The Tragedy of Macbeth

My View:  The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) R    A Scottish lord (Denzel Washington) is convinced that he will be King after being visited by a trio of witches. His ambitious wife (Frances McDormand) eggs him on, and Macbeth’s act of seizing power will lead to madness and death. As a kid growing up in the theatre, I have seen a lot of Shakespeare both on the stage and on the screen, and I can say that this is one of the most beautiful and thrilling productions I have ever seen. At times the film feels like you are front row of a stage production, with its minimalist sets and stark lighting, but then Denzel and Frances fill your screen with performances that jump out at you and grab you by the throat, and you realize you are witnessing brilliance and unmatched artistry. Directed by Joel Cohen, the film is shot in beautiful black and white, making the film feel like an instant classic while using all the tricks of current cinema to make the film flow effortlessly. One of the things I loved about this film is the interpretations of the Lord and Lady Macbeth. Washington’s Macbeth is a man who is weary of living in the shadows, and his lust for power drives him into madness, a madness that he seems to have no control over. McDormand’s Lady Macbeth is different altogether, a woman who plots and schemes, knowing full what she is asking her husband to do and damn the consequences. The supporting cast is flawless, with Brendan Gleeson playing King Duncan, a man loved by his men, making his murder that much more powerful, and Kathryn Hunter playing all three of the ‘weird sisters,’ the witches that foretell what will come. Add in a much-needed bit of comic relief by Steven Root, and the film is filled with performances that will thrill and marvel you. So sit back and watch with wonder and amazement a story that still has the power to thrill you to the core.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    The Tragedy of Macbeth Website  Now playing in select theatres and available on the Apple TV+ platform on Jan. 14th.

My View:  Passing  (2021) PG-13   Irene (Tessa Thompson) seems to have everything she has wanted. She lives in a nice house in a prosperous section of Harlem, with her two sons and her husband, Brian (Andre Holland), a successful doctor. But Irene isn’t happy, and this is brought out by a chance meeting with Clare (Ruth Negga), someone she was once friends with in high school. Clare is living a secret life; she is living as a white person, married to a racist (Alexander Skarsgard) who is clueless to Clare’s real identity. When we first meet Irene, she travels around shopping in New York due to her light skin, but the difference is Irene does it as a necessary way to go to shops that wouldn’t let her in if they knew her race. Passing is a story of two women who are not comfortable in the lives that they have created for themselves. Beautifully shot in black and white, we follow the two women as they become close, but there is always a barrier between the two, with Irene wanting what Clare has and Clare wanting to disappear into the life of Harlem. The film centers on Irene’s life, as she deals with a husband who wants to move to a foreign country, where he feels he can be free of living in a society that allows blacks to be hung for looking at a white person the wrong way. While the film centers on Irene, it's the performance of Ruth Negga that makes this film worth watching. Negga gives a mesmerizing performance of a woman who lives a life full of lies but is willing to lose everything for a friendship that she desperately wants and needs.   My Rating: Full Price Passing Website   Now playing in select theatres and on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest:  Storm Lake (2021)   Documentary about Art Cullen, who with his family and friends put out a twice-weekly paper, the Storm Lake Times, in a small town in Iowa. Shot during a time when small-town newspapers are dying at an incredible pace, this tiny newspaper tries to continue to serve its community and be a voice for the farmer and for democracy. I grew up with a father who, on a typical day, would read three or four newspapers in a day, so I have always loved local newspapers, the smaller, the better. I often would ask friends traveling the country to bring me back a newspaper from their hometown, loving to read about the latest news about store openings, bar-b-cues, and the always happening beauty pageant or talent show. We follow Art, who writes an opinion piece for each issue, his wife, who is in charge of local events, things she calls the ‘happy news,’ and Art’s son, who covers local politics. It’s a fascinating world of a paper that is holding on by a thread to keep going, even when the paper wins the Pulitzer Prize (which, by the way, hurt the paper locally). I loved this look at everyday life in a small town, where a store owner agonizes over running two ads or one, pondering if the extra 50 dollars will pay off in sales. The film is helped by the Democratic Iowa caucus, which meant that a lot of important politicians visited Storm Lake to try and propel their campaigns (Pete Buttigieg comes off the best of the parade of wannabe presidents). So pull up a chair and sit down to watch a small staff work their butts off to put out the best paper they possibly can while still covering that baby pig in a diaper visiting an elementary school.    My Rating: Full Price  Storm Lake Website  Now available on demand including for rent/purchase on the Amazon Prime platform.

