Posts published under “Review”
Oscar Nominated Tribute to Legendary Choreographer
PINA (2011/ In Theaters) 
With this film, Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire, Buena Vista Social Club) delivers a fascinating and moving 3D tribute to the late choreographer and dancer Pina Bausch. The documentary had been planned for many years when Bausch died suddenly of cancer at the age of 68–just before filming was to start. Wenders continued on and created his “Film for Pina Bausch” using clips of actual performances, intercut with new interpretations and moving tributes danced and spoken by members of her company. If you, like me, are unfamiliar with the work of Pina, here are a few things to know before you buy your ticket to this film. First, this is modern dance in the fullest sense, with a typical Germanic bent for the avant-garde. For example, the two most famous of Pina’s works are shown: her interpretation of the Rite of Spring (1975) performed on a stage filled with dirt, and Café Müller (1978), in which dancers stumble around the stage crashing into tables and chairs in a stark space. Second, there is no real storyline here—Wenders was not out to tell us Pina’s story; rather, we are watching the results of her work over 40 years and more importantly her influence over the members of her company. The modern dance performances and re-interpretations are shown to us several ways, including in the studio of today, as recorded originally, or in naturalistic settings (i.e. on the subway, in gardens, in streets, etc.). Finally, just as a warning, there are some rather disturbing themes which emerge in the dance pieces particularly involving interactions between women and men—often with women in what appear to be highly subservient positions. Not a film for everyone, but I found it well worth the price of admission, even with the 3D up-charge.
Grade: A-
NOTE: This film is up for a 2012 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature; it won that same category at the German Film Awards in 2011.
P.S. The dance scenes in Pedro Almodovar’s Talk to Her are Pina’s. Who knew?
Movies That Make You Cringe: a special dispatch from our friend Justin
Posted for Justin by Sarah G.
THE GREY (2012/In Theaters)
Do you like wolves? Plane crashes? Watching Liam Neeson struggle to survive? If so, then you will love The Grey. This is a fantastic movie about a group of men trapped in the Alaska wilderness who have to combat the cold, the snow, and intruding wolf packs. Directed by Joe Carnahan, this movie depicts a survival situation that no one would want to find themselves in. This movie is intense and emotional, especially the effective lead performance by Neeson (along with many others). It is loaded with great cinematography, great effects, and no CGI. The cast and crew worked outside in the freezing cold while making the movie and surrounded themselves with actual wolf packs. In fact, Neeson is under fire from PETA for eating wolf meat during the shooting. (Being a movie star, I don’t understand why he just didn’t go for filet mignon.) I am a huge fan of survival movies and this one is one of the best I’ve seen in a while. I compare it to Deliverance, Into the Wild, and Alive. Anyone will enjoy this film, and a lot already have, seeing that it won the box office on its opening weekend. See it and be prepared to be scared the next time you see a big dog on the street.
GRADE: A-
Great Faces in a So-So Action Flick
HAYWIRE (2011/IN THEATERS) 
The previews for Stephen Soderbergh’s latest effort looked pretty darn good. Featuring a boatload of good looking faces including Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, and Michael Douglas, and introducing real-life kick-ass MMA superstar Gina Carano as the main character Mallory Kane (a woman’s version of Jason Bourne), the previews promised lots of action combined with classic Soderbergh arty filmmaking. Critics like the film and have given it an 86% positive Rotten Tomatoes rating. Audiences on the other hand have reacted quite differently, voting the movie a D+ Cinemascore and a low 46% on RT. The plot of the film (which is very thin) has us following Mallory Kane as she makes her way from upstate New York to her father’s house in New Mexico, pursued by her former employer and lover Kenneth (McGregor) who has set her up in her last jobs in Barcelona and Dublin, and is clearly looking to polish her off. Why, we don’t know and won’t know until a final “reveal” at the end. As Mallory waits in a small coffee shop, her friend/colleague (or enemy?) Aaron (Tatum) enters and asks her to leave with him. When she refuses, he throws hot coffee in her face and starts to smash her head into the floor. Not to worry, though, since our girl is able to eventually break his arm and knock him unconscious. Hey! It is an action picture after all. Through a series of flashbacks we see that Mallory’s past week has been full of action—including at least one person posing as her partner who is also trying to kill her (Fassbender, in a small but well played part). He dies too. I won’t spoil the movie for you by giving more plot details, but let’s just say this is no “Bourne Identity.” For some reason, despite all these attractive and talented actors, and some cool editing and music, the picture is not at all suspenseful and feels slow. It could be the story-line and the absence of any clever dialog. But perhaps the biggest problem is Gina Carano herself. She is a real-life MMA superstar and that shows on screen. But unfortunately she can’t act and since she is the centerpiece of the picture, that’s a problem which is hard to overcome. My advice: wait for the DVD—this will be a perfect popcorn movie one of these long winter nights.
