AMERICAN HUSTLE  3.0***

 

         Let me say at the outset that I am at odds with the majority of critics  in that I thought that American Hustle was a good movie, but  not a great movie.  The Director, David O. Russell, assembled some of Hollywood's most sought-after talent that includes Oscar-winners Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence along with Oscar-nominees Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, and Jeremy Renner.   Based on the popularity of last year's Silver Linings Playbook, and the awesome cast, this was supposed to be Russell's masterpiece.  In my opinion it is not… good, even very good, but not great.

 

Set in New Jersey, American Hustle follows con man  Christian Bale along with his partner and mistress Amy Adams who get caught red-handed in one of their schemes by FBI Agent Bradley Cooper However. instead of imprisonment Cooper convinces the two to try to pull off their biggest heist yet on political operator Jeremy Renner. They agree but Bale has the difficult task of trying to keep his eccentric wife Jennifer Lawrence under control so as not to blow their cover.

 

American Hustle looks and feels like a 70’s  film through and through. Everything from the set pieces, the costumes  and  the soundtrack takes you out of the present and throws you delightfully into the 70’s. The characters' late 70’s dress and hair styles are amazing. Be it Christian Bale’s almost bald head combed to make the hair fuller, Jennifer Lawrence’s upswept hair, Bradley Cooper’s  fake curls or Jeremy Renner’s Elvis Presley hairdo, they are all screaming seventies. But while there is plenty of style, there is little substance. What bothered me most was how overly complicated the plot was which made it hard to follow. Also at times the scenes were overdone and thus  the movie is too long ( 2 hr. 9 min.) . The movie could and should have been funnier, wittier and tighter

 

With that being said, what you do have is one of the best performances in recent times by the "entire" cast. It's a movie about strongly connected characters and how they will blindly step all over each other in order to achieve their goals. It's wonderful seeing such talented people playing such flawed, vulnerable, and believable characters.  Christian Bale is the master of makeover ( he put on 40 to 50 lbs for the role) and is so much into character that at times it’s hard to believe that the same guy played the famous caped crusader. Amy Adams is fabulous and  completely convincing as a conniving ruthless seductress. Jennifer Lawrence is adorable, playing the crazy, eccentric and loud mouthed wife. Bradley Cooper is great with his funny hair playing the over-zealous FBI Agent.  And  I might be stretching it, but Renner has that aura of Joe Pesci. I absolutely loved everyone in the movie. But what really made this movie for me was Jennifer Lawrence. She stole every scene that she was in. Whether she's accidentally setting her kitchen on fire, angrily dancing to "Live and Let Die" or walking around with a neck brace, she is absolutely hilarious.  

 Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and brief violence .

Clark

 

 

SAVING MR. BANKS  3.8***

 

    Tom Hanks is Walt Disney and Emma Thompson is P.L. Travers, the author of the "Mary Poppins" books in "Saving Mr. Banks,". For twenty years, P.L. Travers has refused to sell the rights to her Mary Poppins books to Walt Disney. Finally, her agent tells her that she’s running out of money because she doesn't have any new sales or residuals coming in and she really ought to take Walt up on his offer. He has promised her final say on the film.

Reluctantly, the uptight, very proper P.L. Travers goes to Hollywood and proceeds to drive Walt Disney, composers Richard and Robert Sherman and everyone else insane with her ridiculous demands and criticisms. Despite his best efforts, Disney cannot get her to warm up to him, and after a period of time, she still hasn't signed over the rights. In a way, Disney understands because "the mouse" (that would become Mickey) is very personal for him, and when he had the chance, he wouldn't sell the character. But in another way, he is mystified. Travers herself doesn't seem to understand what drives her stubbornness, yet she keeps having flashbacks to her own childhood in Australia with her sweet albeit drunken father ( played exceptionally well by Colin Farrell) who died young when she was a teen, and her unhappy mother (Ruth Wilson).

The film should really be called "Solving P.L. Travers" because it's the story of a woman coming to terms with her life and being able to let go of the past. Emma Thompson is absolutely wonderful as the prim and proper British dame, firing off snappy dialogue laced with sardonic wit , an unlikeable woman who becomes more likable as we gradually understand her, and Hanks is fantastic as Disney, a remarkable man with great vision but is also one who is used to winning people over… having his way.