My View:  Mother/Android (2021)   Georgia (Chloë Grace Moretz) and Sam (Algee Smith) should be happy as they are about to have a baby. The problem is the world has changed overnight as the androids built to serve mankind have turned on the human population. Now Georgian and Sam must go on a treacherous journey through the No-Man’s Land, a stronghold of the android uprising, in order for their baby to be born in safety. I liked the beginning of the story on how the android revolt started, but the film takes forever to get to any action sequences, and we spend a lot of time with Georgia and Sam talking to each other about baby names and how to get to Boston. The twist is something that you see from a mile away, and the film never delivers the punch to the gut that it desperately wants you to feel. Except for some nice chemistry between the two leads, this is a pretty bland attempt of an end of the world plot.   My Rating: Cable    Mother/Android Website  Now available on the Hulu platform.

Forgotten Film: Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold  (2017)   Joan Didion was a fantastic writer, someone who could go from writing a screenplay to a novel to a series of essays without breaking a sweat, and all were interesting and sometimes brilliant. All the while, she was married to another brilliant writer. John Gregory Dunne, as they edited each other’s work. This documentary is directed by the actor Griffin Dunne, who happens to be Didion’s nephew. He uses his connection and affection for Joan to get her to open up, sometimes shockingly frank, about her life. Didion was destined to be a writer, given a journal by her mother at age five, and she never stopped writing, giving us some of the most moving and amazing work, mainly dealing with what she experienced in her life. This is a fascinating documentary about a woman who just recently passed, a woman who wrote like her life depended on it. The documentary gives us a glimpse into a life filled with glamour, Hollywood stars coming in and out of her life like the parties that she used to have. Her life was also filled with sadness, in a marriage to a man who was often angry at her and the world, and in quick succession, she lost her husband and her adopted daughter in the span of a couple of years, only to write about it in the award-winning book The Year of Magical Thinking. Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold is a beautiful and fascinating look at a complex woman who would touch the world with her writing.   My Rating: Full Price   Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Tragedy of Macbeth: Shakespeare Consultant

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: I Want You Back (2022) R   Peter (Charlie Day) and Emma (Jenny Slate) meet by chance on a day that both of them got dumped. They decide to become a team to get back the ‘loves of their lives by breaking up their old partner's new relationships. What could go wrong? I can’t wait to see this rom-com because I have been a huge fan of Jenny Slate since her breakthrough starring role in Obvious Child (2014).   I Want You Back Website

Until Next Time!

Greta

My View:  Greta  (2018)  R  A young woman, Frances (Chloe Grace Moretz), befriends a widow (Isabelle Huppert) against the advice of her roommate (Maika Monroe). Frances will soon regret that she started up the friendship. This is a really strange stalker film with a performance by Isabelle Huppert that is just wacky. I enjoyed some of the film but I think that the filmmakers pushed it too far into left field and it never quite returns. I like Chloe Grace Moretz as an actress but she only has two expressions in this film; afraid and angry. My Rating: Cable    Greta Website

Indiefest:  Ruben Brandt, Collector  (2018)  R  A Psychotherapist (Iven Kamaras) suffers from violent nightmares inspired by famous works of art. He hires four patients of his to steal the artwork because he believes if he posses the artwork, the nightmares will stop. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this film. Part film noir, part experimental animation, the film has a unique look to it. All the characters look like they are right out of a Picasso painting, with some having two heads or three eyes. The plot is really cool and there are some great action sequences (one is a car chase in the streets of Paris). I highly recommend this animated action film for adults   My Rating: Full Price    Ruben Brandt, Collector Website