Grade: B-
Irish “Upstairs/Downstairs” with a Twist
ALBERT NOBBS (2011/IN THEATERS) 
Congratulations are in order for Glenn Close who has been working for years to create this film after playing the part of Albert Nobbs on stage in 1982. Set in 19th century Dublin, the movie tells the story of Albert, who works as a waiter in an upper middle-class residential hotel owned and run by Mrs. Baker (Pauline Collins). Albert is “an odd little man,” according to both hotel guests and staff, but he’s good as his job and attentive in his own way. Little do they know just how “odd” he is—since he’s in fact not a man at all, but a woman, who has been disguised for over 30 years without detection. Exceedingly quiet, Albert observes much and says little, but up in his room he is stashing away his tips under the floorboards. Life seems to be moving as normal until one day when Mrs. Baker assigns him a roommate in the form of Mr. Page, a painter working in the hotel for a day or so. Albert is petrified of being discovered but instead finds a kindred spirit in Page (a very strong Janet McTeer) and begins to dream of using his savings to buy a little shop and start a new life. As part of that life, he’ll need a wife and so he also begins to pursue the young and high-spirited waitress Helen (Mia Wasikowska) who is already in love with the handsome “waster” Joe (Aaron Johnson) who works as the handyman for the establishment. It’s an odd little movie with the feel of a BBC period production. The costumes and detail are wonderful, and the performances of the ensemble cast (which includes Brendan Gleeson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers among others) are uniformly strong. Still, it’s hard to identify with the story. Perhaps it’s best to appreciate it as the labor of love it is for Glenn Close—she not only stars as the title character but also is one of the producers, co-wrote the screenplay, and even wrote the lyrics for “Lay Your Head Down,” sung by Sinead O’Connor during the closing credits. You have to admire that much dedication and of course, we’ll be seeing Ms. Close at the Oscars where she is nominated for Best Actress. Good luck to her!
Grade: B
BTW: Janet McTeer is also up for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar and for the same award from the Independent Spirits.
ALSO: The movie is up for a 3rd Oscar for Makeup. To learn more about the transformation of Glenn Close into Albert Nobbs, be sure to watch the featurette at IMDB.
Meryl Streep Deserves That Oscar
THE IRON LADY (2011/IN THEATERS) 
The general take on this film is that Meryl Streep is fabulous and the movie is not. I think this verdict is more or less spot-on. Meryl Streep is truly impressive in her performance as Margaret Thatcher, showing us the up-and-coming grocer’s daughter, the tough prime minister, and the dementia-ridden older version of herself. It’s a sad story at heart, which has chosen to focus on the memories and hallucinations of this older woman, and utilizes a series of flashbacks to give us just a brief glimpse of the rise of Mrs. Thatcher and a taste of her tough-minded politics. Thatcher is surely one of Britain’s most remarkable individuals (whether you love or hate her politics) and movie viewers were disappointed not to learn more about her in the film. You might be reminded of this year’s J. Edgar, which also chose to focus on the person, not the history, and likewise aged its character over many years. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd of Mama Mia fame, this film is based on a screenplay by Abi Morgan (who is also credited with the screenplay for Shame). Jim Broadbent is cast as Margaret’s husband Denis, who was her partner in life and appears in the film as her companion/tormenter in his death. Audiences and critics have been largely disappointed by the movie, giving it a tepid 55% Rotten Tomatoes rating. For my part, I thought the film did a wonderful job of showing us what dementia looks like and feels like, even for very powerful and famous people. And I’ll say it again—I was blown away by Meryl Streep’s performance. She will have earned her Oscar. Catch this movie just for her performance, but don’t expect to walk away as satisfied as you were with “The Queen” or “The King’s Speech.”
