SEVEN MINUTES IN HEAVEN

Galia has spent the last year recovering from a terrorist bus bombing in Jerusalem, and the extent of her trauma is profound. She suffers from unbearable burn scars that cover her back, intermittent panic attacks and a fractured memory. When her boyfriend Oren—also a victim of the attack—is removed from life support, Galia discovers that she needs to  try and remember the events that surrounded the bombing in order to move forward with her life.

A crucial discovery is when she learns that a recuse worker at the scene had pronounced her dead for seven minutes before she revived.  She is told that there are some souls who rise to heaven, only to return if that is deemed necessary.  And then she comes across a  patient and handsome stranger named Boaz who looks like someone she may have known before

In this his first feature film director Omri Givron weaves clues throughout as the story unwinds, but nevertheless the ending in this intriguing wee thriller is still totally unexpected.

Seven Minutes in Heaven picked up some awards when it first surfaced in 2008 and did the rounds of some Jewish Film Festivals, and is now finally released in DVD.  A gentle slow paced intelligent movie, beautifully acted and with some great photography, and which even though its script has a few too many clichéd lines. it is still nevertheless a small delight.


★★★★★★★

HAPPY HAPPY

Set in the middle of winter in the middle of nowhere in the middle of Norway this very cold ‘comedy’ is about two couples  bored with each other and they try a bit of wife swapping to liven things up.  Well, it's not exactly like that as one of the husbands hits on the other man, but when rejected has to make do with the other wife instead.  Two other memorable things : for some unexplained reason one couple has adopted an african child who looks even darker in this landscape, and secondly they eat moose meat at every meal which I guess makes sense.

An interested well constructed movie but I’m not sure if it’s the fact that you don’t really get to like any of the rather annoying characters, or just the fact that there is all that snow, but this was not a very engaging film

Originally titled ‘ Sykt Lykkwlig’ in Norwegian, so maybe something was lost in translation cos it certainly was not 'Happy Happy'. 

P.S. It subsequently won the Grand Jury Prize for Best World Drama, at SUNDANCE, so I could be in a majority of one this time.  Somehow I think not.

★★★★

LIMELIGHT (Documentary)

I was really drawn to this movie cos I wanted to see what I had missed out on way back then when I should have been one of the Party People.  In the early ‘80’s as a Brit living in London when I did visit  NY I did get to enter a very scary meatpacking district to go to AREA,  a rather fabulous club that was completely redecorated to a new theme every 6 weeks.  But I never made it to Limelight the iconic nightclub/discotheque of the era, and I never got offered any drugs.  Oh my wasted youth.

This entertaining documentary is the latest movie from Billy Corbin who gave us ‘Cocaine Cowboys’ and ‘Square Grouper’ … so he’s got a wee drug theme going on here.  The title is slightly misleading as the focus is not so much on this club itself but on the rise and fall of its very sinister looking owner Peter Gatien.  Corbin tracks Gatien's whole career starting off in his native Canada to his first Limelight club in Hollywood Florida and his gradual ascent to be being dubbed ‘King of NY Clubs’ when he also owns The Palladium, The Tunnel and Club USA.

There can be no doubt of his enormous contribution to pop culture at the time, and the fact that these gigantic dance caverns were giving so much fun to thousands of party givers every night.  Too much fun in the eyes of the authorities, especially once puritanical Rudolph Giuliani took over as Mayor and committed himself to a wholesale cleanup that resulted in the 'disney-fying' of all the really interesting and edgy parts of the city.

Gatien was the central target for all the law enforcement agencies that one by one try to take him down and close his operations.  Firstly on the drugs issue where they set an extraordinary precedent of indicting him personally for all the drugs that were sold and consumed in his clubs,  even though they admitted he never ever made a cent out of it.  An unsustainable case that he won after all the prosecution’s dubious witnesses were exposed.  Then there were fights to keep his liquor licenses, charges of tax evasion etc. etc. all that involved great financial cost for Gatien just to defend himself.

One of the movie’s producers was Gatien’s daughter Jennifer which may account for the very sympathetic portrait it painted of the man. He did after all come over as a man with no faults at all (bar a little tax-evasion). and I guess his demise was inevitable with every single Federal & State Agency after him. Still it was sad to contemplate anyway, cos I for one couldn't help admiring the man and what he achieved .... and what I missed out on.

