A French naval officer is called in to investigate a murder and finds that her estranged brother is implicated in the crime. After being removed from the investigation, she continues in order to exonerate her brother. This is a standard TV movie-like plot, but it is mildly entertaining. Actions of the characters are reasonably believable with just the right amount of drama and action with a little romance thrown in to sweeten the pot.
Reviews
138 Reviews
I've Loved You So Long
(2008)
A Magnificent Overall Experience
8 March 2009
This is an extraordinary film of love and reckoning. It begins with the face of a woman seemingly devoid of emotion. She is seated in an airport and is soon met by a younger woman. From there, this film peels off layer and layer until a heartbreaking, yet uplifting, conclusion is realized.
Juliette Fontaine has been in prison for fifteen years. The younger woman who meets her at the airport is her sister, Léa who takes Juliette to stay with her family. Léa and Luc are successful professionals who share their home with two adopted daughters from Viet Nam and Luc's father who has suffered a stroke. Juliette enters this home but is seen a pretty much an outsider - even by her sister.
As the story continues, the viewer finds that, because of her crime, Juliette was rejected by her family, and Léa - who was a teenager at the time - was pretty much forced by her parents to also reject her sister. There has been no contact except for the past few months, and Juliette has begrudgingly accepted Léa's invitation to stay with her family basically out of necessity.
As Juliette goes about registering with the local police and looking for a job, the director and writer of this film unravels her story until all is disclosed. Along the way, the viewer is treated with numerous, captivating characters portrayed by consummate actors.
Kristin Scott Thomas and Elsa Zylberstein are wonderful as Juliette and Léa. All of their scenes together are magic. Thomas is in almost every scene of the film and her interplay with all of the other actors is a treat.
I am often disappointed by French films because they draw me in with extremely interesting characters and situations and then disappoint by just ending with no reasonable conclusion. Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, however, carries through with a believable and heartfelt conclusion to reward by giving a magnificent overall experience. It is a super movie.
Juliette Fontaine has been in prison for fifteen years. The younger woman who meets her at the airport is her sister, Léa who takes Juliette to stay with her family. Léa and Luc are successful professionals who share their home with two adopted daughters from Viet Nam and Luc's father who has suffered a stroke. Juliette enters this home but is seen a pretty much an outsider - even by her sister.
As the story continues, the viewer finds that, because of her crime, Juliette was rejected by her family, and Léa - who was a teenager at the time - was pretty much forced by her parents to also reject her sister. There has been no contact except for the past few months, and Juliette has begrudgingly accepted Léa's invitation to stay with her family basically out of necessity.
As Juliette goes about registering with the local police and looking for a job, the director and writer of this film unravels her story until all is disclosed. Along the way, the viewer is treated with numerous, captivating characters portrayed by consummate actors.
Kristin Scott Thomas and Elsa Zylberstein are wonderful as Juliette and Léa. All of their scenes together are magic. Thomas is in almost every scene of the film and her interplay with all of the other actors is a treat.
I am often disappointed by French films because they draw me in with extremely interesting characters and situations and then disappoint by just ending with no reasonable conclusion. Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, however, carries through with a believable and heartfelt conclusion to reward by giving a magnificent overall experience. It is a super movie.
Pride and Glory
(2008)
Brutal, Profane, and Heartbreaking
31 January 2009
Dramas about the New York City police department are prolific with a fair share being about corruption in the force. This is one of the best. Add to this the element of a police family, and you have some engrossing entertainment.
The story starts with the death of four police officers during a drug bust. Ray Tierney was a rising star in the department, but for reasons to be disclosed in the course of the film has assumed a non-starter position in the missing person's squad. Ray is convinced by his father, Francis Tierney, Sr. - a high ranking member of the department - to take on the investigation of the murders of the officers. All of the officers involved - both living and dead - are members of the precinct headed by Ray's older brother, Francis, Jr. Ray's sister is married to Jimmy Eagan, one of the officers in Francis, Jr's command. The members of this police family lead the viewer through a labyrinth of murder and dishonesty.
One of the things I liked about this film is that the viewer knows who the good guys are and who the bad guys are almost from the very beginning. There are shades of gray along the way, but the two sides of the incidents basically remain the same. This is a break from this genre of film as most of their ilks keep the viewer guessing to the end. Instead, Pride and Glory holds your interest by investing you in the lives of the characters, be they good, bad, or gray. Adding a reasonable plot, tight directing, and superior acting, and you have a most enjoyable film.
Three powerful actors head an extremely competent cast. Jon Voight is right on as the patriarch who drinks too much but is loyal to his sons and son-in-law. Edward Norton is both tough and intuitive as the man put in the middle. Colin Farrell shines as the Jekyll/Hyde cop who is a loving family man but a brute on the street. Add to these powerhouses sensitive performances from actors such as Noah Emmerich as Francis, Jr. and John Ortiz as a cop in the precinct, and you get a movie that shines through the performances of its actors.
Pride and Glory is brutal, profane, and heartbreaking, but it is surely not a film to be missed.
The story starts with the death of four police officers during a drug bust. Ray Tierney was a rising star in the department, but for reasons to be disclosed in the course of the film has assumed a non-starter position in the missing person's squad. Ray is convinced by his father, Francis Tierney, Sr. - a high ranking member of the department - to take on the investigation of the murders of the officers. All of the officers involved - both living and dead - are members of the precinct headed by Ray's older brother, Francis, Jr. Ray's sister is married to Jimmy Eagan, one of the officers in Francis, Jr's command. The members of this police family lead the viewer through a labyrinth of murder and dishonesty.
One of the things I liked about this film is that the viewer knows who the good guys are and who the bad guys are almost from the very beginning. There are shades of gray along the way, but the two sides of the incidents basically remain the same. This is a break from this genre of film as most of their ilks keep the viewer guessing to the end. Instead, Pride and Glory holds your interest by investing you in the lives of the characters, be they good, bad, or gray. Adding a reasonable plot, tight directing, and superior acting, and you have a most enjoyable film.
Three powerful actors head an extremely competent cast. Jon Voight is right on as the patriarch who drinks too much but is loyal to his sons and son-in-law. Edward Norton is both tough and intuitive as the man put in the middle. Colin Farrell shines as the Jekyll/Hyde cop who is a loving family man but a brute on the street. Add to these powerhouses sensitive performances from actors such as Noah Emmerich as Francis, Jr. and John Ortiz as a cop in the precinct, and you get a movie that shines through the performances of its actors.
Pride and Glory is brutal, profane, and heartbreaking, but it is surely not a film to be missed.
The Lucky Ones
(2008)
A Gentleness That Rings True
30 January 2009
Three soldiers who have received non life threatening wounds in Iraq are together on a plane to New York. Two of them are on thirty day leaves while the other has served his time and is on his way home. Due to a power outage, all flights out of New York have been canceled. The three agree to rent a car together in order to continue the trip to their destinations. Thus begins a road trip that is highly dramatic with its share of comic events.
Fred Cheaver is the middle aged father figure of the three - a man who never really expected to do anything in the army except serve his domestic reserve duty. He is glad to be rid of the whole thing and is headed home to his wife and son. The two young soldiers who accompany Fred are Colee Dunn and T.K. Poole. Colee is a bright-eyed innocent who is on a mission for a fallen comrade who saved her life. T.K. is a no nonsense soldier from a family of soldiers who plans to make the army his career and move up the chain of command.
Whereas, Fred's quest is to return home to wife and son, Colee's and T.K.'s goals are to travel to Las Vegas for two entirely different reasons. Colee wants to return her dead comrade's treasured guitar to his family. T.K.'s reason is somewhat mysterious, but we know it is related in some way to his injury that has left him temporarily impotent.
As with all road trip films, the experiences and interactions of these three lead to conclusions not expected by them or the viewers.
Unlike most films featuring vets returning from the horrors of war, this film is not filled with dark angst - not to say the characters are not well-fleshed and genuine. These three are real people with real problems, but their depictions are not heavy-handed.
During this film, the viewer gets to enjoy the work of three excellent actors. Tim Robbins gives his usual fine, understated performance as the older man facing some totally unexpected twists of fate. Rachel McAdams gives Colee a likable innocence but also reveals some darker layers of her character. Michael Peña is very, very good as the macho guy with a heart who only wants to be a good soldier. Watching these three interact is a real treat.
Some may consider the treatment of the subject matter of this film too light handed, but it has a gentleness that rings true. It is surely worth watching.
Fred Cheaver is the middle aged father figure of the three - a man who never really expected to do anything in the army except serve his domestic reserve duty. He is glad to be rid of the whole thing and is headed home to his wife and son. The two young soldiers who accompany Fred are Colee Dunn and T.K. Poole. Colee is a bright-eyed innocent who is on a mission for a fallen comrade who saved her life. T.K. is a no nonsense soldier from a family of soldiers who plans to make the army his career and move up the chain of command.
Whereas, Fred's quest is to return home to wife and son, Colee's and T.K.'s goals are to travel to Las Vegas for two entirely different reasons. Colee wants to return her dead comrade's treasured guitar to his family. T.K.'s reason is somewhat mysterious, but we know it is related in some way to his injury that has left him temporarily impotent.
As with all road trip films, the experiences and interactions of these three lead to conclusions not expected by them or the viewers.
Unlike most films featuring vets returning from the horrors of war, this film is not filled with dark angst - not to say the characters are not well-fleshed and genuine. These three are real people with real problems, but their depictions are not heavy-handed.
During this film, the viewer gets to enjoy the work of three excellent actors. Tim Robbins gives his usual fine, understated performance as the older man facing some totally unexpected twists of fate. Rachel McAdams gives Colee a likable innocence but also reveals some darker layers of her character. Michael Peña is very, very good as the macho guy with a heart who only wants to be a good soldier. Watching these three interact is a real treat.
Some may consider the treatment of the subject matter of this film too light handed, but it has a gentleness that rings true. It is surely worth watching.
