This story of a woman who has a weekend to convince her co-workers to give up their bonuses in order for her to keep her blue-collar job earned Marion Cotillard an Oscar nomination. Cotillard is convincing as the threatened Sandra and was last blogged in The Immigrant. This one is good, but I thought Cake (not nominated) was better.
Directed and written by brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (most recently in these pages for The Kid with a Bike), it features a multi-racial cast and was inspired by a real case about 10 years ago in France, followed by the brothers' learning about more instances in other countries. As in all their previous work, the Dardennes set this movie in Seraing, in Eastern Belgium, where they were born and raised.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics are loving this one, averaging 96% to audiences' 78. It has left our local theaters, so if you want to see you'll have to wait (unless you have a PAL DVD player, which isn't compatible with US standards). The American DVD release isn't set yet.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
A Most Violent Year (2014)
This taut drama about the Hispanic owner of a heating oil company and his Anglo wife struggling to stay rich in 1981, the most violent year in New York City's history, is good stuff, and Jack and I liked it a lot. Completely snubbed at the Oscars, it won the National Board of Review's Best Film, Best Actress, and tied for Best Actor with Michael Keaton. Oscar Isaac (last blogged in Inside Llewyn Davis), of Guatemalan and Cuban descent (his full name is Oscar Isaac Hernández), uses perfectly accented English for Abel Morales, whose country of origin is not named, and, along with Jessica Chastain (most recently in Interstellar) shows us the first world problems of the nouveau riche (her vintage Armani wardrobe is gorgeous) mixed with Abel's very real concern for his struggling employees. We're always glad to see Albert Brooks, now moving away from comedy such as This is 40 and into dramas such as Drive (I covered him in that one) and this, in which he plays Abel's lawyer. The talented David Oyelowo (last in Selma) plays the District Attorney, among many co-stars.
This is director/writer J.C. Chandor's third excellent project, after Margin Call and All is Lost, and we can expect more greatness in the future from this 40-something guy.
The music is by Alex Ebert, who scored All is Lost for the director. Here's a playlist of Ebert's tracks. I had a good time in the 1980s, but this and other gritty movies remind me of how glad I am that they're over.
Critics agree with us, for a change, averaging 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, to audiences' 73%.
This is director/writer J.C. Chandor's third excellent project, after Margin Call and All is Lost, and we can expect more greatness in the future from this 40-something guy.
The music is by Alex Ebert, who scored All is Lost for the director. Here's a playlist of Ebert's tracks. I had a good time in the 1980s, but this and other gritty movies remind me of how glad I am that they're over.
Critics agree with us, for a change, averaging 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, to audiences' 73%.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Cake (2014)
Jennifer Aniston is outstanding in this sad but wonderful story of a wealthy woman, Claire, dealing with loss and chronic pain. Jack and I thought it was terrific. Co-starring Adriana Barraza (Amores Perros (2000), which is one of Alejandro González Iñárritu's previous works, and Oscar-nominated for Babel (2007)) as the maid Silvana, Anna Kendrick (last blogged in Into the Woods) as the ghost of suicide victim Nina, Sam Worthington (most recently in The Debt) as Nina's widower, and Chris Messina (Ruby Sparks) as Claire's ex-husband Jason, and a possum, among others. Aniston couldn't look more different from her glamorous turn in Horrible Bosses 2, with no makeup here other than some nasty scars for all but one scene.
This is director Daniel Barnz' fourth project and screenwriter Patrick Tobin's second but they're new to me. I do like the work of composer Christophe Beck (most recently scored Edge of Tomorrow) and you can hear three tracks from this movie on his site.
Once again, Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences diverge from our opinion with 49% and 51%, respectively. No possums were harmed in the making of this movie.
This is director Daniel Barnz' fourth project and screenwriter Patrick Tobin's second but they're new to me. I do like the work of composer Christophe Beck (most recently scored Edge of Tomorrow) and you can hear three tracks from this movie on his site.
Once again, Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences diverge from our opinion with 49% and 51%, respectively. No possums were harmed in the making of this movie.
Beyond the Lights (2014)
I'm not averse to the occasional chick flick but this well-reviewed story of a suicidal, sexy pop diva and the cop that rescues her is a bit syrupy even for those as open minded as Jack and I. The cast, Gugu Mbatha-Raw (last in Belle) as the star Noni, Nate Parker (I guess I've seen his face but no movies spring to mind) as the cop, Minnie Driver (because she hasn't yet been profiled I'm going to do so now: Oscar-nominated for Good Will Hunting (1997), she was also good in Circle of Friends (1995), Big Night (1996), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Return to Me (2000), the wonderful series The Riches (2007), and Barney's Version) as Noni's stage mother, and Danny Glover (covered in 2012) as the cop's father, all try hard but this falls flat.