Saving Mr. Banks" is a truly great and beautifully told film.  It's a movie that exemplifies why we go to the movies and what Disney stands for as an entertainment corporation. It is equal parts heartfelt, witty, charming, entertaining, and emotionally satisfying.  One of the best movies of the year and will be in the Oscar race.

Clark

 

OUT OF THE FURNANCE  2.0 ***

 

          This is the second movie by director Scott Cooper-his first was “Crazy Heart”' where Jeff Bridges won a Best Actor Oscar. Christian Bale and Casey Affleck star as brothers  living in a small industrial town in Pennsylvania. Christian works in a steel mill  handling a furnace. Casey just got back from the his 3^rd tour in Iraq. After an accident that results in the deaths of 2 people, Christian goes to prison with for being DUI.. Casey does another tour in Iraq, returns home and  gets tired of trying to get a regular job------he does not want to work in the steel mills like his brother and father----and gets involved with Woody Harrelson, an illegal bare-knuckle fight promoter. Woody also deals in drugs and looks like a typical mean as a snake redneck hillbilly although he is from New Jersey-I guess they have redneck hillbillies in New Jersey, too. When Christian gets out of prison, his life turns into a country/western song; his girlfriend has left him, his father is dead, and his brother  disappears. The only thing left for Christian to do is to try to straighten out his life and get some kind of closure.

   

 Nothing about this bleak, brutal, blue-collar melodrama will make you feel good. It’s the opposite. It is a depressing downer of a movie. Everything that can go wrong does go wrong for everybody. "Out of the Furnace" puts its heroes, villains, and victims through a grim gauntlet.  Essentially, "Out of the Furnace" focuses on the bond of brotherly love between two brothers who encounter more than their share of suffering at the hands of the sadistic, bare-knuckled fight promoter played with chilling intensity by Woody Harrelson.  

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Christian Bale ditches the Batman cape in exchange for a goatee and bedraggled look. “Out of the Furnace” is a mediocre movie. It doesn't have anything to do with the acting which is really quite good. The movie is just is not fulfilling. Bale, not surprisingly,  plays his part well, and is one of the saving graces of this subpar film which is simply too bleak and too slow .

 

It's rated "R" for language, violence and drug content and has a running time of 1 hour & 56 minutes.

 

Clark

   

THE BOOK THIEF   3.0***

 

 

         You of course have seen movies that have narration but I bet you haven't seen one like this. In this movie, the narrator is Death, i.e. the “Grim Reaper”, which though strange nonetheless works.

“The Book Thief” is from a popular “youth book” and  is about a young girl  whose brother dies and her mother abandons her - all at the age of 11. She's adopted by an older couple in Germany just as Hitler and The Nazi movement are in full control. Her foster father teaches her how to read which lights a fire inside of her to read and read and read. Again, since this is Nazi Germany, books are very hard to find. The only way she can get  books is to "borrow" them from a rich family who hired the mother to do their laundry.  Also, her family agrees to hide a young Jewish man in their basement which puts the young girl's family at great risk. But, the young girl and the young man become very good friends, helping each other through hard times. During this time, there are many people dying so Death is very nearby and has a lot to say.  

 The film is hauntingly beautiful, and moves at an effortless pace…. not too fast, not too slow- allowing the viewers to become immersed in the realities of Liesel's situation. Lovely Sophie Nelisse is stunningly perfect in the role of Liesel, capturing both the bright-eyed innocence and the eventual world-weary quality needed for the role.. Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson, of course, are their usual extraordinary selves as Liesel's adoptive parents.

This is truly a movie for all ages not just for young people. It operates on many levels, as a commentary on the disastrous effects of World War II and as a poignant tale of one small soul fighting for her own sense of humanity.  It is a touching film that will leave viewers young and old just a bit speechless.

Clark

:      This review is for a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie (”Christmas in Conway”) that just premiered this week and is now showing on the Hallmark TV channel.  The Movie was made in Wilmington, NC but is supposed to be happening in Conway, SC. It’s a really fine film that tugs at the heartstrings. A good addition to anyone’s Christmas movie list.

