The Lady from Shanghai

Orson Welles was an uncompromising creative genius with a distinct visual style and feel for the camera. He often clashed with the studio heads over how his films were cut and presented and this is the reason, I suspect, why his resume is so short yet filled with great works. The Lady from Shanghai was made following the massive success of Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons. It is not his strongest work, yet it is visually exciting and entertaining nonetheless. Welles stars as Michael O'Hara, a tough Irish sailor who right off the bat admits his naievty in falling for a wealthy woman (Rita Hayworth) whom he rescues from an attack in the park. Somehow he is serving as a deckhand on her famous defense attorney husband's yacht and soon after that he is intwined in a murder plot full of double and triple crosses. The film opens as intriguing noir and Welles' narration is wonderfully ominous. The next few scenes play out well as well and then the film somewhat loses focus and becomes plodding during scenes on a yacht and a tropic isle. Then things pick up steam when the murder plot is introuduced and the film wraps up is the highly memorable House of Mirrors finale. Despite its plodding midsection and a plot that no man with any semblance of a brain would find himself in, The Lady from Shanghai is a fine addition to Orson Welles' directorial canon.

Waste Land

Vik Muniz was born in the slums of Rio de Janeiro and was able to rise out of the squalor and establish himself as one of the foremost contemporary artists of our time. When looking for a new project, he learned of Jardim Gramacho in Rio, the largest garbage dump in the world. His initial idea was to paint the garbage pickers among the waste but as he worked with them their human stories began to emerge. In Waste Land, the Oscar nominated documentary Lucy Walker followed Muniz and the many pickers for three years as she documented their story. The result is an interesting story that isn't quite worth the treatment it gets. Throughout the film, many of the workers are interviewed and each tells a hard luck story. When all of them tell the same hard luck story, we have a problem of redundancy. I have now seen all of the documentaries nominated for last year's Oscar and this is the only one I'm not recommended. It's not a bad film but unlike the other four it does not understand that you cannot just have a good story to tell, but it is crucial to have a good way to tell it, not just filming it straight up. Vik Muniz is a gifted artist and some great things came out of his work at the Rio dump, but this film wasn't one of them.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Werner Herzog is an enigmatic and masterful filmmaker who often bemoans the state of film and how movies are devoid of unique and interesting images. So in 1994 when two adventurers discovered a cave in the south of France containing cave drawings dating back 30,000 years, the oldest known to man, it was only natural that Herzog would make a documentary about the markings. The cave was shut off almost immediately by the government so as to preserve the drawings and only limited access has been granted to scientists and scholars to access. Filming has never taken place until now. With strict restrictions, Herzog and his very very limited crew document these beautiful and mysterious drawings which seem almost impossible to fathom. Incredible details are also revealed, such as how the paintings were revisited thousands of years later and more work was added to them. Narrating again, Herzog's unique voice and strange musings add mystery to the film and his odd choice of filming in 3D is surprisingly perfect for the curvy and protruding interiors of the cave. Herzog interviews weird types who have worked with the cave, such as a circus performer turned archaeologist whose reason for being in this film I could not discern. These interviews detract from the film and the real star is the actual painting, which I believe Herzog knows when he shows them in two extended silent sequences. Also there is an outrageous ending involving crocodiles in a nearby biodome which is amusing. Again, Werner Herzog has found a mystifying topic which he has added to in bringing it to the big screen.

Casino Jack

The movie opens with superlobbyist Jack Abramoff dropping his daughter off at school and receiving a call from his partner that he is about to be arrested on federal charges stemming from fleecing Indian casinos of exorbitant amounts of money on lobbying fees. We then backtrack two years and we see the events leading up to Abramoff's arrest and conviction, as Jack bribes and influences congressmen (including House leader Tom DeLay), takes advantage of Indian tribes and lures them into his hands, and engages in a business venture with a mobbed up businessman and a casino boat owner. Casino Jack is the second film to come out last year regarding Abramoff's exploits (the other is Casino Jack and the United States of Money) and is not a successful retread of recent historical events. The movie seems obssessed with name dropping and doesn't seem to have faith in its story which it could have told better. Barry Pepper is well cast as Abramoff business partner and John Lovitz is a hoot as the mobbed up sleazy businessman, yet Kevin Spacey who begins the film with a powerful monologue that makes you think this will be a return to form for him, settles for a mediocre performance that serves as an excuse for Spacey to do Al Pacino and Ronald Regan impressions and push his leftist agenda. The ending with an imagined speech by Spacey during a Senate hearing comes off as false. Films covering recent history are difficult to make and the filmmakers behind Casino Jack prove it.