★★ ★★★★★

THE PIANO IN A FACTORY

One of the real delights of viewing so many (mainly good) movies is that once in a while you find an unexpected real gem that blows you (cinematic) socks off.  This is one such rare occasion, and spreading the word about a delicious treat that may never come onto your radar is one the main reasons I write my reviews.  This movie from China which will probably never get a theatrical release in most of the many countries this Blog is read in, deserves an audience. And you deserve to see it.

Chen Guilin has two passions in his life: playing the accordion with his pals, and his daughter, whose piano lessons take up all his money as, like most of this town, he has been laid off from the steel works where he once worked.  Guilin’s estranged wife turns up now that she has hooked up with a charlatan who is making a ton of money selling his fake medicine, and she wants a divorce and custody of their daughter.  A distraught Guilin asks his young daughter to choose between them, and she says she will go with the parent who provides her with a piano.

Totally broke Guilin cannot possible afford one so comes up with this mad idea that he will make one.  That’s after a bungled attempt by him and his pals to steal one.  So he gathers together his motley crew of assorted ex-workmates who, despite their reluctancy, loyal support Guilin with his absurdly optimistic plan.

Stunningly photographed against the dramatic ruins of the disused steelworks, Zhang Meng the young director in this, only his second feature, uses this industrial landscape as the perfect setting for his highly stylized vision. The primary reason that this is a real treasure is that the whole talented cast play a bunch of oddball quirky characters, each one a well-written part, that collectively makes such a delightful and endearing ensemble. Full credit to a brilliantly balanced script that somehow makes a potentially real-downer of a story into a wonderfully uplifting piece with its great comic touches, and more than the occasional bizarre moment.

Oh yes lest I forget, Meng uses stirring Russian music for his soundtrack, possibly to evoke memories of how the two industrial nations countries were once aligned together, or maybe not, but it adds a real dramatic edge to the movie.

It comes together as a faultless whole piece, and the only thing one is left wanting, is more.

P.S. This is one of the 'DVD's of The Month' released by http://www.filmmovement.com/ an online movie club for indie and foreign films.  They are sent to you automatically when you subscribe and at least 2/3 months before they are generally available.  The best thing about this is that one gets to experience movies that you may not have chosen, and most of them are real treats.  And occasionally like this one, a real gem.

★★★★★ ★★★★★

BEAUTIFUL BOY

Kate & Bill are contemplating taking one last family holiday together to save their empty and emotionless marriage.  That night they talk on the phone to Sam their 18 year old son who’s away at College and he seems quiet and more distant than usual, but they just put it down to him trying to cope with his first year studying away from home.

Next day tragedy strikes at Sam’s school and 17 people are shot dead by a lone gunman, and when the Police arrive on their doorstep, they know straight away that he is dead.  But what they are not prepared for is the fact that Sam was the one that had killed all these people before he set the gun on himself.  It’s sadly an all too familiar story, but this time for once it’s viewed not though the eyes of the victims or their families or even the police. but through the parents of the perpetrator.  

Kate & Bill were hardly communicating with each other before the tragedy struck and now they clam up completely as there are totally bewildered as they attempt to come to terms with what there son has done. They are desperate to establish if they in fact are really the ones too blame for his actions.  In this remarkable heart-wrenching movie we witness not just the pain of distraught parents dealing with a child’s outrageous crimes but also with the helplessness of the continuing breakdown of their marriage.

Beautifully written and devoid of any hint of sensationalism, it’s all made so very believable by the very sensitive performances of Maria Bella as the mother who cared too much, and Micheal Sheen as the distant father who is too scared to accept that maybe he didn’t love his son at all.

The ending is inevitable: life will go on.  The question in this case is how.  Well worth watching to find out.

★★★★★★★★

PROTEKTOR

It’s World War 2 (again) and when the Nazis invade Czechoslovakia , Emil a local journalist agrees to read out German Propaganda on Prague Radio to protect Hana his Jewish wife.  You think she’d be grateful for this but she’s rather a cold fish who shows little emotion to Emil, and has an affair and carries on recklessly disbelieving that the politicaL system will degenerate, and her very life will be at risk, under the Nazis.

