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Reviews
Babylon (2022)
Glorious-Hollywood's Naked Heart
Brilliant, absolutely ten star brilliance. Over-the-Top from beginning to end, this is a primal, perverse tribute to the way America embraces Hollywood-clutching her tight like a hopped-up lover but keeping just enough distance from her smells and fumes.
Who doesn't love the movies? And who doesn't carry their own capsule history of the gossip and glitz and dirt and splendor, along with the stars and inventions and careers and scandals? This is the movie that weaves all these threads into a full color tapestry depicting the rise and fall of Hollywood's iconic characters against the evolving background of our nation's true medium.
There's plenty for everyone here-wild orgies, love stories, tales of ambition, of artistic innovations, thrilling jazz, gangsters and corruption, moving idealism, and on and on. Some will complain there is too much, that viewers will become overwhelmed. But I submit it is time for a change of pace, from the bang-bang effects of meaningless "action" movies and the "less is more" aesthetic of many recent art-filmmakers to Writer/Director Damien Chazelle's bold immersionist vision. Those who claim "Babylon" has no plot or is ultimately incoherent should pay closer attention to what Jean Smart's character tells Brad Pitt's fading star.
Chazelle is a master storyteller and a true ringmaster of a thousand colors. Give yourself over to his artistry; trust a great director!
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Deeply Disappointing
I am in the minority here. I was looking forward to watching this because of all the raves with which the critics & fans have greeted it. Also, I remember the original quite fondly, and I was eager to see Tom Cruise defying the natural deprivations of others his same age.
On the last score, only, I was not disappointed. Elsewhere I could not go along with the overly lavish heaps of praise. Mr. Cruise's feats and the aircraft's stunts were impressive, but I could hardly tell one plane from another in the super-rapid editing, jumping from one wing of fighters to another in breathless, jumping-bean cuts.
The closeups of pilots in their cockpits were framed alike, adding to the difficulty of following the aerial dog-fighting, and my attempts to read helmets for call signs were defeated much of the time by the choppy cutting.
After a time, I just gave up, rested my eyes, and let auu major attraction of the movie-the meaningful movement of aircraft-go right over my head.
I wanted to get into the characters' relationships. The parental legacy, in the person of the son of our hero's former flying buddy, was intriguing. But the complexity of real and undeserved guilt was never resolved in therapeutic detail. Instead, it-and far too many other issues of male bonding-were blurred, one guy couple to the next, in repetitious & predictably firm handclaps accompanied by long, silent eye contacts, deep soul-to-soul stares between macho buddies.
I know guys are supposed to be long on the physical and short on the verbal, but couldn't they have some variation in the physical?
Jennifer Connelly provides a welcome relief from all the maleness. She gives some real depth to her under-written character. I would have appreciated more development in her character's line.
Hamlet (2000)
Good Ensemble Work-some Exceptions
Gertrude and Claudius are well played, as is Polonius. Most of the cast acquit themselves well. Sam Shepherd is a bit disappointing as the Ghost, aiming for a kind of domestic realism, but treating too much of a powerful text as "throwaway" lines. The saddest performance is in the title role. Ethan Hawke speaks the words clearly, but he thinks in "blurts." I mean he treats each speech as if it were one thought, then exhales that single idea with little regard for punctuation.
Shakespeare's dialog requires actors who think WITH their words & USE the words to work out their sense; actors who are capable of ALTERING their course in mid-sentence-NOT just spouting uninterruptedly-predictably-from start to finish.
The script adaptation is not easy to follow. It skips back and forth. I am not sure what it is aiming to achieve, maybe to break up scenes to avoid the static nature of a theatrical set. But it doesn't have any consistency.
The Naked Spur (1953)
Disappointing Finish
This oater is a product of its era. It keeps you entertained by contrasting mortal dangers with tongue-in-cheek irony--until the end. I won't give away the finish, but it is schlocky and sentimental. Rather than give us a payoff that satisfies our material leanings or shows how easily the fates can conspire against us, Hollywood propriety intrudes.