Grade: A+ for Streep; B- for the film itself
P.S. One User Reviewer at IMDB perhaps said it best: “…one must surely agree that Mrs. Thatcher deserves to be remembered as a major political figure, not as a half-mad old lady pottering about her flat.”
P.P.S. The role of Denis Thatcher reminded me of that lovely British film, “Truly, Madly, Deeply” which features Alan Rickman as the dead husband who lovingly haunts his wife. Check that one out when you get a minute!
An Ensemble Cast Worth Watching But No “Financial Thriller”
MARGIN CALL (2010/DVD/STREAMING) 
Early this morning first-time director/screenwriter J. C. Chandor was nominated for an Oscar for Original Screenplay for this film —talk about a big day! Chandor and his impressive ensemble cast for the film have also already won the Robert Altman Award from the Independent Spirits and the film is up for “Best First Feature” and “Best Screenplay” from the Spirits as well. As you may know, this movie was first shown at last year’s Sundance (2011) and is presently serving as an excellent example of how releasing to VOD (Video on Demand) can not only work, but end up creating extra buzz and box-office returns for small films. This is all good. But does the film work as a film?? I guess I was expecting more when I finally watched it last night. True, the movie really does feature a remarkable cast: Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci, and more. The storyline is loosely based on Lehman Brothers and takes place over two days and one very long night. As the film opens, an unnamed trading company has just laid off 80% of its workers. One of those laid off is Eric Dale (Tucci) in the Risk Dept. who has been working on “something big” which he hands to his young turk Peter Sullivan (Quinto) as he exits the building. Sullivan—a true rocket scientist who has moved to trading because the money is better—plugs a few numbers and discovers armageddon arriving in the form of over-leveraged deals coming back to roost. Sullivan calls his boss Will Emerson (Bettany) who calls old-line ace trading manager Sam Rogers (Spacey) and together they call in next level up pretty boy Jared Cohen (Baker) along with BIG Risk Manager Sarah Robertson (Moore) and CEO John Tuld (Irons). Around a somber meeting table at 5:00 a.m., the word comes down—unload these deals in the morning, before noon and before all the poor suckers who purchase them have time to back away. In other words, cheat all your customers as fast as possible, and then get ready to run away. Not a pretty picture. How about the film? It’s been advertised as a “financial thriller”—whatever that is! I would say it’s slow but interesting, an interior piece that will remind you of Glengarry Glen Ross. Watch it for the performances. But don’t get your hopes up. And as to that Oscar? Let’s hope it goes to someone more deserving.
Grade: B-
A Journey of Self-Discovery with a 9/11 Backdrop
EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE (2011/IN THEATERS) 
At the center of this film is 11-year old Oskar Schell, whose father was in one of the twin towers on the morning of 9/11 and is presumed to have jumped to his death. Oskar (played by first timer Tom Horn) is a precocious and very bright child (he has been tested for Asperger’s) whose loving and warm father had devoted much time and energy to his upbringing. Through many flashbacks, we see the father (a very solid Tom Hanks) interacting with his son, posing word challenges and creating giant puzzles needing to be solved, including the ultimate challenge for young Oskar—discovering proof of the 6th borough of New York City. This is the puzzle the two were working on when 9/11 hit. So it feels only natural that Oskar, grieving for his father, creates the ultimate challenge for himself when he discovers a secret key in his father’s closet—with the only clue being the word “Black” hand-written on the little envelope which holds it. Oskar sets off on to find out what that key unlocks, determined to meet everyone named “Black” in all of NYC. This description makes the movie sound somewhat straightforward, but as readers of the book by Jonathan Safran Foer know, it is a very complicated and interwoven tale, full of emotion, memory and endless searching. Among the other characters important to the story are Oskar’s grieving mother (Sandra Bullock, also very good), his indulgent and loving grandmother (Zoe Caldwell), and her mysterious renter who never speaks (a marvelous 80-year-old Max Von Sydow). You’ll recognize Viola Davis, John Goodman and Jeffrey Wright in other small but key roles. There are lots of faces and tons of story to go around. Some critics (and viewers) have found the film too manipulative—as in, trying to pull 9/11 tears from us yet again. But I think director Stephen Daldry and screenwriter Eric Roth have done a good job with a very difficult book and topic. And they cast well when they found young Tom Horn on a kid’s Jeopardy show—he has just the right balance between fascinating, endearing and totally irritating—all called for in the part. The movie is a bit long at 2 hours and 9 minutes, but I think, if you are a fan of Daldry’s “The Hours,” you will enjoy this one as well.
