A strong cast including Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton and Dakota Johnson keeps this engrossing true crime saga, BLACK MASS, very watchable. Set in the 1970's, the story tells of a Boston gangster Whitey Bulger (Depp), who with the help of a childhood friend who now works for the FBI (John Connolly played by Joel Edgerton), ruthlessly takes over the south Boston syndicate by leaking plans of his enemies to Connolly. His own criminal activities are tolerated or ignored because of this friendship, but they ultimately become so egregious that we know soon the ax will fall to all involved. I wish there were more of an emotional connection made to these characters--some of them are disposed of very quickly, and I found Depp's make-up to be rather inconsistent---sometimes effective, sometimes it looks like they didn't bother to make it right. But it is Depp's best film performance in years, and the over two hour film seemed effortless to watch.
GRADE-------------B+
She (Patricia Clarkson) is a distracted intellectual book critic who has just had her husband walk out of her marriage. She meets an east Indian taxi driver (Ben Kingsley) who is being set up in an arranged marriage, and who also teaches driving lessons. The film LEARNING TO DRIVE takes off from there in some surprising ways as these two lonely people drive around New York City, learning from each other how to cope with tough life lessons. Thankfully the film does not fall into the predictable "romantic comedy" trap, and Clarkson and Kingsley play intriguingly off each other. It might be light weight stuff, but it's made with carefully calibrated humanity. GRADE--------B
Based on the novel by the same name, and optioned years ago by Robert Redford as a vehicle for himself and Paul Newman to reteam after BUTCH CASSIDY and THE STING, this true story called A WALK IN THE WOODS features two older men who decide to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine--over 2000 miles. Newman died several years ago, so Nick Nolte was recruited. He is a long lost friend who is quite out of shape and wants to walk for his own reasons--mainly to escape from debt and bills. The scenery and photography are terrific, even if the plot rambles, but fortunately, Nick Nolte brightens the film with a comic performance that had me chuckling through the entire film. Light weight, perhaps, but a pleasure to experience. GRADE--------B
THE FOLLOWING FILMS WERE VIEWED ON DVD------
I recently read an exhaustive biography by Donald Spoto about MARILYN MONROE, and felt inspired to watch some of her films that were in my personal library which I hadn't seen for a while. I can definitely state that in all cases, she was by far the most delightful, intriguing presence in each film, whether or not they were "classic" or not.
HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE (1953) is one of my favorites, mainly because Monroe creates a goofy character of a "blind as a bat" girl who won't wear her glasses as long as there is any man in the room---"guys won't make passes at girls who wear glasses." Fortunately, Betty Grable also has fun as a gold digger who mistakenly falls for a poor forester, thinking his trees over which he has domain (as a fire fighter) means he owns thousands of acres. Lauren Bacall is hilarious as a single minded gold digger who doesn't realize the guy who's after her is very rich indeed, but he acts like a casual "gas jockey." The film has a colorful segment where all the women participate in a fashion show, and the film is in glorious Technicolor. And there's a very funny final knee slapper scene! GRADE---------------B+
THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH (1955) is based on a popular stage play that featured much sexual innuendo. Unfortunately, writer George Axelrod and writer director Billy Wilder faced much censorship efforts by the Hayes office (created to censor movie sex and violence.) In the play, nerdy Richard, his wife gone for the summer, has an affair with the upstairs neighbor, a single sexy free spirit. For the film, they were not able to illustrate adultery had actually occurred. Still, there is some sparkling dialogue and humor, and Monroe creates a sympathetic comic "innocent" who seems more than willing. This film contains the iconic scene where Monroe's dress catches the subway wind from below and blows up above her head. For publicity purposes, they filmed the scene out of doors with hundreds of reporters, cameras clicking and the street public cheering. (This experience was the final straw for retired baseball legend husband Joe DiMaggio who disapproved of Monroe's sexy image. He filed for divorce just a few weeks later. They remained friends, however, and near the end of her life they had reconciled, and they apparently had made plans to remarry when she died of a drug overdose. ) Because it was so noisy, the scene was recreated on a sound stage later, but in a much tamer version for the actual film. GRADE----------B
NIAGARA (1953) was an early dramatic starring role for Monroe, and she's quite effective. Married to a jealous older man (Joseph Cotten), she takes a lover, but is discovered by a married neighbor woman (Jean Peters), who becomes involved when the relationship takes a tragic turn. Filmed at the dramatic Niagara Falls area, the suspense film creates some tension up to the final scenes when is loses some energy due to predictability. GRADE---------B
GENTLEMAN PREFER BLONDS (1953) an eye-popping Technicolor musical with a slim plot (mostly set on board a cruise ship headed for Paris) but with at least two fabulous songs. Jane Russell gets to sing the first one--featuring hunky Olympic hopeful men wearing only short shorts swim wear doing athletic exercising while Russell slinks around them singing "Ain't There Anyone Here for Love?". Later Monroe sings the iconic song "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend" -- and she has the best lines, too. My favorite occurs while she's being instructed as to what exactly a tiara is---" You wear it on your head!?! (Cooing) I just love finding new places to wear diamonds!" GRADE-----B
MARILYN MONROE: THE FINAL DAYS (2001) was a TV movie documentary based on Marilyn's last year, her relationships, drug dependency, filming of her last (unreleased) film and her troubles with the studio. The film also includes about 30 minutes of her last unreleased film, reconstructed, which features famous scenes of her nude swim in a pool. SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE featured Monroe, who missed 17 of the first 30 days of filming due to a cold and sinus infection, looking terrific and intriguing as a wife who's been missing, presumed dead, for over 5 years. Her husband (Dean Martin) has just remarried Ava Gardner, when Monroe returns. The film was a remake of an earlier Cary Grant/Irene Dunne film MY FAVORITE WIFE (1940). SOMETHINGS was scrapped after Monroe's death, but remade a year later with Doris Day and James Garner as MOVE OVER DARLING. GRADE---------------B-
THE LUNCHBOX (2013) is a sweet drama about a bored housewife whose lunch to her unfaithful husband is misdirected to an older man, and they begin a relationship through notes to each other in the lunchbox. Set in Mumbai, the film features English and Hindi (subtitles), and is a touching romantic fantasy. GRADE----------B
CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE (1947) is a plotty, talkative epic about a soldier (Tyrone Power) who must flee Spain because he has insulted (and then stabbed) an officer of the Inquisition. He ends up in Mexico and joins the Cortez expedition. There is a lot of plot, and the film is nearly 2 1/2 hours long. It's watchable, thanks to Power, Jean Peters as a servant girl who falls in love with him, and a colorful Cesar Romero who plays Cortez. There are scenes shot in Mexico (1946) where a volcano is erupting in the distance. Apparently, in the 1500's another volcano was erupting as the events were happening, noted on the historical records. GRADE-------B
HAMLET 2 (2008) is a goofy comedy with Steve Coogan playing a free spirited drama teacher with a class full of outcasts and a school that is trying to discontinue the arts program. His wife Catherine Keener is sympathetic but tired of his inability to move beyond teaching. He decides to write a sequel to Shakespeare's HAMLET (!!!???) and even though there are some predictable moments, there are some bright spots of slapstick humor and clever dialogue. Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Shue and David Arquette add some comic flair. GRADE------ B-
THE DROWNING POOL (1975) has Paul Newman returning to the HARPER (1966) character he created a decade earlier. Joanne Woodward plays an ex love who hires him to find out who is sending her threatening letters. Of course he gets in deeper and deeper in corrupt family politics, and of course, no one is telling him the truth. Set in New Orleans, there are some fascinating characters, among them Tony Franciosa, Melanie Griffith, Murray Hamilton and Gail Strickland. There is an excellent climactic scene (hence the title), but the plot is mostly luke warm noir. GRADE--------B-
WET, HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (2001) has become a cult classic lately, and been made into a Netflex TV series this year with much of the cast returning. And what a cast it is! Janeanne Garofalo, David Hyde Peirce, Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, Molly Shannon, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper and Elizabeth Banks. Unfortunately, the film plays like an extended Saturday Night Live sketch, and many jokes fall flat. It is fun to see the cast over 14 years ago, as most of them have gone on to bigger things. GRADE-------C+.
RIDE (2014) was written and directed by Helen Hunt, and she also stars as an obsessive working NYC mother who can't let her son live his own life. He goes to spend time with his dad in L.A. during the summer before college, then decides to quit school and stay in L.A. surfing. Mom freaks out, flies to L.A. to spy on him, then takes up surfing to spend some time when he finds her spying on him and naturally gets angry. I couldn't figure out her character, and her actions seemed unbelievable to me, as well as annoying. Hunt is dangerously thin in this film (as she was in SESSIONS 2012, too) and looks like she's had some plastic surgery that makes her look gaunt and overly severe. To her credit, her direction is fine, and she throws herself into learning how to surf--scenes which require her to "wipe out" a lot--way too much for me. Luke Wilson plays in a laid back manner the surf instructor she hires, and, natch, she has an affair with him although she is (probably) 20 years older than him. Brenton Thwaites plays her son, but he has little emotional "meat" to work with from this script. This is a straight to TV movie, and it's easy to see why. GRADE---------C
THESE THOUSAND HILLS (1959) is a lack luster western about a young man torn between two women--Lee Remick plays the prostitute who seduces him (Don Murray) and Patricia Owens is the respectable one. Richard Egan plays the bad guy who wants Remick, and he has dubious morals when it comes to law enforcement. Stuart Whitman barely registers as Murray's long time friend who has drifted into a life of crime. I saw this one just days ago, but I can hardly remember anything about it. Not good. GRADE------C
UNFINISHED BUSINESS (2015) opened and closed quickly last March--I'm not even sure it opened in Seattle, and it's easy to see why. Vince Vaughn is quitting his sales job (selling scraps of scrap metal !?!) as the film opens, and sets out to start his own company, with an old guy (Tom Wilkinson) and a way to young stupid guy (Dave Franco)--both played as cliches. Flash forward one year, and they are off to Germany to close a big deal with a handshake that they can't close in the U.S. (!?!) They have various adventures that include drugs, sex, an extended scene in a gay bar bathroom with "glory holes" and frantic calls using SKYPE back home where he must deal with his young daughter being a bully and his Goth want -to -be son being bullied, and EVERYTHING depends on closing this deal. I will admit that I laughed about 10 times, usually because of the shock value in certain outrageous scenes, but the plot line/ story is BORING--there is no interest in a business deal involving scraps of scrap metal, and the film moves from one outrageous unbelievable scene to another and many scenes make absolutely NO sense. Thank God I laughed occasionally, or I'd give it a D-. GRADE-------C-
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
MISTRESS AMERICA, DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, AMERICAN ULTRA, SHAUN THE SHEEP, 7 CHINESE BROTHERS, GUIDANCE plus middling but watchable Marlon Brando and BROTHER SUN SISTER MOON (1972)
Here comes the end of summer movies before the seriousness that is FALL......
A modern madcap comedy that fires off witty, clever dialogue that you haven't heard the likes of since Katherine Hepburn or Bette Davis at their peak, MISTRESS AMERICA is Noah Baumbach's newest (others include THE SQUID AND THE WHALE 2005, FRANCIS HA 2012 and the recent WHILE WE'RE YOUNG 2015)featuring his wife Greta Gerwig as a spunky woman/child still full of giddy energy, who takes her new step sister to be under her wing in the big New York City, charming everyone she meets. We don't always like her--she can make us wince at times, but she resounds with positive vibes and general good will. This talky comedy may not be every one's cup of tea, but if you like your films with style, humor and sophistication, then this will be for you. GRADE------A-
THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL has a lot going for it, especially the leads including Bel Powley who gives an all out performance as the title character dealing with loneliness, sex, drugs, and alienation during the wild mid 1970's era of San Francisco, and Kristen Wiig as her super-liberal mom and Alex Skarsgard as mom's boyfriend. Powley is very effective when she discovers her own sexual appeal and the control she has over Skarsgard. The relationship is not exploitative, but it IS very sexual, which surprised me, and I laughed uncomfortably at times as she continues her sexual conquests over her shyness and men (and women). The film features intriguing snippets of animation at times to highlight the feelings and situations, and there is rarely a false emotional move in the film. My main objection, which keeps me from giving DIARY an even higher score is the obnoxious hand held camera work that kept pulling me out of the narrative. GRADE--------B+
Violent, sexy, smart, and intriguing, with a lot of zingy humor, AMERICAN ULTRA surprised me by being a totally unique experience. Jesse Eisenberg plays a stoner grocery clerk who lives with his stoner enabling girlfriend (Kristen Stewart) in a small town. An encounter with a strange woman at his store triggers something in his mind, and suddenly things are not what they seemed on the surface. There are a number of twists in the plot, and the body count is high--to say much more may ruin the clever narrative for some. Give it a try, it is a KICK. GRADE-------B
An enchanting animated animal adventure with out a word of dialogue, the British film SHAUN THE SHEEP comes to us from the people who made the WALLACE AND GROMIT series. The simple plot has Shaun wanting a day off from the dull routine of daily farming, so he accidentally sends the farmer careening off down the road to the big city. When the sheep realize that their lives are better with the farmer than without him, they go after him. For what is basically a children's film, the clever jokes, story and characters are surprisingly smart, and at the matinee I attended, the children (and adults) were incredibly attentive to the movie screen the whole time. GRADE------B
This laid back slacker comedy called, for no apparent reason, 7 CHINESE BROTHERS, features a very lazy slacker performance by Jason Schwartzman who doesn't seem to have much energy for working and making money. He does, however, visit his perky grandmother in a senior home on a regular basis (Olympia Dukakis) and makes some fun of those who do work. The film is leisurely directed, and not much happens. The film doesn't end so much as just STOP, but I enjoyed the film's humor once I got into the milieu. Some people at SIFF really hated it, however. You've been warned. GRADE-------B-
The Canadian film GUIDANCE is a low budget comedy about a seriously dysfunctional man who used to be a child actor, who is now desperate for a job. He unbelievably gets a job as a high school guidance councilor, encouraging kids to smoke pot and take pills and drink alcohol---all of which he does daily, to solve their personal issues at school. The writer /director/ star is Pat Mills, and he is goofy, silly, moving, and hilariously awesome and if you are in the right mood, this could become one of your favorite GUILTY PLEASURES, like it is mine. GRADE--------------B-
______________________________
The following were viewed on DVD's......
