mrncat Reviews

Finding Steve McQueen (2019)

Refreshing

[7/10 · 11 June 2020]

Based upon true events, this movie mixes a bank heist, romance and being a fan of actor, Steve McQueen, into ultimately kind of a refreshing ride. There is an earnestness to this movie as well as humor -- I haven't genuinely laughed out loud at a movie in a long time. The soundtrack is spot on, also, and enhanced the movie. The only actor I recognized is Forest Whitaker, and he adds needed credibility in his depiction of a decent member of law enforcement.

Steve Jobs (2015)

More like a theater piece -- refreshing and fascinating

[8/10 · 29 September 2016]

I've watched this film now twice within a week time span. Being familiar with some aspects of Steve Jobs' life, I was fascinated with how biographical details are woven into the script. Also seeing the launching of 3 different products was compelling on some level as it is the behind the scenes look at these events that makes up the action.

This film is written more like a theater piece with very strong dialogue and characters. I'm not familiar with screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin, and his other work so I was not prepared to be drawn into this film as much as I was.

Regarding the acting, Kate Winslet's immersion into her role was admirable and something I've grown to realize she, as an actor, does very very well. Michael Fassbinder, I'd heard about being a talented actor, and his portrayal of Steve Jobs is a testament to this. I also believe Seth Rogen as "Woz" is very good, and I was glad to see him in a dramatic role.

Labor Day (2013)

I read the book and then saw the movie...good acting and direction

[7/10 · 20 July 2015]

I actually read the novel Labor Day by Joyce Maynard before I rented the film. The book is very good and packs an emotional wallop at the end (a similar ending with some added nuances). Having read the book, I knew what was going to happen so in some ways it took away any of the suspense that existed in the film for people who were seeing the story for the first time.

I think the book fills in the details of the characters' lives better than the film does, however the director obviously had to choose how to provide the background stories of Adele and Frank, and given their individual pasts, it wasn't an easy feat. The director did an admirable job in my opinion, yet I don't know if I hadn't read the book if I'd have been able to piece together Frank's story all that well.

The casting of Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin was very inspired and they each captured their characters believably. This is a love story ultimately and being told from the perspective of a 13 year old boy adds a perspective that is refreshing.

The Address (2014 TV Movie)

An interesting approach to learning about a famous speech and the Civil War

[8/10 · 29 July 2014]

I had some expectations of this film in some respects – I recently completed 3 education courses and was interested to see how Burns would depict the struggles of young males ages 11-17 with learning differences as they attempt to learn about and memorize the Gettysburg Address. Also as a person just interested in documentary films and how they can shed light on historic or current events or situations, my other reason stemmed mainly from curiosity.

Burns employs some effective techniques that can make this film work for educators as well as for the general viewer. Since I'm still a student of education I can't speak for all teachers, however the film does not shy away from the trials these students often face while trying to both fit in and learn at the same time. I liked the way the school basically uses what can be called possibly a "constructivist" approach regarding the teaching of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (at one point some student musicians played "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again" making this holistic approach ring true).

Helpful to the viewer, and representing that this film is about the students themselves, is that each child appearing in a scene is identified by first name. I found myself by the end of the film recognizing some of the students by face and name, and this brought the film closer to home. I think this is a film that all educators should see if for nothing else than to view how successfully an overriding goal or theme can be for students. I think the general viewer can gain a clearer understanding of how a learning disability affects a child and how these students are as eager to learn and comprehend the world as anyone.

Breathless (1983)

Not so bad in retrospect (holds up better than what one would think...)

[7/10 · 27 July 2014]

I remember when this film was first released. There was much hype since it was an American remake of a fairly renown French film from the 60s. At that point in Richard Gere's career he had portrayed several youthful virile characters (I guess you can say "studs" -- in "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" and "American Gigolo" and "An Officer and a Gentleman"). I think the critics and much of the public at the time saw this film as just another stud role of his. Maybe this is why the film was panned. I myself don't fondly remember it from the first time I saw it -- somehow it seemed empty and vacuous.

I've just now seen this again after many years and Gere's off and on channeling of Jerry Lee Lewis is not something I saw the first time. I agree with another commenter here that Gere actually plays this role of a small time devil-may-care hood to the hilt. He captures the James Dean & Marlon Brando rebel swagger, however minus their brooding or introspection. One endearing aspect of his character here is he's also something of a romantic and I think this is why the young French college student becomes enamored him.

I rated this film a "7" and I think it's worth watching. It is also fairly provocative sexually (hot) and this aspect is tastefully depicted.