At the beginning of the story Hana, in a startling blond wig is on the throes of becoming a movie star, and when that life falls apart, she uses the wig to try to pass as a Aryan.  It doesn’t work, and as her ‘star’ falls, her husband's rises and he becomes a broadcast celebrity as he drifts into collaborating with the Nazis to save his wife.

This Czech movie that swept the Awards Board ……….in Czechoslovakia,  is a melodrama that somehow doesn’t catch fire. On one hand there is some highly stylized shots, and the tinting of an almost monochromatic picture with hints of colour is a very definite plus.  If only this movie was as good as it looks it would be sensational. And the subject matter in itself deserves leading characters with more depth (Hana) and with more logic (Emil) to really engage one fully.

★★★★★★

RESTLESS

A beautiful young girl dying of cancer falls in love with a young man who she coaxes back to the world of the living after both his parents die, sounds like a tear-jerker sappy story that I would run from BUT add filmmaker extraordinaire Gus Van Sant into the mix, and you know this will be anything but a run-of-the-mill weepie.

Enoch is obsessed with death and Annabel first meets him at one of the many Memorial Services he crashes, and she immediately takes a shine to this sad awkward boy.  Enoch’s best friend & confidante is a ghost … not just any ghost but a young Japanese kamikaze pilot from World War 2 … why we are never quite sure … but somehow this relationship works and is an integral part of telling this story.  Annabel’s cancer is not really explained neither, except we soon lean that she has just 3 months to live, and she choses to spend that time by falling in love with Enoch.

It’s a delightful odd quirky story and is a totally refreshing take on how two young people try to grab a small slice of happiness whilst up against the clock and have to ultimately deal with a loss.  Its made convincingly believable because Van Sant extracts tone perfect performances from his young stars. Mia Wasikowska, who we know what a fine talent she is  after seeing her shine so bright in both 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Jane Eyre'. Her co-star Henry Hopper (son of the late great Dennis Hopper) in his first leading role (and only 2^nd movie) is very credible as the lost soul that he plays.

This is Mr Van Sant’s first movie since his 2008 heart-wrenching wonderful ‘Milk’ that nabbed two Oscars.  This wee movie is not in that league, but it is still a great treat albeit a tad unexpected and unconventional …. and sad as it was, I didn’t shed a tear.  Weird that.

Trivia.  The story was discovered by actress Bryce Dallas Howard who also co-produced the movie.  She’s had a busy year having being in ‘50/50’ and ‘The Help’ . It helps that her dad is award-winning producer Ron Howard, so he was roped in to produce this too.


★★★★★★★★

PLASTIC PLANET

Werner Boote’s revealing documentary is one of those movies that you know you must watch, and then are so depressed afterwards that you wished you hadn’t.  There’s probably no startling new facts that he has gathered as he traipsed around the world trying to find out the real truth about plastic, but all lumped together they are really scary.   Evidently, its not just the fact that we are doing our planet un-repairable damage by all the plastic we use and dump, but the very fact that in the actual manufacturing process it uses so many toxic ingredients it is actually making people seriously sick and dying.  The last part I must confess I didn’t know.

Boote is no Michael Moore, and in fact sometimes on camera his style of questioning some of the plastic industry bigwigs is totally annoying, but his passion is heartfelt and genuine, and so are the results of the film.  We sense his frustration and those of the 'good guys' like the Vice President of the European Commission who are trying to do something (she relayed that it took her Scientists 10 years just to investigate a mere 11 of the thousands of toxic substances before they would even publish a Report!).

Despite his flashes of humor to make this movie entertaining as well as just informative, there is no getting away from horrifying facts such as a plastic bottle in a landfill will last as long as 500 years. 

I wonder if Joan Rivers will still be with us then?

★★★★★★★

20 CIGARETTES

In 2003 the director Aureliano Amadei was a young ant-war activist who was invited by his mentor/teacher Steffano Rolla the filmmaker to go to Iraq in the company of a battalion of Italian solders to help make a movie.  Whilst he was there he was got caught up in suicide truck bombing that killed 19 of his fellow countrymen and he was the only civilian to survive the massacre.  This autobiographical true story is reconstructed in this harrowing bloody movie.

