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Reviews
Afghan Luke (2011)
A Slow Tepid Movie with a Bad Screenplay
The first thing that bothered me about this movie was it was filmed in Nova Scotia. I don't expect a movie crew to film in Afghanistan but come on-...Nova Scotia? Nick Stahl who is a good actor and starred in the Oscar Winning Movie re: IN THE BEDROOM and also THIN RED LINE is sorely in the wrong element here and at the mercy of a poor screenplay. The linear plot line of this movie jumps around like a BB in a bathtub. The plot of the movie failed to have important meaning to me especially after watching the gem of a journalist movie THE BANG BANG CLUB, which you identified which each and every journalist in the field. The journalists in THE BANG BANG CLUB were not in a traditional war but had a brotherhood of camaraderie to their group. This movie had most of the journalists constantly confrontational and their was no caring for each other. The screenplay was tepid and slow and ended with a dud. Nick Stahl can do much better than this. I gave this 2 out of 10 instead of a one only because of Nick Stahl past achievements.
Ratcatcher (1999)
Better things to come from Lynne Ramsay
I had never heard about Lynne Ramsay's films. I saw this film on the strength of the powerful and provocative WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, which still haunts me. I thought RATCATCHER was an interesting almost artful docu-drama of urban life in the inner city of Scotland. The characters were real. This was a subtle film. I understand it was Ramsay's directorial debut. Its amazing to see her first film and what she's evolved to in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN. What a metamorphosis. Another first film directed by Dees Reese PARIAH, same urban domestic turmoil, different context left me with much more empathy for its characters. also FROZEN RIVER or BALLAST, two outstanding films on small budgets. I left RATCATCHER feeling somewhat satisfied, however I was lacking in empathy for the characters because of a weak linear plot line. Many things were left for the viewer to decide.Ramsay paints her picture with a broad brush, you are left to connect the dots. Pivotal scenes did not seem that important because of the lack of character development with the exception of the main actor, James. Another weakness in the film was too many characters and lack of closure. Too many characters and not enough time to complete their story. We are left with unanswered questions. Mike Leigh's films of urban life in London & the UK re: VERA DRAKE, ANOTHER YEAR, SECRETS & LIES, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY seem to have a similar direction of what Ramsay was trying to achieve, however Leigh keeps his characters to a small circle allowing him & us to explore them in more depth. Seeing urban life portrayed in other countries makes me feel they are not much different from the inner-city problems we have here in America. I always come away from a foreign film learning from it. I gave this a 4 out of 10.
We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
"Tilda Swinton Gives a Performance of Our Generation"
Tilda Swinton gives a performance of our generation as well as others in the cast despite Lynne Ramsay's choppy confusing camera work. In fact the acting is so good it transcends the segmented storyline and countless flashbacks. We know what time-line we are watching from Tilda Swinton's hair style and face which becomes as scored as the lines on a road map at her present life. Bottles of merlot and pills help her reach the end of each day.
What can I say about Tilda Swinton's performance...its Hillary Swank's tenacity in Million Dollar Baby, Theron's survival trait in Monster all rolled into one. She hits every emotion on the human compass. She survives despite being in the wrong marriage with the wrong child at the wrong time.
Sadly her performance fell through the cracks by the Academy elite and we were left with Hollywood formula movies this year for best actress at the Oscars. One, a dismal biopic IRON LADY and the other domestic help in the 1960's south played only half convincingly by Viola Davis. (Davis is a double- barrel actress and here she held back).I have reviewed many movies here and this is the first 10 I have ever given. I tried watching a movie one day after viewing this film, it didn't work. I could not absorb it. This movie was that powerful. This movie will float around in your mind for days after, and if you are a parent even more so. It will make you love your children even more, especially for the goodness you have bestowed on them.
The Woman in Black (2012)
Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks & Its Hard to Make an Old Ghost Happy Again
A post-Dickensian movie set in the moors of England, beautiful in its sea-mist and greyness of feeling. The star of the movie is its setting. The mansion, which would have made Mrs. Haversham quite comfortable to live in. I haven't seen cinematography this rich since Melancholia. I've never seen a Harry Potter movie but was impressed with Radcliffe's Arthur Kips. Ciaran Hinds is the anchor that holds this movie together. His character is the logic we need in this nefarious supernatural setting. I liked the premise the movie gave us in the beginning. The limitations it set by keeping Mr. Kips there to do the job he was employed for because his job was on probation so to speak. Also the access denied to leaving the Mansion on the moors due to the ebb and flow of the tides.
