Category: Film

Genre: Film

Grade: B/B+

Notable People: Forrest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Directed by Lee Daniels
Title: The Butler

Review –Well, you can tell we don’t really go to movies in Vermont- but while in San Diego on family vacation- we got out of tee hat on a Sunday afternoon to the theater. We missed two other movies we wanted to see (traffic) and wound up with the butler as a last resort. Did not have high hopes, and it’s not a great movie- but a pretty good one. Whitaker IS great, as always, and Oprah surprisingly good. We all found this to be a very moving film of our times- hard to believe it’s only been 50 years or so since this kind of activity in the south. It’s pretty sweeping- as in Forrest Gump- picture of our times and an amazing story. All presidents show from Ike to Ronnie- with real highlights being John Cusack as LBJ and Alan Rickman as Tricky Dick. Jane Fonda does a short by memorable turn as Nancy Reagan. Forrest is Forrest, making it worth seeing just for that

Genre: Film

Grade: B+

Notable People: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delphy, Directed by Richard Linklater
Title: Before Midnight

Review –This is Linklater’s third in the series with Hawke and Delphy. It started with them meeting on a train while touring Europe in 1993, picked up with finding each other again ten years later in 2003 and now they are married and in Greece for a family vacation in 2013. If you did not see the first two- you probably won’t like this one. These films are intense- with mostly just two people having dialog- and this one has it’s share of midlife crisis-almost painful at times to watch. The acting is magnificent. Greece is stunning and Linklater is really out there in his filmmaking. I have seen all three of these movies by myself which is pretty weird as they seem like date movies- but, hell, I’m just out on a date with me. I spent the whole film fascinated with Julie’s slight “English as a well worn second language” accent- which i finally realized sounded just like my friend Ana in NYC. Slow moving, eccentric and well done film.

Genre: Film

Grade: A-

Notable People: Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly, Directed by Dustin Hoffman
Title: Quartet

Review I thought this was a sweet and funny movie about an old folks home for retired musicians in the English countryside. Suffice it to say- this is a much more joyous place than your typical “home”. The ensemble cast really works well together, Maggie Smith is brilliant as ever and Hoffman does a nice job in his directorial debut. Connolly steals the show as a gregarious old man who refuses to give up his boyishness. And the music is pretty cool. When my time comes, I want to be put out to pasture at this place.

Genre: Film

Grade: A-

Notable People: Michael Bouquet, Directed by Gilles Bourdos
Title: Renoir

Review I adored this quite film about the end of Renoir’s life in the south of France. The film takes place in 1915 as his wounded son is on leave from the war. Renoir has taken in a new model for his lush “plein air” impressionist nudes and she and his son have quite an interesting connection (Jean, his son, went on to become a world renowned filmmaker). This is an absolutely gorgeous film; serene and powerful. Bouquet is a revelation as the 90 year old crippled Renoir. Hope you have an “art house” theater nearby- will be a hard one to find- but worth it to do.

Genre: Film

Grade: B

Notable People: Leo DiCaprio, Toby McGuire, Carey Mulligan, Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Title: The Great Gatsby

Review I was big fan on Fitzgerald and his work as a youngster and have probably seen all the incarnations of this book on film. This one is ambitious and pulls off a certain panache that makes it a really extravagant film. The party scenes really are spectacular and evidence the decadence and debauchery of the time and place very well (we saw it in 2D but those scenes would be worth seeing in 3D). The sets, costumes and cinematography are superb. Leo is his usual extraordinary self as Gatsby and the supporting cast is first rate. Nothing really new here; the plot is pretty well known and this version is not revelatory. It was almost a see at home film for me- except the big screen makes it worthwhile. Nothing brilliant here- but worth seeing if you really like film.

Genre: Film

Grade: B+

Notable People: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepherd, Tye Sheridan, Directed by Jeff Nichols
Title: Mud

Review Very interesting film set in rural Arkansas mostly about growing up in the river culture and trying to survive and become a man. Eye opener on McConaughey’s talents (immense). Shepherd is old, wily and weathered in a great short role. Reece plays totally against type. A very moving film though it dragged in places and lost its way a bit. Beautifully shot and nice score. Tye Sheridan is a star in the making.

Title: Arthur Newman

Genre: Film

Grade: B+

Notable People: Colin Firth, Emily Blunt, Directed by Dante Ariola

Review Quiet and quirky film about two people trying to change their identities and lives. Nice cross country story; moving at times; with two very fine performances. Did I mention Emily Blunt? Well, she’s a keeper and Colin Firth is just plain excellent in everything he does- even affecting a very mid American accent. I thought this movie was really sweet and liked it a lot.

Title: Place Beyond the Pines

Genre: Film

Grade: B

Notable People: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eve Mendez, Ray Liotta, Directed by Derek Cianfrance

Review Interesting film, with a complex plot and excellent characters. Went on too long for my taste, and suffered once the incredible Ryan Gosling is no longer involved about half way through. Bradley Cooper just does not carry it the way Gosling does. Mendez is really good and Liotta is his usual fearsome self, maybe a bit exaggerated. The teens who are integral to the movie are exciting newcomers. A pretty good summer movie- though falls a bit short of its sizeable ambitions.

Genre: Film

Grade: A

Notable People: Robert Redford, Shia LeBouf, THE Julie Christie, Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte, Richard Jenkins, THE Sam Elliot, Brit Marling, Directed by Robert Redford
Title: Cinnamon Kiss

Review If you are over 50- this is a great, must-see movie. Under 50- still really good. A cast of mid-elders to die for. Redford is magnificent, Christie is an old man’s wet dream…I LOVED this movie. Sixties underground radical decides to turn herself in after 30 years on the run/hide- and sets of a chain of events with her former colleague radicals in hiding. Heady movie with lots of conundrums (how often do you see that word in a movie review?). Made me want to out and march in the streets- or go into hiding. Nolte and Jenkins are sleepers. Redford is a prize.

Title: The Master

Genre: Film

Grade: A-/B+

Notable People: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Dern; directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Review Whoa- this is one intense movie. Basic story of a damaged GI returning from the Big One who seeks meaning in a religious cult led by the alternately charismatic and wacky Hoffman. It’s a pretty subtle portrayal of this kind of craziness; Hoffman does quiet manipulation and a lot of laughing rather than hellfire and brimstone, As always, he is beyond brilliant (I have begun to think he may be the premier actor of his generation), Phoenix is good (though not all that nuanced) as the tortured seeker (I kept thinking he was going to start singing “I Walk the Line”) and Adams and Dern are very effective in polar opposite parts . The real star of the show, though, is director Anderson- who has captured the time and the angst with great intensity and amazing attention to detail. This movie was unusually shot at 65 MM and it brings out the 1950’s well with vibrant Technicolors and perfect costumes/scenery. Anderson previously did Boogie Nights and There Will be Blood- so he has both a strong pedigree and a deserved reputation for being on the edge. This movie could be disturbing to some and too slow for others. I found it a “must watch”