Even for Christopher Nolan this film makes no sense. The plot resembles something that someone very high on drugs might come up with right before passing out. Most of the film is chases and fights. I actually could not summarize the plot if I tried. It's a sad waste of talent because the leads are all charismatic.
Reviews
34 Reviews
The Great Gatsby
(2013)
Fitzgerald Can't Be Ruined
28 May 2013
It's hard to give a numerical rating to this film, because Fitzgerald deserves a 10 and everything else about the film is almost irrelevant. The screenplay preserves much of the dialogue. I haven't read the book in decades, but I did read it twice, and it all came back to me while watching this film.
The movie is not "over-the-top" as some have claimed. The party scenes are extravagant, but they provide an effective contrast to the later scenes that are dark and scathing in their social criticism. The costumes were meticulous, beautiful and seemed period-authentic. I didn't like the hip-hop songs, but they were brief. Most of the music is supplied by the Bryan Ferry Orchestra.
I have two complaints about the film: The painted backgrounds are a bit too obvious (as they are in most movies) and the acting was a bit of a letdown. DiCaprio is brilliant in some scenes and seems a bit confused in others. Maguire overdoes his facial expressions. Mulligan is convincing in her sad scenes, but it's hard to believe her as a woman who inspires desperate love. I couldn't understand why the Jewish gangster is portrayed by someone South Asian. In the end though, I didn't care about these quibbles.
The movie is not "over-the-top" as some have claimed. The party scenes are extravagant, but they provide an effective contrast to the later scenes that are dark and scathing in their social criticism. The costumes were meticulous, beautiful and seemed period-authentic. I didn't like the hip-hop songs, but they were brief. Most of the music is supplied by the Bryan Ferry Orchestra.
I have two complaints about the film: The painted backgrounds are a bit too obvious (as they are in most movies) and the acting was a bit of a letdown. DiCaprio is brilliant in some scenes and seems a bit confused in others. Maguire overdoes his facial expressions. Mulligan is convincing in her sad scenes, but it's hard to believe her as a woman who inspires desperate love. I couldn't understand why the Jewish gangster is portrayed by someone South Asian. In the end though, I didn't care about these quibbles.
A Must for Zeppelin Fans
3 January 2013
They can still rock.
I was skeptical of the idea of a reunion concert, but this more than met my expectations for the DVD. I wish I'd been at the concert--my last chance. I was too young to drive to the arena in the 70s; now I'll never see them live. This DVD is going to be as good as it gets and it's good, better than good. Robert Plant's signing is slightly different but just as interesting, Jimmy Page is still passionate and technically amazing, John Paul Jones is still the consummate professional and Jason Bonham is a lot of fun to watch and listen to.
The concert was supposed to be a tribute to Ahmet Ertegun but it's obvious it also had other meanings to the band members. There's a moment during a break when Page leans over to ruffle the non-existent hair on Jason Bonham's head and I couldn't help thinking that maybe this concert extinguishes any lingering bad karma over John Bonham's death. All I know is that I fell in love with Led Zeppelin all over again this past year, with the attention they've been getting making me listen to and appreciate their music again, with a more seasoned ear and an appreciation of how unique they were and their lasting impact.
I was skeptical of the idea of a reunion concert, but this more than met my expectations for the DVD. I wish I'd been at the concert--my last chance. I was too young to drive to the arena in the 70s; now I'll never see them live. This DVD is going to be as good as it gets and it's good, better than good. Robert Plant's signing is slightly different but just as interesting, Jimmy Page is still passionate and technically amazing, John Paul Jones is still the consummate professional and Jason Bonham is a lot of fun to watch and listen to.
The concert was supposed to be a tribute to Ahmet Ertegun but it's obvious it also had other meanings to the band members. There's a moment during a break when Page leans over to ruffle the non-existent hair on Jason Bonham's head and I couldn't help thinking that maybe this concert extinguishes any lingering bad karma over John Bonham's death. All I know is that I fell in love with Led Zeppelin all over again this past year, with the attention they've been getting making me listen to and appreciate their music again, with a more seasoned ear and an appreciation of how unique they were and their lasting impact.
The Queen of Versailles
(2012)
The Empty Rich and Their Cluttered Life
19 December 2012
This movie was planned to be a documentary about the biggest house in America, but after the crash of 2008 occurred shortly after filming began, the director turned it into a story of the economic collapse. We're familiar with the stories of the many ordinary people who lost their jobs in 2008-09; this film is a story of people who despite being very rich--at least on paper--were also victims although perhaps mostly of their own bad judgment. I expected to hate the Siegels, but I did not. Although they're not people with whom I would want to spend personal time, they come across as merely shallow, immature and maybe even naive people who became addicted to money and spending and suffered the consequences.
The film shows laughable yet slightly shocking scenes of people who equate stuff with happiness and excess with success. "Versailles" is never finished (the house plays a bit part in the movie) but the home they live in is ridiculous in its own way: It's luxurious, but also filthy. Unhousebroken dogs poop all over the place, every room is cluttered, stuff spills out of closets, one daughter is obese and it's obvious the hired help can't keep up.
The movie takes time to give personal histories of both Mr. and Mrs. Siegel and it's easy to see how they turned out the way they did: Mr. Siegel's parents were gamblers, and although they lost their money in Las Vegas and their son became rich, the movie shows how really he is a gambler and big spender as well. Mrs. Siegel is not merely a "trophy wife" although her sexist husband sees her that way; she has an engineering degree and made money as a model before her marriage. Despite her shopping addiction, disorganization and extremely poor housekeeping skills, it's clear she's a savvy survivor who has a tendency to get what she wants. The movie also features some interviews with other family members including two teenage daughters. Their comments are extremely honest, both about their parents and about wealth. The heartbreaking interview, however, is with the Filipina nanny. In her brief tale, she gives a glimpse into Third World poverty that shows how lucky the Siegels really are.