The movie starts out showing a carefree young man who dashes around Rome in his scooter filming anything and everything with his cine camera.  He loved to hang out and party with an unruly bench of protesters and seemingly breezed though life without a care.  When he is offered a real job to be an Assistant Director on a movie he jumps at the chance even though it’s going to be made in Iraq.

He soon bonds with the young soldiers who escort him around and he is with them when the attack occurs.

He’s dragged out from under a truck and after initial care in a local hospital is flown back to Rome to begin the long process of recovery.  The attack has been big news back home and every newscaster, journalist and politician wants in on the story.  Aureliano is declared a hero even though one of the few military survivors is claiming the he alone saved their lives.

It is an incredible story, wonderfully filmed with a fiery passion that obviously comes from the director’s personal investment in this whole process.  The action is slow to start with and the pace lulls you into sense of an entirely different film than the one it develops into once the explosion occurs. From then on you're fixed rigidly to the edge of the seat (albeit with your eyes partially closed because of the excessive blood which for some reason they left all over Aureliano’s face and body for weeks!)  The drama is a tad high–pitched at times, but hey, they are Italians after all.

20 Cigarettes swept the board at the Venice Film Festival last year winning 7 awards, and then collected several other biggies in Italy after that.  We saw it at the Italian Film Festival in Miami, and I so hope it gets a Theatrical Release too: it deserves a wider audience.  I have watched several really stunning movies on different aspects of the Iraq & Afghanistan Conflicts. (‘The Hurt Locker,’ 'Restrepo’ ‘ Control Room’, ‘The Messenger' etc. etc.) and this is yet another totally different take, and I think equally as powerful. A very definite must see.


★★★★★★★★★


(n.b. the only trailer available is in  Italian)

THE IDES OF MARCH

Most of the key people that take part in this crucial Democratic Presidential Primary are hard-nosed jaded campaign veterans who are realists and who fight hard, and sometimes dirty, to win, Trying to ensure that Pennsylvania Gov. Mike Morris (George Clooney) is the victor is a Team led by his uncompromising Campaign Manger Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who insists on doing everything by the rules.  His rules.  That doesn’t always sit so easily with whizz-kid Press Secretary Steven Myers (Ryan Gosling) a passionate idealist who’s considered the best in his game feeding the spin to the Press.

It seems like the Gov. has this one in the bag but when his opponent's conniving Campaign Manager (Paul Giametti) tries to lure Steven away and swap sides, things start to unfurl rather messily for all.  Motives are questioned, stories are leaked, and Steven discovers he is not the only one who has been sleeping with Molly the pretty Intern.

This rather engaging political thriller has a great script (it was based on a very successful Broadway play) even though the story line is a tad weak/predictable.  Directed by George Clooney (who co-wrote the screenplay) and starred in it, and who is generous to a fault in letting his stellar cast really shine through.  This is after all Steven’s story, and Ryan Gosling does more than justice in this starring role showing how yet once again how superb he at playing men who have intense convictions. (Think 'Lars & The Girl', 'Drive' & Half Nelson').  He is also as hot as hell too.

Along with Mr. Seymour Hoffman & Mr. Giametti who are never any less than formidable there is Jeffery Wright as the double-dealing Senator selling his crucial endorsement to the highest bidder; Evan Rachel Wood, who is totally alluring as Molly, and young Brit Max Mingella in a supporting role that would have made his dad (Anthony) real proud.

This is a genre that I really love especially watching the power struggle with all the manipulation of anything and everything as a means to an end. And the sheer arrogance of politicians who think that their dirty little secrets will stay hidden forever.   Great fun.


★★★★★★★★

MEEK'S CUTOFF

Meek’s Cutoff story is as bleak as the vast wasteland of Oregon that is played out in.  Its 1845 and three pioneer families have hired a guide, Stephen Meek, to lead them through the Cascade Mountains, but it soon becomes obvious that he doesn’t really know where he is taking them.  Running out of food, water and patience the men folk are so agitated they even discuss lynching Meek and trying their own luck, but then they come across a Native Indian and despite the fact they consider and treat him like a dangerous enemy, it becomes clear that he possibly may in fact be their salvation.