At least it isn't accompanied by a pious sermon. I thank the writers for that.
Forooshande (2016)
Who Does Your Makeup?
The Salesman" has a lot going for it, and I understand why the Academy voters felt good about honoring it with an Oscar. The drama is tense, and the morality is surely correct. Revenge is a blunter of other, more civilized emotions. I can't buy the whole package, however, because it doesn't fulfill its promise of matching the trauma within a contemporary urban marriage to the framing medium of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman." I would have been content to follow the Iranian couple's drama alone, without the "clever" adjunct of the American classic, but since writer-director Farhadi draws such attention to Miller's play, I found myself constantly distracted by his misunderstanding of certain primary facets of that play.
I realize several major critics, including A.O. Scott of the NY Times, have lauded how Farhadi uses "Death of a Salesman" to illuminate his tale of a modern rape and revenge--most of them laying stress on the "sales" aspect of one or more of the movie's characters who present a false facade to the world. Frankly, that's a very generalized reading, one idea plucked from the many themes at work in "The Salesman." To me, the only scene in Miller's play that connects with "The Salesman" is in Willy Loman's hotel room, when his son Biff learns that his dad has a hooker in the bathroom. To his credit, Farhadi shows that exact scene for a time, but this focus, while apt as far as it goes, overlooks the deeper side of Willy, that his entire life is devoted to a false idol, an illusion, the "American dream" of every salesman, of making one's way in the world "on a smile and a shoeshine." To Willy Loman, the only thing that matters on this earth is "to be well liked." Where does this factor into "The Salesman"? None of the characters exemplifies that jovial spirit, verbosity, and fake good humor that characterize the salesman type. I kept wondering why Farhadi kept referencing Miller's play while leaving this out. But then he doesn't seem to have studied the play, or he wouldn't have cast such a youthful "healthy" leading man to play Willy. Nor would any theater director have permitted Shahab Hosseini to play a 1940s American traveling salesman with that beard! (A more believable Willy might be the elderly rapist who appears later in the film, but we never learn much about him, and he's not playing the part for the theater troupe.)
Both of the Lomans are miscast. They are nearly 30 years too young, a serious matter for characters with a lifelong devotion to the capitalist creed and a nearly paid-off mortgage. The makeup artists have to work overtime to try (unsuccessfully) to age them, drawing attention to another strange detail. Do Iranian actors not do their own makeup? I'm not speaking of pampered film stars, but of so-called "legit" actors. Western actors take it for granted that, except for highly unusual cosmetic effects, the actor is responsible for his/her own makeup. I wondered if this was a movie director's wrong assumption about stage practice.
None of this absolutely ruins what is strong in this film. It is certainly worth our time to witness city life in contemporary Iran, even if it is a glum vision overall. The tautness of the one-on-one encounters is mesmerizing. You can't look away. In the interaction of husband and wife, one can see all the glaring omissions and missteps that doom the couple--and may save viewers many hours of marriage counseling.
The Matchmaker (1958)
Near Perfect Farce
Joseph Anthony's direction of Thornton Wilder's comedy provides a nearly perfect example of French farce. Why "French"? Because The Matchmaker plays in the tradition established by Parisian "Boulevard theater," and especially by the master playwright of the form, Georges Feydeau. Watch carefully as Anthony Perkins and Robert Morse unite the timing of their quips with their physical activity. While farce is normally distinguished by the superiority of plot over character, the French style gives extra attention to precise timing, as when one actor glides smoothly behind a door or under a table just in time to avoid the entrance of another actor. Pratfalls, double-takes, and asides are exactly combined with punctuated line-readings in a way that demands extraordinary artistry. This script gives the boys plenty of opportunity to emphasize their skillful timing, and they make the most of it. Paul Ford provides a fine "old geezer" foil, and a young Shirley MacLaine matches the men gag for gag.
