THE DESCENDANTS 4.0***
The Descendants is not a movie that's easily defined. It’s about a man grieving for his wife, who lies in a coma from which she may never emerge, while simultaneously attempting to care for his two daughters, each of whom is a stranger to him because he’s a workaholic lawyer.
Matt King (George Clooney) is the father and the family lives in Hawaii. He has a good life - at least until his thrill-seeking wife suffers a serious head injury during a powerboat race, placing her in a deep coma. Matt's orderly life is no more. He must not only deal with the fact that he may never speak with his wife again, he must also learn an entirely new way of life – being a father to his daughters. As wife Elizabeth's condition deteriorates, Matt must also deal with family and friends and open doors he never knew existed. Just when things can't seem to get any worse, Alexandra , his 17 yr. old daughter, drops a bombshell him… his wife has been cheating on him. Matt is shocked, outraged, and becomes obsessed with finding the man. He goes through anger, sorrow, frustration, and acceptance during all this, and plays the character of a stressed father in such a realistic fashion it's almost breathtaking.
The highlight of the movie is Clooney's unbelievably terrific performance. Clooney quite simply knocks this one out of the park. He is vulnerable, strong, confused, decisive, anguished, angry. But what makes this performance so remarkable is that at no time does he have all of the answers, and at no time does he have no answers at all. It is not the typical role we are accustomed to seeing Clooney play, and I think that is what sells it the most. He is out of his element, much like the character he is playing, thrust into a situation he never expected in a very adult way. From the moment he steps on-screen, you are simply captured by his presence. He will be a strong contender for the Best Actor Academy Award.
Shailone Woodley does a wonderful job as the rebellious older daughter, Alexandra. She captures the anger and hurt of a teenager betrayed by her mother and abandoned by her father. Her relationship with her father is the heart of the movie, and they slowly learn to rely on each other for support and strength in dealing with their mother/wife. Her struggle to find her place and to help her father is the emotional crux of the film. And their relationship and chemistry is amazing,
The Descendants is touching, sometimes dark, and one of the best films of the year. It's a culmination of perfect parts meeting fascinating characters.
Clark
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
TOP 15 COMING OF AGE MOVIES
From time to time a movie comes along that gives each of us pause to remember a significant night, summer, grade in school or the age we were when we shared that first kiss, doing 'IT' for the first time, or just a period in our lives that will forever be special to us. This Top 15 list of ”Coming of Age” movies that caused me to think back to those years when I was still a kid/teen-ager but was dying to experience 'grown-up' things. Try to remember which movie gave you the 'best' memories of those 'best of times and/or those worst of times.' .
1.American Graffiti (1973)
2. Stand by Me (1986)
3. Ferris Buellers Day Off (1986)
4. Breaking Away (1979)
5. Dirty Dancing (1987)
6. Almost Famous (2000)
7. Big (1988)
8. The Graduate (1967)
9. Dazed and Confused (1993)
10. American Pie (1999)
11. Sandlot (1993)
12. Billy Elliott (2000)
13. The Goonies (1985()
14. Good Will Hunting (1997)
15. Summer of ’42 (1971)
Send me yours… I’m sure I’ve missed some.
Clark
From time to time a movie comes along that gives each of us pause to remember a significant night, summer, grade in school or the age we were when we shared that first kiss, doing 'IT' for the first time, or just a period in our lives that will forever be special to us. This Top 15 list of ”Coming of Age” movies that caused me to think back to those years when I was still a kid/teen-ager but was dying to experience 'grown-up' things. Try to remember which movie gave you the 'best' memories of those 'best of times and/or those worst of times.' .
1.American Graffiti (1973)
2. Stand by Me (1986)
3. Ferris Buellers Day Off (1986)
4. Breaking Away (1979)
5. Dirty Dancing (1987)
6. Almost Famous (2000)
7. Big (1988)
8. The Graduate (1967)
9. Dazed and Confused (1993)
10. American Pie (1999)
11. Sandlot (1993)
12. Billy Elliott (2000)
13. The Goonies (1985()
14. Good Will Hunting (1997)
15. Summer of ’42 (1971)
Send me yours… I’m sure I’ve missed some.
Clark
Friday, December 2, 2011
COURAGEOUS 3.25**
“Courageous" is primarily about four deputies in a large sheriff's department in a mixed suburban and metropolitan area. It details some of the dangers, temptations and excitement inherent in their job. However, even more so it shows us how they interact with each other and their families, especially how they deal with tragedy and learn from it.
In the many years I have been a regular movie goer, I've seen pretty much everything one can put into a film, from explosions to nudity to every possible combination of four letter words. And I can assure you that you won’t get any of that in this movie. So, if you yearn for a Hollywood blockbuster....pass on this one.
No, I'm no Pollyanna. I like some action and adventure, and just about everything else. But I've gotten to where a movie with "less" is a nice change of pace.. And, in full disclosure, I am proud to say I am a Christian. A Christian dad, too..And I'm happy to report that this movie is what every father should see, be they "in the Faith" or not. It's nice to have a movie where there's a strong message of family unity. Even Disney movies have taken to trying to tell us that your average family is a broken one. That may be factual, but why can't we have some entertainment that focuses on men trying to be strong fathers? And that leads to strong mothers, and then stronger children. And in the end, a stronger community.
There's just enough humor to keep the movie moving along. It's not a short film by any means and doesn’t need to be. There were a few action scenes that might cause a jump or two, but they are part of setting the story. The movie is a nice surprise in a season of movies that will probably be forgotten a few weeks after viewing.
If you don’t like hearing about GOD and such, pass on this at the local Googleplex and go to another film. . But, I would gently suggest you try this movie out. Be you a man (or woman) of Faith or not, you just might be surprised. And, you just might wish to spend a little more time with your family
. Clark
“Courageous" is primarily about four deputies in a large sheriff's department in a mixed suburban and metropolitan area. It details some of the dangers, temptations and excitement inherent in their job. However, even more so it shows us how they interact with each other and their families, especially how they deal with tragedy and learn from it.
In the many years I have been a regular movie goer, I've seen pretty much everything one can put into a film, from explosions to nudity to every possible combination of four letter words. And I can assure you that you won’t get any of that in this movie. So, if you yearn for a Hollywood blockbuster....pass on this one.
No, I'm no Pollyanna. I like some action and adventure, and just about everything else. But I've gotten to where a movie with "less" is a nice change of pace.. And, in full disclosure, I am proud to say I am a Christian. A Christian dad, too..And I'm happy to report that this movie is what every father should see, be they "in the Faith" or not. It's nice to have a movie where there's a strong message of family unity. Even Disney movies have taken to trying to tell us that your average family is a broken one. That may be factual, but why can't we have some entertainment that focuses on men trying to be strong fathers? And that leads to strong mothers, and then stronger children. And in the end, a stronger community.
There's just enough humor to keep the movie moving along. It's not a short film by any means and doesn’t need to be. There were a few action scenes that might cause a jump or two, but they are part of setting the story. The movie is a nice surprise in a season of movies that will probably be forgotten a few weeks after viewing.
If you don’t like hearing about GOD and such, pass on this at the local Googleplex and go to another film. . But, I would gently suggest you try this movie out. Be you a man (or woman) of Faith or not, you just might be surprised. And, you just might wish to spend a little more time with your family
. Clark
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
J.EDGAR 3.0***
Mr. J. Edgar ( Hoover ) was a symbol of corruption, law enforcement, and good ole American values all rolled in one very larger-than-life package. He was...
A mean one, a heel, as cuddly as a cactus, a nasty as a skunk...Oops, now wait! I am getting a bit confused...that's Mr. Grinch. Let me start again. He was...
Daring and resourceful, led the fight for law and order, a great champion of justice, with his faithful Indian companion Tonto...Whoa! Wrong again.
It's easy to confuse the man and the myth and Clint Eastwood's well made but slightly disappointing film, “J. Edgar”, tries to clear up some of the facts and fallacies that have befell this crusader throughout the decades. Mr. Eastwood doesn't always succeed, but he does create a complex man trying to come to terms with his own power and fame and yet unable to accept his own human flaws and foibles.
Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Hoover and runs the vast emotional gamut from a young idealistic and ambitious man ready to conquer the world to an aged cynical and lonely tyrant. DiCaprio expertly hones in on his character, that of a hypocritical man whose own life was shrouded in secrets and lies, and an unethical schemer who took great pleasure exposing other peoples' secrets and lies.
There is solid support by Naomi Watts as his stalwart and loyal secretary, and Judi Dench as his manipulative and controlling mother. Yet the best acting comes from Armie Hammer as his closer than closest friend, Clyde Tolson. Hammer adds the needed charm and central moral conscience to the film. This talented actor plays Tolson as more than the handsome
assistant, always at Hoovers side ( they ALWAYS had lunch and dinner together). He brings seriousness to the role and his dramatic outbursts with DiCaprio are the film's highlight. To put it more bluntly, Hammer nails it. ( Oops, another pun! )
Production values are top-notch, with the sole exception being some pasty and unnecessarily artificial make-up during Hoover's and especially Tolson's elder years. Yet other scenes involving the aging make-up and the prosthetics on many of the characters is quite accurate and believable. To say that the make-up is spotty is an understatement. While it's true that Hoover didn't age well, he certainly didn't age as badly as this film indicates, doing a major injustice to DiCaprio's fascinating portrayal.
Overall, J. Edgar is a competent and intelligent film. Clint Eastwood does a very credible job of recreating Hoover's world, and many in the main cast are Oscar worthy. The film succeeds by giving an unbiased and brutally honest look at one of the most feared and admired men in American history.
Clark
Mr. J. Edgar ( Hoover ) was a symbol of corruption, law enforcement, and good ole American values all rolled in one very larger-than-life package. He was...
A mean one, a heel, as cuddly as a cactus, a nasty as a skunk...Oops, now wait! I am getting a bit confused...that's Mr. Grinch. Let me start again. He was...
Daring and resourceful, led the fight for law and order, a great champion of justice, with his faithful Indian companion Tonto...Whoa! Wrong again.
It's easy to confuse the man and the myth and Clint Eastwood's well made but slightly disappointing film, “J. Edgar”, tries to clear up some of the facts and fallacies that have befell this crusader throughout the decades. Mr. Eastwood doesn't always succeed, but he does create a complex man trying to come to terms with his own power and fame and yet unable to accept his own human flaws and foibles.
Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Hoover and runs the vast emotional gamut from a young idealistic and ambitious man ready to conquer the world to an aged cynical and lonely tyrant. DiCaprio expertly hones in on his character, that of a hypocritical man whose own life was shrouded in secrets and lies, and an unethical schemer who took great pleasure exposing other peoples' secrets and lies.
There is solid support by Naomi Watts as his stalwart and loyal secretary, and Judi Dench as his manipulative and controlling mother. Yet the best acting comes from Armie Hammer as his closer than closest friend, Clyde Tolson. Hammer adds the needed charm and central moral conscience to the film. This talented actor plays Tolson as more than the handsome
assistant, always at Hoovers side ( they ALWAYS had lunch and dinner together). He brings seriousness to the role and his dramatic outbursts with DiCaprio are the film's highlight. To put it more bluntly, Hammer nails it. ( Oops, another pun! )
Production values are top-notch, with the sole exception being some pasty and unnecessarily artificial make-up during Hoover's and especially Tolson's elder years. Yet other scenes involving the aging make-up and the prosthetics on many of the characters is quite accurate and believable. To say that the make-up is spotty is an understatement. While it's true that Hoover didn't age well, he certainly didn't age as badly as this film indicates, doing a major injustice to DiCaprio's fascinating portrayal.
Overall, J. Edgar is a competent and intelligent film. Clint Eastwood does a very credible job of recreating Hoover's world, and many in the main cast are Oscar worthy. The film succeeds by giving an unbiased and brutally honest look at one of the most feared and admired men in American history.
Clark
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
THE IDES OF MARCH 3.5****
“The Ides of March” can be described as a political thriller, and it will certainly grip you and have you on the edge of your seat at times, with its twists and turns.
Ryan Gosling plays an assistant campaign manager, who works for Philip Seymour Hoffman, and both work for Governor Morris, played by George Clooney, a man with eyes on the presidency. Paul Giamatti plays a veteran campaign manager for a rival politician. Evan Rachel Wood plays a young intern who gets drawn into the political intrigues, and Marisa Tomei plays a hard scrabbling reporter always looking for dirt to dish, although, in fact, she is simply seeking the truth.
Ides of March, and its characters portray every shade of dark, and you may wonder how something as innocuous as agreeing to meet a rival for a drink in a bar can become such a potential disaster, and how going on a date with an intern when you're single can lead to such complications. Certainly Stephen Myers (Gosling) is left to wonder how minor personal actions can have such potentially dire personal political consequences.
The story is brilliantly constructed and told, and as you might expect with a political movie, it contains tons of sound bites. We all know that politics can be quite dirty with lowdown tricks and negative campaigning, but I don't think you have seen anything quite like this except in real politics. One persons pain becomes another person’s political gain.
While the movie does not scream surefire Oscar winner it certainly yells, and Gosling should be nominated for Best Actor. George Clooney wears three hats as actor, director, and co-writer, and who better to play a smooth politician. Hoffman and Giamatti as usual are brilliant. Either or both could be nominated. In fact you will see few movies with such a strong ensemble this year, with three Oscar winners on board.
Clark
“The Ides of March” can be described as a political thriller, and it will certainly grip you and have you on the edge of your seat at times, with its twists and turns.
Ryan Gosling plays an assistant campaign manager, who works for Philip Seymour Hoffman, and both work for Governor Morris, played by George Clooney, a man with eyes on the presidency. Paul Giamatti plays a veteran campaign manager for a rival politician. Evan Rachel Wood plays a young intern who gets drawn into the political intrigues, and Marisa Tomei plays a hard scrabbling reporter always looking for dirt to dish, although, in fact, she is simply seeking the truth.
Ides of March, and its characters portray every shade of dark, and you may wonder how something as innocuous as agreeing to meet a rival for a drink in a bar can become such a potential disaster, and how going on a date with an intern when you're single can lead to such complications. Certainly Stephen Myers (Gosling) is left to wonder how minor personal actions can have such potentially dire personal political consequences.
The story is brilliantly constructed and told, and as you might expect with a political movie, it contains tons of sound bites. We all know that politics can be quite dirty with lowdown tricks and negative campaigning, but I don't think you have seen anything quite like this except in real politics. One persons pain becomes another person’s political gain.
While the movie does not scream surefire Oscar winner it certainly yells, and Gosling should be nominated for Best Actor. George Clooney wears three hats as actor, director, and co-writer, and who better to play a smooth politician. Hoffman and Giamatti as usual are brilliant. Either or both could be nominated. In fact you will see few movies with such a strong ensemble this year, with three Oscar winners on board.
Clark
Sunday, November 6, 2011
THE HELP 3.5***
In 1963, a young journalist and aspiring novelist returns from college to her hometown, Jackson, Mississippi, at a time when the civil rights movement is gaining momentum. Her job on the Jackson Journal – writing a column on house cleaning tips – leads her into contact with the experts: black women who are the nannies, cooks and housekeepers for rich white folk… i.e. the “help”.. Thus begins an unlikely alliance that exposes the indignities suffered by black maids at the hands of Southern belles who ironically spend their idle moments raising money for African charities. The ultimate revenge of the maids is both funny and wickedly appropriate.. The movie evokes many emotions; laughter, tears, anger and perhaps even shame.
The movie tries to softly, but honestly, capture the time and place of 1960s Mississippi. There was tension throughout the movie, keeping the audience wondering when the violence of racism was going to strike, but the movie always kept it just off screen, tempting the horror without needing to show it up close. The movie has wonderfully delicate scenes between the journalist, Skeeter, and the maids and between the maids. At the same time there are scenes of brutally real racism and bigotry and you feel the tension, the pain, the injustice of the time but still you can laugh with them even as you cry for them - both races - ignorance is to be wept over.
Emma Stone, as the stubborn and righteous Skeeter, delivers her most dramatic performance to date ( others this year alone: “Crazy Stupid Love”, “Easy A” & “Friends With Benefits”). Yet other power comes from the surrounding cast, packed with outstanding performances ranging from beautifully heart-wrenching to disgustingly evil. Starting with the two maids, played with touching grace and power by Viola Davis (as Aibileen) and Octavia Spencer (as Minny). These wonderful actresses anchor the film in layers upon layers of honesty and courage. On the complete other side of the spectrum, Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of Ron Howard, the famous director ) delivers a stunningly performance as Hilly Holbrook, the ultimate devious bigot, clinging to the old racist ways and old hatreds, fighting the oncoming social change with each of her pearly white teeth and perfectly manicured nails. Jessica Chastain also does a splendid job as Celia Foote, the white social outcast (she married up… from being white trash to a rich trophy wife) who tries desperately to get acceptance from anyone at all, even if it comes from her maid.
The movie should make you feel embarrassed if you’re white and very angry if you’re black. But more importantly, it should motivate you to not tolerate injustices no matter where or what they are.
Clark
In 1963, a young journalist and aspiring novelist returns from college to her hometown, Jackson, Mississippi, at a time when the civil rights movement is gaining momentum. Her job on the Jackson Journal – writing a column on house cleaning tips – leads her into contact with the experts: black women who are the nannies, cooks and housekeepers for rich white folk… i.e. the “help”.. Thus begins an unlikely alliance that exposes the indignities suffered by black maids at the hands of Southern belles who ironically spend their idle moments raising money for African charities. The ultimate revenge of the maids is both funny and wickedly appropriate.. The movie evokes many emotions; laughter, tears, anger and perhaps even shame.
The movie tries to softly, but honestly, capture the time and place of 1960s Mississippi. There was tension throughout the movie, keeping the audience wondering when the violence of racism was going to strike, but the movie always kept it just off screen, tempting the horror without needing to show it up close. The movie has wonderfully delicate scenes between the journalist, Skeeter, and the maids and between the maids. At the same time there are scenes of brutally real racism and bigotry and you feel the tension, the pain, the injustice of the time but still you can laugh with them even as you cry for them - both races - ignorance is to be wept over.