I first saw BROTHER SUN SISTER MOON (1972) several times when it came out whilst in college, and it struck me as a beautifully filmed portrait of St. Francis of Assisi, from before his conversion to his visit with Pope Innocent III in Rome. It moved me deeply as a rare film that deals with love of humanity, love of nature, love of innocence, without the cynicism that such themes often incur. The simple song score by Donovan was apparently added just for the US release, but the music fits well with the tone. I was glad to see that the film, directed by the master Franco Zeffirelli (ROMEO AND JULIET 1967, ENDLESS LOVE 1981, TEA WITH MUSSOLINI 1999 and many opera to film versions) holds up so well. Especially emotional is the scene when St. Francis meets Pope Innocent III. It's a masterpiece of understatement. This is one of my all time favorites. GRADE----A-
I don't recall that this version of NICHOLAS NICKLEBY (2002) ever had a local theatrical release, but there are many things to recommend it. The excellent cast includes Charlie Hunnam, Jamie Bell, Anne Hathaway, Nathan Lane, Christopher Plummer, Timothy Spall, Barry Humphries and Juliet Stevenson. The script is an excellent adaption of the Charles Dickens novel, the music by Rachel Portman is beguiling, and the production values are even better than many Masterpiece Theatre productions. GRADE-------B+
An unusual international production of a kidnapping thriller, THE NIGHT OF THE FOLLOWING DAY (1968) is saved by a quirky, menacing Marlon Brando as a kidnapper who with his drug addicted girlfriend (Rita Moreno) and his sadistic partner (Richard Boone) hold a young heiress for ransom in an isolated beach cabin. A lot of tension is created since the criminals don't trust each other, and the sadist projects sexual violence. The finale is violent, if predictable. GRADE---------B-
Special effects inter cut with vintage film of the real catastrophe is the main reason for watching THE HINDENBERG (1975) which features George C. Scott, Anne Bancroft, William Atherton and others in this semi-fictionalized story of the explosion of the zeppelin that has just arrived in the US from Germany during the Nazi era. The film is handsome in costume, set design, photography and some of the actors are accomplished. Mainly the script is awkward and unconvincing at times, and the direction (by Robert Wise) seems to lumber along. Watchable but dull, until the end. GRADE-----C+
THE CROWDED SKY (1960) is an early disaster movie starring Dana Andrews as a pilot who discovers too late that his radar system is not working while he is mid-air. Other stand out actors included Rhonda Fleming, Troy Donahue and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. There is some suspense including another subplot that has a passenger jet in trouble and possible on a collision course with the broken fighter jet, and there are lots of flashbacks--who will live, who will die, who cares.
Watchable, but who cares? GRADE-------C+
Charlie Chaplin directed this dull film (his last) A COUNTESS FROM HONG KONG (1967), which is helped along by his famous music score. Marlon Brando seems heavy handed trying to do comedy. Sophia Loren has a lighter touch, but the film is light weight and tiresome much of the time. GRADE-------C
THE PROUD ONES (1956) is a western that I simply cannot remember seeing a month ago, even though I've looked it up. Must not have made much of an impression, although it wasn't that bad. Robert Ryan is a sheriff and he is helped by Jeffrey Hunter, whose vivid blue eyes I do remember.
GRADE---------------C
A modern madcap comedy that fires off witty, clever dialogue that you haven't heard the likes of since Katherine Hepburn or Bette Davis at their peak, MISTRESS AMERICA is Noah Baumbach's newest (others include THE SQUID AND THE WHALE 2005, FRANCIS HA 2012 and the recent WHILE WE'RE YOUNG 2015)featuring his wife Greta Gerwig as a spunky woman/child still full of giddy energy, who takes her new step sister to be under her wing in the big New York City, charming everyone she meets. We don't always like her--she can make us wince at times, but she resounds with positive vibes and general good will. This talky comedy may not be every one's cup of tea, but if you like your films with style, humor and sophistication, then this will be for you. GRADE------A-
THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL has a lot going for it, especially the leads including Bel Powley who gives an all out performance as the title character dealing with loneliness, sex, drugs, and alienation during the wild mid 1970's era of San Francisco, and Kristen Wiig as her super-liberal mom and Alex Skarsgard as mom's boyfriend. Powley is very effective when she discovers her own sexual appeal and the control she has over Skarsgard. The relationship is not exploitative, but it IS very sexual, which surprised me, and I laughed uncomfortably at times as she continues her sexual conquests over her shyness and men (and women). The film features intriguing snippets of animation at times to highlight the feelings and situations, and there is rarely a false emotional move in the film. My main objection, which keeps me from giving DIARY an even higher score is the obnoxious hand held camera work that kept pulling me out of the narrative. GRADE--------B+
Violent, sexy, smart, and intriguing, with a lot of zingy humor, AMERICAN ULTRA surprised me by being a totally unique experience. Jesse Eisenberg plays a stoner grocery clerk who lives with his stoner enabling girlfriend (Kristen Stewart) in a small town. An encounter with a strange woman at his store triggers something in his mind, and suddenly things are not what they seemed on the surface. There are a number of twists in the plot, and the body count is high--to say much more may ruin the clever narrative for some. Give it a try, it is a KICK. GRADE-------B
An enchanting animated animal adventure with out a word of dialogue, the British film SHAUN THE SHEEP comes to us from the people who made the WALLACE AND GROMIT series. The simple plot has Shaun wanting a day off from the dull routine of daily farming, so he accidentally sends the farmer careening off down the road to the big city. When the sheep realize that their lives are better with the farmer than without him, they go after him. For what is basically a children's film, the clever jokes, story and characters are surprisingly smart, and at the matinee I attended, the children (and adults) were incredibly attentive to the movie screen the whole time. GRADE------B
This laid back slacker comedy called, for no apparent reason, 7 CHINESE BROTHERS, features a very lazy slacker performance by Jason Schwartzman who doesn't seem to have much energy for working and making money. He does, however, visit his perky grandmother in a senior home on a regular basis (Olympia Dukakis) and makes some fun of those who do work. The film is leisurely directed, and not much happens. The film doesn't end so much as just STOP, but I enjoyed the film's humor once I got into the milieu. Some people at SIFF really hated it, however. You've been warned. GRADE-------B-
The Canadian film GUIDANCE is a low budget comedy about a seriously dysfunctional man who used to be a child actor, who is now desperate for a job. He unbelievably gets a job as a high school guidance councilor, encouraging kids to smoke pot and take pills and drink alcohol---all of which he does daily, to solve their personal issues at school. The writer /director/ star is Pat Mills, and he is goofy, silly, moving, and hilariously awesome and if you are in the right mood, this could become one of your favorite GUILTY PLEASURES, like it is mine. GRADE--------------B-
______________________________
The following were viewed on DVD's......
I first saw BROTHER SUN SISTER MOON (1972) several times when it came out whilst in college, and it struck me as a beautifully filmed portrait of St. Francis of Assisi, from before his conversion to his visit with Pope Innocent III in Rome. It moved me deeply as a rare film that deals with love of humanity, love of nature, love of innocence, without the cynicism that such themes often incur. The simple song score by Donovan was apparently added just for the US release, but the music fits well with the tone. I was glad to see that the film, directed by the master Franco Zeffirelli (ROMEO AND JULIET 1967, ENDLESS LOVE 1981, TEA WITH MUSSOLINI 1999 and many opera to film versions) holds up so well. Especially emotional is the scene when St. Francis meets Pope Innocent III. It's a masterpiece of understatement. This is one of my all time favorites. GRADE----A-
I don't recall that this version of NICHOLAS NICKLEBY (2002) ever had a local theatrical release, but there are many things to recommend it. The excellent cast includes Charlie Hunnam, Jamie Bell, Anne Hathaway, Nathan Lane, Christopher Plummer, Timothy Spall, Barry Humphries and Juliet Stevenson. The script is an excellent adaption of the Charles Dickens novel, the music by Rachel Portman is beguiling, and the production values are even better than many Masterpiece Theatre productions. GRADE-------B+
An unusual international production of a kidnapping thriller, THE NIGHT OF THE FOLLOWING DAY (1968) is saved by a quirky, menacing Marlon Brando as a kidnapper who with his drug addicted girlfriend (Rita Moreno) and his sadistic partner (Richard Boone) hold a young heiress for ransom in an isolated beach cabin. A lot of tension is created since the criminals don't trust each other, and the sadist projects sexual violence. The finale is violent, if predictable. GRADE---------B-
Special effects inter cut with vintage film of the real catastrophe is the main reason for watching THE HINDENBERG (1975) which features George C. Scott, Anne Bancroft, William Atherton and others in this semi-fictionalized story of the explosion of the zeppelin that has just arrived in the US from Germany during the Nazi era. The film is handsome in costume, set design, photography and some of the actors are accomplished. Mainly the script is awkward and unconvincing at times, and the direction (by Robert Wise) seems to lumber along. Watchable but dull, until the end. GRADE-----C+
THE CROWDED SKY (1960) is an early disaster movie starring Dana Andrews as a pilot who discovers too late that his radar system is not working while he is mid-air. Other stand out actors included Rhonda Fleming, Troy Donahue and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. There is some suspense including another subplot that has a passenger jet in trouble and possible on a collision course with the broken fighter jet, and there are lots of flashbacks--who will live, who will die, who cares.
Watchable, but who cares? GRADE-------C+
Charlie Chaplin directed this dull film (his last) A COUNTESS FROM HONG KONG (1967), which is helped along by his famous music score. Marlon Brando seems heavy handed trying to do comedy. Sophia Loren has a lighter touch, but the film is light weight and tiresome much of the time. GRADE-------C
THE PROUD ONES (1956) is a western that I simply cannot remember seeing a month ago, even though I've looked it up. Must not have made much of an impression, although it wasn't that bad. Robert Ryan is a sheriff and he is helped by Jeffrey Hunter, whose vivid blue eyes I do remember.
GRADE---------------C
Friday, August 14, 2015
RICKI AND THE FLASH, MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 5, TOM AT THE FARM, BEST OF ENEMIES, END OF THE TOUR, PEOPLE PLACES THINGS, PHOENIX, plus 2 by Anthony Asquith THE BROWNING VERSION and PYGMALION
I keep thinking I'm going to blog with more frequency, but the summer activities have gotten away from me and suddenly I've over 20 films to report on!
There's no denying the power and skill with which Meryl Streep throws herself into a role, and that's amazingly apparent in the musical drama/comedy called RICKI AND THE FLASH. She dominates the film playing a mature mother of three who "abandoned" her family many years before to follow her dream of becoming a rock and roll singer--now she spends her days as a grocery clerk and her nights singing for the locals live at a bar that caters to her special talents. She is pretty good as a singer--you feel her energy and passion, but fame has eluded her and she lives from pay check to pay check, dating the lead guitar player (Rick Springfield) on a less than serious basis. When a family emergency calls her back to suburbia and her ex-husband Kevin Kline, she finds herself challenged and questioning her role as mother. All the supporting characters register strongly (including her real life daughter Mamie Gummer, who plays her suicidal movie daughter ) but Streep captures our attention and affection like no other whether she's playing the good, bad or indifferent mother. It many not be a perfect film, but she's the perfect actor in this role. GRADE---------B+
Director Guy Ritchie (the recent remakes of SHERLOCK HOLMES) is back with a reboot of the late 1960's TV series called THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. Here's a wonderful example of the "less is more" issue that many movies about spies suffer from, including the newest MISSION IMPOSSIBLE below. They've taken the story back to the origins of the cold war time, forcing together an American spy with a Russian spy, and illuminating the relationship between Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin, played ably by Henry Cavill (MAN OF STEEL 2013), Armie Hammer (SOCIAL NETWORK 2010), along with Hugh Grant and Alicia Vikander (EX MACHINA, TESTAMENT OF YOUTH). The pacing is carefully calibrated to allow the viewer to take it all in without getting lost in over the top plotting, and the action scenes are not improbable. It does not have the the improbable scene upon scene of the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE series, nor the stylish bling effect of many of the James Bond films, or the laughs of the recent SPY, or the dramatic power of the realistic films like TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY. It does, however, create a realistic time and place, believable characters, engaging patter, and a clever, solid plot. I anxiously look forward to the next installment with grateful enthusiasm. GRADE-----------B
I always enjoy watching each new version of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. --ROGUE NATION is the latest one, and I give it credit for keeping me diverted with a plethora of preposterous action sequences, any one of which would be incredibly unlikely to anyone other than Tom Cruise. Fortunately, Cruise still looks healthy and strong enough to pull off these romps, although for how much longer he'll be believed remains to be seen. Thinking back on the other four M:I films, they all run together in my mind, and because they consist of scene after scene after scene after scene of unbelievable moments, they don't have the staying power of , say, each new James Bond film. Still, it's good popcorn fun, and I'll probably see the next one in a few years. GRADE------B-
Finally beginning short runs after showing up at the recent SIFF festival, are a group of worthy films as follows.
