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Reviews
One-Trick Pony (1980)
Good musician's movie
Having played hundreds of gigs myself, I found One-Trick Pony to not only be a realistic view of a musician's battle between eating and integrity, but it was also a true glimpse into the music business from a musician's point of view. It highlighted the contradiction between the drive to perform and the need to compromise in order to make a living.
From an acting standpoint, I felt Paul Simon and the other actors did a really great job capturing the feeling of performing, and being on the road. I felt their point was not necessarily to entertain you, but make you feel like you were part of the grind. This movie has a much deeper message than it seems to at first.
Add to that the musical performances, and you have a wonderful mix of emotions that truly portrays what a musician's experiences can be like. These musical sequences were beautifully filmed and edited with care. Check them out compared to a music video to see the difference between a marketing piece and true collaboration. This is not intended to knock videos, but the whole film is about the difference between authentic musicianship and Top-40 spectacle.
Ultimate Betrayal (1994)
Gritty; not for the kids or for date night, but very well done "issue" film about overcoming child abuse
This film is based on a true story of a dysfunctional family. It tells the story of the physical, sexual and mental abuse that was rampant in this family and of the now-adult children's attempts to overcome their experiences and regain control of their lives. Some of them consider doing this by going to court, even though their father is a respected public figure.
It sounds like a recipe for hype, but the performances are good and are restrained, allowing the drama and complexity of the subject matter to speak for itself.
This is definitely not a film to watch with your kids, as it portrays several episodes of abuse through flashbacks and descriptions. I was surprised at the frank (though not particularly graphic) depiction of this abuse. It has a very serious approach to the subject.
One thing I really liked--and I thought it was well-written and well-acted, avoiding melodrama--was that the characters' positions change as things unfold. As they talk with each other and think about things, as memories are unearthed, they realize that what they went through as a family had a different effect on each child, and that things are not as black-and-white, cut-and-dried as they at first seemed. Also, it does not have a completely happy ending; some issues remain unresolved. I appreciated the filmmakers' refusal to simplify the issues and characters just so they could wrap it up between commercials.
Casino (1995)
Completely fascinating but graphically violent
Caught a little piece of this on TV and had to run out and rent the widescreen version. (Look for that edition--don't waste your time on the pan-and-scan version.)
First I have to say that "Casino" is a striking and engrossing film, but there are several graphically violent scenes which--although they may be appropriate in the context of the movie--are completely sickening. Consider yourself warned, but don't cheat yourself out of watching a masterpiece. Just keep the remote control handy.
In this film, both the camera and the soundtrack are characters in themselves. Scorsese's lens clings lovingly to De Niro, who gives one of his best performances. I agree with other comments that the first 40 minutes are outstanding and completely draw you in. After setting up this universe, Scorsese literally demolishes it. What really struck me was the haunting sense of inescapable doom the viewer feels as everything unravels right before your eyes. I felt positively hunted by the fate that was descending on the screen. I didn't really like "Goodfellas," but this film is superior in every way.
Dead End (1937)
Great movie brimming with powerful performances.
I recommend watching "Dead End" and the later "Angels With Dirty Faces" as a double bill. Both are highly enjoyable; and they have a lot of parallel elements. Also, Humphrey Bogart and the future Bowery Boys appear in both films.
"Dead End" often gets short shrift in comparison, which I think is totally unfair. It is a social drama, sure, which some people will find "preachy," but the points it makes still resonate today. What really makes it stand out, though, are the fine individual performances. Bogart's role is much bigger than the one he plays in "Angels With Dirty Faces," and is extremely intense as a gangster coming home to his mother and his true love. Sylvia Sidney is absolutely luminous in her portrayal of a young woman who would have a promising future if she lived anywhere else, but is a frustrated, trapped animal in the slums of New York. Joel McCrea stands with one foot in each world, having grown up rough in the neighborhood, but without turning gangster, and still able to dream of better things for himself and the people around him. Look also for a couple of brilliant, though brief, appearances--Marjorie Main's chilling delivery as Bogie's exhausted and distraught mother, and Claire Trevor's bittersweet portrayal of his old girlfriend.
It's not as heavy as it sounds, though. There is a lot of humor sprinkled throughout, partly because "Dead End" features the first screen appearance of the future Dead End Kids/East Side Kids/Bowery Boys. If you're a fan, it's a lot of fun to watch them here with their rough edges still on, as tough young punks. Billy Halop, Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall are terrific in this, a little grittier than in "Angels With Dirty Faces."