Director/write Gina Prince-Bythewood has won many accolades, not only for Love & Basketball (2000) and The Secret Life of Bees, but also for this. The song Grateful, by Diane Warren and performed by Rita Ora, was nominated but lost the Oscar to Glory from Selma. I'm a big fan of composer Mark Isham (last in these pages for 42), who's credited for original music, but don't, after all this time, remember his score.
We trusted Rotten Tomatoes, with its 81% from critics and, at the time, 83% from audiences--it has since slipped to 81. Ah well. At least we saw it for only $2.00 each.
Director/write Gina Prince-Bythewood has won many accolades, not only for Love & Basketball (2000) and The Secret Life of Bees, but also for this. The song Grateful, by Diane Warren and performed by Rita Ora, was nominated but lost the Oscar to Glory from Selma. I'm a big fan of composer Mark Isham (last in these pages for 42), who's credited for original music, but don't, after all this time, remember his score.
We trusted Rotten Tomatoes, with its 81% from critics and, at the time, 83% from audiences--it has since slipped to 81. Ah well. At least we saw it for only $2.00 each.
American Sniper (2014)
Very good and not easy to watch, this bio-pic of Chris Kyle, the deadliest US sniper in history, is intense. Bradley Cooper as Kyle earns his Oscar nomination, and Clint Eastwood once again directs a bang-up war story. In 2011 it would have been hard to imagine the Cooper (last blogged in Guardians of the Galaxy) of the Hangover series getting nominated three years in a row, but he has grown (figuratively and literally--he gained about 40 pounds and trained intensively so as to physically resemble Kyle. Then he had to get skinny almost immediately to play the Elephant Man on Broadway). Unfortunately Cooper had no chance against Michael Keaton for Best Actor last night. Sienna Miller (Casanova (2005), the excellent Interview (2007) co-starring Steve Buscemi, and Dave Schultz' wife Annie in Foxcatcher) is also quite good as Kyle's feisty wife Taya. It's by no means a two-person show--131 cast members are listed--but I'll spare you and myself from going into them all.
Eastwood (most recently in these pages for Jersey Boys) is no doubt disappointed that the movie won only one Oscar, for Sound Editing, when it was nominated for five others (Best Picture, Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, and Sound Mixing). Eastwood also wrote a song for it, Taya's Theme. Jason Hall (co-wrote two other movies not seen by me) adapted Kyle's memoir, which was written with two others, and lost the Oscar last night to The Imitation Game.
Some have complained the the movie is pro-war and anti-Muslim. Perhaps, but it's told from a specific point of view and everyone doesn't have to share that view.
We saw this five and a half weeks ago, so I don't have too many other details to share. Certainly it's worth seeing. Rotten Tomatoes' critics are averaging 73% and its audiences 86.
Eastwood (most recently in these pages for Jersey Boys) is no doubt disappointed that the movie won only one Oscar, for Sound Editing, when it was nominated for five others (Best Picture, Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, and Sound Mixing). Eastwood also wrote a song for it, Taya's Theme. Jason Hall (co-wrote two other movies not seen by me) adapted Kyle's memoir, which was written with two others, and lost the Oscar last night to The Imitation Game.
Some have complained the the movie is pro-war and anti-Muslim. Perhaps, but it's told from a specific point of view and everyone doesn't have to share that view.
We saw this five and a half weeks ago, so I don't have too many other details to share. Certainly it's worth seeing. Rotten Tomatoes' critics are averaging 73% and its audiences 86.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Mr. Turner (2014)
I loved this visual feast, about the prickly English painter J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851). Though the pace is slow and the dialect requires concentration, the images are magical, from the magnificent paintings to the breathtaking cinematography clearly inspired by the master's work. Jack was less entranced than I, due to the pace, dialect, and dated sentence structure, but agrees that it is beautiful. The movie has been Oscar-nominated for cinematography, music, costumes, and production design, as well as other accolades.
Timothy Spall (last blogged in Ginger & Rosa) will be 58 next week, and plays the artist from age 51 to his death with, as Jack put it, "More grunting than a women's tennis match." All of us in the theatre eventually chuckled at the noises, which put me in mind of the animated bear who eats a cell phone in a short we've seen frequently. Dorothy Atkinson (new to me), as housekeeper Hannah, must have been very sore from that awful posture (her neck is practically parallel to the floor) she affects throughout the story, and she's been nominated for a British Independent Film Award for this role. Marion Bailey as Mrs. Booth and Paul Jesson as Turner's father are just fine, too, though I was confused about Jesson, because, 11 years older than Spall, he looked too young to be his father.
Cinematographer Dick Pope (last in these pages for Me and Orson Welles) certainly deserves the nominations and awards he's racked up so far, as does composer Gary Yershon (scored Another Year). You can stream short samples of the soundtrack on the amazon page.