Emma Stone, as the stubborn and righteous Skeeter, delivers her most dramatic performance to date ( others this year alone: “Crazy Stupid Love”, “Easy A” & “Friends With Benefits”). Yet other power comes from the surrounding cast, packed with outstanding performances ranging from beautifully heart-wrenching to disgustingly evil. Starting with the two maids, played with touching grace and power by Viola Davis (as Aibileen) and Octavia Spencer (as Minny). These wonderful actresses anchor the film in layers upon layers of honesty and courage. On the complete other side of the spectrum, Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of Ron Howard, the famous director ) delivers a stunningly performance as Hilly Holbrook, the ultimate devious bigot, clinging to the old racist ways and old hatreds, fighting the oncoming social change with each of her pearly white teeth and perfectly manicured nails. Jessica Chastain also does a splendid job as Celia Foote, the white social outcast (she married up… from being white trash to a rich trophy wife) who tries desperately to get acceptance from anyone at all, even if it comes from her maid.
The movie should make you feel embarrassed if you’re white and very angry if you’re black. But more importantly, it should motivate you to not tolerate injustices no matter where or what they are.
Clark
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Contagion 3.0****
This movie is one of the more chilling doomsday thrillers you will see. It ranks right up there with Outbreak, The Day After and Fail Safe. It is presented as if it was a documentary although it really is a fictional story. But one so believable, so plausible that it slowly creeps up on you and by the time it’s over, you’re shaken but more so you’re scared because you KNOW it could happen, A horror story without the usual horror story trappings. In 1918 there really was a worldwide epidemic that killed millions. And, according to experts it could easily, VERY easily happen again!
It is also an educational movie. The viewer learns how a virus begins and how it spreads. How society reacts to a pandemic. How the human condition reacts to the pandemic. The movie points out something as simple as bat droppings getting mixed in with food that pigs eat and then the pigs being handled and its meat being consumed by people could lead to a new mutated virulent virus. The virus can spread quickly from human to human because it is airborne (sneezing, coughing, kissing, etc) and left behind or transmitted by touch (touching other people, shaking hands, touching things that are later touched by other people). In other words, one of the most communicable and, therefore, most deadly type viruses.
The film begins with the mysterious and fairly sudden sickness and death of Beth Emhoff, superbly played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Her death foretells terrible events to come and we see what happened to her in flashbacks. Those events are what transpires when a new and extremely virulent virus appears in the world, beginning in Asia and rapidly spreading throughout the world. What is depicted in the wake of this horrible outbreak is an epidemic as bad, or worse, that that Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918. Paltrow's husband is played, in an equally fine performance, by Matt Damon, a plain, ordinary man caught up in incredible and devastating events that suddenly kill his beloved wife and step-son. Damon's daughter is virtually imprisoned in the house with her father for the duration of the outbreak as he is terrified that it will infect her although he, himself, is immune.
Most of the rest of the "name" cast, comprise the "good guys" who are working on a way to save the world as civilization crumbles beneath their feet. They are Laurence Fishburne , Marion Cotillard, Kate Winslet and Elliott Gould as the doctors and investigators working on the virus.. They provide intellect and stability and through them we see some of the scientific process involved in fighting modern diseases.
Clark
This movie is one of the more chilling doomsday thrillers you will see. It ranks right up there with Outbreak, The Day After and Fail Safe. It is presented as if it was a documentary although it really is a fictional story. But one so believable, so plausible that it slowly creeps up on you and by the time it’s over, you’re shaken but more so you’re scared because you KNOW it could happen, A horror story without the usual horror story trappings. In 1918 there really was a worldwide epidemic that killed millions. And, according to experts it could easily, VERY easily happen again!
It is also an educational movie. The viewer learns how a virus begins and how it spreads. How society reacts to a pandemic. How the human condition reacts to the pandemic. The movie points out something as simple as bat droppings getting mixed in with food that pigs eat and then the pigs being handled and its meat being consumed by people could lead to a new mutated virulent virus. The virus can spread quickly from human to human because it is airborne (sneezing, coughing, kissing, etc) and left behind or transmitted by touch (touching other people, shaking hands, touching things that are later touched by other people). In other words, one of the most communicable and, therefore, most deadly type viruses.
The film begins with the mysterious and fairly sudden sickness and death of Beth Emhoff, superbly played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Her death foretells terrible events to come and we see what happened to her in flashbacks. Those events are what transpires when a new and extremely virulent virus appears in the world, beginning in Asia and rapidly spreading throughout the world. What is depicted in the wake of this horrible outbreak is an epidemic as bad, or worse, that that Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918. Paltrow's husband is played, in an equally fine performance, by Matt Damon, a plain, ordinary man caught up in incredible and devastating events that suddenly kill his beloved wife and step-son. Damon's daughter is virtually imprisoned in the house with her father for the duration of the outbreak as he is terrified that it will infect her although he, himself, is immune.
Most of the rest of the "name" cast, comprise the "good guys" who are working on a way to save the world as civilization crumbles beneath their feet. They are Laurence Fishburne , Marion Cotillard, Kate Winslet and Elliott Gould as the doctors and investigators working on the virus.. They provide intellect and stability and through them we see some of the scientific process involved in fighting modern diseases.
Clark
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
THE DEBT 3.0***
In the “The Debt”, three young Jewish Mossad agents in 1966 East Berlin seek to find and capture The Surgeon of Birkenau, a ruthless doctor that performed horrific acts on imprisoned Jews during World War II. We watch them as they prepare for and begin 'The Mission' and follow them through the intricate plot details that, if all goes correctly, will get the doctor across the Berlin wall to West Berlin and then back to Israel to face trial for his heinous actions But things don't go according to plan and soon the three (Rachel, Stefan and David ) are forced to remain in hiding with their prisoner until they can determine a new course of action. Something happens with the doctor and the three of them have to decide how to handle the screw-up and then to agree that it will be their secret… their ‘debt’ to each other. In the more modern times of 1997, we learn that Rachel and Stefan married and divorced, and then David reappears after being away, sees both of them and then commits suicide. Their daughter has written a book about the kidnapping and the days that followed in the apartment detailing her parents as heroes to the cause.
Where "The Debt" excels is in the outstanding performances of its very good cast. Top billing goes to the older versions of the Mossad agents, Helen Mirren (Rachel), Tom Wilkinson (Stephan), and Ciaran Hinds ( David ) and each hold their own. Mirren does a solid job of exhibiting the weight that a 30 year secret leaves on a person As for their younger versions, both Marton Csokas and Sam Worthington give strong portrayals. Jespersen Christensen, too, gives the evil Doctor Vogel a terrifying aura of refined Nazi hatred and menace. But in the end, "The Debt" hangs primarily on the performance of Jessica Chastain as the young Rachel. Her portrayal is measured and cautious and often her best moments are those in which she does not speak but instead lets her eyes and body language do the talking. What is remarkable is that she is an actress that virtually no one had heard of at the beginning of this year (2011). With only a handful of credits to her name, by the end of this year (2011), she will have appeared in no less than six films including “The Help”.
Good movie but I did find some minor annoyances. First, the secret (and thus “the debt”) the characters kept concerning acts they committed were not mere "mistakes."… not "Oopsie! My bad." Rather acts of cowardice and selfishness on an order that bordered on treason. Second, the characters had stupidity beyond typical character weaknesses in that they oddly were derelict in letting their own personalities get in the way of fulfilling their mission. I found it hard to believe that real life Mossad agents would have been that dumb.
Beyond being a thriller, though, this was really about the motives and morals of the people involved. The main theme of the film was always more about the terrible secret the former Mossad agents carried. As the plot unraveled and revealed for us what that secret was, and what that might have meant to the characters, we are presented with a clear case that it was the process of keeping a secret and what it cost them to do so that was the real movie story. The thriller story merely gave us an excuse, an occasion, to glimpse inside the hearts and minds of people in anguish.
Not a cheerful movie, but not overly grim, either. Very well cast, very well acted.
Clark
In the “The Debt”, three young Jewish Mossad agents in 1966 East Berlin seek to find and capture The Surgeon of Birkenau, a ruthless doctor that performed horrific acts on imprisoned Jews during World War II. We watch them as they prepare for and begin 'The Mission' and follow them through the intricate plot details that, if all goes correctly, will get the doctor across the Berlin wall to West Berlin and then back to Israel to face trial for his heinous actions But things don't go according to plan and soon the three (Rachel, Stefan and David ) are forced to remain in hiding with their prisoner until they can determine a new course of action. Something happens with the doctor and the three of them have to decide how to handle the screw-up and then to agree that it will be their secret… their ‘debt’ to each other. In the more modern times of 1997, we learn that Rachel and Stefan married and divorced, and then David reappears after being away, sees both of them and then commits suicide. Their daughter has written a book about the kidnapping and the days that followed in the apartment detailing her parents as heroes to the cause.
Where "The Debt" excels is in the outstanding performances of its very good cast. Top billing goes to the older versions of the Mossad agents, Helen Mirren (Rachel), Tom Wilkinson (Stephan), and Ciaran Hinds ( David ) and each hold their own. Mirren does a solid job of exhibiting the weight that a 30 year secret leaves on a person As for their younger versions, both Marton Csokas and Sam Worthington give strong portrayals. Jespersen Christensen, too, gives the evil Doctor Vogel a terrifying aura of refined Nazi hatred and menace. But in the end, "The Debt" hangs primarily on the performance of Jessica Chastain as the young Rachel. Her portrayal is measured and cautious and often her best moments are those in which she does not speak but instead lets her eyes and body language do the talking. What is remarkable is that she is an actress that virtually no one had heard of at the beginning of this year (2011). With only a handful of credits to her name, by the end of this year (2011), she will have appeared in no less than six films including “The Help”.
Good movie but I did find some minor annoyances. First, the secret (and thus “the debt”) the characters kept concerning acts they committed were not mere "mistakes."… not "Oopsie! My bad." Rather acts of cowardice and selfishness on an order that bordered on treason. Second, the characters had stupidity beyond typical character weaknesses in that they oddly were derelict in letting their own personalities get in the way of fulfilling their mission. I found it hard to believe that real life Mossad agents would have been that dumb.
Beyond being a thriller, though, this was really about the motives and morals of the people involved. The main theme of the film was always more about the terrible secret the former Mossad agents carried. As the plot unraveled and revealed for us what that secret was, and what that might have meant to the characters, we are presented with a clear case that it was the process of keeping a secret and what it cost them to do so that was the real movie story. The thriller story merely gave us an excuse, an occasion, to glimpse inside the hearts and minds of people in anguish.
Not a cheerful movie, but not overly grim, either. Very well cast, very well acted.
Clark
Thursday, September 8, 2011
APOLLO 18 2.5***
In "Apollo 18," the Department of Defense ( a red flag in and of itself) is in charge of the next and what ends up being the last mission to the Moon, but they keep it shrouded in complete secrecy. "Apollo 18" resembles low-budget horror films without a celebrity cast like "The Blair Witch Project" and "Paranormal Activity" where the chills are caught on camera as they actually occur. Apparently, everything that the "Apollo 18" astronauts videoed was transmitted back to Mission Control. Years afterward, some mysterious people gain access to these classified videos and edit the footage together and then upload it to the Internet. "Apollo 18" purports to be the reason NASA never launched another Moon mission. There are good performances by Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen, and Ryan Robbins as the astronauts. And indeed, our heroes encounter aliens, but not the kind of aliens that Hollywood usually serves up., "Apollo 18" qualifies as a creepy exercise in suspense and tension .Sort of a “Paranormal Activity” in space which is intensified to some extent because of the so narrow view from those space suits and the so cramped interior of the moon lander.
This is of course a make believe, i.e. fictional documentary. What is sometimes called a mockumentary. The problem with these films is the almost constant use of hand held cameras which result in a the picture being shaky and out of focus. They could've easily stationed a camera outside the ship and in areas inside the ship which would've given us a bird’s eye view and some good shots, but no, they persisted in the “reality” effects of hand held cameras. The picture is constantly shaking up and down, focusing on background shots and the whole thing gets a bit disorientating after awhile while trying to follow what's happening. You can hear the great stuff going on, but again the damned camera's block the effects and everything else that makes a horror movie great.
This was an excellent effort that was poorly executed. Saying words like “poorly executed” sounds so pretentious, but here it is so true.
Clark
In "Apollo 18," the Department of Defense ( a red flag in and of itself) is in charge of the next and what ends up being the last mission to the Moon, but they keep it shrouded in complete secrecy. "Apollo 18" resembles low-budget horror films without a celebrity cast like "The Blair Witch Project" and "Paranormal Activity" where the chills are caught on camera as they actually occur. Apparently, everything that the "Apollo 18" astronauts videoed was transmitted back to Mission Control. Years afterward, some mysterious people gain access to these classified videos and edit the footage together and then upload it to the Internet. "Apollo 18" purports to be the reason NASA never launched another Moon mission. There are good performances by Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen, and Ryan Robbins as the astronauts. And indeed, our heroes encounter aliens, but not the kind of aliens that Hollywood usually serves up., "Apollo 18" qualifies as a creepy exercise in suspense and tension .Sort of a “Paranormal Activity” in space which is intensified to some extent because of the so narrow view from those space suits and the so cramped interior of the moon lander.
This is of course a make believe, i.e. fictional documentary. What is sometimes called a mockumentary. The problem with these films is the almost constant use of hand held cameras which result in a the picture being shaky and out of focus. They could've easily stationed a camera outside the ship and in areas inside the ship which would've given us a bird’s eye view and some good shots, but no, they persisted in the “reality” effects of hand held cameras. The picture is constantly shaking up and down, focusing on background shots and the whole thing gets a bit disorientating after awhile while trying to follow what's happening. You can hear the great stuff going on, but again the damned camera's block the effects and everything else that makes a horror movie great.
This was an excellent effort that was poorly executed. Saying words like “poorly executed” sounds so pretentious, but here it is so true.
Clark
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
FLY AWAY HOME 4.0****
I’ve decided that after re-watching this 2004 film, “Fly Away Home”, this is one of the best family movies ever made. So, gather the family, the kids, yours and your neighbors' and fire-up the pop-corn-popper or microwave and kick back and enjoy a delightful really feel-good family movie !!. Yes, it is THAT good.
Amy( Anna Pacquin) is only 13 years old when her mother is killed in an auto wreck in New Zealand. She goes to Canada to live with her estranged father (Jeff Daniels), an eccentric inventor whom she barely knows. Amy is miserable in her new life...that is until she discovers a nest of goose eggs that were abandoned when developers began clearing a local forest. The eggs hatch and Amy becomes "Mama Goose".( In fact this “imprinting” is a true because without their real mother goose, the geese attach and bond to whatever and whoever is around when they hatch. Later, the young geese must fly south for the winter or die, but how will they get there? Could it be with a pair of ultra-light airplanes.? Amy, her dad and their friends must find a way to do it
It's difficult to pin-point which of the many elements of filmmaking that make this movie such a joy to watch again and again. But, first and foremost, it all comes down to a great story and the excellent screenwriting. The key point in the story is the discovery by Amy of the abandoned nest of Canadian geese eggs, and that becomes the impetus that takes with her on her journey. While the story is primarily about the geese and they will absolutely grab you from the get-go and you’ll love the way they are lovingly photographed on land, water and in the air. And wait 'till you get a gander at the dad-made goose-looking ultra-light plane that Amy flies to lead the flock.
But the story is also about Amy's recovery and reconnection with her future, with her life. It plays out masterfully through the performances of Anna Paquin as Amy and Jeff Daniels as her father. The awesome story is supported with moving consistency in the music, the gorgeous cinematography and fine casting. The cinematography is National Geographic quality. When the goslings ( baby geese) follow Amy around, much of the photography is from ground level. Later when they are all flying, the photography is right there in the flying formation. You are seeing the birds, in flight, right next to you. The beauty of the motion is unbelievable. There is beauty in seeing them fly. There is beauty in seeing them in their habitat. But the overwhelming beauty is in their living.
The final sequence is a thing of sublime, powerful beauty that is rarely seen in movies these days. A powerful, wordless climax. Something that happens so effortlessly, because the story that comes before has been told so completely and with such skill. I cried a little out of the pure joy of the moment and most who watch it will at least tear-up a little.
Clark
FOOTNOTE: Yes this is the same Anna Pacquin who plays sultry role of “Sookie” in the hit vampire TV series, “True Blood”.
I’ve decided that after re-watching this 2004 film, “Fly Away Home”, this is one of the best family movies ever made. So, gather the family, the kids, yours and your neighbors' and fire-up the pop-corn-popper or microwave and kick back and enjoy a delightful really feel-good family movie !!. Yes, it is THAT good.
Amy( Anna Pacquin) is only 13 years old when her mother is killed in an auto wreck in New Zealand. She goes to Canada to live with her estranged father (Jeff Daniels), an eccentric inventor whom she barely knows. Amy is miserable in her new life...that is until she discovers a nest of goose eggs that were abandoned when developers began clearing a local forest. The eggs hatch and Amy becomes "Mama Goose".( In fact this “imprinting” is a true because without their real mother goose, the geese attach and bond to whatever and whoever is around when they hatch. Later, the young geese must fly south for the winter or die, but how will they get there? Could it be with a pair of ultra-light airplanes.? Amy, her dad and their friends must find a way to do it
It's difficult to pin-point which of the many elements of filmmaking that make this movie such a joy to watch again and again. But, first and foremost, it all comes down to a great story and the excellent screenwriting. The key point in the story is the discovery by Amy of the abandoned nest of Canadian geese eggs, and that becomes the impetus that takes with her on her journey. While the story is primarily about the geese and they will absolutely grab you from the get-go and you’ll love the way they are lovingly photographed on land, water and in the air. And wait 'till you get a gander at the dad-made goose-looking ultra-light plane that Amy flies to lead the flock.
But the story is also about Amy's recovery and reconnection with her future, with her life. It plays out masterfully through the performances of Anna Paquin as Amy and Jeff Daniels as her father. The awesome story is supported with moving consistency in the music, the gorgeous cinematography and fine casting. The cinematography is National Geographic quality. When the goslings ( baby geese) follow Amy around, much of the photography is from ground level. Later when they are all flying, the photography is right there in the flying formation. You are seeing the birds, in flight, right next to you. The beauty of the motion is unbelievable. There is beauty in seeing them fly. There is beauty in seeing them in their habitat. But the overwhelming beauty is in their living.
The final sequence is a thing of sublime, powerful beauty that is rarely seen in movies these days. A powerful, wordless climax. Something that happens so effortlessly, because the story that comes before has been told so completely and with such skill. I cried a little out of the pure joy of the moment and most who watch it will at least tear-up a little.
Clark
FOOTNOTE: Yes this is the same Anna Pacquin who plays sultry role of “Sookie” in the hit vampire TV series, “True Blood”.
