any of the characters were Cuban....but Brit Nick Frost decides he wants to get back into salsa dancing ever since he was assaulted by some thugs on the night of his potential big win 20 years earlier and quit in embarrassment. His motivation is his new boss, Rashida Jones, who is also being pursued by a slimy Chris O'Dowd co-worker. We all know how it will end, but this is definitely a case where getting there is all the fun. GRADE---------B-
The new animated RIO 2 is musical, colorful, lively, and at times funny. It was not as clever and charming as the original RIO, but my 5 year old grand daughter was vastly entertained. GRADE------B-
Based on a true story is THE RAILWAY MAN, a subtle, gentle story of a British man who was horribly tortured by the Japanese in WWII and how this affects him later in life (flash forward to 1980) when he marries the kindly woman who tries to heal him. Lovely performances by Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman keep the film watchable, but the real saving grace is the final 20 minutes when he gets a chance to confront his main captor. GRADE---------B-
Technically, the film TRANSCENDENCE is spectacular to watch, and there are dozens of provocative themes and ideas rolling around, but the film seems to take off into the least interesting of these ideas and nearly grounds to a halt by the end. It is a disappointing mishmash. GRADE-------C+
SEEN ON DVD==============
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (2012) holds up well in repeated viewings (a friend had never seen it)--in fact, I liked the Maggie Smith character better this time than the previous two. She manages to be very funny while being the most subtle of the characters. The photography is bright and colorful, the music is charming, and the dozen characters are handled with great respect and given equal time. GRADE-------------- B+
Director Michael Apted started his SEVEN UP series 50 years ago. Based on the saying, "Give me a child until the age of 7, and I'll show you the man"---he has interviewed the same dozen children every 7 years since that first film, and this film 56 UP (2013) has these subjects all at age 56 and he flashes back to show what they were saying at various times in their life. It's a fascinating subject with interesting interviews, and the chance to see an individual every seven years throughout their life is INVALUABLE. GRADE-------------B+
Based on a true story, the Australian film THE SAPPHIRES features four struggling Aboriginal girls who try to make it to the big time by forming a girl group and touring Vietnam in the 1960's. Their manager is played by Chris O'Dowd (see CUBAN FURY above, and BRIDESMAIDS 2011) in his liveliest, most heartfelt performance, and the soundtrack is filled with great soul songs and lively characters. This would make a great double bill with BRAN NUE DAE (2009)--another lively Aussie musical. GRADE-----------B
Another based on a true story film, BERNIE (2011) tells the tale of a possessive widow (Shirley MacLaine) who latches onto the assistant funeral director (Jack Black) who acts as the town walker (he unofficially entertains the single older woman by taking them out dancing or dining, etc). When his new widow becomes overwhelming, the scene is set for tragedy, yet the towns people refuse to believe what has happened. It's a strange mix of satire, comedy, drama, and thriller, with Matthew McConoughy playing the lawyer trying what turns into a sensational court case. GRADE-----------B-
One of the first films to use private detective Philip Marlowe as a main character, MURDER MY SWEET (1945) is a mixed bag. The first half hour is intriguing enough, but the characters keep coming and going, and so do the motivations. Things become so convoluted that by the ending, I didn't really care. I've seen this several times, but can never remember from time to time any scenes or resolutions. Dick Powell played Marlowe and gets knocked HARD on the noggin at least four times that I remembered---hard enough to cause any professional football line backer to lapse into a coma for the rest of his life. Claire Trevor and Anne Shirley were suitable femme fatalles. GRADE---------B-
Thursday, April 3, 2014
MARCH MOVIE MADNESS----GRAND HOTEL BUDAPEST, NOAH, DIVERGENT, 300:RISE of an EMPIRE, RIDE ALONG, ROBOCOP, NON-STOP, JACK RYAN; SHADOW RECRUIT, THE WIND RISES, Tyler Perry's SINGLE MOM'S CLUB and more...
I'm not sure why I didn't blog at all in March--the month just slipped on by, but I kept up my movie watching with nearly 20 films now to report........
At the top of the heap is Wes Anderson's newest, THE GRAND HOTEL BUDAPEST, a happy, odd, cinematic treat which tells the story (tongue held firmly in cheek) of the current owner of the fading establishment, and how he came to be. The big, BIG cast includes relish comic turns by Adrien Broady, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Saorise Ronan, Tilda Swinton, among others, with special mention to the witty leads--Ralph Finnes, F. Murray Abraham and newcomer Tony Revolori, as the "lobby boy" who comes into contact with nearly the whole cast at one time or the other.
The witty script had me smiling throughout, the art and set decoration creates a whole other "character" and provides a nuance and gravitas as well as a setting for numerous sight gags, the cinematography is unique, the score is playful, and the director really nails the complicated plot twists. This is a film that will stand the test of time and repeated viewings should continue to delight any audience. It's the TOP FILM of the year so far. GRADE-------A
Sharp as nails, much like the subject, the documentary ANITA; SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER is a fascinating look at the life and past times of lawyer, teacher and activist Anita Hill, and how her encounter with Supreme court nominee Clarance Thomas shaped her future. It's fascinating stuff.
