Pretty spectacular, this little independent movie about a popular, confident high school senior, his flask, and his unlikely rebound girlfriend has terrific young actors and some seasoned ones as well. Miles Teller (made his feature debut in Rabbit Hole as the boy who accidentally killed Nicole Kidman's child) stars as Sutter in a wonderful performance. Shailene Woodley, who made such a splash as the older daughter in The Descendants (she actually had dozens of TV jobs before that and she's only 21 now), is equally good as Aimee, the girlfriend. We also like Brie Larson (last blogged in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World; she also has played dozens of roles on screens small and big) as Sutter's ex-girlfriend. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (most recently in Smashed) has a couple of good scenes as Sutter's older sister. Among those of the next generation are Jennifer Jason Leigh (covered in Greenberg), Bob Odenkirk (a writer on SNL from 1987-95, he was half of Mr. Show with Bob and David (Cross) from 1995-98, and many other comedy writing gigs; for acting he may be best known as "Call Saul" on 43 episodes of Breaking Bad and an upcoming "announced Saul Goodman spin-off"), Kyle Chandler (after writing about him in Super 8 I neglected to mention him in Argo and Zero Dark Thirty), and Andre Royo (I haven't seen The Wire so he's new to me) as Sutter's teacher.
Director James Ponsoldt (Smashed, which was about an alcoholic rebounding from hitting bottom) and writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber ((500) Days of Summer) bring to life the novel of the same name by Tim Tharp, a 2008 Finalist for the National Book Award. There are a few surprises and the ending is just right.
The soundtrack by Rob Simonsen (last composed The Way Way Back) evokes Sutter's moods from happy-go-lucky to out-of-control (listen here and here) and back again, and is accompanied by this list of songs.
Reviews are good this time, with critics averaging 93 and audiences 87 on rottentomatoes. Big screen viewing isn't essential, but see it you should.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Jobs (2013)
As longtime fans of Apple Computer products, Jack and I looked forward to this biopic of its founder and enjoyed ourselves with its history when it arrived. Ashton Kutcher clearly puts his all into being the mercurial Steve. What we don't know is whether Jobs the man was really that moody and calculating, or is it debut writer Matt Whiteley's vision, director Joshua Michael Stern's (I can't remember seeing Swing Vote (2008) and definitely didn't see his first feature), or Kutcher's (profiled in No Strings Attached) portrayal. We do know that Kutcher sounded a little paranoid when accusing the real Steve Wozniak of panning Kutcher's movie for financial gain. More on the reviews in a moment.
Even Woz had no quibble with the fine acting, including Josh Gad (after Love and Other Drugs he helped create the now-canceled sitcom 1600 Penn) as Wozniak, Dermot Mulroney (some of my favorites of his work are Longtime Companion (1989), The Thing Called Love (1993), Living in Oblivion (one of my all-time faves and a favorite of his, too), Kansas City (1996), My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), Trixie (2000), The Safety of Objects (2001), Lovely & Amazing (2001), About Schmidt (2002), Flash of Genius, and his TV roles in Enlightened and New Girl) as Mike Markkula (one of the "suits"), Lukas Haas (last blogged in Inception) as Jobs' old friend Daniel Kottke, Matthew Modine (notable in Birdy (1984), Mrs. Soffel (1984), Full Metal Jacket (1987), Pacific Heights (1990), Short Cuts (1993), and 12 episodes of Weeds in 2007) as John Sculley, and many more.
John Debney (covered in Iron Man 2) provides the original score, which someone has conveniently posted on youtube. Imdb has also provided a list of the songs, many of which are from the 70s, 80s, and covers of same.
Critics are hating on this movie, with rottentomatoes averages at 26% to audiences' 49. Even Macworld magazine is lukewarm on it (click "cancel" when you're asked to log in and you'll be able to read the link). We didn't hate it when we saw it two weeks ago. The DVD is estimated to be out this December. Once it comes out and/or starts streaming, if you don't have to pay for it (or buy it on iTunes to help my Apple stock dividends!), you might take a look and let me know what you think.