The Dirty Dozen

When reviewing war films, Roger Ebert often likes to quote Francois Truffaut as a segue into his critique by saying, "it's not possible to make an anti-war film because all war movies end up making war seem like fun." I've never really understood this quote because all the war movies that I consider great, such as The Deer Hunter, Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, and Apocalypse Now depict war as harrowing and nothing even close to resembling fun. However, after watching The Dirty Dozen I think I understand what kinds of films Mr. Truffaut and Mr. Ebert were referring to. This film is a hight concept film and essentially just a rollicking good time. Lee Marvin stars in a fine performance as a tough as nails (what else?)  major with a spotty service record who is assigned to a top secret mission: take 12 soldiers from a U.S. army prison, all who have committed serious crimes, some who have death sentences, and break into a heavily guarded French chateau used by German officers as a respite spot, killing as many as possible. The men are all a ragtag group who aren't as bad as purported and eventually and expectedly start to work together and make a formidable force. For 1967, The Dirty Dozen is a pretty tough film that moves at a nice pace. The cast is a virtual who's who of tough guys including Marvin, Charles Bronson, John Cassavetes (great as a psychopath in Academy Award nominated performance), George Kennedy, Donald Sutherland, and Ernest Borgnine. There is a plodding and unnecessary segment in the middle where the dozen plays war games against a rival officer's squad to show their worth that could have been left out, but the opening recruiting segment, the training sequence, and especially the daring raid at the end are spectacular. The Dirty Dozen is an exciting war film that provides evidence supporting Truffaut's assertion.

Roads to Memphis

In April 1968, two men from two different worlds with entirely different backgrounds and entirely different missions unfortunately and tragically crossed paths at a Memphis motel, forever changing America's landscape. Roads to Memphis tells the story of Martin Luther King and James Earl Ray in the months leading up to Ray's assassination of King. While King was touring the country fighting racial injustice, Ray was a stick up artist locked up in a Missouri Penitentiary. After making a daring escape, he began to here of King's deeds and started to think that he could make a name for himself by killing him. As it was easy to track his whereabouts back then, Ray began to stalk King across the country. When MLK took up the cause of striking garbage workers in Memphis, Tennessee, the two's fates would forever be sealed. This latest installment is a painstakingly detailed and wonderfully recreated telling of these events. I thought it had the feel of a great crime program as we learn of James Earl Ray's actions leading up to and following the assassination. Martin Luther King's assassination was a tragic inflammatory event, and Roads to Memphis gives you a window into not only the mindsets of two radically different individuals but also of a country entirely.

West Side Story on Broadway at Playhouse Square

So I know that this is a film blog, but for as long as I can remember I have loved West Side Story. So towards the end of last year, when I heard it was coming to the Palace Theater I knew I had to be in attendance, and when I finally saw it performed it was such a wonderful experience that I wanted to at least share the experience in my blog. West Side Story is the work of Arthur Laurents (who wrote the script and passed away just this past week), Leonard Bernstein (music), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics), and Jerome Robbins (choreography) and transplants the story of Romeo and Juliet to late 1950s New York City where it is set among rival American and Puerto Rico street gangs. Many are probably familiar with the beloved 1960 motion picture but to see it on the stage is a unique experience entirely. Everything about it is wonderful, the music, the acting, the singing, but I think the real star has to be Robbins' dance sequences (the dance at the gym was probably my favorite). Then there are the musical numbers, the best being Tonight, Gee, Officer Krupke (surprisingly crude), and The Quintet (I was a little disappointed that The Sharks do not take part in the America number). I was also surprised how much Spanish is used in the performance. On top of all the great music and dancing, the tragic story still has the power to move you. Seeing West Side Story performed live was a rare treat. I don't get out to the theater often which I assume most of you don't either, but I urge you not to let your chance to see this wonder of a play pass you by.