From what I've read the Siegels are back on their feet; like most rich people, they did not suffer in the way that most of us have suffered. Yet it is clear that they did suffer. The film is not judgmental and I have to give the Siegels credit for allowing the filmmaker to film intimate details of their life, giving us a glimpse into the lives of people who are addicted to money and spending. In the end you'll have to judge for yourself if you envy or pity the Siegels. My own take was that their view of life is so foreign to mine that what they would call happiness I would only call boredom.
The film shows laughable yet slightly shocking scenes of people who equate stuff with happiness and excess with success. "Versailles" is never finished (the house plays a bit part in the movie) but the home they live in is ridiculous in its own way: It's luxurious, but also filthy. Unhousebroken dogs poop all over the place, every room is cluttered, stuff spills out of closets, one daughter is obese and it's obvious the hired help can't keep up.
The movie takes time to give personal histories of both Mr. and Mrs. Siegel and it's easy to see how they turned out the way they did: Mr. Siegel's parents were gamblers, and although they lost their money in Las Vegas and their son became rich, the movie shows how really he is a gambler and big spender as well. Mrs. Siegel is not merely a "trophy wife" although her sexist husband sees her that way; she has an engineering degree and made money as a model before her marriage. Despite her shopping addiction, disorganization and extremely poor housekeeping skills, it's clear she's a savvy survivor who has a tendency to get what she wants. The movie also features some interviews with other family members including two teenage daughters. Their comments are extremely honest, both about their parents and about wealth. The heartbreaking interview, however, is with the Filipina nanny. In her brief tale, she gives a glimpse into Third World poverty that shows how lucky the Siegels really are.
From what I've read the Siegels are back on their feet; like most rich people, they did not suffer in the way that most of us have suffered. Yet it is clear that they did suffer. The film is not judgmental and I have to give the Siegels credit for allowing the filmmaker to film intimate details of their life, giving us a glimpse into the lives of people who are addicted to money and spending. In the end you'll have to judge for yourself if you envy or pity the Siegels. My own take was that their view of life is so foreign to mine that what they would call happiness I would only call boredom.
Skyfall
(2012)
Preposterous and Weird
9 November 2012
James Bond movies have never been "realistic," but in this installment Bond is invulnerable like a cartoon character. He's Wile E. Coyote; a one-ton weight could drop on him and he would just crawl out from under it. It's preposterous. There are a number of other ridiculosities that sadly are becoming standard for action movies, such as the outrunning of explosions, people shooting up cars yet somehow the driver is unhurt and the gas tank doesn't explode, etc. Suspension of disbelief is ruined within the first 10 minutes.
In addition, there is a creepy plot line about a renegade agent who has a "Psycho" type mother issue relating to "M." I have never seen anything like this in a Bond film and it is just weird. There's some awful dialogue, like they were writing the script as they were filming it. Naomie Harris, the interesting actress from "28 Days Later" is wasted. The movie is saved from being garbage by the enormous amount of money spent on action sequences in exotic locales, and fine acting by Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Naomie Harris and Ralph Fiennes. I would add Daniel Craig but in this film he does little more than kill people. There are no romance scenes as in "Casino Royale." Bond comes across as cold and unappealing, not sexy and complicated as in the previous two films with Craig. The more I think about this film the less I like it.
In addition, there is a creepy plot line about a renegade agent who has a "Psycho" type mother issue relating to "M." I have never seen anything like this in a Bond film and it is just weird. There's some awful dialogue, like they were writing the script as they were filming it. Naomie Harris, the interesting actress from "28 Days Later" is wasted. The movie is saved from being garbage by the enormous amount of money spent on action sequences in exotic locales, and fine acting by Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Naomie Harris and Ralph Fiennes. I would add Daniel Craig but in this film he does little more than kill people. There are no romance scenes as in "Casino Royale." Bond comes across as cold and unappealing, not sexy and complicated as in the previous two films with Craig. The more I think about this film the less I like it.
The Paperboy
(2012)
Shades of "Deliverance"
21 October 2012
This film reminded me quite a bit of "Deliverance." It's about how well-meaning people can end up way over their heads by getting involved with people and subcultures with which they're not familiar. It's less riveting than "Deliverance" but has more sympathy toward its characters.
The plot revolves around a small group of people who join forces for a cause: A woman who wants to free a prisoner she's become enamored of (by mail) and a couple of newspaper reporters who want to dig up the truth about the crime. One of the reporters is seeking justice, the other has a slightly different agenda. The idealistic reporter has a younger brother (Zac Efron) who is an innocent. Innocence, idealism and romanticism come up against opportunism and sociopathy and some of what happens is not too much of a surprise. The end of the movie had a great deal of dramatic potential and could have been more suspenseful in the hands of a more polished director. The movie overall is somewhat lurid, a Southern Gothic, but not as lurid as some critics have claimed. Overall it is a movie with some poignancy.