Burn After Reading
(2008)
A Dark Romp
9 January 2009
This is a real kick of a movie. Ethan and Joel Coen are noted for their dark humor and absurd situations, and in this film, they give the audience a witty satire on the security community - throwing in a neat stab at the attitude of those who man the exercise centers of our country. Be aware that just about everyone in this film is a dolt, and if not a dolt, a bastard or a bitch. Throw self-centered security and exercise nuts together and shake - you get Burn After Reading.
The basic plot is fairly simple - simple, that is, as the ultra creative Coens can make it. A security man has been forced out of his job and decides to write a tell-all memoir. His discontented wife is having an affair with another security man - a sex manic who seeks pleasure with every woman he meets. A disk containing some data for the memoir is found by a exercise consultant who thinks she needs extensive, very expensive plastic surgery in order to attract a man. She and her fellow worker decide to hold the disk for ransom in order to raise the money for the surgery. As I said, simple! Handled in the wrong way, this absurd plot would have been a silly, juvenile mess, but the Coens have taken this ludicrousness and made a highly entertaining romp. It is the directing and acting that bring this beautiful farce to its high altitude. Needless-to-say, the Coens are geniuses at this sort of thing, and they have a stable of super actors to bring their warped vision to fruition.
John Malkovich plays the disillusioned security man on his way out. He's a drunk, and a surly drunk at that. He pretty much hates the world and wants everyone in it to suffer. Malkovich has the unique ability to play such a character and still make the audience feel a little sorry for him.
Tilda Swinton plays Malkovich's bitch of a wife who is having an affair with the sex-crazy guy. She is a pediatrician who hates children. What more needs to be said? Swinton plays this cold woman to the hilt.
George Clooney is the lover who can't get enough sex from anyone. Plus, he is probably the second biggest dolt in the film. Clooney is just great in this role - a real treat to watch.
All of the acting is superior - including all supporting characters - but Brad Pitt absolutely steals the show as a not very bright fitness nut determined to help his friend finance her plastic surgery.
That friend is played wonderfully by Frances McDormand. She has mastered the technique of making even the most outlandish character believable, and she certainly pulls out all the stops on this one.
It is beyond my belief that a large number of critics did not like this film. I can only assume that they have completely lost their senses of humor and absurdity or never had them in the first place. Burn After Reading is an absurd delight created by super directing, a very witty script, and exceptional acting. I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't get one good chuckle after another from this one.
The basic plot is fairly simple - simple, that is, as the ultra creative Coens can make it. A security man has been forced out of his job and decides to write a tell-all memoir. His discontented wife is having an affair with another security man - a sex manic who seeks pleasure with every woman he meets. A disk containing some data for the memoir is found by a exercise consultant who thinks she needs extensive, very expensive plastic surgery in order to attract a man. She and her fellow worker decide to hold the disk for ransom in order to raise the money for the surgery. As I said, simple! Handled in the wrong way, this absurd plot would have been a silly, juvenile mess, but the Coens have taken this ludicrousness and made a highly entertaining romp. It is the directing and acting that bring this beautiful farce to its high altitude. Needless-to-say, the Coens are geniuses at this sort of thing, and they have a stable of super actors to bring their warped vision to fruition.
John Malkovich plays the disillusioned security man on his way out. He's a drunk, and a surly drunk at that. He pretty much hates the world and wants everyone in it to suffer. Malkovich has the unique ability to play such a character and still make the audience feel a little sorry for him.
Tilda Swinton plays Malkovich's bitch of a wife who is having an affair with the sex-crazy guy. She is a pediatrician who hates children. What more needs to be said? Swinton plays this cold woman to the hilt.
George Clooney is the lover who can't get enough sex from anyone. Plus, he is probably the second biggest dolt in the film. Clooney is just great in this role - a real treat to watch.
All of the acting is superior - including all supporting characters - but Brad Pitt absolutely steals the show as a not very bright fitness nut determined to help his friend finance her plastic surgery.
That friend is played wonderfully by Frances McDormand. She has mastered the technique of making even the most outlandish character believable, and she certainly pulls out all the stops on this one.
It is beyond my belief that a large number of critics did not like this film. I can only assume that they have completely lost their senses of humor and absurdity or never had them in the first place. Burn After Reading is an absurd delight created by super directing, a very witty script, and exceptional acting. I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't get one good chuckle after another from this one.
Traitor
(2008)
Insight into Complex Characters
9 January 2009
Most spy/espionage/terrorist films are so unrealistic as to be almost laughable albeit entertaining. The good guys are always totally good, and the bad guys are always totally bad, and no matter how much physical contact they have, they never show even as much as a bruise in the next scene. Traitor is not your typical film of this genre. The good guys are not all good, the bad guys are not all bad, and they bruise and bleed as do normal men.
The film begins with a young Samir Horn witnessing the bombing death of his father. It is never known why his father was murdered but one assumes the motive was either political or religious. Time has passed and Samir has become a black market dealer in the Middle East. He is arrested and imprisoned with several members of a terrorist group. They escape, and Samir joins the group. Because he has lived in the United States for most of his life and speaks with no accent, he is chosen to be sent to the US to help organize a massive terrorist attack using suicide bombers - members of sleeper cells who have been embedded in the country for many years. Samir has come to the attention of the FBI, and the security community is attempting to track his movements.
Viewers of Traitor are treated to a realistic and insightful look into the actions and personalities of all of the participants in this international conspiracy. One of the elements of this film that impressed me is that there are no duplicitous characters lurking in the background. There are spies that have worked themselves into all the organizations, but none is one of those cookie-cutter characters that show up so often in films of this ilk - the megalomaniac who performs acts of treachery due to his overblown opinion of himself.
The superior acting and excellent script make Traitor a film to be thoroughly enjoyed and pondered. You actually have to think about the characters' motives and actions in order to gain the full benefit of viewing.
Don Cheadle as Samir the traitor, and Guy Pearce as the FBI agent searching for Samir are needless-to-say, first-rate in their portrays of two strong-willed and intelligent men. These two actors never give the audience less than sublime entertainment in any of their performances, and the ones in Traitor are no exceptions. They are mightily supported by a number of other excellent actors. Saïd Taghmaoui plays Omar who is Samir's contact man amongst the terrorists. He shows us a man who would generally be painted as totally evil who is actually just a man dedicated to a cause in which he believes. There is also a rewarding understated performance by Neal McDonough as the assistant FBI agent. McDonough has lately fallen into the trap of playing a total nut case hiding behind a handsome face and those extraordinarily piercing eyes. He is a, somewhat, loose cannon in this film, but under control. It is a very good part for him.
It seems more reasonable to classify Traitor as an exciting drama rather than an action flick. There is action, and the climatic scenes bring you to the edge of your seat - one a rewarding dose of very black humor. But it is the drama and insight into the complex characters that make Traitor a highly rewarding film.
The film begins with a young Samir Horn witnessing the bombing death of his father. It is never known why his father was murdered but one assumes the motive was either political or religious. Time has passed and Samir has become a black market dealer in the Middle East. He is arrested and imprisoned with several members of a terrorist group. They escape, and Samir joins the group. Because he has lived in the United States for most of his life and speaks with no accent, he is chosen to be sent to the US to help organize a massive terrorist attack using suicide bombers - members of sleeper cells who have been embedded in the country for many years. Samir has come to the attention of the FBI, and the security community is attempting to track his movements.
Viewers of Traitor are treated to a realistic and insightful look into the actions and personalities of all of the participants in this international conspiracy. One of the elements of this film that impressed me is that there are no duplicitous characters lurking in the background. There are spies that have worked themselves into all the organizations, but none is one of those cookie-cutter characters that show up so often in films of this ilk - the megalomaniac who performs acts of treachery due to his overblown opinion of himself.
The superior acting and excellent script make Traitor a film to be thoroughly enjoyed and pondered. You actually have to think about the characters' motives and actions in order to gain the full benefit of viewing.
Don Cheadle as Samir the traitor, and Guy Pearce as the FBI agent searching for Samir are needless-to-say, first-rate in their portrays of two strong-willed and intelligent men. These two actors never give the audience less than sublime entertainment in any of their performances, and the ones in Traitor are no exceptions. They are mightily supported by a number of other excellent actors. Saïd Taghmaoui plays Omar who is Samir's contact man amongst the terrorists. He shows us a man who would generally be painted as totally evil who is actually just a man dedicated to a cause in which he believes. There is also a rewarding understated performance by Neal McDonough as the assistant FBI agent. McDonough has lately fallen into the trap of playing a total nut case hiding behind a handsome face and those extraordinarily piercing eyes. He is a, somewhat, loose cannon in this film, but under control. It is a very good part for him.
It seems more reasonable to classify Traitor as an exciting drama rather than an action flick. There is action, and the climatic scenes bring you to the edge of your seat - one a rewarding dose of very black humor. But it is the drama and insight into the complex characters that make Traitor a highly rewarding film.
The Grocer's Son
(2007)
Great Characters
17 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Talk about your dysfunctional families! The grocer's family gets the five-star award. Antoine is the subject of the film. He left home as a youth and has been pretty much disowned by his father who wanted him to stay in their small village and help him run his grocery. Antoine has not fared well as an adult. He has no work ethic whatsoever and bounces about from one dead end job to the next.
It appears his only accomplishment as an adult is to have made a very good friend of a young woman named Claire. She entered a bad marriage early in life, got divorced, and is now working to be accepted to an academy in Spain. Now she has a work ethic as she labors all day and studies late into the night in her quest for higher education.
The father is hospitalized, and Antoine begrudgingly visits after an estrangement of almost ten years. Antoine's brother, François is there and appears to have the same animosity for his brother as expressed by the father. François owns a hair salon and appears to be the picture of the successful family man.
Antoine wants nothing to do with his family, but his mother begs him to come and run the family business while his father is ill. Antoine strikes a bargain with his mother that includes the opportunity for Claire to quit her job and allow her to devote full time to her studies, so she and Antoine move in above the store with his mother. The first surprise that comes to his mother is that Antoine and Claire do not share a room and that their relationship is platonic. Antoine's mother views this as an interesting insight into her son who, apparently, has always been incredibly self-centered.
