Movie Reviews: Recent Viewing Round-up
by Tim Van Schmidt
***** Excellent
**** Good
*** Average
** Poor
* Not Recommended
Howl ****
There aren't very many movies out there about poetry, but "Howl" is an excellent place to start. There's plenty going on here- an account of the writing of Allen Ginsberg's famous Beat poem, "Howl," mixing with a dramatization of the obscenity trial that occurred after it was published. Actor James Franco appears both in the dramatizations and in the interviews that help inform the movie with the facts according to Ginsberg. In the process, Franco has created a unique character complete with distinctive vocal tics. This is all wrapped around a passionate reading of the poem- by Franco- on a Beatnik stage as well as in the soundtrack as the movie veers into the fantastic with animated sequences illustrating the progress of the poem. It's a big ball of creativity and inspiration- which includes actor Jon Hamm's stirring delivery of the defense's position in the trial of Beat publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti- and an open door into the mind of a modern poet and outspoken homosexual.
Directed by Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman...2010...84 minutes...featuring James Franco (as Allen Ginsberg,) Todd Rotondi, Jon Prescott, Aaron Tveit, David Strathairn, Jon Hamm, Andrew Rogers, Bob Balaban, Mary-Louise Parker, Treat Williams, Jeff Daniels, Allen Ginsberg.
The Scent of Green Papaya ***
Quiet, slow and entrancing, "The Scent of Green Papaya" is a unique viewing experience for its beauty as an art piece and for its gentle story. There's plenty of class consciousness, hard times and even abuse in the life of a Vietnamese servant girl. But then again, there is also awesome, simple beauty in daily living and this seems to bless the girl as she grows older. Because of its striking quietness- sure there's some cool music in there, but not much else- this movie sets such a dignified and very purposeful tone that it is almost uncomfortable to slam bang Western movie tastes, but worth the effort to explore another culture, notably lacking in outright violence.
Directed by Anh Hung Tran...1993...104 min...featuring Tran Nu Yên-Khê, Man San Lu, Thi Loc Truong, Hoa Hoi Vuong.
Monsters ***
A large part of Mexico has become "infected" with extraterrestrial monsters and a cynical photographer gets the job of escorting his boss's cute daughter across the middle of the zone. Gritty realism mixed with outlandish suppositions results in a passable adventure. The monsters are really just a sideshow to the developing romantic feelings between the two, but some monster attacks and particularly footage detailing the destruction they cause keep things anchored to the sci-fi camp.
Directed by Gareth Edwards...2010...94 min...featuring Scoot McNairy, Whitney Able, Mario Zuniga Benavides.
Hunter Prey ***
Exotic, barren settings give this movie an otherworldly ambiance, but beyond the extra planets in the sky, this is a chase yarn with a sci-fi twist.
Directed by Sandy Collora...2010...90 min...featuring Clark Bartram, Damion Poitier, Isaac C. Singleton Jr.
In a desperate search for entertaining sci-fi movies to stream, I encountered the following three productions, all so poor that I actually gave up on them to start with. I went back some time later to finish them off knowing I could be nearly unconscious and still get the gist of it. Midnight, numbskull watching only:
Days of Darkness **
A weak zombie gore fest, which tries to add some new elements to the standard zombie story- a parasite sucks the life out of the host while the host tries to eat anything else left alive.
Directed by Jake Kennedy...2007...89 min...featuring Tom Eplin, Sabrina Gennarino, Travis Brorsen.
Battle of Los Angeles **
A weak invasion yarn- lots of gun play.
Directed by Mark Atkins...2011...91 min...featuring Nia Peeples, Kel Mitchell, Dylan Vox, Robert Pike Daniel.
They Live **
An interesting idea- a pair of glasses that allows a human to see the truth about invaders who have enslaved the world- but a leaden, clunky production and cast.
Directed by John Carpenter...1988...93 min...featuring
Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster.
Recent Viewing Round-up
by Tim Van Schmidt
***** Excellent
**** Good
*** Average
** Poor
* Not Recommended
Mary Poppins ****
How do you rate a memory? "Mary Poppins" is not just a movie to me, but a strong chilhood experience. Then, in the theater in 1964, it was a such a grand and slightly mystical daydream. Now, certain flaws in the pacing, weakness in the dialogue and inconsistant songwriting make the movie kind of a chore to watch.