GRADE-------- A-
A new "end of the world" blockbuster based on the Genesis story of Noah's ark, NOAH is an intelligent and thoughtful rendering of what might have happened when the world was washed clean to rid humanity of evil and thoughtless people who didn't take care of the world as the creator had asked. (It gave me pause, thinking of the beating the earth is taking today with our dependency on greenhouse gases and other issues causing the global warming issues.) Director Darren Aronosky has taken a serious and introspective view and created one of the few realistic versions of a Bible story, without a hint of campiness or humor. I came home from seeing this and reread the story (Genesis Chapter 5--Chapter 9) and realized that the film, in spite of a few plot contrivances for dramatic tension, is actually pretty accurate, even with those rock like "fallen angel" giants. Aronovsky is a genius, and I was memorably impressed and entertained. GRADE---------B+
I haven't read the books, but I enjoyed the new film DIVERGENT as a solid entry into the "young adult" book to movie category. It did remind me of the HUNGER GAMES story, in that it is the teenagers who must make big decisions and end up killing innocents (adults and kids)---but always at the will and demand of corrupt or misguided adults. GRADE-----------B
It may not be as good as the original 300 film, mainly because that one takes viewers by surprise with the bloody, brutal, stylish visuals of slow motion warfare, but the sequel 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE which takes place at the same time as 300 but in a different location has all the same ingredients (stylish cinematography, brutal fight scenes, near nudity, graphic blood spurting, muscle bound bodies in action, etc.)--perhaps to slightly diminishing effect. The biggest change is that in spite of this new film being stocked with hundreds of muscled soldiers, the film belongs to the vicious leader of the navy played to great effect by Eva Green, and the Queen Gordo of the Spartans--a returning Lena Headly. It may take a whole long movie for the anticipated "cat fight" to occur, but each woman commands the action through out the film. Very satisfying of its kind. GRADE-----B
Artistically drawn and thoughtfully created, THE WIND RISES is purportedly director Hayao Miyazoki's last film (he plans to retire). His previous animated films, which include PONYO, SPIRITED AWAY, WORLD OF ARRIETTY and HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE take great pains to clearly establish place and time even if the films are quite fantastical in plot and action. THE WIND RISES is very well drawn, and although it concentrates on the life of the man who invented the Japanese bombers for use during World War II, it never becomes political--in fact there are no scenes showing the planes being used to bomb the US, and one is never fully aware until the end that his "suicide" planes are anything but a fanciful dream. Indeed, the film really comes alive in the sequences where the hero is dreaming/fantasizing about flight and speed. It is an odd film, but then that could be said about all his films. GRADE-------B
The French animated feature ERNEST AND CELESTINE about the relationship between a bear and a mouse is a charming movie that was recently nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, which was won by the popular FROZEN. It's perfectly sweet without being coy. GRADE-------B
It many not have the shocking satirical power of the original, but the new version of ROBOCOP is intriguing on it's own merits, and for those unfamiliar with the original 1987 version, this new update concentrates more on the human tragedy of a machine/man than on the social aspects. GRADE--------B-
I've never been a fan of Tyler Perry's films--the couple I've seen have seemed hackneyed and cliched, but I give him a lot of credit for making films mostly peopled by African American actors and geared for the black audience, when most directors won't take that chance. His films nearly always make money because he makes them cheap and knows his audience. His newest film, SINGLE MOM'S CLUB includes more white people than his earlier films, yet still features black actors in most of the key roles. The plot, about five harried single women with troubled kids all in the same school who try to see past their differences and start a support group is amusing and mostly successful, even though it still deals with situations that seem fairly familiar. Director Perry takes a supporting role here as a potential love interest to one mom. Thankfully he plays it straight, for a change. Often he is cast in his own films in drag as the Medea character--a sassy black women who is over the top for me. Here I especially enjoyed the comic energy of Cocoa Brown, who plays an overweight mother from the poor side of town who is dealing with two of her boys in jail, and the younger one wanting to stretch his wings. She is also being pursued by an obnoxious small business owner, but of course, in reality, he has a heart of gold. Cocoa Brown has been appearing in LOTS of unmemorable TV series--hopefully this role will give her some even better roles worthy of her talents. GRADE--------B-
Liam Neeson continues his action hero roles with NON-STOP, a satisfying, if familiar action thriller about a trans Atlantic flight that is being hijacked by unknown "terrorists" who make is seem that Neeson, who plays an air Marshall is the actual terrorist. There are some modest plot turns, and the action keeps flowing. Not great, but certainly watchable. GRADE--------B-
Author Tom Clancy's popular hero is back in the movies, this time played by Chris Pine. JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT is an OK action thriller that goes back to the beginning to explain how Ryan became the super spy that he became---especially odd in that he starts off as a systems analysis/accountant! I was engrossed but had to swallow a lot of contrivances along the way--one involves the showing up of girl friend Kiera Knightly. She manages to get a last minute flight to Moscow and manages to find his hotel room- and be admitted- although she is not wanted! Another involves the ease in which Ryan infiltrates the security headquarters of his nemesis and finds the right security computer codes, etc etc etc, without ANY trouble, And in less than 10 minutes. Pleeaassee. Still, there are some effective moments and I liked the actors (including Kevin Costner and Kenneth Branagh.) GRADE------B-
An unofficial remake of the Demi Moore/Rob Lowe version in 1986, ABOUT LAST NIGHT features an attractive cast including Michael Ealy, Regina Hall, and the spitball Kevin Hart as a group of singles who go from the bar room to the bedroom in attempts to hook up. The dialogue is from a play SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO from the mid 1980's written by David Mamet, and while there's nothing new, it is fun to watch and listen to. GRADE--------B-
Comedian Kevin Hart is still the best thing in RIDE ALONG, but the film is a tired attempt to mix violence and cop action with comedy, and the result is a very uneasy mishmash. Ice Cube plays the cop brother of the woman Hart is trying to marry, and basically plays the straight man who doesn't care much for the immature antics of his sister's fiance so he invites Hart along, trying to intimidate him and put him in his place. Things get out of hand when Hart proves to be more perceptive than Cube gives him credit. The film is watchable, and there are some bright, tense moments,and again, Kevin Hart is a whirlwind of double talk and bravado. I've enjoyed all his films, which have included THINK LIKE A MAN, 5 YEAR ENGAGEMENT and THIS IS THE END. GRADE-------C+
-----------------------------------
FOLLOWING ARE FILMS VIEWED ON DVD-----
From famed director Howard Hawks comes John Wayne and Robert Mitchum in EL DORADO (1967), an unusual western where the "heroes" are a drunkard (Mitchum) and a cripple (Wayne from the start, and then both Wayne and Mitchum by the end). The story may be predictable--both men join forces to prevent a land grab in a small western town by evil guys, and there are several gun battles. There's also a lot of macho humor between the men and between the women and the men. Mitchum really gets down to play a dirty drunk scene that lasts for 20 minutes--you almost feel embarrassed for him, except he's incredibly good at it. A young James Caan plays a poetry spouting novice who can't shoot a gun, and the good guys win in the end, natch. GRADE----------B
From earlier this summer comes the perceptive coming of age comedy drama THE WAY WAY BACK which features sly performances by Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph and Allison Janney. Young Duncan (newcomer Liam James) becomes annoyed with the adult games his mother and new boyfriend play, and seeks his friendships with the adults who run a summer water park while on vacation at the ocean. It's a subtle, thoughtful film with many charming moments and revelations. GRADE---------B
Director Todd Hayes has made some special films in his career including I'M NOT THERE (2007), FAR FROM HEAVEN (2002), VELVET GOLDMINE (1998), SAFE (1995) and of course, SUPERSTAR: THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY (1988) which he filmed using Barbie dolls as all the main characters! He wrote and directed the new version of MILDRED PIERCE (2012)--a six hour mini series version for HBO. The film, based on a novel by James M. McCain, is truer to the story than the Joan Crawford version from 1945, which framed the story as a murder mystery. I liked Kate Winslet's portrayal as the normal housewife who has to reinvent herself, but the HBO version adds some nude sex scenes which didn't feel right for the story. Frankly, I like Crawford's Oscar winning interpretation better--it's tougher and more memorable, and I like the way the older version moved along the story in an economical way, when sometimes the 6 hour version just seemed too slow in spite of the detail and minor missing story lines. GRADE----------B (2012 version)
From Australia comes a film based on a musical stage play called BRAN NUE DAE (aka BRAND NEW DAY) 2009 which has the leading young man only wanting to hang out at the beach, fish, and meeting his new girl friend for fun, but his mom sends him off to a Catholic boarding school for Aboriginal boys, run by the kindly but strict priest (Geoffrey Rush). The characters all get to break into song and dance, and the film is definitely in the feel good category, with a wild revelatory ending the is beyond belief, but loads of fun. GRADE---------B
In 1956, the nominees for Best Picture included FRIENDLY PERSUASION, GIANT, THE KING AND I, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, and other top films in release that year were THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, WAR AND PEACE, LUST FOR LIFE, HAMLET, HIGH SOCIETY, SOLID GOLD CADILLAC, ANASTASIA, WRITTEN ON THE WIND, BABY DOLL, and INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS. That makes at least 14 films that were better and more memorable than the winning picture, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. Now, I'm not saying that AROUND THE WORLD....is bad--I believe there have been worse Best Picture winners, but after watching the three hour plus DVD last weekend, I can honestly say that I don't remember much about the plot and characters. Shirley McLaine is so understated that I hardly recognized her, the British gents at the gentleman's club are such stuffy cliches that they fade from memory, the many cameos that populate the picture are so underused and poorly used that I felt rather sorry for them, including Frank Sinatra,
Peter Lorre, George Raft, Red Skelton, Buster Keaton, Trevor Howard and Noel Coward. On the plus side is the musical score, the cinematography, and the exotic locations, which mostly made it feel like a travelogue. David Niven was his usual debonair self, and I enjoyed watching the Mexican superstar Cantinflas steal some of the scenes. GRADE------------C+ (the plus is for the pretty pictures.)