Even Woz had no quibble with the fine acting, including Josh Gad (after Love and Other Drugs he helped create the now-canceled sitcom 1600 Penn) as Wozniak, Dermot Mulroney (some of my favorites of his work are Longtime Companion (1989), The Thing Called Love (1993), Living in Oblivion (one of my all-time faves and a favorite of his, too), Kansas City (1996), My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), Trixie (2000), The Safety of Objects (2001), Lovely & Amazing (2001), About Schmidt (2002), Flash of Genius, and his TV roles in Enlightened and New Girl) as Mike Markkula (one of the "suits"), Lukas Haas (last blogged in Inception) as Jobs' old friend Daniel Kottke, Matthew Modine (notable in Birdy (1984), Mrs. Soffel (1984), Full Metal Jacket (1987), Pacific Heights (1990), Short Cuts (1993), and 12 episodes of Weeds in 2007) as John Sculley, and many more.
John Debney (covered in Iron Man 2) provides the original score, which someone has conveniently posted on youtube. Imdb has also provided a list of the songs, many of which are from the 70s, 80s, and covers of same.
Critics are hating on this movie, with rottentomatoes averages at 26% to audiences' 49. Even Macworld magazine is lukewarm on it (click "cancel" when you're asked to log in and you'll be able to read the link). We didn't hate it when we saw it two weeks ago. The DVD is estimated to be out this December. Once it comes out and/or starts streaming, if you don't have to pay for it (or buy it on iTunes to help my Apple stock dividends!), you might take a look and let me know what you think.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Blue Jasmine (2013)
Oscar bait for Cate Blanchett as a mood-swinging alcoholic ex-socialite lost without her husband's millions, Woody Allen's latest is not his usual comedy, though there's plenty of dark humor. Blanchett (profiled in Hanna) metamorphoses between silky golden girl and baleful mutterer at each flashback and -forward, making the contrast between the two so distinct. Because Allen (last blogged for To Rome with Love) can have his pick of stars, these shine brightly. After Blanchett we have Sally Hawkins (most recently in Made in Dagenhem) spot-on as Jasmine's insecure grocery-store-checker sister Ginger who takes her in (Blanchett has been covering up her Aussie accent for years but this is the first time I've heard Hawkins without her English one). Then Alec Baldwin (regrettably in Rock of Ages) is smooth as the Madoff-like husband. Bobby Cannavale (last in Win Win) brings the intensity we've seen in Boardwalk Empire and Nurse Jackie to Ginger's boyfriend Chili. Michael Stuhlbarg (also from Boardwalk Empire and last in these pages in Seven Psychopaths and Men in Black III) makes us laugh without cracking any jokes as Dr. Flicker, Peter Sarsgaard (voice in Robot & Frank) is equally smooth as Dwight, and Andrew Dice Clay, whose stand-up comedy Jack and I have both detested, pleasantly surprised us with a solid turn as Ginger's disgruntled ex-husband Augie. Comedian Louis C.K., whom we love, has a nice cameo as Ginger's friend Al. In fact, he auditioned for Augie, but Allen thought he was too nice and so cast him as Al.
Mary Ellen had warned us this wasn't a comedy and thought that Allen usually doesn't get Oscars. However he has four (for writing and directing Annie Hall (1977), and for writing Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Midnight in Paris), 19 nominations, and actors in his movies have gotten 14 nominations and six wins. What he doesn't do is go to the Oscars. And here are some statistics on his movies' box office take before the opening of this one.
Cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe (Almodóvar's Talk to Her (2002), The Sea Inside (2004), Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Identity Thief, among others) deserves a mention for the beautiful images of upscale New York and middle class San Francisco, the latter a new venue in Allen's 44th feature. Production designer Santo Loquasto (his three Oscar nominations are for Allen movies Zelig (1983) (costumes), Radio Days (1987), and Bullets Over Broadway (1994); he was PD on 19 more for Allen and some for others, including Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Big (1988), and She-Devil (1989)) gives us the lush NYC sets to which we've become accustomed and Ginger's artfully cluttered SF apartment.
As usual there is no composer, but instead a list of classic jazz and Dixieland tunes, including some Bessie Smith type belting from Lizzie Miles (enjoy it here).
My regular readers probably need no urging to see this, averaging 90% critics and 85 audiences on rottentomatoes. But, in case you do, Jack and I urge you!
Mary Ellen had warned us this wasn't a comedy and thought that Allen usually doesn't get Oscars. However he has four (for writing and directing Annie Hall (1977), and for writing Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Midnight in Paris), 19 nominations, and actors in his movies have gotten 14 nominations and six wins. What he doesn't do is go to the Oscars. And here are some statistics on his movies' box office take before the opening of this one.
Cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe (Almodóvar's Talk to Her (2002), The Sea Inside (2004), Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Identity Thief, among others) deserves a mention for the beautiful images of upscale New York and middle class San Francisco, the latter a new venue in Allen's 44th feature. Production designer Santo Loquasto (his three Oscar nominations are for Allen movies Zelig (1983) (costumes), Radio Days (1987), and Bullets Over Broadway (1994); he was PD on 19 more for Allen and some for others, including Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Big (1988), and She-Devil (1989)) gives us the lush NYC sets to which we've become accustomed and Ginger's artfully cluttered SF apartment.
As usual there is no composer, but instead a list of classic jazz and Dixieland tunes, including some Bessie Smith type belting from Lizzie Miles (enjoy it here).
My regular readers probably need no urging to see this, averaging 90% critics and 85 audiences on rottentomatoes. But, in case you do, Jack and I urge you!
Friday, August 16, 2013
The Butler (Lee Daniels' The Butler - 2013)
Powerful, moving, beautiful, with an all star cast and high production values, this story of the White House butler who served in eight administrations and the changes in racism over those decades is well worth seeing. Forest Whitaker (last blogged in Where the Wild Things Are) shines as the title character Cecil Gaines. Oprah Winfrey (before her 25 years as a talk show host she was Oscar-nominated for her first acting role ever in The Color Purple (1985)) is terrific as Cecil's wife Gloria. Rumor has it that director Daniels required her to take some acting classes and it shows on screen. Also burning up the celluloid is David Oyelowo (supporting roles in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Paperboy, and Lincoln) as Gloria and Cecil's fictionalized elder son Louis (even at 37, Oyelowo--oh-ye-LOW-oh--is so baby-faced and slope-shouldered he plays Louis from a teenager on up). In the White House Robin Williams plays Dwight Eisenhower, James Marsden is John Kennedy, Minka Kelly is Jacqueline Kennedy, Liev Schreiber is Lyndon Johnson, John Cusack has Nixon's voice down pat, Alan Rickman is Ronald Reagan, and Jane Fonda is Nancy Reagan. Then Yaya Alafia (she just changed her name from Yaya DaCosta, which she used when playing Mark Ruffalo's luscious girlfriend in The Kids Are All Right) is powerful as Louis' girlfriend Carol. Mention must be made of Cuba Gooding, Jr., Terrence Howard, Lenny Kravitz, Vanessa Redgrave, and Clarence Williams III.
Director Daniel's (most recently directed The Paperboy) name is in the title not due to narcissism but because Warner Brothers released a short film in 1916 called The Butler and apparently thought people would be confused. They sued and won. Ridiculous. And ironic because Daniels' Oscar-nominated Precious also had a name change--it was adapted from a novel called Push, but there was another movie out that year called Push so the name was changed to that of the protagonist Precious.
The real White House Butler was named Eugene Allen and Washington Post writer Wil Haygood profiled him (here's the full article) a few days after President Obama was elected in 2008. Danny Strong (originally an actor, he wrote Recount (2008) and Game Change (2012) for HBO and I forgot to watch them but they were much lauded) adapted the article, changing Allen's name and some details, but, like the article, the movie has as much history of American racism as there is history of the butler.
The makeup and wigs should get an Oscar nomination. The transformations of the actors into presidents is outstanding, as are the aging processes of the others. And we have a new winner of the Producers Plethora Prize with 39! To count them check out the list on imdb and take note of the makeup/hair department.
The soundtrack is by Rodrigo Leão (you can preview it on amazon--it's scheduled for release on Tuesday--and it's good) but what you'll remember are the songs. 21 are listed here.
My friends and fans know I like to cry in movies. I needed my hanky on many occasions at the sold-out preview last night. The rest of the audience clapped and cheered. Jack and I liked it a lot, and he thought it would make a good teaching tool for history classes. Rottentomatoes' audiences agree with our group, scoring it at 94% to critics' 74 (expect those numbers to change once the movie goes into its wide release in a few hours). After seeing the movie read this spoiler-rich rave review which contains my favorite slam of The Paperboy: "a repulsive miscalculation." That being said, do see The Butler before the Oscars.