By the way, when you watch it don’t skip over the Hallmark commercials…they wonderful.

 

 

CHRISTMAS IN CONWAY  3.0***

           Natalie(Mandy Moore) is a hospice nurse who  goes to Conway SC, 60 miles from home, to take care of Suzy (Mary Louise Parker), who is terminally ill and was only allowed to come home from the hospital if she had a home care nurse. Even so,Suzy's husband Duncan (Andy Garcia) doesn't want a nurse, saying he can take care of her himself.  Suzy has given up on chemotherapy so beating the cancer is no longer an option . But she hasn’t giving up either. Duncan  seems like a cranky old man  but he is very loving to Suzy, and inside the house  shows the emotions he is trying to hide when anyone else is around. He doesn't know how he will make it without her.

Duncan wants to take Suzy to Myrtle Beach so they can relive the day he proposed to her on a Ferris wheel there. But Suzy is too sick to make the trip. There is another way : Duncan decides to get a Ferris wheel of his own and put it up in his backyard. He is told that a guy named Henry has one.  Henry is a wacko who runs a junkyard . And NO the broken-down Ferris wheel is NOT for sale. But after a lot of haggling, one day a large truck shows up with Henry and his 2 of his buddies. All they do is unload. Duncan will have to do the rest, and Henry provides what directions he has.  

Meanwhile, Suzy is going downhill, though she tries to remain positive. As the Ferris wheel goes up Duncan encounters many problems. Can he make this fantasy really happen? Will Suzy even make it until it does?

The cast is quite good as is the story which is heart rendering  and sweet. And it doesn't shy away from the reality of terminal illness.  This is a worthy effort for the Hallmark Hall of Fame and adds to its list of fine movies.

 

Clark

 

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB... 3.3****

 

       It’s not unusual for an actor  to alter their physical appearance for a movie role.  Regardless of the transformation what really matters is the performance and the character. In “Dallas Buyers Club”, we actually get two incredible transformations that lead to two stunning performances.
Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto each lost approximately 40 to 50 pounds for their respective roles as Ron Woodroof, a rugged,redneck, ultra-macho, alcoholic/drug-addicted electrician/rodeo bull-riding  playboy; and Rayon, a sensitive, street-savvy, would be transsexual so desperate for a kind word. Their physical appearance will startle you more than once and is quite effective in showing  the ravishes of those infected with HIV virus in the 1980's. Both are superb in their roles and should get Oscar nominations

 

The movie is based on a true story and a real life guy (Woodroof) who became a most unlikely beacon of hope for AIDS patients. Woodroof fought the medical industry, drug companies and the government (FDA, DEA, IRS) for the right to treat oneself with whatever medicines were available in the world. It's impossible to miss the message that most of the drug companies may have the goal of increasing profits rather than curing the deadly disease.

 

Until recently, Matthew McConaughey's body of work was just that, a body that worked well on the screen for so many of the aimless romantic/comedies in which he played the lead.  In 2011, McConaughey was the lead “ The Lincoln Lawyer” and this year the lead in “Mud”. In both McConaughey was finally able to flex some of his acting muscles as opposed to abdomen muscles., McConaughey has reinvented his career and is now being  casted as a serious actor with serious acting skills. McConaughey and his Texan accent were  a match made in heaven for his role as the slowly weathering and dying HIV/AIDS patient  Woodruff.

 

Dallas Buyers Club is a  heavy-hitting drama with lasting effects. Dramatizing the social discrimination of gays in the South and the condition of many low-income  American residents, the film raises the question of whether or not AIDS/HIVS and other fatal diseases are fairly treated by government  and whether the main goal of the powerful drug companies is wealth  or health.

 

Rated “R” for pervasive bad language, some strong sexual content/nudity and drug use.

 

Clark
 

PHILOMENA  3.5***

 

 By the way, Philomena is the name of the lead character in the moved brilliantly played by Judi Dench. ( It sounds more like a STD or a species of fish  ??)

 Philomena is a film  that pulls hard  at your heartstrings.  It's the story of great injustice that was inflicted on young girls some 50 years ago who had the misfortune in society's eyes to become pregnant out of wedlock. It's easy to say it was the fault of the harsh attitude of  the Irish Catholic Church, but that would be like saying that anti-Semitism was all the fault of the Germans. No, this is not a story of the Catholic Church vs. the more caring world, but rather a look back in time to a series of events and cruel attitudes whose ramifications still echo today.