FLY AWAY HOME 4.0****
I’ve decided that after re-watching this 2004 film, “Fly Away Home”, this is one of the best family movies ever made. So, gather the family, the kids, yours and your neighbors' and fire-up the pop-corn-popper or microwave and kick back and enjoy a delightful really feel-good family movie !!. Yes, it is THAT good.
Amy( Anna Pacquin) is only 13 years old when her mother is killed in an auto wreck in New Zealand. She goes to Canada to live with her estranged father (Jeff Daniels), an eccentric inventor whom she barely knows. Amy is miserable in her new life...that is until she discovers a nest of goose eggs that were abandoned when developers began clearing a local forest. The eggs hatch and Amy becomes "Mama Goose".( In fact this “imprinting” is a true because without their real mother goose, the geese attach and bond to whatever and whoever is around when they hatch. Later, the young geese must fly south for the winter or die, but how will they get there? Could it be with a pair of ultra-light airplanes.? Amy, her dad and their friends must find a way to do it
It's difficult to pin-point which of the many elements of filmmaking that make this movie such a joy to watch again and again. But, first and foremost, it all comes down to a great story and the excellent screenwriting. The key point in the story is the discovery by Amy of the abandoned nest of Canadian geese eggs, and that becomes the impetus that takes with her on her journey. While the story is primarily about the geese and they will absolutely grab you from the get-go and you’ll love the way they are lovingly photographed on land, water and in the air. And wait 'till you get a gander at the dad-made goose-looking ultra-light plane that Amy flies to lead the flock.
But the story is also about Amy's recovery and reconnection with her future, with her life. It plays out masterfully through the performances of Anna Paquin as Amy and Jeff Daniels as her father. The awesome story is supported with moving consistency in the music, the gorgeous cinematography and fine casting. The cinematography is National Geographic quality. When the goslings ( baby geese) follow Amy around, much of the photography is from ground level. Later when they are all flying, the photography is right there in the flying formation. You are seeing the birds, in flight, right next to you. The beauty of the motion is unbelievable. There is beauty in seeing them fly. There is beauty in seeing them in their habitat. But the overwhelming beauty is in their living.
The final sequence is a thing of sublime, powerful beauty that is rarely seen in movies these days. A powerful, wordless climax. Something that happens so effortlessly, because the story that comes before has been told so completely and with such skill. I cried a little out of the pure joy of the moment and most who watch it will at least tear-up a little.
Clark
FOOTNOTE: Yes this is the same Anna Pacquin who plays sultry role of “Sookie” in the hit vampire TV series, “True Blood”.
I’ve decided that after re-watching this 2004 film, “Fly Away Home”, this is one of the best family movies ever made. So, gather the family, the kids, yours and your neighbors' and fire-up the pop-corn-popper or microwave and kick back and enjoy a delightful really feel-good family movie !!. Yes, it is THAT good.
Amy( Anna Pacquin) is only 13 years old when her mother is killed in an auto wreck in New Zealand. She goes to Canada to live with her estranged father (Jeff Daniels), an eccentric inventor whom she barely knows. Amy is miserable in her new life...that is until she discovers a nest of goose eggs that were abandoned when developers began clearing a local forest. The eggs hatch and Amy becomes "Mama Goose".( In fact this “imprinting” is a true because without their real mother goose, the geese attach and bond to whatever and whoever is around when they hatch. Later, the young geese must fly south for the winter or die, but how will they get there? Could it be with a pair of ultra-light airplanes.? Amy, her dad and their friends must find a way to do it
It's difficult to pin-point which of the many elements of filmmaking that make this movie such a joy to watch again and again. But, first and foremost, it all comes down to a great story and the excellent screenwriting. The key point in the story is the discovery by Amy of the abandoned nest of Canadian geese eggs, and that becomes the impetus that takes with her on her journey. While the story is primarily about the geese and they will absolutely grab you from the get-go and you’ll love the way they are lovingly photographed on land, water and in the air. And wait 'till you get a gander at the dad-made goose-looking ultra-light plane that Amy flies to lead the flock.
But the story is also about Amy's recovery and reconnection with her future, with her life. It plays out masterfully through the performances of Anna Paquin as Amy and Jeff Daniels as her father. The awesome story is supported with moving consistency in the music, the gorgeous cinematography and fine casting. The cinematography is National Geographic quality. When the goslings ( baby geese) follow Amy around, much of the photography is from ground level. Later when they are all flying, the photography is right there in the flying formation. You are seeing the birds, in flight, right next to you. The beauty of the motion is unbelievable. There is beauty in seeing them fly. There is beauty in seeing them in their habitat. But the overwhelming beauty is in their living.
The final sequence is a thing of sublime, powerful beauty that is rarely seen in movies these days. A powerful, wordless climax. Something that happens so effortlessly, because the story that comes before has been told so completely and with such skill. I cried a little out of the pure joy of the moment and most who watch it will at least tear-up a little.
Clark
FOOTNOTE: Yes this is the same Anna Pacquin who plays sultry role of “Sookie” in the hit vampire TV series, “True Blood”.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
THE RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES 3.3 ****
To begin with , this is a prequel to the Planet of the Apes movies and, as such, offers a fascinating and believable explanation as to how the apes became intelligent and a threat to mankind.. The story focuses initially on James Franco, who plays Will Rodman, a brilliant scientist with a breakthrough drug that just may cure Alzheimer's. Rodman and his team are using chimpanzees to test this new drug and in the process find out that the drug not only repair cells in the brain but also dramatically increases intelligence. One of the test chimp subjects gets loose in an intense sequence and ultimately is put down. It turns out that this chimp had just given birth to a baby chimp who inherited this new "altered intelligence" gene. Rodman decides to take the baby chimp home while a co-worker tries to find a sanctuary. But once Rodman finds out that this little ball of fur has the intelligence of a human child twice it's age he decides to keep and raise the chimp. As Caesar grows older and smarter, he becomes more aware, questioning who and what he is. After a disturbing incident in the neighborhood, Caesar is taken from Will and put in a special chimp/ape sanctuary. Feeling abandoned, and then being badly mistreated at the shelter, Caesar feels hurt and confused. Mainly confused because he is amongst other chimps and apes and doesn’t at first understand why they are so dumb and he’s so smart. Once he figures it out and “smarts them up” by using the drug he steals from the lab, Caesar begins plotting for revenge in what leads to a war for primacy.
By the way all the chimps and apes in the movie are CGI created.. that’s computer generated images. Despite that, their bodies and especially their eyes look amazingly normal, with depth and personality, and along with their body language and facial animations, you really do forget they are CGI. The star of the film is Caesar (whose emotions are brought to life brilliantly by actor, Andy Serkis) . Cesar is by far one of the best animated characters in recent years.. His facial expressions tell it all! You feel his rage, his fear, and his child-like innocence through his wonderfully animated eyes. You will go through all of those emotions yourself as you witness his journey. You understand what Cesar is feeling and why. The invisible character of the film is humanity itself, and at times, it feels like a study of human nature.
If you're like me, you will be fascinated by the story which is an excellent prequel. . You get to see their origins, how the apes develop and evolve as a united group. It is quite well done with intelligence and care. The story is smart, compelling, exciting and emotionally touching.
Clark
Friday, August 26, 2011
CRAZY STUPID LOVE 3.5***
“Crazy, Stupid, Love”. is not really crazy or stupid, but it does speak eloquently of love and relationships with a honesty sorely lacking in most romantic comedies these days. The film is a refreshingly honest glimpse of love and all its complications with just the right amount of humor and pathos. .I couldn't be more happy with this film! The story is so grounded in reality. And it is a nice break from all the big action films that have been dominating the summer. True, it is a rom-com, but it is one I believe that most guys will enjoy just as much as the gals.
Even the most serious of moments in this film are dashed with a flavor of quirky comedic relief.. the kind that life so graciously grants us so that we don't totally fall apart in a horrible situation. I also liked the fact that this film not only explores the topic of aged love many years after the couple had fallen for one another, but it also looks at that first time a guy really falls for a gal because it is like he is seeing women for the first time. Or the first time a young person develops an big crush for someone much older than they are. Everyone can relate to this film.
Cal (Steve Carell) and Emily (Julianne Moore) have hit a rough patch in their long-time marriage, and Emily totally shocks Cal when she announces to him in a restaurant that she wants a divorce. Down and depressed, Cal starts drinking away his sorrows at a local “hot & happening” singles bar. . Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a professional playboy bachelor, takes notice and makes it his personal mission to help Cal get over his wife, and become a new man.. make that become a real woman’s man.. In the process, It’ll remind you a little of Will Smith in “Hitch” but here Jacob is the ultimate lady’s man/pick-up artist.
Acting wise, the film is excellent. Carell gives one of his best performances to date. As Cal, he effortlessly moves between depression and humiliation, and touching and hilarious. The film stretches his dramatic muscle more than most. The expressions on his face are just devastating in some sequences, and then the wonder on his face in other scenes is ridiculously hilarious. . Gosling plays against type, and gives an absolutely hysterical performance. He shines brightly in every scene, nailing every line and mannerism, while making this scumbag of a lothario become someone we end up really caring about. He exudes chemistry and helps make everyone else's performance better. Julianne Moore and Emma Stone also give great performances, easily balancing the humor with the drama. . But it is Marisa Tomei who steals the show from everyone, playing one of Cal's conquests. She is dementedly unhinged and ridiculously over-the-top, but never falters. Her performance may be one-note, but it is easily the most memorable thing about the film.
It's definitely a film that you don’t want to miss! Truthfully, I fell in love with it! When it comes to romantic comedies, I don't often find one that I really like, but this is just a delightful film!
It is Rated PG-13 for coarse humor, sexual content and language.
Clark
Sunday, August 21, 2011
COWBOYS and ALIENS 2.0*** (but barely)
I went in with little expectations on this one. I expected Cowboys & Aliens and that’s all I got. What more could I ask for right? I could ask for a coherent semi-intelligent story with a point to it which this movie did not come close to delivering. I wasn't so much disappointed with the cowboys, but the aliens were another story and turned out to be the dumbest “high intelligent” aliens I’ve had the pleasure or displeasure of watching … they were just ridiculous. The movie never explained why they were on Earth except for wanting all of Earth’s gold. But why ???? There was no reason for this movie to be made other than to take my money and dupe those wanting something new and different from the standard conventional western or sci-fi movie. This movie was pretty much two hours of cowboys riding around on horses. Occasionally interrupted by battles with the aliens and their super-duper spacecrafts, rocket propelled fire bombs and lasso devices that would snatch up the poor westerners and zip them off to the spaceship. Never an explanation for the abduction.s
This film is botched by horrible writing and not because the genres do not mix. Science Fiction and Cowboys have been around before. Do you remember a certain Yul Brynner film ( “Westworld”) and what about the exciting conclusion to the "Back to the Future" trilogy, but those films had imagination, consistent and talented writing.
Also, and unbelievably, there was not one character in the movie that said... "Holy Cow. Look at that! Wow! Did you see those ugly and creepy creatures . AND THEY CAN FLY!" All the characters underplayed their reaction to something that would scare the hell out of us modern day folks. But the cowboys stuck to their tough, rough rider exteriors as if they were used to seeing such things as just some ornery cattle rustlers to contend with. Let me say again, these aliens are lightning fast, bigger than a horse, creepy and terrifying as hell and shoot rocket propelled grenades off their arms while the cowboys, on the other hand, were constantly emptying their six shooters and rifles at them getting off some of the most lucky shots imaginable. I know, it's a movie. But come on now.
With stars like Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, it was a real disappointment. The story begins when a man (Daniel Craig) with no name and no memory wakes up in the middle of the desert. He has no idea how he got there but it appears he has been in some sort of violent situation and there is a metal bracelet attached to his wrist. The stranger unluckily attractst attacks from a multitude off unsavory characters, and then along come the aliens. He’s allowed to join up with a posse headed by Harrison Ford which rides around a lot pursuing the aliens . No-name Craig may not remember his past, but he certainly remembers how to fight and shoot. He’s a one man army against far superior weapons … but remember in our minds he’s James Bond … just transported by time to the 1800’s.
If I was you, I’d hop in my car and ride off into the sunset to find a better movie.
I went in with little expectations on this one. I expected Cowboys & Aliens and that’s all I got. What more could I ask for right? I could ask for a coherent semi-intelligent story with a point to it which this movie did not come close to delivering. I wasn't so much disappointed with the cowboys, but the aliens were another story and turned out to be the dumbest “high intelligent” aliens I’ve had the pleasure or displeasure of watching … they were just ridiculous. The movie never explained why they were on Earth except for wanting all of Earth’s gold. But why ???? There was no reason for this movie to be made other than to take my money and dupe those wanting something new and different from the standard conventional western or sci-fi movie. This movie was pretty much two hours of cowboys riding around on horses. Occasionally interrupted by battles with the aliens and their super-duper spacecrafts, rocket propelled fire bombs and lasso devices that would snatch up the poor westerners and zip them off to the spaceship. Never an explanation for the abduction.s
This film is botched by horrible writing and not because the genres do not mix. Science Fiction and Cowboys have been around before. Do you remember a certain Yul Brynner film ( “Westworld”) and what about the exciting conclusion to the "Back to the Future" trilogy, but those films had imagination, consistent and talented writing.
Also, and unbelievably, there was not one character in the movie that said... "Holy Cow. Look at that! Wow! Did you see those ugly and creepy creatures . AND THEY CAN FLY!" All the characters underplayed their reaction to something that would scare the hell out of us modern day folks. But the cowboys stuck to their tough, rough rider exteriors as if they were used to seeing such things as just some ornery cattle rustlers to contend with. Let me say again, these aliens are lightning fast, bigger than a horse, creepy and terrifying as hell and shoot rocket propelled grenades off their arms while the cowboys, on the other hand, were constantly emptying their six shooters and rifles at them getting off some of the most lucky shots imaginable. I know, it's a movie. But come on now.
With stars like Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, it was a real disappointment. The story begins when a man (Daniel Craig) with no name and no memory wakes up in the middle of the desert. He has no idea how he got there but it appears he has been in some sort of violent situation and there is a metal bracelet attached to his wrist. The stranger unluckily attractst attacks from a multitude off unsavory characters, and then along come the aliens. He’s allowed to join up with a posse headed by Harrison Ford which rides around a lot pursuing the aliens . No-name Craig may not remember his past, but he certainly remembers how to fight and shoot. He’s a one man army against far superior weapons … but remember in our minds he’s James Bond … just transported by time to the 1800’s.
If I was you, I’d hop in my car and ride off into the sunset to find a better movie.
Friday, July 29, 2011
BAD TEACHER 2.0****
“Bad Teacher” is not a bad movie but is certainly is not a good one either. It scores just high enough for you to rent and watch it on your home TV provided you have a six-pack or big bottle of wine to help get you through the weak spots and there are plenty of those. In fact, you probably should have a couple of beers or a full glass of wine before you start watching to mellow you out.
Elizabeth Hasley (Cameron Diaz) is a foul-mouthed, bitter, and quite nasty teacher that is keeping the job only to pay the bills after her rich fiancée
dumps her. Facing debt, aging, and loneliness, Elizabeth starts setting her sights on a boob job and on a new (rich) teacher (Justin Timberlake), who has
also captured the attention of a manipulative rival teacher (Lucy Punch).
Despite the writing being a fickle mess, the cast is good. Cameron Diaz is one of those underrated talents in Hollywood, because she rarely ever delivers a mediocre or weak performance. She is also quite good here because she isn't afraid to actually look old, spent and wrinkled (but never unfoxy) And in this film, despite her role as a smoking/drinking/vulgar/manipulative/cynical/cruel and superficial person, you still secretly root for her to succeed.
Bad Teacher is a good idea but is poorly executed, yet even then is nearly saved by the energetic cast. The first half has some laughs, but is far too convoluted. The movie definitely picks up later, but by then its too late, the potential was wasted.
Rated “R” for some sexual content and nudity but mainly for the vulgar/crude language language and some drug use .
Clark
“Bad Teacher” is not a bad movie but is certainly is not a good one either. It scores just high enough for you to rent and watch it on your home TV provided you have a six-pack or big bottle of wine to help get you through the weak spots and there are plenty of those. In fact, you probably should have a couple of beers or a full glass of wine before you start watching to mellow you out.
Elizabeth Hasley (Cameron Diaz) is a foul-mouthed, bitter, and quite nasty teacher that is keeping the job only to pay the bills after her rich fiancée
dumps her. Facing debt, aging, and loneliness, Elizabeth starts setting her sights on a boob job and on a new (rich) teacher (Justin Timberlake), who has
also captured the attention of a manipulative rival teacher (Lucy Punch).
Despite the writing being a fickle mess, the cast is good. Cameron Diaz is one of those underrated talents in Hollywood, because she rarely ever delivers a mediocre or weak performance. She is also quite good here because she isn't afraid to actually look old, spent and wrinkled (but never unfoxy) And in this film, despite her role as a smoking/drinking/vulgar/manipulative/cynical/cruel and superficial person, you still secretly root for her to succeed.
Bad Teacher is a good idea but is poorly executed, yet even then is nearly saved by the energetic cast. The first half has some laughs, but is far too convoluted. The movie definitely picks up later, but by then its too late, the potential was wasted.
Rated “R” for some sexual content and nudity but mainly for the vulgar/crude language language and some drug use .
Clark
BAD TEACHER 2.0****
“Bad Teacher” is not a bad movie but is certainly is not a good one either. It scores just high enough for you to rent and watch it on your home TV provided you have a six-pack or big bottle of wine to help get you through the weak spots and there are plenty of those. In fact, you probably should have a couple of beers or a full glass of wine before you start watching to mellow you out.
Elizabeth Hasley (Cameron Diaz) is a foul-mouthed, bitter, and quite nasty teacher that is keeping the job only to pay the bills after her rich fiancée
dumps her. Facing debt, aging, and loneliness, Elizabeth starts setting her sights on a boob job and on a new (rich) teacher (Justin Timberlake), who has
also captured the attention of a manipulative rival teacher (Lucy Punch).
Despite the writing being a fickle mess, the cast is good. Cameron Diaz is one of those underrated talents in Hollywood, because she rarely ever delivers a mediocre or weak performance. She is also quite good here because she isn't afraid to actually look old, spent and wrinkled (but never unfoxy) And in this film, despite her role as a smoking/drinking/vulgar/manipulative/cynical/cruel and superficial person, you still secretly root for her to succeed.