Coming up at the bottom this month is the action fantasy thriller BATTLESHIP (2012) which is based on the HASBRO company board game!!!!!! I guess that says it all there. The cast is game--Taylor Kitsch (maybe it should be "kitch"--he's got the dumb hunky guy down well), singer Rihanna puts out the energy, Liam Neeson for some somber gravitas) but as lively as the editing is, the plot is beyond preposterous and the film feels empty and dull despite the explosions and maneuverings of the battleships that are trying to fight off invaders from space that look like men wearing diving suits.
GRADE---------C-
At the top of the heap is Wes Anderson's newest, THE GRAND HOTEL BUDAPEST, a happy, odd, cinematic treat which tells the story (tongue held firmly in cheek) of the current owner of the fading establishment, and how he came to be. The big, BIG cast includes relish comic turns by Adrien Broady, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Saorise Ronan, Tilda Swinton, among others, with special mention to the witty leads--Ralph Finnes, F. Murray Abraham and newcomer Tony Revolori, as the "lobby boy" who comes into contact with nearly the whole cast at one time or the other.
The witty script had me smiling throughout, the art and set decoration creates a whole other "character" and provides a nuance and gravitas as well as a setting for numerous sight gags, the cinematography is unique, the score is playful, and the director really nails the complicated plot twists. This is a film that will stand the test of time and repeated viewings should continue to delight any audience. It's the TOP FILM of the year so far. GRADE-------A
Sharp as nails, much like the subject, the documentary ANITA; SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER is a fascinating look at the life and past times of lawyer, teacher and activist Anita Hill, and how her encounter with Supreme court nominee Clarance Thomas shaped her future. It's fascinating stuff.
GRADE-------- A-
A new "end of the world" blockbuster based on the Genesis story of Noah's ark, NOAH is an intelligent and thoughtful rendering of what might have happened when the world was washed clean to rid humanity of evil and thoughtless people who didn't take care of the world as the creator had asked. (It gave me pause, thinking of the beating the earth is taking today with our dependency on greenhouse gases and other issues causing the global warming issues.) Director Darren Aronosky has taken a serious and introspective view and created one of the few realistic versions of a Bible story, without a hint of campiness or humor. I came home from seeing this and reread the story (Genesis Chapter 5--Chapter 9) and realized that the film, in spite of a few plot contrivances for dramatic tension, is actually pretty accurate, even with those rock like "fallen angel" giants. Aronovsky is a genius, and I was memorably impressed and entertained. GRADE---------B+
I haven't read the books, but I enjoyed the new film DIVERGENT as a solid entry into the "young adult" book to movie category. It did remind me of the HUNGER GAMES story, in that it is the teenagers who must make big decisions and end up killing innocents (adults and kids)---but always at the will and demand of corrupt or misguided adults. GRADE-----------B
It may not be as good as the original 300 film, mainly because that one takes viewers by surprise with the bloody, brutal, stylish visuals of slow motion warfare, but the sequel 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE which takes place at the same time as 300 but in a different location has all the same ingredients (stylish cinematography, brutal fight scenes, near nudity, graphic blood spurting, muscle bound bodies in action, etc.)--perhaps to slightly diminishing effect. The biggest change is that in spite of this new film being stocked with hundreds of muscled soldiers, the film belongs to the vicious leader of the navy played to great effect by Eva Green, and the Queen Gordo of the Spartans--a returning Lena Headly. It may take a whole long movie for the anticipated "cat fight" to occur, but each woman commands the action through out the film. Very satisfying of its kind. GRADE-----B
Artistically drawn and thoughtfully created, THE WIND RISES is purportedly director Hayao Miyazoki's last film (he plans to retire). His previous animated films, which include PONYO, SPIRITED AWAY, WORLD OF ARRIETTY and HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE take great pains to clearly establish place and time even if the films are quite fantastical in plot and action. THE WIND RISES is very well drawn, and although it concentrates on the life of the man who invented the Japanese bombers for use during World War II, it never becomes political--in fact there are no scenes showing the planes being used to bomb the US, and one is never fully aware until the end that his "suicide" planes are anything but a fanciful dream. Indeed, the film really comes alive in the sequences where the hero is dreaming/fantasizing about flight and speed. It is an odd film, but then that could be said about all his films. GRADE-------B
The French animated feature ERNEST AND CELESTINE about the relationship between a bear and a mouse is a charming movie that was recently nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, which was won by the popular FROZEN. It's perfectly sweet without being coy. GRADE-------B
It many not have the shocking satirical power of the original, but the new version of ROBOCOP is intriguing on it's own merits, and for those unfamiliar with the original 1987 version, this new update concentrates more on the human tragedy of a machine/man than on the social aspects. GRADE--------B-
I've never been a fan of Tyler Perry's films--the couple I've seen have seemed hackneyed and cliched, but I give him a lot of credit for making films mostly peopled by African American actors and geared for the black audience, when most directors won't take that chance. His films nearly always make money because he makes them cheap and knows his audience. His newest film, SINGLE MOM'S CLUB includes more white people than his earlier films, yet still features black actors in most of the key roles. The plot, about five harried single women with troubled kids all in the same school who try to see past their differences and start a support group is amusing and mostly successful, even though it still deals with situations that seem fairly familiar. Director Perry takes a supporting role here as a potential love interest to one mom. Thankfully he plays it straight, for a change. Often he is cast in his own films in drag as the Medea character--a sassy black women who is over the top for me. Here I especially enjoyed the comic energy of Cocoa Brown, who plays an overweight mother from the poor side of town who is dealing with two of her boys in jail, and the younger one wanting to stretch his wings. She is also being pursued by an obnoxious small business owner, but of course, in reality, he has a heart of gold. Cocoa Brown has been appearing in LOTS of unmemorable TV series--hopefully this role will give her some even better roles worthy of her talents. GRADE--------B-