Director Anthony's early career as a dancer/choreographer and his extensive credits as a Broadway director have prepared him well to handle the farcical demands of this stylish screenplay. Regardless of the pluses or minuses that one may find elsewhere in the production, it is a real standout as a model for students of acting and directing.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Fine Vintage WA
Not all of Woody Allen's later films must be major creations. VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA is another bright gem that makes up in atmosphere and insight what it may lack in scale. He rubs away the surface fibs of modern comfort to reveal the secret lives so many conceal. There are no attempts to solve the discontents that emerge, just an amused and pleasant tolerance of human foibles--accompanied by the sort of light ridicule and acceptance of offbeat lifestyles one expects from a veteran comedian.
Along the way we are treated to some refined cinematic work. The casting is perfect. The balance between action and voice-over is just right. The brilliant guitar accompaniment offers an effective blend of popular and classical pieces.
As for the direction, I especially appreciated the camera imagery. We have all seen hundreds of different ways to stage and frame kisses, but only Woody Allen would think to mask the first kiss between Juan Antonio and Vicky. It is a moment we have anticipated, and we wondered how it would look. Who else would have thought to hide it from us by having his head block their lips?--and then allow the camera to slowly move around his ear for the reveal? Brilliant.
Mission to Moscow (1943)
Extremely well made
This is an artfully arranged movie that I felt compelled to watch scene by scene. Yes, this is clearly propaganda, and it bends over backwards to excuse the Realpolitik of Moscow's pre-war diplomatic manipulations. In the "show trial" scenes it avoids any expectation of honesty yet excels in the writing and acting of the various "conspiracy" characters. While writer Howard Koch and director Michael Curtiz are obviously doing their best to whitewash the Soviet regime and judiciary, there is enough focus on anti-Soviet perspectives that a viewer may suppose the presentation is "objective"-- thus enhancing the message with a feeling of fairness. For all its warping of reality, the film is a masterpiece of writing, cinematography, and acting-- and in his pacing and masterful blending of file footage with dedicated scenes, director Curtiz was at the top of his game.
I would love to know more of the real life back stories of the émigré actors who played roles that appear to be opposed to their own political leanings. Konstantine Shayne (Bukharin) wins the prize for his deeply thoughtful portrayal.
August (1996)
Excellent & True to Chekhov
This is a lovely, well considered and well paced version of Chekhov's famous play. It is both amusing and sad, really a perfect balance. The title is a little misleading because this is actually UNCLE VANYA, not an adaptation. The characters' names have been altered and a brief mining accident has been added, but it is otherwise nearly a word-for-word translation, well worth watching. Hopkins is a wonderful Vanya (Ieuan), shifting moods rapidly from farce to frenzy. Kate Burton is a fine Yelena (Helen), not surprising because she worked for many years at the Williamstown Festival under Nikos Psacharopoulos, a director renowned for his Chekhov productions.
John from Cincinnati (2007)
Mannered Obfuscation
I've respected David Milch's work and looked forward to this series. But where "Deadwood" had bite, resonance, and an historical patina that allowed us to imagine Milch's compact, grinding, elliptical language filtered through decades of eccentric expression, this series is sadly pretentious. The cast is good (although Shaun reminds us that it takes actors to be "real"), generally doing an excellent job of believing and justifying. And some sequences rose above the rest, such as the brilliant surf-riding resurrection of John and Shaun. But the script ties vague, simplistic messages to a Saroyanesque story--a quirky parable of acceptance and renewal, laden with arcane spiritual allusions. The use of mythic action and the over-use of jargon, even pidgin, obfuscate the tale even for a careful listener (or CC reader). I suspect the mannered events and language were meant to make us labor for the message, the better to "treasure" it. But there's a huge difference between grasping and savoring truly complex concepts, such as one might gain from Shakespeare, Beckett, or Stoppard, and merely deciphering whimsical twists and bent lingo to arrive at a commonplace tale.
