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Reviews
Joy (2015)
Worth watching
Watched it because I love David O. Russell's films. This an American dream story. It's real, eventful and deep if you know what the story is about. Jennifer Lawrence brings much strength, courage and plenty of angst to the role as the housewife to matriarch role demands.
Her wacky family can be anyone's wacky family. They help her. they hurt her. There are wonderful performances by Robert di Niro, Virginia Madsen, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini and Bradley Cooper. her ex husband is good too. Don't know Edgar Ramirez but he's a good actor. Diana Polanco from Orange is the New Black knocks her role out of the ballpark. She has something. I don't know what it is - but it's a certain kind of star power.
The story is just that - the story of what it takes to succeed in business. With all her breaks, she still could have been broken many times along the way.
It's great they just tell us her family tried to sue her for the business later but didn't show it. Couldn't take much more of them.
Watch it because it's great filmmaking - and it stars Jennifer Lawrence.
Bridge of Spies (2015)
Well acted period piece political drama
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks together, two American treasures, have crafted a wonderful foray into the past with a film that deals with a Jimmy Stewart like geopolitical situation. It's 1957, the Cold war is upon us with nuclear scares and all, and Russia has invaded and taken half of Germany. How do we trade our pilot Gary Powers for the Russian spy Rudolf Abel?
Mark Rylance as the Russian spy is so good that I can't think of anyone's performance that can beat him for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Director nomination for Spielberg, The Coen Bros. for their script, Thomas Newman for music, Janus Kaminski for Cinematography.
Amy Ryan as Hanks's wife and Sebastian Koch as the German lawyer Vogel steal every scene they are in. There is much humor to cut the tension and pathos as Hanks puts his family in grave danger representing the Russian spy with a big heart.
From Brooklyn to East Germany when they are putting up the Wall is a nice jump in locations and the sets are so real you think you are really there.
Could be a contender for Best Picture.
Spectre (2015)
Dark, moving, edge of your seat drama
This film is a testament to all Bond films before it and has so many references to past films that I actually started counting them. The script may be a bit blurry but it held my attention and a packed house at the Ziegfeld on a quiet Sunday afternoon. People were literally jumping off their chairs in the opening sequence, which was tough, gritty and believable. It takes place in Mexico City on the Day of the Dead parade and has thousands of people on hand. How did Sam Mendes shoot this? When you think you can't possibly take anymore it jumps to a helicopter scene that is itself worth the price of admission. Craig as Bond is brutally tough. There is no play in him although there is a sense of vulnerability and humanity. Who needs him to be funny. He's a killer and he kills bad guys. Yea. Here are the locations: Mexico City, Rome, Alps of Austria, London, Tokyo, Morocco. Enough? It's like watching the Travel Channel along with a Bond film. And it's beautifully shot, with a wonderful score. Want to meet the origins of Blofield? Well, you do. Bond's past comes back to haunt him again and you need to have watched the Bond films from the start to catch all the references. Christoph Waltz is a great villain - needed more of him. Bautista the wrestler has a better train fight with Bond than in From Russia With Love, Spectre is spooky and formidable so why not delve more into it by showing us more characters for next film? Where are the other Double O's when they close down the Double O Division? Still Ralph Fiennes as M is great as he gives chase with his little team of Naomie Harris and Greg Kinnear. If you're not a Double O can you just have a license to wound really badly? The CASTING was great and the new Bond girl is Dr. Swan played by French actress Lea Seydoux. I thought she was brainy, beautiful and tough enough. Some didn't. She had a right to everything she felt and I think she was straightforward and honest in dealing with Bond. Sam Mendes deserves another shot at the Bond franchise. He made a beautiful and unforgettable film. No SKYFALL but that was a ten.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Not the original, but original fun
Guy Ritchie directs this new film version of a great 60's TV show. I enjoyed the period piece reality and the stars, all whom are very good looking but the film is not the Man From Uncle; it is rather a story about he origins of UNCLE.
Alicia Vikander plays well with the boys, and the boys seem to have little to do with each other until they realize their need for each other on this save the world from nuclear disaster mission.
Good to see the Nazis are back as the villains again and a lot of the humor is tongue in cheek.
The very tall Debicki is a wicked woman and held her own as the villain, but the film needed a more sinister one. The film worked as an action film, but not as a comedy or thriller. It could have been all three. Too much suavity and style, not enough feeling or engagement with the story.
I would've brought in Hugh Grant early as head of UNCLE and explained the deal to all of them in order to save the world. Then let's them all work together with their differing fortes.
All in all - do another one and get it right this time. Still watchable and enjoyable.
Trainwreck (2015)
If you like Amy ...
Amy Schumer is a very likable, cute, funny, impressionable actress. She has written this film which is directed by the great Judd Apatow. Her scenes are replete with comedic undertones and most of the humor is brainy, personal and sweet. Her character - Amy - is at first the Trainwreck of the title. If you are not into seeing scenes of fully nude bodies, like wrestler Jon Cena making love to Amy, this is too gross and vulgar for you. BUT - it sets the film up to show an otherwise likable, successful girl who just wants to get it all in. Live the full NY experience. But a little too full. Amy works and has to come up with stories for a Men's magazine that is nothing but crude. Tilda Swinton is unrecognizable as she is wearing makeup and acts like Anna Wintour on steroids.