Grade: A-
BTW: Jonathan Safran Foer’s first novel, “Everything is Illuminated,” was also made into a movie by Liev Schreiber. It’s one of my personal favorites—be sure to check it out!
Cronenberg’s Triangle Illustrates Early Days of Psychoanalysis
A DANGEROUS METHOD (2011/IN THEATERS) 
Canadian Director David Cronenberg’s new film featuring a top-notch cast (Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen and Keira Knightley) appears to be much more popular with critics than with viewers—too much “talking” many say in their comments. The reason for this perhaps lies in the film’s source since the movie is an adaptation of Christopher Hampton’s 2002 stage play “The Talking Cure” (which itself is based on the 1993 non-fiction book by John Kerr entitled “A Most Dangerous Method: the Story of Jung, Freud and Sabina Spielrein”). Hampton—an Oscar winner for his 1988 screen adaptation of his play Dangerous Liaisons–is credited with the screenplay for this film. Of note, he was nominated again in 2007 for adapting Ian McEwan‘s novel Atonement. This time around, we have Fassbender playing a young Carl Jung, living in Zurich with his wealthy wife and just getting connected with Vienna-based Mortensen as his eventual father figure Sigmund Freud. The opening shots introduce us to the third party in this triangle—a Russian patient heading to Jung for treatment.
Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightley in character
She is Sabina Spielrein who suffers from numerous afflictions and for whom Jung recommends the new “talking cure.” Critics (and viewers) are split on Knightly’s performance, which is certainly intense, and some have criticized her Russian accent. But I found her portrayal to be edge-y and excellent—she is a bundle of nerves with a quick brain. As you’ll know if you’ve seen any previews, she’s also a fan of the combination of spanking and sex. Aha! You knew it was a Cronenberg movie after all, right? Jung falls for young Sabina and is also influenced by another mad patient—Otto Gross (an excellent Vincent Cassell)—who encourages him to taste all that the world has to offer. The film moves across a number of years as Freud and Jung come together, and then apart, in their ideas of just how their new science should progress. Mortensen has received good reviews for his performance as Freud and you can see why in the film. He gives a nuanced and quiet, but very detailed, version of the elder statesman of psychoanalysis. I for one really enjoyed this film and would love to see it again. I recommend it for fans of psychology and history—the costumes and sets are very well done. It’s unfortunate that audiences have decided to diss almost anything Keira Knightley does these days. She gives a very strong performance here IMHO. And frankly any chance to watch Mr. Fassbender at work is more than worth it. Recommended for a future DVD rental.
