Category: Film

Genre: Film

Grade: A-
Notable People: A bunch of famous Polish people
Title: Ida

Review –Being back in Ohio for Tess’ wedding allowed for a quick post wedding trip to the local art house to see this magnificent off the wall movie set in Poland post WWII. We don’t get these movies up in the mountains. Dark, haunting, beautifully shot and acted- the story of a novice nun who is getting ready to take her vows at the convent she has spent her whole life in- and is forced by the mother superior to connect with her only living relative- a tortured soul aunt who holds the secrets to her past. A very complex and moving film that will leave you thinking for quite some time. Unrelenting, foreboding, haunting. May be hard to find this one- but worth the search.

Genre: Film

Grade: B to A minus- depending on your mood
Notable People: Directed by Lars von Trier, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgard, Willem Defoe, Shia Labeouf
Title: Nymphomaniac- Volume TWO!!!!-film

Review –well, I’m sure the title has gotten your attention and made you have a number of questions about this one- all of which probably have merit. So last Friday Jenn was out for the night and I was thinking about heading out to see a movie- but the theaters were filed with a bunch of teen crap. Then I checked the alt theater at OSU and they had this film. The reviews were pretty good (not as good as volume one- but who knew where one could see that) and the director rather distinguished- with a notable supporting cast. I thought I’d go- but it was an late afternoon show and I could imagine the lolls single guys get in such a venue- and also maybe did not want to be joining the other single guys who might be patronizing the movie. Instead I waited for Jenn to go the next night and made it a “date movie” (interesting logic there). Well…it’s mostly a bizarre tale of alienation, sexual frustration and being a social misfit. Sort of hard to watch due to its brutal honesty, masochism, sadism and just pathetic characters- it was still quite heady; Charlotte Gainsbourg, Skarsgard is brilliant, is quite q piece of work and great small parts for Shia Labeouf and Willem Defoe. The Swedes seem to have a knack for making movies about sex neither sensuous or erotic. You have to be in a certain mood for tis one…but line an quality reviewer I am now looking for Volume One.

Genre: Film

Grade: A-
Notable People: Directed by Wes Anderson, Ralph Fiennes and a cast of thousands
Title: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Review –Wes Anderson is the King of WHIMSY and FABLES……..no one does it better. A delightful movie. No real substance (although I wondered about how much allegory was going on here)- but a very fun ride. Fiennes is great. The movie is a who’s who of comic genius. Willem Dafoe dos great turn. I want to go there…

Genre: Film

Grade: B+
Notable People: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlet Johansen, A very nice I-Phone, Directed by Spike Jonze
Title: Her

Review –Both a very sweet and disturbing movie about love in the age of technology. Jonze is an out there filmmaker and his commentaries about modern life are usually quite thought provoking. You probably all know this is the story of a lonely guy who writes love cards for other people for a living. He falls in love with his operating system. Amazingly, this is not all that unbelievable as portrayed here- thanks in large part to the incredible (voice only) role played by Scarlet. Phoenix is great, as usual. Can’t really decide if I loved or hated tis movie; thought it was slow in places, but also hard to put away. It made me sad

Genre: Film

Grade: A-
Notable People: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Directed by Stephen Frears
Title: Philomena

Review –From a autobiographical book, this is true story of British woman trying to find the son that was taken away from her fifty years earlier by devil-nuns. Judi, Judi, Judi…she is too much and hearing her curse like a sailor is worth the price of admission by itself. This is a touching movie of loss and resolution beautifully played by two very fine actors. Loved it.

Genre: Film

Grade: A-
Notable People: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Sherlock Cumberbatch, directed by Peter Jackson
Title: The Hobbit- Desolation of Smaug

Review – Really had skipped over seeing this- and then looking for a movie last weekend- and nothing but teen-age spring break crap at the theaters- so we bent and went to the “dollar” theater (it was actually $3.75 for the 3D extravaganza) to see the latest in Jackson’s epics. Despite only moderate interest- hard not to get enchanted and caught up in the spectacle. Thought the 3D was really good (and all those people in the glasses in theater is a surreal site if you peek). Whirlwind of a nonstop adventure that must appeal to all our subconscious machismo- brotherhood- loyalty- adventure genes. Liked it a lot- must see it in theater on big screen. Sherlock makes quite a dragon.

Genre: TV

Grade: A++++++++++++++++++
Notable People: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson
Title: True Detective

Review – An eight hour weekly mini-series on HBO- this is the best thing I have ever seen on television. Who knew? The two of them together bring out the absolute best work each has ever (and may ever). Ominously filmed, beautifully scored, with dialog from Leonard Cohen meets the Velvet Underground…this is DARK. Get HBO, find a friend who has it, pirate it off the internet somehow…..beg, borrow, steal or kill….the cultural event of the year.

Genre: Film

Grade: C-
Notable People: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchet, Bill Murray, Jean DeJardin, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, Bob Bonaban, Directed by Clooney
Title: The Monuments Men

Review – this is an important story from WW Two that has not been previously told. It deserves to be told. Someone else should tell it. The movie may have used every cliché from every World War Two movie ever made. These guys can’t really need the money that bad? Great cast- total waste of talent. Stay home and read a book (I have some suggestions!)

Genre: Film

Grade: B
Notable People: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts. Juliette Lewis, Sam Sheppard, Chris Cooper, Sherlock Cumberbatch, Julianne Nicholson, Ewan Macgregor, Dermot Mulrooney, Directed by: John Wells
Title: August: Osage County

Review – Check out the cast. It’s astonishing, and they are mostly really good in it- with Streep and Roberts giving virtuosos performances and Cooper quietly stealing the show. Basically a story about one of the world’s most dysfunctional families gathering in an Oklahoma farmhouse to mourn (or cheer) the suicide of the patriarch (Sheppard). Intense, Depressing, Brutal emotionally. This movie was too much for my senses- no likeable characters except for Cooper and moved REALLY slow. Might be worth seeing for Streep and Roberts’ epic struggles and to repeatedly hear Eric Clapton sing “Lay Down Sally”’
This is Stu’s most recent obsession; something to do from hotel rooms on the road and share a bit of life’s artistic experience. If you prefer to not get it- let me know and I will remove you from the mailing list. If you like getting it- enjoy!!!

Genre: Film

Grade: A-
Notable People: Bruce Dern, Will Forte, Stacy Keach, Directed by Alexander Payne
Title: Nebraska

Review – shot in glorious black and white, in Butte Montana and central Nebraska- this is a stunner. Quite and forlorn- a powerful film about aging and dreams. Forte shines as the son trying to connect with his cantankerous old dad- whose only mission is to get from Butte to Lincoln, Neb.to cash in on the million dollar prize he believes he has won after getting one of those magazine sweepstakes cards in the mail. Dern is a powerhouse- almost unrecognizable in his geezerness. The film moves a bit slow (left me dozing once) but otherwise a gem. Great cinematography and score are a bonus.