Director Daniel's (most recently directed The Paperboy) name is in the title not due to narcissism but because Warner Brothers released a short film in 1916 called The Butler and apparently thought people would be confused. They sued and won. Ridiculous. And ironic because Daniels' Oscar-nominated Precious also had a name change--it was adapted from a novel called Push, but there was another movie out that year called Push so the name was changed to that of the protagonist Precious.
The real White House Butler was named Eugene Allen and Washington Post writer Wil Haygood profiled him (here's the full article) a few days after President Obama was elected in 2008. Danny Strong (originally an actor, he wrote Recount (2008) and Game Change (2012) for HBO and I forgot to watch them but they were much lauded) adapted the article, changing Allen's name and some details, but, like the article, the movie has as much history of American racism as there is history of the butler.
The makeup and wigs should get an Oscar nomination. The transformations of the actors into presidents is outstanding, as are the aging processes of the others. And we have a new winner of the Producers Plethora Prize with 39! To count them check out the list on imdb and take note of the makeup/hair department.
The soundtrack is by Rodrigo Leão (you can preview it on amazon--it's scheduled for release on Tuesday--and it's good) but what you'll remember are the songs. 21 are listed here.
My friends and fans know I like to cry in movies. I needed my hanky on many occasions at the sold-out preview last night. The rest of the audience clapped and cheered. Jack and I liked it a lot, and he thought it would make a good teaching tool for history classes. Rottentomatoes' audiences agree with our group, scoring it at 94% to critics' 74 (expect those numbers to change once the movie goes into its wide release in a few hours). After seeing the movie read this spoiler-rich rave review which contains my favorite slam of The Paperboy: "a repulsive miscalculation." That being said, do see The Butler before the Oscars.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Twenty Feet from Stardom (2013)
Run, walk, or boogaloo on down to this documentary about backup singers from the 60s to now. It's that good. Of the nine of us that I knew in this afternoon's screening, we all laughed, we were all moved, and at least three of us wept with joy. Featuring some of the most important singers in the genre--Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill, Claudia Lennear, Darlene Love, and Táta Vega are featured on the official website--it moves seamlessly from interviews to rehearsals to vintage footage to concerts and back again. Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Stevie Wonder, producer Lou Adler, and many more are featured in this crisp and tightly edited masterpiece. Jack said it has Oscar written all over it.
Even if you find out all the facts ahead of time, hearing the singing is transcendent. Someone has kindly made a list of the songs played, attaching it to the list in the album (available on amazon and iTunes--also on iTunes you can download for free a number of podcasts discussing the movie, just by putting the movie title in the search box). You'll come out with your own favorite singer(s) but mine is Fischer, who has made only one solo album, So Intense (1991) (she prefers singing backup these days). I did find a few tracks to buy on amazon. And I'm so glad that Clayton and Love are finally getting their due.
Film festivals are showering director Morgan Neville (he's been making documentaries, mostly about music, for 18 years) with accolades, and rottentomatoes critics are right there, too, averaging 99% (the highest this week) and 89% audiences. As it has rolled out across the country in its ninth week of release, it's in 135 rooms and is #24 at the box office. Here is Terry Gross on Fresh Air, talking with Clayton and Neville on NPR (I haven't heard the whole thing yet).
I suppose there might be some people who don't like pop music of the 60s, or some who don't like pop at all. They should stay home and reread War and Peace. The rest of you, reread the first line above.
Even if you find out all the facts ahead of time, hearing the singing is transcendent. Someone has kindly made a list of the songs played, attaching it to the list in the album (available on amazon and iTunes--also on iTunes you can download for free a number of podcasts discussing the movie, just by putting the movie title in the search box). You'll come out with your own favorite singer(s) but mine is Fischer, who has made only one solo album, So Intense (1991) (she prefers singing backup these days). I did find a few tracks to buy on amazon. And I'm so glad that Clayton and Love are finally getting their due.
Film festivals are showering director Morgan Neville (he's been making documentaries, mostly about music, for 18 years) with accolades, and rottentomatoes critics are right there, too, averaging 99% (the highest this week) and 89% audiences. As it has rolled out across the country in its ninth week of release, it's in 135 rooms and is #24 at the box office. Here is Terry Gross on Fresh Air, talking with Clayton and Neville on NPR (I haven't heard the whole thing yet).