Liam Neeson continues his action hero roles with NON-STOP, a satisfying, if familiar action thriller about a trans Atlantic flight that is being hijacked by unknown "terrorists" who make is seem that Neeson, who plays an air Marshall is the actual terrorist. There are some modest plot turns, and the action keeps flowing. Not great, but certainly watchable. GRADE--------B-
Author Tom Clancy's popular hero is back in the movies, this time played by Chris Pine. JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT is an OK action thriller that goes back to the beginning to explain how Ryan became the super spy that he became---especially odd in that he starts off as a systems analysis/accountant! I was engrossed but had to swallow a lot of contrivances along the way--one involves the showing up of girl friend Kiera Knightly. She manages to get a last minute flight to Moscow and manages to find his hotel room- and be admitted- although she is not wanted! Another involves the ease in which Ryan infiltrates the security headquarters of his nemesis and finds the right security computer codes, etc etc etc, without ANY trouble, And in less than 10 minutes. Pleeaassee. Still, there are some effective moments and I liked the actors (including Kevin Costner and Kenneth Branagh.) GRADE------B-
An unofficial remake of the Demi Moore/Rob Lowe version in 1986, ABOUT LAST NIGHT features an attractive cast including Michael Ealy, Regina Hall, and the spitball Kevin Hart as a group of singles who go from the bar room to the bedroom in attempts to hook up. The dialogue is from a play SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO from the mid 1980's written by David Mamet, and while there's nothing new, it is fun to watch and listen to. GRADE--------B-
Comedian Kevin Hart is still the best thing in RIDE ALONG, but the film is a tired attempt to mix violence and cop action with comedy, and the result is a very uneasy mishmash. Ice Cube plays the cop brother of the woman Hart is trying to marry, and basically plays the straight man who doesn't care much for the immature antics of his sister's fiance so he invites Hart along, trying to intimidate him and put him in his place. Things get out of hand when Hart proves to be more perceptive than Cube gives him credit. The film is watchable, and there are some bright, tense moments,and again, Kevin Hart is a whirlwind of double talk and bravado. I've enjoyed all his films, which have included THINK LIKE A MAN, 5 YEAR ENGAGEMENT and THIS IS THE END. GRADE-------C+
-----------------------------------
FOLLOWING ARE FILMS VIEWED ON DVD-----
From famed director Howard Hawks comes John Wayne and Robert Mitchum in EL DORADO (1967), an unusual western where the "heroes" are a drunkard (Mitchum) and a cripple (Wayne from the start, and then both Wayne and Mitchum by the end). The story may be predictable--both men join forces to prevent a land grab in a small western town by evil guys, and there are several gun battles. There's also a lot of macho humor between the men and between the women and the men. Mitchum really gets down to play a dirty drunk scene that lasts for 20 minutes--you almost feel embarrassed for him, except he's incredibly good at it. A young James Caan plays a poetry spouting novice who can't shoot a gun, and the good guys win in the end, natch. GRADE----------B
From earlier this summer comes the perceptive coming of age comedy drama THE WAY WAY BACK which features sly performances by Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph and Allison Janney. Young Duncan (newcomer Liam James) becomes annoyed with the adult games his mother and new boyfriend play, and seeks his friendships with the adults who run a summer water park while on vacation at the ocean. It's a subtle, thoughtful film with many charming moments and revelations. GRADE---------B
Director Todd Hayes has made some special films in his career including I'M NOT THERE (2007), FAR FROM HEAVEN (2002), VELVET GOLDMINE (1998), SAFE (1995) and of course, SUPERSTAR: THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY (1988) which he filmed using Barbie dolls as all the main characters! He wrote and directed the new version of MILDRED PIERCE (2012)--a six hour mini series version for HBO. The film, based on a novel by James M. McCain, is truer to the story than the Joan Crawford version from 1945, which framed the story as a murder mystery. I liked Kate Winslet's portrayal as the normal housewife who has to reinvent herself, but the HBO version adds some nude sex scenes which didn't feel right for the story. Frankly, I like Crawford's Oscar winning interpretation better--it's tougher and more memorable, and I like the way the older version moved along the story in an economical way, when sometimes the 6 hour version just seemed too slow in spite of the detail and minor missing story lines. GRADE----------B (2012 version)
From Australia comes a film based on a musical stage play called BRAN NUE DAE (aka BRAND NEW DAY) 2009 which has the leading young man only wanting to hang out at the beach, fish, and meeting his new girl friend for fun, but his mom sends him off to a Catholic boarding school for Aboriginal boys, run by the kindly but strict priest (Geoffrey Rush). The characters all get to break into song and dance, and the film is definitely in the feel good category, with a wild revelatory ending the is beyond belief, but loads of fun. GRADE---------B
In 1956, the nominees for Best Picture included FRIENDLY PERSUASION, GIANT, THE KING AND I, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, and other top films in release that year were THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, WAR AND PEACE, LUST FOR LIFE, HAMLET, HIGH SOCIETY, SOLID GOLD CADILLAC, ANASTASIA, WRITTEN ON THE WIND, BABY DOLL, and INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS. That makes at least 14 films that were better and more memorable than the winning picture, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. Now, I'm not saying that AROUND THE WORLD....is bad--I believe there have been worse Best Picture winners, but after watching the three hour plus DVD last weekend, I can honestly say that I don't remember much about the plot and characters. Shirley McLaine is so understated that I hardly recognized her, the British gents at the gentleman's club are such stuffy cliches that they fade from memory, the many cameos that populate the picture are so underused and poorly used that I felt rather sorry for them, including Frank Sinatra,
Peter Lorre, George Raft, Red Skelton, Buster Keaton, Trevor Howard and Noel Coward. On the plus side is the musical score, the cinematography, and the exotic locations, which mostly made it feel like a travelogue. David Niven was his usual debonair self, and I enjoyed watching the Mexican superstar Cantinflas steal some of the scenes. GRADE------------C+ (the plus is for the pretty pictures.)
