Brennan-8 Reviews

Polluting the Fountain of Youth (1998 TV Movie)

This needs to be available on DVD!

[10/10 · 14 August 2006]

I vividly remember this excellent documentary about the gorgeous freshwater springs of Florida. The program was very well done, and featured Bill Kurtis scuba diving in the complex network of underwater caves (definitely not for the claustrophobic!). The photography was outstanding, as it highlights the unearthly beauty of the springs, which the late Florida author/environmental activist Marjorie Stoneman Douglas aptly described as resembling "bowls of liquid light."

Florida native Kurtis' passion for the springs and concern for their survival is evident throughout. The pristine water quality of the springs is threatened by agricultural run-off and the relentless encroachment of development. This program is highly recommended, if you can find it!

Laurel Canyon (2002)

Absorbing character study with California ambience

[2 March 2003]

I saw this film at the Miami International Film Festival and was thoroughly absorbed and entertained. I don't know if it will be as successful as the director's much-lauded "High Art" from several years ago; "Laurel Canyon" is not as serious, though it does explore some of the same themes. All of the performances are pitch-perfect. I suspect audiences will especially enjoy and identify with Kate Beckinsale's character: a studious and sheltered young doctoral student who takes to the hedonistic Los Angeles lifestyle in a big way. Frances McDormand and Christian Bale are also wonderful.

Music is almost another character in this film; it pervades the atmosphere. The music, by such artists as Mercury Rev and Clinic, complements and underscores the dynamics between the characters. It's been awhile since I've seen a movie with such an intoxicating sense of place as well: whether accurate or not, Los Angeles is portrayed as a sybaritic wonderland. The film revels in the sensuality and freedom of this rarefied realm, and it's intriguing to see the effect on the young couple.

When Frances McDormand's music producer character asks Alex her opinion on the record she's producing, Alex declines, saying she doesn't know much about popular music. McDormand responds, "Follow your instincts. It either pulls you in or it doesn't." This movie pulled me in.

Armadillo (2001)

Television at its best

[4 August 2002]

"Armadillo" is an absolutely top-notch film with a complex, absorbing story and brilliant performances. On American tv (with commercials) the movie clocks in at three hours, but you will definitely not be bored. James Frain plays Lorimar Black, a successful young loss adjuster at a posh London insurance firm. He has a sleep disorder and is living something of a double life, but that is the least of his problems compared to what develops in his professional life.

This movie has many plot lines going on, but is always lucid and compelling, thanks to a fine screenplay adapted by the author of the original novel. The stand-out performance is the chameleonic James Frain, who is so natural he never seems to be acting at all. Stephen Rea is hysterical (in both senses of the word) as Frain's paranoid boss. The only bit that didn't quite work for me was Lorimar's romantic obsession with Catherine McCormack's character, Flavia. McCormack is luminous as ever, so we understand why Lorimar would be attracted to her, but she is so bitchy and manipulative with him, Lorimar's passionate pursuit seems slightly masochistic.

Fair Game (1988)

Incoherent mess

[15 May 2002]

This is a stunningly bad film, certainly the worst and most inept I've ever had the misfortune to sit through. The acting and direction are not even professional and the script makes no sense at all. It's hard to understand how the video was accepted for mass distribution, there really is no artistic merit at all.

The Seventh Stream (2001 TV Movie)

Good performances, lovely Gaelic ambience

[10 December 2001]

At first, I thought this film was going to be a shameless copy of "The Secret of Roan Inish" but I'm glad I rode out the first few minutes of doubt. "The Seventh Stream" takes a different turn and becomes a satisfying little film in its own right. Particularly effective are the performances: Scott Glenn (who's getting to resemble John Hurt in his mature years) is moving as the lonely and dour widower Quinn, and Saffron Burrows is excellent as the selkie Mairead. Ms. Burrows is perfect for the role -- she's tall, stunning and has an unearthly quality about her that serves very well. Fiona Shaw, as always, is excellent as the unrequited admirer of Quinn.

The film is also worth watching for the gorgeous west of Ireland scenery. The brooding and starkly beautiful landscape, accompanied by the understated musical score, create a distinctly Celtic mood.

Henry Fool (1997)

Not Mr. Hartley's best work

[27 June 2000]

I'm puzzled as to why several reviewers have rated "Henry Fool" as Hal Hartley's best film to date. While there is much to admire and think about in the film, his outstanding earlier films (The Unbelievable Truth; Trust; Simple Men; The Amateur; Surviving Desire) far surpass this one. I was disappointed at the outright ugliness & sour tone of the film -- in such a marked contrast to the hard-won hope and idealism of his other films -- and the occasional gross-out humor which seemed lifted straight out of "Dumb and Dumber". Excuse me, but I do *not* go to a Hal Hartley film for vomit and diarrhea scenes.

The female characters were perhaps the biggest disappointment in "Henry Fool". The empathy for women that Hartley had previously displayed is completely missing here. Simon's mother and sister are pathetic ciphers. There are ways to portray women who are not admirable with compassion and humor, such as Maria's white-trash sister in "Trust". In "Henry Fool", the women are insulted and degraded by the filmmaker.

I hope that "Henry Fool" was just a temporary sidetrack for the director, and not an indication of the direction he's now going. Hartley is such an incredible talent; he's a truly original voice in American cinema.