Bad Teacher is a good idea but is poorly executed, yet even then is nearly saved by the energetic cast. The first half has some laughs, but is far too convoluted. The movie definitely picks up later, but by then its too late, the potential was wasted.
Rated “R” for some sexual content and nudity but mainly for the vulgar/crude language language and some drug use .
Clark
“Bad Teacher” is not a bad movie but is certainly is not a good one either. It scores just high enough for you to rent and watch it on your home TV provided you have a six-pack or big bottle of wine to help get you through the weak spots and there are plenty of those. In fact, you probably should have a couple of beers or a full glass of wine before you start watching to mellow you out.
Elizabeth Hasley (Cameron Diaz) is a foul-mouthed, bitter, and quite nasty teacher that is keeping the job only to pay the bills after her rich fiancée
dumps her. Facing debt, aging, and loneliness, Elizabeth starts setting her sights on a boob job and on a new (rich) teacher (Justin Timberlake), who has
also captured the attention of a manipulative rival teacher (Lucy Punch).
Despite the writing being a fickle mess, the cast is good. Cameron Diaz is one of those underrated talents in Hollywood, because she rarely ever delivers a mediocre or weak performance. She is also quite good here because she isn't afraid to actually look old, spent and wrinkled (but never unfoxy) And in this film, despite her role as a smoking/drinking/vulgar/manipulative/cynical/cruel and superficial person, you still secretly root for her to succeed.
Bad Teacher is a good idea but is poorly executed, yet even then is nearly saved by the energetic cast. The first half has some laughs, but is far too convoluted. The movie definitely picks up later, but by then its too late, the potential was wasted.
Rated “R” for some sexual content and nudity but mainly for the vulgar/crude language language and some drug use .
Clark
BAD TEACHER 2.0****
“Bad Teacher” is not a bad movie but is certainly is not a good one either. It scores just high enough for you to rent and watch it on your home TV provided you have a six-pack or big bottle of wine to help get you through the weak spots and there are plenty of those. In fact, you probably should have a couple of beers or a full glass of wine before you start watching to mellow you out.
Elizabeth Hasley (Cameron Diaz) is a foul-mouthed, bitter, and quite nasty teacher that is keeping the job only to pay the bills after her rich fiancée
dumps her. Facing debt, aging, and loneliness, Elizabeth starts setting her sights on a boob job and on a new (rich) teacher (Justin Timberlake), who has
also captured the attention of a manipulative rival teacher (Lucy Punch).
Despite the writing being a fickle mess, the cast is good. Cameron Diaz is one of those underrated talents in Hollywood, because she rarely ever delivers a mediocre or weak performance. She is also quite good here because she isn't afraid to actually look old, spent and wrinkled (but never unfoxy) And in this film, despite her role as a smoking/drinking/vulgar/manipulative/cynical/cruel and superficial person, you still secretly root for her to succeed.
Bad Teacher is a good idea but is poorly executed, yet even then is nearly saved by the energetic cast. The first half has some laughs, but is far too convoluted. The movie definitely picks up later, but by then its too late, the potential was wasted.
Rated “R” for some sexual content and nudity but mainly for the vulgar/crude language language and some drug use .
Clark
“Bad Teacher” is not a bad movie but is certainly is not a good one either. It scores just high enough for you to rent and watch it on your home TV provided you have a six-pack or big bottle of wine to help get you through the weak spots and there are plenty of those. In fact, you probably should have a couple of beers or a full glass of wine before you start watching to mellow you out.
Elizabeth Hasley (Cameron Diaz) is a foul-mouthed, bitter, and quite nasty teacher that is keeping the job only to pay the bills after her rich fiancée
dumps her. Facing debt, aging, and loneliness, Elizabeth starts setting her sights on a boob job and on a new (rich) teacher (Justin Timberlake), who has
also captured the attention of a manipulative rival teacher (Lucy Punch).
Despite the writing being a fickle mess, the cast is good. Cameron Diaz is one of those underrated talents in Hollywood, because she rarely ever delivers a mediocre or weak performance. She is also quite good here because she isn't afraid to actually look old, spent and wrinkled (but never unfoxy) And in this film, despite her role as a smoking/drinking/vulgar/manipulative/cynical/cruel and superficial person, you still secretly root for her to succeed.
Bad Teacher is a good idea but is poorly executed, yet even then is nearly saved by the energetic cast. The first half has some laughs, but is far too convoluted. The movie definitely picks up later, but by then its too late, the potential was wasted.
Rated “R” for some sexual content and nudity but mainly for the vulgar/crude language language and some drug use .
Clark
Monday, July 18, 2011
INSIDIOUS 3.0****
It starts with the title..”Insidious”... what does it mean? It rings through your head. Insidious... insidious... it's a fascinating word. It means "Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects”. After you see it, you’ll understand why it aptly called Insidious?"
This film will grab you right from the opening shots and its opening titles. The Director, James Wan ( he started the “Saw” films) knows, how to set the mood for an experience that will fill you with fear and dread, The cinematography is excellent and atmospheric... boasting a mostly muted and gray look. Wan's visual style sure is eye-catching and creepy.
The film's plot revolves around a family of five- A married couple, Josh and Renai, a teacher and musician and their 3 children. Having just moved into a new home, they seem to have a perfect sense of belonging. However, one night, the eldest child, Dalton, bumps his head after falling off the ladder in the extra spooky attic and the next day is in a comatose state. The many doctors who examine have no explanation for the coma. Three months later with Dalton still in a coma, creepy stuff begins to happen. Ghosts and Horrible Creatures pop out of nowhere and scare the heck out of the characters and the audience as well !!.. Break-ins occur, objects move around and awful sounds come from throughout the house.. Terrified, they move to Josh's mother's place, but even that doesn't help. Soon, they find out it's Dalton that's haunted- not the house, as his soul is stuck in a realm called “The Further”!!!
. Wan brings back what horror is about- being SCARED. To feel fear... to dread what's coming next. And this is what makes the movie so good. It's actually pretty damn scary. While it doesn't contain the slow-burn creeps and chills of 'Paranormal Activity', it does contain some of the most well executed and well timed scares in a long time. The movie also does something different than other ghost/horror stories: It's funny. While it doesn't go over-the-top, it does blend enough laughs throughout to greatly enhance the entertainment value of the overall film.
Rated PG-13 for violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language.
Clark
It starts with the title..”Insidious”... what does it mean? It rings through your head. Insidious... insidious... it's a fascinating word. It means "Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects”. After you see it, you’ll understand why it aptly called Insidious?"
This film will grab you right from the opening shots and its opening titles. The Director, James Wan ( he started the “Saw” films) knows, how to set the mood for an experience that will fill you with fear and dread, The cinematography is excellent and atmospheric... boasting a mostly muted and gray look. Wan's visual style sure is eye-catching and creepy.
The film's plot revolves around a family of five- A married couple, Josh and Renai, a teacher and musician and their 3 children. Having just moved into a new home, they seem to have a perfect sense of belonging. However, one night, the eldest child, Dalton, bumps his head after falling off the ladder in the extra spooky attic and the next day is in a comatose state. The many doctors who examine have no explanation for the coma. Three months later with Dalton still in a coma, creepy stuff begins to happen. Ghosts and Horrible Creatures pop out of nowhere and scare the heck out of the characters and the audience as well !!.. Break-ins occur, objects move around and awful sounds come from throughout the house.. Terrified, they move to Josh's mother's place, but even that doesn't help. Soon, they find out it's Dalton that's haunted- not the house, as his soul is stuck in a realm called “The Further”!!!
. Wan brings back what horror is about- being SCARED. To feel fear... to dread what's coming next. And this is what makes the movie so good. It's actually pretty damn scary. While it doesn't contain the slow-burn creeps and chills of 'Paranormal Activity', it does contain some of the most well executed and well timed scares in a long time. The movie also does something different than other ghost/horror stories: It's funny. While it doesn't go over-the-top, it does blend enough laughs throughout to greatly enhance the entertainment value of the overall film.
Rated PG-13 for violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language.
Clark
INSIDIOUS 3.0****
It starts with the title..”Insidious”... what does it mean? It rings through your head. Insidious... insidious... it's a fascinating word. It means "Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects”. After you see it, you’ll understand why it aptly called Insidious?"
This film will grab you right from the opening shots and its opening titles. The Director, James Wan ( he started the “Saw” films) knows, how to set the mood for an experience that will fill you with fear and dread, The cinematography is excellent and atmospheric... boasting a mostly muted and gray look. Wan's visual style sure is eye-catching and creepy.
The film's plot revolves around a family of five- A married couple, Josh and Renai, a teacher and musician and their 3 children. Having just moved into a new home, they seem to have a perfect sense of belonging. However, one night, the eldest child, Dalton, bumps his head after falling off the ladder in the extra spooky attic and the next day is in a comatose state. The many doctors who examine have no explanation for the coma. Three months later with Dalton still in a coma, creepy stuff begins to happen. Ghosts and Horrible Creatures pop out of nowhere and scare the heck out of the characters and the audience as well !!.. Break-ins occur, objects move around and awful sounds come from throughout the house.. Terrified, they move to Josh's mother's place, but even that doesn't help. Soon, they find out it's Dalton that's haunted- not the house, as his soul is stuck in a realm called “The Further”!!!
. Wan brings back what horror is about- being SCARED. To feel fear... to dread what's coming next. And this is what makes the movie so good. It's actually pretty damn scary. While it doesn't contain the slow-burn creeps and chills of 'Paranormal Activity', it does contain some of the most well executed and well timed scares in a long time. The movie also does something different than other ghost/horror stories: It's funny. While it doesn't go over-the-top, it does blend enough laughs throughout to greatly enhance the entertainment value of the overall film.
Rated PG-13 for violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language.
Clark
It starts with the title..”Insidious”... what does it mean? It rings through your head. Insidious... insidious... it's a fascinating word. It means "Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects”. After you see it, you’ll understand why it aptly called Insidious?"
This film will grab you right from the opening shots and its opening titles. The Director, James Wan ( he started the “Saw” films) knows, how to set the mood for an experience that will fill you with fear and dread, The cinematography is excellent and atmospheric... boasting a mostly muted and gray look. Wan's visual style sure is eye-catching and creepy.
The film's plot revolves around a family of five- A married couple, Josh and Renai, a teacher and musician and their 3 children. Having just moved into a new home, they seem to have a perfect sense of belonging. However, one night, the eldest child, Dalton, bumps his head after falling off the ladder in the extra spooky attic and the next day is in a comatose state. The many doctors who examine have no explanation for the coma. Three months later with Dalton still in a coma, creepy stuff begins to happen. Ghosts and Horrible Creatures pop out of nowhere and scare the heck out of the characters and the audience as well !!.. Break-ins occur, objects move around and awful sounds come from throughout the house.. Terrified, they move to Josh's mother's place, but even that doesn't help. Soon, they find out it's Dalton that's haunted- not the house, as his soul is stuck in a realm called “The Further”!!!
. Wan brings back what horror is about- being SCARED. To feel fear... to dread what's coming next. And this is what makes the movie so good. It's actually pretty damn scary. While it doesn't contain the slow-burn creeps and chills of 'Paranormal Activity', it does contain some of the most well executed and well timed scares in a long time. The movie also does something different than other ghost/horror stories: It's funny. While it doesn't go over-the-top, it does blend enough laughs throughout to greatly enhance the entertainment value of the overall film.
Rated PG-13 for violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language.
Clark
Sunday, July 17, 2011
INSIDIOUS 3.0****
It starts with the title..”Insidious”... what does it mean? It rings through your head. Insidious... insidious... it's a fascinating word. It means "Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects”. After you see it, you’ll understand why it aptly called Insidious?"
This film will grab you right from the opening shots and its opening titles. The Director, James Wan ( he started the “Saw” films) knows, how to set the mood for an experience that will fill you with fear and dread, The cinematography is excellent and atmospheric... boasting a mostly muted and gray look. Wan's visual style sure is eye-catching and creepy.
The film's plot revolves around a family of five- A married couple, Josh and Renai, a teacher and musician and their 3 children. Having just moved into a new home, they seem to have a perfect sense of belonging. However, one night, the eldest child, Dalton, bumps his head after falling off the ladder in the extra spooky attic and the next day is in a comatose state. The many doctors who examine have no explanation for the coma. Three months later with Dalton still in a coma, creepy stuff begins to happen. Ghosts and Horrible Creatures pop out of nowhere and scare the heck out of the characters and the audience as well !!.. Break-ins occur, objects move around and awful sounds come from throughout the house.. Terrified, they move to Josh's mother's place, but even that doesn't help. Soon, they find out it's Dalton that's haunted- not the house, as his soul is stuck in a realm called “The Further”!!!
. Wan brings back what horror is about- being SCARED. To feel fear... to dread what's coming next. And this is what makes the movie so good. It's actually pretty damn scary. While it doesn't contain the slow-burn creeps and chills of 'Paranormal Activity', it does contain some of the most well executed and well timed scares in a long time. The movie also does something different than other ghost/horror stories: It's funny. While it doesn't go over-the-top, it does blend enough laughs throughout to greatly enhance the entertainment value of the overall film.
Rated PG-13 for violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language.
Clark
It starts with the title..”Insidious”... what does it mean? It rings through your head. Insidious... insidious... it's a fascinating word. It means "Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects”. After you see it, you’ll understand why it aptly called Insidious?"
This film will grab you right from the opening shots and its opening titles. The Director, James Wan ( he started the “Saw” films) knows, how to set the mood for an experience that will fill you with fear and dread, The cinematography is excellent and atmospheric... boasting a mostly muted and gray look. Wan's visual style sure is eye-catching and creepy.
The film's plot revolves around a family of five- A married couple, Josh and Renai, a teacher and musician and their 3 children. Having just moved into a new home, they seem to have a perfect sense of belonging. However, one night, the eldest child, Dalton, bumps his head after falling off the ladder in the extra spooky attic and the next day is in a comatose state. The many doctors who examine have no explanation for the coma. Three months later with Dalton still in a coma, creepy stuff begins to happen. Ghosts and Horrible Creatures pop out of nowhere and scare the heck out of the characters and the audience as well !!.. Break-ins occur, objects move around and awful sounds come from throughout the house.. Terrified, they move to Josh's mother's place, but even that doesn't help. Soon, they find out it's Dalton that's haunted- not the house, as his soul is stuck in a realm called “The Further”!!!
. Wan brings back what horror is about- being SCARED. To feel fear... to dread what's coming next. And this is what makes the movie so good. It's actually pretty damn scary. While it doesn't contain the slow-burn creeps and chills of 'Paranormal Activity', it does contain some of the most well executed and well timed scares in a long time. The movie also does something different than other ghost/horror stories: It's funny. While it doesn't go over-the-top, it does blend enough laughs throughout to greatly enhance the entertainment value of the overall film.
Rated PG-13 for violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language.
Clark
Saturday, July 16, 2011
HORRIBLE BOSSES 3.2****
Horrible Bosses is a well done comedy that blends a plot full of fun twists with standout comedic performances, plenty of surprises, and the inability to ever become predictable. Unlike most recent R-rated comedies, this film is raunchy without truly crossing the line, profane without becoming redundant and outrageous without becoming tedious. Don't look now but this movie is legitimately funny, and among the better comedies released this year.
The cast is hands-down the reason why this movie works. Our three leading actors Bateman, Day, and Sudeikis were solid with their performances but not ready to promote them as the exemplary comedic performances of 2011. However, their evil counterparts were bad to the bone! Kevin Spacey is vintage villainous Kevin Spacey as the profoundly horrible Harken. Colin Farrell is the scene-stealer of all the with his spectacular work as the despicable Pellitt; I am just Pellitting as it is. And my friends, I guarantee you have never seen this side of Jennifer Aniston with her hands-on deadpan performance as the Sexual Dentist the Menace Dr. Harris. Since the film gives the audience plenty of good reasons to hate these bosses, this helps to relate to the three friends' plan to murder them. What follows is their hilarious efforts to find a way to get it done without getting caught. The premise is promising and thanks to a good script, the potential is indeed delivered—although not in the ways you'd expect.
If you've enjoyed movies like “The Hangover” or “Bridesmaids”, you'll love “Horrible Bosses”. It is simply the best comedy so far this summer, and deserves to be seen in theaters. . It is a not to be missed this summer film.
Rated “R’ for being crude and raunchy, for its sexual content, pervasive language and some drug material.
Clark
Horrible Bosses is a well done comedy that blends a plot full of fun twists with standout comedic performances, plenty of surprises, and the inability to ever become predictable. Unlike most recent R-rated comedies, this film is raunchy without truly crossing the line, profane without becoming redundant and outrageous without becoming tedious. Don't look now but this movie is legitimately funny, and among the better comedies released this year.
The cast is hands-down the reason why this movie works. Our three leading actors Bateman, Day, and Sudeikis were solid with their performances but not ready to promote them as the exemplary comedic performances of 2011. However, their evil counterparts were bad to the bone! Kevin Spacey is vintage villainous Kevin Spacey as the profoundly horrible Harken. Colin Farrell is the scene-stealer of all the with his spectacular work as the despicable Pellitt; I am just Pellitting as it is. And my friends, I guarantee you have never seen this side of Jennifer Aniston with her hands-on deadpan performance as the Sexual Dentist the Menace Dr. Harris. Since the film gives the audience plenty of good reasons to hate these bosses, this helps to relate to the three friends' plan to murder them. What follows is their hilarious efforts to find a way to get it done without getting caught. The premise is promising and thanks to a good script, the potential is indeed delivered—although not in the ways you'd expect.
If you've enjoyed movies like “The Hangover” or “Bridesmaids”, you'll love “Horrible Bosses”. It is simply the best comedy so far this summer, and deserves to be seen in theaters. . It is a not to be missed this summer film.
Rated “R’ for being crude and raunchy, for its sexual content, pervasive language and some drug material.
Clark
Friday, July 8, 2011
HOW DO YOU KNOW 2.3***
Somewhere hidden in this 2010 comedy is a small independent film about flawed characters trying to take charge of their lives when they really never had the control to begin with. That more intimate movie is the one I wanted to see, but veteran director/screenwriter James L. Brooks missed the boat on this one… not by much but enough for it to be a lost opportunity. That's not to say the movie isn't smart, insightful, and funny in its scattershot way, but it's just too unwieldy and too long .