This is the third feature from Miami born filmmaker Kelly Reichardt that uses Oregon as the setting, possibly because it is as uncompromising as the stories she films.  Her commitment to reality shines through with the sweeping panoramic cinematography which she combines with some dramatically lit close-up shots,  and the uncompromisingly minute detail such as the hats the women wear that are so authentic but also often block out their faces from view.  She succeeded in making the struggle for these families very real,  and was helped by the quiet and understated terrific performances from Michelle Williams (who also starred in Reichardt's superb Wendy & Lucy) and Brit actor Shirley Henderson.

R.T.V. The movie is quiet and slow-placed and unlike any western I have ever seen. It’s also one of those movies that doesn’t fully register with you at the time, but resonates in your mind for days after.


★★★★★★★★

THE PERFECT HOST

Warwick Wilson seems like the perfect host as he carefully sets his immaculate dining table in his chic Hollywood apartment and everything seems in its right place.  The doorbell rings and a stranger pretends to have just met Warwick’s closest friend in Australia and as the airline has lost his luggage, he’s been mugged and his car has run our of gas, he needs help.  Warwick lets him in and the terror begins.  The man, John, is actually on the run from a bank robbery he has just committed and needs sanctuary.  He has however unwittingly chosen the wrong place for safe haven, and gradually the terror begins.

In this wonderful black comedy/thriller this superb two-handed story has seemingly endless  totally unexpected twists and turns, some ridiculously bizarre, but all utterly entertaining and you never really leave the edge of your seat throughout.  David Hyde Pierce has the perfect quirky mannerisms for the being the fastidious and more than slightly crazy Warwick, and he is equally matched with an exacting performance by young Clayne Crawford as John.

I will fess up that I started to watch this late one night  but was so tired and not engaged and I fell asleep. I’m so pleased I persevered and watched it again when I was awake, as it is a wee gem, albeit a little mad.

P.S. In my continuing series of 'Where Are They Now', watch out for Cathy Knight one the dinner guests was played by Helen Reddy. Thankfully she doesn’t sing.


★★★★★★★
 N.B. this trailer does contain a few spoilers, you may want to skip it and go straight to the dvd ... its worth it

BHUTTO

This engrossing and jam-packed documentary on the first ever-female Leader of a Moslem Country starts with scenes of her assassination in 2007, before embarking on becoming a riveting history lesson on both Ms. Bhutto and Pakistan. There’s a myriad of facts, like it is the 6^th most populated country in the world, and 97% Moslem, but it’s the ones relating to Benazir, and indeed the Bhutto dynasty that makes this a compelling story.  Her charismatic father served as both the country’s President and then Prime Minister before being removed from power after a Coup D’état led by General Zia ul Haq who bought up some trumped up charges against him, which resulted in his execution.

Benazir who had been educated at Harvard and Oxford was always destined to become her father’s successor, and  so in 1988 she was elected Prime Minister for the first time.  Her stay in power was just 20 months as there was a conspiracy against her that resulted in the President dismissing her.  She was back for her second term in 1993 and again this was cut short 3 years later when her government was dismissed on corruption charges.  When she lost the next election she went into self imposed exile in Dubai and focused on building up an international reputation for herself as the natural Leader of Pakistan, before she returned against everyone’s advice to face the 2007 Election and her untimely death.

The film almost revels in the fact that Pakistan is steeped in deep rooted corruption, and politically is one unwieldly mess. As a strategically placed country with its own nuclear arsenal it is used ruthlessly by the West to promote their own ambitions even when they are definitely in in Pakistan's own interest.  What was unclear however was the reason for Ms. Bhutto’s unshakeable conviction that she had this calling to lead despite the fact that she was up against the impossible  odds of a powerful and entrenched opposition who had killed both her father and brother and would stop at absolutely nothing to get their own way.  And why she insisted in going back for the final time when everyone knew it would only end one way. 

Megalomaniac or martyr?  I’m still unsure.  


★★★★★★★

REJOICE AND SHOUT

The latest music documentary from respected filmmaker Don McGlynn is on the heavenly music of Gospel singing and coming in at 2 hours, it must be one of THE most definitive studies on the genre.  You certainly have to have a be a good bible-thumping Christian or an avid gospel fan to sit through it.  I’ll fess up that being an agnostic, I tend towards the second, which I grew to like in my Methodist orphanage back in the 50’s when Mahalia Jackson‘s powerful contralto voice could be heard even in rural Britain.

