The Great Gatsby

My View:  The Great Gatsby  (2013)  PG-13  Nick (Tobey Maquire) is a New York stockbroker at the height of the Roaring Twenties. Along with his cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan), he gets pulled into the mesmerizing world of Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), whose wealth and fame for staging elaborate parties are legendary. But, all that glitters is not gold and the more Nick finds out about Gatsby, the more puzzling the millionaire becomes.  Gatsby says a line that looks like the director, Baz Luhrmann, takes to heart: “You can’t repeat the past? Why, of course you can!”  When I was watching this film, it was like I was watching Luhrmann’s early film, Moulin Rouge! without all the singing.  This film feels like one long music video, which is fine for awhile, but after 143 minutes, it gets very tiring.  I wish that Luhrmann would have let this fine cast act instead of being a part of a very loud, very gimmicky film that can’t figure out its overall tone.  I enjoyed DiCaprio’s performance, though I did get tired of his use of the phrase, “Old Sport."  I thought Tobey Mcguire was agreeable as the writer/narrator of the story, but putting hip-hop music to a 1920’s setting just didn’t work.  It was as if Luhrmann wanted to make a film to accompany a modern soundtrack.  In fact, I think this film would have worked so much better if it had been set in the modern world as the storyline of wealth and deception is timeless. And, by the way, it’s not necessary to see this film in 3-D, even though it is very evident that many of the shots were done for that format.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Great Gatsby Website

My View:  Peeples  (2013)  PG-13    Wade Walker (Craig Robinson) wants to marry Grace Peeples (Kerry Washington), but he knows that she is a “daddy’s girl” and must get permission from her father (David Allen Grier) to marry her. So, Wade decides to crash the Peeples family reunion to meet the parents, but Wade doesn’t get the warm reception he was expecting.  I liked Craig Robinson in the lead role, thought he should stay in the comedy world, his attempts to do some dramatic parts in this film didn't quite work.  Washington was very cute in her role and David Allen Grier was very funny as the stuck up father of the Peeples clan.  It's not a great film but it does have it's funny moments, mostly when Robinson is allowed to go off script.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Peeples Website

Forgotten Film:  Europa Europa  (1990) R This remarkable film is about a young German Jew who escapes Nazi Germany, only to end up in a Polish orphanage that is taken over by the invading German army.  He convinces the Nazis that he is German and becomes a translator for them.  He does so well that they reward him by accepting him into the Hitler Youth Movement.  What is amazing about this film is that it is based on a true story, even though, at times, you question if what the young man experiences could ever really happen.  Marco Hofschneider is amazing as Solly, the boy who thinks at, any moment, the truth will be revealed.  The film explores in a way that is both gripping and inspirational what people will do to survive.    My Rating:  Full Price    Europa Europa Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Safe Haven  (2013) PG-13 While I didn’t hate this Nicolas Sparks love story starring Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel, I did find it very predictable, even the “so-called” plot twists throughout the film.  The film isn’t up to The Notebook standards, but it’s not as bad as some of the other Sparks films (I am pointing my finger at you Miley Cyrus).    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Safe Haven Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Erased  (2012)  R  This film about an ex-CIA agent (Aaron Eckhart) and his estranged daughter (Liana Liberato) are on the run, has been sitting on the shelf for more than a year (never a good sign).  Quickly now, quickly - where have we seen this plot before?   Erased Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Great Gatsby:  Soft Furnishings

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Before Midnight (2013) R  Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke reprise their roles as the star-crossed lovers from the earlier films Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004).  If director Richard Linklater wants to keep making these films, then I will gladly keep seeing them.   Before Midnight Info

Until Next Time!