I suppose there might be some people who don't like pop music of the 60s, or some who don't like pop at all. They should stay home and reread War and Peace. The rest of you, reread the first line above.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Fill the Void (Lemale et ha'halal - 2012)
Eliza loved this Israeli story of a woman, 18, considering marrying her sister's older widower. Mary Ellen and I found it pretty but slow and occasionally confusing. So I'll paraphrase what Eliza, 23, commented. It's a beautiful film with little action and a subtle plot, where all of the story is in the emotions reflected on people's faces. She likes learning about cultures with traditional lifestyles, where people treat each other with respect. She found it stunning and the pace and lack of dialogue suited her, reminding her of Korean films.
Nominated for a Best First Screenplay and Best First feature at the Independent Spirit Awards last year, among much recognition by those less jaded than I, it is the debut of director/writer Rama Burshtein and is in Hebrew with subtitles. Rottentomatoes critics are rating it 83% and audiences 71%. The DVD is scheduled for release September 24, 2013.
Nominated for a Best First Screenplay and Best First feature at the Independent Spirit Awards last year, among much recognition by those less jaded than I, it is the debut of director/writer Rama Burshtein and is in Hebrew with subtitles. Rottentomatoes critics are rating it 83% and audiences 71%. The DVD is scheduled for release September 24, 2013.
Some 2013 summer movies
2 Guns, The Heat, Man of Steel, The Oranges, Red 2, This Is the End. Nothing hateable, nothing Oscar-worthy, just good, dirty fun with lots of violence and explosions (except in The Oranges).
Of the six, Red 2 is my favorite (unfortunately Jack couldn't join Jody and me). A light-hearted sequel to Red featuring the strong personalities from the first one (Red is an acronym for Retired Extremely Dangerous), we once again have Bruce Willis (last blogged in Looper), John Malkovich (last in Red), Helen Mirren (last in Hitchcock), and even Mary-Louise Parker (last in Howl) happily blowing up stuff and people. Anthony Hopkins (last starred with Mirren in Hitchcock) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (before Side Effects she was in Rock of Ages) are in this one and Morgan Freeman is not. The body count is high, violence is cartoonish, the costumes imaginative, the locations exotic, and most of their drinks are red. Directed by Dean Parisot. One reviewer said the laughs come as fast as the gunshots. Rottentomatoes' uptight critics give it 41%, audiences 71%.
The Heat comes a close second and Jack and I liked it a lot. Silly and profane (countless F-bombs), this farce about a female law enforcement odd couple has few surprises and plenty of laughs for a summer movie outing. Sandra Bullock (last in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close) and Melissa McCarthy (last in This is 40) have good chemistry representing the Felix and Oscar characters, respectively. Every time I saw the clip at the end of the trailer about the spanx I cracked up, and did so again when watching the movie. Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) keeps the pace fast for the most part. Music is original score by Michael Andrews (Jeff, Who Lives at Home) and a long list of songs. My Rule #5 is firmly in place. Rottentomatoes 66/79.
We had read bad things about 2 Guns but went yesterday on John's recommendation and had a great time. Mark Wahlberg (last in Ted) and Denzel Washington (last in Flight) hold the guns in this bro-mance with hot cars, big weapons, senseless violence, games of chicken (literally and figuratively), sequential explosions (boom boom boom boom), and bad-assery (thank Jack for coming up with the last two). Also with Paula Patton (last in Disconnect), Edward James Olmos (my favorites include his Oscar-nominated role in Stand and Deliver (1988), as well as Zoot Suit (1981), Blade Runner (1982), Selena (1997), and 10 episodes of Dexter in 2011), and Bill Paxton (covered in Haywire) as a particularly sadistic villain. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur (new to me) and adapted by Blake Masters, a new-ish TV writer, from a graphic novel. The music (here's one sample and another) by Clinton Shorter (District 9) is wonderful. I'm considering buying the soundtrack. Number one at the box office last weekend, it's at 61% critics and 75% audiences on rottentomatoes.
Man of Steel may be a bit serious for its own good but it's redeemed by the scripting and performances of Russell Crowe (last in Les Misérables) as Superman's biological father Jor-El, Kevin Costner (last in The Company Men) as his adoptive father Jonathan Kent, and Henry Cavill's (I don't remember him in Whatever Works and didn't see any of his other roles) smoldering good looks as Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman. With Amy Adams (last in On the Road) as Lois Lane, Laurence Fishburne (profiled in Contagion) as Perry White with a diamond earring in a tribute to newsman Ed Bradley, and no Jimmy Olson. Written by David S. Goyer (covered in The Dark Knight Rises) and directed by Zack Snyder (of his work I've seen only 300 (2006), which was based on a graphic novel). It's 21 at the box office after eight weeks of release and its rottentomatoes averages are 56% critics and 77% audiences. Although I love many of the Marvel Comics movies, as a child I read DC Comics, including the Superman ones.