The plot revolves around a small group of people who join forces for a cause: A woman who wants to free a prisoner she's become enamored of (by mail) and a couple of newspaper reporters who want to dig up the truth about the crime. One of the reporters is seeking justice, the other has a slightly different agenda. The idealistic reporter has a younger brother (Zac Efron) who is an innocent. Innocence, idealism and romanticism come up against opportunism and sociopathy and some of what happens is not too much of a surprise. The end of the movie had a great deal of dramatic potential and could have been more suspenseful in the hands of a more polished director. The movie overall is somewhat lurid, a Southern Gothic, but not as lurid as some critics have claimed. Overall it is a movie with some poignancy.
Cosmopolis
(2012)
Jumbled Mess; Mildly Diverting
26 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I'm giving this 7 stars only because there are so few movies that even attempt intelligent dialogue. Sadly, this movie fails as a critique of capitalism (assuming that's what it's supposed to be--it's hard to tell for sure) because it doesn't represent Wall Street accurately. Moreover, it portrays capitalism's critics as loons or rabble. I began to wonder if DeLillo is a nihilist.
Robert Pattinson portrays a character who is, in the words of Tom Wolfe (who wrote a much better, funnier portrayal of foibles of the rich called "Bonfire of the Vanities") a "Master of the Universe." The universe comes crashing down, while he drives around Manhattan, having conversations with employees, a prostitute, and his wife. Some of these conversations are interesting or funny, especially one in which Samantha Morton portrays his "Director of Theory." My main problem with this film is that Wall Street isn't run by intelligent, precocious, gorgeous young creatures like Robert Pattinson's character--it's run by a bunch of crooked middle-aged crass salesmen who are running a boys' club. It was particularly off that so many of the high-ranking employees Pattinson's character deals with are women when in fact women are mostly excluded from the ranks of power on Wall Street.
Another problem I had with this movie is that although it portrays the super-rich as empty and/or vicious, it portrays those who rebel as crazy or ineffective. If this is DeLillo's worldview, it's a wonder he hasn't killed himself yet.
Robert Pattinson portrays a character who is, in the words of Tom Wolfe (who wrote a much better, funnier portrayal of foibles of the rich called "Bonfire of the Vanities") a "Master of the Universe." The universe comes crashing down, while he drives around Manhattan, having conversations with employees, a prostitute, and his wife. Some of these conversations are interesting or funny, especially one in which Samantha Morton portrays his "Director of Theory." My main problem with this film is that Wall Street isn't run by intelligent, precocious, gorgeous young creatures like Robert Pattinson's character--it's run by a bunch of crooked middle-aged crass salesmen who are running a boys' club. It was particularly off that so many of the high-ranking employees Pattinson's character deals with are women when in fact women are mostly excluded from the ranks of power on Wall Street.
Another problem I had with this movie is that although it portrays the super-rich as empty and/or vicious, it portrays those who rebel as crazy or ineffective. If this is DeLillo's worldview, it's a wonder he hasn't killed himself yet.
Total Recall
(I) (2012)
Fun; Not as Good as Original
3 August 2012
Although I recognize the outlines of the plot, this is a very different movie from Paul Verhoeven's 1990 classic. The humor and the wacky scenes are gone. The fast pace and the characters remain. There are far more explosions in this version; sadly they don't add that much to the suspense. Basically, this is a hard story to ruin, so it's still pretty good. In addition, Colin Farrell and Jessica Biel do good work and the movie clearly cost a lot of money, with a lot of attention to detail in the production design.
What I missed the most from the original were Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside. I'm not very familiar with Kate Beckinsale's work; I wonder if she is an awful actress all the time or just in this movie. I had thought from photos that she was quite beautiful, but for some reason Sharon Stone was much sexier. Or maybe it's just that Stone is a much better actress. In retrospect the scenes with Stone in the original seem classic. There is nothing memorable about the scenes with Beckinsale, yet strangely she has many more scenes that Stone did in the original. Oh wait, it's because Beckinsale is married to the director. There should be a rule in Hollywood; nobody should be allowed to cast their spouse unless the spouse has won at least one Academy Award.
If you are trying to choose between seeing "The Dark Knight Rises" and this film, I recommend this film. The story is a classic, and the allusions to current events have a meaning and morality that is missing from the Batman movie. In fact, the Batman movie's message, that a billionaire can save humanity and that ordinary people are rabble, was offensive to me. You can tell "Total Recall" was taken from a real science fiction story by a writer who has stood the test of time. Science fiction is a way of talking to us about today through setting the story in tomorrow.
What I missed the most from the original were Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside. I'm not very familiar with Kate Beckinsale's work; I wonder if she is an awful actress all the time or just in this movie. I had thought from photos that she was quite beautiful, but for some reason Sharon Stone was much sexier. Or maybe it's just that Stone is a much better actress. In retrospect the scenes with Stone in the original seem classic. There is nothing memorable about the scenes with Beckinsale, yet strangely she has many more scenes that Stone did in the original. Oh wait, it's because Beckinsale is married to the director. There should be a rule in Hollywood; nobody should be allowed to cast their spouse unless the spouse has won at least one Academy Award.
If you are trying to choose between seeing "The Dark Knight Rises" and this film, I recommend this film. The story is a classic, and the allusions to current events have a meaning and morality that is missing from the Batman movie. In fact, the Batman movie's message, that a billionaire can save humanity and that ordinary people are rabble, was offensive to me. You can tell "Total Recall" was taken from a real science fiction story by a writer who has stood the test of time. Science fiction is a way of talking to us about today through setting the story in tomorrow.
Magic Mike
(2012)
A Lot of Fun
6 July 2012
First of all, who doesn't like to watch well-built people dance? However, this movie is more than scenes of buff men strutting their stuff, gyrating and taking off their clothes (not that that wouldn't be enough). It's also a character drama.