This is the story of one woman, Philomena, as portrayed in her old age by Judi Dench. She is a stoical, quiet, but lighthearted woman who has an undercurrent of great sadness. The story begins with her finally telling her daughter about the son she had at age 18 who was taken from her and sold by adoption  by the Irish Catholic Church 50 years ago. She  admits that she desperately needs to seek him out, "I just want him to know that he was loved." Her daughter is able to enlist a journalist, Martin Sixsmith ( Steve Coogan), who is at loose ends and rather reluctantly agrees to help her in her search using all his considerable skills of a long time journalist.  This is a true story in that there really is a Philomena Lee, whose son, Anthony, was taken from her at age three. And there really is a Martin Sixsmith, the journalist who helped her.  

While the movie has a quite good story, what makes this film so very watchable are the performances. Judi Dench once again proves that she is one the finest working actresses of our age. Her performance is absolutely exquisite. Good bet that she will get an Oscar nomination.. Steve Coogan, as Sixsmith, is also very, very good.   The characters played by  Dench and  Coogan  are something of a very "odd couple".. Dench is remarkable is her role as the simple woman who reads romance novels, gets excited about salad bars, is thrilled with mints on her pillow, and has lived a lifetime with a hole in her heart created by having her young son ripped from her world. Coogan is effectively restrained as the snooty Brit journalist who thinks human interest stories are a waste of time. She has maintained her religious faith and faith in people, while he has long ago given up on God and flaunts his cynicism in most every situation.

 

Philomena is an incredible and heartfelt story. It's sad, yet never overly sentimental. There's some genuinely funny moments, mainly emanating from the contrast between the wide-eyed and refreshing simplicity of Philomena's world view and the weary wryness of Sixsmith.  

 

Clark

 

ABOUT TIME 2.7***

 

Writer-director Richard Curtis (who wrote and directed the critically acclaimed hit “Love Actually” and wrote or co-wrote  “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Bridgett Jones’  Diary”) helmed this 'time travel romantic comedy-drama'. It stars Domhnall Gleeson (who's most famous for playing Bill Weasley in the last two “Harry Potter” films) as a 21-year-old lawyer in training who discovers from his father that he can time travel and then uses his gift to get a girlfriend, Rachel McAdams. Bill Nighy plays his also time travelling dad. The film is as much a father-son tale as it is a romance.  

 

At the root, this film's message is living life to the fullest. Enjoying the simple things in life, like seeing your children growing up, sipping tea with a loved one, or just the pleasure of buying a sandwich at the local store during a lunch break. The film reminds us that much of our lives are spent worrying about what has happened in the past and what could happen in the future, and that much of this worry will never come to be and ends up just being lost time and wasted emotions.  

 

This isn't one of Richard Curtis's best films, as a writer or a director, but it does have most of what you expect from a Richard Curtis movie: a hapless, awkward, unexpected leading man, a beautiful, almost unattainable leading lady, a whole host of colorful supporting characters and, not to forget, a wedding. Throw in some time travel and you have yourself a story. But the problem is that the story goes over the top at times with too much sugary sentiment. But Curtis does a fine job balancing the comedy and the emotional drama although  eventually it feels like it's being laid on a bit too thick when subtlety would have been better.

 

There is a nice shift from a boy-girl story in the first half to focusing on the father-son relationship in the second half, and both were  enjoyable to watch in their own right. Bill Nighy was fantastic in the movie and pretty much a scene-stealer. He had great chemistry with Domhnall Gleeson who at first I was unsure of but he quickly won me over. He delivers a great comic performance in the more light-hearted rom-com areas of the first half, and a subtle dramatic performance in the emotional, albeit overly sentimental, second half.  McAdams, who is no stranger to the time-travelling love story narrative, venturing in her third quest as the desired love interest, first in the” Time Traveler's Wife” and two years later in Woody Allen's acclaimed “Midnight In Paris”, enchants and reminds us just how adorable and likable she really is in these roles.  