We laughed a lot for the first half of This Is the End and then got tired of it. Big stars play insecure, degenerate versions of themselves, including James Franco (last in Spring Breakers), Jonah Hill (last in Moneyball, and he talks about that Oscar nomination many, many times), Seth Rogen (last in The Guilt Trip), Jay Baruchel (covered in How To Train Your Dragon), Danny McBride (last in 30 Minutes or Less), Craig Robinson (last in Hot Tub Time Machine), and Emma Watson (last in The Bling Ring), with dozens of other stars in this puerile apocalypse with cheesy special effects. Michael Cera's (last in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) bit is especially funny. Co-written and co-directed by Evan Goldberg and Rogen (co-wrote Superbad (2007), Pineapple Express, The Green Hornet, and more) in their directorial debut. Inexplicably this has the highest rottentomatoes rating of the six in this post: 84% critics, 81% audiences, and after nine weeks is number 22.
And now for something completely different. The Oranges could be a Lifetime Channel movie but for the star power: Hugh Laurie (lots of work in his native England, including comedy with Stephen Fry and Bertie Wooster to Fry's Jeeves in the early 1990s, one of the friends in Fry's Peter's Friends (1992), and then, of course, 176 episodes as Dr. Gregory House) and much-younger Leighton Meester (last in Country Strong) are suburban New Jersey folks behaving badly, but not badly enough for it to be a comedy, by having an affair. And Oliver Platt (last in Ginger & Rosa), Catherine Keener (last in A Late Quartet), Allison Janney (last in The Way Way Back), and Alia Shawkat (last in Cedar Rapids) suffer in their wake. As I said at the beginning: not hateable, but not all that good, either. 33% all around on rottentomatoes. A 2011 release, we watched it On Demand when we couldn't find Behind the Candelabra on U-Verse.
Of the six, Red 2 is my favorite (unfortunately Jack couldn't join Jody and me). A light-hearted sequel to Red featuring the strong personalities from the first one (Red is an acronym for Retired Extremely Dangerous), we once again have Bruce Willis (last blogged in Looper), John Malkovich (last in Red), Helen Mirren (last in Hitchcock), and even Mary-Louise Parker (last in Howl) happily blowing up stuff and people. Anthony Hopkins (last starred with Mirren in Hitchcock) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (before Side Effects she was in Rock of Ages) are in this one and Morgan Freeman is not. The body count is high, violence is cartoonish, the costumes imaginative, the locations exotic, and most of their drinks are red. Directed by Dean Parisot. One reviewer said the laughs come as fast as the gunshots. Rottentomatoes' uptight critics give it 41%, audiences 71%.
The Heat comes a close second and Jack and I liked it a lot. Silly and profane (countless F-bombs), this farce about a female law enforcement odd couple has few surprises and plenty of laughs for a summer movie outing. Sandra Bullock (last in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close) and Melissa McCarthy (last in This is 40) have good chemistry representing the Felix and Oscar characters, respectively. Every time I saw the clip at the end of the trailer about the spanx I cracked up, and did so again when watching the movie. Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) keeps the pace fast for the most part. Music is original score by Michael Andrews (Jeff, Who Lives at Home) and a long list of songs. My Rule #5 is firmly in place. Rottentomatoes 66/79.
We had read bad things about 2 Guns but went yesterday on John's recommendation and had a great time. Mark Wahlberg (last in Ted) and Denzel Washington (last in Flight) hold the guns in this bro-mance with hot cars, big weapons, senseless violence, games of chicken (literally and figuratively), sequential explosions (boom boom boom boom), and bad-assery (thank Jack for coming up with the last two). Also with Paula Patton (last in Disconnect), Edward James Olmos (my favorites include his Oscar-nominated role in Stand and Deliver (1988), as well as Zoot Suit (1981), Blade Runner (1982), Selena (1997), and 10 episodes of Dexter in 2011), and Bill Paxton (covered in Haywire) as a particularly sadistic villain. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur (new to me) and adapted by Blake Masters, a new-ish TV writer, from a graphic novel. The music (here's one sample and another) by Clinton Shorter (District 9) is wonderful. I'm considering buying the soundtrack. Number one at the box office last weekend, it's at 61% critics and 75% audiences on rottentomatoes.