While the mother tends the store, it is Antoine's job to drive a large van equipped as a mini store to the neighboring villages. Most of the customers are elderly and have had long standing arrangements with the father as to payment, etc. Antoine proceeds to alienate just about everyone on the route with his rudeness and unwillingness to comply with the customs established by his father. Claire saves the day when she starts traveling the route with Antoine as she is friendly and compassionate. He learns from Claire and soon becomes more flexible and affable.
Events occur, precipitated by Antoine's selfishness, that cause Claire to return to the city, and Antoine is left there with his mother to carry on as agreed. When Antoine's father returns from the hospital, he is still not able to go back to work. Once the father arrives, we get more insight as to why Antoine is so damaged.
This film has superior acting, interesting characters, and beautiful scenery, but it often comes off as somewhat disjointed. I'm not sure if this is due to a weakness in script or editing, but there are, at times, actions that take place that make little sense considering the storyline. None-the-less, it is a good story with charming, insightful characters that creates a positive viewing experience.
It appears his only accomplishment as an adult is to have made a very good friend of a young woman named Claire. She entered a bad marriage early in life, got divorced, and is now working to be accepted to an academy in Spain. Now she has a work ethic as she labors all day and studies late into the night in her quest for higher education.
The father is hospitalized, and Antoine begrudgingly visits after an estrangement of almost ten years. Antoine's brother, François is there and appears to have the same animosity for his brother as expressed by the father. François owns a hair salon and appears to be the picture of the successful family man.
Antoine wants nothing to do with his family, but his mother begs him to come and run the family business while his father is ill. Antoine strikes a bargain with his mother that includes the opportunity for Claire to quit her job and allow her to devote full time to her studies, so she and Antoine move in above the store with his mother. The first surprise that comes to his mother is that Antoine and Claire do not share a room and that their relationship is platonic. Antoine's mother views this as an interesting insight into her son who, apparently, has always been incredibly self-centered.
While the mother tends the store, it is Antoine's job to drive a large van equipped as a mini store to the neighboring villages. Most of the customers are elderly and have had long standing arrangements with the father as to payment, etc. Antoine proceeds to alienate just about everyone on the route with his rudeness and unwillingness to comply with the customs established by his father. Claire saves the day when she starts traveling the route with Antoine as she is friendly and compassionate. He learns from Claire and soon becomes more flexible and affable.
Events occur, precipitated by Antoine's selfishness, that cause Claire to return to the city, and Antoine is left there with his mother to carry on as agreed. When Antoine's father returns from the hospital, he is still not able to go back to work. Once the father arrives, we get more insight as to why Antoine is so damaged.
This film has superior acting, interesting characters, and beautiful scenery, but it often comes off as somewhat disjointed. I'm not sure if this is due to a weakness in script or editing, but there are, at times, actions that take place that make little sense considering the storyline. None-the-less, it is a good story with charming, insightful characters that creates a positive viewing experience.
Bigger Stronger Faster*
(2008)
Insightful
22 November 2008
This documentary really enlightened me. I must admit that I pay little attention to all of the steroid panic press, but, of course, I am aware of the general flow of the media. Because of this, I always thought that taking steroids would turn an everyday jock into a raving brute. One of the results of seeing this documentary is that I find that that conception is totally wrong.
Chris Bell is the middle child in a family of three boys who became overwhelmed with their body images. Chris relates that he and his brothers were never that popular in school, and how he, especially, became enthralled with the image presented by Arnold Schwarzenegger in his famous breakout film, Pumping Iron.
The boys were also captivated with professional wrestling - a career the older brother chose to follow.
Through all of this, Chris maintained that taking steroids was wrong and that a true body builder should develop without their help. He shows how he first becomes disenchanted when he found that his heroes, as well as his brothers, regularly use or used steroids. This disenchantment slowly evolved into knowledge developed through research that, in general, steroids are presented as the big, bad wolf when they actually are not.
A large part of the film is an informative look at the false bad press given to steroids perpetuated by the news media and Congress. According to Chris's research, the publicized bad side effects of the drugs are way overblown and pretty much false.
The other side of this fascinating documentary is an honest and insightful look at three brothers who are so committed to perceived body images that they make many bad choices in order to promote those images. All three of these men seem to be trapped in this mire - Chris being the one least affected.
All people have perceived images of themselves and those perceptions guide their behaviors, whether they be good or bad. Bigger Stronger Faster* gives an insightful and intriguing look at three men who need to be bigger and stronger.
Chris Bell is the middle child in a family of three boys who became overwhelmed with their body images. Chris relates that he and his brothers were never that popular in school, and how he, especially, became enthralled with the image presented by Arnold Schwarzenegger in his famous breakout film, Pumping Iron.
The boys were also captivated with professional wrestling - a career the older brother chose to follow.
Through all of this, Chris maintained that taking steroids was wrong and that a true body builder should develop without their help. He shows how he first becomes disenchanted when he found that his heroes, as well as his brothers, regularly use or used steroids. This disenchantment slowly evolved into knowledge developed through research that, in general, steroids are presented as the big, bad wolf when they actually are not.
A large part of the film is an informative look at the false bad press given to steroids perpetuated by the news media and Congress. According to Chris's research, the publicized bad side effects of the drugs are way overblown and pretty much false.
The other side of this fascinating documentary is an honest and insightful look at three brothers who are so committed to perceived body images that they make many bad choices in order to promote those images. All three of these men seem to be trapped in this mire - Chris being the one least affected.
All people have perceived images of themselves and those perceptions guide their behaviors, whether they be good or bad. Bigger Stronger Faster* gives an insightful and intriguing look at three men who need to be bigger and stronger.
Hits Really Close to Home
15 November 2008
At the end of the last conversation I had with my father before he died, he called me a horse's ass. That conversation was the final topper to a very complicated relationship as my father was a man that I feared as a child and pretty much disliked as an adult. Yet, some of the fondest memories I have of my life involve my father and our times together.
I guess all relationships between fathers and sons could best be described as knotty, but the one shown in this film, I must admit, hit very close to home. Perhaps that's why I enjoyed the film as much as I did, and it appears from the comments of viewers and critics that I enjoyed it far more than most viewers.
The basic story, I'm sure, has been repeated countless times throughout history and will be repeated countless times in the future. Blake, a highly successful writer and editor, never received the recognition of "a job well done" from his father. Arthur is a popular physician and raconteur who constantly failed to show his admiration for his son's profession.
Blake realized at an early age that his father had been having a long-term affair with his aunt, and this knowledge colored every part of their relationship. One thing that Blake cannot understand is why his mother stays married to his father for he is sure that she, also, is aware of her husband's relationship with her sister.
The story begins in the present, but most of it is told in flashbacks as Arthur is dying. The adult Blake is played by Colin Firth with just the right amount of distance and depression. He is not a happy man because he never has been able to come to terms with his feelings for his father. Teenaged Blake is played beautifully by Matthew Beard. It is this Blake that we see most of in the film, and his performance is impressive.
Juliet Stevenson is a wonderful actress, and she gives this film a strong, quiet - but not necessarily longtime suffering - performance as Blake's mother. She is one of those women whom you never realize her strength and resourcefulness until push comes to shove.
Jim Broadbent may be a touch over the top as Arthur, but, for me, he hits the nail on the head. We all have public and private faces. Arthur rarely reveals the private one. I found myself liking him in spite of myself.
As I said, this film turned out to be very personal to me. I found myself sometimes being amazed at how much Arthur was like my own father and Blake so much like myself. Even without the personal insight, I think you will find this a rewarding look at the bond between two strong, yet totally different men - OR - the bond between two strong, completely similar men. Fathers and sons - will that connection ever be fully understood?
I guess all relationships between fathers and sons could best be described as knotty, but the one shown in this film, I must admit, hit very close to home. Perhaps that's why I enjoyed the film as much as I did, and it appears from the comments of viewers and critics that I enjoyed it far more than most viewers.
The basic story, I'm sure, has been repeated countless times throughout history and will be repeated countless times in the future. Blake, a highly successful writer and editor, never received the recognition of "a job well done" from his father. Arthur is a popular physician and raconteur who constantly failed to show his admiration for his son's profession.
Blake realized at an early age that his father had been having a long-term affair with his aunt, and this knowledge colored every part of their relationship. One thing that Blake cannot understand is why his mother stays married to his father for he is sure that she, also, is aware of her husband's relationship with her sister.
The story begins in the present, but most of it is told in flashbacks as Arthur is dying. The adult Blake is played by Colin Firth with just the right amount of distance and depression. He is not a happy man because he never has been able to come to terms with his feelings for his father. Teenaged Blake is played beautifully by Matthew Beard. It is this Blake that we see most of in the film, and his performance is impressive.
Juliet Stevenson is a wonderful actress, and she gives this film a strong, quiet - but not necessarily longtime suffering - performance as Blake's mother. She is one of those women whom you never realize her strength and resourcefulness until push comes to shove.
Jim Broadbent may be a touch over the top as Arthur, but, for me, he hits the nail on the head. We all have public and private faces. Arthur rarely reveals the private one. I found myself liking him in spite of myself.
As I said, this film turned out to be very personal to me. I found myself sometimes being amazed at how much Arthur was like my own father and Blake so much like myself. Even without the personal insight, I think you will find this a rewarding look at the bond between two strong, yet totally different men - OR - the bond between two strong, completely similar men. Fathers and sons - will that connection ever be fully understood?
Wah-Wah
(2005)
Excellent Family Drama
10 November 2008
This film is a highly entertaining view of a dysfunctional family from the viewpoint of the teenaged son. It is said to be an autobiographical memory of the writer and director, Richard E. Grant. I didn't recognize the name, but once I started to read a bit about the film, I found that Grant is a fairly well-known character actor. The part most readily recognized by myself was that of the tall, thin, disapproving butler in Gosford Park. You might be interested in his biographical page on this site.