TOM AT THE FARM (2013) was a favorite of mine two years ago. This French-Canadian film is directed by the writer and lead actor Xavier Dolan, and concerns a young gay man who travels to the country to attend the funeral of his lover, not knowing that the mother and brother do not know that the dead man was gay. The situation creates an atmosphere of dread, especially when it becomes clear the brother has his own bizarre, cruel agenda. GRADE------A-
BEST OF ENEMIES is a new documentary about the 1968 presidential conventions that ABC TV decided to cover using two witty, polar opposite commentators that erupted into tongue lashings on either side, changing TV forever, and making the way for the cruel "reality" TV that we have today.
Liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley proved lively and compelling adversaries and the film demonstrates that when it comes to extreme politics, things have not changed that much in over 45 years. GRADE------A-
Jermain Clement is an engaging newly divorced dad with young twin girls learning to live alone in New York City. He is shy and it's hard to start dating when he still has a thing for his ex. Not a lot happens here, but there are some pleasant and amusing moments in PEOPLE PLACES THINGS.
GRADE-----------B-
Two fine actors play writer and interviewer--Jason Segel is a marvel as novelist David Foster Wallace and Jesse Eisenberg plays the Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky, and that keeps END OF TOUR above the fray, although viewers not familiar with the novel or the situation may wonder what all the fuss was about, but the film illuminates loneliness, celebrity, fame, intellectualism and keeps our attention with the strangely polarizing personalities. GRADE----------B-
There are plot holes large enough for a truck to drive through, but the lead in the new German film PHOENIX helps cover a lot of faults. Nina Hoss plays a woman who escapes from a concentration camp needing a new face. She finds and baits her missing ex-husband without telling him her identify to determine whether or not he was responsible for her arrest in the first place. It's a curious, moody film. If you can swallow a lot of unbelievable twists, then this film has some interest. GRADE-------B-
THE FOLLOWING FILMS WERE VIEWED ON DVD--------
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957) is the perfect version of an Agatha Christie court-room novel, directed by pro Billy Wilder, and featuring Tyrone Power (his last film), Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester and Marlene Dietrich at their BEST. I've seen this film several times, but find myself drawn in and surprised by some of the stylish twists. GRADE------A
THE DROP (2014) is a modern crime drama about some low level characters who must handle the cash drops for some dangerous men who have bought the tavern. Tom Hardy, Noomi Pace and the late James Gandolfini (his last film) are all suberb and subtle, and the film has a haunting denouncement. GRADE----------A-
Director Anthony Asquith made only a few films that have stood the test of time, but at least two of those were both excellent. An early film of George Bernard Shaw's play PYGMALION (1938), later remade as the musical MY FAIR LADY (1964) has Wendy Hiller in an early role as Eliza Dolittle and Leslie Howard as Henry Higgins who makes a bet that he can transform the guttersnipe to act and sound like a countess in 6 months. The surprise for me was the meticulous dialogue of Shaw's play that not only fascinates, but it is clearly presented and directed with considerable skill. The musical remake keeps most of the same dialogue, and the play even has the perfect cues for the songs ie "I've grown accustomed to her face...." and "the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain..." Both Hiller and Howard are excellent as is the supporting cast. Another film based on a stage play is THE BROWNING VERSION (1951) featuring the incredible Michael Redgrave as a failed school teacher who is leaving his teaching job to take on another that he doesn't really want at another school. In spite of being unpopular, he gives a going away speech that galvanizes sympathy for him. Mr. Chips he is not, but it shows what might have been had his career gone in a different direction. He must also deal with a faithless wife, a deceitful friend, and a student who comes from nowhere to boost his morale. This film was so emotionally moving for me, and Redgrave creates much sympathy from such an unlikeable man. Both PYGMALION and THE BROWNING VERSION-------------------GRADE -----------A-
At the time, GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) was a big hit, and I'm pleased to say that it remains pretty darn good today, thanks to the laid back, droll delivery of Bill Murray, and the funny, scary scenes of demonic possession by Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis. Of course, who can forget the giant Sta-puff marsh mellow man. If you've never seen it, what are you waiting for? GRADE------B
The dependable Robert Mitchum and the "better than you'd expect" Marilyn Monroe shine as an unlikely couple forced to take a raft down a rapid filled river with dangerous Indians along the way in this Otto Preminger western called RIVER OF NO RETURN (1954.) Some of the plot twists may seem a bit predictable, but the film is a satisfying adventure. GRADE------B
CHEF (2014) is a newish film that is cashing in on the fascination with the foodie craze. Director/writer Jon Favreau stars as a chef who quits in frustration because he doesn't get to expand his food repertoire, then discovers his second career running a food truck. A lovely Sofia Vergara is his ex wife, although it is clear from the beginning that they both still have a thing for each other. John Leguizamo is his friend, and the relationships are all sweet and loyal, and the film is easy to watch. GRADE--------B
ANASTASIA (1956) is the story of a Russian businessman who tries to pass off an impostor as the Grand Dutchess Anastasia of the Romanov empire. She is so convincing that most Russians believed her story. Ingrid Berman won her second Oscar for the role, and Yul Brenner and Helen Hayes are believable in supporting roles. I saw a Biography episode that detailed the real details of the massacre and deceit that appears on the DVD, and it is a fascinating story. GRADE-----B
I'm not too familiar with Lana Turner's films, with the exception of THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE(1946) which is very good film noir. I was especially intrigued by the double feature DVD that contained two of her popular films. PORTRAIT IN BLACK (1960) is a melodrama that has her offing her ill husband with the help of her doctor/lover, only to become nervous and guilty when it appears someone is trying to blackmail her, and of course the relationship with her lover suffers, too.
Another melodrama, MADAME X (1966) had been filmed 4 times before, although none seemed to be as successful as this version. In it she is involved in the accidental death of a man who was trying to seduce her when her husband was gone. To save his career, she agrees to go away, abandoning her husband and young son. Ironically, years later, her now adult son is trying to defend her from murder of a man who was trying to blackmail her. Although the final 20 minutes is moving and emotional, it is also hard to swallow. In fact many plot twists were suspect. Turner is a very good actress, nonetheless, and she makes these films watchable. PORTRAIT IN BLACK and MADAME X both GRADED---------B-
The British film MORGAN! (1966) features David Warner as a psychotic man who fantasizes about animals, and thinks and acts like a gorilla at times. He won't leave his ex wife (Vanessa Redgrave) alone, although she still cares for him but can't stand his fantasies and strange rants and actions. It's an odd comedy/drama, irritating at times, occasionally humorous and can be moving if you can get into the eccentricities of the characters. GRADE---------B-
MY LITTLE CHICKADEE (1940) has the great Mae West and W.C. Fields appearing together in a western parody, and there were some moments of great amusement. West is run out of town for having an immoral relationship with the masked bandit. She meets and marries Fields on a train to provide her with some respectability, but they never consummate the relationship. He becomes sheriff (!?!) and she teases all the men in town. Not a great plot, and they've each been better in other films.
GRADE-----------C+
There's no denying the power and skill with which Meryl Streep throws herself into a role, and that's amazingly apparent in the musical drama/comedy called RICKI AND THE FLASH. She dominates the film playing a mature mother of three who "abandoned" her family many years before to follow her dream of becoming a rock and roll singer--now she spends her days as a grocery clerk and her nights singing for the locals live at a bar that caters to her special talents. She is pretty good as a singer--you feel her energy and passion, but fame has eluded her and she lives from pay check to pay check, dating the lead guitar player (Rick Springfield) on a less than serious basis. When a family emergency calls her back to suburbia and her ex-husband Kevin Kline, she finds herself challenged and questioning her role as mother. All the supporting characters register strongly (including her real life daughter Mamie Gummer, who plays her suicidal movie daughter ) but Streep captures our attention and affection like no other whether she's playing the good, bad or indifferent mother. It many not be a perfect film, but she's the perfect actor in this role. GRADE---------B+
Director Guy Ritchie (the recent remakes of SHERLOCK HOLMES) is back with a reboot of the late 1960's TV series called THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. Here's a wonderful example of the "less is more" issue that many movies about spies suffer from, including the newest MISSION IMPOSSIBLE below. They've taken the story back to the origins of the cold war time, forcing together an American spy with a Russian spy, and illuminating the relationship between Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin, played ably by Henry Cavill (MAN OF STEEL 2013), Armie Hammer (SOCIAL NETWORK 2010), along with Hugh Grant and Alicia Vikander (EX MACHINA, TESTAMENT OF YOUTH). The pacing is carefully calibrated to allow the viewer to take it all in without getting lost in over the top plotting, and the action scenes are not improbable. It does not have the the improbable scene upon scene of the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE series, nor the stylish bling effect of many of the James Bond films, or the laughs of the recent SPY, or the dramatic power of the realistic films like TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY. It does, however, create a realistic time and place, believable characters, engaging patter, and a clever, solid plot. I anxiously look forward to the next installment with grateful enthusiasm. GRADE-----------B
I always enjoy watching each new version of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. --ROGUE NATION is the latest one, and I give it credit for keeping me diverted with a plethora of preposterous action sequences, any one of which would be incredibly unlikely to anyone other than Tom Cruise. Fortunately, Cruise still looks healthy and strong enough to pull off these romps, although for how much longer he'll be believed remains to be seen. Thinking back on the other four M:I films, they all run together in my mind, and because they consist of scene after scene after scene after scene of unbelievable moments, they don't have the staying power of , say, each new James Bond film. Still, it's good popcorn fun, and I'll probably see the next one in a few years. GRADE------B-
Finally beginning short runs after showing up at the recent SIFF festival, are a group of worthy films as follows.
TOM AT THE FARM (2013) was a favorite of mine two years ago. This French-Canadian film is directed by the writer and lead actor Xavier Dolan, and concerns a young gay man who travels to the country to attend the funeral of his lover, not knowing that the mother and brother do not know that the dead man was gay. The situation creates an atmosphere of dread, especially when it becomes clear the brother has his own bizarre, cruel agenda. GRADE------A-
BEST OF ENEMIES is a new documentary about the 1968 presidential conventions that ABC TV decided to cover using two witty, polar opposite commentators that erupted into tongue lashings on either side, changing TV forever, and making the way for the cruel "reality" TV that we have today.
Liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley proved lively and compelling adversaries and the film demonstrates that when it comes to extreme politics, things have not changed that much in over 45 years. GRADE------A-
Jermain Clement is an engaging newly divorced dad with young twin girls learning to live alone in New York City. He is shy and it's hard to start dating when he still has a thing for his ex. Not a lot happens here, but there are some pleasant and amusing moments in PEOPLE PLACES THINGS.
GRADE-----------B-
Two fine actors play writer and interviewer--Jason Segel is a marvel as novelist David Foster Wallace and Jesse Eisenberg plays the Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky, and that keeps END OF TOUR above the fray, although viewers not familiar with the novel or the situation may wonder what all the fuss was about, but the film illuminates loneliness, celebrity, fame, intellectualism and keeps our attention with the strangely polarizing personalities. GRADE----------B-
There are plot holes large enough for a truck to drive through, but the lead in the new German film PHOENIX helps cover a lot of faults. Nina Hoss plays a woman who escapes from a concentration camp needing a new face. She finds and baits her missing ex-husband without telling him her identify to determine whether or not he was responsible for her arrest in the first place. It's a curious, moody film. If you can swallow a lot of unbelievable twists, then this film has some interest. GRADE-------B-
THE FOLLOWING FILMS WERE VIEWED ON DVD--------
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957) is the perfect version of an Agatha Christie court-room novel, directed by pro Billy Wilder, and featuring Tyrone Power (his last film), Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester and Marlene Dietrich at their BEST. I've seen this film several times, but find myself drawn in and surprised by some of the stylish twists. GRADE------A
THE DROP (2014) is a modern crime drama about some low level characters who must handle the cash drops for some dangerous men who have bought the tavern. Tom Hardy, Noomi Pace and the late James Gandolfini (his last film) are all suberb and subtle, and the film has a haunting denouncement. GRADE----------A-
Director Anthony Asquith made only a few films that have stood the test of time, but at least two of those were both excellent. An early film of George Bernard Shaw's play PYGMALION (1938), later remade as the musical MY FAIR LADY (1964) has Wendy Hiller in an early role as Eliza Dolittle and Leslie Howard as Henry Higgins who makes a bet that he can transform the guttersnipe to act and sound like a countess in 6 months. The surprise for me was the meticulous dialogue of Shaw's play that not only fascinates, but it is clearly presented and directed with considerable skill. The musical remake keeps most of the same dialogue, and the play even has the perfect cues for the songs ie "I've grown accustomed to her face...." and "the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain..." Both Hiller and Howard are excellent as is the supporting cast. Another film based on a stage play is THE BROWNING VERSION (1951) featuring the incredible Michael Redgrave as a failed school teacher who is leaving his teaching job to take on another that he doesn't really want at another school. In spite of being unpopular, he gives a going away speech that galvanizes sympathy for him. Mr. Chips he is not, but it shows what might have been had his career gone in a different direction. He must also deal with a faithless wife, a deceitful friend, and a student who comes from nowhere to boost his morale. This film was so emotionally moving for me, and Redgrave creates much sympathy from such an unlikeable man. Both PYGMALION and THE BROWNING VERSION-------------------GRADE -----------A-
At the time, GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) was a big hit, and I'm pleased to say that it remains pretty darn good today, thanks to the laid back, droll delivery of Bill Murray, and the funny, scary scenes of demonic possession by Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis. Of course, who can forget the giant Sta-puff marsh mellow man. If you've never seen it, what are you waiting for? GRADE------B
The dependable Robert Mitchum and the "better than you'd expect" Marilyn Monroe shine as an unlikely couple forced to take a raft down a rapid filled river with dangerous Indians along the way in this Otto Preminger western called RIVER OF NO RETURN (1954.) Some of the plot twists may seem a bit predictable, but the film is a satisfying adventure. GRADE------B
CHEF (2014) is a newish film that is cashing in on the fascination with the foodie craze. Director/writer Jon Favreau stars as a chef who quits in frustration because he doesn't get to expand his food repertoire, then discovers his second career running a food truck. A lovely Sofia Vergara is his ex wife, although it is clear from the beginning that they both still have a thing for each other. John Leguizamo is his friend, and the relationships are all sweet and loyal, and the film is easy to watch. GRADE--------B
ANASTASIA (1956) is the story of a Russian businessman who tries to pass off an impostor as the Grand Dutchess Anastasia of the Romanov empire. She is so convincing that most Russians believed her story. Ingrid Berman won her second Oscar for the role, and Yul Brenner and Helen Hayes are believable in supporting roles. I saw a Biography episode that detailed the real details of the massacre and deceit that appears on the DVD, and it is a fascinating story. GRADE-----B
I'm not too familiar with Lana Turner's films, with the exception of THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE(1946) which is very good film noir. I was especially intrigued by the double feature DVD that contained two of her popular films. PORTRAIT IN BLACK (1960) is a melodrama that has her offing her ill husband with the help of her doctor/lover, only to become nervous and guilty when it appears someone is trying to blackmail her, and of course the relationship with her lover suffers, too.