Indiefest:  The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind  (2019)  A young boy named William (Maxwell Simba) lives in a small village that is suffering through a horrible drought. To help his village survive he build a wind turbine inspired by a bike headlight. This is moving film about a family that is tearing apart and how a young boy saves the family and their crops by a keen mind and determination to never give up. Chiwetel Ejiofor, who stars as William’s father, also wrote and directed the film. Maxwell Simba gives a moving performance as William. The film is a beautiful look of a family struggling with life in a harsh country.  My Rating: Full Price    The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Website

Indiefest:  To Dust  (2018)  R  Shmuel (Geza Rohrig) is a Hassidic cantor in upstate New York who has just lost his wife and is struggling to find religious solace. He is secretly obsessing over how his wife’s body will decay. He develops a strange relationship with Albert (Matthew Broderick), a local community college biology professor. This film deals with death and how two very different men help each other and become unlikely friends. Geza Rohrig gives a brilliant and passionate performance of a man who is having a hard time dealing with the loss of his wife. Matthew Broderick is funny as the dim professor who is reluctantly helping Shmuel understand how a body decomposes.  My Rating:  Full Price   To Dust Website

Indiefest:  Apollo 11  (2019)  G   Documentary that looks at the landing on the moon by the Apollo 11 mission led by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Run, don’t walk, to your local IMAX theatre and see this amazing and spectacular film. This is one of the best documentaries that I have ever seen. It is worth the extra money for IMAX for the launch sequence alone. The footage is stunning and you see the mission from so many angles. I am a space junkie, having seen the landing while I was eleven on a B&W small tv in Mexico, but there is footage in this film that I have never seen before. One of the best film experiences that I have ever had.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Apollo 11 Website

Forgotten Film:  Altered States  (1980)  R  A Harvard scientist (William Hurt) conducts experiments on himself with a hallucinatory drug while he is in an isolation chamber. He starts to exhibit problems due to the process. Directed by Ken Russell and written by Paddy Chayefsky, this movie is one strange trip. The film delightfully goes in multiple directions because not only is this about tripping on mushrooms, it is also a love story between the scientist and his wife (played by the talented Blair Brown). The special effects for the time are amazing and it has a great soundtrack too.  My Rating:  Full Price    Altered States Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Greta:  Piano Coach

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Mustang  (2019)  R  Roman Coleman (Matthias Schoenaerts) is in prison for a violent crime. He volunteers for a rehabilitation therapy program involving the training of wild mustangs. The trailer is great and the stellar cast includes Connie Britton, Bruce Dern, and Jason Mitchell.    The Mustang Website

Until Next Time!

The 5th Wave

My View:  The 5th Wave  (2016)  PG-13  Four waves of increasingly savage alien attacks have hit earth and have devastated the planet. Cassie (Chloe Grace Moretz) is trying to save her younger brother from the aliens and may be the key to defeating them.  I liked this film, but it does follow the Young Adult book formula (it’s based on a best-selling soon to be trilogy): there is a love triangle, the two love interests for the main girl is a bad boy and a good guy, and kids are going to have to save the world because the adults can’t. As usual, Chloe Grace Moretz gives a satisfying performance, but the film is brought down by some rather stiff dialogue and not enough action. I will say that there was a twist in the plot that I didn’t see coming. Overall, it’s an acceptable film, but it could have been so much more.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The 5th Wave Facebook Page

My View: Dirty Grandpa  (2016) R  Jason (Zac Efron) is an uptight guy about to marry the girl of his dreams. He is tricked into taking his grandfather (Robert De Niro), a retired Army general, to Florida for spring break. After this trip, Jason will never be the same.  I hated this film. I have never seen a movie that uses more F-bombs, and most are when the Efron and De Niro characters interact. If you think jokes about pedophilia, selling drugs to minors and that it’s nothing to get arrested are funny, then this film is for you. Only Zac Efron fans should see this movie, and that’s only because you see a lot of Zac naked or without a shirt.  Oh, and it has one of the worst endings that I have ever seen.  This film is causing me to reconsider my respect and profound love for Robert De Niro.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Dirty Grandpa Website