The story takes place late 1960's Swaziland and climaxes with the British withdrawal from that colony. Ralph is the only child of Lauren and Harry Compton, and theirs is not a happy marriage. As a matter of fact, the film begins with a scene in which an eleven year old Ralph is supposedly asleep in the backseat of a car in which his mother and a neighbor are having sex in the front seat. She soon leaves her family and runs off with the neighbor. Ralph's father consoles himself with alcohol - it seems that practically every English adult in the colony has a drinking problem. Ralph constantly battles with his father and is soon shipped off to boarding school. The story shifts two years and teenaged Ralph who has just experienced his growth spurt returns home on vacation to find that his father has married an American air hostess. Ralph, at first, rejects Ruby but then begins to admire the out-spoken Yank. The title of the film comes from Ruby as she describes the supercilious talk of the British as, "Wah-wah-wah-wah-wah." Grant has accumulated a superior group of veteran actors to portray the major characters in the piece. Gabriel Byrne plays an alcoholic father to perfection being both a hurtful drunk and a loving father. Byrne has the talent to realistically inhabit these two opposite personalities. Miranda Richardson is the perfect distant mother. Julie Walters plays the wife of the man with whom Ralph's mother has the affair. Walters adds a welcome spot of humor as a woman cheated upon but able to muddle through with generous helpings of whisky. Ruby is played by Emily Watson whose pixyish look and behavior fits the Yank like a glove.
Ralph is played by two talented young actors. Zachary Fox is Ralph at age eleven - an intelligent boy beginning to discover that his parents - especially his father - have feet of clay. Ralph at age thirteen is played by Nicholas Hoult. He has an extraordinarily unusual look about him and is in that awkward stage of physical development enabling him to make the role his own. The trivia on IMDb is that he was originally set to play Ralph at both ages, but his growth spurt caused him to be too large for the younger part. That growth spurt gives his a great look for this movie.
Even though we get an insightful look at the British colonists and their attitude toward themselves and the native Africans, this is not a social or political drama. It is and excellent family drama. The times and setting are simply icing on the cake.
The story takes place late 1960's Swaziland and climaxes with the British withdrawal from that colony. Ralph is the only child of Lauren and Harry Compton, and theirs is not a happy marriage. As a matter of fact, the film begins with a scene in which an eleven year old Ralph is supposedly asleep in the backseat of a car in which his mother and a neighbor are having sex in the front seat. She soon leaves her family and runs off with the neighbor. Ralph's father consoles himself with alcohol - it seems that practically every English adult in the colony has a drinking problem. Ralph constantly battles with his father and is soon shipped off to boarding school. The story shifts two years and teenaged Ralph who has just experienced his growth spurt returns home on vacation to find that his father has married an American air hostess. Ralph, at first, rejects Ruby but then begins to admire the out-spoken Yank. The title of the film comes from Ruby as she describes the supercilious talk of the British as, "Wah-wah-wah-wah-wah." Grant has accumulated a superior group of veteran actors to portray the major characters in the piece. Gabriel Byrne plays an alcoholic father to perfection being both a hurtful drunk and a loving father. Byrne has the talent to realistically inhabit these two opposite personalities. Miranda Richardson is the perfect distant mother. Julie Walters plays the wife of the man with whom Ralph's mother has the affair. Walters adds a welcome spot of humor as a woman cheated upon but able to muddle through with generous helpings of whisky. Ruby is played by Emily Watson whose pixyish look and behavior fits the Yank like a glove.
Ralph is played by two talented young actors. Zachary Fox is Ralph at age eleven - an intelligent boy beginning to discover that his parents - especially his father - have feet of clay. Ralph at age thirteen is played by Nicholas Hoult. He has an extraordinarily unusual look about him and is in that awkward stage of physical development enabling him to make the role his own. The trivia on IMDb is that he was originally set to play Ralph at both ages, but his growth spurt caused him to be too large for the younger part. That growth spurt gives his a great look for this movie.
Even though we get an insightful look at the British colonists and their attitude toward themselves and the native Africans, this is not a social or political drama. It is and excellent family drama. The times and setting are simply icing on the cake.
Thank You for Smoking
(2005)
Witty, Satirical Humor
10 November 2008
This movie turned out to be a very pleasant surprise as I was expecting your run-of-the-mill comedy. Not only is it witty in a subtle, sophisticated way, but it is also extremely intelligent in its approach to the subject - spin doctors and the stories they spin.
It is the story of Nick Naylor who is the major spokesman for big tobacco and his quest to keep his job as well as establish a strong bond of communication with his pre-adolescent son. His major foe in the public eye is Senator Ortolan Finistirre of Vermont. It has been decided by the big bosses that Nick should travel to Hollywood in order to arrange for the romantic stars of a movie be smokers as were the stars of yesteryear - think of Bette Davis and Paul Henreid in Now, Voyager which contains probably the greatest cigarette lighting and smoking scene ever filmed. Along the way, Nick faces the problems of an investigative reporter and The Marlboro Man who is dying of lung cancer and suing big tobacco. Probably the most subtle and humorous irony of all of this is that there in not one cigarette smoked in the entire film.
Aaron Eckhart does a bang-up job of portraying Nick Naylor. He makes the viewer really believe this character even though such blatant lies come from his mouth. All the while you wonder at this outwardly totally amoral man and his loving relationship with his son. Speaking of his son, Cameron Bright gives that character just the right combination of innocence and savvy of a budding young man trying to relate to his father.
Nick's machinations are supported by no less than Robert Duvall and Rob Lowe who turn in great tongue-in-cheek performances.
As Senator Finistirre, William H. Macy almost steals the film - as is often the case considering his ultimate acting skills. As a young man, Macy attended Goddard College in Vermont. Having experienced Goddard at that time through my brother who both taught and was an administrator there, it surely becomes clear that Macy used some of the "characters" he knew at Goddard to create a humorously definitive Vermonter.
If you love intelligent and very witty satirical humor and enjoy watching good actors at their craft, you won't be disappointed with Thank You for Smoking
It is the story of Nick Naylor who is the major spokesman for big tobacco and his quest to keep his job as well as establish a strong bond of communication with his pre-adolescent son. His major foe in the public eye is Senator Ortolan Finistirre of Vermont. It has been decided by the big bosses that Nick should travel to Hollywood in order to arrange for the romantic stars of a movie be smokers as were the stars of yesteryear - think of Bette Davis and Paul Henreid in Now, Voyager which contains probably the greatest cigarette lighting and smoking scene ever filmed. Along the way, Nick faces the problems of an investigative reporter and The Marlboro Man who is dying of lung cancer and suing big tobacco. Probably the most subtle and humorous irony of all of this is that there in not one cigarette smoked in the entire film.
Aaron Eckhart does a bang-up job of portraying Nick Naylor. He makes the viewer really believe this character even though such blatant lies come from his mouth. All the while you wonder at this outwardly totally amoral man and his loving relationship with his son. Speaking of his son, Cameron Bright gives that character just the right combination of innocence and savvy of a budding young man trying to relate to his father.
Nick's machinations are supported by no less than Robert Duvall and Rob Lowe who turn in great tongue-in-cheek performances.
As Senator Finistirre, William H. Macy almost steals the film - as is often the case considering his ultimate acting skills. As a young man, Macy attended Goddard College in Vermont. Having experienced Goddard at that time through my brother who both taught and was an administrator there, it surely becomes clear that Macy used some of the "characters" he knew at Goddard to create a humorously definitive Vermonter.
If you love intelligent and very witty satirical humor and enjoy watching good actors at their craft, you won't be disappointed with Thank You for Smoking
The King
(2005)
Five Intriguing Characters
10 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
On the surface, the plot of The King is pretty standard stuff. A young man just ending his service in the navy seeks out his biological father. The father over the years has become a born-again Christian and is living a bucolic family life as a popular minister at a church in Texas. When the son introduces himself, his father rejects him and tells him to go away and not return - not exactly the "Christian" thing to do. From that point on, there develops a dark, sobering tale of revenge? desperation? love? redemption? realization? The events in this film are fascinating looks at the lives of five intriguing characters.
The reverend's family appears to be perfect. His son - deftly played by Paul Dano - is a born-again preacher's ideal. He is a senior in high school getting ready to go off to a Christian college to become a minister. He is the lead singer in a Christian rock band and leads a campaign to have creationism supplement and eventually replace evolutionism in the school's science curriculum. After his quest for the change in the curriculum is rejected by the school board, he sings a song in the service with a less-than-Christian message. He father rebukes him. He then disappears. His disappearance is a mystery to his friends and family but not to the viewer of the film.
The reverend's wife is a somber, unforgiving woman who tells her husband that she wants nothing to do with his illegitimate son. Her life really begins to unravel when her son shows up missing and her husband - in his guilt - embraces his other son.
The reverend's daughter is an impressionable girl of sixteen who enters into an affair with this new bad boy in town not knowing that he is her half-brother.
William Hurt plays the reverend in his usual understated but very effective style. You think at the beginning of the film that you are going to hate this man but find that he is probably the one of the five with the least guile. His religious beliefs have truly made him a better man and what appears to be the bombastic rhetoric that he spouts really represents his genuine thoughts and feelings.
Gael García Bernal - the very popular Mexican movie star - plays the illegitimate son. He presents us with a character about whom we continue to wonder long after the last frame of the film. Bernal has a wonderful capacity to be so believably innocent and then so maliciously evil. This dichotomy of personality brought to us by expert acting makes this film so darkly enthralling.
To say more about what actually happens when these five characters collide would be a disservice to anyone thinking of viewing the film. I promise that The King will hold your interest and thoughts both during and after viewing.
The reverend's family appears to be perfect. His son - deftly played by Paul Dano - is a born-again preacher's ideal. He is a senior in high school getting ready to go off to a Christian college to become a minister. He is the lead singer in a Christian rock band and leads a campaign to have creationism supplement and eventually replace evolutionism in the school's science curriculum. After his quest for the change in the curriculum is rejected by the school board, he sings a song in the service with a less-than-Christian message. He father rebukes him. He then disappears. His disappearance is a mystery to his friends and family but not to the viewer of the film.