Alex Pettyfer plays a character ("Adam") who at first seems like a young man who just can't catch a break, and "Magic Mike," (Channing Tatum) takes him under his wing. There's a lesson to be learned.
There's a subplot involving a budding romance between Tatum's character and Adam's sister. There are also many scenes of group sex and general wildness. Sex seems to be one of Soderbergh's favorite themes and he portrays sexuality without any pretense or hang-ups.
Matthew McConaughey does a splendid comic turn as the club's owner/master of ceremonies and there are many comic scenes throughout the movie. I enjoyed this more than the last several Hollywood films I saw this year. The only kind of person I could imagine not enjoying this is a heterosexual guy with homosexual fears.
Alex Pettyfer plays a character ("Adam") who at first seems like a young man who just can't catch a break, and "Magic Mike," (Channing Tatum) takes him under his wing. There's a lesson to be learned.
There's a subplot involving a budding romance between Tatum's character and Adam's sister. There are also many scenes of group sex and general wildness. Sex seems to be one of Soderbergh's favorite themes and he portrays sexuality without any pretense or hang-ups.
Matthew McConaughey does a splendid comic turn as the club's owner/master of ceremonies and there are many comic scenes throughout the movie. I enjoyed this more than the last several Hollywood films I saw this year. The only kind of person I could imagine not enjoying this is a heterosexual guy with homosexual fears.
Snow White and the Huntsman
(2012)
The Characters Deserved More
2 June 2012
It's a passable entertainment, but it would have been better with less CGI, fewer battle scenes and more character development.
The film uses the basic outline of the original Snow White story and then borrows liberally, from Chronicles of Narnia, Sleeping Beauty, Twilight, Avatar and Lord of the Rings. The film jumps rapidly from one scene to another, throwing everything but the kitchen sink into trying to excite the audience with effects that we've seen before and which therefore are not exciting. The real drama occurs at the end in the showdown between the Queen and Snow White. But isn't real drama ALWAYS about the characters?? Charlize Theron overacts through much of the film; at the end it works because of the high drama at the climax; up until then it's annoying. Kristen Stewart is OK but her character is just a plot foil. Chris Hemsworth is likable and convincing. The dwarfs don't get enough screen time. The only really original aspect of this film is the sympathy it accords the Queen, which was a nice touch. If it hadn't been for that, I would have given it 6 stars.
The film uses the basic outline of the original Snow White story and then borrows liberally, from Chronicles of Narnia, Sleeping Beauty, Twilight, Avatar and Lord of the Rings. The film jumps rapidly from one scene to another, throwing everything but the kitchen sink into trying to excite the audience with effects that we've seen before and which therefore are not exciting. The real drama occurs at the end in the showdown between the Queen and Snow White. But isn't real drama ALWAYS about the characters?? Charlize Theron overacts through much of the film; at the end it works because of the high drama at the climax; up until then it's annoying. Kristen Stewart is OK but her character is just a plot foil. Chris Hemsworth is likable and convincing. The dwarfs don't get enough screen time. The only really original aspect of this film is the sympathy it accords the Queen, which was a nice touch. If it hadn't been for that, I would have given it 6 stars.
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
(2011)
Elitist, Politically and Ecologically Offensive, and Dull
10 May 2012
The first part of the movie is quite dull; stock British characters say unfunny lines while discussing an absurd project, the creation of a river and salmon preserve in Yemen. Kristin Scott Thomas overacts, Emily Blunt's talent is wasted and only Ewan MacGregor (surprisingly) comes off as believable. The film picks up a bit with the introduction of an Arab sheik character, played by Amr Waked. Amazingly, despite being forced to mouth stock Arab sheik lines, he manages to radiate charisma that is momentarily appealing. The film then moves to Yemen (actually Morocco) where it has trouble figuring out what it is trying to say. The main British characters and the sheik are portrayed as idealists when in actuality they are grandiose, arrogant and ignorant. At almost the last minute the MacGregor character makes a brief, sort of politically correct speech that seems to admit some error but it's too late; the movie has already offended. Westerners and the Arab elite have been portrayed as far superior to the ignorant masses, despite the fact the country belongs to these masses...and let's not forget the fate visited on the poor fish in this story, which by the way was not believable. I read somewhere that the book was a satire; sadly, this movie is a failed rom-com.
Heaven's Gate
(1980)
The Reagan-Era Audiences Couldn't Take It
12 March 2012
I finally saw this movie via Netflix. I was expecting an Oliver Stone-like, bloated act of hubris. It was nothing of the kind. The dialogue was realistic, the characters understated, the scenery beautiful and the acting superb. More importantly, the film is based on a real event in US history in which the federal and state government conspired with wealthy ranchers to steal from and kill poor people. This story needs to be known.
I believe many people didn't like the movie not because it was too long (although it is) but because the film portrays America in an unflattering light.
If you watch the film on DVD, you can watch the first half one night and the second half the next. There's an intermission built into the film. I think this film would have worked better as a mini-series, but back then mini-series were not taken seriously. Furthermore, you need a widescreen to see this film.
I believe many people didn't like the movie not because it was too long (although it is) but because the film portrays America in an unflattering light.
If you watch the film on DVD, you can watch the first half one night and the second half the next. There's an intermission built into the film. I think this film would have worked better as a mini-series, but back then mini-series were not taken seriously. Furthermore, you need a widescreen to see this film.
