Genre: Film
Grade: A-
Notable People: Good Ol’ Freda
Title: Freda Kelley, John, Paul, George, Richie (Ringo)
Review – Great documentary from 2013 and available also on Netflix focused on the Beatle’s long hidden secretary. Touching interviews with a woman who decided to go back to normal life after 11 years with The Beatles- starting when she was a 17 year old fan from Liverpool in 1962. And the music is not bad either…plus the archival footage. Great biopic of the era.
Genre: Film
Grade: A
Notable People: Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, Colin Farrell, Jason Schwartzman, Paul Giamatti, John Lee Hancock
Title: Saving Mr. Banks
Review – this was a compromise movie on Christmas eve for us; trying to find one five people could agree on at a time that would not have us out real late. My expectations were low; I mean it’s about Walt Disney hustling to get Mary Poppins made after 20 years of trying. I won’t say much more- because this movie was revelation. A REALLY beautiful film in all ways. Be prepared for tears- it’s a very emotional story. Hanks and Thompson are masters of the craft, Giamatti his usual major self, Firth is a truly tragic figure, and the whole ensemble is just wonderful. The little girl who plays a child Thompson is a star to be. Really nice touch- the music consultant for the movie was one of the two Sherman bothers who composed the film’s original music. It will make you want to go out and rent Mary Poppins.
Genre: Film
Grade: A-
Notable People: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Steve Zahn, Griffin Dunne , Directed by Jean- Marc Vallee
Title: Dallas Buyers Club
Review – This is a really powerful film about the early days of the AIDS crisis and a reluctant hero who winds up fighting the pharmo industry profit system to find ways to keep people alive (initially himself). McConaughey is more impressive with each role he does and is barely recognizable here as a rodeo wild man who comes down with AIDS in a world in which AIDS was only for gay people. 24 hours later and I can’t shake this film. Brilliantly directed and paced; one of the most potent movies I’ve seen in awhile. The humor makes the agony bearable.
Genre: Film
Grade: A
Notable People: Joseph Gordon- Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Directed by Levitt
Title: Don Jon
Review – Wanted to see this movie that won all kinds if Indie awards months ago- but it came and went really quickly while in we were in Vermont. Found it at second run theater and…WOW…I LOVED this movie. Levitt is a revelation as a porn addicted, confession going, woman shark, New Jerseyite. This movie is funny and profound, and he gives it an amazing run both as director and lead. Scarlett defines the Jersey girl in this movie- she really worked at this part and Moore is her usual brilliant self in a wonderful role. Danza is more or less an aging Tony- but he does it really well and their Sunday Italian dinner scenes are priceless. The younger sister only has one line the hole movie and it defines the whole movie in a way. This is a pleasantly surprising sleeper-keeper.
Genre: Film
Grade: A
Notable People: Jennifer Lawrence and a cast to die for, Directed by Francis Lawrence
Title: The Hunger Games- Catching Fire
Review – Movie two in the trilogy; these films have exceeded my widest expectations in capturing the thrill of the books. And, I think they also work for someone who has not read the books. Lawrence grows more luminous with each film role-and has totally captured Katniss… and the supporting cast is just magnificent- especially Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland and Elizabeth Banks…plus this one adds Philip Seymour Hoffman. This a GREAT holiday movie…shame we have to wait a year for the finale.
Genre: Film
Grade: A
Notable People: Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Sophie Nelisse, Directed by Brian Percival
Title: The Book Thief
Review – Unbelievably touching art house film about an Ann Frank type in Stuttgart Germany at start of the War. This girl, Sophie, is going to be a film giant. Brilliant!!!! Rush and Watson are magnificent and the story is really well told- though the narration is a bit schmaltzy. We mostly cried for two hours…extraordinarily moving, and it WILL make you think. How could this happen?
Genre: Film
Grade: A-
Notable People: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, Directed by David O. Russell
Title: American Hustle
Review – Very entertaining film about ABSCAN Scandal of the early 70’s in New Jersey; a major con game that involved the FBI and all kinds of politicians. Really captures the time and place well and the movie goes along at a wonderful pace- enchanting, engaging, exciting. Bale and Cooper are twin towers trying to outsmart each other and to look the most ridiculous in their ultra 70’s garb. Adams sizzles in a role unlike any she has played before and Lawrence is almost unrecognizable as a gum chewing, beehive-do, wise-ass Jersey girl. Renner steals the show as legendary Camden politico Carmine Polito. Great movie for a cold night. I graded it down a bit, as it seemed a bit predictable and the music people missed an amazing opportunity with the score- which was mediocre. See it- you’ like it.
Genre: Film
Grade: B+
Notable People: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard Directed by Dennis Villeneuve
Title: Prisoners
Review – Very dark movie with a lot of red herrings thrown in. Good thriller that went on a bit too long and seem to drag. Shockingly out of character and good performance by Jackman and usual excellent role for Gyllenhaal. Kind of depressing movie but good for a rainy day. Don’t see if you are squeamish about sex offenders. Dano(from Little Miss Sunshine) is an amazing actor.
Since we moved to Vermont and movie theaters are pretty inaccessible- we have become major serialized TV watchers. TV is not what it used to be and many of the shows now on HBO, Showtime or Netflix have the best directing and acting Hollywood has to offer. I read a story in USA today a couple of months ago and then heard a similar one on NPR about a noted critic who has written a book about what he calls “the golden age of television”. His premise is that since The Sopranos came on the air fifteen or so years ago, TV has been revolutionized and in many ways has more consistent quality than films (he is talking about premium, serialized commercial free TV). I’m not sure I fully agree with that, but I see his point, and we are constantly mesmerized by the quality of what is being produced on the small screen. So, I have been thinking for awhile (Vermont does that to you) about doing an overview rating of these premium TV series. The list below is only what I consider to be the highest quality and is not all inclusive (I have not really watched some of what may be very high quality shows such as The Wire, Nurse Jackie, Breaking Bad or Mad Men enough to fairly evaluate). So- here’s a list of my “must-see TV”.