The reverend's wife is a somber, unforgiving woman who tells her husband that she wants nothing to do with his illegitimate son. Her life really begins to unravel when her son shows up missing and her husband - in his guilt - embraces his other son.
The reverend's daughter is an impressionable girl of sixteen who enters into an affair with this new bad boy in town not knowing that he is her half-brother.
William Hurt plays the reverend in his usual understated but very effective style. You think at the beginning of the film that you are going to hate this man but find that he is probably the one of the five with the least guile. His religious beliefs have truly made him a better man and what appears to be the bombastic rhetoric that he spouts really represents his genuine thoughts and feelings.
Gael García Bernal - the very popular Mexican movie star - plays the illegitimate son. He presents us with a character about whom we continue to wonder long after the last frame of the film. Bernal has a wonderful capacity to be so believably innocent and then so maliciously evil. This dichotomy of personality brought to us by expert acting makes this film so darkly enthralling.
To say more about what actually happens when these five characters collide would be a disservice to anyone thinking of viewing the film. I promise that The King will hold your interest and thoughts both during and after viewing.
12 and Holding
(2005)
Not Pretty, But Insightful
10 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This is an edgy little film that portrays twelve-year-olds in a far more reasonable light than most films. It doesn't paint a pretty picture, but the picture that it does paint illuminates three young people in a realistic manner.
At the beginning of the film, you get a look at four young friends getting on with the kind of things that entertain most kids of twelve years. They share a tree house where they smoke, drink, and discuss the general topics of adolescents.
Rudy and Jacob are twins, and the only thing that seems odd is that Jacob wears a hockey mask most of the time. Rudy is the outgoing twin whereas Jacob is the shy thinker. You later find that Jacob has a large birthmark on his face that seems to explain the difference in personality.
Leonard is the fat kid from a family of fat parents and siblings.
Malee is the girl of the group who is growing up in a broken home with a distant mother and an absent father.
The lives of the three remaining are all changed when Rudy is killed and Leonard is injured by two other boys in an act of vandalism.
As a result of his injury, Leonard can no longer smell and, therefore, no longer taste. Instead of continuing to indulge in the fried, sweet, and fattening food his mother so lovingly serves, Leonard commences a diet of fruits and vegetables. His whole family - especially his mother - is totally dismayed by his "strange" behavior. He also begins a daily exercise regimen which baffles them even more. The scenes with Leonard and his family are both comic and tragic - as is life itself. In order to "educate" his mother, Leonard commits some desperate but extremely foolish acts.
Malee's distant mother is - ironically - a psychologist. Malee encounters one of her mother's patients in the waiting room. She later sees him shirtless at a construction site and becomes overwhelmed with infatuation. She engages in an all-out campaign to seduce him.
Jacob is not only traumatized by the death of his twin but is also alienated by the actions of his parents. His father becomes emotionally distant while his mother is so filled with anger that she can think of nothing but vengeance upon the youths who are responsible for the death of her son. In short, neither is there for their living son.
Needless-to-say this is all pretty heady stuff, but director Michael Cuesta is masterful in showing the viewer what might actually happen if all this were real. He - rightly so - makes watching the actions of these young people and the adults who surround them extremely uncomfortable. This is especially true in a scene where Malee seeks to sexually seduce the man with whom she has become infatuated. Cuesta's direction of the emotionally charged scene is masterful.
Even though you will be shocked and dismayed, I heartedly recommend this film. It's not pretty, but it certainly is insightful.
At the beginning of the film, you get a look at four young friends getting on with the kind of things that entertain most kids of twelve years. They share a tree house where they smoke, drink, and discuss the general topics of adolescents.
Rudy and Jacob are twins, and the only thing that seems odd is that Jacob wears a hockey mask most of the time. Rudy is the outgoing twin whereas Jacob is the shy thinker. You later find that Jacob has a large birthmark on his face that seems to explain the difference in personality.
Leonard is the fat kid from a family of fat parents and siblings.
Malee is the girl of the group who is growing up in a broken home with a distant mother and an absent father.
The lives of the three remaining are all changed when Rudy is killed and Leonard is injured by two other boys in an act of vandalism.
As a result of his injury, Leonard can no longer smell and, therefore, no longer taste. Instead of continuing to indulge in the fried, sweet, and fattening food his mother so lovingly serves, Leonard commences a diet of fruits and vegetables. His whole family - especially his mother - is totally dismayed by his "strange" behavior. He also begins a daily exercise regimen which baffles them even more. The scenes with Leonard and his family are both comic and tragic - as is life itself. In order to "educate" his mother, Leonard commits some desperate but extremely foolish acts.
Malee's distant mother is - ironically - a psychologist. Malee encounters one of her mother's patients in the waiting room. She later sees him shirtless at a construction site and becomes overwhelmed with infatuation. She engages in an all-out campaign to seduce him.
Jacob is not only traumatized by the death of his twin but is also alienated by the actions of his parents. His father becomes emotionally distant while his mother is so filled with anger that she can think of nothing but vengeance upon the youths who are responsible for the death of her son. In short, neither is there for their living son.
Needless-to-say this is all pretty heady stuff, but director Michael Cuesta is masterful in showing the viewer what might actually happen if all this were real. He - rightly so - makes watching the actions of these young people and the adults who surround them extremely uncomfortable. This is especially true in a scene where Malee seeks to sexually seduce the man with whom she has become infatuated. Cuesta's direction of the emotionally charged scene is masterful.
Even though you will be shocked and dismayed, I heartedly recommend this film. It's not pretty, but it certainly is insightful.
Insight into a Dark Period in History
10 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
In World War II Germany, there was a group comprised mainly of students called The White Rose that protested the actions of Adolph Hitler and the Nazis. Needless-to-say, they were considered a threat to the war efforts of Germany and were dealt with harshly. This film portrays the last days of one of those students - Sophie Scholl.
Don't expect action as there is little. Most of the film shows the interrogation of Sophie by a Nazi official named Robert Mohr. Mohr was a decent man - as decent as any Nazi official could be in those times - who tried to persuade Sophie to state that she had been unfairly brought into the illegal activities by her brother and other members of The White Rose. Sophie was an idealistic and principled young woman who was adamant in accepting responsibility for her actions. We know all of this because the Nazis kept detailed records. Almost all of the dialog of the film was taken from those records.
In 1943, Sophie, her brother, and a friend were brought before a kangaroo court and convicted of treason. Even their defense attorney was against them and made no effort whatsoever to defend them against the charges. They were taken to prison and immediately beheaded.
This film offers a startling example of how powerless right-minded Germans were in Hitler's times and offers yet another history lesson as to how governments and officials can force their basically good citizens to perform evil acts in the name of the nation.
The DVD offers additional enhancements of interviews with Sophie and Hans Scholl's sister, a relative of Robert Mohr, and a man who was a member of The White Rose.
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days is a fascinating insight into a dark period in world history. The script is engrossing and the acting superb. It is a worthy two hours of education and entertainment.
Don't expect action as there is little. Most of the film shows the interrogation of Sophie by a Nazi official named Robert Mohr. Mohr was a decent man - as decent as any Nazi official could be in those times - who tried to persuade Sophie to state that she had been unfairly brought into the illegal activities by her brother and other members of The White Rose. Sophie was an idealistic and principled young woman who was adamant in accepting responsibility for her actions. We know all of this because the Nazis kept detailed records. Almost all of the dialog of the film was taken from those records.
In 1943, Sophie, her brother, and a friend were brought before a kangaroo court and convicted of treason. Even their defense attorney was against them and made no effort whatsoever to defend them against the charges. They were taken to prison and immediately beheaded.
This film offers a startling example of how powerless right-minded Germans were in Hitler's times and offers yet another history lesson as to how governments and officials can force their basically good citizens to perform evil acts in the name of the nation.
The DVD offers additional enhancements of interviews with Sophie and Hans Scholl's sister, a relative of Robert Mohr, and a man who was a member of The White Rose.
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days is a fascinating insight into a dark period in world history. The script is engrossing and the acting superb. It is a worthy two hours of education and entertainment.
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam
(1987 TV Movie)
A Continuing Lesson
10 November 2008
Dear America is an HBO documentary derived from the book of the same name. If you have not had the privilege of reading the book, I heartedly recommend it.
When I see and read the newscasts daily of young soldiers being killed in the Middle East, it reminds me of this book and film.
The film offers readings by celebrities of letters from soldiers serving in Vietnam to friends and relatives back home. In the film, the letters are certainly poignant, but needless-to-say, are far more shattering in the book.
The thing that gives the film its extra punch is that all videos are actual recordings of the time, and it is filled with news broadcasts of the time. The most haunting newscast comes early in the film in which President Johnson is stating his justification for increasing the forces and activity in Vietnam. If you substitute "terrorists" for "Communists" and "Iraq" for "Vietnam," Our President Bush could have given the speech word for word. Obviously, this proves that those in power cannot learn from history and that is the bent of bilious, old politicians to send young soldiers off to be slaughtered in places of no consequence for any justifiable reasons, and these are certainly bipartisan sins.
The film ends with a reading by Ellen Burstyn written by the mother of William R. Stocks on February 13, 1984 - fifteen years after his death - that she placed at the Vietnam Memorial. It is wrought with emotion but so eloquently states the mindset of both soldiers and those who wait at home in fear that one cannot help to be affected by the message.
If you are too young to remember Vietnam, this film is a great history lesson. If you lived during that era, this film is a sober reminder. Watch it, learn, or remember.
When I see and read the newscasts daily of young soldiers being killed in the Middle East, it reminds me of this book and film.
The film offers readings by celebrities of letters from soldiers serving in Vietnam to friends and relatives back home. In the film, the letters are certainly poignant, but needless-to-say, are far more shattering in the book.