Coming up at the bottom this month is the action fantasy thriller BATTLESHIP (2012) which is based on the HASBRO company board game!!!!!! I guess that says it all there. The cast is game--Taylor Kitsch (maybe it should be "kitch"--he's got the dumb hunky guy down well), singer Rihanna puts out the energy, Liam Neeson for some somber gravitas) but as lively as the editing is, the plot is beyond preposterous and the film feels empty and dull despite the explosions and maneuverings of the battleships that are trying to fight off invaders from space that look like men wearing diving suits.
GRADE---------C-
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
TOP FILMS FROM 2013---PLUS Oscars on this Sunday Mar 2---4PM west coast time, or earlier if you want all the RED CARPET stuff!!!!!
Here are my favorite films from 2013, and some reasons why each is so special.
In NO particular order....
HER-----Is is science fiction, or romance, or satire or social commentary. It's all these, and it feels so right for today's world. A lonely man falls in love with his computer operating system, and no one else seems to find it strange.
MUD---Matthew McConaughey steals the show as an on the run con man waiting for his girlfriend in a swamp, and he befriends (and educates) two pre teen boys in the ways of life.
PHILOMENA---Based on a true story, Judy Dench wonderfully plays an older woman searching for her son who was taken from her 50 years earlier by Irish Catholic nuns and adopted off to America.
This could be a spoiler film, with an Oscar for Dench who's never won a Best Actress award, and given the likability of the characters (Steve Cooghan wrote and co-stars as a pessimistic writer who's helping her find the son) this could walk off with the Best Picture award too, in a close race.
THE HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG----Peter Jackson's skillful fantasy film seems to be taken for granted, but this one had the awesome special effects, suspenseful story and curious and likable characters to keep it just as iconic as LOTR.
YOU WILL BE MY SON------A smart melodrama from France, seen at SIFF and then briefly at a local art theatre, shows the dilemma an aging man has with his award winning winery. His close friend and manager is dying of cancer, and his enthusiastic son doesn't have the skills to take over his reigns, he feels. He turns to his manager's son, causing a lot of tension and throwing the winery into chaos. It's an epic tragedy, laced with romance and comedy.
AMERICAN HUSTLE----Director David O. Russell's skillful, amusing juggling of a dozen well defined characters who live on the edge of respectability--all involved in the ABSCAM scandal from the 1970's. Especially enjoyable is the MUSIC, the COSTUMES, the HAIR DOs, the ART DIRECTION and the ENERGY.
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET----I didn't think I'd like the vulgarity and the politics of the greedy folks on Wall Street---we've certainly read about and lived through the disgraceful greed that propels any such group. Here's a case of a very energetic, entertaining TRAIN WRECK--horrible in it's morals and excesses, but it's hard to ignore. Some scenes of drunken debauchery seem too long, but I didn't mind, especially because the impish devil Leo DiCaprio was featured in most of them.
BLUE JASMINE---Here's a fine Woody Allen film, smart, intelligent, funny, curious, moving. And leading the charge is a fascinating performance by Cate Blanchet. It's one of those characters that keep you on your toes, and you can't take your eyes off her. She plays a high class but scorned, duped wife who must move in with her lower class sister when her husband dies, leaving her penniless. As her mind begins to unwind, her world begins to spin with lies and dreams. It's a frightening experience detailing mental illness and the war of the classes. If the resent resurgence of the Allen scandal from over a decade ago keeps Cate from winning the Oscar, that would be a pity. That leaves the opening to Dench.
GRAVITY---A short, beautifully made dream like film that has you floating in horrifying space--it's short on dialogue and plot, but it is the most unique looking film of the year.
ENDER'S GAME----This science fiction story of a young teen recruited to become a great general in a war of the worlds had me intrigued at every turn, and the ending, for me, was especially devastating. Themes of betrayal, deceit, suspense and great moral dilemmas left me wanting to cry.
Lee Daniel's THE BUTLER----This ambitious film takes place over 50 years and puts historical events into the timeline of an African American man who worked for eight presidents starting from Eisenhower. He becomes somewhat of a passive witness to the workings of the Civil Rights Movement, and we watch how these events change him, his wife and his family and friends over the course of the years. The film has some faults and missed opportunities, but it has a cumulative power and a strong sense of creating time and place. The costumes, make up, music and fine actors really make this an involving, emotional film.
STORIES WE TELL---We think we are watching a documentary about the life of the Canadian film maker Sarah Polley and her family and a big family mystery, but along the way there are surprises, announcements, twists and reversals that start to challenge everything we've seen. It's astonishingly unique.
A BAND CALLED DEATH---A smart, funny, self-deprecating documentary about a group of black men in the 1970's Detroit who start a rock band, produce an album, and then get discovered 30 years later. It's this year's LOOKING FOR SUGARMAN, and I loved it.
AFTER TILLER---Sad, illuminating, balanced documentary of the life, murder and aftermath of a doctor who preformed late term abortions.
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB----Bookended by two incredible performances, this story of a homophobic who develops AIDS in 1985 and ends up smuggling drugs in from other countries to help fight the disease for himself and others when the US government will hardly pay any attention to the epidemic, is fascinating. Matthew McConaughy ought to win the Oscar for his trans formative role, and his transgendered assistant played by Jared Leto will most likely win the supporting Oscar.
HERE ARE SOME OTHER EQUALLY STRONG FILMS-----
AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY---Dynamite cast including another wonderful turn by Meryl Streep and some very black comedy and pithy dialogue had me laughing at this lurid family drama.
12 YEARS A SLAVE---I admired the film and many strong scenes, but I don't ever want to see it again. It made me cringe.
NEBRASKA---An understated black and white comedy that strikes all the right notes in dialogue and performance by all concerned.
HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE---Similar to but in ways better than the first one, this film has me very intrigued by the forthcoming third installment.
THE CONJURING----Best haunted house film of the year.
ABOUT TIME---Appealing mixture of sentiment, romance, and drama, with pinch of fantasy, about a father and son who can transport themselves back in time to fix a bad situation when it comes to love.
BEST MAN HOLIDAY---A surprisingly moving comedy drama about a group of friends who meet a dozen years after graduation and find they have some issues to deal with.
FRUITVILLE STATION---A black man is murdered at a subway stop by a security guard--the film back tracks to show his final 24 hours. A moving exploration of family, love and racism. Based on a true story.
