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Reviews
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Muddle on the Orient Express
First off, I must confess my love of the 1974 Sidney Lumet version as one of my favorite of all times film, but was excited at hearing of the remake and with a wide open mind anxiously awaited the release.
Famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot boards the Orient Express unexpectedly, and when the train is caught snowbound and murder is discovered, he is engaged by the train manager who is his friend to solve the crime before the local authorities come to rescue and perhaps botch the investigation.
I did not like this film. The look of the film is very good, Production Designer Jim Clay and Set Decorator Rebecca Alleway give good train and Costume Designer, the great Alexandra Byrne outfits the cast beautifully (though I do question Mrs. Hubbard's après ski pants, such a woman would don her fur coat if she was chilly). The problem here is a very weak script that for starters does not delve deep enough into the interrogation of the suspects for us to follow Poirot's deductions. A fine cast of actors are given very little to do while the sleuth/hero/director gets a lot of screen time taking away from furthering the plot. We also have, perhaps in an attempt to draw younger audiences, more focus on Star Wars' Daisy Ridley (Miss Debenham), Hamilton's Leslie Odom Jr (Dr. Arbuthnot) and Frozen's Josh Gad (McQueen) characters, leaving acting royalty Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Derek Jacoby and Willem Dafoe out in the snow bound cold. We are also given a pair silly action sequences, one a very public fight by a passenger seeking privacy but drawing the attention of a crowd, the other a brawl actually involving Poirot. Again possibly for the younger DC/Marvel audience but Hercule Poirot is not a superhero and does not engage in knock-down, drag-out fights. Opening up some scenes to outside the train removes the claustrophobic tenseness of the proceedings. But the biggest error here is the complete bypass of the concept of the 12 suspects and the allegory of this self-appointed jury to judge a past crime. The central theme of the novel and story is of justice and the combined group action to correct an error in legal justice and all of this is discarded in the reveal. Also the lack of discussion explaining the household of the original crime seems to remove the underlying theme of family or unity in the story. Overall the film is pretty to see, though some of the sweeping vistas could have been removed for plot development, but I suppose that would have not utilized the 70mm experience. Branagh may be a bit too handsome for the odd, little Poirot character and the adding of racial themes with Dr. Arbuthnot adds something new, but changing him from the Colonel to the doctor, who in the source material helps with the investigation seems odd. Save the cash, watch the lush and lavish 1974 version and wait for this one for free TV.
The Middle (2009)
A fun and funny honest show
There seem to be many comparisons the Malcolm in the Middle with this show but other than a blue collar family I don't see it..where 'Malcolm' was loud and cruel 'The Middle' spares yelling and deception to show a simple family trying to be happy while making ends meet, keeping the kids focused in school, maintaining a marriage and keeping up with the neighbors. The cast is terrific with Patricia Heaton eschewing vanity as the middle class mom with a purple parka and sweaters from a discount department store and Neil Flynn as the manly laid back dad who would rather have a beer and watch TV. The kids are great with Eden Scher as the awkward daughter a standout, her work in this show is astounding, it makes you think she must really be like the character because no kid actor can be that good. The art direction/set decoration and costume design are so perfect and the situations the family faces each week seem real and honest. It is not hip, not 'ironic' and not flashy but not overly sentimental either...what it is...is a good way to spend 1/2 hour.
Our Town (2003)
Just Beautiful
In today's world of revivals and remakes being termed "reinventions" it's a pleasure to see a simple, standard production of a simple, standard play. No rewriting anything that may be offensive, no added music, no grand ideas to do it with overblown scenic, set dressing or prop design. Our Town well known to many since it is performed by school and community theatres around the country and most know the story of the small town of Grovers Cornder,NH at dawn of the 20th century. This production, filmed from the Broadway production earlier this season boasts an impressive cast-Paul Newman as the narrating Stage Manager is subtle yet commanding. Frank Converse,Jayne Atkinson, Jeffrey DeMunn, and Jane Curtin as the four parents show the love they have for their children. Broadway vets Stephen Spinella and Mia Dillon show us the good and bad in all the townfolk. Maggie Lacey and Ben Fox are wonderful as the grow and age as the young lovers. Light and dark come from each performer as they go through the paces of this old play.