After watching this I thought of the song from the late 1970s "Point of No Return," and Gere's character is heading down a very risky path. I don't think anyone affiliated with the making of this film was necessarily searching for a moral to the story -- I guess from the perspective of being older and seeing this now this is what was brought to mind.

Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) (2010)

Shedding some worthwhile light on this musician's life

[8/10 · 3 March 2013]

I, for one, am glad that someone has made a film about this singer/songwriter. The film does fill in some of the questions I had about his life (for example, when I learned in the mid 1990s that he had died of a heart attack, I wondered where he'd been and what he was doing in the years prior to his death as he had somewhat disappeared from view). I also like the fact that many of his contemporaries and musician friends who knew him from the late 1960s & 1970s were given the opportunity to share their thoughts about him. It gives the film viewer insight into Nilsson's talent and also his personal weaknesses.

The final minutes of the film discusses Nilsson's marriage and family --this answered another question for me as when I read his obit it stated he had 6 children. Featuring an interview with his Irish wife as well as statements from some of his children adds further glimpses into this talented man. The film does hint there's a lesson to be gleaned from learning about Nilsson's life (i.e., the perils of achievement/success and subsequent overindulgence). I was grateful, too, as a balance, that the love he and his wife and children shared was also portrayed.

Spinning Into Butter (2007)

There's a good movie in there somewhere....

[5/10 · 14 May 2012]

This movie's concept is thought-provoking, however the execution of the point it is trying to make gets lost somehow. In some way I think it is the actors chosen for this film -- maybe it would've worked better if they were mostly unknowns. Because what the viewer needs here is the ability to understand that the characters depicted in the story are not stereotypes. And yet they are portrayed as such to a great extent and it just didn't add up to the kind of depth that ought to be there to sufficiently address racism. Anyway the movie felt stunted, and for some reason I found it hard to believe that the actors themselves, for the most part, believed what the characters they portrayed were saying. Yes, there was the attempt to portray how hypocritical the college professors and professionals were and how sensitive the minority students were to prejudicial slights. I just got the impression that something more intrinsic to the entire situation was missing.

Interestingly Sarah Jessica Parker did eventually come across as believable. Everyone else i thought was on another planet and it all felt disjointed.

This film is not bad per se -- the story itself is intriguing in that it does try to depict racism. I found it hard to believe on some level that a college would react so oddly.

All Good Things (2010)

Unsettling with good strong performances

[7/10 · 10 July 2011]

The fact that this film is based on a true story gave it additional creepiness -- I'd not heard of these people or this situation before so it was unsettling to watch how things evolved (or de-evolved is more what it was). Ryan Gosling and Kristen Dunst are worthy actors and both bring a lot of strength and believability to their portrayal of two people who love and care for another despite what turns out to be their contrasting needs and wants. Unfortunately, as another commenter here points out, Gosling's character never gets the help he needs so his subtle deterioration begins to grip his life. It is actually a very sad story ultimately, and yet how it remains unresolved to a great extent makes it more complex and dark. Frank Langella as the father also turns in a good performance as does Lily Rabe, who is Gosling's childhood friend.

Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)

Emotional and provocative

[8/10 · 26 November 2010]

When I first saw this movie in the late 1970s I was bowled over by how emotionally raw and vulnerable the characters of Minnie Moore & Seymour Moskowitz were. Actress Gina Rowlands was very believable in her characterization and some of the dialogue in this I thought was quite memorable.

Now upon seeing it again some 30 years later (& being older myself), I see again Minnie's raw emotions and understand that she WANTS to feel (at one point she says she admires people who can really feel or something to that effect). Seymour is actually much more emotionally volatile than what I remember.

This film is a character study is what I guess it is referred to. I saw it initially as a love story and believe it still is. It has much of the look and style and attitude of the time it was made (1971), and Seymour's long hair and somewhat "hippie" look would've made him possibly suspect in the eyes of middle America at that time. While Seymour's volatility exhibits his own emotional rawness, he has something of a heart of gold and he is who he is. I think this movie still holds up and it has a level of emotional excitement that makes it appealing.

Howl (2010)

Good acting by James Franco & effective portrayal of what happens when writing is attempted to be banned

[7/10 · 29 September 2010]

In admiration of James Franco and his portraying a literary person is why I wanted to see this film. Since I'd never read the poem "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg (& I knew of Ginsberg in his later years as he was fairly renown as almost an elder poet statesman), I actually dug up a copy of "Howl" and read it before I viewed the movie. It turns out that it wasn't necessary to have read "Howl" -- the film sufficiently presents the poem and its complete text so that the viewer gets a good understanding just from the movie itself (at least I thought so...). This occurs in not only Franco's public reading of "Howl," it is brought out in the animation aspect of the film -- for me the animation was unexpected yet not intrusive. What is the film's major strength is James Franco's portrayal of Ginsberg. Franco's actual physical resemblance to the younger Ginsberg adds to his portrayal and his public reading of "Howl" is also quite good.