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS--Another true story with Tom Hanks in a splendid leading role as a Captain whose freighter ship is boarded by Somali pirates who threaten his crew while seeking money.
THE HUNT---Intense Danish film based on true story, about an innocent man whose life is destroyed by a false accusation of abuse by a six year old girl.
WHAT MAISIE KNEW----A six year old is shuffled between her uncaring and divorcing mother and father, finding comfort in various child sitters.
FRANCES HA---She's out of college, but having trouble growing up.
STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS---It's exciting and suspenseful and fun.
STILL MINE---Elderly couple try to cope with aging issues while trying to retain their independence.
ALL IS LOST---Nearly silent film about man (sterling Robert Redford) trying to keep from drowning in a damaged sailboat in the middle of the ocean. There is a superb surreal ending.
42---Well done film biography of Jackie Robinson, first black baseball player to play in the majors.
FILMS I REALLY DISLIKED-------RUNNER RUNNER, WOLVERINE, WORLD WAR Z, IDENTITY THIEF, CRYSTAL FAIRY
OSCAR PREDICTIONS
I'd like Matthew and Jared to win the OSCAR for DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, Cate to win for BLUE JASMINE, and Jennifer Lawrence to win for AMERICAN HUSTLE, and they all seem to be the leaders, although Dench for PHILOMENA might surprise in lead actress category and Lupita Nyong'o may sneak in for the supporting actress category. I feel certain that Director Alfonzo Cuaron will win for GRAVITY.
The writing categories are more difficult to predict---I'd go for HER (Original Screenplay) and 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Adapted Screenplay) with AMERICAN HUSTLE and PHILOMENA as 2nd choices. GRAVITY should recieve most of the technical awards.
With nine choices for best picture, it's going to be close race. I'd like to see AMERICAN HUSTLE or PHILOMENA or GRAVITY take the top award, but this year they are ALL worthy. What can be better than that?
In NO particular order....
HER-----Is is science fiction, or romance, or satire or social commentary. It's all these, and it feels so right for today's world. A lonely man falls in love with his computer operating system, and no one else seems to find it strange.
MUD---Matthew McConaughey steals the show as an on the run con man waiting for his girlfriend in a swamp, and he befriends (and educates) two pre teen boys in the ways of life.
PHILOMENA---Based on a true story, Judy Dench wonderfully plays an older woman searching for her son who was taken from her 50 years earlier by Irish Catholic nuns and adopted off to America.
This could be a spoiler film, with an Oscar for Dench who's never won a Best Actress award, and given the likability of the characters (Steve Cooghan wrote and co-stars as a pessimistic writer who's helping her find the son) this could walk off with the Best Picture award too, in a close race.
THE HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG----Peter Jackson's skillful fantasy film seems to be taken for granted, but this one had the awesome special effects, suspenseful story and curious and likable characters to keep it just as iconic as LOTR.
YOU WILL BE MY SON------A smart melodrama from France, seen at SIFF and then briefly at a local art theatre, shows the dilemma an aging man has with his award winning winery. His close friend and manager is dying of cancer, and his enthusiastic son doesn't have the skills to take over his reigns, he feels. He turns to his manager's son, causing a lot of tension and throwing the winery into chaos. It's an epic tragedy, laced with romance and comedy.
AMERICAN HUSTLE----Director David O. Russell's skillful, amusing juggling of a dozen well defined characters who live on the edge of respectability--all involved in the ABSCAM scandal from the 1970's. Especially enjoyable is the MUSIC, the COSTUMES, the HAIR DOs, the ART DIRECTION and the ENERGY.
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET----I didn't think I'd like the vulgarity and the politics of the greedy folks on Wall Street---we've certainly read about and lived through the disgraceful greed that propels any such group. Here's a case of a very energetic, entertaining TRAIN WRECK--horrible in it's morals and excesses, but it's hard to ignore. Some scenes of drunken debauchery seem too long, but I didn't mind, especially because the impish devil Leo DiCaprio was featured in most of them.
BLUE JASMINE---Here's a fine Woody Allen film, smart, intelligent, funny, curious, moving. And leading the charge is a fascinating performance by Cate Blanchet. It's one of those characters that keep you on your toes, and you can't take your eyes off her. She plays a high class but scorned, duped wife who must move in with her lower class sister when her husband dies, leaving her penniless. As her mind begins to unwind, her world begins to spin with lies and dreams. It's a frightening experience detailing mental illness and the war of the classes. If the resent resurgence of the Allen scandal from over a decade ago keeps Cate from winning the Oscar, that would be a pity. That leaves the opening to Dench.
GRAVITY---A short, beautifully made dream like film that has you floating in horrifying space--it's short on dialogue and plot, but it is the most unique looking film of the year.
ENDER'S GAME----This science fiction story of a young teen recruited to become a great general in a war of the worlds had me intrigued at every turn, and the ending, for me, was especially devastating. Themes of betrayal, deceit, suspense and great moral dilemmas left me wanting to cry.
Lee Daniel's THE BUTLER----This ambitious film takes place over 50 years and puts historical events into the timeline of an African American man who worked for eight presidents starting from Eisenhower. He becomes somewhat of a passive witness to the workings of the Civil Rights Movement, and we watch how these events change him, his wife and his family and friends over the course of the years. The film has some faults and missed opportunities, but it has a cumulative power and a strong sense of creating time and place. The costumes, make up, music and fine actors really make this an involving, emotional film.
STORIES WE TELL---We think we are watching a documentary about the life of the Canadian film maker Sarah Polley and her family and a big family mystery, but along the way there are surprises, announcements, twists and reversals that start to challenge everything we've seen. It's astonishingly unique.
A BAND CALLED DEATH---A smart, funny, self-deprecating documentary about a group of black men in the 1970's Detroit who start a rock band, produce an album, and then get discovered 30 years later. It's this year's LOOKING FOR SUGARMAN, and I loved it.
AFTER TILLER---Sad, illuminating, balanced documentary of the life, murder and aftermath of a doctor who preformed late term abortions.
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB----Bookended by two incredible performances, this story of a homophobic who develops AIDS in 1985 and ends up smuggling drugs in from other countries to help fight the disease for himself and others when the US government will hardly pay any attention to the epidemic, is fascinating. Matthew McConaughy ought to win the Oscar for his trans formative role, and his transgendered assistant played by Jared Leto will most likely win the supporting Oscar.
HERE ARE SOME OTHER EQUALLY STRONG FILMS-----
AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY---Dynamite cast including another wonderful turn by Meryl Streep and some very black comedy and pithy dialogue had me laughing at this lurid family drama.