Amy drinks, screws and pretty much is out of control, wanting no future entanglements with any man. This is all in contrast to her sister, who is "normal", married to a nerdy guy, but lovable, decent and happy to be a stepmother to her husband's son, who is a character in himself. Colin Quinn is great as her dad, and although he walked out on the family, both sisters seem to genuinely love him. SNL alum dominate this film, as well as LeBron James and Amare Stoudamire. Marv Albert shows up in a family intervention with Matthew Broderick. All silly, but funny and it fits the story. Bill Hader as the doctor suitor is wonderful and accepting of Amy's shtick. I wouldn't even think of dating her - the Trainwreck - so it must be love.
Kudos to LeBron who can act as naturally as any actor I have seen. Well, he is acting as himself. Vanessa Bayer's teeth are a wonder in themselves and Tilda Swinton is hilarious in getting to shut her mouth.
Although many actors are one dimensional, the lead stars have personalities, conflicts and are very human. The humor is natural, even though Amy relies on one liners. So what? The audience I saw it with seemed to enjoy the film immensely albeit the opening vulgarity. I believe Amy Schumer has a career going for her as a comedic actress. She certainly does not have to write the whole script as she does here, but she can lend her talents to other comedies.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
Rogue Nation has it all.
This is by far the best installment of the Mission Impossible series. Tom Cruise leads the crew and an incredible cast in a very complex and twisted plot which has you guessing from beginning to end.
Simon Harris stands out as a very complicated , incredibly professional and diabolical mastermind who has as much experience as Ethan Hunt himself. The CIA, headed by Alec Baldwin sets out to dismantle the IMF team and has put a hit out on Tom. Jeremy Renner now works for the CIA along with teammate Simon Pegg and you question their loyalties to the CIA, Tom, and to their country. All good stuff.
The action sequences are par with any James Bond film but here the team all play considerable roles, without which Tom couldn't get the job done.
Country after country the twists turn and turn and the action follows. There are great cuts that don't sit in any scene and you are never bored.
Rebecca Ferguson is a standout both in acting and in the action sequences. Not bad for a Swede. Ving Rhames is back and is as menacing as ever.
You will sit on the edge of your seat throughout and be most pleased with the ending.
Daredevil (2015)
You gotta watch this series!
One of the best shows I've seen on TV in a long time. 24 was the best show ever. It had everything. So how do you take a comic book character and make it interesting? You get a great writer(s) and director and superb cast that seem to fit each part like a glove and develop everyone's character. Deep, deep characters. You get to understand the motivations, desires, goals and personality traits of simply all in the cast. This is no cartoon show. The writing is superb, the music haunting, the graphics unbelievable, the camera angles artistic, and the plots are written in an arc, very simple but such that explore both the protagonists and the story line in equal measure. Of course you resigned this show - keep it going for years!
Perlasca: Un eroe italiano (2002)
Worth watching
Luca Zingarelli is great as Perlasca. It is a story about courage in the face of oppression and tragedy. Perlasca was a fighter for the Spanish & Italian fascists and changed over to his human side when confronted by the brutality of the fascists against the Hungarian Jews. Not Jewish himself, he risked his life against the Nazis and saved almost 6,000 Jews, posing as the Spanish Ambassador after Spain closed down their embassy.
Zingarelli's performance is astounding and you are on edge the entire film - as his monumental energy in not letting one victim die if he can disallow it, comes into view throughout. There are many touching human moments where people connect in the film. How Perlasca plays with the children, how he deals with young & old alike. How he deals with so many in shock with tenderness, strength and decency commands your attention in this very long film. I believe it was supposed to be watched over two nights in Italy, but I watched the 3 hour movie in one sitting. Great performances including Magda and Farkas, the consul. Bring popcorn.
Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006)
Highly recommend
Having seen the low consciousness of most of these films that deal with suicide, I thought I'd be in for another ride to oblivion. Instead a fully formed world appears out of nowhere with fantastic direction and great performances by all the leads and an inscrutable Tom Waits. Why isn't this man acting in more films? Patrick Fugit will be accused of playing his role too straight , but I think he played it perfectly. He's a child/man exploring a world that the audience is exploring along with him.The scenarios are droll, flip and deeply funny in a wounded sort of way. These people are supposed to dead aren't they? So what are they looking for? And yet - everyone is looking for something - isn't that the title to a song? Go see the film. It made me laugh, cringe, feel and think. Worth the time and money.
The Fountain (2006)
A wild and imaginative ride throughout the ages for the thinking a nd feeling film-goer.
Darren Aronofsky will no doubt be regarded as one of the most creative, insightful and dedicated to his art directors of our generation. He has created a moving lyrical poetic film about life after death and one only hopes his growing thinking audience will embrace the film as his best yet.
True love comes through as soul mates throughout time and the images, which sometimes are disturbing are enlightening as well as to the nature of soul mates. Fantastic sensitive performances by the leads, Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weiss as well as notable roles for Ellen Burstyn as Hugh's boss and Mark Margolis as Father Avila. We need to see these two professionals in more films. The younger stars are wonderful compliments to the brooding and intense Jackman and balance him well.
Overall the picture came from darkness and death and moved to the light. I would like to see Darren Aronofsky lighten up his pallet in the future and cater to a broader audience. Thw world awaits you sir.
Song for a Raggy Boy (2003)
A very powerful, moving film that sees the humanity in all of us.
Saw this at Tribeca Film Festival and was genuinely moved by the power and passion of the story, the acting and above all the directing. The filmmakers took care to show each person as a combination of good and bad.The casting of the kids was outright fabulous. Aidan Quinn was born to play this part and brings to his acting a deepfelt conviction of righting certain wrongs with tremendous power and feeling.