Yûkoku (1966)
Gore with Kitsch
This is a beautiful black and white version of Yukio Mishima's short story, titled Patriotism in English. It depicts the love suicide of a Japanese lieutenant (of the pre-WWII Imperial Army) and his wife. Artfully staged and photographed, it was filmed without sound. There is an audio track of Wagner's Liebestod, but occasional dialogue is shown only as moving lips, and the basic story is conveyed by hand-written scrolls. The silence has a cool, distancing effect that plays well against the core violence of the piece. The lieutenant's hara-kiri is shown graphically--predicting Mishima's own death some four years later. The choice of the Libestod was a bit obvious as a bridge between Mishima's romantic fantasies and those of his equally theatrical German predecessor. This, and the predictable blood spatters, lend a touch of kitsch to this otherwise powerful film. I ordered this from Play-Asia.com, and got a two disc set. Both show the entire film, one with Japanese writing, and one with English scrolls substituted.
11:14 (2003)
Brilliantly Implausible
I caught this tonight on the Sundance channel and was absolutely riveted. This is a wonderful dark comedy, meticulously planned and artfully performed by a fine ensemble cast. Writer/director Greg Marcks deserves high praise for pulling off multiple Feydeau turns with his cars and corpses. There may be holes or lapses in the plotting, but every time my wife or I thought we spotted one, along came a twist that plugged the hole--and perfectly.
As implausible as the coincidences may seem, the execution is perfectly polished. The photography, effects, and timings are perfectly handled, and the actors offer details of real behavior that breathe life into the meshing gears of this ingenious plot.
The Tempest (1960)
Excellent - Holds Up Well
Of the very few versions of THE TEMPEST which are available as videos, this may be the best. It is not bowdlerized (as claimed by another commenter) but simply edited for limited television time, and rather cleverly adapted at that. Maurice Evans' Prospero is warm and generous of spirit. He chooses to forgo some of the majesty of the role in favor of delightfully quirky and very human touches. Roddy Macdowell gives a detailed portrait of Ariel, and Richard Burton succeeds in capturing the ingenuous side of Caliban. Lee Remick and William Bassett are young and sexy and speak verse well. The toughest transition in the story-- Prospero's abandonment of his vengeance-- occurs too quickly, with too little effort, but this is a common failing for THE TEMPEST.
Actors not credited in this listing may be found on the IMDb page under "Hallmark Hall of Fame." They are William LeMassena as Antonio, Geoffrey Lumb as Alonso, and Chris Gampel as the Boatswain.
Spitfire (1934)
Flawed, but a real gem
Other reviewers seem to be comparing this delightful old film with standard streamlined products of the 40s and later. But "Spitfire" belongs to an older tradition, and it's a rare example of theatrical naturalism translated to film. Naturalism was always a dicey affair, attempting to study real (i.e., non-glamorous) people in folksy environments, and usually failing because written by authors of "a class above" for sensational purposes. I found this quaint vision of hill folk very appealing, representing a kind of nostalgia for Americana imagined although never real--yet nevertheless enjoyed by mainstream audiences. The young Hepburn gives an awkward but dazzling performance, fully inhabiting her naïve, sentimentalized Trigger Hicks, delivering her lines in a vigorous and truly delicious stage "Hillbilly" dialect. Don't miss a chance to travel on this strange, charming time machine.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Predictable but Fine Anyway
Sometimes a predictable ending is just TOO predictable. Sure enough, this pseudo-Faustian comedy ends up with our girl Andy back in the arms of her original boyfriend, and back with all that's good, wholesome, non-fashionable & non-French.
But along the way, it is witty and wise about the shifting sands of our morality. To be smart and elegant turns out to be more than airheaded and snooty. There are good-hearted souls even in the world of fashion (well, at least in the movies), and there's much to admire in their tough competitive ethic and leadership abilities, and we get some honestly compelling arguments for the importance of the art and the industry.
