Blog Archives
Flash Movie Review: Senso
If it has not happened yet, count on your heart coming out victorious at least once in a wrestling match with your brain. Many of us have experienced that one relationship where we know it is not the best for our mental health (sometimes physical health), but our heart has already bought the ticket for the ride. I can remember being in a relationship where the good times overshadowed the uncomfortable moments. It felt like I was sitting outside and watching the most spectacular fireworks display, yet I was shivering from the cool night breezes. The explosions of color aka my heart, kept me seated even though the wind aka my brain, was telling me to go inside. It happens to all of us, but maybe not as dramatically as it did with the La Contessa Livia Serpieri. Played by Alida Valli (Eyes Without a Face, The Third Man), the Contessa Serpieri lived in Venice Italy during the mid 1800’s when the area was under Austrian occupation. Trying to help her resistance fighter cousin; she set up an introduction to meet Austrian Lieutenant Franz Mahler, played by Farley Granger (Rope, Strangers on a Train). The meeting would set in motion forces that would jeopardize family, friends and even the very existence of Venice. This historical drama was a lush, musical movie to watch. Filmed in 1954 there was a different sensibility back then, where the actors exuded a more physical display of emotions. It almost appeared as if they were overacting. Keeping that in mind, it made sense since the sets were so voluptuous and abundant. In addition, filling the musical soundtrack with pieces by Giuseppe Verdi and Anton Bruckner; I felt I was in the middle of a grand opera, set in the beautiful city of Venice. For some this movie may seem way over the top; but to me, it was obvious this film was made from the heart. Italian and German with English subtitles.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: No
The amount of money spent on marketing political candidates these days is obscene to me. There are countries that do not come close to having such amounts in their treasury. It seems to me that the only people who can run for office are wealthy individuals. This concerns me because in my experience some wealthy people have a hard time relating to the average person. For example, the man who bought Princess Diana’s dress that she wore when she was dancing at the White House with John Travolta. At a winning bid of $360,000.00, a gentleman bought it to surprise and cheer up his wife. How many of us can do such a thing? Where I find this excessive, I have the same feeling about the money needed to fund a campaign. It seems the issues are not enough to determine whether a person will vote for a candidate; it also depends on who does a better job of marketing the politician. One of the reasons I grew to enjoy this historical drama was seeing what a grassroots advertising campaign can accomplish. Nominated for best foreign language film with the Academy Awards, this film took place in Chile, 1988. Military dictator Augusta Pinochet had been in power for fifteen years and needed to show the world that his government was legitimate. A referendum was scheduled, but would anybody opposing Pinochet survive the election? Gael Garcia Bernal (Bad Education, Y Tu Mama Tamben) played young advertising executive Rene Saavedra, who had the task of creating a campaign that would not get censored. He created the “No” campaign. Starring Alfredo Castro (It was the Son, Tony Manero) as Lucho Guzman and Antonia Zegers (Post Mortem, The Life of Fish) as Veronica Carvajal; the story used humor, actual footage and a faux 1980’s style of filming to draw the viewer into a fascinating time in Chile’s history. I had a hard time getting into the story at first; it felt slow to me. Once the campaign started to come together I was enthralled with the genius of it. With excellent acting, the movie became inspirational for me. The question was could creativity, strong beliefs and dedication triumph over money. Spanish with English subtitles.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Emperor
The stranger standing ahead of me started yelling when he heard me tell the checker I picked Argo to win for best picture. He said the film was a total lie. I told him it was a movie not a documentary. In response to his claim that people would believe the movie’s story was true, I told him he did not have to worry; with people barely reading and writing these days, they would not remember the story. It was the perfect thing to say to him because he calmed down. As he walked away, the checker rolled her eyes. History lessons via movies are an acceptable form in my opinion. However, I understand the writers and director can take liberties with the story, to make it more compelling for the viewer. Like most things these days, one always needs a fact checker. From a historical standpoint, I found this movie’s story attractive. With Japan’s surrender ending WWII, the fate of the country would be determined by General Douglas MacArthur, played by Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln, In the Valley of Elah). As supreme commander of the occupying forces, General MacArthur would have to determine if Emperor Hirohito should be tried as a war criminal. The job of finding evidence against the Emperor became the responsibility of General Bonner Fellers, played by Matthew Fox (We Are Marshall, Lost-TV). His job was complicated by his determination in locating Aya Shimada, played by Eriko Hatsune (Norwegian Wood, Spiral), the Japanese exchange student he met back in college. The movie had too much to handle in the story department. If it would have focused either on General MacArthur or on General Fellers’ story, the movie would have been more interesting. I do not know why people have been saying this was Tommy Lee’s best performance since LIncoln because it was absolutely not. I found him to be one dimensional, though part of the fault falls on the poor script. The scenes that had to do with history kept my attention. As for the rest it left me cold.