Tiny Furniture
(2010)
Fascinating, Devastating Portrayal of Generation Y
19 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Overall I enjoyed this movie, despite the fact the story ends abruptly without a conclusion of any kind. The writer/director creates authenticity by playing the main character as a version of herself; her mom and sister play the main character's mom and sister, and it's filmed in their apartment. It's more than a self-indulgent exercise; minor characters are interesting (notably "Charlotte") and it's well written. In addition, the writer/director/lead actress shows guts by wearing no makeup in many scenes and showing herself getting dressed and showering despite being quite out of shape. There is no self-consciousness of any kind in these scenes. It is a kind of feminism.
But the real reason I found this film fascinating is how it shows what's changed between my generation (late Baby Boomer) and Generation Y: "Aura," the main character, comes home from college to live with her mom and unlike the youth of my generation, has no problem with living at home. She crawls into bed with her mother when she's feeling down. This isn't an issue because her mom is single; in fact, there's no mention of a father of any kind in the entire film. No one from my generation wanted to live with their parents after college and we did not sleep in our parents' beds past the age of 8, partly because there were usually two of them, including one of the opposite sex. Aura senses that underneath her successful exterior, her mother is lonely. It's unclear who is more needy, Aura or her mother. I came away from this film convinced that the sea change of the past 25 years has been the epidemic of divorce.
"Aura" pursues two men, unaware that neither of them are interested in her and both are loathsome--one has grandiose ideas about a non-existent career while mooching off of friends; another is an underachieving liar and cheat. Perhaps it's Aura's low self-esteem, or maybe her unfamiliarity with men from not having had a father or brother, that makes her unable to see these men as they really are. Perhaps she also can't see that being overweight and having low self-esteem might be barriers to finding the right man.
In one scene, Aura's younger sister has a party and Aura freaks out, afraid she'll be blamed for allowing minors to drink in their apartment. In my generation the 22-year-old would never have assumed this responsibility because high school students were not considered children who needed to be baby-sat. High schoolers in the 1970s and 80s didn't refer to themselves as "kids," as Aura's family does; this term was used to describe 8-year-olds; high school students called each other "people." Aura's mother complains Aura's friend Charlotte is "unsupervised" despite being a 22-year-old adult.
In short this is a perhaps inadvertently devastating portrait of current teens and young adults: Overly close with their often single moms, seeing themselves as being like children, lacking self-consciousness but also lacking self-esteem. The young men have difficulty with commitment and with respect for women (again, probably because of the divorce epidemic but perhaps also because of widespread porn--references to which are made several times in the film) and the young women bond with each other while feeling confused about how to approach the increasingly disinterested and disrespectful men whom they meet. I observe these phenomena or hear about them all the time in my professional practice and seeing a dramatic representation on an intimate scale in this film was quite fascinating.
But the real reason I found this film fascinating is how it shows what's changed between my generation (late Baby Boomer) and Generation Y: "Aura," the main character, comes home from college to live with her mom and unlike the youth of my generation, has no problem with living at home. She crawls into bed with her mother when she's feeling down. This isn't an issue because her mom is single; in fact, there's no mention of a father of any kind in the entire film. No one from my generation wanted to live with their parents after college and we did not sleep in our parents' beds past the age of 8, partly because there were usually two of them, including one of the opposite sex. Aura senses that underneath her successful exterior, her mother is lonely. It's unclear who is more needy, Aura or her mother. I came away from this film convinced that the sea change of the past 25 years has been the epidemic of divorce.
"Aura" pursues two men, unaware that neither of them are interested in her and both are loathsome--one has grandiose ideas about a non-existent career while mooching off of friends; another is an underachieving liar and cheat. Perhaps it's Aura's low self-esteem, or maybe her unfamiliarity with men from not having had a father or brother, that makes her unable to see these men as they really are. Perhaps she also can't see that being overweight and having low self-esteem might be barriers to finding the right man.
In one scene, Aura's younger sister has a party and Aura freaks out, afraid she'll be blamed for allowing minors to drink in their apartment. In my generation the 22-year-old would never have assumed this responsibility because high school students were not considered children who needed to be baby-sat. High schoolers in the 1970s and 80s didn't refer to themselves as "kids," as Aura's family does; this term was used to describe 8-year-olds; high school students called each other "people." Aura's mother complains Aura's friend Charlotte is "unsupervised" despite being a 22-year-old adult.
In short this is a perhaps inadvertently devastating portrait of current teens and young adults: Overly close with their often single moms, seeing themselves as being like children, lacking self-consciousness but also lacking self-esteem. The young men have difficulty with commitment and with respect for women (again, probably because of the divorce epidemic but perhaps also because of widespread porn--references to which are made several times in the film) and the young women bond with each other while feeling confused about how to approach the increasingly disinterested and disrespectful men whom they meet. I observe these phenomena or hear about them all the time in my professional practice and seeing a dramatic representation on an intimate scale in this film was quite fascinating.
All's Fair in Love and War
7 January 2012
This is a well-made film. It's not merely a docudrama; it is suspenseful and the characters' drama is meaningful and engaging.
I am puzzled by the criticism the movie is too violent. It only seems too violent if you have never seen the evening news or a documentary about war. In comparison, this movie is restrained in its depiction of violence.
I'm also mystified by the charge some have made that the movie is biased. We all know these events occurred; there is no controversy. In fact the movie seems to go out of its way to give some history that makes the perpetrators' hatred less inexplicable. I learned some things about the history of the region that I hadn't known.
Angelina Jolie has successfully made the transition to writer/director. The film is shot like an action movie in many scenes. Most of the film is gripping, but towards the end I started to feel like it was going on a tad too long. But then again, so did the war.