However, in between the chatter and filler that make the movie drag, there are some of the best children's sequences on film. The rooftop chimney sweep dance scene is a major piece of work, invigorating- and very long. The whole fantasy sequence inside the chalk drawing remains charming, breaking ground by seamlessly fusing live action with animation. And then there are also those songs that will not get out of your head once they start- "Chim Chim Cheree," "Supercali..." and "Just a Spoonful of Sugar" are at the top of the list. These elements still take even an adult viewer into another world- one that is primarily happy, adventurous and based on some sense of integrity.
"Mary Poppins" also stands out thanks to the indelible characterizations of Mary Poppins and Bert by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Andrews is exactly as advertised- practically perfect. Van Dyke proves to be an effective showman, handling song and dance chores easily with an everchanging rubber face and his gangly physical style. Together, they dominate the screen in such a way that the scenes without them seem dull indeed.
Directed by Robert Stevenson...1964...139 min...featuring Julie Andrews (as Mary Poppins,) Dick Van Dyke (as Bert,) David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Karen Dotrice, Matthew Garber, Ed Wynn.
The Devil's Backbone ****
An orphan of the Spanish Civil War becomes embroiled in the heightened action at the boy's school he is delivered to at the end of the war. There're gold ingots, political intrigue, a one-legged schoolmistress, murder, brutality and insistant ghosts all twisted together in a story not afraid of using poetry or surrealistic images to help create a creepy ambiance. The settings are richly detailed and there is an old-fashioned sense to the production that elevates it from the usual fare.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro...2001...106 min...featuring Marisa Paredes, Eduardo Noriega, Federico Luppi, Fernando Tielve, Inigo Garces, Irene Visedo, Junio Valverde.
Don't Move ***
A surgeon's daughter with severe head trauma is brought into the hospital where he works. As he nervously waits for dangerous surgery to be performed by a colleague, the surgeon mulls over the past- including a longtime affair. While "Don't Move" ultimately seems to be romantic in nature, it's hard to get behind a passionate relationship that begins with a rape.
Directed by Sergio Castellitto...2004...125 min...featuring Penelope Cruz, Sergio Castellitto, Claudia Gerini.
The Town ***
A bank robbery crew unravels when the brains of the outfit falls for a woman the gang takes hostage during a getaway. Set in the Boston area, it's a brutish and unsavory life for all- from the hostage who gets romantically duped by the robber to the blustering FBI agent in pursuit of the criminals.
Directed by Ben Affleck...2010...125 min...featuring Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Titus Welliver, Pete Postlethwaite, Chris Cooper.
Eye for an Eye ***
A distraught mother matches wits with a rapist and murderer after he sodomizes and kills her daughter, then walks free thanks to the justice system. Kiefer Sutherland plays the bad guy with a snarling authenticity, but the focus is on Sally Field's portrayal of the mother- nervous and somewhat stunned all the time, yet still able to find the moxie to learn to shoot a gun, then use it.
Directed by John Schlesinger...1996...101 min...featuring Sally Field, Ed Harris, Kiefer Sutherland, Joe Mantegna, Beverly D'Angelo, Phillip Baker Hall.
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Recent Viewing Round-up
by Tim Van Schmidt
***** Excellent
**** Good
*** Average
** Poor
* Not Recommended
Biutiful ****
The reason to watch "Biutiful" is for the little things. The big things in this movie are a complete mess- I mean in the plot that is. The story follows the misfortunes of a single father in Barcelona, whose ex-wife, deadly serious business deals, growing kids and terminal cancer have him circling the drain.
What keeps him going, however, are the occasional flashes of love that come through the chaos- his daughter's smile, a moment of clarity and ease with his wife or even just a moment of rest. Otherwise, the main character has nothing but a losing battle to fight.
This movie is beautifully filmed, despite the grittiness of the subject and the soundtrack often adds plenty to the progress of the production- very effective work.
Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu...2010...148 min...featuring Javier Bardem (as Uxbal), Maricel Alvarez (as Marambra), Hanaa Bouchaib, Guillermo Estrella, Eduard Fernandez, Cheikh Ndiaye, Diaryatou Daff.
Harry Brown ***
A retiree turns vigelante when an English urban street gang beats his best friend to death and generally terrorizes the neighborhood. The feelings of helplessness hang over the characters in this movie like a thick, grey cloud cover. Even when forced to act- whether it is the retiree or the police inspector who can't do much- there isn't much heroic about it.
Directed by Daniel Barber...2009...103 min...featuring Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, David Bradley.
Five Easy Pieces ***
An oil rig worker, played by Jack Nicholson, leaves his rough and tumble life to return home to see his ailing father. Brought up as a concert pianist in a family of musicians, Nicholson's character finds conditions at home distasteful- almost as distasteful as the relationship he is having with an uneducated, uncultured waitress. Nothing pleases this guy and he lets anyone within ear shot know it with either an eruption of negative emotion or a sharply delivered snide comment. Despite the fame of the "chicken salad sandwhich" scene, this movie drags considerably with stiff dialogue and lousy sound mixing.