Swing Time

"Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels."

-Faith Whittlesey

For the movie going public during the years of The Great Depression, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers must have been a breath of fresh air. Going to their movies, you would never know that hard times upon us. They're films were lighthearted fares bristling with charm and humor, great songs, and of course the dancing. When people argue over their greatest films, its usually a tossup between Top Hat and this film and Swing Time is a fine candidate. It opens with dancer and gambler John "Lucky" Garnett (Astaire) giving a knockout performance and skipping the curtain call to rush off to his wedding. Fearing his company will falter, Pop (Victor Moore) and the rest of the crew scheme to have Lucky miss his big date. When he finally arrives to the empty house for the ceremony, his soon to be father-in-law says that when he returns a success from New York with $25,000, he can have his daughters hand. Barely catching the train with Pop, he meets Penny (Rogers) who just so happens to be a dance instructor. The two don't exactly hit it off and he actually gets her and her coworker Mabel (Helen Broderick, a playmate for Pop) fired, but soon they find each other dancing the biggest nightclub and falling for each other, causing Lucky to reconsider his engagement. Swing Time was directed by George Stevens, considered and great director and known for more serious fare like Giant and A Place in the Sun. Maybe he gives the film the steady hand it needs although when you get down to it Swing Time is simply just a lot of fun. The music is catchy, Moore and Broderick are a hoot in the roles, and Rogers and Astaire are truly affable in the leads. What takes the cake though is the dancing, which seems to defy the laws of physics (I read that over 300 hours of dance practice went into making the film). Swing Time did not only act as an uplift to the struggling masses of the 30s. At least in my sake, it caused me to leave my worries at the door as I witnessed the magic of Fred and Ginger maneuvering about the dance floor.

A Letter to Elia

Elia Kazan was a brilliant filmmaker who brought a sense of realism to the movies and had a strong emphasis on acting, so much so that he was one of the cofounders of The Actor's Studio in New York. However he was a rigid sort and with each success he acheived, he found himself more perturbed and uneasy. Then during the HUAC hearings in the early 50s, he was pressured into testifying against leftist colleagues, something he did which led to him becoming a social pariah and also the best, most personal work of his career. A Letter to Elia isn't so much a biography of Kazan as much as it is what the title says it is: a letter, that of appreciation. The epistle is from Martin Scorsese, another master filmmaker who wrote, directed, and narrates this film. Scorsese takes us through his own life as a child, growing up in a rough part of New York, and finding his only refuge at his neighborhood church and theater where he discovered the films of Kazan. He noticed that the people in his film's looked like people he knew, not glamorized Hollywood types. He also said that Kazan's films stirred feelings in him he didn't know he had or didn't understand. Ultimately, he states how the films of Kazan made him want to make films of his own. Scorsese takes us through both his and Kazan's life while also dissecting On the Waterfront, East of Eden, and Wild River, three films that influenced him immensely. It is such a pleasure to watch such a knowledgeable, gifted master of film pay tribute to another and Scorsese does so wonderfully and graciously, a fine tribute from one great to another.

Reflections on Kazan
This was a short that played after the film, and is a tribute by those who knew the legendary director well. The reflections are surprisingly candid, providing insight on the demanding and brilliant man while offering takes on his work, personal life, and controversies. Interviewees include Acting Studio members (Al Pacino, Ellen Burstyn, and Alec Baldwin), actors who worked with him (Robert De Niro (The Last Tycoon), Eli Wallach (Baby Doll), and Lois Smith (East of Eden)), an assistant director (Ulu Grosbard (Splendor in the Grass)), a journalist who had written on his life (Patricia Bosworth), and his wife (Frances Kazan).