 

Surprisingly it is rated “R” which I disagree with… this is a  “PG13”. There is some language and sexual content but not enough to rate an “R:”.

 

Clark

 

 HOW I LIVE NOW  2.5***     

 

          This is a movie taken from  an award-winning book and the story covers a world crisis that could very easily become a reality .. Set against the backdrop of a worsening world political situation… a WWIII,  Saoirse Ronan's Daisy, a New-York teenager with a chip on her shoulder, is dropped into a world that could not be further from what she is used to - the British countryside. She has promised herself that she will push her boundaries and get out of her comfort zone, not knowing that the journey that awaits her will require her to push herself further out than she could ever imagine . She eventually bonds with her 3 cousins and even falls in love with the oldest who is about her age.

 The movie is nicely  artistic - not just in the beautiful countryside but also in showing  the outbreak of a massive global conflict and thence the nature of war. Notably, the enemy is not identified once, beyond the fact that they are "terrorists." Our only interactions with them in the movie could imply that they are anarchists, but this is mere speculation. And it is not told from the military point of view, who might be used to threats like this, but rather from the point of view of the civilians, whose lives have been torn apart.

I found Saoirse Ronan's performance as Daisy to be quite good. Although I felt that the moody side to her character was a little too much at times. But she definitely captures the essence of a neglected teenager who misses her dead mother and her too busy father and feels like misfortune follows her around. . George MacKay, meanwhile, plays an introverted but incredibly strong-willed teenager who can bring out the best in this seemingly selfish and moody American teenager which, not surprisingly, evolves into an intense teenage romance.

 

I have  mixed views of this film. I don't think I have decided yet if it was really bad or really good and I haven't read the book so I couldn't compare however I did enjoy the storyline although it was way too slow.  I did  find Daisy quite annoying at the beginning of the film because she was so rude with such an attitude towards  relatives that she didn’t even know that well. In some parts of the film I thought that the acting was quite well done by all of the cast however there were times when it was slightly over acted and at times the script was too vague.  Overall, the cast, story and shots of landscapes were enough to entertain me but I think I will always be on the fence with this film. Wait and catch it thru Netflix or on TV.

 

Clark

 

ENDER’S GAME  3.0***

 

 

 

       "Ender's Game"   is a military science fiction film based on Orson Scott Card's 1985 very popular  novel of the same name which I have not read and thus had no preconceived notions about the story. It stars  Asa Butterfield as Ender and  Harrison Ford,  Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin and Ben Kingsley.

The story takes place years after a nearly successful alien invasion of the Earth. The aliens (ant like creatures) were eventually defeated by the courage and skill of a single fighter pilot-in the right place at the right time, kind of like Randy Quaid in 'Independence Day'. After the near catastrophe, Earth decided that it would be best if they started preparing to defend against a return invasion…. after all, you know how ants always come back. Harrison Ford is the Commander in charge of recruiting and training. He  was decided that the best strategy for fighting another battle  would be to use young cadets (12 to18) , since they have the ability to think fast and  have fast reflexes.  Ender (Butterfield) is the top contender and is sent through the arduous  training with the other teens.. The training sessions resemble video gaming and there is more to the storyline than you would expect, including a discussion of the dilemmas and morality of war.

The director has done a fine job of breathing life into this multilayered story. It moves quickly and all its actors give fine performances  This isn't just a visual effects driven movie although there are lots of explosions, cool technology and brilliant visuals. I saw the film in IMAX format and that enhances the effects but not much would be lost by seeing it in a regular theater .The movie's climactic battle scene is breathtaking - not only for its ferocity but as the foundation for a surprise ending that  changes the context of the film up to that point.

Harrison Ford is good as a the Commander who is determined to save humanity at any cost. His philosophy is cold, direct and dangerous. By contrast, Ender is  innocent (but not naïve), brilliant, and more in tune with the sanctity of life whether human or alien. And so there is a huge contrast between the two characters which becomes even greater after the final battle. .

It's rated "PG-13" for the action and violence and has a running time of 1 hour & 54 minutes

Clark

NOTE: The US Army and the Marine Corps have 'Ender's Game' on their recommended reading list for officers because of the lessons in training methodology, leadership and ethics

 

NOTE: I may not have seen this movie if I had not had an Imax Power Pass. The Power Pass costs $45 for a calendar year and all documentaries are free and all Hollywood movies are only $5. Also all pass holders go to the front of the waiting line. Great deal.