Directed by Bob Rafelson...1970...98 min...featuring Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Billy Green Bush, Sally Struthers, Lois Smith, Helena Kallianiotes, Susan Anspach, Ralph Waite.
Gracie ***
A teenaged girl channels intense grief over a family tragedy into a crusade to establish new, broader boundaries for girl athletes, particularly soccer players. This movie plucks the expected heartstrings in a retelling of the true efforts of star Elisabeth Shue when she was young.
Directed by Davis Guggenheim...2007...95 min...featuring Carly Schroeder, Andrew Shue, Elisabeth Shue, Dermot Mulroney.
Law Abiding Citizen **
A man who loses his wife and daughter in a horrific home invasion goes on a diabolical rampage against everyone involved with the criminal case that ends up freeing one of the prepetrators. There's nothing heroic about it and even platitudes about the evils of a corrupt system do not lift this production out of its dull nastiness.
Directed by F Gary Gray...2009...108 min...featuring Gerard Butler, Jamie Fox, Leslie Bibb, Viola Davis.
Movie Reviews: Recent Viewing Round-up
by Tim Van Schmidt
***** Excellent
**** Good
*** Average
** Poor
* Not Recommended
Buried ****
I was truly squirming in my seat as I watched the opening scenes of "Buried." You see, I have a little claustrophobia and this movie opens with a guy waking up in the darkness only to discover that he is buried alive in a wooden coffin. The panic that is his initial reaction to the situation is just what I felt as a viewer- I didn't think I could watch an entire movie under these conditions.
However, as the story unfolds- that the guy is a truck driver under contract in Iraq, who got kidnapped and is being held underground for ransom- the suspense builds as to how the hell this guy's going to get out of it. There's a cellphone in the coffin with him- and amazingly, he's able to call everyone from the FBI to his elder mother- as well as some glow sticks, a lighter and a flashlight. Despite these small comforts, the deadly feeling that time is slipping past- like the sand sifting through the cracks in the coffin- underscores everything.
Despite the desparate situation, "Buried" transcends the actual horror of being buried alive by making broad comments about why this type of thing happens. The points are drawn out through the ineffectual phone conversations the protaganist has and the words reveal that this is a political movie more than a suspense thriller.
Directed by Rodrigo Cortes...2010...95 min...featuring Ryan Reynolds
Apocalypto ****
I was looking for a movie to transport me to another world and "Apocalypto" filled the bill mightily. From the opening scene- the heavy underbrush of a thick, tropical forest- and forward, there is nothing familiar about this yarn about the fall of the Mayan civilization. It is a lush world in the forest and the hunters of one tribe make rough sport out of their duties. But then their relative peacefulness is interupted by brutal slavers from the regional city- capturing candidates especially for human sacrifices at the top of bloody pyramids. In the end, there is a kind of cosmic joke- that just as the forest people feel the horror of invasion- one that will never be turned back, so too will the civilized Mayans. This is a well-paced action movie with richly detailed photography and an innovative soundtrack. Oh, and the whole thing is in ancient Mayan- giving further flavor to this otherworldly adventure.
Directed by Mel Gibson...2006...139 min...featuring Rudy Youngblood (as Jaguar Paw), Morris Birdyellowhead, Gerardo Taracena, Raoul Trujillo, Dalia Hernández.
Misery ****
A popular novelist is taken in by his "number one fan" after a car accident in a blizzard breaks his legs- only no one else knows this. The fan- an ex-nurse- takes exceptional care of the writer, but as time goes on, cracks start to appear in her attitude that reveal that this guy is in a lot of trouble. Kathy Bates puts plenty into her role as the crazy fan, underscoring that just about anyone who is unhinged can be dangerous.
Directed by Rob Reiner...1990...107 min...featuring James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth, Lauren Bacall.
Limitless ****
This movie would have you suppose, first of all, that most people live a dull existance. We 're mired in emotions, we use only a small percentage of our brain and we allow habits, limited information and preconceived attitudes rule our lives. Then it goes further by asking- what would happen if there was a little pill you could take that would clear all of that up and more? This pill would unlock the potential of the human brain and give drive and purpose to everything.
According to "Limitless," what would happen is that a regular person- like the struggling writer at the center of this action-suspense work-out- would make a lot of money and develop his power over the herds of unenhanced people around him. Apparently limitless mental focus creates limitless corruption, as mirrored by the physical decay that occurs when this drug user tries to stop. The movie is put together with sharp, innovative special effects photography and video effects that make the watching lively- besides the violent cloak and dagger action that is.