Lebanon

On the first day of the Lebanon War in 1982, a group of Israeli soldiers manning a tank are stopped outside of a town when a commanding paratrooper enters and gives them their orders: enter the town which has already been bombed out by the Air Force, clear out any remaining soldiers, and meet at the rendez-vous point on the other side of town. The paratrooper closes by saying that it is a simple mission which it will obviously anything but. As the men plod into a living nightmare, it becomes clear that they are all young novices new to warfare and terrified at what lies ahead. Lebanon might as well be called Das Tank, and is virtually the same movie stylistically as Wolfgang Petersen's Das Boot. Now, instead of being confined to cramped quarters of a German U-Boat we are inside the hot, dingy, suffocating quarters of a tank. These conditions are palpatable to the viewer and we also see only what the soldiers see, mostly the inside of the tank and the silent happenings outside seen through the periscope, which adds another level of terror. Lebanon is an intense film and I was interested to learn that its writer/director Samuel Maoz was once a young soldier operating a tank in the Lebanon War. He transfers his hellish experiences finely into film, and there is another very fine moment in the film where the soldiers are bonding and one of them relays a humorous story to the unit. My problem with the film is that it seems incomplete and even cut short. At 94 minutes, things wrap up way too quickly. They're is also a great sense of disorientation and confusion as to what is going on, which is probably intentional, and we do not get to know the characters well enough. They're is a better way to make this kind of film (disorienting the audience while orienting them with other elements of the story) and I am not sure why this film took so much of the visuals from Petersen's film and didn't borrow from it these other factors that made Das Boot great. Lebanon is an intense, tangible film that doesn't feel quite like a full length feature.

Welcome to the Rileys

Doug and Lois lost their teenage daughter in a car wreck and have slowly been drifting apart. She is a frail mess never leaving the house and he seeks comfort in another woman's arms. When he is sent to New Orleans on business, he sneaks away from a convention to a strip club where he meets a young dancer. The two strike up a friendship and somehow he finds himself moving into her dingy house and notifying his wife he won't be home anytime soon. As Doug starts a platonic relationship with the young girl and uses her to fill the void left by her daughter, they are soon joined be Lois as all three begin to play house and repair their lives. Essentially, Welcome to the Rileys is contrived hackneyed drivel that no one would buy. The dialogue is godawful and the only thing that the movie has going for it is the presence of James Gandolfini, who again demonstrates his acting prowess playing a restrained character. Melissa Leo does OK work, but her performance lacks fire and she is really playing a neurotic, something she was not born to do. Kristen Stewart is a good looking woman but doesn't have the acting chops to pull off this role and is pretty terrible when you get down to it. This film is from director Jake Scott and it didn't have a theatrical run and I sincerely doubt that it would have been made at all if his dad wasn't Ridley.

Stonewall Uprising

In 1969 New York City policemen raided the Stonewall Inn which was mob run and was operating without a liquor license. These reasons did not have a role and the establishment was actually raided to clear out the numerous homosexual patrons who were known to frequent the joint. Instead of leaving peacefully as they were accustomed to doing, the patrons held their ground and started a riot leading to a successful standoff with police and ultimately the start of the gay rights movement. As part of The American Experience documentary program on PBS, Stonewall Uprising is a very well made film (I'm starting to think the background music plays a big part is the success of documentaries, and this film has a good score). As there is virtually no footage of the riot, we are shown recreations and interviews with participants. What is fascinating and downright laughable are the stock films of educational movies, news programs, and commercial warnings relating to homosexuality in the 1960s. I did have a problem with the attitude of the interviewees in the film who condone violence in general and attacks on police specifically as the only means for change. Comments such as comparisons of gay bars to black southern churches and the righteousness of this movement, as well as the general misguidedness of many of the people interviewed was a little off putting. Still Stonewall Uprising is a well made documentation of a volatile historical event.