Still, the PG-13 setting worried me that this movie would be limited and not push the envelope of horror. I maintain I was correct in that assumption. Lets look at Ti West's THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, same genre with similar setting, "person in house alone". THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL had me on the edge of my seat with tension, while THE WOMAN IN BLACK resorts to redundant one-note tricks, rocking chairs, creaking in the attic, manequins that move and voices. I was not scared even minimally.One last comment is that it seems in the horror genre in the past few years, most endings have evil prevail, and this movie followed suit.
Contraband (2012)
An Entertaining Good Movie-Not great but good-
It is enjoyable to watch Mark Wahlberg on the screen, especially when he is in his element and that is playing a family member trying to protect his family. Like Bobby Mercer in FOUR BROTHERS or Joseph Grusinsky in WE OWN THE NIGHT, here in this film we have Chris Farraday trying to set his brother-in-law right for the betterment of the family. Wahlberg is like Matt Damon's Jason Bourne, different context but he makes you feel safe. Whatever the outcome we know Chris Farraday will prevail for the good of all in the end. As a painter, I enjoyed the tongue- in cheek play on the Pollack painting, how everyone saw it as a tarp, however its never explained if Farraday recognized its significance. It would be nice if he had- just another element of his astuteness. yes there were far too many contrived scenes in order to make the movie work, and its plot originality was poor but this time I didn't care- the film was that enjoyable. Although I have my reservations for younger brother Robert Wahlberg acting skills but who knows. We can only see. While this wasn't a great film it was a fun film. I by no means felt any tension or was on the edge of my seat but I was entertained. Wahlberg has acted in far better films. I only hope he ups the ante on his next films. We've already seen far too many great actors such as DeNiro, Liotta & Cage take the fork in the road towards quantity and not quality.
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime (2008)
Kristin Scott Thomas a Versatile Actor as I've ever seen
This movie grabs you by the senses and doesn't let go. Kristin Scott Thomas is in a class with few other actresses that can command a camera without speaking a word. Meagerly we are given pieces to the puzzle, one piece here then another. We are perplexed in the beginning. We see an intelligent woman, we watch her eyes which say more than words. Eventually we wonder "how can this be". As we delve deeper and deeper into Juliettes past we hang on to every word.Then in one swoop the final piece to the puzzle is given to us feeling so much empathy for Juliette we want to take her in our arms and console her. The perplexity of human beings is not always evident. The sadist goading of the dinner host machine-gunning Juliette with questions. But here is a strong woman, hardened by prison and smart. She out maneuvered him without his even realizing it. She's a stoic woman using words preciously, precisely and does not mince them. There is nothing fake about Juliette and we admire her more as obstacles are thrown in her way and she overcomes each and every one. From the unfriendly brother-in-law to the snooping social worker. Kristin Scott Thomas is in my opinion more emotional in a French speaking role than her past English roles. She is in a class with Judi Dench, Meryl Streep, and Charlize Theron, Hillary Swank. I place this foreign film with my other greats, The Lives of Others, The Secret in Their Eyes, The Counterfeiters and 13 Tzameti. My only criticism from giving this movie a 10 is that Juliette's character is so logical and sensible, why then did she not defend herself 15 years earlier with the truth. My guess, beaten down, non-loving parents from childhood, and total resignation to her fate, but then we wouldn't have a movie would we-I understand Kristin Scott Thomas has never won an Oscar. I hope that changes sometime soon.
The Trip (2010)
A Thought Provoking Lighthearted British Comedy
I thoroughly enjoyed The Trip. Not only did the movie capture British humor perfectly but the scenery of Northern England's Lake District and the Pennine mountains made me want to go there. This movie did borrow somewhat from Sideways but in a less substantial way. This was a lighthearted, humorous road movie in the British tradition which also required you to think! The literary references throughout the movie such as the poet Coleridge and others was thought provoking and humorous at the same time.
If you are a fan of American comedy that is unfortunately coming out of Hollywood at the moment, such as The Hangover, Horrible Bosses etc, this will not be your cup of tea. I wonder after seeing this, how would it have been if Monty Python ever created a road movie of this sort?