Grade: A-
Fassbender’s Bravura Performance Is For Adults Only
SHAME (2011/IN THEATERS) 
Let’s just begin by saying that this film is not for everyone. In case you haven’t read about it yet, the subject matter is sex addiction and according to at least one reader comment in the IMDB message boards, the movie nails it. The film centers on Michael Fassbender who stars as Brandon–a good-looking, young, seemingly successful 2nd or 3rdtier marketing type in the Big Apple. Brandon appears to be doing well—he has a nice apartment, spends time in good-looking bars with his boss and other colleagues from work, easily picks up women in these bars, and generally is not lacking for feminine companionship. Early in the film, we see him rising from bed to take a shower while his latest encounter is heading out the door. On the subway, he makes eye contact with a flirtatious woman (wearing an obvious wedding ring) and even follows her a bit, but nothing looks sinister. It’s only as the movie progresses that we see that Brandon is more than just your average young man getting it on. He’s really hooked on sex—his work computer has become completely junked with it; his home computer is ready with live-sex options at all times; and he’s happy to screw anyone, anywhere, including quite a few hookers who appear throughout the movie. But that’s his life–he’s living it and seems content. Until, that is, his younger sister Sissy (a terrific Carey Mulligan) appears and asks to crash at his place. Sissy is a nightclub singer (of sorts) who is the definition of “needy.” Her presence interrupts
Michael Fassbender in Shame
Brandon’s patterns and begins to drive him crazy. We don’t learn much about these two siblings, but it’s easy to see that they are obviously totally screwed up and have been for a while. Unfortunately for both, the more Sissy leans into Brandon, the more he runs away. There are several really compelling scenes in this film: Sissy’s rendition of “New York, New York” as a club singer is spell-binding and Brandon’s brief effort to have a normal relationship with a lovely woman from work is sweet and poignant. The nighttime NYC depicted in this movie will remind you of Taxi Driver—it’s wet, dirty and harsh. And maybe that’s the best way to describe this film overall. Nonetheless, it will keep you watching and thinking for days after you have left the theater. Catch it if you’re in the mood for something serious.
Grade: B+
BTW: Fassbender had a giant 2011—with starring roles in Jane Eyre, X-Men: First Class, A Dangerous Method and Shame. Next up is Soderbergh’s “Haywire,” which had its Hollywood premiere last week.
ALSO: Mr. Fassbender already won Best Actor at Cannes last May for his performance in Shame and is up for a Golden Globe for it this coming Sunday. This is his second film in collaboration with Director Steve McQueen (No, not that one! He’s dead!). Their first effort was “Hunger,” which I confess was too much for me to see.
Touching Portrait of Immigrant Life in the U.S.
A BETTER LIFE (2011/DVD) 
Here’s a small movie that delivers big. It’s the story of Carlos Galindo (Demián Bichir), a hard-working illegal immigrant and single father living in LA with his 15-year-old son Luis (José Julián). Carlos works as a gardener/landscaper for a fellow Mexican—and he works hard. He sleeps on the couch in his small house so that his son can have a bed and bedroom. He gets home late, rises early and even maintains a garden in his own backyard to give clients starter plants. Luis is a classic teenager—he skips school often, hangs with gang-related kids, picks a fight over his girlfriend and gets expelled. Carlos worries about Luis and well he should, since Luis is being lured into the LA gang life. Meanwhile Carlos’ boss Blasco (Joaquin Cosio) is offering him the opportunity to buy his truck, tools and clients, since Blasco is heading back to Mexico and his small farm. But the cost is not cheap ($12,000) and Carlos has no driver’s license, naturally. Initially he says “no, I’ll just keep my head down,” but after a day with no luck at finding work and with an offer from his sister of a loan of the money (from her savings), Carlos decides to take a chance and buy the truck. He is more than thrilled and tells Luis that this is the start of a “better life” — a better school, better chances, better everything. Bad luck strikes fast, though, when Carlos’ truck and all his equipment is stolen by the immigrant worker he himself chose to help him with his new business. Argh! Determined to get the truck back and unable to seek help from the police, Carlos takes Luis with him and gives us a tour of the under-belly of immigrant LA. I won’t spoil the plot by saying anymore, but I will say that the ending is beyond poignant. A terrific view of the reality of immigrant life today in the U.S. and well worth watching.
Grade: A-
BTW: Demián Bichir has been nominated for Best Actor by the Screen Actors Guild and also the Independent Spirit Awards. Here’s hoping he wins something!
ALSO: The film is directed and co-produced by Chris Weisz who also gave us About a Boy, The Golden Compass, and even The Twilight Saga: New Moon. A strange combination for sure.
FINALLY: Roger Ebert gives the film 3 ½ stars and notes that it brings to mind
“…some of the shape of “The Bicycle Thief,” the 1948 Italian neo-realist classic by Vittorio de Sica.”