Directed by Neil Berger...2011...105 min...featuring Bradley Cooper, Anna Friel, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro, Andrew Howard, Johnny Witworth.
American Perfekt ****
A quirky psychological thriller- or is it a spoof? There are times during "American Perfekt" when you can doubt the sincerity of the characters, but it is such a good ride otherwise, this can be overlooked. It all starts out with a ditzy woman who gets stuck out in the middle of the California desert. She gets picked up by a suave, charming psychiarist and things just keep getting stranger as they develop a quick relationship. For the psychaiatrist, everything hangs on the flip of a coin- including the lives of the people around him. You really don't know where you're going with this one- or even know where you end up- but at least it's a mindtwisting challenge.
Directed by Paul Chart...1997...100min...featuring Amanda Plummer, Robert Forster, David Thewlis, Fairuza Balk, Paul Sorvino, Joanna Gleason.
Naked Lunch ****
How do you rate such an unsettling, extended hallucination as "Naked Lunch," when much of the movie sports disturbing imagery, obtuse dialogue and an inscrutable plot? Based on the life and work of William S Burroughs, "Naked Lunch" descends into a confusing nether world of junkies and jazz, poetry and paranoia. Actor Peter Weller's steely eyes are intense as the writer Bill Lee, whose job as an exterminator leads to an adventure full of skullduggery and decadence. Is all of this symbolic in some way- from a woman shooting "bug powder" into her breast to a typewriter that turns into a messy talking bug that attacks other typewriters? Is all of this created just to illustrate that the junkie's mind is a pretty strange destination? That's the certain beauty of this movie- you can leave the logic you may apply to other stories behind because none of it helps when considering "Naked Lunch." It is an art piece off all by itself in a dark, twisted corner.
Directed by David Cronenberg...1991...115 min...featuring Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Ian Holm, Julian Sands, Roy Scheider
Red Dragon ***
"Red Dragon" is the prequel to complete the trilogy of movies featuring Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter, the extremely smart and extremely insane doctor known for killing with wicked precision then eating his victims with relish. Hopkins' portrayal of Lecter was creepy and sensational in 1991's "Silence of the Lambs," enough to inspire a sequel, "Hannibal" in 2001 and finally "Red Dragon" in 2002. "Red Dragon" is based on 1986 thriller "Manhunter," which featured the first appearance of the Hannibal Lecter character, but portrayed by Brian Cox.
"Red Dragon" is all about the horrible twistedness human beings are capable of- and Hannibal Lecter is not alone in his sickness. Here, there is a "pilgrim" who believes he is becoming a supernatural being inspired by a William Blake painting- and he feels part of his transformation requires that he help others "transform" too, in sick, violent ways. On his trail is a reluctant FBI investigator who uses his sensitivity to the criminal mind to track down murderers just like Lecter and the Red Dragon- and he and his family suffer for it. A mildly intense psychological thriller, heavy on the talking in between action scenes.
Directed by Brett Ratner...2002...124 min...featuring Anthony Hopkins (as Hannibal Lecter), Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson, Mary -Louise Parker, Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Zenith ***
Gritty, dark, violent and inscrutable- "Zenith" perhaps raises more questions than answers, but then again that is the quagmire the human race is avoiding at some point in the future- no one is asking questions to begin with, certainly no one is volunteering answers, and no one seems to care. That is, except Dumb Jack, a drug dealer who sets out on a journey of personal discovery when he tracks down video tapes made by his conspiracy theorist father. Intense soundtrack music underscores gutteral images as a convoluted plot unravels.
Directed by Vladan Nikolic...2010...93 min...Peter Scanavino, Jason Robards III, Ana Asensio , Al Nazemian, Didier Flamand.
The Last of the Mochicans ***
Based on James Fenimore Cooper's novel, "The Last of the Mochicans" faithfully recreates life during the French-English war in the American colonies in the mid-1700s. With the British moving troops throughout the Colonies- and inscripting Colonial militias along the way- and the French doing the same but with various Indian tribes, it is a tumultuous life at that. The scenery in this movie is gorgeous and creates its own sense of grandeur. However, the dialogue is stiff and delivered with some effort by the actors. The romance is mellodramatic while the war scenes are long and horrific.
Directed by Michael Mann...1992...112 min...featuring Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell Means, Eric Schweig, Steven Waddington, Wes Studi, Pete Postlethwaite.