The movie is not only a fascinating history of gospel music …. (I particularly liked when it crossed over to more ‘earthly venues’ like Las Vegas Casinos and the singers ditched their modest church choir gowns for some fabulous sparkling frocks) … but it showcases some of the very best artists; many like the Swan Silvertones, the Blind Boys of Alabama that send shivers down even this dis-believers spine.

If you have either a passion for the topic … or are just plain nosey, then this is one for you.  It’s definitely too long, but the fact that it plays many of the previous lost tracks in full, makes you want to forgive Mr. McGlynn a tad.

Due out on DVD in the US in November 2011.


★★★★★★

DRIVE

The brilliant opening sequence when three men are in the getaway car escaping from a heist and being driven at reckless speeds through the streets of LA with such a cool determined proficiency that sets the pace for what’s to follow in this wee rather bloody movie. 

The Driver  … and he is never called by anything by either that or The Boy …. is a professional stunt driver for the movies who occasionally does a few extra ‘jobs’ for his criminal mates on the side.  Driver seemingly has no past and we barely find out much of his life, as he is the strong silent type that says little about anything.

He befriends Irene a young woman in his apartment building that lives there with her son whilst her husband Standard is in jail.  When he gets released he is blackmailed by a couple of thugs who set him up to do a burglary to pay back the debt they claim he owes them.  Driver offers to help by driving the getaway car, and when the robbery goes belly up and Standard gets killed, Driver is pursued by the thugs to retrieve the money that they stole for them.

It all goes wrong ….. and gets very violent … but its hard to give more plot here without it containing spillers.

There are several things that sets this movie way and above from being just yet another car-chase caper.  Firstly Ryan Gosling is totally superb as Driver and with very little dialogue throughout he puts in a highly nuanced performance that so sets him head and shoulders above other actors of his generation … he snaffled an Oscar nod for ‘Half Nelson’, and I would be very surprised if this turn here didn’t earn him his second nomination.

Carey Mulligan played Irene who was almost too nice to be mixed up in crime  … the camera does love Ms. Mulligan so.

And another major plus was the fact for a change all the supporting roles were well rounded with depth and resonance and gave the very talented cast something to get their teeth into.  Particularly funny man Albert Brooks being deadly serous as one of the Crime Bosses, and the delightful Christina Hendricks (from Mad Men) who I failed to recognize at first, and who was a professional criminal.

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (that's my second Scandinavian director this week) who picked up an award at Cannes for this movie, and he obviously excels in violent ones as another of his earlier ones is Bronson, which has been on my Netflix list far too long.

The cars may go fast, but the movie goes at a slower pace, which adds to its attraction.  Definitely one worth watching.

PS Trivia … don’t blink when in the very short scene where a bullet is being removed by Russ Tamblyn who plays the Dr.  Where has he been since he was a West Side Story Jet decades ago?


★★★★★★★★

THE HELP

In the 1960‘s when the world was changing drastically and society was getting a taste of freedom, life was exactly the same as ever in Mississippi.  Everyone knew their place especially the ‘coloreds’ who belonged in the kitchens slaving away for those uppity white middle class folks who were happy to have ‘The Help’ completely run their domestic lives, including bringing up their children. As long as they remembered they couldn’t use the inside toilet.

This syrupy tear-jerking movie takes place then before the burgeoning civil right movement starts having any effect in the Deep South, and where The Klan were still lynching Negros.  Skeeter, one of the nice young white ladies is just back in town from College, and has ambitions beyond being a wife like all her ex school chums, and wants to become a writer.  Her first job is writing a Cleaning Column for the local rag. And whilst interviewing her friend's maid Aibilene for cleaning tips she witnesses first hand how badly maids in general are treated.  Skeeter persuades a NY Editor to commission a book but finds it harder to persuade the maids to spill the beans on their lives so that she could write her big exposé.  Essentially the movie is about getting this book written, and all the problems and repercussions that it causes way beyond its publication.