 

  

 

LAST VEGAS  3.0***

 

             Last Vegas is a comedy about a bunch of old guys reuniting for a weekend in Las Vegas. It’s a movie about guys trying to recapture their better days when they were close friends growing up in Brooklyn.  The strength of the movie is not the story but the marvelous cast:   Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Robert DeNiro, and Kevin Kline who have been on the big screen for decades and have been in some of the best movies of all time. Last Vegas is not among their better efforts, but at least it’s not an embarrassment. The movie capitalizes on their likability from  their time spent building up loads of audience affection. It’s counting on it, in fact, to fill in for the weak jokes and predictable script . The movie is pleasant and undemanding but somewhat flimsy.

 

The story starts when the  Michael Douglas calls his old pals and tells them he’s getting married in Vegas that weekend to a woman half his age.. They, being retired and not particularly busy, make the appropriate travel arrangements and head off for a “senior citizens” bachelor party.  The men carry the thin, predictable story without breaking a sweat, but the only real sparkle comes from Mary Steenburgen. At 60+, she's still a complete stunner and captivating screen presence.  

 

Without being in a hurry to get much of anywhere, Last Vegas simply shuffles along as do the 4 guys.  It’s a film that lazily moves along  to pretty much exactly where you think it’ll go. The feel you get from the movie is  like wearing a pair of comfortable “old” shoes rather than getting the last remaining bits of soggy chicken at the casino buffet. 

 

“Last Vegas” is a mellow “feel good”, most of which comes from  watching highly successful actors as if they’ve worked together forever, when in fact they never have. Movie magic and friendship themes make this a comfort film when compared to the other glitzy stuff on other screens.

 

Clark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS  4.0 ***

 

     This movie’s Director Paul Greengrass has proved his talents with two fantastic Bourne films, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, and two impressive real-life dramas, Bloody Sunday and United 93.. Captain Phillips sees Greengrass deliver another true story to the big screen, proving that he is indeed the current king of cinematic re-enactments.

 

Captain Phillips is the rarest of thrillers, the kind that relies on neither distracting special effects nor distracting character development. Driven by a powerful, soul-baring performance by  Tom Hanks, the movie never lags, never oversells the plight of its characters, never reduces anyone or anything to mere caricature .Hanks is the  Captain of the United States container ship MV Maersk Alabama, cruising along the coast of Somalia with a full load. A skiff load of 4 armed Somalis close in, ready to board the vessel. They're pirates, working for a warlord in their impoverished country, and they smell opportunity. The pirates board the giant ship, clearly pleased with their find. Muse (Barkhad Abdi) quickly proves himself to be a strong  leader; he's single minded (where's the crew? where's the goods?) but not sinister.  

The movie is told in two distinct halves: the time spent by the pirates on the Maersk as they search in vain for treasure and crew, and the time spent in the ship's lifeboat as they make their way to Somalia. The villains are conflicted and desperate. And armed. But they're quickly immersed in what appears to be an impossible situation. This is one of the toughest, most naked performances of Hanks' stellar career. (He is a slam dunk for an Oscar nomination for Best Actor) It's sometimes painful and heart wrenching to watch. He's an Everyman, per usual, but he's not a savior or a hero. He doesn't suddenly develop super strength and overpower the bad guys.  Matching him wit for wit while frantically trying to keep his own wits about him is Abdi as the skinny, intelligent Muse, seemingly a veteran of high piracy.  Abdi is a wonder to watch; unpredictable and cunning but  greedy and rapidly running out of viable options.  

 What also is an intelligent move on Greengrass's part, and just like in United 93, is the use of real people who actually worked those certain jobs (navy seals, medics, etc.) It adds a  reality to the film and adds believability to the roles. Captain Phillips is tense. It is heart wrenching. It is raw and it is powerful. With its well-executed direction and stellar performances, Captain Phillips is a must see for anyone who appreciates quality cinema and great acting.

You should see this one on the a big theater screen if at all possible.