The Next Three Days ***
A college literature teacher gets completely out of his comfort zone when his wife is convicted and sent to prison for murder. Despite the desparate siuation, the movie remains somewhat understated. Maybe because actor Russell Crowe tones down his usual self-righteousness and arrogance to create a hero who does questionable things in the name of love and family.
Directed by Paul Haggis...2010...122 min...featuring Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Aisha Hinds, Daniel Stern.
The Resident ***
Run-of-the-mill thriller. A young woman who has just separated from her cheating boyfriend moves into a building owned by a really nice guy- or is he? Once that question is answered there isn't much else here except chase scenes within the walls of the building- and the creepy leer of the antagonist.
Directed by Antti Jokinen...2011...91 min...featuring Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lee Pace, Christopher Lee.
Conan the Barbarian **
Follows the brutal rise of an orphan turned gladiator turned thief turned warrior king. Despite the attempts to make this an epic adventure- with broad landscapes and lots of scenes crowded with extras- lousy scripting and insincere acting make this adaptation of the Robert E. Howard books leaden and uninspiring. Occasional special effects hardly make up for ineffective storytelling and cliche-driven action.
Directed by John Milius...1982...129 min...featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Max von Sydow, Sandahl Bergman, Mako.
Season of the Witch **
Despite lots of sword action, actor Nicolas Cage sleepwalks through this weak tale of a motley group made up of runaway Crusaders, a swindler, a priest, a young man and an old knight who must escort an accused witch to a distant abbey to be judged and exorcised. Of course, nothing good happens to the travelers along the way and the witch proves to be plenty to handle besides. There are some cool demonic effects but mostly wooden dialogue and uninterested performers- which includes Cage's co-star Ron Perlman.
Directed by Dominic Sena...2011...95 min...featuring Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Claire Foy, Christopher Lee.
Lazarus Project **
An ex-con turns back to crime to pay the bills for his young family, but the heist goes wrong and results in some deaths. What then starts as an execution becomes a low level mystery as he sorts out what happens to him and his wife and daughter. Very watered down and reminiscent of "Shutter Island."
Directed by John Glenn...2008...100 min...featuring Paul Walker, Piper Perabo, Brooklynn Proulx.
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Movie Reviews: Recent Viewing Round-up
by Tim Van Schmidt
***** Excellent
**** Good
*** Average
** Poor
* Not Recommended
You Don't Know Jack ****
"You Don't Know Jack" is a powerful movie thanks, in part, to tremendous performances but more because the "right to die" issue is so very heavy in itself. The movie gets kudos for even trying to tackle such an intensely emotional subject. That it does so with a modicum of style makes it all the better.
Of course, the movie centers around the career of Dr Jack Kervorkian, a medical man who not only crusades for patients' right to die, but puts his actions where his words are by personally assisting patients in ending their lives. This is a medical situation, involving patients with terminal diseases and horrific disabilities and there is a point made in the movie that assistance was given only after a stringent screening process.
I can see why actor Al Pacino would want to play Kervorkian- apparently he was a confrontive and intensely dedicated man, which seems to fit Pacino's skills as an actor. But along with his strong performance, the people who play the stricken patients- often seen in interview videos discussing their situations- are very effective at drawing a portrait of pain and suffering that could be resolved in a more dignified manner. In fact, your heart aches for it.
Directed by Barry Levinson...2010...134 min...featuring Al Pacino, Brenda Vaccaro, John Goodman, Todd Susman, Susan Sarandon, Danny Huston.
Good Fellas ****
This tell-all confession by a small-time gangster is both witty and brutal. To save himself, the gangster rats out all of his associates- at least those who are still alive after cold-blooded infighting brought on by a big heist. His story provides a look inside the world of the Italian Mob system- its benefits, like lots of cash and a free reign lifestyle, and its dangers, mostly from within. The movie illuminates this with a smart script and plenty of action. The gangster's reward is to escape his circumstances alive, but having to live life as a "schnook" like everybody else- a wry twist of fate for a person who has developed an appetite for a much different kind of life. This is a classic of the gangster genre.
Directed by Martin Scorsese...1990...146 min...featuring Ray Liotta (as Henry Hill), Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino, Frank Vincent.
A Time to Kill ****
This movie aims fully at the raging emotions of racial relations in the "new" South. This swings from white trash red necks and poor blacks to swaggering lawyers. A young black girl is brutally raped by two drunk white guys, prompting the girl's father to seek revenge. This polarizes their community and beyond as hatred rears its ugly head from all directions. The movie is jammed full of major actors, but manages to go beyond the star power to tackle the issue itself. Despite working well worn dramatic territory, it is nonetheless effective at creating a strong emotional response.