Tate Taylor who wrote the screenplay and directed milks every emotion he can out of almost every scene, and is not frightened to throw in a few clichés too.  That said, the whole piece is beautifully acted and whilst Emma Stone as Skeeter is given top billing it is Viola Davis as Aibilene. and Octavia Spencer as Minnie another maid. who are the real stars of the show.  Thanks to their remarkable talents their scenes are the most realistic and the most moving. (Ms. Davis, you may recall was nominated for an Oscar for her powerful performance in the smallest of roles in 'Doubt').  Heads up too for the stunning Jessica Chasten (in her 3^rd big role of the year) who was totally wonderful playing the one of the only two likable white ladies in the movie …(cos she was white trash). The 2d likable one was played by  scene-stealing Sissy Spacek who was an irascible old mother who liked her drink and she gave me the only real laugh out loud moment.

All in all I found it entertaining and quite enjoyable even though I would have preferred less sugar coating and a tad more grit when dealing with a subject like this to make it seem more convincing.


★★★★★★★

THE SKIN I LIVE IN

Pedro Almodovar’s latest movie reunites him with Antonio Banderas who plays Dr. Robert Ledgard, a brilliantly successful plastic surgeon who, much to the chagrin of the medical community, is currently experimenting with creating a new type of human skin with some very questionable practices.  He is doing this solely for Vera a beautiful gamine who he keeps imprisoned in his isolated mansion home with the complicity of his childhood nanny Marilia. As the relationship between Robert and Vera progresses, it gradually becomes clear that she is somehow linked to both the suicide of his teenage daughter and a tragic accident involving his beloved wife.

At the same time, flashbacks reveal the story of Vicente a feisty young man who works in his mother's dress shop, who encounters both Robert and his daughter at a party. 

Like all Almodovar films this one is about family, although that doesn’t become clear until this highly chilling thriller works through its very twisted and highly emotional plot.  Central to the story is Dr. Ledgard who we never can decide is either a demented scientist or just a tragic hero … and its impossible to second-guess either his motives or actions.

It’s a brilliant but disturbing movie and although I would never hesitate to recognize this filmmaker’s genius, I do wonder what sort of mind can create such contorted plots.  As usual it is a highly stylized production, beautifully filmed, with a moving score from Almodovar regular Alberto Iglesias, and its great to watch one of his favorite actress’s Marisa Parades steal scenes as Marilia the maid. The real delight   however is Mr. Banderas who’s understated and stunning performance is a revelation and really makes this movie gel.  In my book he’s never made a decent movie since his Almodovar days so it’s good to see him back, and on form.

R.T.V. Definitely one of Mr Almodovar’s better movies, and good enough to gather an Oscar buzz (esp. for Mr. Banderas) when it opens in the US later this year

★★★★★★★★★

CONAN O'BRIEN CAN'T STOP

In 2010 NBC TV summarily fired ‘Tonight Show’ Host Conan O’Brien after just 7 months in the job order to rescue the sinking career of his predecessor Jay Leno who had bombed in his new early Show.  O’Brien had previously hosted his own Late Night Show that started at midnight for the previous 16 years and had been promised  that we would get the Tonight gig eventually, and so as he wouldn’t revert to his old late slot to accommodate Leno's return, NBC fired him.  The paid him $40 million in a send-off package but as part of the deal he was banned from appearing on TV for six months.

Totally enraged at both NBC & Leno he quickly undertook to do ‘The Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour’ playing some 44 dates in over 32 venues spread over the country.  Its soon very clear in this documentary that follows him from start to finish that O’Brien didn’t do it for the money, he did it because he simply cannot stop.  With one of the most enormous egos I have ever witnessed on film he  consistently overreaches himself and arrogantly runs rough shod over his enormous staff and team who seem to passively and silently accept his abusive behavior.

On stage O’Brien plays guitar and sings with his back-up band in addition to telling jokes and is surprisingly good, giving a maniacal energetically physical performance each night to Sold Out audiences of die-hard fans.  After (and sometimes before) he loudly complains at all the ‘Meet and Greets’ that he is called to do, yet throws himself energetically to sign autographs on anything and everything and posing for countless photos.

I have to fess up here that I never watched either of his Chat Shows and simply gravitated to him as in the highly publicized dismissal he was portrayed as the underdog who had been mistreated by the nasty conglomerate.  A few months after the Tour he ended up with a new Talk Show for TBS a cable network and so is back on our screens, although not on mine.