2 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty
An image of my sister-in-law’s deceased cat came to mind while I was thinking about this movie I had just seen. If you had met TC in the house; he was an affectionate, sweet cat. But if you saw him outside; he was a cold, stealthy killer. The reason TC came to mind was due to watching Jessica Chastain (Lawless, Take Shelter) as CIA operative Maya in this tense dramatic movie. She was a slight wisp of a woman in a male dominated arena, whose single focused determination revealed her underlying strength. I found her performance to be one of her best. Since the September 2001 attacks, Maya’s only job was to find Osama Bin Laden. Her single-mindedness would push her to the gray areas of government policy. Whether this movie’s facts were true or not, it was the job of the director to take the story and make it believable to the viewer. In the case of this riveting movie about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, director Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Point Break) created a compelling experience. If you have read my explanation of my rating system; you know for me to award 4 stars to a movie, I have to be swept into the movie and leave my world’s reality behind. As I sat in my seat watching the movie; the sounds of crunching popcorn, the clinking of jostled ice cubes in cups of soda and the rustling of winter coats being squeezed into the back of the theater seats all turned into a hushed silence. My peripheral vision latched onto the edges of the movie screen and stretched them all the way beyond me. I had entered into Maya’s world. Because of the experience I just described, I awarded this movie 4 stars. The directing was brilliant; attaining rock solid performances from the actors. Too many to mention, I wanted to at least acknowledge a few of the competent actors such as Jason Clarke as Dan, Joel Edgerton as squadron team leader Patrick and Kyle Chandler as Joseph Bradley. Everything you have heard about this movie is true; it easily could be the frontrunner for this year’s Oscar awards. Brief scenes with blood.
4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Game Change
I am a defensive pessimist and I am proud of it. As with most things in life there are pluses and minuses associated to everything. On the one hand I am better equipped to handle deviations from a set plan. The reason being, I look at all the negative options that could happen; so, if there is a change, more than likely I have already prepared for it. On the down side, when I am asked to do something my first reaction is to say no; until I can process the request. I know what some of you must be thinking. Let me just say I prefer to shake hands with my neurosis instead of wrestling with them. I think if the political players on Senator John McCain’s team had my ability, things would have been different. This movie was about John McCain’s 2008 campaign for president. I will not be getting into the political aspect of the story; I am reviewing the film and its screenplay. Ed Harris (A History of Violence, The Abyss) did not necessarily look like Senator McCain, but I enjoyed his performance. Woody Harrelson (Seven Psychopaths, The Messenger) was excellent as McCain’s chief political advisor Steve Schmidt. The best performance from the cast was Julianne Moore (Being Flynn, Children of Men) as Sarah Palin. She had the look and mannerisms backed by her excellent acting ability. Whether the events presented here were true or not, one could not help but see Sarah in a sympathetic light. I found it fascinating to witness the dealings behind the public events surrounding the campaign. If any part of the planning depicted in this film for the Katie Couric interview was true; all I have to say is, “Wow.” By the director inserting actual footage into this movie, it added validity to the story. This DVD could be used as an example to show people the pitfalls of being an optimist–in my opinion.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Joyeux Noel
Since we just had our first measurable snowfall, I recall how much fun I had building forts out of snow. The best kind of snow to use was one heavy with moisture; it would make a funny scrunching sound as it was being squeezed tight. Once the fort was completed, my friends and I would separate into two sides and start a snowball fight. Usually the winning team would get to destroy the opponent’s fort. There was never any hatred involved or wishing someone harm. If anything each of us would use our imaginations to come up with exotic or fanciful ways of winning. I claimed my snowballs were stun balls, causing anyone hit by one to be temporarily paralyzed until the end of the game. Coming across this Oscar nominated movie based on a true story, it really sent a clear message to me for this holiday season. It was December 24, 1914 and the most horrific war to date was raging in Europe. Converging together on the battlefield were fully armed German, French and Scottish troops. Every soldier was cold and weary while their respective commanders were looking for some weakness to exploit in defeating the enemy. However something happened when a stray cat wandered into the fray. I found this story to be a hopeful example of what can be achieved when people put aside their differences and become human again. Not only did I find the acting well done, I thought the casting of actors was exceptional. For example, Diane Kruger (National Treasure, Troy) lovely as Danish soprano Anna Sorensen; Benno Furmann (North Face, Curse of the Ring) as German officer Nicolaus Sprink and Ian Richardson (Dark City, Becoming Jane) as religious figure L’eveque. In the middle of a grotesque war to find an oasis of humanity, this film was a surprise treat. The bottom line for me has nothing to do with a person’s race, religion, sexuality or country; it simply is a matter of being a decent human being. This was an astonishing, inspiring story; I was grateful it had been turned into a movie. French, German, English, Latin with subtitles.