Directed by Joel Schumacher...1996...149 min...featuring Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L Jackson, Kevin Spacey, Oliver Platt, Charles S Dutton, Donald Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland, Patrick McGoohan, Ashley Judd.
Incendies ***
This is a horror movie of the very real sort. As a twin brother and sister in Canada fulfill their Lebanese mother's dying instructions, they unravel deep layers of horrible truths about her life and their heritage. Caught up in the violence of the Lebanese civil war, the woman endures brutality and savagery and by tracking down clues about her misfortunes, her children gain an understanding of the deep flaws in their mother's spirit.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve...2010...130 min...featuring Lubna Azabal (as Nawal Marwan, "the Woman Who Sings"), Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, Remy Girard, Abdelghafour Elaaziz.
Never Let Me Go ***
It is obvious that "Never Let Me Go" means to underscore that the kids of an exclusive private school in England are special, but as it slowly reveals just how special, you are drawn into the same dull, creeping sense of being trapped that the characters resign themselves to. As the kids turn into young adults and their "donations" begin, they reveal many of the emotions of regular people- jealousy, sadness, lust, heartache- but then again the movie asks the question: are they really human?
Directed by Mark Romanek...2010...103 min...featuring Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightly, Andrew Garfield, Charlotte Rampling.
The Rite ***
A doubting seminary student is sent to Rome to attend exorcism classes and his doubt is shaken by his contact with a longtime exorcist with unorthodox methods.
Directed by Mikael Hafstrom...2011...114 min...featuring Colin O'Donoghue, Anthony Hopkins, Ciaran Hinds, Alice Braga, Rutger Hauer.
Don McKay ***
A tongue in cheek thriller full of plot twists and an odd, slightly stunned, ambiance. It's not serious whatsoever and entertaining for it as characters jockey for the attention of a guy no one ever pays attention to- a high school janitor.
Directed by Jake Goldberger...2009...87 min...featuring Thomas Haden Church (as Don McKay), Elisabeth Shue, Melissa Leo, M Emmet Walsh, James Rebhorn, Keith David, Pruitt Taylor Vince.
Salt ***
Enter Evelyn Salt, Angelina Jolie's new action hero alias. There's a lot to the story involving the secret activities of age-old enemies, Russia and the United States and Salt is in the middle of it. Or should I say Jolie is in the middle of it. Honestly I found it hard to separate the character from the actress, so strong is her public image.
The plot is somewhat complicated- current events and flashbacks cutting in and out quickly- so you have to keep up with it, just like you have to keep up with the action sequences, that teeter over the edge of what is believable. But then again, maybe that's the point. This is kind of a comic book action movie starring a woman who doesn't really appear to be able to wipe out squads of armed men just by kicking them a couple of times, or withstand the battery and torture meted out to her regularly throughout the production. The movie ends up ripe for a sequel- a new action franchise in the making.
Directed by Phillip Noyce...2010...100 min...featuring Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, August Diehl
Jar City ***
A stark, even antiseptic environment aids in underscoring the uneasy and flawed lives of the characters in "Jar City." The whole thing is a detective caper set in Iceland, but this isn't your regular Hollywood thriller diller, it's an odd, static and maybe a little spooky slice of a gritty life indeed. Following the investigation of a murder, a burned out, world weary policeman uncovers a deeper layer of wrongdoing and reopens an old case. Despite the violence of the crimes, "Jar City" is full of psychological drama more than action, also involving the story of a geneticist searching for the reason his young daughter died. It all weaves together in a tangled mess that nobody can seem to get out of, despite the resolution. Not a particularly positive advertisement for life in Iceland.
Directed by Baltasar Kormakur...2006...93 min...featuring Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson.
Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries) ***
The Mumbai Diaries has a lot of criss-crossing action between the main characters, who are of much different social classes- something, evidently, that really means something in India. That they interact so much is amazing considering what a crowded, busy city Mumbai appears to be.
At the center of things is an American girl who has traveled to India to rediscover her roots and get into taking photographs in the gritty urban environment. That means establishing a relationship with a slum dweller who opens up to her journalistic requests while vaguely dreaming of movie stardom- and falling for the girl. Unfortunately, the girl comes from a different strata and she is consumed with pursuing a stormy artist.
Meanwhile, the artist has discovered some taped letters from a young wife to her brother back in a more rural district and watches with fascination at the progress of her unhappiness, fueling his work. Munna, the slum dweller played with intense believability by Prateik Babbar, ends up accomplishing the only selfless act in the movie, however, making the ache of reality of what really divides people all the more painful.