12 YEARS A SLAVE---I admired the film and many strong scenes, but I don't ever want to see it again. It made me cringe.
NEBRASKA---An understated black and white comedy that strikes all the right notes in dialogue and performance by all concerned.
HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE---Similar to but in ways better than the first one, this film has me very intrigued by the forthcoming third installment.
THE CONJURING----Best haunted house film of the year.
ABOUT TIME---Appealing mixture of sentiment, romance, and drama, with pinch of fantasy, about a father and son who can transport themselves back in time to fix a bad situation when it comes to love.
BEST MAN HOLIDAY---A surprisingly moving comedy drama about a group of friends who meet a dozen years after graduation and find they have some issues to deal with.
FRUITVILLE STATION---A black man is murdered at a subway stop by a security guard--the film back tracks to show his final 24 hours. A moving exploration of family, love and racism. Based on a true story.
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS--Another true story with Tom Hanks in a splendid leading role as a Captain whose freighter ship is boarded by Somali pirates who threaten his crew while seeking money.
THE HUNT---Intense Danish film based on true story, about an innocent man whose life is destroyed by a false accusation of abuse by a six year old girl.
WHAT MAISIE KNEW----A six year old is shuffled between her uncaring and divorcing mother and father, finding comfort in various child sitters.
FRANCES HA---She's out of college, but having trouble growing up.
STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS---It's exciting and suspenseful and fun.
STILL MINE---Elderly couple try to cope with aging issues while trying to retain their independence.
ALL IS LOST---Nearly silent film about man (sterling Robert Redford) trying to keep from drowning in a damaged sailboat in the middle of the ocean. There is a superb surreal ending.
42---Well done film biography of Jackie Robinson, first black baseball player to play in the majors.
FILMS I REALLY DISLIKED-------RUNNER RUNNER, WOLVERINE, WORLD WAR Z, IDENTITY THIEF, CRYSTAL FAIRY
OSCAR PREDICTIONS
I'd like Matthew and Jared to win the OSCAR for DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, Cate to win for BLUE JASMINE, and Jennifer Lawrence to win for AMERICAN HUSTLE, and they all seem to be the leaders, although Dench for PHILOMENA might surprise in lead actress category and Lupita Nyong'o may sneak in for the supporting actress category. I feel certain that Director Alfonzo Cuaron will win for GRAVITY.
The writing categories are more difficult to predict---I'd go for HER (Original Screenplay) and 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Adapted Screenplay) with AMERICAN HUSTLE and PHILOMENA as 2nd choices. GRAVITY should recieve most of the technical awards.
With nine choices for best picture, it's going to be close race. I'd like to see AMERICAN HUSTLE or PHILOMENA or GRAVITY take the top award, but this year they are ALL worthy. What can be better than that?
Sunday, February 9, 2014
WOLF OF WALL STREET, HER, PHILOMENA, THE HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, plus NOW YOU SEE ME, BOEING BOEING, JULIUS CAESAR, and two films about the White House taken over by terrorists!!!
THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG continues the popular films directed with his usual skill by Peter Jackson and based on books by Tolkien. There is a lot of criticism that the films do not follow the book, and that the story is all dragged out to fill out (as is the case of THE HOBBIT) three long films which should clock in over 8 hours of storytelling by the time the third episode is released next Christmas season, but I have to say that not having read the novel before, I still enjoy the incredible workmanship and fantasy of the film(s) a lot. Much time is spent developing characterization and plotting, and whatever characters and plot are expanded or created, they fit well into the total epic feel of the fantasy. The action is grand and excitingly portrayed, and the special effects are seamless and mostly fascinating, especially the dragon Smaug. This film rewards repeated viewings. GRADE-----------A-
Last month I commented that AMERICAN HUSTLE was a great film in the Martin Scorsese style. Well, Martin has made his own great new film this year, and THE WOLF OF WALL STREET is as good as anything he's ever done. The main character played with decadent glee by the exuberant Leo DeCaprio is as unappealing and morally impaired as they come, but the skill in this performance makes you feel great empathy for him, and it could be the film that wins him an Oscar. The film is filled with foul mouthed characters (there are supposedly over 500 various versions of the F word) and the despicable behaviour of the corrupt Wall street types could be quite depressing, but for some reason, this "train wreck" of a plot becomes almost comic and is so wildly incredible that the film---as long as it is-three hours!-- turns into compulsive viewing. The film literally transcends the violence, drug abuse, sex, nudity, and immoral behavior to become a fascinating portrait of excessiveness, and it's one of the years very best films. GRADE------A-
Another viewing of PHILOMENA confirms that this skillful film, by the fine director Stephen Frears, is the heart wrenching comedy drama of the year. Based on a true story, Judy Dench plays the title character PHILOMENIA as she tries to locate her lost son she had to give up to adoption over 50 years earlier. The film is concise and economical--a brief 97 minutes, but we know more about her than just about any character of the year. GRADE-----A-
It's a love story with hints of science fiction and thriller, as the film HER confounds expectations, and manages to find a great deal of compassion for the emotionally stunted leading man as he finds himself being drawn to a new Operating System voice, and ultimately having a "relationship" with the voice of "Samantha" who understands him as no one else does. This film goes places that I never expected it to go. HER is a creative wonder. GRADE-------A-
It is always a pleasure, no matter what the film subject matter, to become fascinated by our greatest living actress, Meryl Streep, as she throws herself into each new character. She is, as usual, compelling and fascinating as she plays the matriarch of a dysfunctional family that meets for the disappearance of her husband, and this triggers lots of drama and secrets come spilling forth in the drama AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. I enjoyed the snarky sarcasm and twisted relationships that revel themselves over the long weekend. The entire cast is quite good--I especially enjoyed Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Dermot Mulroney and Misty Upham, but Chris Cooper, Julia Roberts, Abigail Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Julianne Nicholson and Sam Shepard all have their great scenes. Dysfunctional family drama might not be your cup of tea, but watching these great actors at their best is a thrill. GRADE-------B+
DVD CHOICES--------------------
The dialogue may have been edited down, and it is filmed in black and white, but the Marlon Brando version of JULIUS CAESAR (1953) retains it's power and awe as vintage Shakespeare. The meaning and clarity of the dialogue was excellent, and the cast, which included John Guilgud, James Mason, Greer Garson, Deborah Kerr and Louis Calhern, is at it's peak. GRADE-----B+
From last summer, NOW YOU SEE ME is a twisty thriller (perhaps too twisty?) about a group of magician/con artists who work for a mysterious person who trains them in the art of escalating robberies. It is very tricky and entertaining, and the cast (including Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Woody Harelson et al) are effective. GRADE-----B
It sounds like a sleazy sex comedy, but BOEING BOEING (1965) has more going for it than the surface description. Tony Curtis is balancing three different flight attendants in one apartment by promising to marry each one, and keeps track of their flights in a notebook, so hopefully only one will be home at a time. His friend played in a low key fashion by Jerry Lewis, comes one weekend to visit and figures out quickly what is happening. The different airlines involved all have major schedule changes, which causes havoc for Curtis. The jokes range from slapstick to sophisticated, but there is a clever method to the madness, helped along by the surprising sensible manner of Lewis, and the smart tongued retorts of the overworked house maid, played in her usual effectively comic manner by Thelma Ritter, who played roles like this a lot---see PILLOW TALK (1959) and REAR WINDOW (1954) and ALL ABOUT EVE (1950) for example. GRADE-------B
From last summer, two films opened within two months of each other, and they had similar plots involving terrorists taking over the White House. OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN has disgraced Secret Service man Gerard Butler being just about the only good guy left who can fight the North Korean terrorist while trying to protect the President played by Aaron Eckhart. WHITE HOUSE DOWN has SS wanna be Channing Tatum trying to protect Jamie Foxx, who plays the President. In both films, an endangered child is threatened, nuclear explosives are bringing about the potential end of civilization, help is provided through outside phone service, and the physical White House is literally destroyed. While each film was modestly entertaining, meaning I didn't fall asleep, thinking back they blur together in my mind, and I can hardly distinguish one from the other. GRADE----OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN and WHITE HOUSE DOWN----C+ for each one.
