penwah2 Reviews

Boyhood (I) (2014)

Engrossing

[10/10 · 31 January 2015]

This film traces a boy's life over the course of 12 years, and was actually shot over that same time, so the actors are the same, and you see the kids grow up and all lives evolve. It was so natural and well acted, so based in reality, that you forget it's a movie and you think you are a friend or neighbor watching a home movie about people you know.If you are looking for drama or a plot or action or impactful ending, this is not your film. Some will find it boring, but if you approach it with no expectations except to get to know the characters, you will see people you know, even in your own family. It is heartening to see that every family has issues and challenges, even the ones who look perfect from the outside, and that even the good kids go through stuff and can be okay in the end. Bravo.

Talhotblond (2009)

Surprisingly good

[8/10 · 10 January 2015]

The premise of this film interested me, as I met my share of posers on the Internet when I first got online. Frankly, I didn't expect much more than your run of the mill Investigative Discovery segment, so I was busy doing other things online when the film started. I was not prepared to be immediately sucked in by its intensity. The very first comments by the narrator engaged me completely. The use of soft, tender music instead of the usual suspenseful choices in a crime presentation lulls the viewer right into the relationship between Jessi and Tommy and keeps you there. It beautifully augments the slowly rolling instant messages that draw the development of the relationship. The rhythm of the two together tinted the exchanges with a reflective eeriness that gives the viewer enough time to read, absorb and experience the eeriness of the whole situation. And the discovery at the end just blew my mind. A thoughtful and disturbing film that leaves you breathless and thinking.

Pitch Perfect (2012)

Watch out - you're going to like it whether you want to or not!

[9/10 · 5 October 2012]

We two 50+ grandmas went to see this film on the spur of the moment because we enjoy musical movies. We were probably the oldest people in the audience which ranged down to younger teens but everyone, regardless of age, was laughing and having a grand time. Much less schmaltzy and self-serious than Glee, but wonderful vocals and dancing and personality. You can't help but fall in love with the hilariously quirky characters, especially Rebel Wilson as the irrepressible Fat Amy, Elizabeth Banks as Gail, the sexually frustrated female announcer, and Hanna Mae Lee as Lilly, the wackadoo who releases the most shocking comments in a voice that barely exceeds a murmur. Fun, feel-good and highly entertaining.

Joyful Noise (2012)

Critically passable, thoroughly enjoyable

[6/10 · 26 January 2012]

If you are looking for impeccable filmmaking, keep going. This piece is not about great film, script, editing or direction, but about fun characters, very decent acting, and vibrant music that will have you dancing along in your seat. It's a great venue for Dolly Parton's sweet self, which I fell in love with in this film for the umpteenth time in my life (despite awful plastic surgery that unfortunately has left her looking too much like Joan Rivers) and Queen Latifah's spiciness. The vocals were a treat, the southern platitudes ("She'll be mad enough to lay square eggs") are cute, and the characters for the most part are rich. Angela Grovey's facial expressions stopped the show; hope to see her in more film. Nice to see Jesse L. Martin though his character was poorly written. Keke Palmer's and Jeremy Jordan's voices are pure ear candy; I'll look forward to more from both of them. Not being a Christian I was not as spiritually uplifted as the film intended me to be but it was a feel-good, high energy experience all the same. I think it's a great entertainment film that you can enjoy with adults or kids.

The Company Men (2010)

Understated and respectful

[9/10 · 9 June 2011]

I didn't know what to expect from this film. I'm usually suspicious of a cast with so many accomplished actors, as though they are trying to save a bad script or poor direction. But I was happily surprised to find it to be understated, believable and respectful. Though its relatively happy ending is probably not very reflective of most people's reality in that situation, the film took us on a first-hand tour of the reality of job loss, uncertainty, anxiety, without leaving us in despair at the end. I don't believe that every film has to be emotionally wrenching to make its point. This one allowed us to develop empathy and feel the pain and escape without a lump in our chests. The casting was perfect; the believable, well-developed characters and beautiful acting allow us to get thinking and appreciate what we have. I found it to be a completely satisfying film.

Every Little Step (2008)

Soul satisfying!

[10/10 · 28 March 2010]

A Chorus Line and I came of age right around the same time, so it has not only an aesthetic appeal for me but a nostalgic one as well. I've seen several live versions and of course the movie, which could never measure up to any live performance just because of the nature of the subject, but made the show accessible to those who couldn't see it live. I did not know what to expect upon viewing Every Little Step, but how could I be disappointed given the subject matter and its irresistible music?

Reviewers here have criticized a variety of omissions in the film, charging that it is inaccurate and/or incomplete. However, I see Every Little Step as more of a multi-media magazine piece than a documentary. How amazing to listen to the interviews with the dancers back in 1974 which provided the inspiration for the musical! I thoroughly enjoyed the blending of footage of original auditions and performances in the 70s with the current audition process for the 2006 revival. Though I was disappointed not to see auditions for Morales and wondered why some of the stories were not completed, I did learn some things in retrospect that I had never known back then (eg, the Kelly Bishop I always enjoyed in Dirty Dancing is the Sheila I have been listening to all these years on the Broadway cast album). The film successfully engaged me emotionally and made me realize that it is A Chorus Line which inspired my interest in American Idol throughout these years and why that show continues to be a separate entity from these other wannabe reality shows. ELS also sent me right to the internet to dig up more Chorus Line history and cast info and You Tube performances to keep me involved and singing all afternoon, even after finishing the extra features on the DVD (there are plenty). What a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

I didn't set out to be a critical viewer of this film, only to find out more about this timeless piece, and I enjoyed every little step of it.