Directed by Kiran Rao...2010...100 min...featuring Aamir Khan, Monica Dogra, Kriti Malhotra, Prateik Babbar (as Munna).
Movie Reviews: Recent Viewing Round-up
by Tim Van Schmidt
***** Excellent
**** Good
*** Average
** Poor
* Not Recommended
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo ****
If you have been a fan of the Swedish trilogy of movies based on the popular "Girl" books, there is much to talk about when comparing the introductory Swedish release with the first of the English language remakes. Details of the stories differ enough to make for plenty of conversation.
What is the same though- which may indicate the true power of the story itself- is the skillful building of tension as the horrible mystery unravels. The details may differ but both movies keep you on the edge of your seat- even when you know the story already.
This is a slicker, more polished version, perhaps- from the settings to the throbbing, harsh soundtrack. The performances of lead actors Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara create believable characters with less self-righteousness and a little more edge than the characters in the Swedish version.
The most curious part of this production is the arty opening sequence which has no real connection to the rest of the movie- and recalled to me the stylized openings to most James Bond movies- and that's not just a cheap reference to Craig's reoccurring turns as 007. But James Bond movies don't have a Led Zeppelin song introducing things, and here, it provides a kind of "keep-awake-for-this-movie" challenge from the very start.
Directed by David Fincher...2011...158 min...featuring Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgard, Robin Wright, Yorick van Wageningen.
The Silence of the Lambs ****
Horror and suspense are wrapped tightly together in this classic production. The performances of Jodie Foster as an untested FBI agent and Anthony Hopkins as a severely twisted yet brilliant serial murderer are top notch. Her vulnerability offsets the calculating, manipulative cunning of his craziness to create a complicated and fascinating relationship as fragile as the events of the rest of the movie are horrible.
Directed by Jonathan Demme...1991...118 min...featuring Jodie Foster (as Clarice Starling), Anthony Hopkins (as Hannibal Lecter), Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Anthony Heald, Diane Baker.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes ****
An imaginative prequel to the Planet of the Apes story- leaving room for more to come. A lot of the success here is due to the special effects that give the apes in the movie human-like qualities- and that has always been the point of these movies, after all.
However, this one takes it back to the scientific experiments that lead to the dawning of intelligence for the apes. It centers around a company trying to produce a drug that will help repair brain tissue ravaged by diseases such as Alzheimer's. Of course, they try it on chimpanzees first with unexpected results- the apes show signs of increased cognition. The side effects, however, send the scientists back to the drawing board.
One baby chimp is saved by the lead researcher when the other apes involved in the failed experiments are destroyed. The researcher takes the chimp home, names him Caesar and raises him, keeping one eye on his progress and one eye on his aging father, suffering from a brain disease. This begins the series of events that results in a revolt of the many apes held in captivity in various sanctuaries and zoos. The first major showdown between the apes and the humans occurs on the Golden Gate Bridge- and leaves the door open for the story to continue.
Directed by Rupert Wyatt...2011...105 min...featuring James Franco, Andy Serkis (as Caesar), Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo.
Scarface ***
The soundtrack for "Scarface" has aged badly and some of the horrible acts that occur during the rise of a drug kingpin are not as horrible as they seemed then compared to contemporary standards of screen violence, yet actor Al Pacino's performance remains very strong indeed. Pacino is the kind of actor that is so well known, so recognizable that it's hard to forget who is on the screen. But in this movie, his haggard face, heavily accented speech and slack-jawed facial expressions ably creates an indelible character above and beyond Pacino's stardom. Then, when director De Palma revs things up for the nose-in-a-pile-of-cocaine, blazing gun finish, nobody is better at expressing the excess than Pacino.
Directed by Brian De Palma...1983...170 min...featuring Al Pacino (as Tony Montana), Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Loggia, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, F Murray Abraham, Paul Shenar.
Scarface ***
This "Scarface" inspired Brian De Palma's 1983 "Scarface" and like the more contemporary movie it features a very strong male lead. That would be actor Paul Muni who plays the ambitious gangster on the rise- only of the alcohol bootlegging crime network as opposed to cocaine.
Many of the elements in the early movie are echoed in the newer one- the hard relationship between the gangster and his family and the gangster moll that he steals from his boss. Even the ironic motto "The World is Yours" figures into both. Muni's portrayal of the gangster however is less sullen and more dangerous than Pacino's gangster in the 1983 movie. Because he offers a smiling face and exhibits the habit of whistling merrily while en route to commit a murder, Muni's gangster is much harder to read.