SHED NO TEARS (1948) is a predictable film noir with an unconvincing actress in the leading role. June Vincent plays the evil wife of Wallace Ford, who convinces him to fake his death to collect insurance money. He goes into hiding in another town, then wonders why she is taking so long to collect the money and join him. He soon discovers she has plans to run away with the money---and her new young boyfriend. It was watchable but obvious. GRADE----D+
Last month I commented that AMERICAN HUSTLE was a great film in the Martin Scorsese style. Well, Martin has made his own great new film this year, and THE WOLF OF WALL STREET is as good as anything he's ever done. The main character played with decadent glee by the exuberant Leo DeCaprio is as unappealing and morally impaired as they come, but the skill in this performance makes you feel great empathy for him, and it could be the film that wins him an Oscar. The film is filled with foul mouthed characters (there are supposedly over 500 various versions of the F word) and the despicable behaviour of the corrupt Wall street types could be quite depressing, but for some reason, this "train wreck" of a plot becomes almost comic and is so wildly incredible that the film---as long as it is-three hours!-- turns into compulsive viewing. The film literally transcends the violence, drug abuse, sex, nudity, and immoral behavior to become a fascinating portrait of excessiveness, and it's one of the years very best films. GRADE------A-
Another viewing of PHILOMENA confirms that this skillful film, by the fine director Stephen Frears, is the heart wrenching comedy drama of the year. Based on a true story, Judy Dench plays the title character PHILOMENIA as she tries to locate her lost son she had to give up to adoption over 50 years earlier. The film is concise and economical--a brief 97 minutes, but we know more about her than just about any character of the year. GRADE-----A-
It's a love story with hints of science fiction and thriller, as the film HER confounds expectations, and manages to find a great deal of compassion for the emotionally stunted leading man as he finds himself being drawn to a new Operating System voice, and ultimately having a "relationship" with the voice of "Samantha" who understands him as no one else does. This film goes places that I never expected it to go. HER is a creative wonder. GRADE-------A-
It is always a pleasure, no matter what the film subject matter, to become fascinated by our greatest living actress, Meryl Streep, as she throws herself into each new character. She is, as usual, compelling and fascinating as she plays the matriarch of a dysfunctional family that meets for the disappearance of her husband, and this triggers lots of drama and secrets come spilling forth in the drama AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. I enjoyed the snarky sarcasm and twisted relationships that revel themselves over the long weekend. The entire cast is quite good--I especially enjoyed Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Dermot Mulroney and Misty Upham, but Chris Cooper, Julia Roberts, Abigail Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Julianne Nicholson and Sam Shepard all have their great scenes. Dysfunctional family drama might not be your cup of tea, but watching these great actors at their best is a thrill. GRADE-------B+
DVD CHOICES--------------------
The dialogue may have been edited down, and it is filmed in black and white, but the Marlon Brando version of JULIUS CAESAR (1953) retains it's power and awe as vintage Shakespeare. The meaning and clarity of the dialogue was excellent, and the cast, which included John Guilgud, James Mason, Greer Garson, Deborah Kerr and Louis Calhern, is at it's peak. GRADE-----B+
From last summer, NOW YOU SEE ME is a twisty thriller (perhaps too twisty?) about a group of magician/con artists who work for a mysterious person who trains them in the art of escalating robberies. It is very tricky and entertaining, and the cast (including Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Woody Harelson et al) are effective. GRADE-----B
It sounds like a sleazy sex comedy, but BOEING BOEING (1965) has more going for it than the surface description. Tony Curtis is balancing three different flight attendants in one apartment by promising to marry each one, and keeps track of their flights in a notebook, so hopefully only one will be home at a time. His friend played in a low key fashion by Jerry Lewis, comes one weekend to visit and figures out quickly what is happening. The different airlines involved all have major schedule changes, which causes havoc for Curtis. The jokes range from slapstick to sophisticated, but there is a clever method to the madness, helped along by the surprising sensible manner of Lewis, and the smart tongued retorts of the overworked house maid, played in her usual effectively comic manner by Thelma Ritter, who played roles like this a lot---see PILLOW TALK (1959) and REAR WINDOW (1954) and ALL ABOUT EVE (1950) for example. GRADE-------B
From last summer, two films opened within two months of each other, and they had similar plots involving terrorists taking over the White House. OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN has disgraced Secret Service man Gerard Butler being just about the only good guy left who can fight the North Korean terrorist while trying to protect the President played by Aaron Eckhart. WHITE HOUSE DOWN has SS wanna be Channing Tatum trying to protect Jamie Foxx, who plays the President. In both films, an endangered child is threatened, nuclear explosives are bringing about the potential end of civilization, help is provided through outside phone service, and the physical White House is literally destroyed. While each film was modestly entertaining, meaning I didn't fall asleep, thinking back they blur together in my mind, and I can hardly distinguish one from the other. GRADE----OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN and WHITE HOUSE DOWN----C+ for each one.
SHED NO TEARS (1948) is a predictable film noir with an unconvincing actress in the leading role. June Vincent plays the evil wife of Wallace Ford, who convinces him to fake his death to collect insurance money. He goes into hiding in another town, then wonders why she is taking so long to collect the money and join him. He soon discovers she has plans to run away with the money---and her new young boyfriend. It was watchable but obvious. GRADE----D+
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