The story focuses on 31-year-old Lisa Jorgenson(Reese Witherspoon), a popular career softball player who suddenly gets cut from the Team USA roster. Cast adrift from her one passion in life, she starts dating Matty Reynolds(Owen Wilson), a self-indulgent, womanizing pro baseball player. In this tenuous situation comes George Madison,(Paul Rudd) a financial executive whose world comes crashing down when he becomes the target of a criminal investigation for corporate malfeasance at a company run by his conniving tycoon father Charles Madison(Jack Niholson). George's shallow girlfriend dumps him, so he calls Lisa(a mutual friend of both puts him on to her) for what turns out to be a disastrous blind date. At the same time, they haphazardly bond over their respective misfortunes just as Matty tries to acquit himself of his selfish, womanizing ways. This romantic triangle is set up for further complications and an interesting ending.
The stars perform admirably under the circumstances but it is as if each actor is working alone and never talked to the others. Much worse, Director Brooks( also the director of classic films: “Broadcast News” and “Terms of Endearment”) seems to have no control over the cast and fails to bring any has coherence to the story. Too cute, too star-studded and entirely too long, “How Do You Know” is a jocks’ Rom-Com that offers proof that Brooks has lost his fastball .
Clark
Somewhere hidden in this 2010 comedy is a small independent film about flawed characters trying to take charge of their lives when they really never had the control to begin with. That more intimate movie is the one I wanted to see, but veteran director/screenwriter James L. Brooks missed the boat on this one… not by much but enough for it to be a lost opportunity. That's not to say the movie isn't smart, insightful, and funny in its scattershot way, but it's just too unwieldy and too long .
The story focuses on 31-year-old Lisa Jorgenson(Reese Witherspoon), a popular career softball player who suddenly gets cut from the Team USA roster. Cast adrift from her one passion in life, she starts dating Matty Reynolds(Owen Wilson), a self-indulgent, womanizing pro baseball player. In this tenuous situation comes George Madison,(Paul Rudd) a financial executive whose world comes crashing down when he becomes the target of a criminal investigation for corporate malfeasance at a company run by his conniving tycoon father Charles Madison(Jack Niholson). George's shallow girlfriend dumps him, so he calls Lisa(a mutual friend of both puts him on to her) for what turns out to be a disastrous blind date. At the same time, they haphazardly bond over their respective misfortunes just as Matty tries to acquit himself of his selfish, womanizing ways. This romantic triangle is set up for further complications and an interesting ending.
The stars perform admirably under the circumstances but it is as if each actor is working alone and never talked to the others. Much worse, Director Brooks( also the director of classic films: “Broadcast News” and “Terms of Endearment”) seems to have no control over the cast and fails to bring any has coherence to the story. Too cute, too star-studded and entirely too long, “How Do You Know” is a jocks’ Rom-Com that offers proof that Brooks has lost his fastball .
Clark
HOW DO YOU KNOW 2.3***
Somewhere hidden in this 2010 comedy is a small independent film about flawed characters trying to take charge of their lives when they really never had the control to begin with. That more intimate movie is the one I wanted to see, but veteran director/screenwriter James L. Brooks missed the boat on this one… not by much but enough for it to be a lost opportunity. That's not to say the movie isn't smart, insightful, and funny in its scattershot way, but it's just too unwieldy and too long .
The story focuses on 31-year-old Lisa Jorgenson(Reese Witherspoon), a popular career softball player who suddenly gets cut from the Team USA roster. Cast adrift from her one passion in life, she starts dating Matty Reynolds(Owen Wilson), a self-indulgent, womanizing pro baseball player. In this tenuous situation comes George Madison,(Paul Rudd) a financial executive whose world comes crashing down when he becomes the target of a criminal investigation for corporate malfeasance at a company run by his conniving tycoon father Charles Madison(Jack Niholson). George's shallow girlfriend dumps him, so he calls Lisa(a mutual friend of both puts him on to her) for what turns out to be a disastrous blind date. At the same time, they haphazardly bond over their respective misfortunes just as Matty tries to acquit himself of his selfish, womanizing ways. This romantic triangle is set up for further complications and an interesting ending.
The stars perform admirably under the circumstances but it is as if each actor is working alone and never talked to the others. Much worse, Director Brooks( also the director of classic films: “Broadcast News” and “Terms of Endearment”) seems to have no control over the cast and fails to bring any has coherence to the story. Too cute, too star-studded and entirely too long, “How Do You Know” is a jocks’ Rom-Com that offers proof that Brooks has lost his fastball .
Clark
Somewhere hidden in this 2010 comedy is a small independent film about flawed characters trying to take charge of their lives when they really never had the control to begin with. That more intimate movie is the one I wanted to see, but veteran director/screenwriter James L. Brooks missed the boat on this one… not by much but enough for it to be a lost opportunity. That's not to say the movie isn't smart, insightful, and funny in its scattershot way, but it's just too unwieldy and too long .
The story focuses on 31-year-old Lisa Jorgenson(Reese Witherspoon), a popular career softball player who suddenly gets cut from the Team USA roster. Cast adrift from her one passion in life, she starts dating Matty Reynolds(Owen Wilson), a self-indulgent, womanizing pro baseball player. In this tenuous situation comes George Madison,(Paul Rudd) a financial executive whose world comes crashing down when he becomes the target of a criminal investigation for corporate malfeasance at a company run by his conniving tycoon father Charles Madison(Jack Niholson). George's shallow girlfriend dumps him, so he calls Lisa(a mutual friend of both puts him on to her) for what turns out to be a disastrous blind date. At the same time, they haphazardly bond over their respective misfortunes just as Matty tries to acquit himself of his selfish, womanizing ways. This romantic triangle is set up for further complications and an interesting ending.
The stars perform admirably under the circumstances but it is as if each actor is working alone and never talked to the others. Much worse, Director Brooks( also the director of classic films: “Broadcast News” and “Terms of Endearment”) seems to have no control over the cast and fails to bring any has coherence to the story. Too cute, too star-studded and entirely too long, “How Do You Know” is a jocks’ Rom-Com that offers proof that Brooks has lost his fastball .
Clark
Sunday, July 3, 2011
SUPER 8 3.0***
First off, “Super 8” is a celebration of some of Steven Spielberg’s great 70’s/80”s: movies: “The Goonies”, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “E.T.” along with Director J.J. Abrams' two big monster creations: “Cloverfield” and TV’s “Lost”. This combination ultimately makes for a unique blend of childhood misfortune and scary monster action, which is a great mixture and works very well.
Super 8’ is one of those “films-within-a –film”. It’s about a young group of kids 13 t0 15 who are trying to make a zombie movie in the summer of 1979. While they're filming a scene at the train station late at night they witness a terrible train wreck that causes their small town to become the hot spot of an Air Force Military Investigation. It quickly becomes clear that the military is attempting to keep a horrible secret from everyone else and when people and mechanical items begin mystreiously disappearing things get even more scary and foreboding.
“Super 8 captures the nostalgia of the 70’s/80’s perfectly; from the sets, the attitudes, the costumes, the language – everything flows perfectly. In keeping with the theme with the era, the story had an innocence about it, and even through there is a lot of mayhem and destruction all round, the sweetness is never lost between the characters. Making it even better is a cast of wonderful child actors which is the main reason you’ll be reminded of “The Goonies”. Especially note worthy are Joel Courtney, as the lead teen ager who has the sweetness that Henry Thomas brought to “E.T.” ; and Elle Fanning who is so natural in her role and, amazingly ,she’s only 13? The Fannings must be breeding with child actor genes or something. She was fantastic. Not only does the cast display strong acting chops, they capture the essence of the era brilliantly. If you grew up during that time, it will bring you back to your own childhood which for most of us is a pleasant remembrance.
Rated PG-13, it is not that violent, a little scary but most kids can handle if.
Clark
First off, “Super 8” is a celebration of some of Steven Spielberg’s great 70’s/80”s: movies: “The Goonies”, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “E.T.” along with Director J.J. Abrams' two big monster creations: “Cloverfield” and TV’s “Lost”. This combination ultimately makes for a unique blend of childhood misfortune and scary monster action, which is a great mixture and works very well.
Super 8’ is one of those “films-within-a –film”. It’s about a young group of kids 13 t0 15 who are trying to make a zombie movie in the summer of 1979. While they're filming a scene at the train station late at night they witness a terrible train wreck that causes their small town to become the hot spot of an Air Force Military Investigation. It quickly becomes clear that the military is attempting to keep a horrible secret from everyone else and when people and mechanical items begin mystreiously disappearing things get even more scary and foreboding.
“Super 8 captures the nostalgia of the 70’s/80’s perfectly; from the sets, the attitudes, the costumes, the language – everything flows perfectly. In keeping with the theme with the era, the story had an innocence about it, and even through there is a lot of mayhem and destruction all round, the sweetness is never lost between the characters. Making it even better is a cast of wonderful child actors which is the main reason you’ll be reminded of “The Goonies”. Especially note worthy are Joel Courtney, as the lead teen ager who has the sweetness that Henry Thomas brought to “E.T.” ; and Elle Fanning who is so natural in her role and, amazingly ,she’s only 13? The Fannings must be breeding with child actor genes or something. She was fantastic. Not only does the cast display strong acting chops, they capture the essence of the era brilliantly. If you grew up during that time, it will bring you back to your own childhood which for most of us is a pleasant remembrance.
Rated PG-13, it is not that violent, a little scary but most kids can handle if.
Clark
Monday, June 27, 2011
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS 4.0****
“Midnight in Paris" is a delightfully charming movie and is the best or certainly one of the best Woody Allen films in the last 10 years. It is a beautiful display of what movie magic can truly create, a sense of wonder long gone from most contemporary films. This is a movie that entertains, teaches, and spins a story that appeals to all the senses much like Paris bewitches us with every light, every street, and every beat of its music.
There's something about the midnight hour, something special, mystical, and magical. In the case of this marvelous movie, its impact is fully realized, as we see our nostalgic lead actor come to realize that he has the opportunity to face all that he truly admires, treasures, and dreams about.
A writer (Owen Wilson) and his fiancé (Rachel McAdams) travel in present day to Paris where his walk through the streets after midnight will eventually change his life. After deciding to walk alone at midnight, the writer eventually gets picked up and time travels back to Paris in the 1920s and comes face to face with such famous personalities as Ernest Hemingway, Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso and Luis Bunuel among others. After these fantasy meetings the Wilson begins to rethink his position in life and what he wants for his future. “Midnight in Paris” is one of the most magical, charming and fun movies Woody Allen has ever made. You can't help but think that Allen must have had a field day writing the screenplay and I think the results show on the screen because there's a certain charm and joy that blends into every scene and I honestly don't remember a single moment when I didn't have a big smile on my face.
Wilson perfectly nails the “Woody Allen” type character because you can believe in the naive nature of the guy although he's also relaxed enough that you can get into the story and follow it. The screenplay exudes with joy over the meetings of these famous people but Wilson really sells it with that astonished look he gets on his face when he meets these people face to face. McAdams is as charming as ever. As great as they and a very strong supporting cast are, it's Mario Cotillard who steals the film as Adriana, a mistress to Picasso and other artists and the one who really strikes it up with Wilson's character. Cotillard’s beauty and natural charm just leap off the screen into your heart and mind.\
This is one of the best movies of the year so far. So don’t miss it. C'est magnifiscent !!
Clark
“Midnight in Paris" is a delightfully charming movie and is the best or certainly one of the best Woody Allen films in the last 10 years. It is a beautiful display of what movie magic can truly create, a sense of wonder long gone from most contemporary films. This is a movie that entertains, teaches, and spins a story that appeals to all the senses much like Paris bewitches us with every light, every street, and every beat of its music.
There's something about the midnight hour, something special, mystical, and magical. In the case of this marvelous movie, its impact is fully realized, as we see our nostalgic lead actor come to realize that he has the opportunity to face all that he truly admires, treasures, and dreams about.
A writer (Owen Wilson) and his fiancé (Rachel McAdams) travel in present day to Paris where his walk through the streets after midnight will eventually change his life. After deciding to walk alone at midnight, the writer eventually gets picked up and time travels back to Paris in the 1920s and comes face to face with such famous personalities as Ernest Hemingway, Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso and Luis Bunuel among others. After these fantasy meetings the Wilson begins to rethink his position in life and what he wants for his future. “Midnight in Paris” is one of the most magical, charming and fun movies Woody Allen has ever made. You can't help but think that Allen must have had a field day writing the screenplay and I think the results show on the screen because there's a certain charm and joy that blends into every scene and I honestly don't remember a single moment when I didn't have a big smile on my face.
Wilson perfectly nails the “Woody Allen” type character because you can believe in the naive nature of the guy although he's also relaxed enough that you can get into the story and follow it. The screenplay exudes with joy over the meetings of these famous people but Wilson really sells it with that astonished look he gets on his face when he meets these people face to face. McAdams is as charming as ever. As great as they and a very strong supporting cast are, it's Mario Cotillard who steals the film as Adriana, a mistress to Picasso and other artists and the one who really strikes it up with Wilson's character. Cotillard’s beauty and natural charm just leap off the screen into your heart and mind.\
This is one of the best movies of the year so far. So don’t miss it. C'est magnifiscent !!
Clark
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS 3.0***
This is a traditional romantic drama of the old school with “Twilight” idol Robert Pattinson in the lead role. This is the type of film that is rarely made anymore, with a story that is so timeless that it could have been filmed any time in the last 50 years. It captures the mood of the 1930s and you really get a sense of what it must have been like to live during that time in history , during the hard depression years of the thirties
This is the story of Jacob Jankowski (Pattinson), a young man who loses everything when his parents die in a car accident. He leaves veterinary studies at Cornell University and like so many unemployed men in the 30s, hits the road. He jumps on a train and ends up as stowaway on one of the cars for the circus Benzini Brothers Circus. Circus Owner August confronts him and decides that young man with a veterinary education could be useful in a circus where the animals are dying of hunger and diseases. August is seemingly charming but is, in fact, a capricious sadist who is not afraid to harm, even kill, people or animals who disappoint him. Water for Elephants paints an authentic picture of circus life of the thirties, a merciless nomadic existence that operates in its own closed universe. Particularly fascinating are descriptions of the practice called red-lighting where employees were fired by being thrown off the circus train at full speed, with little chance for survival.
And the performances are good.. Christoph Waltz is captivating as a complex character, August, and Reese Witherspoon walks a fine line between the role of, Marlena, the dutiful wife of August and a lovely circus performer who works with and rides the big animals including the elephant, Rosie. But it is Robert Pattinson who delivers a range of emotion not seen from him before. He is understated and plays a gentleman and a scholar but also shows passion and intensity. The real star of the show is the majestic elephant herself (Rosie) who is the object of August’s wrath and the recipient of the love and care of Jacob and Marlena.
“Water for Elephants” may not be the best show on earth, but it’s still quite a show. It doesn't pretend to be anything other than an old-fashioned melodrama spun for as much emotion and romance as possible.
PG-13 is rating and nothing jumps out except some limited cruelty to animals
Clark
This is a traditional romantic drama of the old school with “Twilight” idol Robert Pattinson in the lead role. This is the type of film that is rarely made anymore, with a story that is so timeless that it could have been filmed any time in the last 50 years. It captures the mood of the 1930s and you really get a sense of what it must have been like to live during that time in history , during the hard depression years of the thirties
This is the story of Jacob Jankowski (Pattinson), a young man who loses everything when his parents die in a car accident. He leaves veterinary studies at Cornell University and like so many unemployed men in the 30s, hits the road. He jumps on a train and ends up as stowaway on one of the cars for the circus Benzini Brothers Circus. Circus Owner August confronts him and decides that young man with a veterinary education could be useful in a circus where the animals are dying of hunger and diseases. August is seemingly charming but is, in fact, a capricious sadist who is not afraid to harm, even kill, people or animals who disappoint him. Water for Elephants paints an authentic picture of circus life of the thirties, a merciless nomadic existence that operates in its own closed universe. Particularly fascinating are descriptions of the practice called red-lighting where employees were fired by being thrown off the circus train at full speed, with little chance for survival.
And the performances are good.. Christoph Waltz is captivating as a complex character, August, and Reese Witherspoon walks a fine line between the role of, Marlena, the dutiful wife of August and a lovely circus performer who works with and rides the big animals including the elephant, Rosie. But it is Robert Pattinson who delivers a range of emotion not seen from him before. He is understated and plays a gentleman and a scholar but also shows passion and intensity. The real star of the show is the majestic elephant herself (Rosie) who is the object of August’s wrath and the recipient of the love and care of Jacob and Marlena.
“Water for Elephants” may not be the best show on earth, but it’s still quite a show. It doesn't pretend to be anything other than an old-fashioned melodrama spun for as much emotion and romance as possible.
PG-13 is rating and nothing jumps out except some limited cruelty to animals
Clark
Thursday, May 19, 2011
RED RIDING HOOD 2.5***
This movie is interesting and fun in how it takes the classic fairy tale and turns it into a somewhat suspenseful mystery. And instead of a wolf there is a werewolf ( maybe because the Director, Catherine Hardwick, directed the first 2 “Twilight” films). “Red Riding Hood” ( RRH) reminded me of 'The Village' in that they have similar premises. In both, the villages are being terrorized by some sort of being and all the villagers are scared yet in RRH most of the villagers also could be the werewolf… lots of suspects. And it is a better film than “The Village”.
The best thing about this movie is the mystery about who the werewolf is. My guesses kept changing throughout the film because there are so many “red” herrings and, as it turns out, the werewolf isn't who you think it is ! I was surprised by the ending and did no expect the conclusion. That makes for a fun film.
In this version, Red Riding Hood is not a little girl. But, instead, she is a beautiful young woman who is portrayed by a beautiful young actress, Amanda Seyried, with the blond hair and bewitching “doe” eyes. Others in the cast include Julie Christie ( Grandmother), Virginia Madsen ( the Mother) and Gary Oldman (father Soloman who is summoned to be the werewolf slayer)
The problem with RRH is that it tries to be too many things but in the process tip toes around too much so as not to offend the targeted audiences. The suspense is muted and lacking of danger, anguish or horror because they are fearful of being too violent for the teen audience. The romance does not deliver very well because they don’t want to drive away the horror fans. The result is that the film misses the mark in both respects.