Man of Steel may be a bit serious for its own good but it's redeemed by the scripting and performances of Russell Crowe (last in Les Misérables) as Superman's biological father Jor-El, Kevin Costner (last in The Company Men) as his adoptive father Jonathan Kent, and Henry Cavill's (I don't remember him in Whatever Works and didn't see any of his other roles) smoldering good looks as Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman. With Amy Adams (last in On the Road) as Lois Lane, Laurence Fishburne (profiled in Contagion) as Perry White with a diamond earring in a tribute to newsman Ed Bradley, and no Jimmy Olson. Written by David S. Goyer (covered in The Dark Knight Rises) and directed by Zack Snyder (of his work I've seen only 300 (2006), which was based on a graphic novel). It's 21 at the box office after eight weeks of release and its rottentomatoes averages are 56% critics and 77% audiences. Although I love many of the Marvel Comics movies, as a child I read DC Comics, including the Superman ones.
We laughed a lot for the first half of This Is the End and then got tired of it. Big stars play insecure, degenerate versions of themselves, including James Franco (last in Spring Breakers), Jonah Hill (last in Moneyball, and he talks about that Oscar nomination many, many times), Seth Rogen (last in The Guilt Trip), Jay Baruchel (covered in How To Train Your Dragon), Danny McBride (last in 30 Minutes or Less), Craig Robinson (last in Hot Tub Time Machine), and Emma Watson (last in The Bling Ring), with dozens of other stars in this puerile apocalypse with cheesy special effects. Michael Cera's (last in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) bit is especially funny. Co-written and co-directed by Evan Goldberg and Rogen (co-wrote Superbad (2007), Pineapple Express, The Green Hornet, and more) in their directorial debut. Inexplicably this has the highest rottentomatoes rating of the six in this post: 84% critics, 81% audiences, and after nine weeks is number 22.
And now for something completely different. The Oranges could be a Lifetime Channel movie but for the star power: Hugh Laurie (lots of work in his native England, including comedy with Stephen Fry and Bertie Wooster to Fry's Jeeves in the early 1990s, one of the friends in Fry's Peter's Friends (1992), and then, of course, 176 episodes as Dr. Gregory House) and much-younger Leighton Meester (last in Country Strong) are suburban New Jersey folks behaving badly, but not badly enough for it to be a comedy, by having an affair. And Oliver Platt (last in Ginger & Rosa), Catherine Keener (last in A Late Quartet), Allison Janney (last in The Way Way Back), and Alia Shawkat (last in Cedar Rapids) suffer in their wake. As I said at the beginning: not hateable, but not all that good, either. 33% all around on rottentomatoes. A 2011 release, we watched it On Demand when we couldn't find Behind the Candelabra on U-Verse.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Fruitvale Station (2013)
This powerful story, which really happened, of a young black man who was shot by transit police on January 1, 2009 will leave you sad and angry. It deservedly won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance last winter and another prize at Cannes in May for director/writer Ryan Coogler's first feature. Michael B. Jordan (I know him best as Haddie's boyfriend Alex on 16 episodes of Parenthood) shines as Oscar Grant, who keeps sliding back down a slippery slope as he tries to make good in his life. Octavia Spencer (last blogged in Smashed) is wonderful as Oscar's loving but frustrated mother, and she also co-produced (with actor Forest Whitaker and others), calling upon her friend, author Kathryn Stockett (The Help), to help fund this project. Melonie Diaz has a distinctive look that I recognized from Be Kind Rewind (2008), Hamlet 2, and others, and also gives us love and frustration as Oscar's baby mama Sophina. Mention must be made of the adorable Ariana Neal as their daughter Tatiana. Neal's self-assuredness may be explained by the fact that she's been singing in front of audiences since she was 5 and can't be more than 9 in this movie.
The University of Southern California is rightfully proud of its eight graduates who collaborated on this movie (article), including Coogler, Whitaker, and composer Ludwig Göransson (his first feature but he's been working for a while, notable on the TV serieses New Girl, Community, and Happy Endings). Here's an article about him with videos and a link where you can listen to a lot of his work on a loop. And imdb has provided this list of songs.