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

Frank Capra won his second of three directorial Oscars for Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, a film made with his longtime collaborator and screenwriter Robert Riskin. Released at the height of the Great Depression, it spoke to the beset masses on two levels: first off it provided a strong populist view that sided with the common working man and criticized upper class greed and secondly it is an immensely entertaining piece of escapist cinema. Starring Gary Cooper is a wonderful performance and perhaps against type as the small towned lighthearted Longfellow Deeds who one day discovers he has inherited $20,000,000. Taking the news in stride he almost immediately decides to give the money away, saying he has no need for it. However, he is persuaded to go to New York City where is surrounded and hounded by people trying to take advantage of him. One of them is a reporter, another fine performance from Jean Arthur, who seeks Deeds' company in order to get a story, while slowly falling in love with him. All the while, the slimy attorney in charge of the estate soon realizes that Deeds will never sign over the power of attorney so the devious shyster plots on throwing a couple road blocks in his way that will prevent him from donating his millions to needy out of work farmers. Mr Deeds Goes to Town is a delightful film that works on both aforementioned fronts. Gary Cooper brings immense charm and likability to his role. I couldn't help but smile every time he mentioned "socking" someone who had slighted him. I really liked Jean Arthur as well who had a difficult role she pulls off wonderfully where she has to be a tough go getter yet sweet and innocent when in the presence of Cooper. The light moments in Deeds work wonderfully and when the film strives for more serious notes, it hits them as well. Mr. Deeds is wholehearted entertainment that holds appeal to a wide range of people due to it genuine and entertaining handling of it material.

Brazil

In an Orwellian alternate reality emphasized by bureaucracy, a pencil pusher from an affluent family spends his time fancying himself a hero in his dreams and saving the woman he loves, although he seems content with his rudimentary existence. One day he is sent into the field to try to reconcile an administrative error when he actually bumps into the girl from his dreams, literally. As he attempts to find her, his nightmare existence worsens and he soon finds himself to be an enemy of the state. Brazil is from the imaginative mind of writer/director Terry Gilliam, who paints a fantastic comic satirical portrait here. With Jonathan Pryce ideal as the starry eyed, wimpy bureaucrat, he is surrounded by many fine (mostly) British actors: Ian Holm, Michael Palin, Jim Broadbent, Bob Hoskins, and Robert De Niro in a great bit part. The film meanders at parts and is largely nonsensical, but it nice moments of comic underlining and wraps up in a highly original and well conceived ending. When all is said and done, I can't help but admire Gilliam's scope and creativity. There's no denying he is an original. However, I just think that I am not attuned to his sensibilities as a filmmaker and his works are just not my cup of tea. Though it doesn't quite float my boat, I'm sure there are many who can gain satisfaction from watching this highly inventive film.

John Muir in the New World

With the telling of the story of conservationist John Muir, American Masters has crafted another fascinating story about an incredible life. Muir emigrated from Scotland to Wisconsin in the mid 19th century. Without any formal education, he was able to break free from his life on the farm, educate himself, and enroll in college. A gifted engineer, he decided to break free from that life as well and pursue his dreams studying while living amongst the American landscape. Exploring the country on foot from coast to coast, Muir filled journals (which are eloquent and read aloud here) and novels with his explorations. His work would lead to the first conservationist movement in the country and the creation of the National Park System, beginning with the preservation of Yosemite National Park. Muir's story is told through pictures, recreations, narration, expert interviews, and the use of his own words. I would not call it well written as the narration often comes off as choppy, but still this is an engrossing story about a man who marched to his own drumbeat and was able to create awareness about our country's beauty.

Of Gods and Men

In the mid 90s, a group of French Catholic monks reside among a local Muslim community in Algeria. The film follows them as they engage in their day to day activities of prayer, mass, attending the needs of the villagers, and making and selling honey at the local market among other duties. They live peacefully with their differently oriented neighbors and are content with their regimented lives. Then one day word reaches the monastery that several missionaries have been slain by a group of Islamic fundamentalists and now fear has begun to spread. The monks now question whether should they should remain at their post with their lives being in danger. Each has a different response to the situation and some even begin to question their own faith as a palatable danger hangs over their heads. Of Gods and Men is based on true story which is simultaneously sad and shocking when it becomes apparent in the latter stages of the film, shocking because it seems to be an examination of a monk's lifestyle. The film is the work of Xavier Beauvios, and is an export of France, which it almost has to be because no U.S. producer would ever back a film that treats the Catholic faith and clergy so reverently. The film is solemn, beautiful, and meticulously structured capturing wonderful exterior shots as well as carefully constructed shots inside the monastery. Of Gods and Men is engaging and refreshing in its portrayal of the resolute men who held the courage of their convictions.