The thing that gives the film its extra punch is that all videos are actual recordings of the time, and it is filled with news broadcasts of the time. The most haunting newscast comes early in the film in which President Johnson is stating his justification for increasing the forces and activity in Vietnam. If you substitute "terrorists" for "Communists" and "Iraq" for "Vietnam," Our President Bush could have given the speech word for word. Obviously, this proves that those in power cannot learn from history and that is the bent of bilious, old politicians to send young soldiers off to be slaughtered in places of no consequence for any justifiable reasons, and these are certainly bipartisan sins.
The film ends with a reading by Ellen Burstyn written by the mother of William R. Stocks on February 13, 1984 - fifteen years after his death - that she placed at the Vietnam Memorial. It is wrought with emotion but so eloquently states the mindset of both soldiers and those who wait at home in fear that one cannot help to be affected by the message.
If you are too young to remember Vietnam, this film is a great history lesson. If you lived during that era, this film is a sober reminder. Watch it, learn, or remember.
Un amour à taire
(2005 TV Movie)
Horrors of Evil Minds
10 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This film - made for French television - is another startling and insightful example of the cruelties perpetrated by the Nazis and their supporters during World War II. This time all of the horrors of the evil minds of the Nazis are directed toward homosexuals.
Jean is a young man living in France helping to run his family's cleaning business. He is approached by, Sarah, a woman he had known as a teenager when their families vacationed in the same area. Sarah is a Jew and has just escaped from the Germans in France after have been betrayed by a man who was supposed to be arranging safe passage for Sarah and her family to a neutral country. Sarah and Jean were very good friends - almost young lovers - and Jean readily agrees to hide Sarah. He takes Sarah to his friend, Philippe's apartment where she poses as Philippe's cousin Yvonne from Alsace.
Sarah has always been in love with Jean, and her desires are heightened by his heroism in taking the risk of hiding her and arranging for her to work at in his family's business. She is shattered and angered when she discovers that Jean and Philippe are lovers, but the three eventually establish a relationship of respect and affection that supersedes past hurts and jealousies.
The relationship of Sarah, Jean, and Philippe is just one important to the film. Jean also has an interesting and complex relationship with his brother - the bad boy of the family - that eventually leads to disaster. Needless-to-say, this is not a "happy ending" film.
I recently watched a news magazine on television in which they placed an actor in the roll of a cab driver in Las Vegas who engaged his passengers in discussion of the "queers" in Vegas. What those people said was horrifyingly shocking, and I would guess that the producers of the show would have been able to garner similar hateful comments about people who are Jewish, Islamic, of African decent, or any member of a minority discriminated against today and through out history. A film such as Un Amour À Taire reminds us that there were governments that made such gross prejudices their policy. Hopefully it also reminds the viewer that such horrors still exist and must be eradicated.
Jean is a young man living in France helping to run his family's cleaning business. He is approached by, Sarah, a woman he had known as a teenager when their families vacationed in the same area. Sarah is a Jew and has just escaped from the Germans in France after have been betrayed by a man who was supposed to be arranging safe passage for Sarah and her family to a neutral country. Sarah and Jean were very good friends - almost young lovers - and Jean readily agrees to hide Sarah. He takes Sarah to his friend, Philippe's apartment where she poses as Philippe's cousin Yvonne from Alsace.
Sarah has always been in love with Jean, and her desires are heightened by his heroism in taking the risk of hiding her and arranging for her to work at in his family's business. She is shattered and angered when she discovers that Jean and Philippe are lovers, but the three eventually establish a relationship of respect and affection that supersedes past hurts and jealousies.
The relationship of Sarah, Jean, and Philippe is just one important to the film. Jean also has an interesting and complex relationship with his brother - the bad boy of the family - that eventually leads to disaster. Needless-to-say, this is not a "happy ending" film.
I recently watched a news magazine on television in which they placed an actor in the roll of a cab driver in Las Vegas who engaged his passengers in discussion of the "queers" in Vegas. What those people said was horrifyingly shocking, and I would guess that the producers of the show would have been able to garner similar hateful comments about people who are Jewish, Islamic, of African decent, or any member of a minority discriminated against today and through out history. A film such as Un Amour À Taire reminds us that there were governments that made such gross prejudices their policy. Hopefully it also reminds the viewer that such horrors still exist and must be eradicated.
Down in the Valley
(2005)
Good Beginning - Not So Good Ending
10 November 2008
Edward Norton is superior in portraying young, edgy characters, and he has scored another home run in this film. He plays Harlan who is enamored of cowboys and the code of the Old West. Harlan is definitely out of place in contemporary metropolitan Los Angeles.
Tobe - a nickname for October - is the typical lower-middle-class Valley Girl who disagrees with her father about, basically, everything. She expresses her disagreement with her foul mouth and numerous little acts of defiance. Evan Rachel Wood creates a character in Tobe with whom the viewer has great sympathy because she is really a good-hearted teenager looking for her identity. Her scenes with her younger brother are especially touching.
Rory Culkin plays the younger brother, Lonnie, who is beset by almost crippling insecurity due to an emotionally distant father and the fact that he is very small for his thirteen years.
There is no mention of a mother, but the father is skillfully played by David Morse as a man who cares for the welfare of both of his children but has absolutely no clue as to how to deal with the tender egos of two adolescents. It's as though he has never read a book or seen a television show about the problems of children in today's world. He simply blunders stupidly forward making one wrong martinet-like decision after the other.
The plot of the film - in the first two-thirds, at least - is basically pat. A teenager meets a charming young man from the West who is displaced in Los Angeles. He is full of dreams and shares those with the girl - and importantly - with her emotionally scarred younger brother. The father is very suspicious of the relationship.
The last third of the film severely weakens a very good start in that it resolves all of these conflicts with some totally unbelievable actions on the part of all the characters. Because some of the events are so surreal, the viewer might come to suspect that some are taking place only in the minds of the participants, but there is no indication that this is so.
Down in the Valley is flawed by overdone climatic scenes, but the general feel of the film is entertaining and worthwhile. Edward Norton is a bit long in the tooth for the character he portrays, but his acting is so superior that you forgive this flaw. This is a good movie with an insightful interview of Norton and Jacobson on the DVD - worthwhile entertainment.
Tobe - a nickname for October - is the typical lower-middle-class Valley Girl who disagrees with her father about, basically, everything. She expresses her disagreement with her foul mouth and numerous little acts of defiance. Evan Rachel Wood creates a character in Tobe with whom the viewer has great sympathy because she is really a good-hearted teenager looking for her identity. Her scenes with her younger brother are especially touching.
Rory Culkin plays the younger brother, Lonnie, who is beset by almost crippling insecurity due to an emotionally distant father and the fact that he is very small for his thirteen years.
There is no mention of a mother, but the father is skillfully played by David Morse as a man who cares for the welfare of both of his children but has absolutely no clue as to how to deal with the tender egos of two adolescents. It's as though he has never read a book or seen a television show about the problems of children in today's world. He simply blunders stupidly forward making one wrong martinet-like decision after the other.
The plot of the film - in the first two-thirds, at least - is basically pat. A teenager meets a charming young man from the West who is displaced in Los Angeles. He is full of dreams and shares those with the girl - and importantly - with her emotionally scarred younger brother. The father is very suspicious of the relationship.
The last third of the film severely weakens a very good start in that it resolves all of these conflicts with some totally unbelievable actions on the part of all the characters. Because some of the events are so surreal, the viewer might come to suspect that some are taking place only in the minds of the participants, but there is no indication that this is so.
Down in the Valley is flawed by overdone climatic scenes, but the general feel of the film is entertaining and worthwhile. Edward Norton is a bit long in the tooth for the character he portrays, but his acting is so superior that you forgive this flaw. This is a good movie with an insightful interview of Norton and Jacobson on the DVD - worthwhile entertainment.
Joyeux Noel
(2005)
Wonderful Holiday Movie with a Bite
10 November 2008
This is a wonderful holiday movie with a bite. It is based upon actual events during World War I centering upon Christmas Eve of 1914. Historical facts tell us that the soldiers from both sides left their trenches and met in the no-man's zone in a peaceful celebration of the holiday. They exchanged information about their lives, shared holiday goodies, sang, and prayed together. This was all much to the chagrin of the generals and leaders who - after the events of fraternization - disbanded the companies or sent them to other locations.
This depiction of those events is highly romanticized, but not totally sanitized. There are brutal scenes of battle that might be disturbing to young viewers, so it is not a movie that a family with elementary aged children or younger will be able to watch together, but older children - hopefully - will be inspired by the humanity that was still able to exist in the midst of carnage and horror. After all, these were real men and women, and these were real events.
The basic story centers around two German opera singers - the woman who was able to use her celebrity and influence to actually visit her lover who is serving on the front lines. In reality, the Germans were very enthusiastic about the celebration of the holiday and provided their soldiers on the front lines with Christmas trees. In the film, the soldier begins singing and carries a lighted tree into the line of fire. Historical records show that the singing of the Germans and their practice of putting the lighted trees along the edge of trench often precipitated the holiday fraternization.
On the DVD, there is a most interesting interview with the writer and director that gives some good insight to his quest to tell this story on film.
Even with the presence of war and death, this film - supported by beautiful music and superior production values - makes you feel good because it reaffirms man's basic humanity.
This depiction of those events is highly romanticized, but not totally sanitized. There are brutal scenes of battle that might be disturbing to young viewers, so it is not a movie that a family with elementary aged children or younger will be able to watch together, but older children - hopefully - will be inspired by the humanity that was still able to exist in the midst of carnage and horror. After all, these were real men and women, and these were real events.
The basic story centers around two German opera singers - the woman who was able to use her celebrity and influence to actually visit her lover who is serving on the front lines. In reality, the Germans were very enthusiastic about the celebration of the holiday and provided their soldiers on the front lines with Christmas trees. In the film, the soldier begins singing and carries a lighted tree into the line of fire. Historical records show that the singing of the Germans and their practice of putting the lighted trees along the edge of trench often precipitated the holiday fraternization.