It doesn't surprise me that critics are averaging 98% but audiences 59 on Rotten Tomatoes. If you're a patient sort, with an ear for British accents and an eye for painting, do see this on the big screen.But don't bring your artistic kids. A few scenes are not suitable for children.
Timothy Spall (last blogged in Ginger & Rosa) will be 58 next week, and plays the artist from age 51 to his death with, as Jack put it, "More grunting than a women's tennis match." All of us in the theatre eventually chuckled at the noises, which put me in mind of the animated bear who eats a cell phone in a short we've seen frequently. Dorothy Atkinson (new to me), as housekeeper Hannah, must have been very sore from that awful posture (her neck is practically parallel to the floor) she affects throughout the story, and she's been nominated for a British Independent Film Award for this role. Marion Bailey as Mrs. Booth and Paul Jesson as Turner's father are just fine, too, though I was confused about Jesson, because, 11 years older than Spall, he looked too young to be his father.
Veteran director/writer Mike Leigh (covered in Another Year) is known for his idiosyncratic work, and this is no exception. Many scenes just seem to be slices of life, not particularly moving the plot along. That's just the director's style. It's marvelous to watch Turner work and frequently amusing as well.
There are a couple of mild spoilers in this fascinating article about the making of the picture, so read it after seeing this.
Cinematographer Dick Pope (last in these pages for Me and Orson Welles) certainly deserves the nominations and awards he's racked up so far, as does composer Gary Yershon (scored Another Year). You can stream short samples of the soundtrack on the amazon page.
It doesn't surprise me that critics are averaging 98% but audiences 59 on Rotten Tomatoes. If you're a patient sort, with an ear for British accents and an eye for painting, do see this on the big screen.But don't bring your artistic kids. A few scenes are not suitable for children.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Selma (2014)
Though all but snubbed at the Oscars (nominated for Best Picture and song--nothing else), this story of Martin Luther King Jr.'s leading the 1965 Alabama march is quite the tour de force for all the filmmakers. David Oyelowo is marvelous in the title role, as is Carmen Ejogo as Coretta (he was last blogged in The Butler and although she made an appearance in Away We Go--here's a photo--I didn't mention her). I don't mean to belittle the other players--all are quite good, including Tom Wilkinson (most recently in Belle) as Lyndon Johnson; Giovanni Ribisi (last in A Million Ways to Die in the West) as Johnson's advisor Lee White (one of the first times I recall seeing Ribisi not playing a buffoon); André Holland (42) as Andrew Young; Tim Roth (Arbitrage) with a spot-on accent as George Wallace; Tessa Thompson (Dear White People) as Diane Nash; Oprah Winfrey (last blogged as an actor in The Butler--here she also produced) as Annie Lee Cooper; and Common (was in Date Night, and co-wrote and -performed the nominated song with John Legend) as James Bevel; to name a few of the 129 credited cast.
Director Ava DuVernay started out as a publicist and began her rise to fame directing Middle of Nowhere (2010), which I meant to see. She had to rewrite King's speeches because the copyrights are protected. The screenwriting credit goes to Paul Webb (his only one) but imdb says she rewrote many of Webb's words as well as King's. When I was in film school in the 1980s, many of our teachers said there needs to be conflict to make a good script. Clearly the issue of civil rights in the 1960s is rife with conflict, but some have quarreled with DuVernay's characterization of President Johnson as an additional enemy of racial equality. In any event, we all know what happened, and that it's far from solved even now.
At one point MLK phones Mahalia Jackson, waking her up, saying he needs to hear "the voice of God," and she, played by singer Ledisi, sings Precious Lord, Take My Hand, one of the most magical sequences in the movie. Listen. The original is good, too--google it--but this version is extraordinary. Here's a link to the nominated song, Glory, which plays over the end credits. Imdb lists the songs, and no composer is credited.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics are averaging an unusual 99% and its audiences 84. This is powerful.
Director Ava DuVernay started out as a publicist and began her rise to fame directing Middle of Nowhere (2010), which I meant to see. She had to rewrite King's speeches because the copyrights are protected. The screenwriting credit goes to Paul Webb (his only one) but imdb says she rewrote many of Webb's words as well as King's. When I was in film school in the 1980s, many of our teachers said there needs to be conflict to make a good script. Clearly the issue of civil rights in the 1960s is rife with conflict, but some have quarreled with DuVernay's characterization of President Johnson as an additional enemy of racial equality. In any event, we all know what happened, and that it's far from solved even now.
At one point MLK phones Mahalia Jackson, waking her up, saying he needs to hear "the voice of God," and she, played by singer Ledisi, sings Precious Lord, Take My Hand, one of the most magical sequences in the movie. Listen. The original is good, too--google it--but this version is extraordinary. Here's a link to the nominated song, Glory, which plays over the end credits. Imdb lists the songs, and no composer is credited.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics are averaging an unusual 99% and its audiences 84. This is powerful.
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