It should be mentioned that director Hawks has created some really big scenes here- including the shoot out in the nightclub and the final showdown between the gangster and the police. There are also some visual elements that help tell the story- particularly the the big "x" designs that occur in the background of the scene where he murders his best friend. Even though more than 75 years old, the soundtrack plays better than the 1983 version.
Also important is the opening text that challenges first the Federal government, then citizens themselves to take action toward eliminating the scourge of gangster "rule." This makes the 1932 movie more than a dirty thrill- it makes it a social comment with a purpose.
Directed by Howard Hawks, Richard Rosson...1932...93 min...featuring Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley, George Reft, Boris Karloff, Edwin Maxwell.
The Lady Vanishes ***
Train travelers investigate a mysterious disappearance while en route and find a conspiracy among the other passengers. Full of strong characters from the start; benefits from a lighter, even humorous approach.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock...1938...96 min...featuring Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas
Water for Elephants ***
An epic-style romance with the rough and tumble business of a Depression-era circus as a backdrop. A young man studying to be a veterinarian is orphaned and hits the road, where he finds work as a traveling circus' vet- and becomes part of a dangerous love triangle. The danger comes from the unpredictable behavior of the circus owner, who at once brings the boy into his inner circle but also gets insanely jealous as the sparks fly between the vet and the owner's wife. Actor Christoph Waltz plays the part of August, the circus owner and ringmaster, with relish and single-handedly maintains the true tension in the movie. Beyond that, the circus environment- and the opportunity to "rub elbows" with a variety of strong characters- is there to add considerable flavor to an otherwise familiar love story.
Directed by Francis Lawrence...2011...120 min...featuring Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz (as August), Jim Norton, Hal Holbrook, Mark Povinelli.
The Perfect Host ***
A bank robber on the run crashes a dinner party that turns out to be not so fun. The host reveals a crazy side that unnerves the toughened criminal and puts his big money score into jeopardy.
Directed by Nick Tomnay...2010...93 min...featuring David Hyde Pierce, Clayne Crawford, Nathaniel Parker, Helen Reddy.
Shrink ***
Personal pain comes in all kinds of packages, a fact well known to one popular psychiatrist to the stars. His own pain comes from the suicide of his wife and while he continues to work with others, he starts circling the drain personally in a constant cloud of marijuana smoke. However, it ends up being his work that redeems him as interactions with various patients pull him into new territory.
Directed by Jonas Pate...2009...104 min...featuring Kevin Spacey, Mark Webber, Keke Palmer.
TRON: Legacy ***
The continuation of the TRON story, about what lies inside a digital universe. According to "TRON: Legacy," it's a shiny, fast and dangerous place, inexplicably oriented to deadly contests of strength and skill while harboring malicious intent. Despite the tantalizing ideas that swirl around in the movie- a mind-bending bit of electronic mysticism- it all comes back to conflict and power as the heroes fight off antagonists and drill continuously through high speed chase scenes. That begs the question- why do it in the first place? It may be cool "in there" but ultimately is it better? The whole thing is one big, bright special effect, making it entertaining visually, even if the story gets bogged down in presuppositions from the previous movie and awkward attempts at updating them for a new generation.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski...2010...125 min...featuring Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde.
Jolene ***
Experiencing both really bad and some really good luck, a teenaged orphan uses her attractive looks and willingness to put out sexually to get by. Everybody else in the movie is a user or deceiver in some way, so her actions are not shocking considering her environment. The real development here comes through the one steady thing in her life- art- which nonetheless takes a back seat to the tumultuous relationships she gets into throughout the production.
Directed by Dan Ireland...2008...121 min...featuring Jessica Chastain, Frances Fisher, Rupert Friend, Dermot Mulroney, Cazz Palminteri, Theresa Russell, Michael Vartan.
Iron Man 2 ***
It's all about attitude here. Sure, there're lots of special effects featuring high tech science, but what it is mostly is a showcase for Robert Downey Jr. Downey plays Tony Stark, the man leading a double life as uber-wealthy inventor and iron-clad super hero, Iron Man, and he does so with his usual reckless abandon. This turns Iron Man 2 into just another Downey Jr exercise- you don't forget for a moment that you are seeing another display of that madcap, on the edge attitude he has become famous for. What a waste of resources to make this insincere comic book rip off. What a waste of acting talent. No one except maybe Samuel L Jackson shows any relish for the story or their characters, making this something worse- a waste of time. The first movie in the Iron Man series was a breath of fresh air for the comic book movie genre. This sequel is a hackneyed follow-up, despite the shiny package.
Directed by Jon Favreau...2010...124 min...featuring Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L Jackson.
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