Hereafter

I wanted to revisit Clint Eastwood's Hereafter, fearing I may not have gotten enough out of it the first time around, and I'm glad I did. From a sensitive and nicely woven multi thread story from stalwart screenwriter Peter Morgan, Eastwood continues to demonstrate his directorial prowess with this examination of three people dealing with different types of grief. It is a tough subject to tackle and an even more difficult task to make engaging and all involved do a wonderful job at pulling it off. Additionally, the film includes a fine performance from Matt Damon and a terrifyingly beautiful tsunami scene that opens the film.


10/19/2010 review I came across a review of this film with the title "Saint Clint" and the article refers to the "heavy handedness" of this and possibly to some of his other directorial work. I would agree with that assessment if Clint Eastwood were not such a masterful storyteller and sure handed director with such a distinctive style and naturalistic approach to filmmaking (Is it fair to knock a legend because he is old-fashioned and in his 80s? Does every journalistic piece have to be politically slanted? Do the majority of movie critics even like movies?) Yes there are political undertones in the film, but down in its bare bones this is a nicely told story that is both literate and yes, moving. It tells the story of a medium and several people dealing with different stages of grief. It is leisurely paced, subtitled at parts, and I would not recommend it to the Jackass demographic. It is nicely written by the talented Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen) and again wonderfully handled by Clint (while watching his films, I catch myself thinking, "in any other hands.") It also must be said of Matt Damon that he has grown as an actor, and if the trailers for True Grit are not misleading, I bet that this is the year he walks home with a Golden Statue (for acting).

Fort Apache

Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday is grumbling in his stagecoach en route to his new detail in a remote fort in the American southwest. He has a stellar war record and once held the rank of General. Now the stubborn and regimented cavalry man has been placed in charge of a rinky dink operation and when he arrives with his wide eyed daughter in tow it is everything he expected: a nothing happening locale occupied by disheveled and unorganized officers. Immediately he begins to whip his detail into shape, ignoring his underling's opinions who may have a better knowledge of the land and the local Indian population. However, when tensions begin to flare between his men and the Apache tribe, it goes beyond rubbing his men the wrong way and he may in fact be putting his company in jeopardy. Directed by  legendary director John Ford in his beloved Monument Valley, Utah, it was the first film of his cavalry trilogy (followed by She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Rio Grande). Loosely based on General Custer's Last Stand, it is a surprisingly sympathetic towards Native Americans, especially for a 1948 Western. Additionally it is a thoroughly entertaining film, laced with humor in addition to its battle scenes. Aside from a portrait of a martinet and the implications of his decisions, at its core this is a portrait of life on a military post. All facets of this all encompassing film are handled wonderfully. It is also delightful to watch Henry Fonda (as Colonel Thursday) and John Wayne (his second in command), arguably to of the greatest stars of the 20th century play, play against type and do it so well. Fort Apache isn't a typical Western and through its comedic sensibilities, action sequences, and sensitivity it should hold an appeal to all.

The Long Good Friday

There has been ten years of peace in the London underworld, and now mob boss Harry (Bob Hoskins) has finally found his chance to go legit. With a lucrative deal with American businessmen where he hopes to build casinos along the waterfront, Harry will soon be able to enjoy a luxurious life with his stalwart wife Victoria (Helen Mirren). Just as the celebrations have begun aboard his houseboat on Good Friday, bombs begin exploding and members of Harry's faction are being taken out. Now as soon as Harry finds the culprits, swift revenge will be had on all responsible. The deeper he digs, he soon discovers the problem is more complex than  it appears and that his enemy may be not quite as manageable as he had expected. The Long Good Friday is a gritty, very British film from director John Mackenzie, which has more in common with a top notch action thriller than an operatic mob film. Bob Hoskins made his mark on the film world with his performance as Harry, a quick tempered and ruthless little man whom we somehow sympathize with. Helen Mirren is great in an early role as his loyal and tough as nails wife. The Long Good Friday is a tough, violent, and complicated film that is entertaining but also challenging. It is a fine entry in the gangster flick genre.