I wasn't sure I liked the final scene. But I do think Jolie deserves praise for an ending that overall, was believable and made sense in light of everything that had occurred among the characters.
I am puzzled by the criticism the movie is too violent. It only seems too violent if you have never seen the evening news or a documentary about war. In comparison, this movie is restrained in its depiction of violence.
I'm also mystified by the charge some have made that the movie is biased. We all know these events occurred; there is no controversy. In fact the movie seems to go out of its way to give some history that makes the perpetrators' hatred less inexplicable. I learned some things about the history of the region that I hadn't known.
Angelina Jolie has successfully made the transition to writer/director. The film is shot like an action movie in many scenes. Most of the film is gripping, but towards the end I started to feel like it was going on a tad too long. But then again, so did the war.
I wasn't sure I liked the final scene. But I do think Jolie deserves praise for an ending that overall, was believable and made sense in light of everything that had occurred among the characters.
The Tree of Life
(2011)
It's a Christian Movie
8 September 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I wonder why people don't mention this? It's Malick's address to God. That's what the movie is about. It repeats Malick's frequent theme of the loss of innocence in the Garden of Eden. Innocence is lost when authority is rebelled against. There's also a Cain and Abel aspect. These seem to me to be the more obvious Biblical references, not the Book of Job as some critics have said. In the end, Malick affirms his belief in God and Heaven.
I wasn't too interested in the Christianity aspect but I did find the family drama interesting. I wondered how much of it could be autobiographical--did Malick have a bad relationship with his father? Did his mother identify with the children and subtly turn them against their father's authority? Was the son who died identified with the father (in the film, through music) and thus his death was hard to get over for Malick because of the ambivalency that would have been tied up in it? I'm puzzled by comments that the boy who later becomes Sean Penn "witnesses" the loss of innocence. It is he who loses his innocence. This is the interesting part of the movie. The galaxies, the dinosaurs, the field of sunflowers are pretty but not the important parts of the movie.
Overall I found the film worthwhile even though I do not share Malick's philosophy. It is a psychologically accurate film and as usual for Malick gorgeous to look at.
I wasn't too interested in the Christianity aspect but I did find the family drama interesting. I wondered how much of it could be autobiographical--did Malick have a bad relationship with his father? Did his mother identify with the children and subtly turn them against their father's authority? Was the son who died identified with the father (in the film, through music) and thus his death was hard to get over for Malick because of the ambivalency that would have been tied up in it? I'm puzzled by comments that the boy who later becomes Sean Penn "witnesses" the loss of innocence. It is he who loses his innocence. This is the interesting part of the movie. The galaxies, the dinosaurs, the field of sunflowers are pretty but not the important parts of the movie.
Overall I found the film worthwhile even though I do not share Malick's philosophy. It is a psychologically accurate film and as usual for Malick gorgeous to look at.
Hanna
(2011)
Underwhelming
18 April 2011
I entered the theater thinking that in the worst case, it would be a good action flick and in the best case, something truly original and memorable. It was an average action flick and neither original nor memorable.
This film takes a tired sci fi premise, the human with unusual abilities from a science experiment, and tries to make it original by making the main character a teenage girl. It isn't enough. The movie is basically a chase scene. Hanna is on the run to confront and presumably kill the CIA bigwig who started, then terminated the science experiment. The scenes of CIA skullduggery are laughable, less believable even than "Salt." There are a few moments of humor and the visuals are interesting. There's a detour of sorts in the plot when Hanna befriends a family on vacation. This is the most interesting part of the movie. Then the film reverts to the chase scene that is its plot line. I thought that the ending might be some sort of surprise or revelation, but there was none. I had the impression the screenwriters might have thought they wrote a funny or ironic ending, but they did not--it just fell flat. I will say I enjoyed looking at Eric Bana in wet underwear, and the Grimm's Fairy Tales theme park was intriguing as a set for some of the final confrontations.
This film takes a tired sci fi premise, the human with unusual abilities from a science experiment, and tries to make it original by making the main character a teenage girl. It isn't enough. The movie is basically a chase scene. Hanna is on the run to confront and presumably kill the CIA bigwig who started, then terminated the science experiment. The scenes of CIA skullduggery are laughable, less believable even than "Salt." There are a few moments of humor and the visuals are interesting. There's a detour of sorts in the plot when Hanna befriends a family on vacation. This is the most interesting part of the movie. Then the film reverts to the chase scene that is its plot line. I thought that the ending might be some sort of surprise or revelation, but there was none. I had the impression the screenwriters might have thought they wrote a funny or ironic ending, but they did not--it just fell flat. I will say I enjoyed looking at Eric Bana in wet underwear, and the Grimm's Fairy Tales theme park was intriguing as a set for some of the final confrontations.
Miral
(2010)
Touching Portrait of a Young Girl
27 March 2011
I was amazed at how non-political this movie was. There was a great deal of controversy around it, so I was expecting a polemic. It was nothing of the kind. It portrays the childhood and adolescence of a Palestinian girl, along with stories of her mother and her school headmistress. These stories illustrate, to some degree, the Palestinian history from 1947 to 1993. But the focus is on the women's stories. I think this is a movie that will be appreciated far more by women than by men. It is poignant and respectful. Most women will find something with which to identify in this film. The cinematography is beautiful and the lead actors are compelling in their roles. The movie has been criticized as disjointed, but that's because real life does not have a formulaic dramatic arc. And sadly, there is no "conclusion" to the movie because the conflict is ongoing.