Indiefest:  45 Years  (2015)  R  Kate (Charlotte Rampling) and her husband Geoff (Tom Courtenay) had to cancel the party for their 40th wedding anniversary, so with their 45th coming up, they plan a big celebration. Kate’s world starts to fall apart when she learns something about Geoff’s past. This is a film that moves slowly but brilliantly, as the relationship between Geoff and Kate starts coming apart closer to their anniversary. Reliving the past is tough on Geoff as he retreats further into his thoughts and spends less time with his wife. Director/writer Andrew Haigh, adapting a short story by David Constantine, has done a masterful job of bringing this moving and heartbreaking film to the screen. He creates tension slowly, as the couple deals desperately with the growing chasm between them. Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay are brilliant together on the screen. Their interaction makes it seem that they truly have been with each other for those forty five years. 45 Years is a touching film that will stay with you for a long time. There is a scene near the end of the movie where Rampling takes your breath away; the look she gives is just so painful to experience. We don’t know if their marriage survives.  We just know it will never be the same.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   45 Years Website

Indiefest:  Ip Man 3  (2015)  Pg-13   When a band of brutal gangsters threaten to overtake the city, Master Ip (Donnie Yen) is forced to take a stand against them. This is one of the best Kung Fu movies I have seen in the past ten years due to the excellent action sequences, a good script, Donnie Yen can act as well as fight, and the camera movement is exceptional. And, yes, Mike Tyson is in the film as the bad guy. He can’t act, but he does have a marvelous fight sequence with Yen. If you like action movies, I highly recommend this film.  My Rating: Full Price   Ip Man 3 Website

Indiefest:  Synchronicity  (2015)  R  Physicist Jim Beale (Chad McKnight) invents a time travel machine. He becomes suspicious of a woman (Brianne Davis) whom he meets.  To learn her motives, he sends himself back in time, potentially stopping the woman from stealing his invention for an untrustworthy venture capitalist.  Synchronicity is a low budget but excellent looking Sci-Fi movie that has a rather complicated love story at its center. It's also a mystery with more twists and turns than you could ever imagine. Some are slightly predictable, but more than once I was fooled and surprised. Writer/director Jacob Gentry never lets the film drag or get static. The film does get a bit complicated at times, but it does an excellent job of keeping us in the know as the movie progresses. I especially enjoyed the two leads of the movie. Chad McKnight, who plays the determined scientist Jim, has an nice presence on the screen and brings us a character that is the hero who tries to save his machine from the clutches of Klaus, yet he is also ready to risk everything for love. He has great chemistry with Brianne Davis who plays the mysterious and possible evil Helen. Davis has a quality about her that makes her the perfect femme fatale, bringing both an air of sexiness and smarts to the screen. Michael Ironside, who doesn’t play a huge part, still brings his menacing style to the screen, making Klaus a man not to be messed with. Synchronicity is a stylish Sci-Fi with a bit of film noir and mystery built in. It's a film that any Sci-Fi fan can get into and truly enjoy. It will keep you guessing on how it's going to end to very last frame.    My Rating: Full Price   Synchronicity Website

Forgotten Film:  Birth  (2004)  R  A young boy, Sean (Cameron Bright) shows up at a woman’s (Nicole Kidman) apartment and announces that he is her dead husband reincarnated. Even though her friends don’t believe the little boy, Anna (Nicole Kidman) slowly but surely starts to believe his story that the day he died while jogging, he was reborn as Sean.  This is an intriguing thriller that keeps you guessing how it will end. Kidman is dazzling as the widow. There is an scene where the camera stays on her face while she is at the Opera. In those three minutes, you see her gradually come to the decision that Sean is her husband. If you like thrillers/mysteries, and you love exceptional performances, this film is for you.   My Rating:  Full Price   Birth Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Dirty Grandpa:  Vault Operator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Race (2016)  R  The story of Jessie Owens, who went on to win 4 Gold Medals at the 1936 Olympics in  Nazi Germany.   The trailer looks outstanding and having seen a recent documentary on the subject; I can’t wait to see what they do with the story.   Race Website

Until Next Time!