The film is a fascinating glimpse of how a talented egotistical bully recovered and prospered after a very public set back and how the whole army of people who are needed to enable him, survived with their jobs in tact even though they lost their dignity along the way.

P.S. Conan …. what is with that hair?


★★★★★★★★

50/50

It’s tough making a comedy about a young man (Adam) who discovers he has a rare form of cancer with only a 50% chance of survival.   This heartfelt attempt is derived from  the true story of David Reiser, who wrote the screenplay and based it on his real-life friendship with comic actor Seth Rogan who re-plays that role in the movie as Adam’s best friend Kyle.

As Adam’s rather ordinary life as a radio producer in Seattle is turned upside down by the news, the movie focuses on how everyone around him reacts, mainly badly. His girlfriend who wasn’t that keen on him in first place, declares her support, but sleeps around instead.  Kyle uses his friend’s illness to get sympathy sex for himself from a whole stream of girls, and Adam’s overbearing and highly emotional mother (played by the sublime Angelica Houston) drives him crazy.

Add to the plot an awkward and cold fish of an Oncologist who can never look Adam in the face, and a baby faced voung female Therapist who cannot stop looking …. at his face that is.

50/50 avoids being anything like a tearjerker because of Mr. Rogan’s excellent and funny performance as Kyle getting up to his antics, but personally I still felt a tad uneasy about the whole subject matter being worked as a comedy regardless of the final outcome.  And as capable actors they are … and I have always been a major fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt ... and he is extremely likable as Adam, he somehow just didn’t convincing seem like a leading man.  And Anna Kendricks as the Therapist looked like she was still in high school and so I simply couldn’t take her seriously despite her competant acting.

Despite that I am still putting it on my go-see list …… but maybe walk to the theater instead of running.


★★★★★★★

TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY

We Brits don’t usually like our treasured classics tempered with especially by foreigners (God forbid!) so I approached this new re-make of John Le Carrie’s consummate thriller ‘Tinker, Tailor Soldier, Spy’ with caution.  This old-school spy story set in the scary Cold War period in the 1960’s which has more than a hint of truth in its plot (‘le Carrie’ aka David Cornwall had been in the S.I.S.) is a tale of treachery and traitor(s) that relies so much its complicated murky plot to completely engage us rather than revert to the fast paced overblown violent action that is the norm in most espionage movies today.

The story opens with a bungled mission in Budapest which ends in a Brit M16 Agent being shot, and when the authorities are tipped off that this is a result of Soviet mole in their midst, ex master Spy George Smiley is forced out of retirement to unearth the traitor.  Smiley, (stunningly played here by Gary Oldman almost aping Alec Guinness’s performance in the original), enrolls an enthusiastic newcomer Peter Guillam (a fascinating Benedict Cumberbatch) to dig through all the Agency (known as The Circus) dirt  to unearth their man.

Tom Hardy on the Set

It’s a slow burning complicated story that demands our attention but keeps one in eager anticipation of the outcome. It’s helped by the fact that the film is swamped with a who’s who of some of the best contemporary Brit actors  … the four ‘suspect’ Agents are played by Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Ciaran Hinds and David Dencik.  And the rogue Agent Ricki Tarr who retuned to help in the hunt is another chance for Tom Hardy to show what an impressive (and hot!) actor he is.

I’ll confess that although I have fond memories of the 1979 Award–Winning-TV Series I dont remember too much detail beyond the impressive performances of Sir Alec, and the delightful discovery how wonderful the  sublime comic actor Beryl Reid was as Connie Sachs another Agent  (a part almost edited now and played by Kathy Burke).  But I do now  think having Swedish filmmaker Tomas Alfredson to direct this was an inspired choice as he added both a dark edge, more depth and a his very personal twist on this quintessential Brit movie.  Following Danish filmmaker Lone Scherfig’s wonderful interpretation of a 1960’s London in the stunning ‘An Education’, I’m thinking that maybe these Scandinavians know more about us than we do, or maybe it's their fresh take on something so familiar that help make their work so compelling.

Due to be released in the US this Fall .... put it on your list esp. if you are an anglophile. 


★★★★★★★★