Clark
This movie is interesting and fun in how it takes the classic fairy tale and turns it into a somewhat suspenseful mystery. And instead of a wolf there is a werewolf ( maybe because the Director, Catherine Hardwick, directed the first 2 “Twilight” films). “Red Riding Hood” ( RRH) reminded me of 'The Village' in that they have similar premises. In both, the villages are being terrorized by some sort of being and all the villagers are scared yet in RRH most of the villagers also could be the werewolf… lots of suspects. And it is a better film than “The Village”.
The best thing about this movie is the mystery about who the werewolf is. My guesses kept changing throughout the film because there are so many “red” herrings and, as it turns out, the werewolf isn't who you think it is ! I was surprised by the ending and did no expect the conclusion. That makes for a fun film.
In this version, Red Riding Hood is not a little girl. But, instead, she is a beautiful young woman who is portrayed by a beautiful young actress, Amanda Seyried, with the blond hair and bewitching “doe” eyes. Others in the cast include Julie Christie ( Grandmother), Virginia Madsen ( the Mother) and Gary Oldman (father Soloman who is summoned to be the werewolf slayer)
The problem with RRH is that it tries to be too many things but in the process tip toes around too much so as not to offend the targeted audiences. The suspense is muted and lacking of danger, anguish or horror because they are fearful of being too violent for the teen audience. The romance does not deliver very well because they don’t want to drive away the horror fans. The result is that the film misses the mark in both respects.
Clark
Friday, May 6, 2011
THE CONSPIRATOR 3.0****
You may think you know the story about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln but probably not… I didn’t. ! You almost certainly don't know the story of one of the so called conspirators Mary Surratt who ran the boarding house where John Wilkes Booth met with his friends The story starts off focusing on Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) a young Union officer wounded on the battlefield during the Civil War. It turns out that he is a lawyer in civilian life and shortly after he leaves the military he is being pressured by his senior law associate to defend Mary Surratt (Robin Wright). The trial is being conducted by a military court ( think Guantanamo) with judge and jury being Union soldiers and an ace prosecutor Joseph Holt with Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (Kevin Kline) calling the shots from behind the scenes. Besides being a fascinating piece of little known history, the film is beautifully photographed, with near perfect period costumes but yet it draws the viewer in and makes you feel that you are watching a very real life high stakes drama. Of course this is also a thinking person's movie and you have to come away appreciating how the strength of our constitution gets tested from time to time and you wonder if it passed the test after Lincoln got shot as we sometimes wonder how it is doing today.
The entire cast was excellent especially Robin Wright as the owner of the boarding house where the plot was born, and James McIvoy as her defense attorney. Her case and possible involvement were the crux of the fine story. With exactly the right touch and control, special praise goes to director Redford. His sparse direction kept the story moving without those often used overlong, anguished and soulful scenes played mainly to evoke viewer pity. Redford told this story without gross sentiment, but factually and straightforward, with excellent historical accuracy in personal mannerisms, grooming, speech patterns, costumes and scene staging.
A truly excellent Civil War drama that showed that nothing ever changes in the ambitions of the power driven human political animal, as that ambition always comes first no matter the immorality, cruelty and inhumanity used to achieve it. And, as always, we who are not that way are all the worse due to those who are. Another example of the fact that we never seem to learn much from our many mistakes and inhumanities committed through the years.
Clark
You may think you know the story about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln but probably not… I didn’t. ! You almost certainly don't know the story of one of the so called conspirators Mary Surratt who ran the boarding house where John Wilkes Booth met with his friends The story starts off focusing on Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) a young Union officer wounded on the battlefield during the Civil War. It turns out that he is a lawyer in civilian life and shortly after he leaves the military he is being pressured by his senior law associate to defend Mary Surratt (Robin Wright). The trial is being conducted by a military court ( think Guantanamo) with judge and jury being Union soldiers and an ace prosecutor Joseph Holt with Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (Kevin Kline) calling the shots from behind the scenes. Besides being a fascinating piece of little known history, the film is beautifully photographed, with near perfect period costumes but yet it draws the viewer in and makes you feel that you are watching a very real life high stakes drama. Of course this is also a thinking person's movie and you have to come away appreciating how the strength of our constitution gets tested from time to time and you wonder if it passed the test after Lincoln got shot as we sometimes wonder how it is doing today.
The entire cast was excellent especially Robin Wright as the owner of the boarding house where the plot was born, and James McIvoy as her defense attorney. Her case and possible involvement were the crux of the fine story. With exactly the right touch and control, special praise goes to director Redford. His sparse direction kept the story moving without those often used overlong, anguished and soulful scenes played mainly to evoke viewer pity. Redford told this story without gross sentiment, but factually and straightforward, with excellent historical accuracy in personal mannerisms, grooming, speech patterns, costumes and scene staging.
A truly excellent Civil War drama that showed that nothing ever changes in the ambitions of the power driven human political animal, as that ambition always comes first no matter the immorality, cruelty and inhumanity used to achieve it. And, as always, we who are not that way are all the worse due to those who are. Another example of the fact that we never seem to learn much from our many mistakes and inhumanities committed through the years.
Clark
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
WIN WIN 3.5***
Director Tom McCarthy has put together a fine third film in “Win Win” (other 2 films: “The Station Agent” and “The Visitor”). It features a normal suburban family with normal suburban problems. Paul Giamatti is "Mike Flaherty" an attorney with a small practice who's also a high school wrestling coach. He's not perfect, but he's doing the best he can. He and his wife "Jackie" (the always wonderful Amy Ryan) are busy raising two kids and leading their quiet life. But when Mike gives into temptation to become the guardian of one his elderly clients (for the $1,500 a month commission) things get to be a little more complicated. The client's grandson, a troubled 16-year-old kid named "Kyle" (Alex Shaffer) comes to stay with his grandfather while his mother goes through her drug treatment. Since his grandfather is living in a retirement home, Kyle ends up staying with Mike and Jackie, who feel compelled to help the kid out .Kyle also turns out to be an exceptional wrestler and enrolls in high school and becomes the star wrestler.
The film is funny and sweet and paints a really true-to-life portrait of its characters. No one is purely good or purely bad, they're all just human. They make mistakes, whether large or small, and they try to make up for them.
Paul Giamatti is great in this, giving a much lower key performance than some of his previous works like “American Splendor” and “Sideways”. " He falls into the suburban dad character very well and wears the character's skin rather nicely. Amy Ryan is always a joy to see on-screen. Bobby Cannavale and Jeffrey Tambor are fun to watch as well, but serve generally to provide comedic relief. Alex Shaffer, as Kyle, was in real life all state wrestling champion and in his very first acting role, holds his own among some heavyweight actors. His sort of deadpan, monotone delivery works very well for the character of Kyle. And of course he displays remarkable skills as a wrestler.
“Win Win” is an amazing, near perfect indie sleeper. The whole movie can be summed up in one word: authentic. The characters do not overact, the plot is fun and believable, and the whole thing fells so real. It is a great example of what a family drama/comedy should be: fun, believable, and relatable. This movie was excellent from beginning to end.
Clark
Director Tom McCarthy has put together a fine third film in “Win Win” (other 2 films: “The Station Agent” and “The Visitor”). It features a normal suburban family with normal suburban problems. Paul Giamatti is "Mike Flaherty" an attorney with a small practice who's also a high school wrestling coach. He's not perfect, but he's doing the best he can. He and his wife "Jackie" (the always wonderful Amy Ryan) are busy raising two kids and leading their quiet life. But when Mike gives into temptation to become the guardian of one his elderly clients (for the $1,500 a month commission) things get to be a little more complicated. The client's grandson, a troubled 16-year-old kid named "Kyle" (Alex Shaffer) comes to stay with his grandfather while his mother goes through her drug treatment. Since his grandfather is living in a retirement home, Kyle ends up staying with Mike and Jackie, who feel compelled to help the kid out .Kyle also turns out to be an exceptional wrestler and enrolls in high school and becomes the star wrestler.
The film is funny and sweet and paints a really true-to-life portrait of its characters. No one is purely good or purely bad, they're all just human. They make mistakes, whether large or small, and they try to make up for them.
Paul Giamatti is great in this, giving a much lower key performance than some of his previous works like “American Splendor” and “Sideways”. " He falls into the suburban dad character very well and wears the character's skin rather nicely. Amy Ryan is always a joy to see on-screen. Bobby Cannavale and Jeffrey Tambor are fun to watch as well, but serve generally to provide comedic relief. Alex Shaffer, as Kyle, was in real life all state wrestling champion and in his very first acting role, holds his own among some heavyweight actors. His sort of deadpan, monotone delivery works very well for the character of Kyle. And of course he displays remarkable skills as a wrestler.
“Win Win” is an amazing, near perfect indie sleeper. The whole movie can be summed up in one word: authentic. The characters do not overact, the plot is fun and believable, and the whole thing fells so real. It is a great example of what a family drama/comedy should be: fun, believable, and relatable. This movie was excellent from beginning to end.
Clark
Monday, May 2, 2011
HANNA 3.5****
Hanna (Saorise Roman… she was the young girl in “Atonement” and the lead in “Lovely Bones”) is a sixteen-year-old girl living out in the Finnish wilderness with her father, Erik (Eric Bana). Her father aggressively trains Hanna from when she was a young girl to be a lethal and stealthy killer armed with an amazing intelligence that includes speaking multiple languages. The ultimate goal of the training is for Hanna to find and to kill Marissa Wiegler, played by Cate Blanchet, a handler for the CIA. The motive behind why they want her dead is part of an interesting storyline I won’t give away. We are led on a journey with Hanna, uncovering truths about her past and seeing what it's like in the real world being a teenage girl with remarkable skills ( along the lines of Bourne) all the while being hunted by very skilled killers.
Joe Wright, the Director ( he directed “Atonement” and “Pride & Prejudice”) takes an action movie and mixes it with fairy tale themes and beautiful masterful shots and creates a movie that is unlike any CIA spy movie you’ve ever seen before. On top of that, his action scenes are excellent. They're not loud or explosive, but instead the camera focuses on the character’s face while in hand to hand combat, and on occasion I’ll be done t all in one shot making it that much more impressive and real.
The cast is excellent and is strongly led by Saoirse Ronan, who is and will be a huge talent in the next few years. She plays Hanna extremely well showing her vulnerable and innocent side while also being this bad ass teenage girl. Eric Bana plays an integral part as the father. Finally, we have Cate Blanchet who is always going to be great and she especially shines in this role. Marissa Wiegler is pretty much seen as a wicked witch but with a strong sadistic, almost psychotic personality, making her a really interesting character.
To me Hanna is the first quiet sleeper hit of the year. The fine performances and amazing fight sequences are all complemented by one of the best soundtracks lately. The music is done by The Chemical Brothers and they make every scene that much more fun to watch, and especially so during the action scenes. Director Wright has turned a basic CIA story with a few mysteries into something that is fun, intriguing and different than other spy/assassin films.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sexual material and language. But it’s almost tame compared to other action films.
Clark
.
Hanna (Saorise Roman… she was the young girl in “Atonement” and the lead in “Lovely Bones”) is a sixteen-year-old girl living out in the Finnish wilderness with her father, Erik (Eric Bana). Her father aggressively trains Hanna from when she was a young girl to be a lethal and stealthy killer armed with an amazing intelligence that includes speaking multiple languages. The ultimate goal of the training is for Hanna to find and to kill Marissa Wiegler, played by Cate Blanchet, a handler for the CIA. The motive behind why they want her dead is part of an interesting storyline I won’t give away. We are led on a journey with Hanna, uncovering truths about her past and seeing what it's like in the real world being a teenage girl with remarkable skills ( along the lines of Bourne) all the while being hunted by very skilled killers.
Joe Wright, the Director ( he directed “Atonement” and “Pride & Prejudice”) takes an action movie and mixes it with fairy tale themes and beautiful masterful shots and creates a movie that is unlike any CIA spy movie you’ve ever seen before. On top of that, his action scenes are excellent. They're not loud or explosive, but instead the camera focuses on the character’s face while in hand to hand combat, and on occasion I’ll be done t all in one shot making it that much more impressive and real.
The cast is excellent and is strongly led by Saoirse Ronan, who is and will be a huge talent in the next few years. She plays Hanna extremely well showing her vulnerable and innocent side while also being this bad ass teenage girl. Eric Bana plays an integral part as the father. Finally, we have Cate Blanchet who is always going to be great and she especially shines in this role. Marissa Wiegler is pretty much seen as a wicked witch but with a strong sadistic, almost psychotic personality, making her a really interesting character.
To me Hanna is the first quiet sleeper hit of the year. The fine performances and amazing fight sequences are all complemented by one of the best soundtracks lately. The music is done by The Chemical Brothers and they make every scene that much more fun to watch, and especially so during the action scenes. Director Wright has turned a basic CIA story with a few mysteries into something that is fun, intriguing and different than other spy/assassin films.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sexual material and language. But it’s almost tame compared to other action films.
Clark
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Thursday, April 14, 2011
SOUL SURFER 3.25 ***
Based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a 13 year old competitive surfer with big dreams and a courageous spirit. Having been born and lived in Hawaii and coming from a family of surfers, the ocean and riding the waves is all Bethany can dream about. But her dreams turn into a nightmare after a sudden shark attack takes her left arm and her hopes of ever surfing again. Filmed entirely in Hawaii, it offers some gorgeous cinematography and wonderful surf-action shots and features an all-star cast including Helen Hunt, Denis Quaid, Craig T Nelson and AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany, the teen titan with a heart of gold.
Soul Surfer is a well produced film, that leans heavily on its soul-lifting story, stellar acting and a rocking soundtrack on a moderate budget. It's encouraging to see such big Hollywood names doing such inspirational family fare without the inflated-sized salary demands.
Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid actually seem to be enjoying themselves alongside the rising talents of the young cast members, most notably AnnaSophia Robb who delivers a powerful and gripping performance that is sure to win your heart and leave you breathless as she struggles to overcome all odds. Carrie Underwood as the youth pastor who comforts and encourages Bethany proves that singing may not be her only talent.
For a film based on a true story, I got caught up in the action and well paced story-telling. I found myself entranced by and caring for each of the characters. When the shark attack scene unfolded, I found myself holding my breath and completely taken in by the film. The shark attack is handled very well and happens so quickly there is very little violence or gore.. Another refreshing bonus was the lack of any profanity or sexuality, making it completely suitable and safe for viewing by the entire family and for church or youth group settings
I highly recommend this entertaining and uplifting film.. The acting is terrific but the locales make you want to move to Hawaii. Also, in most sports based movies you expect the star of the film to win. It is sort of a given. However, this movie expertly sets the viewer up for another kind of win. Not just a trophy or a magazine cover but a win that takes the viewer down a road focusing on personal struggles. There is a lot of talk about faith based film but this film isn't just about faith it is also about how to get up when you are down and make a difference. I went to the film expecting something good but I came away from the film having experienced something great.
Based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a 13 year old competitive surfer with big dreams and a courageous spirit. Having been born and lived in Hawaii and coming from a family of surfers, the ocean and riding the waves is all Bethany can dream about. But her dreams turn into a nightmare after a sudden shark attack takes her left arm and her hopes of ever surfing again. Filmed entirely in Hawaii, it offers some gorgeous cinematography and wonderful surf-action shots and features an all-star cast including Helen Hunt, Denis Quaid, Craig T Nelson and AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany, the teen titan with a heart of gold.
Soul Surfer is a well produced film, that leans heavily on its soul-lifting story, stellar acting and a rocking soundtrack on a moderate budget. It's encouraging to see such big Hollywood names doing such inspirational family fare without the inflated-sized salary demands.
Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid actually seem to be enjoying themselves alongside the rising talents of the young cast members, most notably AnnaSophia Robb who delivers a powerful and gripping performance that is sure to win your heart and leave you breathless as she struggles to overcome all odds. Carrie Underwood as the youth pastor who comforts and encourages Bethany proves that singing may not be her only talent.
For a film based on a true story, I got caught up in the action and well paced story-telling. I found myself entranced by and caring for each of the characters. When the shark attack scene unfolded, I found myself holding my breath and completely taken in by the film. The shark attack is handled very well and happens so quickly there is very little violence or gore.. Another refreshing bonus was the lack of any profanity or sexuality, making it completely suitable and safe for viewing by the entire family and for church or youth group settings
I highly recommend this entertaining and uplifting film.. The acting is terrific but the locales make you want to move to Hawaii. Also, in most sports based movies you expect the star of the film to win. It is sort of a given. However, this movie expertly sets the viewer up for another kind of win. Not just a trophy or a magazine cover but a win that takes the viewer down a road focusing on personal struggles. There is a lot of talk about faith based film but this film isn't just about faith it is also about how to get up when you are down and make a difference. I went to the film expecting something good but I came away from the film having experienced something great.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
SOURCE CODE 3.3***
“Source Code” begins with the lead character, Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhall), waking up on a Chicago commuter train, opposite Christina (Michelle Monaghan), a woman whom he's apparently never met, talking to him as if they've known each other some time. Immediately after, we learn that he's a Helicopter pilot for the US Army, and that he in fact has never met her before. He has no clue how he's gotten to where he is, or why. All he knows is that this woman apparently knows him well, and thinks his name is 'Sean'. Confused by all of this, he goes to the bathroom, only to find that the person in the mirror isn't him, it's someone else. Just as you begin to try to process all of this information, the train abruptly explodes into flames, killing everyone on board. The opening immediately attaches you to the story. It also leaves us with tons of questions: What the hell just happened? Who is Christina? Who is this 'Sean' Character? Why is Colter in this situation?
Then Colter wakes up again, but now in a dimly lit capsule, alone, talking to fellow soldier Capt. Carol Goodwin (Vera Farmiga). We discover that the commuter train he was just on was destroyed by a terrorist bomb earlier that day, and that there may be an even larger attack that could destroy Chicago. We also learn that he's a participant in an experimental Army intelligence program that allows him to continually relive the last eight minutes of one of the train's passengers life (Sean), in order to find the terrorist bomber who has threatened the larger attack in the heart of Chicago. And like “Groundhog Day”, he experiences the same events over and over again, remembering each and every one. Giving him the chance to inspect every suspicious passenger, as well as getting to know Christina a bit more along the way, and eventually beginning to care for her safety.
This film succeeds with the constant suspense and mystery, great action sequences, and the amazing musical score. “Source Code” keeps you guessing throughout about who the bomber could be and what’s going to happen. This film fulfils the very definition of a suspense thriller with SciFi thrown in.