The Revenant

My View:  The Revenant  (2015)  R  A frontiersman, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), and his son, Hawk (Forrest Goodluck), are scouts for a trapping expedition that is hit by Indians. Glass leads the men to an escape path when he is attacked by a bear and left for dead. Glass must now battle the elements to survive.   “The Revenant” is a brutally violent movie, but that violence is not exploited like a "campy" horror film and is shown to illustrate how harsh the world was in that time. The bear attack is horrific and goes on so long it becomes very uncomfortable to watch. Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu has created action sequences that are stunning to watch, especially since that scene was done with minimal amount of CGI special effects (mostly to animate the bear) and without “green screens.” Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his most powerful and captivating performances of his career. If he does win the Oscar for this role, it won’t be because of the dialogue as DiCaprio has more lines in Pawnee than in English. DiCaprio gives this part his all, and we can see it in his face and eyes as he fights for survival.  Overall, this is a film that, on one hand is beautiful and awe-inspiring, but also is a brutal movie to watch as we see men pushed to their very limits in a world that does not forgive. This film is a difficult journey the audience, but the performances of DiCaprio and Hardy make it worth the effort      My Rating: Full Price   The Revenant Website

My View:  The Forest (2015)  PG-13  The Aokigahara Forrest is at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan.  While a beautiful place, it’s known for one thing…where people go to commit suicide. Sara Price (Natalie Dormer) is in the area to search for her missing twin sister.  Sara must now enter the forest to try and find what happened, and it could be the last thing she ever does. Unfortunately, this is another of a long line of your run-of-the-mill horror films. It is rarely scary, relies on  “jump out of the dark” devices to produce the scary scenes. The storyline is simple and too predictable with an ending that you see coming a mile away. Natalie Dormer does a lot of screaming/running but isn’t asked to do too much more. Skip this film and rent “It Follows” instead.   My Rating: Cable   The Forest Website

Forgotten Film:  Places in the Heart (1984) PG   In 1930’s Texas, a sheriff’s widow (Sally Field), with the help of her kids, a black hobo (Danny Glover) and a blind boarder (John Malkovich), attempt to raise, then harvest that season’s first cotton crop. If they can succeed, the widow can save the family farm. The film features three astonishing performances by Glover, Malkovich and especially Field. It’s a story of perseverance and overcoming the odds, and the theme of the importance of family makes this film work so well.   My Rating: Full Price   Places in the Heart Info

In Case, You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray):   Sicario  (2015)  R  An FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is sent to join a task force to aid Mexico in the war against the drug cartels.  As she gets deeper and deeper into the mission, she starts to question the methods used to take down the cartels. Blunt gives a masterful performance in the film, making us root for her FBI agent character. Benicio Del Toro is perfectly cast as a mysterious, menacing consultant who just might be a C.I.A. agent with an agenda of his own. I liked the action sequences which were fast moving and well-choreographed. I just wish the script had been a little tighter, as there are a few plot holes that never get addressed. The film does have a scintillating score that helps create tension. This movie, due to its subject matter, that is hard to watch, though I enjoyed the film, yet it’s not one that I will want to revisit anytime soon.    My Rating: Full Price   Sicario Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Revenant:  Makeup Effects Lab Technician: Beaver Fabricator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The 5th Wave  (2016)  PG-13  Four waves of increasingly savage alien attacks have hit earth and have devastated the planet. Cassie (Chloe Grace Moretz) is trying to save her younger brother from the aliens and may be the key to defeating them. I love Chloe Grace Moretz and think she is one of the better young actresses in films today. Count me in for this one.   The 5th Wave Facebook page

Until Next Time!