Another melodrama, MADAME X (1966) had been filmed 4 times before, although none seemed to be as successful as this version. In it she is involved in the accidental death of a man who was trying to seduce her when her husband was gone. To save his career, she agrees to go away, abandoning her husband and young son. Ironically, years later, her now adult son is trying to defend her from murder of a man who was trying to blackmail her. Although the final 20 minutes is moving and emotional, it is also hard to swallow. In fact many plot twists were suspect. Turner is a very good actress, nonetheless, and she makes these films watchable. PORTRAIT IN BLACK and MADAME X both GRADED---------B-
The British film MORGAN! (1966) features David Warner as a psychotic man who fantasizes about animals, and thinks and acts like a gorilla at times. He won't leave his ex wife (Vanessa Redgrave) alone, although she still cares for him but can't stand his fantasies and strange rants and actions. It's an odd comedy/drama, irritating at times, occasionally humorous and can be moving if you can get into the eccentricities of the characters. GRADE---------B-
MY LITTLE CHICKADEE (1940) has the great Mae West and W.C. Fields appearing together in a western parody, and there were some moments of great amusement. West is run out of town for having an immoral relationship with the masked bandit. She meets and marries Fields on a train to provide her with some respectability, but they never consummate the relationship. He becomes sheriff (!?!) and she teases all the men in town. Not a great plot, and they've each been better in other films.
GRADE-----------C+
Thursday, July 23, 2015
ANT MAN, MAD MAX;FURY ROAD, TRAINWRECK, INFINITELY POLAR BEAR, TESTAMENT OF YOUTH plus Bette Davis in STOLEN LIFE, Maggie Smith in TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT, Vivien Leigh in SHIP OF FOOLS, plus JAWS for the 4th of July!
Summertime movie going so far has been pretty fine this year, with one big day of "Flicking out" featuring four films that we all (seven of us) really liked. Here's what I've seen this month.
MAD MAX; FURY ROAD features the female- centric plot of driving six women to the "promised land" out of the violent desert that they have been held captive in. They've been sex slaves/wives/mothers to the brutal men who hoarded water supplies. Max is inadvertently caught up in this endeavor, and the film, like the original first two kinetic films in the 1980's that featured Mel Gibson (MAD MAX and THE ROAD WARRIOR) is quickly awash with spectacular scenes of racing, fighting, violence and spectacular stunts that turned us on nearly 30 years ago. The original director George Miller is back, and all the wiser. My main complaint is it takes nearly 30 minutes before we can see the (handsome) face of actor Tom Hardy--the new Max, since he wears a grotesque face mask that he can't get off for a while. Charlize Theron is imposing as the leader of the oppressed women who learns how to convince Max to do her bidding. It's an exhilarating summer time treat. GRADE-------A-
The newest movie based on a Marvel comic is ANT MAN, and it is rousingly good, with a plot that doesn't get too messy and complicated, keeping the action from going way over the top. Likable Paul Rudd beefs up for this role and manages to keep most scenes from being chewed up by scene stealer Michael Douglas as his mentor. Special effects are special and clever, and other production values have punch and meaning. This is a great addition to the Marvel comic to film catalogue. GRADE---------B+
A spectacular comic turn by "new comer" Amy Schumer brightens this funny, ribald film TRAINWRECK about a woman writer who drinks too much and resists monogamy, until she happens to fall for the subject of her magazine article, a smooth, sincere sports doctor who seems to really like her. Bill Hader smoothly plays the doctor, and his best friend/client is Lebron James, who amusingly portrays himself. Wrestler John Cena sympathetically plays her confused, thick headed boy friend, and Colin Quinn is her dad, who keeps telling her that "fidelity is unnatural..." An unrecognizable Tilda Swinton appears to be channeling Meryl Streep from THE DEVIL WORE PRADA. The film is directed by the talented Judd Apatow who has produced and/or written and/or directed a slew of funny popular films like BRIDESMAIDS, GET HIM TO THE GREEK, 5 YEAR ENGAGEMENT, FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, KNOCKED UP, and 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN. GRADE-----------------B+
Seen at SIFF last month, MR HOLMES is dominated by a brilliant, subtle, commanding performance by Ian McKellen as the master Holmes who is now in his twilight years, and he's now a bit forgetful The mystery is low-key and thoughtful, and the cast which includes Laura Linney is splendid. GRADE-------------B+
The British period film TESTAMENT OF YOUTH based on Vera Brittian's novel of young love and how World War I dashed the hopes and dreams of the young gets the lush cinematic treatment with Alicia Vikander (EX MACHINA) and Kit Harington (POMPEII and GAME OF THRONES) as the young lovers and a solid cast of costars. Many scenes were reminiscent of the current BBC series Crimson Fields about WWI nurses working near the front lines. Well acted, impressively photographed and solidly made. GRADE---------B
Based on a true story, INFINITELY POLAR BEAR tells of a manic depressive father who attempts to raise his two young girls when their mother moves to another city to get a college degree to help move the family out of poverty. Mark Ruffalo plays the father in a flamboyantly endearing manner, complete with hysteria, anger, depression and compassion---he steals the movie, but his daughters have their day as they try to understand his confusing mood changes. The music is a bit too cheerful for some of the drama, but the film attempts to stay positive and upbeat despite some of the traumas.
GRADE---------B-
VIEWED ON DVD---------------
Our guests agreed that the perfect 4th of July film would be to watch JAWS (1975) and it is still as riveting as it was 40 years ago. We tried to play a card game while watching it, and there were many long pauses as it kept us engaged and distracted. GRADE--------A
Watched a new Blu-Ray version of Alfred Hitchcock's THE BIRDS (1963) which if anyone knows me well, they know it is my FAVORITE film of all TIME!!!!! The photography was so clear that I noticed so many little things like the metal stripping above the car front window in Tippi Hedren's convertible. It holds up so well still today, with an eerie mixture of suspense and apocalyptic horror and humor. It fascinates. GRADE-------A
In the film noir drama SHADOW ON THE WALL (1950), Ann Southern kills her sister in a jealous rage when she finds she had been sleeping with her fiancé, and the blame goes to the sister's husband who was unconscious at the time. He's set up to die, and then she finds out that his young daughter may have been a witness to the crime of passion. Zachary Scott is the husband, but the star is the young daughter and the doctor who tries to unlock the mystery, played by Nancy Davis--who later marries Ronald Reagan. She was pretty good. GRADE---------B
Bette Davis dynamically plays twins, one good, the other not so good, in the drama A STOLEN LIFE (1946). When one twin dies, the other tries to steal the identity of the dead one. Glenn Ford is the man torn between the twins and Walter Brennan has a restrained supporting role. A satisfying, engaging drama. GRADE--------B
Another film noir, HIGH WALL (1947) tells the somewhat convoluted story of a released convict
who looses his memory after waking up to find his wife dead just hours after arriving home. Robert Taylor is convincing as the confused man, Audrey Totter plays the doctor trying to help him, and Herbert Marshall plays the wife's boss who just might know more than he's letting on. The plot requires some suspension of disbelief, but it moves right along. This film and the above SHADOW ON THE WALL feature psychiatric "baths" where the mental patient is tied down into a bathtub of soothing water............ GRADE-------B-
CORIOLANUS (2012) is a version of William Shakespeare's war drama done in modern dress, and fairly effective, too. Ralph Fiennes is the military politician who falls from grace, only to end up teaming with his mortal enemy, Gerard Butler, to overtake Rome. His manipulative mother is played to stunning effect by Vanessa Redgrave. Brian Cox and Jessica Chasten are both effective in smaller roles. GRADE------B-
Vivien Leigh stands out in a large cast in the Stanley Kramer film SHIP OF FOOLS (1965), as a divorced wealthy woman searching for love aboard a ocean liner filled with delusional people and hundreds of refugees from Mexico going to Europe, just prior to WWII. She becomes slightly entangled with a drunken, coarse Lee Marvin as a past his prime baseball player, and other subplots include an illicit affair between the doctor Oscar Werner and a political prisoner Simone Signoret, the most touching story. George Segal and Elizabeth Ashley play a mismatched romantic couple who squabble a lot. Michael Dunn feels like a Greek chorus character, making dramatic comments to the camera. GRADE-----B-
George Cukor's film TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT (1972) is an eccentric, quirky experience, headed by a leading performance by Maggie Smith, who is all mannerism and affectations, but as usual, she is something to see. (She was an Oscar Nominee, and the film won for Best Costumes.)(She should/could have played AUNTIE MAME!) The plot has her trying to raise ransom money for an ex-lover who has been kidnapped, and she forces her conservative nephew to assist her running around Europe. The film, based on a Graham Greene novel, is leisurely, yet at the same time feels frenetic, and the time lapses are unclear and somewhat confusing. The costumes and sets are creative and unusual, and the other actors (Alec McCowan, Cindy Williams, Lou Gossett Jr.) are fine, but the film leaves you with a shrug-- it's colorfully exotic at times, but unsatisfying. GRADE----------C+
THE WHALES OF AUGUST (1987) features some fine subtle performances by mature actors Lillian Gish, Bette Davis, Ann Southern, Harry Carey Jr, and Vincent Price. Gish and a blind Davis are sisters needing increasing care, and Price is a charming aristocrat trying to seduce them into travel or at least into their lives. Southern plays their exuberant old friend, and received an Oscar nomination for her efforts. The action all takes place in a summer home--it was based on a stage play, and the total effort is pleasant, if underwhelming. GRADE--------C+
MAD MAX; FURY ROAD features the female- centric plot of driving six women to the "promised land" out of the violent desert that they have been held captive in. They've been sex slaves/wives/mothers to the brutal men who hoarded water supplies. Max is inadvertently caught up in this endeavor, and the film, like the original first two kinetic films in the 1980's that featured Mel Gibson (MAD MAX and THE ROAD WARRIOR) is quickly awash with spectacular scenes of racing, fighting, violence and spectacular stunts that turned us on nearly 30 years ago. The original director George Miller is back, and all the wiser. My main complaint is it takes nearly 30 minutes before we can see the (handsome) face of actor Tom Hardy--the new Max, since he wears a grotesque face mask that he can't get off for a while. Charlize Theron is imposing as the leader of the oppressed women who learns how to convince Max to do her bidding. It's an exhilarating summer time treat. GRADE-------A-
The newest movie based on a Marvel comic is ANT MAN, and it is rousingly good, with a plot that doesn't get too messy and complicated, keeping the action from going way over the top. Likable Paul Rudd beefs up for this role and manages to keep most scenes from being chewed up by scene stealer Michael Douglas as his mentor. Special effects are special and clever, and other production values have punch and meaning. This is a great addition to the Marvel comic to film catalogue. GRADE---------B+
A spectacular comic turn by "new comer" Amy Schumer brightens this funny, ribald film TRAINWRECK about a woman writer who drinks too much and resists monogamy, until she happens to fall for the subject of her magazine article, a smooth, sincere sports doctor who seems to really like her. Bill Hader smoothly plays the doctor, and his best friend/client is Lebron James, who amusingly portrays himself. Wrestler John Cena sympathetically plays her confused, thick headed boy friend, and Colin Quinn is her dad, who keeps telling her that "fidelity is unnatural..." An unrecognizable Tilda Swinton appears to be channeling Meryl Streep from THE DEVIL WORE PRADA. The film is directed by the talented Judd Apatow who has produced and/or written and/or directed a slew of funny popular films like BRIDESMAIDS, GET HIM TO THE GREEK, 5 YEAR ENGAGEMENT, FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, KNOCKED UP, and 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN. GRADE-----------------B+
Seen at SIFF last month, MR HOLMES is dominated by a brilliant, subtle, commanding performance by Ian McKellen as the master Holmes who is now in his twilight years, and he's now a bit forgetful The mystery is low-key and thoughtful, and the cast which includes Laura Linney is splendid. GRADE-------------B+
The British period film TESTAMENT OF YOUTH based on Vera Brittian's novel of young love and how World War I dashed the hopes and dreams of the young gets the lush cinematic treatment with Alicia Vikander (EX MACHINA) and Kit Harington (POMPEII and GAME OF THRONES) as the young lovers and a solid cast of costars. Many scenes were reminiscent of the current BBC series Crimson Fields about WWI nurses working near the front lines. Well acted, impressively photographed and solidly made. GRADE---------B
Based on a true story, INFINITELY POLAR BEAR tells of a manic depressive father who attempts to raise his two young girls when their mother moves to another city to get a college degree to help move the family out of poverty. Mark Ruffalo plays the father in a flamboyantly endearing manner, complete with hysteria, anger, depression and compassion---he steals the movie, but his daughters have their day as they try to understand his confusing mood changes. The music is a bit too cheerful for some of the drama, but the film attempts to stay positive and upbeat despite some of the traumas.