Mona Lisa

After doing a stretch in the joint, George returns to his boss who said he would take care of him with the expectations work. He is given the gig of chauffeuring a high end call girl. Although George is a tough talking thug who seems to know his way around the streets, he is taken aback by the sleazy world of sex for hire and seems surprisingly naive about what goes on there. As he gets to know his knew employer, he develops a contentious relationship at first but inevitably develops feelings for her. After developing a mutual trust, the girl asks George to find an old fellow call girl friend whom she has lost track of. While obliging, George is thrust down a path that will more than like end in misfortune. Mona Lisa launched the career of director Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire) and is a noirish tale taking place amongst the underbelly of London. With shades of Taxi Driver, this is essentially a tale of loneliness. Bob Hoskins (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) gives a knockout performance as George, the role that earned him an Academy Award nomination. Cathy Tyson plays a difficult role as the prostitute. She isn't the heart of gold type, but is in fact independent and manipulative and Tyson handles the role nicely. Michael Caine is great as usual playing a ruthless cockney whom Hoskins works for. When watching Mona Lisa I would recommend using the subtitles to get the most out of the hard to grasp dialogue. This is a well made film elevated further by Hoskins powerhouse performance as a lonely soul looking for love in all the wrong places.

Water for Elephants

Oh how critics can put a damper on your expectations for a film. When I saw the previews for Water for Elephants, the adaptation of Sara Gruen's beloved bestseller, I was rife with anticipation for what seemed to be a stunning motion picture. Then the reviews came in and claims of "not being as good as the book" and "one ring short of a three ring spectacle" more than soured my outlook. In actuality, Water for Elephants is an unabashedly old-fashioned movie, epic in scope, that hearkens back to the days of the lush Technicolor films of the 50s and 60s. It is a glorious spectacle of a film, even if it is imperfect. The story opens with an old man (the great Hal Holbrook) showing up late to the circus. As the manager tries to get a hold of the nursing home, the man relays his story of how he was part of the greatest circus disaster ever back in 1931: As a young man (now Roberrt Pattinson), while preparing to graduate veterinary school, his parents were killed in a car accident leaving him with nothing in Depression era America. With just a briefcase in tow, he hops a train which good fortune would have be the locomotive for the Benzini Brothers Circus. There he procures a job as the company veterinarian, becomes the trainer of the new star elephant, and begins a love affair with a lead performer (Reese Witherspoon) who happens to be married to the charismatic but brutal circus owner (Christoph Waltz). Directed by Francis Lawrence from a script by Richard LaGravenese, Water for Elephants is made up of beautiful visuals shot in striking colors, as all the elements of the travelling circus are on full display. The love story seemed a little lacking. Pattinson isn't bad but he's a pretty boring actor and Witherspoon, whom I admire, is miscast playing her character in an unattractive way that makes you question Pattinson's feelings for her. However, Christoph Waltz is splendid, playing another character like his Oscar winning whirlwind in Inglorious Basterds, who manages to be simultaneously charming and repulsive at the same time. Although the two leads are somewhat uninspired, Water for Elephants is a compelling and old-fashioned film, the kind that is rarely seen today and should be embraced. Book comparisons have no place in film reviews and movies must be viewed independently from their source material as hard as it may be. The good thing about diminished expectations is that the film comes off as that much better when we are expecting a letdown.

The Others

On the British Isle of Jersey, a woman and her two young children await in seclusion in a Victorian mansion for her husband serving in World War II. Due to being photosensitive, the children are kept in constant darkness by way of curtains and locked doors, in fear that they will develop blisters and suffocate if exposed to sunlight. One day, a trio of servants shows up at the front door to offer their services after the previous staff has mysteriously vanished. Then the children begin to report ghost sightings in the building. At first, the woman chalks it up to child playfulness but quickly realizes that their are more sinister forces at play which may be a threat to her and her children. The Others is the work of Chilean writer/director  Alejandro Amenabar. Starkly filmed, it is a ghost story not filmed in the usual manner. It is paced and builds its scares through good acting and mood, not by camera tricks and cheap set-ups. Nicole Kidman, one of our acting treasures, brings credibility to her role as a stern and possibly unstable mother. The film has a major plot twist which may be predictable to some (I try not to think about those things when watching) that is handled nicely. This movie should be a standard for how horror films are made, not the exception. Maybe the trick for a film like this to be successful is to have a strong base: good production values, camera work, and acting and then work the scary stuff in later. I believe the problem with the state of horror films is that they are put out by novices who care not for the look or quality of their films (on the whole). The Others proves that a horror film can be written, shot, and acted and still be a scary movie as well.

