Mama

My View:  Mama (2013)   Two young girls (Megan Charpentier, Isabelle Nelisse) are found in a remote cabin, apparently living by themselves for the last five years. The two orphaned girls are taken in by their uncle (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend (Jessica Chastain). Mysterious things start happening in the home, and the big question is are the girls causing the problems or did they bring something with them? The first 15 minutes of this film are truly scary, especially when we first meet the two girls after they have spent 5 years in the cabin by themselves, but the rest of the film can’t sustain that level of fright and rarely are there any other true scary moments. Chastian isn’t given much to showcase her talents, as she plays a character who doesn’t want to be in charge of the children. The end of the film is very disappointing and somewhat confusing, which makes the film just not very fun to watch. The film was originally a short, but maybe there isn’t enough material to make a full length flick, and it certainly feels that way.   My Rating: Cable   Mama Website

Indiefest: The Impossible (2013)   Based on a true story of a family who, while on vacation at a coastal resort in Thailand, are separated after a devastating Tsunami hits. Naomi Watts, in an Academy Award nominated role, plays Maria, the mom who has given up being a doctor to raise her family. Ewan McGregor plays the father, Henry, who, when separated from his wife and oldest boy, risks his own life to find them once again. Watts is brilliant in the role of a woman who is determined to make sure that her oldest son (Tom Holland) survives the ordeal, even if it means risking her own life. The special effects are incredibly realistic and you get the full effect of what it would be like to be hit by a tidal wave of water and debris. This is an awe-inspiring film that keeps you not only on the edge of your seat, but also brings tears as you wonder how, and if anyone, can survive such tragic devastation.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   The Impossible Website

Indiefest: LUV  (2013) An 11 year old boy, Woody (Michael Rainey Jr.), plays hooky from school when his uncle Vincent (Common) decides to give him a lesson on how to be a man. But, it’s a tough world, especially if you are an ex-con like Vincent, which makes it even harder to start over. The film has an excellent supporting cast including Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover and Charles S. Dutton. Common does an admirable job as the ex-con who’s gets in deeper and deeper into something that he may not survive. But it’s Michael Rainey Jr., as Woody, who makes this film enjoyable to watch, as he brings a presence to the screen that has to be seen to be believed.  My Rating : Bargain Matinee   LUV Website

The 50 (A Movie From My Best/Worst Films of All Time)

#9 Worst Film

The Postman  (1997) Kevin Costner stars in this film about post nuclear war America. Since you will be bored out of your mind watching this film, watch for a small cameo by rocker Tom Petty. Will the mail get through? No one cared in 1997 when the film was released, and you shouldn’t now.    The Postman Info

Forgotten Film:  In the Heat of the Night (1967)  Not to be confused with the Carol O’Connor TV show from the late 80’s, this film is a classic murder mystery film with the setting in the Deep South. Sidney Poitier plays Virgil Tibbs, a Black police detective from Philadelphia who has the bad luck to be at a train station in Sparta, Mississippi just after a white businessman was murdered. Tibbs is arrested for the crime, based only on his race and the fact that he is new in town and has money. When the Police Chief in the town (played by Rod Steiger) learns that Tibbs is not only a policeman, but one of the finest detectives on the Philly force, he enlists Tibbs to help with the investigation. But now you have a Black man investigating the murder of a white man in a racist town. The film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Steiger. That Poitier wasn’t even nominated was an injustice, as he is brilliant in the role of the smart and proud Tibbs. The film was shot on location and perfectly captures the nuances of the small town life in 1960’s Mississippi.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   In The Heat of the Night Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD): Frankenweenie (2012) I feel that children 6 and under shouldn’t see this film as it was a little scary and there are deaths in the film. My view was that you could only really enjoy this film if you were a big Tim Burton fan.  If you’re not a fan, you will probably be bored.   My Rating: Cable   Frankenweenie Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):   Knife Fight (2013) A political comedy about a strategist who is trying to get three very different candidates elected. The cast makes this film sound like it should be on TV, with Rob Lowe, Jennifer Morrison and Julie Bowen headlining . The big problem:  Audiences in the theatre won’t be able to change the channel.    Knife Fight Info

Weird Credits: From the Credits of Mama: Nightmare Concept Design

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Stand Up Guys (2013) A bunch of aging con men try to get the guys back together for one last con. Cast includes Al Pacino, Alan Arkin, Christopher Walken and Juliana Margulies. Hey, Christopher Walken doing a con, count me in!   Stand Up Guys Website

Until Next Time!