GRADE---------B-
VIEWED ON DVD---------------
Our guests agreed that the perfect 4th of July film would be to watch JAWS (1975) and it is still as riveting as it was 40 years ago. We tried to play a card game while watching it, and there were many long pauses as it kept us engaged and distracted. GRADE--------A
Watched a new Blu-Ray version of Alfred Hitchcock's THE BIRDS (1963) which if anyone knows me well, they know it is my FAVORITE film of all TIME!!!!! The photography was so clear that I noticed so many little things like the metal stripping above the car front window in Tippi Hedren's convertible. It holds up so well still today, with an eerie mixture of suspense and apocalyptic horror and humor. It fascinates. GRADE-------A
In the film noir drama SHADOW ON THE WALL (1950), Ann Southern kills her sister in a jealous rage when she finds she had been sleeping with her fiancé, and the blame goes to the sister's husband who was unconscious at the time. He's set up to die, and then she finds out that his young daughter may have been a witness to the crime of passion. Zachary Scott is the husband, but the star is the young daughter and the doctor who tries to unlock the mystery, played by Nancy Davis--who later marries Ronald Reagan. She was pretty good. GRADE---------B
Bette Davis dynamically plays twins, one good, the other not so good, in the drama A STOLEN LIFE (1946). When one twin dies, the other tries to steal the identity of the dead one. Glenn Ford is the man torn between the twins and Walter Brennan has a restrained supporting role. A satisfying, engaging drama. GRADE--------B
Another film noir, HIGH WALL (1947) tells the somewhat convoluted story of a released convict
who looses his memory after waking up to find his wife dead just hours after arriving home. Robert Taylor is convincing as the confused man, Audrey Totter plays the doctor trying to help him, and Herbert Marshall plays the wife's boss who just might know more than he's letting on. The plot requires some suspension of disbelief, but it moves right along. This film and the above SHADOW ON THE WALL feature psychiatric "baths" where the mental patient is tied down into a bathtub of soothing water............ GRADE-------B-
CORIOLANUS (2012) is a version of William Shakespeare's war drama done in modern dress, and fairly effective, too. Ralph Fiennes is the military politician who falls from grace, only to end up teaming with his mortal enemy, Gerard Butler, to overtake Rome. His manipulative mother is played to stunning effect by Vanessa Redgrave. Brian Cox and Jessica Chasten are both effective in smaller roles. GRADE------B-
Vivien Leigh stands out in a large cast in the Stanley Kramer film SHIP OF FOOLS (1965), as a divorced wealthy woman searching for love aboard a ocean liner filled with delusional people and hundreds of refugees from Mexico going to Europe, just prior to WWII. She becomes slightly entangled with a drunken, coarse Lee Marvin as a past his prime baseball player, and other subplots include an illicit affair between the doctor Oscar Werner and a political prisoner Simone Signoret, the most touching story. George Segal and Elizabeth Ashley play a mismatched romantic couple who squabble a lot. Michael Dunn feels like a Greek chorus character, making dramatic comments to the camera. GRADE-----B-
George Cukor's film TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT (1972) is an eccentric, quirky experience, headed by a leading performance by Maggie Smith, who is all mannerism and affectations, but as usual, she is something to see. (She was an Oscar Nominee, and the film won for Best Costumes.)(She should/could have played AUNTIE MAME!) The plot has her trying to raise ransom money for an ex-lover who has been kidnapped, and she forces her conservative nephew to assist her running around Europe. The film, based on a Graham Greene novel, is leisurely, yet at the same time feels frenetic, and the time lapses are unclear and somewhat confusing. The costumes and sets are creative and unusual, and the other actors (Alec McCowan, Cindy Williams, Lou Gossett Jr.) are fine, but the film leaves you with a shrug-- it's colorfully exotic at times, but unsatisfying. GRADE----------C+
THE WHALES OF AUGUST (1987) features some fine subtle performances by mature actors Lillian Gish, Bette Davis, Ann Southern, Harry Carey Jr, and Vincent Price. Gish and a blind Davis are sisters needing increasing care, and Price is a charming aristocrat trying to seduce them into travel or at least into their lives. Southern plays their exuberant old friend, and received an Oscar nomination for her efforts. The action all takes place in a summer home--it was based on a stage play, and the total effort is pleasant, if underwhelming. GRADE--------C+
Monday, June 29, 2015
Melissa McCarthy in SPY, THE OVERNIGHT, FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD, PITCH PERFECT 2, SAN ANDREAS, SAINT LAURANT, plus THE SEARCH (1948), THE GROUP (1966)........
The 2015 Seattle International Film Festival is officially over, but many films are now showing up for regular runs, and I'm catching up on some I missed. The brilliant comedy adventure film from the 2014 SIFF called THE 100 YEAR OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED is a witty Swedish film based on an international best seller that packs a lot of laughs and adventure and entertainment into its two hours, and its still playing at the Crest this week.
The intriguing, if flawed, THE WOLFPACK is at SIFF EGYPTIAN, and ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL is playing all over town. Here's what I've seen in the last couple weeks.
When the script is good, Melissa McCarthy works her special magic, and this film, SPY, a spoof of secret agent thrillers, allows her to create some of the funniest moments she's ever been in. She works for the CIA inside on a computer helping field agents escape from danger--her favorite is a spy played by a suave Jude Law. When he goes missing, she volunteers to go deep undercover, since she is the only uncompromised agent left on the team. No one is going to suspect an overweight, middle aged "housewife" as a field spy, and many laughs are milked from that situation. Fortunately, director Paul Feig (BRIDESMAIDS) has a great story and script to back up the situations Allison Janney is a hoot playing her boss, Miranda Hart (CALL THE MIDWIFE) is her goofy best friend, Jason Stratham spoofs his own tough guy image with some hilarious incompetence, and Rose Byrne plays a nasty baddie--all of them to great effect. SPY is a most satisfying and funny spy thriller. GRADE------B+
SIFF 2015 closed with an edgy adult sex comedy that I missed, but recently saw at a screening. It is very challenging for most audiences, to be sure. There were moments when people were squirming all around me as THE OVERNIGHT was playing. I loved the fact that it takes you places that most "sex" comedies refuse to go, dealing with swinging sex, homosexuality, full frontal nudity, masturbation, anal sex discussions and other "no-no's" for normal movie goers. I enjoyed it for being right out there without resorting to gross juvenile humor. Two couples each with a young child get together for a dinner that lasts all night, and what a night it is. NOT FOR EVERYONE, but if you are game, it is witty, clever fun. GRADE--------B+
The good news and the bad news: As interesting as she is in the new version of FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD, Carey Mulligan IS NO JULIE CHRISTIE, who starred in the superior 1967 version directed by John Schleshinger (MIDNIGHT COWBOY 1969). In fact, although they all have their moments, sheep farmer Matthias Schoenaerts looks good but lacks gravitas, the mature suitor Michael Sheen falls to spark, and good looking soldier Tom Sturridge is just a pretty face. They are no match for the powerful men from 1967--Alan Bates, Peter Finch and Terrance Stamp. Part of the problem may lay in the new script which quickly streamlines the novel into 2 tight hours, deleting many small details and plot turns, and makes it hard to realize the passage of time. In 1967, the film clocked in at 2 hours and 45 minutes, which included more details and more interesting characterizations that made it more powerful. If you have never seen the Christie version, or the BBC TV version from a few years back, either, this MADDING CROWD is still worth seeing for some lovely photography and some different characterizations, and the Thomas Hardy classic story is still quite powerful. GRADE--------B
The special effects are even more awesome, and watching people getting eaten by dinosaurs is still a thrill, but as hard as JURASSIC WORLD works to impress you, it is still the same old story from JURASSIC PARK and its two sequels--innocent folks disobey rules and find themselves threatened by out of control dinosaurs. One of those dinos is a genetically altered, larger and smarter than usual creature who is basically just a killing machine. Goodbye bad guys, goodbye stupid guys. Vincent D'Onofrio and Bryce Dallas Howard have their moments, but beefy Chris Pratt commands control of the picture by a mile. If you get a large popcorn to go with it you will have some fun, in spite of some "seen it all before" moments. GRADE--------B-
PITCH PERFECT 2 tries hard to be different from the original PP 1, and in many ways it is, with some great gags, clever singing and zinger jokes. But again (see JURASSIC WORLD above) we have seen it all before. So just set your sights low, buy the giant popcorn, and enjoy on that level. I did especially like Rebel Wilson, who also manages to steal this movie as well as the first. I would love to see her headline her own comedy. GRADE---------B-
The cast is decent and the special effects and photography are excellent, but SAN ANDREAS is full of faults, pun intended. Dwayne "THE ROCK" Johnson stars as a search and rescue helicopter pilot who spends the first 10 minutes trying to rescue a young woman who was a bad bad driver to begin with and manages to fly over the cliff while being distracted by her cell phone. When the earthquakes begin in earnest in Los Angeles, what does Johnson's character do? He spends all his time trying to rescue his nearly ex wife from the roof of a high rise that amazingly, is still barely standing amidst the flattened downtown LA scene, then high tails it to San Francisco to try to find his missing daughter amidst the devastation and flattened buildings there. She, in the meantime is busy trying to save and protect a rather dubious possible "date" and his younger brother--the two brothers seeming to have zero survival skills. Yes, the plot is a big problem in this disaster film, but if you relish seeing LA and SFO slipping away towards the Pacific, than this is the (popcorn) film for you. The film ends with a splendid, appropriate version of California Dreamin'. GRADE-----C+
What should have been a wild, decadent, colorful film of his life in fashion, becomes a draggy, dull, druggie film about his life of drug addiction in SAINT LAURANT. The lead actor Gaspard Ulliel certainly looks and acts right, but the film is presented almost in a haze, with no clarity, point of view or irony. Back in 1970, Helmut Berger (GARDEN OF FINZI-CONTINIS, SECRET OF DORIAN GRAY) was a young handsome hunk similar to Ulliel, and here he plays Yves Saint Laurant as an old man--hardly recognizable and completely uninteresting. The fashion highlight comes with a fashion show from the 1970's, but is presented in split screen---possibly 8 to 12 small images at the same time, and I couldn't see what any of them were about. I knew so little about him, and after 2 1/2 hours of film I still don't know him or like him. What a wasted effort. GRADE------D+
_____________________________
Viewed on DVD or TV------
Back when I was about 11 or 12, I remember watching with my father on TV, a film THE SEARCH (1948) and we were both mesmerized by this moving, simple story of a young boy being helped in his search to find his mother after World War II by a soldier in Germany played by Montgomery Clift. I finally saw it again last week and I'm grateful that after more than 50 years, to realize that back then, I had such good taste in film. Director Fred Zimmerman was an Oscar nominee, as was Clift, and the film ended up winning the Oscar for best story, and a special Oscar for child actor Ivan Jandl. Born in Czechoslovakia, he suffered from polio at a young age, before finally being selected by Zimmerman to star in the film. Politics prevented him from continuing his film career in the US, despite many offers, and he made only 3 other Czech film after that as a young teen. He died at the age of 50 from complications of diabetes. It's a moving and memorable film, and I hope you will take the time to track it down from Netflix or your library (where I rented it). GRADE--------A
It seems now to be ahead of it's time, but a recent viewing of THE GROUP (1966) based on a novel by Mary McCarthy about six college graduate friends who splinter off after a 1933 Vassar graduation to vastly different careers and life styles proved to be compelling and profoundly effective soap opera. Director Sidney Lumet gives them all nearly equal time to tell their stories, although some are more effective than others. Joanna Pettet is the first to marry, and along with her philandering playwright husband Larry Hagman get much of the screen time until tragedy affects their story. Joan Hackett and Shirley Knight make the most of their dramatic scenes, both of them involved with untrustworthy men. Jessica Walter plays a flamboyant gossip writer, and Elizabeth Hartman plays a mousy housewife. The strongest character is played by Candice Bergman as a secure, proud lesbian, but it feels like the majority of her part, relegated to the first few scenes and the last few, were cut from the film. Still, she dominates in the finale. Although it is 2 1/2 hours long, the film zooms by and kept me engaged to the end. GRADE-------B+
The film noir thriller MYSTERY STREET (1950) directed by John Sturges features a young Ricardo Montelban as a detective trying to discover, in documentary style, the identity for the bones discovered on the beach. The trail leads to an innocent man and a crafty land lady (Elsa Lanchester). Nice style, photography and story. GRADE----B+
Film noir thriller 99 RIVER STREET (1953) has John Payne as an ex boxer, now a taxi driver, who discovers his wife is having an affair with a jewel thief. Effective Evelyn Keyes is a friend trying to help him, and the film generates lots of suspense when the wife turns up dead. GRADE----B+
Complex thriller BORDER INCIDENT (1949) about illegal Mexicans trying to escape to the US (shockingly contemporary!) has Ricardo Montalban and George Murphy as special Mexican and U.S. agents trying to close down the organization that prey on these illegals. Anthony Mann directs in a solid, forthright manner, and there are some cruel, violent scenes. GRADE-------B
Lightweight, charming film THE MATING OF MILLIE (1948) has Evelyn Keyes playing a stern, single Human Resources director of a large department store, who finds she wants to adopt an orphaned child in her apartment complex, but first she must find a husband. Enter Glenn Ford, who is determined to remain single, but is willing to help her loosen up. Ending is no surprise, but the characters are delightful. GRADE-------B-
Joan Crawford is the over baked star of this melodrama QUEEN BEE (1955) about a Southern aristocrat who tries to manipulate those family members and friends around her. Not campy enough to be amusing, not good enough to be a minor gem, but the actors, including Barry Sullivan, John Ireland, Betsey Palmer and Fay Wray, as well as Crawford, keep it watchable. GRADE----C+
DON'T MISS top films from 2015 SIFF----see previous blog.