Clark

 

    

PARKLAND  3.0***

 

 

      Parkland" tells the story of the events that unfold on November 22nd, 1963, the day that John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated. After being shot President Kennedy was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital where a team of respectable medical personal did everything in their power to save him. This film also incorporates the story of Abraham Zapruder,  the man that  shot the most watched home movie in history. "Parkland" also covers a little of Lee Harvey Oswald but more so of his brother and mother. It also has time for the Dallas Police, the Secret Service, and the FBI.

This is docu-drama with an emphasis on the documentary side of things. Its based on a heavily researched book, "Four Days in November”. The movie is so fast paced you would not think 94 minutes could fly by that quickly! The panic, fear, confusion and shock of the Secret Service agents, Dallas Police, FBI, Parkland Hospital staff, witnesses, news media and the American public is non-stop!!!!!.  The words the actors speak are supposed to be as close to reality as possible, and not some script writer's attempt to suggest a conspiracy theory.

Paul Giamatti is superb as Abraham Zapruder, the reluctant hero who recorded the most famous home movie in history. .James Badge Dale nails it as Robert Oswald, the assassin's brother who  has to deal with a new, terrible reality. He makes you feel his disgust for his brother's actions, but at the same time, feel his sympathy and sorrow for Lee Harvey.

Zac Efron and Marcia Gay Harden are fine as the primary Emergency Room doctor and nurse, who without warning, are forced to deal with a fatal gunshot wound to the most important person in the world. You can see the initial fear and trepidation on their faces before they snap out of their daze and try to save the President's life. And then these same people must deal with the shooting of Oswald. Yes, the President and Oswald were both sent to Parkland Hospital and attended to by the same doctors and nurses !!

 Ron Livingston, plays FBI agent James Hosty, the man who was assigned the case of Lee Harvey Oswald after he returned from Russia. The FBI's investigation of Oswald was going nowhere fast, and Hosty describes Oswald as a "nobody." But as his boss screams at him, a NOBODY who just shot the President! The viewer feels sorry for Hosty as he is being forced to compromise his ethics and integrity to help the FBI  avoid the embarrassment sure to follow if the world finds out Oswald came to the FBI office in Dallas ten days before the assassination and threatened Hosty.

Billy Bob Thornton  is one of the most talented actors in Hollywood. He jumps off the screen as Forrest Sorrels, the Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service in Dallas.   And then there is Jacki Weaver, an Australian actress, who plays the mother of the Oswald brothers. Phenomenal!!! She knocks it out of the park. Quickly, the viewer sees just how crazy she is, and how in the middle of such a horror as the assassination of the President, she embarrasses her son Robert with her utterly preposterous claims about her son, Lee.

While this is quite good, I’d recommend you wait for it to come out on DVD, Netflix or TV.

Clark

 

INSTRUCTIONS NOT INCLUDED    3.3***

 

 

 

           In a world of big Hollywood  budget blockbusters some of the best movies are the smaller independent films from all over the world. The latest” Instructions Not Included” is a Spanish/American film from writer, director, and star Eugenio Derbez. While he is already pretty huge in Mexico, this marks his first foray into directing . The simplicity of this movie is what makes it a gem that stands on its own.

Instructions Not Included follows a resident playboy in Mexico whose life is thrown upside down when a former fling leaves a baby on his door step. He leaves Mexico for Los Angeles in hopes of finding the baby's mother, but instead finds a new life as a successful stuntman and raises the adorable girl over the next six years. But when her mother returns it risks everything they have built together (shades of “Kramer vs Kramer”). This is one of those surprising films that really delivers way more than you may expect. Eugenio Derbez has crafted a great film with plenty of humor blended perfectly with a heart-warming touching story. The film is partly in Spanish (subtitles) and partly in English, but blends both perfectly to create a film that works for not only both markets, but also for all audiences even if they don't like subtitled films.

 

The acting by Eugenio Derbez ( one of Mexico's biggest stars) is effortless. As for Loreto Peralta, who plays daughter Maggie, there are few words to describe her acting abilities She is a both a revelation and a prodigy. She will win you over from the get-go. I won’t say anything else about the movie other than it needs to be seen and experienced. I can guarantee you will leave the theater feeling good.