What is additionally satisfying in my mind is the evoking of a time and place (mid 1950s America) when a group of writers and quasi-vagabonds lived their lives on their own terms (& not in accordance to what was then considered the status quo) and wrote about it. This is brought out in depictions of Ginsberg's relationships and also in the court room obscenity battle about "Howl."

Amarcord (1973)

One of the first foreign films I'd ever seen (& it remains a favorite)

[9/10 · 7 September 2010]

I can still remember the joy and wonder that this film evoked in me. When I first saw this in the mid-to-late 1970s I hadn't been exposed to many foreign films at that point, and it just bowled me over. The humor and warmth made it something that I wanted to share with others -- I subsequently took 2 other friends on separate occasions to see this in the several years after I first saw it. It is the kind of movie that is a gift for the viewer.

Interestingly I haven't liked any other of Fellini's films to this extent. What struck me, however, was that after this film's success, other well known directors made movies (Francois Truffaut's "Small Change" and John Boorman's "Hope & Glory," for example) that seemed to be following Fellini's either reminiscence theme and/or its focus on childhood. I guess knowing that Fellini did it first really solidified the worth and value in my mind of "Amarcord." I believe that anyone who likes movies should see this film as it has much of what comprises a memorable cinematic experience.

Then She Found Me (2007)

Satisfying comedy about serious family concerns

[6/10 · 28 March 2010]

When I borrowed this film from my local library I was hoping it would live up to the abilities of its promising cast (Helen Hunt, Bette Midler, Colin Firth & Matthew Broderick), and yet it took me a while to actually sit down and view it. Fortunately it turned out to be funny and endearing.

I read in the beginning credits that it was based on a novel and it looks like Helen Hunt (as director), along with the screenwriters, were able to effectively glean the comedic elements from the story. The film's achievement is portraying the swirling emotions of its central characters without becoming too cloying or desperate.

In terms of the actors, Bette Midler is especially memorable as a woman who fumbles into territory that for her, up to this point in her life, is seemingly uncharted. Colin Firth is messy and lovable, Matthew Broderick, pathetic and a bit lost. And Helen Hunt proves herself as a capable director while depicting a woman searching for her own sense of fulfillment. There were moments while watching this that I laughed out loud and other moments when I cried -- this amounts to some of my criteria that makes a movie ultimately worth seeing.

The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966)

Full of accurate funny/satiric nuances

[8/10 · 13 November 2009]

I just saw this film for the first time & it is quite funny (i do remember hearing the title of this movie when it was first released in the mid-to-late 60s when i was a teenager). Anyway after 40+ years this movie still resonates as its characters are well drawn. The way it reflects human nature under fear & hysteria as well as the nuances of a small New England island resort town is priceless. With its strong comedic cast the viewer gets to see also how an ensemble of good actors can make a comedy shine (reminiscent in some respects of It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" only this film here is more focused). Actors Carl Reiner, Brian Keith, Jonathan Winters, Paul Ford and Eva Marie Saint all are memorable.

Bandits (1997)

Refreshing

[7/10 · 6 August 2008]

This is a refreshing and offbeat German film that keeps the viewer's interest even when the situation becomes a bit improbable. The fact that the music that these four women inmates make is likable enhances the quality of the movie, in my opinion (early on when the band does a cover, in English, of "All Along the Watchtower," an obvious yet inspired choice, I decided at that point the film was going to have merit...). Also while each of the characters has a "story," there isn't a lot of on screen emphasis given to their individual backgrounds per se.

For a film that offers a different twist on female convicts and somehow blends music, satire and the bonds of friendship, this is worth taking a look at.

The Lookout (2007)

A drama/thriller about starting over and making choices....

[7/10 · 3 November 2007]

This movie takes its time becoming a "thriller" and is instead, for the most part, a drama that depicts in a unique way how a person (who's had a devastating thing happen in his/her life) learns how to "start over" in life. Chris, the main character (actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt in an excellent performance), must learn how to cope with life from a new perspective after experiencing severe head/brain trauma; where as once he was an able bodied functioning person, he is now considered disabled to some extent. Given this premise, the film then mixes in some people of ill repute who entice Chris into a criminal scheme. Up to this point since his injury Chris appears to have been fortunate to have been surrounded by decent and caring people, and now he is faced with making some strange choices. Once this aspect of the film gets going things become more suspenseful.