For fellow sufferers of MPMS, or Motion Picture Motion Sickness, you're in luck. Since this was released this week, in August, chances are excellent that you'll be able to watch it on DVD before further awards start piling up. On the big screen, in a theatre with not a lot of rows, I had to avert my eyes frequently, more and more as time went on, to keep from getting nauseated.
That said, this is worth seeing. The Bay Area Rapid Transit Authority is to be congratulated for taking responsibility and for allowing the filmmakers to shoot in the actual Fruitvale Station in Oakland.
The University of Southern California is rightfully proud of its eight graduates who collaborated on this movie (article), including Coogler, Whitaker, and composer Ludwig Göransson (his first feature but he's been working for a while, notable on the TV serieses New Girl, Community, and Happy Endings). Here's an article about him with videos and a link where you can listen to a lot of his work on a loop. And imdb has provided this list of songs.
For fellow sufferers of MPMS, or Motion Picture Motion Sickness, you're in luck. Since this was released this week, in August, chances are excellent that you'll be able to watch it on DVD before further awards start piling up. On the big screen, in a theatre with not a lot of rows, I had to avert my eyes frequently, more and more as time went on, to keep from getting nauseated.
That said, this is worth seeing. The Bay Area Rapid Transit Authority is to be congratulated for taking responsibility and for allowing the filmmakers to shoot in the actual Fruitvale Station in Oakland.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
I'm So Excited (Los amantes pasajeros - 2013)
A hilarious mess of meringue with spicy chorizo, this over-the-top story of crackpots on a Madrid to Mexico City plane had Jack and me laughing and rolling our eyes. It opens with the antics of ground crew Antonio Banderas (last blogged in Ruby Sparks) and Penelope Cruz (most recently in To Rome With Love), both regular players in the work of director/writer Almodóvar (his last project was the intense The Skin I Live In--this is his first wacky comedy in 20 years), and then we don't see them again. The action moves to the plane, led by chief flight attendant Joserra, played to perfection by Javier Cámara (Sex and Lucia (Lucía y el sexo - 2001), Almodóvar's Talk to Her (Hable con ella - 2002), Almodóvar's Bad Education (La mala educación - 2004), among others), the crew, and the passengers. The only one from the plane I recognized was Lola Dueñas (was in The Sea Inside (2004), and worked with Almodóvar on Talk to Her, Volver (2005), Broken Embraces, more) as the psychic, and she is funny here. I should have recognized Cecilia Roth from Almodóvar's All About My Mother (1999) but I didn't because her hair is so different. I also should have recognized Paz Vega (Lucia in Sex and Lucia, Talk to Her, Spanglish (2004), others), who plays Alba, one of two beauties on the ground. The other is Blanca Suárez (the doctor's daughter in The Skin I Live In) as Ruth. Camára and the two other male flight attendants notably camp it up to the max.
The colorful cinematography is by José Luis Alcaine (profiled in The Skin I Live In) and is typical of the director's palette. Even the opening and closing credits are bright and 60s psychedelic (we noticed that the volume went up at the end but stayed put as usual).
The one part of the music you're most likely to remember is the "title" track by the Pointer Sisters (I use quotes because the actual title in Spanish translates roughly to "the amorous passengers"). Alberto Iglesias (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) composes plenty of high quality tunes for background, which can be previewed on the amazon page or you can hear long versions of some of them here.
Better leave the kids at home. This has lots of gay and straight sex (though no nudity) and drugs. The critics aren't loving it (49% and audiences 42% on rottentomatoes) but we thought it was fun with its references to other work of the director and more than one tip of the hat to Airplane (1980). So whom will you trust?
The colorful cinematography is by José Luis Alcaine (profiled in The Skin I Live In) and is typical of the director's palette. Even the opening and closing credits are bright and 60s psychedelic (we noticed that the volume went up at the end but stayed put as usual).
The one part of the music you're most likely to remember is the "title" track by the Pointer Sisters (I use quotes because the actual title in Spanish translates roughly to "the amorous passengers"). Alberto Iglesias (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) composes plenty of high quality tunes for background, which can be previewed on the amazon page or you can hear long versions of some of them here.
Better leave the kids at home. This has lots of gay and straight sex (though no nudity) and drugs. The critics aren't loving it (49% and audiences 42% on rottentomatoes) but we thought it was fun with its references to other work of the director and more than one tip of the hat to Airplane (1980). So whom will you trust?
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