The intriguing, if flawed, THE WOLFPACK is at SIFF EGYPTIAN, and ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL is playing all over town. Here's what I've seen in the last couple weeks.
When the script is good, Melissa McCarthy works her special magic, and this film, SPY, a spoof of secret agent thrillers, allows her to create some of the funniest moments she's ever been in. She works for the CIA inside on a computer helping field agents escape from danger--her favorite is a spy played by a suave Jude Law. When he goes missing, she volunteers to go deep undercover, since she is the only uncompromised agent left on the team. No one is going to suspect an overweight, middle aged "housewife" as a field spy, and many laughs are milked from that situation. Fortunately, director Paul Feig (BRIDESMAIDS) has a great story and script to back up the situations Allison Janney is a hoot playing her boss, Miranda Hart (CALL THE MIDWIFE) is her goofy best friend, Jason Stratham spoofs his own tough guy image with some hilarious incompetence, and Rose Byrne plays a nasty baddie--all of them to great effect. SPY is a most satisfying and funny spy thriller. GRADE------B+
SIFF 2015 closed with an edgy adult sex comedy that I missed, but recently saw at a screening. It is very challenging for most audiences, to be sure. There were moments when people were squirming all around me as THE OVERNIGHT was playing. I loved the fact that it takes you places that most "sex" comedies refuse to go, dealing with swinging sex, homosexuality, full frontal nudity, masturbation, anal sex discussions and other "no-no's" for normal movie goers. I enjoyed it for being right out there without resorting to gross juvenile humor. Two couples each with a young child get together for a dinner that lasts all night, and what a night it is. NOT FOR EVERYONE, but if you are game, it is witty, clever fun. GRADE--------B+
The good news and the bad news: As interesting as she is in the new version of FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD, Carey Mulligan IS NO JULIE CHRISTIE, who starred in the superior 1967 version directed by John Schleshinger (MIDNIGHT COWBOY 1969). In fact, although they all have their moments, sheep farmer Matthias Schoenaerts looks good but lacks gravitas, the mature suitor Michael Sheen falls to spark, and good looking soldier Tom Sturridge is just a pretty face. They are no match for the powerful men from 1967--Alan Bates, Peter Finch and Terrance Stamp. Part of the problem may lay in the new script which quickly streamlines the novel into 2 tight hours, deleting many small details and plot turns, and makes it hard to realize the passage of time. In 1967, the film clocked in at 2 hours and 45 minutes, which included more details and more interesting characterizations that made it more powerful. If you have never seen the Christie version, or the BBC TV version from a few years back, either, this MADDING CROWD is still worth seeing for some lovely photography and some different characterizations, and the Thomas Hardy classic story is still quite powerful. GRADE--------B
The special effects are even more awesome, and watching people getting eaten by dinosaurs is still a thrill, but as hard as JURASSIC WORLD works to impress you, it is still the same old story from JURASSIC PARK and its two sequels--innocent folks disobey rules and find themselves threatened by out of control dinosaurs. One of those dinos is a genetically altered, larger and smarter than usual creature who is basically just a killing machine. Goodbye bad guys, goodbye stupid guys. Vincent D'Onofrio and Bryce Dallas Howard have their moments, but beefy Chris Pratt commands control of the picture by a mile. If you get a large popcorn to go with it you will have some fun, in spite of some "seen it all before" moments. GRADE--------B-
PITCH PERFECT 2 tries hard to be different from the original PP 1, and in many ways it is, with some great gags, clever singing and zinger jokes. But again (see JURASSIC WORLD above) we have seen it all before. So just set your sights low, buy the giant popcorn, and enjoy on that level. I did especially like Rebel Wilson, who also manages to steal this movie as well as the first. I would love to see her headline her own comedy. GRADE---------B-
The cast is decent and the special effects and photography are excellent, but SAN ANDREAS is full of faults, pun intended. Dwayne "THE ROCK" Johnson stars as a search and rescue helicopter pilot who spends the first 10 minutes trying to rescue a young woman who was a bad bad driver to begin with and manages to fly over the cliff while being distracted by her cell phone. When the earthquakes begin in earnest in Los Angeles, what does Johnson's character do? He spends all his time trying to rescue his nearly ex wife from the roof of a high rise that amazingly, is still barely standing amidst the flattened downtown LA scene, then high tails it to San Francisco to try to find his missing daughter amidst the devastation and flattened buildings there. She, in the meantime is busy trying to save and protect a rather dubious possible "date" and his younger brother--the two brothers seeming to have zero survival skills. Yes, the plot is a big problem in this disaster film, but if you relish seeing LA and SFO slipping away towards the Pacific, than this is the (popcorn) film for you. The film ends with a splendid, appropriate version of California Dreamin'. GRADE-----C+
What should have been a wild, decadent, colorful film of his life in fashion, becomes a draggy, dull, druggie film about his life of drug addiction in SAINT LAURANT. The lead actor Gaspard Ulliel certainly looks and acts right, but the film is presented almost in a haze, with no clarity, point of view or irony. Back in 1970, Helmut Berger (GARDEN OF FINZI-CONTINIS, SECRET OF DORIAN GRAY) was a young handsome hunk similar to Ulliel, and here he plays Yves Saint Laurant as an old man--hardly recognizable and completely uninteresting. The fashion highlight comes with a fashion show from the 1970's, but is presented in split screen---possibly 8 to 12 small images at the same time, and I couldn't see what any of them were about. I knew so little about him, and after 2 1/2 hours of film I still don't know him or like him. What a wasted effort. GRADE------D+
_____________________________
Viewed on DVD or TV------
Back when I was about 11 or 12, I remember watching with my father on TV, a film THE SEARCH (1948) and we were both mesmerized by this moving, simple story of a young boy being helped in his search to find his mother after World War II by a soldier in Germany played by Montgomery Clift. I finally saw it again last week and I'm grateful that after more than 50 years, to realize that back then, I had such good taste in film. Director Fred Zimmerman was an Oscar nominee, as was Clift, and the film ended up winning the Oscar for best story, and a special Oscar for child actor Ivan Jandl. Born in Czechoslovakia, he suffered from polio at a young age, before finally being selected by Zimmerman to star in the film. Politics prevented him from continuing his film career in the US, despite many offers, and he made only 3 other Czech film after that as a young teen. He died at the age of 50 from complications of diabetes. It's a moving and memorable film, and I hope you will take the time to track it down from Netflix or your library (where I rented it). GRADE--------A
It seems now to be ahead of it's time, but a recent viewing of THE GROUP (1966) based on a novel by Mary McCarthy about six college graduate friends who splinter off after a 1933 Vassar graduation to vastly different careers and life styles proved to be compelling and profoundly effective soap opera. Director Sidney Lumet gives them all nearly equal time to tell their stories, although some are more effective than others. Joanna Pettet is the first to marry, and along with her philandering playwright husband Larry Hagman get much of the screen time until tragedy affects their story. Joan Hackett and Shirley Knight make the most of their dramatic scenes, both of them involved with untrustworthy men. Jessica Walter plays a flamboyant gossip writer, and Elizabeth Hartman plays a mousy housewife. The strongest character is played by Candice Bergman as a secure, proud lesbian, but it feels like the majority of her part, relegated to the first few scenes and the last few, were cut from the film. Still, she dominates in the finale. Although it is 2 1/2 hours long, the film zooms by and kept me engaged to the end. GRADE-------B+
The film noir thriller MYSTERY STREET (1950) directed by John Sturges features a young Ricardo Montelban as a detective trying to discover, in documentary style, the identity for the bones discovered on the beach. The trail leads to an innocent man and a crafty land lady (Elsa Lanchester). Nice style, photography and story. GRADE----B+
Film noir thriller 99 RIVER STREET (1953) has John Payne as an ex boxer, now a taxi driver, who discovers his wife is having an affair with a jewel thief. Effective Evelyn Keyes is a friend trying to help him, and the film generates lots of suspense when the wife turns up dead. GRADE----B+
Complex thriller BORDER INCIDENT (1949) about illegal Mexicans trying to escape to the US (shockingly contemporary!) has Ricardo Montalban and George Murphy as special Mexican and U.S. agents trying to close down the organization that prey on these illegals. Anthony Mann directs in a solid, forthright manner, and there are some cruel, violent scenes. GRADE-------B
Lightweight, charming film THE MATING OF MILLIE (1948) has Evelyn Keyes playing a stern, single Human Resources director of a large department store, who finds she wants to adopt an orphaned child in her apartment complex, but first she must find a husband. Enter Glenn Ford, who is determined to remain single, but is willing to help her loosen up. Ending is no surprise, but the characters are delightful. GRADE-------B-
Joan Crawford is the over baked star of this melodrama QUEEN BEE (1955) about a Southern aristocrat who tries to manipulate those family members and friends around her. Not campy enough to be amusing, not good enough to be a minor gem, but the actors, including Barry Sullivan, John Ireland, Betsey Palmer and Fay Wray, as well as Crawford, keep it watchable. GRADE----C+
DON'T MISS top films from 2015 SIFF----see previous blog.
Friday, June 12, 2015
Report from final weekend of SIFF 6/5--6/7---- TIG, EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO, THE KILLING FIELDS OF DR. HAING S. NGOR, TANGERINE, plus, TOP FILMS FROM SIFF 2015!!!!!
In many cases, SIFF saved the best for the last weekend. Here's what I saw on the final weekend Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All totaled, I saw 121 films this year, a bit lower than normal for me.
GRADE
A-
TIG-----US documentary that follows comedian Tig Notaro around the country in the year after her infamous comedy set that starts out with her telling the audience that she has cancer. What follows are breathtaking, harrowing events that include the sudden death of her mother, falling in love with her best straight girl friend, redefining her career, deciding to have a child alone and a double mastectomy. She still comes off as wryly funny and honest, and the film works as a celebration of her life despite the many challenging times. It's a fascinating and enriching experience.
B+
EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO----Director of THE PILLOW BOOK (1996), THE COOK, THIEF, HIS WIFE AND HER LOVER (1989) and GOLTZIIUS and the PELICAN COMPANY (2012) among others, Peter Greenaway's latest extravaganza features his usual florid camera effects, stunning cinematography, stylish sets and costumes, over the top plottings, and hypnotic (if occasionally tiresome) pacing, peppered with the usual explicit nudity and sex. This story is based on the trip that the Russian director Sergei Eisenstein (BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN) made to Mexico in 1931, falling in love with the customs, scenery, people, and his young handsome tour guide, who tutors him on the glories of homosexuality. This in not a film for everyone, but for those familiar with Greenaway's style, it is his provocative best.
KILLING FIELDS OF DR. HAING S. NGOR---USA documentary about the late doctor, Oscar winning actor (for THE KILLING FIELDS 1984) and social activist for Cambodian people that clearly and vividly tells the story of his involvement with the changes that swept Cambodia in the 1960's through the 1970's. Using excellent video, pictures, animated drawings and expertly read from his diaries by his nephew, with interviews from those who knew him best, this becomes a moving story of survival during the tragic Khmer Rouge period.
TANGERINE--USA independent film shot almost entirely on an I-Phone on the streets of Los Angeles! Two transgendered prostitute trannies run all over West Hollywood, one trying to track down her pimp/boyfriend who may have been unfaithful during her month long stay in prison, and the other trying to drum up business for her 7pm cabaret debut that night, Christmas Eve. A friendly taxi driver is seen picking up fares (and some sex) and the three meet for a kinky, "dramatic" confrontation along with a few other characters at the local donut shop. Surprisingly effective, funny and sad and a bit curious too, this strange, low budget bit of camp gets it right most of the time, and the IPhone works well in creating intimate, crazy scenes that should be the envy of those dozens of hand held jittery productions that just make it hard to watch.