On the DVD, there is a most interesting interview with the writer and director that gives some good insight to his quest to tell this story on film.
Even with the presence of war and death, this film - supported by beautiful music and superior production values - makes you feel good because it reaffirms man's basic humanity.
Separate Lies
(2005)
It's an Age and Experience Thing
10 November 2008
Years ago when I first read John Irving's The World According to Garp, I was astounded that most of the younger adults with whom I had contact didn't like the book when I loved it. I began to understand that it was an age and experience thing. I experienced somewhat of a déjà vu when reading some of the comments on this site that were clearly written by younger viewers. Fully enjoying Separate Lies is surely an age and experience thing.
In this film the viewer sees a seemingly happy upper middle class couple - he a successful lawyer - she the perfect wife of a successful lawyer. They have a townhouse in London and a home in the country. All's well until there enters the "villain" in the guise of the son of the richest man in the village. This guy appears to be a cad from the word, "Go." He is disdainful of everyone and everything including his own children. In the traditional form of nice guys finishing last, the lawyer's wife engages in an affair with the bounder. You see the lawyer really is a nice guy but with the marriage killing trait of an organized perfectionist. Even though he truly loves her, he is boring his wife to death. The bad boy is far more exciting.
All of this is entangled with the hit-and-run death of a man in the village in which all the facts point to the cad being the driver of the vehicle.
It's easy to determine that this movie doesn't build to a happy ending, however, it does lead to a very satisfying ending in that the man and his wife learn and grow from their experiences and probably will be able to conduct their personal lives in a more successful manner.
Three excellent actors play the main characters in this film, and it is there performances that make the whole thing a pleasure to watch. Tom Wilkinson is perfect as the husband. His portrayal shows us a kind man who has so much control over his emotions that he has lost touch with the world. Emily Watson shows us a woman who has become so trapped in the role of perfect wife that she has almost lost her knowledge of passion. That passion is reborn by the character deftly played by Rupert Everett.
If you have reached that point in life in which you understand that everyone has feet of clay and that everyone - even with the gifts of intelligence and opportunities - makes many many wrong decisions, then you will probably enjoy watching these excellent actors creating the lives of three such people. This is a beautifully acted and directed adult film about realistic adults.
In this film the viewer sees a seemingly happy upper middle class couple - he a successful lawyer - she the perfect wife of a successful lawyer. They have a townhouse in London and a home in the country. All's well until there enters the "villain" in the guise of the son of the richest man in the village. This guy appears to be a cad from the word, "Go." He is disdainful of everyone and everything including his own children. In the traditional form of nice guys finishing last, the lawyer's wife engages in an affair with the bounder. You see the lawyer really is a nice guy but with the marriage killing trait of an organized perfectionist. Even though he truly loves her, he is boring his wife to death. The bad boy is far more exciting.
All of this is entangled with the hit-and-run death of a man in the village in which all the facts point to the cad being the driver of the vehicle.
It's easy to determine that this movie doesn't build to a happy ending, however, it does lead to a very satisfying ending in that the man and his wife learn and grow from their experiences and probably will be able to conduct their personal lives in a more successful manner.
Three excellent actors play the main characters in this film, and it is there performances that make the whole thing a pleasure to watch. Tom Wilkinson is perfect as the husband. His portrayal shows us a kind man who has so much control over his emotions that he has lost touch with the world. Emily Watson shows us a woman who has become so trapped in the role of perfect wife that she has almost lost her knowledge of passion. That passion is reborn by the character deftly played by Rupert Everett.
If you have reached that point in life in which you understand that everyone has feet of clay and that everyone - even with the gifts of intelligence and opportunities - makes many many wrong decisions, then you will probably enjoy watching these excellent actors creating the lives of three such people. This is a beautifully acted and directed adult film about realistic adults.
Ask the Dust
(2006)
Atmospheric Look at an Era
9 November 2008
This film is an intriguing modern-day film noir that catches your interest and holds it from beginning to the end. It takes place in Depression era Los Angeles - the perfect place for lost souls. Arturo and Camilla - beautifully played by Colin Farrell and Salma Hayek - are young and intelligent but victims of clearly outspoken prejudice against their family heritages; his being Italian and hers being Mexican. One of the incredible ironies of the open prejudice of the times is that Arturo and Camilla, even though very much attracted to each other, act in prejudicial ways against each other. It becomes clear early on that these expressions of dislike hide the passion simmering beneath the surface. That passion forms the crux of the story.
In the classic noir style, Arturo is a budding writer who has traveled to California to seek his fortune and there are many scenes showing him beating away at his typewriter in an effort to forge a great American tale. Farrell does an excellent job at showing both the innocent and not-so-innocent, shy and bravado sides of Arturo's personality.
The ever so beautiful Hayek is perfect as the Mexican girl who wants to become "respectable" by marrying an Anglo. Unfortunately, she falls for Arturo - an Italian and definitely not "respectable" in the United States of that time.
Ask the Dust is more than just a delicious love story of two beautiful, passionate people. It is also a well-produced, atmospheric look at an era in which the world was all too quick to condemn because of genetic heritage.
In the classic noir style, Arturo is a budding writer who has traveled to California to seek his fortune and there are many scenes showing him beating away at his typewriter in an effort to forge a great American tale. Farrell does an excellent job at showing both the innocent and not-so-innocent, shy and bravado sides of Arturo's personality.
The ever so beautiful Hayek is perfect as the Mexican girl who wants to become "respectable" by marrying an Anglo. Unfortunately, she falls for Arturo - an Italian and definitely not "respectable" in the United States of that time.
Ask the Dust is more than just a delicious love story of two beautiful, passionate people. It is also a well-produced, atmospheric look at an era in which the world was all too quick to condemn because of genetic heritage.
Eight Below
(2006)
Some Good People and Some Extraordinary Dogs
9 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Let me begin with the disclaimer that I am a sap for well-produced Disney films in which the good guys are strong and pure, there are very few bad guys, and everything works out in the end. Eight Below certainly fits that bill. Plus, it has dogs - another of my loves. In fact, the very best acting in the film is by the dogs notwithstanding the solid performances by the human actors.
The film is based upon an actual event that took place in the late 1950's in Antarctica. A Japanese research team was forced to leave fifteen sled dogs behind when they had to unexpectedly evacuate due to bad weather. When the dogs' owners returned in the spring with the obligation to find and bury their beloved dogs, they found that two of them had amazingly survived the brutal Antarctic winter. The dogs went on to be treasured celebrities in Japan. The 1983 Japanese film, Nankyoku Monogatari, depicts these events in a far more realistic way.
If you are a dog lover, you are probably saying to yourself that you'd rather not watch a film in which thirteen of fifteen dogs die from freezing or drowning, but this Disney version of the story is far kinder to the emotions. It eases the reality by having a far higher percentage of the dogs survive. Thus, it is a film that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. Some of the dogs do die, but the deaths are depicted in a way that translates into a less traumatic lesson on the cruelties of life for children viewing the film.
The scenery is beautiful, and even though the outdoor scenes were filmed in Greenland, the filmmakers performed a wondrous job of inserting Antarctic vistas making one believe the dogs were really there.
Again, the best acting in the film is by the dogs, and the DVD has an informative feature showing how the trainers instructed the dogs in their scenes. If you see the film and are interested in backstage information, you might enjoy reading about the treatment and training of the dogs on the American Humane site.
It's true that this film glosses over reality, but it is still an entertaining two hours spent with some good people and some extraordinary dogs.
The film is based upon an actual event that took place in the late 1950's in Antarctica. A Japanese research team was forced to leave fifteen sled dogs behind when they had to unexpectedly evacuate due to bad weather. When the dogs' owners returned in the spring with the obligation to find and bury their beloved dogs, they found that two of them had amazingly survived the brutal Antarctic winter. The dogs went on to be treasured celebrities in Japan. The 1983 Japanese film, Nankyoku Monogatari, depicts these events in a far more realistic way.
If you are a dog lover, you are probably saying to yourself that you'd rather not watch a film in which thirteen of fifteen dogs die from freezing or drowning, but this Disney version of the story is far kinder to the emotions. It eases the reality by having a far higher percentage of the dogs survive. Thus, it is a film that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. Some of the dogs do die, but the deaths are depicted in a way that translates into a less traumatic lesson on the cruelties of life for children viewing the film.
The scenery is beautiful, and even though the outdoor scenes were filmed in Greenland, the filmmakers performed a wondrous job of inserting Antarctic vistas making one believe the dogs were really there.
Again, the best acting in the film is by the dogs, and the DVD has an informative feature showing how the trainers instructed the dogs in their scenes. If you see the film and are interested in backstage information, you might enjoy reading about the treatment and training of the dogs on the American Humane site.
It's true that this film glosses over reality, but it is still an entertaining two hours spent with some good people and some extraordinary dogs.
The World's Fastest Indian
(2005)
Story of a New Zealand Legend
9 November 2008
It's been a while since I've seen a Reader's Digest, but I remember one of its standard features, "My Most Unforgettable Character." The hero of The Worlds Fastest Indian would most certainly be topic of that feature. Burt Munro was certainly a "character" and is a New Zealand legend.
The film is a dramatization of several months in the late 1960's of his extraordinary life in which he traveled to the Bonneville Salt Flats in order to attempt setting a land speed record for his 1920 Indian motorcycle.
We begin by seeing Burt - played by Anthony Hopkins - working in his workshop on parts for his beloved Indian and soon discover that his workshop is actually his home - a shed on a suburban lot covered with overgrown weeds. The appearance of his shed and lot - plus the noise he makes at all hours with his motorcycle - are somewhat of an annoyance to his neighbor, but we soon learn that he appears to be universally liked in his community.
Anthony Hopkins gives a more than excellent performance in portraying this man obsessed with his dream yet thoroughly likable, somewhat innocent, and a little more than randy. Yes, he basically is "a dirty old man" but totally lovable in that guise.