Stu’s Reviews
A++:
The Newsroom- just finished 2nd season on HBO. Jeff Daniels in the role of a lifetime as a right wing liberal news anchor on a CNN type network. Great cast. Unbelievable writing. Best show on TV.
Homeland- in midst of season three on Showtime. Clair Danes, Damian Lewis, Mandy Patimkin and F. Murray Abraham make this CIA- confused terrorist drama riveting.
A+:
Boss- Kelsey Grammar in a career altering role as the complex, corrupt and all powerful mayor of Chicago. Two seasons on STARZ.
House of Cards- The amazing Kevin Spacey tales to the small screen as a classic southern senator in this Washington bashing drama complete two seasons on Netflix.
Treme- Three seasons down on HBO, with a cast of somewhat unknowns and cameos by a who’s who of New ‘Awlins royalty, captures the angst, joy, food and music of post Katrina with great accuracy and detail- following the lives of six disparate and fascinating main charters. Very underrated.
United states of Tara- ran for six seasons on Showtime and then cancelled, this show was too exotic and out there for the masses. The always great Toni Collette delivers the performance of a lifetime as a multiple personally with up to eight alters. The portrayal of a family living in this chaos is both majestic and tragic. John Corbett is a revelation as her husband. I loved this show and could not stop watching.
A:
Boardwalk Empire- Steve Buscemi as the mob boss of prohibition era Atlantic City is spellbinding. Great attention to historical detail with amazing cast and captivating story lines. In third season on HBO.
Games of Thrones- completed second season on HBO- medieval dram derived from cult book series with cast of thousands. Only show in history to knock off the leading man in first season. Great cinematography for small screen and wonderfully engaging characters.
True Blood- just completed sixth season on HBO; also from cult book series. Have made vampires ultra chic. Was best show on TV for a number of years, with fantastic ensemble cast and a kick in the ass at every turn,- but gotten a little out of hand in last two seasons; may be running its course.
Shameless- William H. Macy…enough said. Brilliant as the alcoholic and narcissistic head of an almost homeless family in Chicago. Emmy Rossum is his oldest daughter- an opera singer turned absolute vixen..who does not want to cuddle with her. Finished third season on Showtime. Can’t wait for fourth in January. This show is utterly outrageous.
Dexter- Michael Hall as the most endearing serial killer in history. This how just completed its eighth and final season on Showtime. An amazing run for the subject material. Very good cast and excellent writing, the show kept you one edge for eight years but ran out of gas at the very end.
A-:
House of Lies- Don Cheadle plays the most cunning adman of all time; spin is his middle name,; with team of four whose chemistry is non paralleled. This show can be very funny and very touching at the same time, and moves quicker than the speed of light. These people are never at a loss for words. Kristen Bell is excellent as his protégé/ unrequited love interest and his two sidekicks are worm the price of admission. A bit on the surreal side- it has completed two seasons on Showtime.
Weeds: Mary Louise Parker starred for eight season as the housewife from southern California who becomes a major pot dealer and lives a life of constant drama. Started out as a don’t miss show- but faded as time went by. Really great cast featuring Kevin Nealon and the very scene stealing Justin Kirk as her lovelorn bother in law. Very entertaining a for long, long time.
Spartacus- three season on STARZ…guilty pleasures ,,,surreal hot sex and almost animated violence. Lost interest midway through third season.
New shows:
Orange is the New Black- first season Netflix. Women in prison comedy- drama by creator of weeds, highly entertaining. Great characters.
Masters of Sex- three shows into first season on Showtime, details story of sex research pioneers Masters and Johnson. What a period piece. Sharp writing and wonderful cast. Not too sexy, but stimulating. Historically accurate.
Foyles War: Six season on Netflix, very unusual British BBC drama features the extraordinary Michael Kitchen as a coastal England police superintendent during World War Two. The show starts in 1939 and follows the plot trough the war. He may be the most admirable character ever to be on a TV show. We love this show- but you have to like slow.
Sherlock Holmes- this two season BBC series updates the classic tales to modern times with a flair with stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Doctor John Watson. Eagerly awaiting third season. Very British, very cool.
Genre: Film
Grade: B+
Notable People: Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins, Alec Baldwin, Bobby Cannavale, Louis CK, Directed by Woody Allen
Title: Blue Jasmine
Review –Well, you really have to want to see The Woodman’s films if you live in Vermont- so we drove to New Hampshire for a night across the border in Hanover (Dartmouth), in a thunderstorm, to make it happen. Well worth it for me- but maybe not for everyone. Pretty eccentric film, dark and complicated. Blanchett should win awards for this incredibly narcissistic role- painful at times. The cast is sterling- Cannavale (of Boardwalk Empire notoriety) really stands out and Baldwin is way good- even though it’s pretty much the same role he always plays. The film takes place in San Francisco which is a new venue for woody- and I can’t say he does for the town what he had done for other cities; don’t think he is enamored of it- so the cinematography is nothing special. Great ensemble acting, intriguing story- but slow at times. Kind of depressing to the end. I don; think it measures up to the quality of his recent films- but hell, he is woody, so worth seeing if you really like movies