In my opinion, one of the film's basic strengths is its dialogue and this aspect helps to make the characters seem believable. Actor Jeff Daniels was also especially good combining vulnerability with wisdom in his performance as a blind man.

Melvin and Howard (1980)

Remembered this film from when it was first released - liked it then and now

[8/10 · 10 October 2007]

I saw this film back in 1980/81 when it was first released and liked it a lot then. Now have seen it again recently, and it still holds up. There is a certain joy of life depicted in this film that is in some ways also bittersweet (and yet refreshing). What is sad in some regards now is the realization upon seeing it again that the era of life portrayed here is now gone from the collective American psyche to some extent. That isn't to say the film is dated per se. It's just that Melvin isn't cynical at all and he doesn't seem to have a hateful bone in his body. He's neither a wimp nor a man of intellect but someone whose basic humanity emanates.

What helps the film, too, is the pairing of actors Paul LeMat as Melvin, and Mary Steenburgen as Melvin's wife, Linda -- they are an endearing couple.

I attribute the film's memorable tone and spirit to not only the actors (including Jason Robards & some of the supporting cast) -- I like to believe that director, Jonathan Demme, put his stamp on this, too. Now in retrospect am learning that the writer (Bo Goldman) probably deserves some kudos.

The Last Days of Left Eye (2007 TV Movie)

Eerie and also ultimately sad - a woman documents her quest for wellness while giving also an overview of her life

[7/10 · 20 May 2007]

While I'm familiar with Lisa Lopez ("Left Eye") and with the three women hip hop group, TLC, that she was a part of, I'm not a fan per se of their group. However when I became aware of TLC in the late 1990s I was curious enough to watch their videos and gather some information about them. When Lisa died I remember thinking how sad it was that a woman of her talent and energy died so young. This film is what it's title says -- it is literally a documentary filmed during the last month of Lisa Lopez's ("Left Eye") life. What it does also is give background and insight into her life up to that point (age 30) as Lisa herself saw it; included are photos of her growing up, her family, her former husband, and her music and performances with TLC. What makes this unusual is that the film chronicles her upbringing from her own viewpoint and allows you the viewer to see the changes that she has made. What makes this ultimately eerie and sad is that Lisa seemed to have some foreshadowing of her death and yet her attitude toward this strange inevitability is one of acceptance and deep spiritual transcendence.

Sorry, Haters (2005)

Good psychological thriller with an interesting perspective on the damage of hate

[8/10 · 7 June 2006]

This film is both a psychological thriller and a comment on the damage that hatred inflicts. On several levels it can make you look at people's actions and how it can happen that we can become driven by our negative impulses rather than by compassion and understanding. Also the film looks at how the pressures to achieve success, feel loved and wanted, and have a sense of personal empowerment dominates modern life, and when people feel like failures in these realms, the inclination to become bitter and then lash out somehow can take over. Robin Wright Penn does an excellent job of portraying the main female character -- with the risk of giving too much away here, she makes this woman a composite of both sensitivity and instability so that there is a growing awareness of unpredictability concerning her actions and where the movie is going. Abdel Kechiche, the actor who plays the Syrian cab driver, is compelling as well.

Off the Map (2003)

Worth seeing

[7/10 · 19 February 2006]

Hadn't heard anything about this film and I like Joan Allen's work so thought it was worth a look. And then was surprised to see in the opening credits that Campbell Scott directed it and he sometimes does quirky things...

This film holds your attention and is quietly moving. Visually it was also captivating in its depiction of the desert, the sky and the rural aspect of living on the land the way the family was. The reminiscing voice-over aspect was well balanced in relation to the acting sequences as well.

This was a refreshing surprise.

And Now Ladies & Gentlemen (2002)

An unusual film that has stayed with me in a dreamy languid way

[7/10 · 16 February 2005]

I saw this on the Sundance Channel recently and its oddness kept me interested. Jeremy Irons is quite good as is the French lead actress who I am not familiar with and whose singing talent is jazzy and soulful. I think there is a very "French" ambiance to this film, although I'm not sure really what I mean when I say this. The movie takes its time in terms of hooking up the two lead characters...by the time they do meet each other (albeit in kind of a far fetched way perhaps) the audience knows a lot about each of them and I, for one, had grown to like them and was glad to see them meet up. I also liked the fact that there is a bit of mystery thrown into the storyline in the midst of them meeting. There is also a strong emotional undercurrent in this film of sadness. So if you are a Jeremy Irons fan or if you just want to see a decent contemporary story about people maneuvering middle life while still searching for themselves and love, this film is possibly worth your time.