Red

A retiree has formed a relationship with a customer service representative by tearing up his CIA checks and engaging her in conversation when he calls and asks that his checks be replaced. He now plans to visit her but not before his Parma Heights home (Cleveland whattup) is attacked by a group of agents. After swiftly dispensing them, he kidnaps the woman (whose life is also in danger for some reason) and reassembles his old team while trying to uncover why their ex-employers are out to kill them. From a graphic novel, Red (Retiree Extremely Dangerous, a CIA acronym) is an exercise with over-the-top lunacy that, with an excellent cast having fun and doing their best with the material is kind of fun. Just look at the roll call, which is a assortment of esteemed and respected thespians: Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Richard Dreyfuss, Brian Cox, and Ernest Borgnine (I thought Malkovich was a hoot as a paranoid brain fried CIA agent). Like I said, the movie is fun but its paper thin plot eventually digresses into a 30 minute gun battle that closed the flick. Still, with a cast like this its hard to miss its worth the price of admission to see Helen Mirren picking off assassins with a sniper rifle in the snow.

Thirteen Days

In the fall of 1962, a spy plane took pictures of Russian missiles being assembled in Cuba. This led to a nearly two week conflict in which the United States and Soviet Union played a game of cat and mouse and nearly engaged in all out nuclear conflict. In the end cooler heads prevailed and the Cuban Missile Crisis would go down as the cornerstone of the Kennedy presidency. However, that this film decides to open with shots of nuclear weapons detonating resulting in what appears to be the apocalypse only serves as a reminder of how close we came to the end. The film follows the key players focusing primarily on JFK, Bobby Kennedy, and their close friend and presidential advisor Kenny O'Donnell. Events in the film are often seen through O'Donnell's eyes who acts as the go between among the Kennedys and the other members of the cabinet who often did not see eye to eye on how to handle the situation. Directed by Roger Donaldson, Thirteen Days seems like an honest reenactment of a historical event that will be informative to many people who are either too young to remember or uninformed of the events. I liked the casting in the film. Lesser known actors are used to portray familiar figures (Steven Culp and Dylan Baker and dead ringers for Robert McNamara and RFK respectively) but for the casting of Jack, Bruce Greenwood resembles him but elects not to impersonate his voice and simply act out the part. The result is a very convincing portrayal. I also think that Kevin Costner's role as O'Donnell is crucial, creating an everyman role the audience can identify with. I found myself to be somewhat removed from the material, although there are several fine speeches and intense moments. However, the payoffs during the standoff and other vivid moments are rewarding and it is nice to see such a painstaking historical recreation.

Certified Copy

A British author is late for his own book discussion at a gallery in Tuscany, Italy. He has written a book that shares its name with the film's title, and is essentially about how a good copy is no different then the original. After the lecture, he decides to spend the day with a French woman who runs a small gallery in the village. Together they venture out into the countryside where he signs copies of his book while the two discuss matters similar to his book topic such as artifice versus genuine and other philosophical ruminations. After visiting a gallery where a highly revered copy is on display, the two stop in a coffee shop. As the man answers a call outside, the matron mistakes him for her husband and the woman doesn't correct her and in fact plays along. Yet she seems to be showing very strong emotions when talking about her "husband's" shortcomings. Eventually the man plays along, and as the two go about their day and seem to be having genuine marital spats as well as moments, the audience begins to wonder just what the hell is going on. Certified Copy is the work of acclaimed international director Abbas Kiarostami, this being his first film out of Iran. I have never seen one of his films. I'm not even sure if they're readily accessible, but with this movie his sure hand as a filmmaker is clear. Here we have a literate, philosophic film set in the beautiful Italian countryside that makes the audience think and decide for themselves what is really going on. William Shimmell, a middle aged actor though relatively new to films, is strong as the author but I really wanted to comment on Juliette Binoche. As I watched her nuances as she went from emotion to emotion, I wondered if the was a film actress in this country who could even rival her talents. On top of being such a lovely presence, she is able to convey an array of emotions just by a change in her gaze, and her work in this tricky film is much of what makes it work.