Clark
“Source Code” begins with the lead character, Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhall), waking up on a Chicago commuter train, opposite Christina (Michelle Monaghan), a woman whom he's apparently never met, talking to him as if they've known each other some time. Immediately after, we learn that he's a Helicopter pilot for the US Army, and that he in fact has never met her before. He has no clue how he's gotten to where he is, or why. All he knows is that this woman apparently knows him well, and thinks his name is 'Sean'. Confused by all of this, he goes to the bathroom, only to find that the person in the mirror isn't him, it's someone else. Just as you begin to try to process all of this information, the train abruptly explodes into flames, killing everyone on board. The opening immediately attaches you to the story. It also leaves us with tons of questions: What the hell just happened? Who is Christina? Who is this 'Sean' Character? Why is Colter in this situation?
Then Colter wakes up again, but now in a dimly lit capsule, alone, talking to fellow soldier Capt. Carol Goodwin (Vera Farmiga). We discover that the commuter train he was just on was destroyed by a terrorist bomb earlier that day, and that there may be an even larger attack that could destroy Chicago. We also learn that he's a participant in an experimental Army intelligence program that allows him to continually relive the last eight minutes of one of the train's passengers life (Sean), in order to find the terrorist bomber who has threatened the larger attack in the heart of Chicago. And like “Groundhog Day”, he experiences the same events over and over again, remembering each and every one. Giving him the chance to inspect every suspicious passenger, as well as getting to know Christina a bit more along the way, and eventually beginning to care for her safety.
This film succeeds with the constant suspense and mystery, great action sequences, and the amazing musical score. “Source Code” keeps you guessing throughout about who the bomber could be and what’s going to happen. This film fulfils the very definition of a suspense thriller with SciFi thrown in.
Clark
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE LINCOLN LAWYER 3.5***
I know what you're thinking and I can agree with you that the name, Matthew McConaughey, does not instill great confidence that you're going to get a quality movie experience. Now that is not to say that McConaughey hasn't done some good movies. There are “We Are Marshall” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”. But there are many more losers than winners. “Lincoln Lawyer” is fortunately one of his better ones if not his best, and shows that McConaughey can carry a movie without having to take his shirt off in every scene.
“Lincoln Lawyer” is a thrilling drama about a cocky and smooth defense attorney Mick Haller, played by McConaughey, who represents a high-profile client on charges of attempted murder for having brutally beaten a prostitute. But as new evidence continues to pile on, Mick starts to grow suspicious that perhaps his client isn't telling him everything. With twists and turns at every corner, “Lincoln Lawyer” keeps you guessing till the very end. McConaughey shows how slick his character can be in glib talking his way through his myriad of contacts and networks built up over the course of his characters career, from ex clients to current ones, from beat cops to opposing lawyers. So you come to like the character and actually cheer Haller on as an unorthodox lawyer who gets the job done, guided by a moral compass not to put an innocent man behind bars. He operates out of the backseat of a chauffeur driven Lincoln sedan, which is where the title got its name .
With the help of that distinct country voice and southern charm, McConaughey takes the movie to another level with this portrayal of the fast-talking lawyer. With this role McConaughey is actually given a chance to show off a range of emotions that will truly surprise viewers. Mcconaughey doesn't carry this alone, “Lincoln Lawyer” gets some great acting from a strong supporting cast that includes the likes of William H. Macy, Ryan Phillippe and the always amazing Marisa Tomei. Oh, McConaughey still manages to have one scene where he take his top off. I think it must be written into his contract
Saying almost anything more about the movie will give too much away. I will admit that after having seen sooo many movies over the years it's very hard for me to be surprised at a movies ending. The twist at the end of this one really threw me and I love it when that happens. This is an excellent movie..and my wife, Sara enjoyed it too.
It’s rated “R” for some violence and a quick sex scene with Marisa Tomei when MM takes his shirt off .
Clark
I know what you're thinking and I can agree with you that the name, Matthew McConaughey, does not instill great confidence that you're going to get a quality movie experience. Now that is not to say that McConaughey hasn't done some good movies. There are “We Are Marshall” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”. But there are many more losers than winners. “Lincoln Lawyer” is fortunately one of his better ones if not his best, and shows that McConaughey can carry a movie without having to take his shirt off in every scene.
“Lincoln Lawyer” is a thrilling drama about a cocky and smooth defense attorney Mick Haller, played by McConaughey, who represents a high-profile client on charges of attempted murder for having brutally beaten a prostitute. But as new evidence continues to pile on, Mick starts to grow suspicious that perhaps his client isn't telling him everything. With twists and turns at every corner, “Lincoln Lawyer” keeps you guessing till the very end. McConaughey shows how slick his character can be in glib talking his way through his myriad of contacts and networks built up over the course of his characters career, from ex clients to current ones, from beat cops to opposing lawyers. So you come to like the character and actually cheer Haller on as an unorthodox lawyer who gets the job done, guided by a moral compass not to put an innocent man behind bars. He operates out of the backseat of a chauffeur driven Lincoln sedan, which is where the title got its name .
With the help of that distinct country voice and southern charm, McConaughey takes the movie to another level with this portrayal of the fast-talking lawyer. With this role McConaughey is actually given a chance to show off a range of emotions that will truly surprise viewers. Mcconaughey doesn't carry this alone, “Lincoln Lawyer” gets some great acting from a strong supporting cast that includes the likes of William H. Macy, Ryan Phillippe and the always amazing Marisa Tomei. Oh, McConaughey still manages to have one scene where he take his top off. I think it must be written into his contract
Saying almost anything more about the movie will give too much away. I will admit that after having seen sooo many movies over the years it's very hard for me to be surprised at a movies ending. The twist at the end of this one really threw me and I love it when that happens. This is an excellent movie..and my wife, Sara enjoyed it too.
It’s rated “R” for some violence and a quick sex scene with Marisa Tomei when MM takes his shirt off .
Clark
Monday, March 28, 2011
LIMITLESS 3.0***
What if one little pill could radically change your life in a spectacular way. What would you give for this miracle? It has been said that we only use 10% of our brain power while the other 90% either stores vast amounts of data/memories or is simply not used. What if you could tap into this unknown potential for heightened intelligence, potential psychic abilities and being able to recall all your memories ??. “ Limitless” embraces this fantasy in a very interesting story.
It’s also an action-thriller about a writer who takes an experimental drug that allows him to use 100 percent of his mind. As he evolves into the perfect version of himself, evil forces learn of his discovery and relentlessly stalk him to get the drug. The movie begins with an out-of-work book writer Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) being dumped by his longtime girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish) which confirms his belief that he has a zero future. That all vanishes the day an old friend introduces Eddie to MDT, a new and secret designer drug that enables him to use all of his brain power. Now on the MDT, everything Eddie has read, heard or seen is instantly organized and available to him. Suddenly, Eddie finishes his first book and turns life around with such fluidity that even he still can't comprehend what is happening. Needless to say, he needs more of the MDT . More leads to wealth as he plays the stock market and fame as his book is unbelievably brilliant. But there are consequences from taking and withdrawing from this drug leaving him addled with blackouts and severe headaches. With a dwindling stash of the MDT and hit men who will eliminate him to get the MDT, Eddie must stay wired long enough to elude capture and fulfill his destiny.
The problem with “Limitless” is that its concept is almost bigger than the rest of the film. The film is centered around this fantastic idea that doesn't seem to be developed to its maximum potential. The final product though isn't all bad. With an intriguing storyline, a strong performance from Bradley Cooper, and some fairly captivating cinematography, “Limitless” comes off as an above average thriller that is worth the ticket price if you’re wanting to go to the movies. Otherwise you could wait for it to come out on DVD.
It’s rated “PG-13”… only one shocking/disgusting scene involving drinking blood.
What if one little pill could radically change your life in a spectacular way. What would you give for this miracle? It has been said that we only use 10% of our brain power while the other 90% either stores vast amounts of data/memories or is simply not used. What if you could tap into this unknown potential for heightened intelligence, potential psychic abilities and being able to recall all your memories ??. “ Limitless” embraces this fantasy in a very interesting story.
It’s also an action-thriller about a writer who takes an experimental drug that allows him to use 100 percent of his mind. As he evolves into the perfect version of himself, evil forces learn of his discovery and relentlessly stalk him to get the drug. The movie begins with an out-of-work book writer Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) being dumped by his longtime girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish) which confirms his belief that he has a zero future. That all vanishes the day an old friend introduces Eddie to MDT, a new and secret designer drug that enables him to use all of his brain power. Now on the MDT, everything Eddie has read, heard or seen is instantly organized and available to him. Suddenly, Eddie finishes his first book and turns life around with such fluidity that even he still can't comprehend what is happening. Needless to say, he needs more of the MDT . More leads to wealth as he plays the stock market and fame as his book is unbelievably brilliant. But there are consequences from taking and withdrawing from this drug leaving him addled with blackouts and severe headaches. With a dwindling stash of the MDT and hit men who will eliminate him to get the MDT, Eddie must stay wired long enough to elude capture and fulfill his destiny.
The problem with “Limitless” is that its concept is almost bigger than the rest of the film. The film is centered around this fantastic idea that doesn't seem to be developed to its maximum potential. The final product though isn't all bad. With an intriguing storyline, a strong performance from Bradley Cooper, and some fairly captivating cinematography, “Limitless” comes off as an above average thriller that is worth the ticket price if you’re wanting to go to the movies. Otherwise you could wait for it to come out on DVD.
It’s rated “PG-13”… only one shocking/disgusting scene involving drinking blood.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU 3.25****
What if what we thought was “free will” granted to us by God was only a well designed pretense. What if in fact God has decided for each of us in advance what our life “plan” should be. What if there was a host of invisible angels always around us to intervene and make “adjustments “if we should attempt to stray from the plan or if pure chance alters the plan. Well that’s the premise and a good one and they manage to pull it off fairly successfully.
Matt Damon, as a rising New York politician, and Emily Blunt, as a rising ballerina, are the stars and, as you might guess, become romantically involved. And of all things they first meet in the Men’s room at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City and hit it off immediately even though we’re only talking about 5 minutes or so. It’s a “chance ‘ meeting that is not a part of their life “plan” . What happens from there makes for an interesting and enjoyable movie. Some may say its “hokey” or too “Hollywood”, but I liked it a whole lot and left with in strong “feel good” mood.
.It's a delightful surprise to have a well done romantic comedy sci-fi which speculates on the nature of god and whether we have free will or not. Filmed on location in New York City, it has intriguing twists and turns that show off the Big Apple in a pleasing way.
Some folks may be bothered by the religious aspect of the film, but the movie offers a reasonable explanation for why God might take away our free will. So don’t get tangled up in the premise but, instead, just sit back and enjoy the story and some good acting. After the movie you can debate among your friends the religious aspects.
It’s rated PG-13 for some brief strong language and some sexuality.
Clark
What if what we thought was “free will” granted to us by God was only a well designed pretense. What if in fact God has decided for each of us in advance what our life “plan” should be. What if there was a host of invisible angels always around us to intervene and make “adjustments “if we should attempt to stray from the plan or if pure chance alters the plan. Well that’s the premise and a good one and they manage to pull it off fairly successfully.
Matt Damon, as a rising New York politician, and Emily Blunt, as a rising ballerina, are the stars and, as you might guess, become romantically involved. And of all things they first meet in the Men’s room at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City and hit it off immediately even though we’re only talking about 5 minutes or so. It’s a “chance ‘ meeting that is not a part of their life “plan” . What happens from there makes for an interesting and enjoyable movie. Some may say its “hokey” or too “Hollywood”, but I liked it a whole lot and left with in strong “feel good” mood.
.It's a delightful surprise to have a well done romantic comedy sci-fi which speculates on the nature of god and whether we have free will or not. Filmed on location in New York City, it has intriguing twists and turns that show off the Big Apple in a pleasing way.
Some folks may be bothered by the religious aspect of the film, but the movie offers a reasonable explanation for why God might take away our free will. So don’t get tangled up in the premise but, instead, just sit back and enjoy the story and some good acting. After the movie you can debate among your friends the religious aspects.
It’s rated PG-13 for some brief strong language and some sexuality.
Clark
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
BLUE VALENTINE 3.5*** (from an artistic standpoint)
If you think of a relationship as having a life of its own, then Blue Valentine is that life at the moment of death where that life (from beginning to near end) flashes in front of your eyes. The film uses a combination of present time and flashback showing how these two people came together and how they inevitably fell apart. Ryan Gossling and Michelle Williams ( she was nominated for Oscar’s Best actress) are both superb in this film. He plays all the clumsy sweetness and frustration of Dean perfectly, and she plays the damaged and need to be loved with a quiet power that is absent from most performances today.
These are two people with a very romanticized view of love. They view it as something that is there or it isn't there. From their backgrounds it is obvious why. Neither of them has any exposure to a couple working at love and tending to the relationship. Things are good, then they aren't. Williams character says early on, "How can you trust your feelings when they can just disappear like that?" That is a question that has plagued people as long as there have been relationships. At some point your feelings will change and if you are unequipped to change and grow with them, then the relationship is probably destined to fail.
There are two stories here (falling in love and falling apart) told in intersecting circles. You see the beginning of the end, then you see how they meet, you see the relationship deteriorate further, then you see their amazing first date. This style allows you to see how they fell in love with each other, but also showed the lack of foundation the ultimately doomed them.
Gosling as the devoted, hard working father is touching, Williams as the overworked mother who seems to be raising her husband along with her daughter is touching. The dynamic of goofy, doting father, and concerned, loving mother is brilliantly played, and creates some genuinely sweet and heartbreaking moments.
This is not an easy movie to watch. It's quite brutal emotionally at times. While it is artistically great, the story and the acting, it is a REAL downer… very depressing. So, be warned, this is NOT a date night movie. In fact the opposite is true. If you’re going with someone and would like to break-up, take him/her to see this film and you make get your wish by the time the movie is over.
Rated R on appeal for strong graphic sexual content, language, and a beating; originally rated NC-17 for a scene of explicit sexual content.
Clark
If you think of a relationship as having a life of its own, then Blue Valentine is that life at the moment of death where that life (from beginning to near end) flashes in front of your eyes. The film uses a combination of present time and flashback showing how these two people came together and how they inevitably fell apart. Ryan Gossling and Michelle Williams ( she was nominated for Oscar’s Best actress) are both superb in this film. He plays all the clumsy sweetness and frustration of Dean perfectly, and she plays the damaged and need to be loved with a quiet power that is absent from most performances today.
These are two people with a very romanticized view of love. They view it as something that is there or it isn't there. From their backgrounds it is obvious why. Neither of them has any exposure to a couple working at love and tending to the relationship. Things are good, then they aren't. Williams character says early on, "How can you trust your feelings when they can just disappear like that?" That is a question that has plagued people as long as there have been relationships. At some point your feelings will change and if you are unequipped to change and grow with them, then the relationship is probably destined to fail.
There are two stories here (falling in love and falling apart) told in intersecting circles. You see the beginning of the end, then you see how they meet, you see the relationship deteriorate further, then you see their amazing first date. This style allows you to see how they fell in love with each other, but also showed the lack of foundation the ultimately doomed them.
Gosling as the devoted, hard working father is touching, Williams as the overworked mother who seems to be raising her husband along with her daughter is touching. The dynamic of goofy, doting father, and concerned, loving mother is brilliantly played, and creates some genuinely sweet and heartbreaking moments.
This is not an easy movie to watch. It's quite brutal emotionally at times. While it is artistically great, the story and the acting, it is a REAL downer… very depressing. So, be warned, this is NOT a date night movie. In fact the opposite is true. If you’re going with someone and would like to break-up, take him/her to see this film and you make get your wish by the time the movie is over.
Rated R on appeal for strong graphic sexual content, language, and a beating; originally rated NC-17 for a scene of explicit sexual content.
Clark
Sunday, February 27, 2011
UNKNOWN 3.0*** (but barely)
If you go in expecting a nice ride with a couple of twists somewhat similar to, but not as good as "Taken”( the excellent thriller movie also starring Liam Neeson"), you'll get what you want. But if you go in expecting more, you’ll be disappointed. How the story ends is somewhat cliché and the movie includes the almost always mandatory never-ending car chase that we’ve all seen so many times before… although it is fairly good. The movie would have been great if "Unknown" had actually dealt more in-depth with the terror of memory loss and identity theft .
Originality definitely isn't a problem for this film because of its vast ambiguity. Therefore, that aspect will not disappoint those looking for an original film. Also, there are fine performances by Diane Kruger and Frank Langella, and a standout performance by German actor Bruno Ganz. But it is Liam Neeson, who makes the movie.. The reason Liam Neeson is an A-list actor is his ability to play very balanced roles. He always goes as far as he can with a role without overdoing it and thus making himself relevant and believable. He plays Dr Martin Harris, a researcher invited to a bio-technology congress in Berlin. After arriving at but before checking in the hotel with his lovely wife (January Jones) ,he realizes he left his briefcase at the airport and jumps in a cab to return to get it only to have the cab get involved in a near fatal accident. He suffers a bad concussion and is in a coma for 4 days. And if his week had not been bad enough, it culminates in his wife no longer recognizing him and, instead, she acknowledges another man as her husband. Talk about a major identity crisis and theft !
“Unknown" tries way too hard to be ambiguous and original when a better and clearer plot development would have helped. Too many twists and turns sometimes send the plot into nearly opposite directions. Unfortunately the film concludes leaving numerous loose ends which causes a lot of things to remain "unknown."
“Unknown” is good, but not great. It's worth a go at the theatre, but if you're expecting “Taken”, you’ll be disappointed..
Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of violence and action, and brief sexual content.
Clark
If you go in expecting a nice ride with a couple of twists somewhat similar to, but not as good as "Taken”( the excellent thriller movie also starring Liam Neeson"), you'll get what you want. But if you go in expecting more, you’ll be disappointed. How the story ends is somewhat cliché and the movie includes the almost always mandatory never-ending car chase that we’ve all seen so many times before… although it is fairly good. The movie would have been great if "Unknown" had actually dealt more in-depth with the terror of memory loss and identity theft .