Cold Mountain (2003)

Better than i thought and yet somehow not as good as i expected

[7/10 · 21 July 2004]

Well, i expected, for all the hype and Oscar nominations, an epic Civil war drama (& something with the "magnitude" of the "English Patient" given the same director). This film isn't of epic stature, but it turns out i was relieved it wasn't. It's a love story in the midst of the horrors of war where young men are sent off to fight, deserters are tracked and killed, and the women and children at home are left to fend for themselves while the men are gone.

Anyway i thought Nicole Kidman and Rene Zelleweger were pretty decent and not knowing much about Jude Law, he was all right, also. It seems Rene Z. had the more fun part of the 3 leads and was able to smartly play a spirited, feisty downhome woman with much aplomb. Also for me it was good to see actress, Kathy Baker...someone's who's talent needs to be more recognized/acknowledged.

This film is worth seeing this -- i'm can't articulate why really, but maybe because it is a slice of Americana.

Sylvia (2003)

Fairly competent depiction of a talented woman writer's struggle with life itself

[6/10 · 21 June 2004]

I thought this would be rough going in some respects (as well as sad) and it is, at times. However it's a fairly good depiction of a talented poet such as Sylvia Plath who has this push-and-pull struggle to both create and destroy in her art and her life; ultimately you are given the idea that she never felt comfortable with life itself and how life ought to feel for her. The film also lets you see that Plath was driven to write and sought acceptance (more than I previously thought). While I'd read her book "The Bell Jar" I didn't know, too, that she was as accomplished as she was (a Fullbright scholar and such).

Gwyneth Paltrow does a good job of portraying Plath, and Daniel Craig is decent as Ted Hughes. The film prompted me to go out and do some research on Plath & Hughes, and it seems Hughes lived to regret being such a cad to her. He did work to keep Plath's poetry alive after her death as he compiled books of her poetry that were published in subsequent years.

All in all it was worthwhile, i think, to make this film to give people an idea of this renown woman poet's life and art.

Say Amen, Somebody (1982)

A surprise that keeps your interest...

[7/10 · 4 March 2004]

This film is a surprise and keeps the viewer interested! I rented this out of "professional" curiosity as wanting to check out documentaries. Also the fact that it is now 20 years old made me wonder how it would fly now. Well, time has not dented this film at all. The music is uplifting and the dynamics portrayed between not only family members but the some of the central people profiled (Willie Mae Ford Smith, Thomas A. Dorsey & Sallie Martin) are compelling, if not at times (in the light of human nature), somewhat humorous. As far as bringing gospel music into churches, Ms. Smith and Mr. Dorsey were definitely pioneers. Their struggle was unique, but they kept going and nurtured others who wanted to go this same route.

Gaudi Afternoon (2001)

Compelling & good acting (near the end things become a little off kilter however)

[7/10 · 31 December 2003]

I was curious to see this film because of Judy Davis and Marcia Gay Harden being in it. I was surprised, then, to see Lili Taylor and Juliette Lewis as well. The acting was admirable on all accounts and Judy Davis played a tough and curious literary woman translator that Davis was able to make likable despite the character being repressed and brittle.

The story worked up until near the end when things got a little ludicrous concerning people meeting up and then the child disappearing and it seemed weirdly frantic at some points. For the most part it was an enjoyable film with surprises now and then. I was quite surprised to learn after I looked up some information later about this film that it was directed by Susan Seidelman as I've liked her work in the past. It's good to know she still has a flair for creating films about women who are put in situations where they begin to questions their lives so far and the decisions they've made.

Beautiful Creatures (2000)

Darkly funny & violent film with a feminist edge

[8 October 2002]

This is a refreshing & darkly humorous, albeit violent, film about women who bond together when things go from bad to worse after they try to help one another. It does have the Thelma & Louise flavor to some extent. None of the men these women in "Beautiful Creatures" are involved are at all redeeming, however. A giddy terror results when they find themselves getting into a deeper and deeper mess. I thought this also had a kind of Scottish feel to it (it's filmed in Glasgow) that reminded me a bit of one of Bill Forsyth's films "That Sinking Feeling." While Forsyth's film was not violent, some people might find "Beautiful Creatures," because of the brutality in it, offensive. Still it's a not often look at the underside of smart women getting involved with some yukky guys and trying hard not to end up destitute & beaten down.