Flight

My View:  Flight (2012) Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) is an airline pilot whose quick thinking and brave flying saves a plane and its passengers from a fiery death. But when the authorities begin an investigation into the crash, questions arise and Whip comes under the microscope. This is Denzel’s movie, as he is on-screen almost the whole film and his performance is certainly Oscar quality. The crash sequence is absolutely the best one I have ever seen.  You really feel like you are a part of the flight. John Goodman makes a couple of brief appearances in the film as one of Whip’s buddies, and he takes over those scenes with humor that only Goodman can do. I do feel, though, that the script is a little lacking.  It’s too long, full of clichés that you generally anticipate and there is just too much of Denzel’s character brooding about in rooms. But the film is worth seeing because of Denzel and the crash scenes.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Flight Website

My View:  Cloud Atlas (2012) A tale that takes place over hundreds of years where the action of one person affects the lives of many in the present and in the future. If someone commits a horrible act in one life, can that person be redeemed by committing acts of kindness in their future lives? First off, pack a lunch because this movie is 172 minutes long. It’s a film that you have to pay close attention to because it does a lot of moving about from one time period to another, sometimes very abruptly. Each of the main actors play 5 to 6 characters in the film, and sometimes the makeup is so well done, you can’t tell which actor is portraying certain parts. It’s a gorgeous film, and there are quite a few action sequences to keep the film moving. While I did appreciate the film, and I really liked certain portions of the film, I found that it’s not a film that I want to ever experience again, because while I did enjoy the ending and how everything connected together, it just wasn’t that overwhelming of an experience that it should have been.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Cloud Atlas Website

Indiefest: The Sessions (2012) Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes) contracted polio at age 7. It’s the mid-80’s in San Francisco. Mark is now 38 and spends most of his time in an iron lung with almost no muscle control in his body. Mark has tried to start relationships with women, but has never found anyone who is willing to take a chance on him. Mark decides that time is running out for him, and he wants to lose his virginity, so he enlists counsel of his priest (William H. Macy) and the help of a sex surrogate (Helen Hunt) to accomplish his goal. It’s a goal that will not only change Mark’s life but will change the lives of so many people who know him. This is one of the better films of the year with incredible performances by Hawkes and Hunt, with Hawkes giving his performance with just his voice and his eyes. The film is based on a true story and is about 80 percent accurate, with the poems in the film written by the real Mark O’Brien. I am warning you that there are lots of nudity, and you do see the sex acts between Hawkes and Hunt, but they are tastefully done, with the scenes between the two characters filled with humor and warmth.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   The Sessions Website

Indiefest: The Details (2012) A family of raccoons has decided that Dr. Jeffrey Lang’s (Tobey Maguire) beloved backyard is the perfect feeding ground. Dr. Lang becomes obsessed with ridding his yard of the pests, by any means necessary. This war on the raccoons could destroy his yard…and his marriage. This is a dark comedy where Maguire’s character just gets caught up in more and more bad things, some are his fault, some the fault of others. Elizabeth Banks plays his wife, who seems to be the perfect wife until you see that their marriage is just about appearances, much like the yard that Maguire’s character obsesses about. Laura Linney is sensational in the role of the crazy neighbor, who becomes the key to all that happens to Maguire’s character. This isn’t a great film, but it does have some really creative scenes and a cast that is worth watching.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Details Info

Forgotten Film: Freaks (1932) This film, directed by Tod Browning (Dracula), is one of the scariest films I have ever seen. A beautiful trapeze artist, Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova), finds out that Hans, a little person working in the circus, is about to inherit a lot of money. She sets her sights on him and manipulates him into wedding proposal, all the while she is having an affair with the Circus strongman, Hercules (Henry Victor). Most of the cast is made of up of actual sideshow performers, such as Siamese Twins and Human Skeleton. When the sideshow performers find out that Cleopatra is just using Hans for his money, they set out for revenge. The ending of this film must be seen to be believed.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee Freaks Info 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Flight:   Addiction Consultant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Life of Pi (2012) The story of an Indian boy name Pi, who, after a ship he was on is sunk in a storm, finds himself on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. I know it sounds weird, but it’s directed by Ang Lee, and the word is that this is a magical film.    Life of Pi Website

Until Next Time!