Interstellar

My View:  Interstellar (2014)  PG-13 Earth is dying, and, when a wormhole is discovered, scientists come up with a plan to use the wormhole to travel through space.  A team of astronauts are assembled, led by Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) to fly the mission to find another planet where humans can live. This is an absolutely beautiful film, and I highly recommend watching it on the biggest screen you can find. I enjoyed this film, though it is full of scientific theories that are sometimes hard to follow. The film does take a while to get started (it’s almost 45 minutes until we get into space), but the action sequences are very cool and impressive.  McConaughey is on screen for almost the entire film and is superb in the role of a father who puts the needs of many others in front of the needs of his family. Out of the remainder of the cast (there are a few surprise actors in the film), I especially enjoyed Mackenzie Foy, who plays the smart and headstrong daughter of Cooper. This is a larger than life film, and its running time is almost 3 hours, but I guarantee it won’t feel that long.   My Rating: Full Price  Interstellar Website

Familyfaire:  Big Hero 6  (2014) PG  A young robotics engineer named, Hiro (Ryan Potter), and his plus-sized inflatable robot, named Baymax (Scott Adsit), uncover a criminal plot and put together a team of inexperienced crime-fighters to take on a masked villain.  I loved this film, which combines the super hero element of the Marvel films with the nice, personal touch of the Walt Disney films. You will fall in love Baymax and his little fist bump catch phrase. The film is enjoyable for both adults and children and teaches a wonderful lesson of listening to your conscience. The film is fast paced, full of colorful characters and has some exciting action sequences. I really didn’t notice the 3-D effects, so save a few bucks and see the 2-D version.  Be sure to stay through all the credits, as with most Marvel films, there is a bonus scene at the end that is worth the wait. The animated short, Feast, plays before Big Hero 6.  It’s a charming little tale of a dog with a big appetite.   My Rating: Full Price  Big Hero 6 Website

Indiefest:  Laggies  (2014) R 28-year-old Megan (Keira Knightley) is in a rut.  She lives with her high school boyfriend (Mark Webber) and not much has changed since her high school days.  When her boyfriend proposes, Megan freaks out and decides to take a week off from life.  She meets Annika (Chloe Grace Moretz) and starts hanging out with her and her high school friends.  Things are going well until Annika’s father (Sam Rockwell) enters the scene. If you love or even like Keira Knightley, you will enjoy this film. If you don’t like her, stay away as this is her film all the way. Knightley perfectly plays the young woman who just doesn’t know what she wants in life.  As usual, I also enjoyed Chloe Grace Moretz’s performance as the high school girl who is hurting from her mom leaving her and her dad.  This is a fun, smart romantic comedy that works well due to its stellar cast. My Rating: Full Price  Laggies Website

Indiefest:  Art and Craft  (2014)  PG  Mark Landis is a great painter.  Unfortunately, he is also one of the most prolific art forgers in US history. He doesn’t do it for the money, and, many times he has posed as a philanthropic donor, giving his work to museums.  After an investigator uncovers Landis’s work, Mark must now confront his own legacy.  This is a fascinating film about two men, one of which is Mark Landis, a disturbed man who for the past 30 years has fooled museums and art curators across the country with his forgeries. The second man is a former curator who has devoted his life to stoping Landis from fooling other museums.  Landis is a sad, but incredibly intresting man who is an extremely talented artist but one who only wants to make forgeries.  The film follows Landis as he goes about fooling galleries and museums, all the while people are trying to stop him.  My Rating: Full Price Art and Craft Website 

Forgotten Film:  Fat City  (1972) PG  This film, directed by John Huston, is about two boxers heading in opposite directions.  Stacy Keach plays a boxer who has seen better days and is haunted by the fight that got away.  Jeff Bridges plays the boxer whose career is on the rise but is slowly being held down by outside forces.  This is a gritty film that is fascinating to watch and is full of small dramatic moments.  Candy Clark stands out as the bride who has tricked the young boxer into marriage only to discover that it may not be everything she thought.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Fat City Info

In Case You Missed it (A film just released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Maleficent (2014) PG  I liked the special effects in this reworking of the Sleeping Beauty tale but I felt that the film had almost no plot.  It was if the art director made all the decisions on the film, making it a beautiful film without a lot of content.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  Maleficent Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of Big Hero 6:  Caffeinator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Imitation Game  (2014) PG-13  Benedict Cumberbatch plays an English mathematician who helps break the Nazi code during World War II.  Cumberbatch could read the phone book on screen, and I would still go see that film but this film looks like it could be an Oscar contender.  The Imitation Game Website

Until Next Time!