 

 

The simplicity of this movie is what makes it a gem that stands on its own.  This is one of those small films that comes along and will really surprise you. While it has great performances, it lets the story lead the charge and knocks it out of the park. This is a comedy, but be warned this funny man has crafted a film that will not only tickle your funny bone, but also tug at your heart strings.

 

Clark

 

 

GRAVITY  4.0****

 

 Gravity is an explosive, white-knuckle sci-fi instant classic, a wonder to behold from amazingly realistic effects  to an electrifying, compelling story and outstanding performances  by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.  

The U.S Space Shuttle Explorer is docked at the International Space Station. Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock), on her first space mission, is installing an external device on the station that will enable astronomers to peer even deeper into space. Meanwhile, the mission commander Kowalski (Clooney), on his final mission, merrily spacewalks in a jet pack; other crew members perform maintenance or communicate with Earth. Then trouble strikes including their losing all communication with earth.. Thereafter there is hardly a moment when you are not on the edge of your seat. Stone and Kowalski veer from problem to problem, everything accentuate by the simple fact that they are alone up there, not even able to contact NASA. It's a terrifying situation. Most of us might have a slight panic attack if we're stranded on the side of the road without a cell phone. Imagine being up in the heavens with no apparent way to get down. I will not delve into the plot any more than I already have. The astute viewer will still have trouble guessing the outcome and the twists within the movie, particularly because the action is so hard-driven while still being utterly coherent and plausible.

The use of 3D in movies is more times than not just a money-making device ( $3.00 more per ticket) than a visual enhancement.  But the 3D effects in Gravity are used so expertly  that whether you are approaching an object at high velocity or it is approaching you, you feel immersed in the scene, not distracted from it. It is the best use of 3d technology of any film to date. Then when you add to that  IMax screen and sound, it is spectacular. And  this is a breakthrough film in many other ways. Director Cuaron crossed boundaries and he didn't have the technology to do it, so he created it (especially the effect of weightlessness or zero gravity)  . It has been a  long time since you could go  a movie and experience these kind of emotions as vividly and in so many different levels. Cuaron guides us into an amazing out-of-this-earth journey.  

There are plenty of heart-stopping moments in Gravity, even for the most jaded of viewers. It is fantastic storytelling supported by fantastic cinematography. It may be too early for movies to get serious award- season consideration, but I'll come out and say this right now: Gravity is one of the very best movies of the year and my bet is that Sandra Bullock will be an Oscar nominee for Best Actress.

 

Clark

 

NOTE: I saw it in 3D at Imax and highly recommend that you do also to get the maximum experience .

 

 

RUSH… 3.3***

 

 

     “Rush”, directed by the always excellent Ron Howard, is a gripping telling of the 1976 Formula 1, race driving season.   “Rush” tells a story which would be  too unbelievable in terms of human bravery and personal destiny for any fictional story. It’s actually based upon the true story of that 1976  season and the fierce competition between Hunt & Lauder  which is far more than enough to hold the unfamiliar or casual viewer's attention with a steel firm grip. You get caught up in wanting to see how these two very  different personalities handle the pressures of life both on and off the track and how rising to the top takes its toll on these two polar opposite real life gladiators of the race track.

The camera work is particularly spectacular, with some very creative angles. The brief in-helmet camera shots are inspired, giving you a glimpse of the drivers world. CGI work will be spotted by the keen eyed, but you have to consider that without it that there are certain scenes that would be just impossible to film as accurately as they were depicted here with real machinery.   

 Chris Hemsworth’s  performance as the British driver, James Hunt came as a  surprise. This is his best performance by quite some margin (best known for “Thor”), a role which he plays with a great deal of maturity and respect. He plays Hunt with just the right level of arrogance, cockiness, confidence and audacity to convince you that he was a real life 70's playboy/driver. Daniel Bruhl is superb as the Austrian driver, Nicki Lauda. It's a role that he deserves much recognition for, particularly his accent and mannerisms. Lauda was one of the first of a new generation of professional driver, forcing  the usual playboy characters out of the sport and Bruhl nails this icy determination to succeed magnificently.

With the lead actors clearly committed to giving their best performances and with a tastefully handled script, Ron Howard delivers a visually impressive account of events that may well become one of the best if not the best auto racing films ever.

 

Clark