Exit Through the Gift Shop
(2010)
An Artist that WILL Be Remembered
5 February 2011
The real reason to see this film is that it highlights the work of Banksy, who I believe is actually a great artist and not just a graffiti prankster. The movie itself may well be a prank--I don't believe Thierry Guetta created all the pieces he sold in his massive art show, and the fact he picks "Mr. Brainwash" as his alias is pretty obviously a poke at the people who bought the pieces. The movie is obviously a creation of Banksy, and Thierry Guetta--or Mr. Brainwash anyway--may very well be a creation of Banksy as well--perhaps Guetta is just some dude with some acting talent and an interest in street art who conspired with Banksy on this project. It's humorous and fun, but perhaps too modest. Banksy deserves a full-length documentary. The DVD I got from Netflix also includes a short documentary on Banksy and between the two, you get a sense of the artist's work, if you weren't already familiar with it. His images are striking, his juxtapositions ironic, subversive, political, provocative, comic and tragic. For millenia art has been purchased and owned by rich people and by governments and Banksy creates art that by appearing everywhere,for free, without government approval, belongs to the people. Of course eventually he did sell his work but all this means is that some of it will be preserved. There is a wide span of merit in the graffiti art world and in my opinion, Banksy is at the top.
The Way Back
(I) (2010)
Epic Survival Tale
23 January 2011
This is a film for people who appreciate epic landscapes and survivor stories. It has some engaging characters but not brilliant dialogue or complicated characters. Mostly, it is a visual film, displaying the vulnerability of a few people in a harsh, vast, beautiful landscape. They must depend on each other, and they develop an intimacy based on their shared struggle rather than on deep conversations and emotional revelations, or at least, not until a young girl joins them. Weir seems to be commenting on the yin yang of masculinity/femininity at times in this film. I also liked the subtle underlying commentary on the brutal oppression of the Soviet regime under Stalin.
All of the actors were good; Farrell adds a touch of humor, Sturgess portrays anguish well, and Harris is a good tough old guy--his usual persona. By the way, Manohla Dargis in The New York Times complains that Farrell is too good-looking to be a Russian gangster. What this assessment is based on I can't imagine; doubt Dargis hangs with Russian gangsters.
All of the actors were good; Farrell adds a touch of humor, Sturgess portrays anguish well, and Harris is a good tough old guy--his usual persona. By the way, Manohla Dargis in The New York Times complains that Farrell is too good-looking to be a Russian gangster. What this assessment is based on I can't imagine; doubt Dargis hangs with Russian gangsters.
The Time That Remains
(2009)
Suleiman's Retrospective
16 January 2011
This film, like most Elia Suleiman films, uses real time, absurdity, symbolism and scenes from Suleiman's life, at the same time portraying history and current events. As typical of Suleiman it is also a very personal film, the most personal of the ones I've seen (Divine Intervention, Chronicle of a Disappearance). It is a reminiscence of his family from the time of 1948, when the state of Israel was created on the land called Palestine, to the present day.
The film covers events including the war of 1948, the death of Nasser, the resistance against Israeli occupation, and the deterioration of Palestinian society in recent times. It is filled with Suleiman's typical tragicomic scenes of interaction between Israelis and Palestinians. It is a very sad film, however, the humor that runs through the film, and the suspense that is created by filming in real time, keep the film engaging even though like Suleiman's other films the pace is somewhat slow.
The film covers events including the war of 1948, the death of Nasser, the resistance against Israeli occupation, and the deterioration of Palestinian society in recent times. It is filled with Suleiman's typical tragicomic scenes of interaction between Israelis and Palestinians. It is a very sad film, however, the humor that runs through the film, and the suspense that is created by filming in real time, keep the film engaging even though like Suleiman's other films the pace is somewhat slow.
Inside Job
(2010)
How DeRegulation Led to Disaster
12 December 2010
This film systematically lays out the causes of the 2008 financial crash and resulting economic depression.It explains: 1. Collateralized Debt Obligations and and how these were used to sell sub-prime mortgage debt to investors. 2. Credit Default Swaps and how they encouraged the failure of investments including the Collateralized Debt Obligations. 3. How some journalists and economists bluntly warned a crash was coming, and were ignored. 4. How debt rating companies (Moody's, Standard and Poor's) took money from banks and then gave the banks' CDO and other investments AA ratings, despite the fact these investments were actually subprime or "junk" debt. 5. How Ivy League economics professors get hundreds of thousands of dollars from banks and then trumpet deregulation as an ideology in supposedly "scholarly" papers and books. 6. How deregulation started under Reagan, continued under Bush I, accelerated under Clinton, and continued under GW Bush. 7. How the post-Great Depression Glass-Steagall act prevented the type of disaster we saw in 2008, and how it was dismantled by Congress. 8. How the bankers who caused the entire debacle got away scot-free, getting to keep their millions and avoiding jail time. 9. How many millions of people suffered all over the world, losing jobs, homes and incomes, with some cast into dire poverty. 10. How Barack Obama appointed one of the guilty to be his Treasury Secretary, kept one of the guilty on as Chair of the Federal Reserve, and appointed numerous other guilty parties to key posts. 11. How significant regulation is still lacking and given the close ties of both the Republicans and Democrats to international banks, it is likely we will see more crashes and increasing income inequality in the future, and how already, this generation is less well-off than their parents.
What I can't understand is why we haven't had a revolution yet.
What I can't understand is why we haven't had a revolution yet.