B
GHADI--From Lebanon comes this dramatic comedy fable of a father who tries to protect his Down syndrome son from bigotry in his small town by creating a religious ruse for him. It takes a while for this story to take hold, but the gentle comedy and charming characters make it worthwhile.
FOURTH MAN OUT---USA working class comedy about a 25 year old man who decides to come out as gay to his longtime childhood buddies, which throws the relationships into a flurry. The characters are effective and likable, and the laughs are not too cheap or predictable. It's a pleasant way to spend 90 minutes.
MARSHLAND--Spanish version of a mismatched pair of detective's on the trail of a serial killer in a small town during carnival time. The film is gritty and naturalistic and features intriguing aerial photos that add some style to the pessimistic proceedings.
MY SKINNY SISTER--From Sweden comes this drama about sibling rivalry. The older sister is an accomplished figure skater, the younger is chubby and feels a bit jealous of the attention her older sister receives. Still, the sisters share a tight bond, and when the younger one realizes that her sister is anorexic, she is conflicted about responding. Nicely done.
ALL THINGS MUST PASS--From US, the story of TOWER RECORDS origins, success, and finally the decension into bankruptcy. The film moves very quickly, with a lot of information, and for those of us who grew up with TOWER RECORDS and BOOKS, the film is nostalgic and engrossing. For those uninterested, the film will not appeal.
VIRGIN MOUNTAIN--Icelandic film about a very large, shy man who plays military games and keeps mainly to himself. His mother and friends encourage him to start dating, and when he does he becomes attracted to a woman with more problems than he has. Engrossing and touching.
B-
I KISSED A GIRL---French fluff about a gay man who in the first scene is leaving the scene of a young woman with whom he has just had sex for the first time. His long time male partner becomes bewildered at his change of personality just before their planned wedding. He pursues this new relationship nonetheless, and becomes infatuated with her, in spite of not being honest with his male partner or his new female lover. The film is bright, and funny, and the actors are all attractive and effective. For me the problem lies with the fact that we never quite see what the attraction is---for example, his excuse for the first scene is extreme drunkenness. Heaven knows we've seen plenty of films where a heterosexual man becomes homosexual, but this comic variation seems unconvincing, and the final scene felt downright bewildering and icky.
C+
THE MUSES OF BASHEVIS SINGER--From Israel comes this documentary of writer and Nobel Prize winner Isaac Bashevis Singer, a Yiddish writer who had a bevy of female translators who helped bring his writing to America, and with whom he had many extra marital affairs. He comes across as a "dirty old man" and the surviving translators all seem to concur, despite his brilliance in writing such stories as ENEMIES: A LOVE STORY and YENTL THE YESHIVA BOY, both books made into popular films. This film should appeal to fans of SINGER only.
C-
THE NEW MAN--From Uruguay comes this documentary of a transsexual man to woman character who sets out trying to connect with his brother and parents after nearly 15 years of separation. His family seems happy to see her, and no one is particularly upset at her sex change. The film doesn't have much more to say than that, and unfortunately, her hairline is quickly receding as she ages, which makes her appearance startling at times without a scarf or wig.
____________________________________________
Here's my TOP FILMS OF SIFF 2015
More info can be read in previous blogs. Watch for them to be released in the coming year....
TOP 25 FILMS including documentaries
CORN ISLAND
DARK HORSE
CITY OF GOLD-doc
MISTRESS AMERICA
BEST OF ENEMIES-doc
3 1/2 MINUTES, TEN BULLETS-doc
FOR GRACE-doc
TIG-doc
THE NEW GIRLFRIEND
TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL-doc
THE KILLING FIELDS OF DR. HAING S. NGOR-doc
LOVE AND MERCY
ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED-doc
MR. HOLMES
FLOWERS
EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO
54: DIRECTOR'S CUT
TANGERINE
AUTOMATIC HATE
BOSS, ANATOMY OF A CRIME
ELEPHANT SONG
DEAREST
FRAME BY FRAME-doc
GRUMP
OTHER GOOD STUFF FOLLOWS
ROMEO IS BLEEDING, MARSHLAND, FOURTH MAN OUT, GHADI, MY SKINNY SISTER, SHREW'S NEST, SHORT SKIN, OUR SUMMER IN PROVENCE, LISA THE FOX FAIRY, 7 CHINESE BROTHERS, CHARLIE'S COUNTRY, THE CUT, A FEW CUBIC METERS OF LOVE, FRONT COVER, HENRI HENRI, I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS, KIRSHA, INVISIBLE BOY, THOSE PEOPLE, END OF THE TOUR, VIRGIN MOUNTAIN, XENIA, SNOW ON THE BLADES, A LITTLE DEATH, GUIDANCE
I really loved the revivals I saw, especially all three films in THE APU TRILOGY (coming in July to SIFF UPTOWN) and THE COLOR OF POMEGRANATES, BLACK GIRL, and THE OLD DARK HOUSE.
My Favorite.......
FILM---CORN ISLAND
ACTOR---Cliff Curtis in DARK HORSE
ACTRESS--Adelaide Clemens in AUTOMATIC HATE
SCRIPT--Noah Baumbach for MISTRESS AMERICA
DIRECTOR--George Ovashvili for CORN ISLAND
CINEMATOGRAPHY--Reinier van Brummelen for EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO
MUSIC--for LOVE AND MERCY
DOCUMENTARY---3 1/2 MINUTES, TEN BULLETS
GUILTY PLEASURE--54: DIRECTOR'S CUT and GUIDANCE
TEAR JERKER--ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL, and FLOWERS
PLOT TWISTS--in TIG, THE NEW GIRLFRIEND, AUTOMATIC HATE, ELEPHANT SONG
MY LEAST FAVORITE FILMS
NOT ALL IS VIGIL, COOKING UP A TRIBUTE, EXCUSE MY FRENCH, THE FIRE, THE BODA BODA THIEVES
GRADE
A-
TIG-----US documentary that follows comedian Tig Notaro around the country in the year after her infamous comedy set that starts out with her telling the audience that she has cancer. What follows are breathtaking, harrowing events that include the sudden death of her mother, falling in love with her best straight girl friend, redefining her career, deciding to have a child alone and a double mastectomy. She still comes off as wryly funny and honest, and the film works as a celebration of her life despite the many challenging times. It's a fascinating and enriching experience.
B+
EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO----Director of THE PILLOW BOOK (1996), THE COOK, THIEF, HIS WIFE AND HER LOVER (1989) and GOLTZIIUS and the PELICAN COMPANY (2012) among others, Peter Greenaway's latest extravaganza features his usual florid camera effects, stunning cinematography, stylish sets and costumes, over the top plottings, and hypnotic (if occasionally tiresome) pacing, peppered with the usual explicit nudity and sex. This story is based on the trip that the Russian director Sergei Eisenstein (BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN) made to Mexico in 1931, falling in love with the customs, scenery, people, and his young handsome tour guide, who tutors him on the glories of homosexuality. This in not a film for everyone, but for those familiar with Greenaway's style, it is his provocative best.
KILLING FIELDS OF DR. HAING S. NGOR---USA documentary about the late doctor, Oscar winning actor (for THE KILLING FIELDS 1984) and social activist for Cambodian people that clearly and vividly tells the story of his involvement with the changes that swept Cambodia in the 1960's through the 1970's. Using excellent video, pictures, animated drawings and expertly read from his diaries by his nephew, with interviews from those who knew him best, this becomes a moving story of survival during the tragic Khmer Rouge period.
TANGERINE--USA independent film shot almost entirely on an I-Phone on the streets of Los Angeles! Two transgendered prostitute trannies run all over West Hollywood, one trying to track down her pimp/boyfriend who may have been unfaithful during her month long stay in prison, and the other trying to drum up business for her 7pm cabaret debut that night, Christmas Eve. A friendly taxi driver is seen picking up fares (and some sex) and the three meet for a kinky, "dramatic" confrontation along with a few other characters at the local donut shop. Surprisingly effective, funny and sad and a bit curious too, this strange, low budget bit of camp gets it right most of the time, and the IPhone works well in creating intimate, crazy scenes that should be the envy of those dozens of hand held jittery productions that just make it hard to watch.
B
GHADI--From Lebanon comes this dramatic comedy fable of a father who tries to protect his Down syndrome son from bigotry in his small town by creating a religious ruse for him. It takes a while for this story to take hold, but the gentle comedy and charming characters make it worthwhile.
FOURTH MAN OUT---USA working class comedy about a 25 year old man who decides to come out as gay to his longtime childhood buddies, which throws the relationships into a flurry. The characters are effective and likable, and the laughs are not too cheap or predictable. It's a pleasant way to spend 90 minutes.
MARSHLAND--Spanish version of a mismatched pair of detective's on the trail of a serial killer in a small town during carnival time. The film is gritty and naturalistic and features intriguing aerial photos that add some style to the pessimistic proceedings.
MY SKINNY SISTER--From Sweden comes this drama about sibling rivalry. The older sister is an accomplished figure skater, the younger is chubby and feels a bit jealous of the attention her older sister receives. Still, the sisters share a tight bond, and when the younger one realizes that her sister is anorexic, she is conflicted about responding. Nicely done.
ALL THINGS MUST PASS--From US, the story of TOWER RECORDS origins, success, and finally the decension into bankruptcy. The film moves very quickly, with a lot of information, and for those of us who grew up with TOWER RECORDS and BOOKS, the film is nostalgic and engrossing. For those uninterested, the film will not appeal.
VIRGIN MOUNTAIN--Icelandic film about a very large, shy man who plays military games and keeps mainly to himself. His mother and friends encourage him to start dating, and when he does he becomes attracted to a woman with more problems than he has. Engrossing and touching.
B-
I KISSED A GIRL---French fluff about a gay man who in the first scene is leaving the scene of a young woman with whom he has just had sex for the first time. His long time male partner becomes bewildered at his change of personality just before their planned wedding. He pursues this new relationship nonetheless, and becomes infatuated with her, in spite of not being honest with his male partner or his new female lover. The film is bright, and funny, and the actors are all attractive and effective. For me the problem lies with the fact that we never quite see what the attraction is---for example, his excuse for the first scene is extreme drunkenness. Heaven knows we've seen plenty of films where a heterosexual man becomes homosexual, but this comic variation seems unconvincing, and the final scene felt downright bewildering and icky.
C+
THE MUSES OF BASHEVIS SINGER--From Israel comes this documentary of writer and Nobel Prize winner Isaac Bashevis Singer, a Yiddish writer who had a bevy of female translators who helped bring his writing to America, and with whom he had many extra marital affairs. He comes across as a "dirty old man" and the surviving translators all seem to concur, despite his brilliance in writing such stories as ENEMIES: A LOVE STORY and YENTL THE YESHIVA BOY, both books made into popular films. This film should appeal to fans of SINGER only.
C-
THE NEW MAN--From Uruguay comes this documentary of a transsexual man to woman character who sets out trying to connect with his brother and parents after nearly 15 years of separation. His family seems happy to see her, and no one is particularly upset at her sex change. The film doesn't have much more to say than that, and unfortunately, her hairline is quickly receding as she ages, which makes her appearance startling at times without a scarf or wig.
____________________________________________
Here's my TOP FILMS OF SIFF 2015
More info can be read in previous blogs. Watch for them to be released in the coming year....
TOP 25 FILMS including documentaries
CORN ISLAND
DARK HORSE
CITY OF GOLD-doc
MISTRESS AMERICA
BEST OF ENEMIES-doc
3 1/2 MINUTES, TEN BULLETS-doc
FOR GRACE-doc
TIG-doc
THE NEW GIRLFRIEND
TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL-doc
THE KILLING FIELDS OF DR. HAING S. NGOR-doc
LOVE AND MERCY
ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED-doc
MR. HOLMES
FLOWERS
EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO
54: DIRECTOR'S CUT
TANGERINE
AUTOMATIC HATE
BOSS, ANATOMY OF A CRIME
ELEPHANT SONG
DEAREST
FRAME BY FRAME-doc
GRUMP
OTHER GOOD STUFF FOLLOWS
ROMEO IS BLEEDING, MARSHLAND, FOURTH MAN OUT, GHADI, MY SKINNY SISTER, SHREW'S NEST, SHORT SKIN, OUR SUMMER IN PROVENCE, LISA THE FOX FAIRY, 7 CHINESE BROTHERS, CHARLIE'S COUNTRY, THE CUT, A FEW CUBIC METERS OF LOVE, FRONT COVER, HENRI HENRI, I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS, KIRSHA, INVISIBLE BOY, THOSE PEOPLE, END OF THE TOUR, VIRGIN MOUNTAIN, XENIA, SNOW ON THE BLADES, A LITTLE DEATH, GUIDANCE
I really loved the revivals I saw, especially all three films in THE APU TRILOGY (coming in July to SIFF UPTOWN) and THE COLOR OF POMEGRANATES, BLACK GIRL, and THE OLD DARK HOUSE.
My Favorite.......