This is a beautifully made film with a sharp script and some very classy performances--from Streep, Hathaway, Blunt, Tucci, and Baker.
My complaint about the handling of Miranda's twist on the double cross is that she takes too long explaining herself. She confronts Irv with a list of top photographers and models who will stay loyal to her no matter what. C'mon, is THAT plausible? But overall, this is a sharp, satisfying satire, both cool and sweet.
Paths of Glory (1957)
One to Remember
This film is a treasure. I first saw it in the local movie house in Ashland, Oregon, in my second season with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The theater owner screened it for one night only, I believe, as an "art film" that might appeal to a small off-beat crowd. The whole Shakespeare company showed up, and we were enthralled by the acting and stunned and moved by Kubrick's lean, masterful story of an historical cover-up perpetrated by autocratic generals in collusion with lower-ranking opportunists and cowards. Based on a blatant miscarriage of justice in the French army of World War I, the film had a powerful impact on our generation--in the post-Korea, pre-Vietnam era. It is a classic indictment of the corruption of men in war. I believe it holds up very well and that no one who sees it at the right time of their life will ever forget it.
Six Shooter (2004)
McDonagh's parody?
McDonagh is a brilliant story teller and fully deserves his Tony nominations and his Olivier Award for Best Play (The Pillowman). His critics have questioned his use of casual cruelty as a dramatic device, although he always grounds violence in a social context or connects sadism to particular characters' proclivities. This film is beautifully acted by Brendon Gleeson and especially Rúaidhrí Conroy, sharply photographed, and well directed by McDonagh himself. For technique alone it is Oscar-worthy. But the whole piece strikes me as an absurdist joke with insufficient resonance. This is a mélange of destructions, an indulgence in violence that reduces and parodies McDonagh's better scripts.
Funny Games (1997)
Extraordinary marriage of acting and film craft
This is the first Haneke film I've seen--and it is absolutely hypnotic. I heard in advance that it was a thriller, so there were times when I was impatient for action. Gradually I realized I was imposing a Hollywoodized attention span onto a rich and complex work. It won me over completely.
Much has been said by other reviewers about the strengths of this superb work. What strikes me most is that Haneke is a director who really trusts his actors--and as a true artist of film he knows how much time to give them.
He makes us all really pay attention.
Jefferson in Paris (1995)
Better than Grandiose
So many of the negative comments seem to be reactions against either downplaying or overemphasizing Jefferson's relationship with Sally. It strikes me that this is a reasonably balanced presentation of what's been learned in recent years. Other negative critiques are the disappointments recorded by patriots expecting some grandiose pageant for Fourth of July consumption. But this is all-in-all a less pretentious and better film than the typical celebration of Americana. Nolte presents Jefferson as an idealistic but very human being. Paltrow is very persuasive as Patsy, and many of the rest of the cast present excellent (or well-proportioned) characterizations. Except for some trivial inaccuracies, this is a richly textured reconstruction of history as it may very well have occurred. I find that I look in on it just about every time it pops up on cable--and I'm always rewarded.
Prince of Players (1955)
A Mad Romantic
I first saw this when I was in high school and thinking of becoming an actor. Burton's performance and the film's highly romantic vision of Booth as the brooding "natural" Hamlet hooked me. Although it has the outlines of a typical biopic, The Prince of Players offers an extraordinary display of the kind of acting that, at its best, dominated the 19th century stage. Burton was one of the few 20th century artists who knew how to balance a ringing declamatory style with honest, full bodied emotions. It is so different from the typical modern understatement that some audience won't be able to adjust to it. But for those who relish language along with fire in the blood, this is as good as it gets on film. The portrait of the actor Edwin Booth, a man overburdened with the cares of the world, as impetuous, self-indulgent, and nearly batty, is a bit overheated. But it's a typical view of the artist in the mad tradition of Poe. Very 19th Century--and well worth knowing.