In addition to Hopkins' endearing representation, the whole movie has an easy feel of an earlier, more innocent time. All of the people that Burt meets in his quest are people we would also enjoy meeting. This makes the whole movie a viewing of easy pleasure.
On the DVD, you are also treated to a lengthy documentary about the real Burt. Both the documentary and the film are a labor of love for director, Roger Donaldson, and that love shines on the screen.
The film is a dramatization of several months in the late 1960's of his extraordinary life in which he traveled to the Bonneville Salt Flats in order to attempt setting a land speed record for his 1920 Indian motorcycle.
We begin by seeing Burt - played by Anthony Hopkins - working in his workshop on parts for his beloved Indian and soon discover that his workshop is actually his home - a shed on a suburban lot covered with overgrown weeds. The appearance of his shed and lot - plus the noise he makes at all hours with his motorcycle - are somewhat of an annoyance to his neighbor, but we soon learn that he appears to be universally liked in his community.
Anthony Hopkins gives a more than excellent performance in portraying this man obsessed with his dream yet thoroughly likable, somewhat innocent, and a little more than randy. Yes, he basically is "a dirty old man" but totally lovable in that guise.
In addition to Hopkins' endearing representation, the whole movie has an easy feel of an earlier, more innocent time. All of the people that Burt meets in his quest are people we would also enjoy meeting. This makes the whole movie a viewing of easy pleasure.
On the DVD, you are also treated to a lengthy documentary about the real Burt. Both the documentary and the film are a labor of love for director, Roger Donaldson, and that love shines on the screen.
Tsotsi
(2005)
Entertains and Challenges the Viewer
9 November 2008
As with Yesterday, this is another film from South Africa that gives us a view at the extremely depressing life of the poor, black residents of that country. This time Tsotsi - "thug" - is a teenager with seemingly no moral values whatsoever. He and his buddies go from their township into the city where they viciously attack - and sometimes kill - for money.
Tsotsi ventures out one night on his own to an affluent suburb where he carjacks and shoots a mother in front of her home. He drives away, crashes the car, and then finds that there is an infant in the back seat. Tsotsi is so vile and without any redeeming moral values that you think he will just leave the child in the wrecked car where it will surely die from exposure, but instead, he takes the child with him back to his small room in the township. It is from this point in the film that Tsotsi's hard coatings of brutality are slowly peeled away to reveal the history of the young innocent who would eventually become the thug.
Tsotsi is played by Presley Chweneyagae whose face has an amazing ability to appear as the incarnate of evil and then be totally angelic. His acting is powerful and much of the power is unspoken.
A young woman in the township who assists Tsotsi with the infant is played by Terry Pheto. Her face is one of beauty supported by serene dignity - a dignity that she brings to the role of her character.
There are numerous stark images in the film that emphasize the difference in the lives of the haves and have nots of the country. One such image is the vast treeless desert-like area between the city and the township accentuating the no man's land that divides the classes. It is a divide that is impossible to cross - not physically but socially.
As often in life, there is no happy ending for the protagonist, but there is a sense of humanity and dignity renewed. Tsotsi is a potent, rewarding film that entertains and challenges the viewer.
Tsotsi ventures out one night on his own to an affluent suburb where he carjacks and shoots a mother in front of her home. He drives away, crashes the car, and then finds that there is an infant in the back seat. Tsotsi is so vile and without any redeeming moral values that you think he will just leave the child in the wrecked car where it will surely die from exposure, but instead, he takes the child with him back to his small room in the township. It is from this point in the film that Tsotsi's hard coatings of brutality are slowly peeled away to reveal the history of the young innocent who would eventually become the thug.
Tsotsi is played by Presley Chweneyagae whose face has an amazing ability to appear as the incarnate of evil and then be totally angelic. His acting is powerful and much of the power is unspoken.
A young woman in the township who assists Tsotsi with the infant is played by Terry Pheto. Her face is one of beauty supported by serene dignity - a dignity that she brings to the role of her character.
There are numerous stark images in the film that emphasize the difference in the lives of the haves and have nots of the country. One such image is the vast treeless desert-like area between the city and the township accentuating the no man's land that divides the classes. It is a divide that is impossible to cross - not physically but socially.
As often in life, there is no happy ending for the protagonist, but there is a sense of humanity and dignity renewed. Tsotsi is a potent, rewarding film that entertains and challenges the viewer.
United 93
(2006)
Sobering Look at Real Heros
9 November 2008
I added this film to my video service queue with trepidation because I tend to shy away from films that exploit real-life tragedies, but it got such good reviews during the time it was in the theaters that I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad that I did because it is truly a rewarding experience.
To me, the events of 9/11 continue to be somewhat surreal in my mind. I sometimes have to remind myself that I, indeed, did see those two towers collapsing on television and think that just a few miles from my home, the Pentagon was laid waste by another attack. But the event of that day that has always been paramount in my mind was what took place in that airplane somewhere above Pennsylvania. That horrible day was surely not lacking in heroes, but those few ordinary people on that plane became, probably, the most extraordinary heroes of the day.
The film is extremely well done in that it does not contain any of those standard Hollywood elements normally associated with films of this sort. Instead, the viewer is given a close-up view of the events in the plane, at aviation tracking stations, and at military headquarters. As a viewer, you feel you are actually there observing the events as they happen.
The depiction of the hijackers reminded me of Paradise Now in that they are not evil devils but simply young men who have been brainwashed in order to carry out a mission of evil and destruction.
For those who rent or by the DVD there is a worthwhile documentary on the disc. It is an hour long and shows some of the actors in the film meeting the family members of the people they portrayed. What the family members have to say, and their lives since the time of the event are engrossing.
This film is very worthwhile viewing that gives further insight into an historical event that will be discussed and debated for many years to come.
To me, the events of 9/11 continue to be somewhat surreal in my mind. I sometimes have to remind myself that I, indeed, did see those two towers collapsing on television and think that just a few miles from my home, the Pentagon was laid waste by another attack. But the event of that day that has always been paramount in my mind was what took place in that airplane somewhere above Pennsylvania. That horrible day was surely not lacking in heroes, but those few ordinary people on that plane became, probably, the most extraordinary heroes of the day.
The film is extremely well done in that it does not contain any of those standard Hollywood elements normally associated with films of this sort. Instead, the viewer is given a close-up view of the events in the plane, at aviation tracking stations, and at military headquarters. As a viewer, you feel you are actually there observing the events as they happen.
The depiction of the hijackers reminded me of Paradise Now in that they are not evil devils but simply young men who have been brainwashed in order to carry out a mission of evil and destruction.
For those who rent or by the DVD there is a worthwhile documentary on the disc. It is an hour long and shows some of the actors in the film meeting the family members of the people they portrayed. What the family members have to say, and their lives since the time of the event are engrossing.
This film is very worthwhile viewing that gives further insight into an historical event that will be discussed and debated for many years to come.
Friends with Money
(2006)
Feeling Sorry for Themselves
9 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This is an extremely entertaining and witty tale of four women who have been friends for a long period of time - three of whom are in the midst of mid-life crises. All of this is woven into that special fabric that is California and Los Angeles.
Franny, drolly played by Joan Cusack, is the one friend of the four who really has no apparent crisis-like problem. She is super-rich, and her biggest dilemma is that she thinks her husband spends too much money on shoes for their young daughter. Because Cusack is so witty and wry, she makes even this non-problem very entertaining.
Christine (Catherine Keener) works with her husband in writing scripts for movies and television. Theirs is a marriage that has turned stale. During the period of this film, they both come to the realization of their failing marriage. In my mind, they both give up on the marriage without much effort, but this is L.A.
Frances McDormand plays Jane, a highly successful fashion designer who is in the throes of a strange pre-menopausal mood. She is hypersensitive to the small injustices we all experience daily and has decided for some reason, known only to her and her estrogen-driven mind, not to wash her hair. McDormand is an actress who always makes her characters an enormous treat to watch, and in this film she has embodied one of the most interesting and humorous of her career.
Olivia (Jennifer Aniston) is the youngest of the friends and the one without money. She used to be a teacher but became disillusioned, so now works as a maid. She is in such a mental state that she moves passively through each day content to just let things happen to her. Aniston does a very good job showing a woman who has restrained her emotions to a point that they barely continue to exist.
These four actresses are supported by seven very talented actors who play the men in the lives of the women. All of their back stories add other dimensions to the wit and entertainment of the film.
I generally do not favor films in which rich and privileged people go around feeling sorry for themselves, but Friends with Money is so well-written and acted that it grabbed me and held me for eighty-eight minutes of delightful, rewarding entertainment.
Franny, drolly played by Joan Cusack, is the one friend of the four who really has no apparent crisis-like problem. She is super-rich, and her biggest dilemma is that she thinks her husband spends too much money on shoes for their young daughter. Because Cusack is so witty and wry, she makes even this non-problem very entertaining.
Christine (Catherine Keener) works with her husband in writing scripts for movies and television. Theirs is a marriage that has turned stale. During the period of this film, they both come to the realization of their failing marriage. In my mind, they both give up on the marriage without much effort, but this is L.A.
Frances McDormand plays Jane, a highly successful fashion designer who is in the throes of a strange pre-menopausal mood. She is hypersensitive to the small injustices we all experience daily and has decided for some reason, known only to her and her estrogen-driven mind, not to wash her hair. McDormand is an actress who always makes her characters an enormous treat to watch, and in this film she has embodied one of the most interesting and humorous of her career.
Olivia (Jennifer Aniston) is the youngest of the friends and the one without money. She used to be a teacher but became disillusioned, so now works as a maid. She is in such a mental state that she moves passively through each day content to just let things happen to her. Aniston does a very good job showing a woman who has restrained her emotions to a point that they barely continue to exist.
These four actresses are supported by seven very talented actors who play the men in the lives of the women. All of their back stories add other dimensions to the wit and entertainment of the film.
I generally do not favor films in which rich and privileged people go around feeling sorry for themselves, but Friends with Money is so well-written and acted that it grabbed me and held me for eighty-eight minutes of delightful, rewarding entertainment.
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