FILM---CORN ISLAND
ACTOR---Cliff Curtis in DARK HORSE
ACTRESS--Adelaide Clemens in AUTOMATIC HATE
SCRIPT--Noah Baumbach for MISTRESS AMERICA
DIRECTOR--George Ovashvili for CORN ISLAND
CINEMATOGRAPHY--Reinier van Brummelen for EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO
MUSIC--for LOVE AND MERCY
DOCUMENTARY---3 1/2 MINUTES, TEN BULLETS
GUILTY PLEASURE--54: DIRECTOR'S CUT and GUIDANCE
TEAR JERKER--ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL, and FLOWERS
PLOT TWISTS--in TIG, THE NEW GIRLFRIEND, AUTOMATIC HATE, ELEPHANT SONG
MY LEAST FAVORITE FILMS
NOT ALL IS VIGIL, COOKING UP A TRIBUTE, EXCUSE MY FRENCH, THE FIRE, THE BODA BODA THIEVES
Thursday, June 4, 2015
SIFF Report 1 JUNE--4 June-----BLACK GIRL revival, A FEW CUBIC METERS OF LOVE, KEY HOUSE MIRROR, 7 CHINESE BROTHERS, HENRI HENRI, MARDAN, MORBAYASSA
After last weekend, this midweek section was full of disappointing films. Here's what I saw in order of favorites to the "not so hot."
GRADE:
A-
BLACK GIRL--From Senegal and France comes this 1966 revival from director Ousmane Sembene about a young black woman who is recruited by a wealthy white woman to move to southern France to clean and take care of the children. She finds her new life is not very exciting as she is treated with cruelty and indifference by the mistress, who won't let her out of the apartment, and soon becomes frustrated and depressed, in spite of dressing up in her finery to cook and clean. The black and white observational film clearly symbolizes the effects of colonialism and class discrimination of poor people, and creates a tense, compulsive drama.
B
A FEW CUBIC METERS OF LOVE--Iranian/Afghanistan film about a young male Iranian teen in a shantytown who falls in love with an Afghan girl who is living with her strict father illegally in Iran, refugees who fled war in their country. The film builds intensity as the young couple want to marry but the father refuses, as tensions mount in the shanty town run by a compassionate Iranian who tries to keep the peace between these two nationalities. The joy that these two young people feel for each other is contrasted to the hatred between the adults, and the finale is ironically tragic for all concerned. Lovely, haunting, sad.
KEY HOUSE MIRROR--Denmark drama set in retirement center has elderly woman caring for her immobile stroke victim husband. Her faithfulness to his health leaves her quite lonely, and she soon finds herself falling for a charming debonair neighbor, much to the horror of others living in the facilities, and her own family. I'd give this film a higher score were it not for the incessant hand held camera work that distracts from the moving, dramatic moments.
B-
HENRI HENRI--Gentle French Canadian film in the vein of AMELIE that incorporates some magical realism into it's tale of a young orphan who becomes an expert in fixing light fixtures, all the while searching for true love and and his long lost father. The film doesn't hold onto the charming first act build up, and the third act is regrettably predictable, but it is easy to smile through the occasionally wince inducing plot twists due to the film's good nature and good intentions, and pleasing art and set direction, and photography and score.
7 CHINESE BROTHERS--USA independent slacker film featuring Jason Schwartzman and Olympia Dukakis as grandson and grandmother. The mood is very laid back, and the comedy (and direction) is very lazy. The film doesn't end so much as just stop, but in the right mind set this movie could be a pleasurable experience. I was, however, in the minority opinion.
MORBAYASSA--Exotic looking film from Guinea, starts as a thriller of a woman forced into prostitution, trying desperately to escape her pimp's control. When she does get free, the film morphs into a soapy drama about trying to reunite with her daughter, long ago given up for adoption. There are some interesting twists, some laughable twists, and overall it is rather predictable, but the main actress bravely marches on, despite some frequent and unnecessary nudity. Technically, the story is smoothly filmed for better than expected viewing.
MARDAN--Kurdistan film--a slow burn thriller about police officer with tragic past who tries to find the husband of a woman seeking his help--a man he may have killed with his penchant for speeding around the hilly, dark, rainy nights. There are some existential ruminations as he attempts to rationalize his behavior, which becomes moody and dangerous, and he does show signs of goodness in some questionable choices he makes.
C+
GRAZIELLA--French drama about some criminals doing work release during the day, then going back to prison in the evening, awaiting their approaching time for release. The small town scorns them, and they take to playing Russian roulette to earn extra money for the future. It took a while to figure out the relationships and back stories, and they end up being underwhelming and bewildering.
THE WOLF PACK--US documentary about seven kids who live with their parents in a sheltered and restricted world, and in spite of their fascination with movies on video, and their penchant for acting them out in their gloomy but large New York City apartment, they live in poverty with a controlling father and submissive mother who home schools them. They are now getting old enough to want to leave the apartment for excursions and work, and in rebellion against their father. The topic of this film has fascinating possibilities, but the film maker seems unable (or unwilling) to ask the probing questions or shape the film with any type of back story that might make some sense of it all. Worse, she films with an annoying hand held camera, including poorly filmed home movies that seem pointless and distracting, and refuses to follow up on some outrageous moments or statements from her subjects. A major disappointment.
GLASSLAND--Irish film that features strong performance by Jack Reynor as the hardworking son of his alcoholic mother Toni Collette, and his struggles to get her to clean up her life. They are the main reason for watching this grim, slow film that features hand held camera work(not my favorite device).
BLUE BLOOD--From Brazil comes a magic realism film about a circus troupe that lands on a small island in the south Atlantic ocean, bringing up painful feelings from the "shot from the rocket" man who grew up there. The film looks great, with beautiful scenery and attractive characters who swim, dance, copulate, drink, and talk talk talk about life and their problems. It is exotic and earthy stuff at times, but there's not much plot, the symbolism is murky, and the pointless film seems to go on and on and on.
SWORN VIRGIN--Italian film about small region that allows for some women to go to the mountains to live as men. One of them returns to the city to live with her sister, deciding to go back to living as a woman, apparently not quite knowing how!?! Odd, curious story is sabotaged by some aggressive hand held camera work.
C
SERGIO HERMAN, F**KING PERFECT--Netherlands foodie documentary about famous chef closing one restaurant and opening another, but we've seen it all before. He's charismatic but over worked (or a workaholic) which is destroying his family life and causing health problems. Much hand held camera work in a claustrophobically small kitchen makes for nausea inducing viewing, and the extreme closeups make you want to throw your head back from the screen. Might work better on TV, but you might just want to turn the station for something more exciting.
D
THE FIRE--Argentina film, basically a two person character study of the tensions that arise when an unmarried couple are unable to take the thousands of dollars of cash to the bank to complete their new home purchase, which has been postponed for a day. She feels he is unloving and violent, he feels unloved and threatened by the fact that her family is rich enough to have come up with most of the cash for the sale. This couple spends the whole hand held film arguing, bickering, screaming, threatening to leave, etc and it finally drove me from the theatre after an hour of this pointless, plotless bantering. One of the worst of the festival.
EXCUSE MY FRENCH--From Egypt comes this silly, immature comedy about a smart Christian
boy who wants to go to a public Muslim school after this father dies. The humor was aggressively unfunny and dull. One of the worst of the festival.
OF THOSE I'VE SEEN FOR THE FINAL WEEKEND, I'D RECOMMEND
KEY HOUSE MIRROR, A FEW CUBIC METERS OF LOVE, THE GRUMP, LISA THE FOX FAIRY, 7 CHINESE BROTHERS and THOSE PEOPLE.
FILMS TO AVOID--BODA BODA THIEVES, THE FIRE, COOKING UP A TRIBUTE and EXCUSE MY FRENCH
GRADE:
A-
BLACK GIRL--From Senegal and France comes this 1966 revival from director Ousmane Sembene about a young black woman who is recruited by a wealthy white woman to move to southern France to clean and take care of the children. She finds her new life is not very exciting as she is treated with cruelty and indifference by the mistress, who won't let her out of the apartment, and soon becomes frustrated and depressed, in spite of dressing up in her finery to cook and clean. The black and white observational film clearly symbolizes the effects of colonialism and class discrimination of poor people, and creates a tense, compulsive drama.
B
A FEW CUBIC METERS OF LOVE--Iranian/Afghanistan film about a young male Iranian teen in a shantytown who falls in love with an Afghan girl who is living with her strict father illegally in Iran, refugees who fled war in their country. The film builds intensity as the young couple want to marry but the father refuses, as tensions mount in the shanty town run by a compassionate Iranian who tries to keep the peace between these two nationalities. The joy that these two young people feel for each other is contrasted to the hatred between the adults, and the finale is ironically tragic for all concerned. Lovely, haunting, sad.
KEY HOUSE MIRROR--Denmark drama set in retirement center has elderly woman caring for her immobile stroke victim husband. Her faithfulness to his health leaves her quite lonely, and she soon finds herself falling for a charming debonair neighbor, much to the horror of others living in the facilities, and her own family. I'd give this film a higher score were it not for the incessant hand held camera work that distracts from the moving, dramatic moments.
B-
HENRI HENRI--Gentle French Canadian film in the vein of AMELIE that incorporates some magical realism into it's tale of a young orphan who becomes an expert in fixing light fixtures, all the while searching for true love and and his long lost father. The film doesn't hold onto the charming first act build up, and the third act is regrettably predictable, but it is easy to smile through the occasionally wince inducing plot twists due to the film's good nature and good intentions, and pleasing art and set direction, and photography and score.
7 CHINESE BROTHERS--USA independent slacker film featuring Jason Schwartzman and Olympia Dukakis as grandson and grandmother. The mood is very laid back, and the comedy (and direction) is very lazy. The film doesn't end so much as just stop, but in the right mind set this movie could be a pleasurable experience. I was, however, in the minority opinion.
MORBAYASSA--Exotic looking film from Guinea, starts as a thriller of a woman forced into prostitution, trying desperately to escape her pimp's control. When she does get free, the film morphs into a soapy drama about trying to reunite with her daughter, long ago given up for adoption. There are some interesting twists, some laughable twists, and overall it is rather predictable, but the main actress bravely marches on, despite some frequent and unnecessary nudity. Technically, the story is smoothly filmed for better than expected viewing.
MARDAN--Kurdistan film--a slow burn thriller about police officer with tragic past who tries to find the husband of a woman seeking his help--a man he may have killed with his penchant for speeding around the hilly, dark, rainy nights. There are some existential ruminations as he attempts to rationalize his behavior, which becomes moody and dangerous, and he does show signs of goodness in some questionable choices he makes.
C+
GRAZIELLA--French drama about some criminals doing work release during the day, then going back to prison in the evening, awaiting their approaching time for release. The small town scorns them, and they take to playing Russian roulette to earn extra money for the future. It took a while to figure out the relationships and back stories, and they end up being underwhelming and bewildering.
THE WOLF PACK--US documentary about seven kids who live with their parents in a sheltered and restricted world, and in spite of their fascination with movies on video, and their penchant for acting them out in their gloomy but large New York City apartment, they live in poverty with a controlling father and submissive mother who home schools them. They are now getting old enough to want to leave the apartment for excursions and work, and in rebellion against their father. The topic of this film has fascinating possibilities, but the film maker seems unable (or unwilling) to ask the probing questions or shape the film with any type of back story that might make some sense of it all. Worse, she films with an annoying hand held camera, including poorly filmed home movies that seem pointless and distracting, and refuses to follow up on some outrageous moments or statements from her subjects. A major disappointment.
GLASSLAND--Irish film that features strong performance by Jack Reynor as the hardworking son of his alcoholic mother Toni Collette, and his struggles to get her to clean up her life. They are the main reason for watching this grim, slow film that features hand held camera work(not my favorite device).
BLUE BLOOD--From Brazil comes a magic realism film about a circus troupe that lands on a small island in the south Atlantic ocean, bringing up painful feelings from the "shot from the rocket" man who grew up there. The film looks great, with beautiful scenery and attractive characters who swim, dance, copulate, drink, and talk talk talk about life and their problems. It is exotic and earthy stuff at times, but there's not much plot, the symbolism is murky, and the pointless film seems to go on and on and on.
SWORN VIRGIN--Italian film about small region that allows for some women to go to the mountains to live as men. One of them returns to the city to live with her sister, deciding to go back to living as a woman, apparently not quite knowing how!?! Odd, curious story is sabotaged by some aggressive hand held camera work.
C
SERGIO HERMAN, F**KING PERFECT--Netherlands foodie documentary about famous chef closing one restaurant and opening another, but we've seen it all before. He's charismatic but over worked (or a workaholic) which is destroying his family life and causing health problems. Much hand held camera work in a claustrophobically small kitchen makes for nausea inducing viewing, and the extreme closeups make you want to throw your head back from the screen. Might work better on TV, but you might just want to turn the station for something more exciting.
D
THE FIRE--Argentina film, basically a two person character study of the tensions that arise when an unmarried couple are unable to take the thousands of dollars of cash to the bank to complete their new home purchase, which has been postponed for a day. She feels he is unloving and violent, he feels unloved and threatened by the fact that her family is rich enough to have come up with most of the cash for the sale. This couple spends the whole hand held film arguing, bickering, screaming, threatening to leave, etc and it finally drove me from the theatre after an hour of this pointless, plotless bantering. One of the worst of the festival.
EXCUSE MY FRENCH--From Egypt comes this silly, immature comedy about a smart Christian
boy who wants to go to a public Muslim school after this father dies. The humor was aggressively unfunny and dull. One of the worst of the festival.
OF THOSE I'VE SEEN FOR THE FINAL WEEKEND, I'D RECOMMEND
KEY HOUSE MIRROR, A FEW CUBIC METERS OF LOVE, THE GRUMP, LISA THE FOX FAIRY, 7 CHINESE BROTHERS and THOSE PEOPLE.
FILMS TO AVOID--BODA BODA THIEVES, THE FIRE, COOKING UP A TRIBUTE and EXCUSE MY FRENCH
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