The Equalizer

My View:  The Equalizer (2014) R  Robert McCall (Denzel Washington)might look like an ordinary worker at a DIY supply store. But Robert is a man not to be messed with. McCall meets Teri (Chloe Grace Moretz), a young girl whose life is being controlled by Russian gangsters.  He decides to help her the only way he knows how – with his fists and his guns. This is a fun, but extremely violent film that has more substance to it than your normal action film. Washington gives his usual excellent performance, making Robert a very quiet, restrained man who doesn’t hesitate to defend the weak and come down hard on the bullies. I don’t think he uses the same technique twice in killing the bad guys, and you will never look at “Home Depot” the same again.  My Rating: Full Price  The Equalizer Website

Indiefest:  The Skeleton Twins (2014) R  Maggie (Kristen Wiig) and Milo (Bill Hader) are adult twins who haven’t seen or talked to each other in years. An unexpected reunion forces the two together and causes them to re-examine their lives.  I absolutely loved this film and the two performances of Wiig and Hader.  They have perfect chemistry, making this film such a joy to watch.  This is probably the funniest film about two depressed, suicidal people you will ever see. Wiig is brilliant as Maggie, who, on the surface has a perfect life but in reality is extremely unhappy with her life choices. Hader does the impossible with this role, making us like a character who isn’t always a joy to be around.  Go see this terrific, funny film!  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again The Skeleton Twins website

Indiefest:  Hector and the Search for Happiness  (2014) R  A psychiatrist (Simon Pegg) searches the world to find the secret to happiness. Pegg has fun with this role as he travels to China, Tibet, Africa and L.A. to sort out his life and visit friends. There are some very funny scenes in this film, though it is let down a little by some attempts to be more serious at times that doesn’t always work. If you are a fan of Pegg and his film career, you will enjoy this film. My Rating: Bargain Matinee Hector and the Search for Happiness Facebook page 

Indiefest: Believe Me  (2014) PG-13  Sam (Alex Russell) and his three roommates come up with a plan to make some money. They start up a sham charity and campaign across the country raising funds for a cause as fake as their message. I didn’t like this faith based- film, mostly because it couldn’t decide if it was a comedy or a drama.  I also didn’t like any of the characters as they all are out just to make a buck on unsuspecting churchgoers and never have any character growth.  The film’s ambiguous ending just made me not like the film more. My Rating: Cable  Believe Me Website

Indiefest: Jimi: All Is by My Side (2014)  R  This is the story of Jimi Hendrix (Andre Benjamin), the year before he became famous. He is discovered by Linda Keith (Imogen Poots), a famous British model who is notorious for dating rock stars. The film follows Hendrix to London, where he develops his sound and starts playing gigs. The film ends right before his famous appearance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, which made him a star. Andre Benjamin is brilliant in the role of Hendrix. He perfectly portrays the man and does extremely well singing in the Hendrix style. I loved Benjamin’s performance, but I was dissatisfied by the film.  The film is too long, and there isn’t any original Hendrix music in the film. The music that Hendrix plays is mostly old blues songs, though there is a rousing performance of a Beatles song near the end of the film. Much like Hendrix’s real life, it's an interesting film but I found it a little too unfocused, moving from one scene to another without a lot of reason.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Jimi: All Is by My Side Info

Forgotten Film:  Lenny  (1974) R Dustin Hoffman is brilliant as the 1960’s standup comic Lenny Bruce. Bruce was not an ordinary comic; his humor was a commentary on the social strifes of the day, thumbing his nose at the establishment.  This film perfectly shows the ups and downs of this intelligent but troubled comedian.  Hoffman was the ideal choice for this role, and he gives it his all.   My Rating:  Full Price  Lenny Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Equalizer:  graphic designer specialty tattoos

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Whiplash (2014) R A talented young drummer (Miles Teller) enrolls at a music conservatory.  A grizzled instructor (J.K. Simmons) begins teaching the young drummer, pushing him to his limits. Advanced word from film festivals is both actors give Oscar worthy performances.  Whiplash Website

Until Next Time!

Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

My View:  Frank Miller’s Sin City: A Dame to Kill For  (2014) R The characters of Sin City, including Marv (Mickey Rourke), Nancy (Jessica Alba), Dwight (Josh Brolin) and Gail (Rosario Dawson), are back for another storyline. I enjoyed the first hour of this film, but the storyline takes too long to develop, and the last thirty minutes just seems to drag.  Mickey Rourke is amazing to watch in this film, and I always enjoy Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s work on-screen.  I thought the look of the film was creative and is much better than the first Sin City film.  I just wish the storylines were more-thought out and the timeline made sense. I felt the 3-D in the film wasn’t used to its potential, so I recommend the 2-D screening.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For Website

Indiefest:  If I Stay  (2014) PG-13  A young woman’s (Chloe Grace Moretz) world is changed in an instant when she lapses into a coma after a horrific car accident.  During an out-of-body experience, she must decide to wake up to a life that she never imagined she would live.  I probably enjoyed this movie more than I should have just because I love Chloe Grace Moretz, who I think is one of the better young actresses out there.  The dialogue is rather clunky, and there are way too many moments that feel clichéd and forced.  The film gets confusing, at times, due to the repeated flashbacks, and the ending is highly predictable, however, the critic sitting next to me at the screening starting crying about half way through the film and didn’t stop until it was over.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  If I Stay Website

My View:  When the Game Stands Tall  (2014) PG High school football coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel) is a legend after leading his team to a 151-game winning streak.  His skill and compassion will be tested when he loses more than just a game.  This faith-based movie just never quite gets going with an incredibly low-key performance by Jim Caviezel who acts like he just woke up throughout the film.  This film never touches the heartstrings, and it goes on at least twenty-five minutes too long.  I did like Laura Dern who plays the coach's wife, and Michael Chiklis is a lot of fun to watch as the high-strung assistant coach. I think young kids will enjoy all the football action, but the rest of us will be bored.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  When the Game Stands Tall Website

Indiefest:  Alive Inside  (2014) This is a documentary about Dan Cohen, who tries to provide music to nursing home patients who are suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s.  The results are astounding as music apparently has the ability to combat memory loss and bring fulfillment to those suffering from it.  This is an intensely moving documentary that has some stunning moments in it.  To see the joy of music on the faces of people suffering from dementia is so beautiful to watch.  There are some unbelievable transformations in the film, including a 94-year-old man who rarely interacts with people and usually keeps his eyes closed and his chin on his chest, who comes alive when listening to music.  He even starts singing and dancing while seated in his wheelchair.  My Rating: Full Price  Alive Inside Website

Forgotten Film:  Mask (1985) R Rocky (Eric Stoltz) is an ordinary teenager with one problem -  he has a massive facial skull deformity.  He is being brought up by Rusty (Cher), a single mom determined that her son live a normal life.  Cher is the reason to see this film, and she does an impressive job of playing a woman who speaks her mind, making sure that her son is treated like any other kid. She has tremendous chemistry with Stoltz, which makes their relationship the center of the film.  Sam Elliott is perfect as Cher’s biker boyfriend.  This is a feel good movie that is inspiring to watch.  My Rating:  Full Price  Mask Info

Weird Credits:  From the film Frank Miller’s Sin City: A Dame to Kill For:  hair and makeup driver

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Life of Crime  (2014) R Two criminals (Mos Def, John Hawkes) kidnap the wife (Jennifer Aniston) of a corrupt land developer (Tim Robbins).  They demand 1 million dollars; the problem is the developer doesn’t want his wife back. Based on an Elmore Leonard novel, the film has been in pre-production since the 80’s.  This film has a great cast lead by Oscar nominee John Hawkes.  Life of Crime Website

Until Next Time!