Confessions: Animal Hoarding
(2010– )
Educational
15 October 2010
I thought this show was very revealing of people with this disorder. It became obvious many of them have depression or addictive tendencies or personality disorders. I had the impression the show helped them get treatment. This show exposed how people who want to "save" others, animals or people, aren't motivated merely by altruism. I didn't think this show was exploitive because it helped the participants, especially the family and friends who were at their wits' end. I did wonder how the producers found out about these cases and whether their shooting of the shows might have delayed some legal action...I would like to know more about how this show was produced.
Five Minutes of Heaven
(2009)
It Rings True
2 October 2010
I'm writing this review to state that having counseled people who've committed murder, I think this film rings true. Both characters are portrayed with psychological accuracy. I also thought the film was quite suspenseful, since we know at some point there is going to be a confrontation, but we don't know when or exactly how. This type of real-life suspense is much more nerve-wracking than a contrived chase scene with fake explosions in a Hollywoood movie.
I'm not an expert on Irish history so I can't critique the film from that angle. I'm not sure whether it matters as this type of story could take place in the setting of any of many conflicts.
I'm not an expert on Irish history so I can't critique the film from that angle. I'm not sure whether it matters as this type of story could take place in the setting of any of many conflicts.
Triage
(2009)
Taut War Drama
1 September 2010
This film deserved better than a straight-to-DVD release.
The story begins in Iraqi Kurdistan, shortly before Saddam Hussein gassed thousands of Kurds to quell a rebellion. Colin Farrell and Jamie Sives portray two photojournalists who ride along with the rebels. Because the Kurds have no real army or government, medical care given to the wounded is...frugal. Farrell's character, Mark, converses with a doctor who believes in relieving people's suffering. Mark initially finds it hard to understand the doctor's point of view. Sives' character, David, decides to quit rather than take one more chance and starts a long walk back from the front lines. The next thing we see is a wounded Mark (Colin Farrell) and we don't know what happened to David.
The rest of the film takes place in Ireland, sort of. It moves back and forth from scenes of Mark's life as the traumatized husband of a beautiful woman who feels locked out by his shell-shocked remoteness, and Mark's various wartime memories, as he describes them to his wife's grandfather, a therapist who once treated war criminals. The therapist starts to figure out from the threads of Mark's different stories what might have happened to David. What is fascinating is Mark's unconscious selection of images from his mind that inadvertently reveal the truth to the therapist. As a therapist myself, this was the most interesting part of the movie for me.
Farrell convincingly portrays a man wracked by grief and guilt. Christopher Lee is excellent as a somewhat egomaniacal healer whose political views differ from those of his daughter. The rest of the cast is also good and Paz and Farrell seem to have sexual chemistry.
The story begins in Iraqi Kurdistan, shortly before Saddam Hussein gassed thousands of Kurds to quell a rebellion. Colin Farrell and Jamie Sives portray two photojournalists who ride along with the rebels. Because the Kurds have no real army or government, medical care given to the wounded is...frugal. Farrell's character, Mark, converses with a doctor who believes in relieving people's suffering. Mark initially finds it hard to understand the doctor's point of view. Sives' character, David, decides to quit rather than take one more chance and starts a long walk back from the front lines. The next thing we see is a wounded Mark (Colin Farrell) and we don't know what happened to David.
The rest of the film takes place in Ireland, sort of. It moves back and forth from scenes of Mark's life as the traumatized husband of a beautiful woman who feels locked out by his shell-shocked remoteness, and Mark's various wartime memories, as he describes them to his wife's grandfather, a therapist who once treated war criminals. The therapist starts to figure out from the threads of Mark's different stories what might have happened to David. What is fascinating is Mark's unconscious selection of images from his mind that inadvertently reveal the truth to the therapist. As a therapist myself, this was the most interesting part of the movie for me.
Farrell convincingly portrays a man wracked by grief and guilt. Christopher Lee is excellent as a somewhat egomaniacal healer whose political views differ from those of his daughter. The rest of the cast is also good and Paz and Farrell seem to have sexual chemistry.
Budrus
(2009)
A Protest Movement Ignored by the Media
6 August 2010
This documentary will be an eye-opener for many Americans. It tells the story of an on-going non-violent protest movement on the West Bank of the Palestinian Territories. The movement has been created and led by Palestinians--a people often portrayed as terrorists or fanatics by the Western media. Some intrepid international activists as well as some Israelis have joined the movement, but the focus of this film is on the Palestinians.
The film portrays the actual protests and the response by the Israeli military. Just as interesting are numerous brief interviews with many people including the leaders of the protests, an Israeli activist and an Israeli military leader on the ground (who I began to suspect was probably later fired, as his comments were damning as well as humorous). Many people might be shocked to see a Hamas member talk about the value of non-violent protest and how he has met progressive Jews whom he now views as comrades. Not a bearded mullah, he is a math teacher.
The protests I believe were filmed in 2003, but this movement against the Israeli theft of Palestinian land continues on the West Bank. Since it is rarely covered by the Western media, this film may be your only chance to get a good look at it.
The film portrays the actual protests and the response by the Israeli military. Just as interesting are numerous brief interviews with many people including the leaders of the protests, an Israeli activist and an Israeli military leader on the ground (who I began to suspect was probably later fired, as his comments were damning as well as humorous). Many people might be shocked to see a Hamas member talk about the value of non-violent protest and how he has met progressive Jews whom he now views as comrades. Not a bearded mullah, he is a math teacher.
The protests I believe were filmed in 2003, but this movement against the Israeli theft of Palestinian land continues on the West Bank. Since it is rarely covered by the Western media, this film may be your only chance to get a good look at it.
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