Originality definitely isn't a problem for this film because of its vast ambiguity. Therefore, that aspect will not disappoint those looking for an original film. Also, there are fine performances by Diane Kruger and Frank Langella, and a standout performance by German actor Bruno Ganz. But it is Liam Neeson, who makes the movie.. The reason Liam Neeson is an A-list actor is his ability to play very balanced roles. He always goes as far as he can with a role without overdoing it and thus making himself relevant and believable. He plays Dr Martin Harris, a researcher invited to a bio-technology congress in Berlin. After arriving at but before checking in the hotel with his lovely wife (January Jones) ,he realizes he left his briefcase at the airport and jumps in a cab to return to get it only to have the cab get involved in a near fatal accident. He suffers a bad concussion and is in a coma for 4 days. And if his week had not been bad enough, it culminates in his wife no longer recognizing him and, instead, she acknowledges another man as her husband. Talk about a major identity crisis and theft !
“Unknown" tries way too hard to be ambiguous and original when a better and clearer plot development would have helped. Too many twists and turns sometimes send the plot into nearly opposite directions. Unfortunately the film concludes leaving numerous loose ends which causes a lot of things to remain "unknown."
“Unknown” is good, but not great. It's worth a go at the theatre, but if you're expecting “Taken”, you’ll be disappointed..
Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of violence and action, and brief sexual content.
Clark
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
BARNEY’S VERSION 4.0****
An imperfect life perfectly told. Take an amazing and fascinating ride through the life and memories of Barney Panofsky, a hard-drinking, cigar-smoking, foulmouthed 65-year old hockey fanatic and television producer, as he reflects on his life's successes (few) and failures (many) as shown through well done flash backs and flash forwards leading up to the final chapters of his life .The film is essentially a series of humorous vignettes but also has its share of moments of tenderness and high drama (showcasing Alzheimer's, for example). There's usually at least one laugh in every scene, and there's every kind of humor: sarcastic, mordant, sexual, ironical, satirical and slap stick. To put it another way: If you leave without having laughed, then you need a big dose of “sense of humor” meds.
As Barney,Paul Giamatti is absolutely stunning. . He is one of the most talented and underrated character actors around and continues to prove his worth and excellence here. Barney's life is an emotional roller-coaster, and Giamatti gives his all to make the audience really feel for this pathetic, misguided, adolescent shell of a man. No matter what emotion or word he is trying to convey, you will hang on every sound and look. He should have been nominated for Best Actor for the Oscars. The rest of the cast is solid, no matter their screen time. Rosamind Pike, as Barney's third wife is wonderful, as is Minnie Driver as the overbearing, Jewish 2nd wife. But they are all overshadowed by Dustin Hoffman in the role of Barney's father Izzy. He steals all the scenes he appears in providing more gusto and depth than he has in years. His antics and behavior at the Jewish Wedding/Reception are hilarious as is his final scene in the movie.
Give yourself a night off, forget about your problems and find out about Barney's problems and his friends problems, and his wives’ problems. It will make your life seem much, much better and you’ll laugh along the way, probably several times. For poor Barney, nothing seems to turn out the way he wanted. Even though he is successful in business, he is really miserable and doesn't know how to fix it. An unexpected turn of events, and voilà, his worst problem is solved. But in an instant, he messes up again and is suspected of murder. The answer to the murder mystery isn't revealed until the very end of the movie and even then you have to be really sharp to figure it out..
This is an Independent film that will be hard to find at the theatres.. but find it or rent it.. in other words, don’t miss it. It is a jewel of a movie.
Rated R for language and some sexual content.
Clark
An imperfect life perfectly told. Take an amazing and fascinating ride through the life and memories of Barney Panofsky, a hard-drinking, cigar-smoking, foulmouthed 65-year old hockey fanatic and television producer, as he reflects on his life's successes (few) and failures (many) as shown through well done flash backs and flash forwards leading up to the final chapters of his life .The film is essentially a series of humorous vignettes but also has its share of moments of tenderness and high drama (showcasing Alzheimer's, for example). There's usually at least one laugh in every scene, and there's every kind of humor: sarcastic, mordant, sexual, ironical, satirical and slap stick. To put it another way: If you leave without having laughed, then you need a big dose of “sense of humor” meds.
As Barney,Paul Giamatti is absolutely stunning. . He is one of the most talented and underrated character actors around and continues to prove his worth and excellence here. Barney's life is an emotional roller-coaster, and Giamatti gives his all to make the audience really feel for this pathetic, misguided, adolescent shell of a man. No matter what emotion or word he is trying to convey, you will hang on every sound and look. He should have been nominated for Best Actor for the Oscars. The rest of the cast is solid, no matter their screen time. Rosamind Pike, as Barney's third wife is wonderful, as is Minnie Driver as the overbearing, Jewish 2nd wife. But they are all overshadowed by Dustin Hoffman in the role of Barney's father Izzy. He steals all the scenes he appears in providing more gusto and depth than he has in years. His antics and behavior at the Jewish Wedding/Reception are hilarious as is his final scene in the movie.
Give yourself a night off, forget about your problems and find out about Barney's problems and his friends problems, and his wives’ problems. It will make your life seem much, much better and you’ll laugh along the way, probably several times. For poor Barney, nothing seems to turn out the way he wanted. Even though he is successful in business, he is really miserable and doesn't know how to fix it. An unexpected turn of events, and voilà, his worst problem is solved. But in an instant, he messes up again and is suspected of murder. The answer to the murder mystery isn't revealed until the very end of the movie and even then you have to be really sharp to figure it out..
This is an Independent film that will be hard to find at the theatres.. but find it or rent it.. in other words, don’t miss it. It is a jewel of a movie.
Rated R for language and some sexual content.
Clark
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
THE SOCIAL NETWORK 4.0**** out of 4.0****
“The Social Network” is not as much about the phenomena of Facebook as it is about Mark Zuckerberg and the people associated with him and the consequences that arise from the birth and evolution of Facebook. In an even broader sense, it's about friends being driven apart due to money and betrayal. Because of this, it's no surprise that some have compared it to “Citizen Kane”. And it's not just the similarities in themes, it's also the quality of the film.
What makes the movie so good is the wonderful screen writing of Aaron Sorkin ( he was the force behind and writer for the brilliant TV drama, “West Wing”). The film is filled with crisp dialog that just sucks you in. Director David Fincher also does a great job keeping the audience captivated with a consistently fast and mesmerizing pace.
Several points stand out. First the film makers have rather ingeniously used as a framing device two separate court cases dealing with who really invented Facebook. In both lawsuits Zuckerman is being sued for really big bucks. Second, Jessie Eisenberg's performance as Zuckerberg is uncanny. It may or may not be true to life but it is absolutely convincing. His Zuckerberg is a genius but an enigma, a superficial friend but also a want-to-be-friend, and yet somehow we connect with him. Third, his opponents in one of the cases are the arrogant Winklevoss twins, two of a vanishing breed – handsome, rich WASP with an unshakable belief in their entitlement to privilege. Amazingly they are played by the same actor (Armie Hammer) who puts in two seamless performances. Fourth, Zuckerberg's treatment of his good friend to him and collaborator Eduardo Saverin, who is the other one suing Zuckerman, is outrageous.
This is a film which simply shouldn't work, but it does. . A convoluted story of conflict between the originators of new type of web site, Facebook, that since 2003 has come to be valued at 25 billion dollars and have 500 million members.. The movie succeeds because it is not about the technology but about creativity and conflict and about friendship and betrayal. It succeeds because of a magical combination of accomplished direction, scintillating dialogue and superb acting.
It has been nominated for Best Picture for the Oscars along with other nominations for Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Director etc.
Clark
“The Social Network” is not as much about the phenomena of Facebook as it is about Mark Zuckerberg and the people associated with him and the consequences that arise from the birth and evolution of Facebook. In an even broader sense, it's about friends being driven apart due to money and betrayal. Because of this, it's no surprise that some have compared it to “Citizen Kane”. And it's not just the similarities in themes, it's also the quality of the film.
What makes the movie so good is the wonderful screen writing of Aaron Sorkin ( he was the force behind and writer for the brilliant TV drama, “West Wing”). The film is filled with crisp dialog that just sucks you in. Director David Fincher also does a great job keeping the audience captivated with a consistently fast and mesmerizing pace.
Several points stand out. First the film makers have rather ingeniously used as a framing device two separate court cases dealing with who really invented Facebook. In both lawsuits Zuckerman is being sued for really big bucks. Second, Jessie Eisenberg's performance as Zuckerberg is uncanny. It may or may not be true to life but it is absolutely convincing. His Zuckerberg is a genius but an enigma, a superficial friend but also a want-to-be-friend, and yet somehow we connect with him. Third, his opponents in one of the cases are the arrogant Winklevoss twins, two of a vanishing breed – handsome, rich WASP with an unshakable belief in their entitlement to privilege. Amazingly they are played by the same actor (Armie Hammer) who puts in two seamless performances. Fourth, Zuckerberg's treatment of his good friend to him and collaborator Eduardo Saverin, who is the other one suing Zuckerman, is outrageous.
This is a film which simply shouldn't work, but it does. . A convoluted story of conflict between the originators of new type of web site, Facebook, that since 2003 has come to be valued at 25 billion dollars and have 500 million members.. The movie succeeds because it is not about the technology but about creativity and conflict and about friendship and betrayal. It succeeds because of a magical combination of accomplished direction, scintillating dialogue and superb acting.
It has been nominated for Best Picture for the Oscars along with other nominations for Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Director etc.
Clark
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT 3.0***
“The Kids Are All Right” is a family drama about two married women (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) who are married to each other… yes, a lesbian marriage. They have two teenage kids. One born to one of the woman and the other child born by the other woman. The sperm donor was the same man for both. The eldest daughter (Mia Wasikowska) has just turned eighteen, and is encouraged by her younger brother to contact the sperm donor who made it possible for their mothers to conceive them. Upon meeting the man (Mark Ruffalo), the already strained dynamics of the family are stressed further, as the two mothers are going through the typical problems that any married couple faces after being married for years, and the daughter prepares to go off to college.
The fact that the central couple of the story are lesbians does somewhat set “The Kids Are All Right” apart, but at its heart it's really just a movie about family and the relationships within the family unit. There's great acting all around, and the story never delves too deeply into sentimentality or sappiness. There are no bad guys, just a bunch of flawed people who don't always do the right thing.
The performances are outstanding and is really the reason to see this film. The story is average at best. Julianne Moore and Annette Bening act as if they really were a couple married for the past two decades. Every word that they utter, every facial expression, seems so natural and genuine. When they discover horrifying secrets, when they are torn apart, we are heartbroken with them; it's pure torture to watch them for fear of ourselves ending up a crying mess. Add to that Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson as their children and Ruffalo as the sperm donor father and you've got one of the better family dramas,
Be forewarned though that this movie is rated “R” because there is a lot of graphic sex in this movie, both female to female and male to female… more than was necessary. And, yes, these scenes will be uncomfortable for many viewers to watch. But hey, as they say, this is Hollywood and that's the way they are out there …all in the name of art .
NOTE: From this movie the following Oscar nominations: Annette Bening for Best Actress; Mark Ruffalo for Best Male Supporting Role and the movie for Best Picture.
Clark
“The Kids Are All Right” is a family drama about two married women (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) who are married to each other… yes, a lesbian marriage. They have two teenage kids. One born to one of the woman and the other child born by the other woman. The sperm donor was the same man for both. The eldest daughter (Mia Wasikowska) has just turned eighteen, and is encouraged by her younger brother to contact the sperm donor who made it possible for their mothers to conceive them. Upon meeting the man (Mark Ruffalo), the already strained dynamics of the family are stressed further, as the two mothers are going through the typical problems that any married couple faces after being married for years, and the daughter prepares to go off to college.
The fact that the central couple of the story are lesbians does somewhat set “The Kids Are All Right” apart, but at its heart it's really just a movie about family and the relationships within the family unit. There's great acting all around, and the story never delves too deeply into sentimentality or sappiness. There are no bad guys, just a bunch of flawed people who don't always do the right thing.
The performances are outstanding and is really the reason to see this film. The story is average at best. Julianne Moore and Annette Bening act as if they really were a couple married for the past two decades. Every word that they utter, every facial expression, seems so natural and genuine. When they discover horrifying secrets, when they are torn apart, we are heartbroken with them; it's pure torture to watch them for fear of ourselves ending up a crying mess. Add to that Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson as their children and Ruffalo as the sperm donor father and you've got one of the better family dramas,
Be forewarned though that this movie is rated “R” because there is a lot of graphic sex in this movie, both female to female and male to female… more than was necessary. And, yes, these scenes will be uncomfortable for many viewers to watch. But hey, as they say, this is Hollywood and that's the way they are out there …all in the name of art .
NOTE: From this movie the following Oscar nominations: Annette Bening for Best Actress; Mark Ruffalo for Best Male Supporting Role and the movie for Best Picture.
Clark
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
“Country Strong", surprisingly a good film even if you don't happen to like country music. Starring Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man), Tim McGraw (The Blind Side), Garrett Hedlund (TRON: Legacy) and Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl), "Country Strong" succeeds in doing exactly what it sets out to do; that is make a good dramatic film about country music that is also entertaining. And, oh yeah, Gwyneth Paltrow can sing.. This is a story that follows fallen country music superstar Kelly Canter (Paltrow) after she is released from rehab and attempts a comeback concert tour. There is also another, and all around better, storyline that follows the rise of two up and coming country music artists Beau Hutton and Chiles Stanton (Hedlund and Meester), as they try to find out what path to take through the harsh and unforgiving world of the country music industry.
Yes, "Country Strong" is somewhat predictable and yes, it does lag a bit in the middle of the film, but it does redeem itself with a vengeance in the final 30 minutes of the film. The storyline is confusing at times but acceptable, the character development is okay and the acting (including the singing), for the most part, is excellent. Paltrow delivers, not only vocally, but also as the fragile, disillusioned singer. Kelly is a woman who was strong once upon a time, but the constant pressure and relentless lifestyle have taken their toll. Now she’s a woman with a troubled marriage who has become lost in a sea of booze and bad breaks. But, unequivocally the actor to take note of in this film is Hedlund, who steals the show with his performance of as an up-and-coming young country singer and songwriter. His chemistry on screen with just about everyone including the microphone is so authentic, that whenever he is on-screen he literally makes the movie better.
Final Thought: "Country Strong" is currently getting raked through the coals by the critics for its simplistic storyline, but let me tell you this: anyone who is a fan of Country music will love this film if for no other reason, the music and the soundtrack.. And even if the Country twang is not your bang, this is a strong enough drama to keep you in your seat. This is no "Crazy Heart”, but "Country Strong" is still entertaining enough for me to recommend it.
Yes, "Country Strong" is somewhat predictable and yes, it does lag a bit in the middle of the film, but it does redeem itself with a vengeance in the final 30 minutes of the film. The storyline is confusing at times but acceptable, the character development is okay and the acting (including the singing), for the most part, is excellent. Paltrow delivers, not only vocally, but also as the fragile, disillusioned singer. Kelly is a woman who was strong once upon a time, but the constant pressure and relentless lifestyle have taken their toll. Now she’s a woman with a troubled marriage who has become lost in a sea of booze and bad breaks. But, unequivocally the actor to take note of in this film is Hedlund, who steals the show with his performance of as an up-and-coming young country singer and songwriter. His chemistry on screen with just about everyone including the microphone is so authentic, that whenever he is on-screen he literally makes the movie better.
Final Thought: "Country Strong" is currently getting raked through the coals by the critics for its simplistic storyline, but let me tell you this: anyone who is a fan of Country music will love this film if for no other reason, the music and the soundtrack.. And even if the Country twang is not your bang, this is a strong enough drama to keep you in your seat. This is no "Crazy Heart”, but "Country Strong" is still entertaining enough for me to recommend it.
“Country Strong", surprisingly a good film even if you don't happen to like country music. Starring Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man), Tim McGraw (The Blind Side), Garrett Hedlund (TRON: Legacy) and Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl), "Country Strong" succeeds in doing exactly what it sets out to do; that is make a good dramatic film about country music that is also entertaining. And, oh yeah, Gwyneth Paltrow can sing.. This is a story that follows fallen country music superstar Kelly Canter (Paltrow) after she is released from rehab and attempts a comeback concert tour. There is also another, and all around better, storyline that follows the rise of two up and coming country music artists Beau Hutton and Chiles Stanton (Hedlund and Meester), as they try to find out what path to take through the harsh and unforgiving world of the country music industry.
Yes, "Country Strong" is somewhat predictable and yes, it does lag a bit in the middle of the film, but it does redeem itself with a vengeance in the final 30 minutes of the film. The storyline is confusing at times but acceptable, the character development is okay and the acting (including the singing), for the most part, is excellent. Paltrow delivers, not only vocally, but also as the fragile, disillusioned singer. Kelly is a woman who was strong once upon a time, but the constant pressure and relentless lifestyle have taken their toll. Now she’s a woman with a troubled marriage who has become lost in a sea of booze and bad breaks. But, unequivocally the actor to take note of in this film is Hedlund, who steals the show with his performance of as an up-and-coming young country singer and songwriter. His chemistry on screen with just about everyone including the microphone is so authentic, that whenever he is on-screen he literally makes the movie better.
Final Thought: "Country Strong" is currently getting raked through the coals by the critics for its simplistic storyline, but let me tell you this: anyone who is a fan of Country music will love this film if for no other reason, the music and the soundtrack.. And even if the Country twang is not your bang, this is a strong enough drama to keep you in your seat. This is no "Crazy Heart”, but "Country Strong" is still entertaining enough for me to recommend it.
Yes, "Country Strong" is somewhat predictable and yes, it does lag a bit in the middle of the film, but it does redeem itself with a vengeance in the final 30 minutes of the film. The storyline is confusing at times but acceptable, the character development is okay and the acting (including the singing), for the most part, is excellent. Paltrow delivers, not only vocally, but also as the fragile, disillusioned singer. Kelly is a woman who was strong once upon a time, but the constant pressure and relentless lifestyle have taken their toll. Now she’s a woman with a troubled marriage who has become lost in a sea of booze and bad breaks. But, unequivocally the actor to take note of in this film is Hedlund, who steals the show with his performance of as an up-and-coming young country singer and songwriter. His chemistry on screen with just about everyone including the microphone is so authentic, that whenever he is on-screen he literally makes the movie better.
Final Thought: "Country Strong" is currently getting raked through the coals by the critics for its simplistic storyline, but let me tell you this: anyone who is a fan of Country music will love this film if for no other reason, the music and the soundtrack.. And even if the Country twang is not your bang, this is a strong enough drama to keep you in your seat. This is no "Crazy Heart”, but "Country Strong" is still entertaining enough for me to recommend it.
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