3 1/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: A Royal Affair
For every person you have loved you received a gift from them. No matter if the period of time was short or long term, there was always something you gained from being in that relationship. This process is intertwined with my belief that there are no accidents in life; there is a reason for everything. It was these two trains of thought that came to mind, while watching this visual history lesson on the Danish monarchy in the 1700’s. For me, this film did a beautiful job showing the power of love. Alicia Vikander (The Crown Jewels, Beloved) played young English Princess Caroline Mathilde. By arrangement she was sent to Denmark to marry King Christian VII, played by Mikkel Boe Folsgaard (Those Who Kill-TV, Bryggerch-TV mini series). Within a short time the princess discovered her husband’s madness and lack of interest in her. Not until the king’s physician Johann Friedrich Struensee, played by Mads Mikkelsen (Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky, Flame and Citron), paid a call on her did the princess fully understand what she had been missing. Little did the two realize their attraction to each other would start a revolution. I do not know how accurate the story was compared to history, but I fully enjoyed this dramatic film. The way it was filmed with alternating scenes of beauty and drabness perfectly accompanied the story. Add in the wonderful acting and I could see why this movie was Denmark’s official entry into the best foreign language category for the Academy Awards. A testament to the power of love, I considered this film a gift that stayed with me as I left the theater. Danish, German and French with English subtitles.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Lincoln
Like most young children, I wished I had superpowers. I wanted to fly 6 feet off the ground, skimming over the heads of people. As to why that particular height, I believe it was because I knew no one over 6 feet tall. Another power I wanted was to have the ability to time travel. The capacity to travel back to historical events and meet famous people has always fascinated me. After all these years my wish came true with this amazing movie. I was watching Abraham Lincoln not Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood, My Left Foot), the actor that portrayed Lincoln. His performance was more than outstanding; it was real, causing me to tear up every time he spoke. Daniel will be the one to beat in this year’s Oscar race. Sally Field (Forrest Gump, The Amazing Spider-Man) brought a deep understanding to her character as Mary Todd Lincoln. Honesty there was not a bad performance from any of the cast which included Tommy Lee Jones (Hope Springs, In the Valley of Elah) as Thaddeus Stevens and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises) as Robert Lincoln. The story focused on the time surrounding the creation of the 13th amendment to the constitution, which would ban slavery. Tony Kushner (Angels in America, Munich) wrote the rich screenplay, allowing a majority of characters in the movie to have their own special moment. I appreciated the work involved in recreating the sets to exact details, having read director Steven Spielberg (War Horse, Saving Private Ryan), Daniel and Tony each visited the Lincoln Library in Springfield, Illinois for research. For example, Steven recorded the sound from Lincoln’s pocket watch and recreated the exact titles of books for the bookcases in the White House. The only fault I can say about the movie was several scenes seemed implausible to me. I felt they were manipulated to create a more heartwarming experience for the viewer. With that said, this movie was one of Steven Spielberg’s finest creations. When the lights came up in the movie theater, I could finally say I met Abraham Lincoln. I left my seat with a better understanding of our country’s history, feeling uplifted. Brief scenes of blood and violence.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Aguirre: The Wrath of God
Obsession can be like a bully in the brain; kicking out reasoning, common sense and morals. Driven by a strong force, it can be relentless. Gratefully my obsessions do not involve other people. Some of you could say I am obsessed with movies; I prefer to say I am just passionate. Or when I have the desire for a particular chocolate ice cream, I will go to multiple stores until I find it. That doesn’t sound crazy, does it? In this unbelievable movie there was a fine line on who was more obsessed: the star or the director of the movie. From renowned director Werner Herzog (Rescue Dawn, Fitzcarraldo), this film showed a prime example on the effects of obsession. Set in the 16th century after the demise of the Incas in Peru, Spanish Conquistadors set out on a mission down the Amazon river in search of El Dorado, the Lost City of Gold. When the struggles of the trip began to overwhelm the expedition, the possibility of retreat looming; a mutiny was arranged by Don Lope de Aguirre, played by Klaus Kinski (The Song of Roland, Nosferatu the Vampyre). Obsessed with finding untold riches, he would manipulate and cajole the rest of the men to continue on, even when things looked hopeless. Klaus’ performance was outstanding in this role as he appeared almost maniacal in his drive to find the city of gold. The pacing of the movie was slow, filled with long head-on shots. Jungle sounds were a constant reminder throughout the intriguing soundtrack. I found it amazing how Mr. Herzog got his actors to go through this ordeal to create an incredible movie. On a sad note, this film was made before there were laws in place to protect the welfare of animals. A fascinating character study was on display in this movie, as obsession’s hunger consumed anything in its way. Brief scenes of violence. German with English subtitles.
3 1/2 stars — DVD
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