Category: Stu’s Reviews

Title: Lincoln

Genre: Film

Grade: B

Notable People: Directed by Steven Spielberg, Daniel Day Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones

Review: A potent story about Lincoln’s- efforts to abolish slavery via the passage of the 13th amendment in the waning days of the War. Beautifully filmed with Spielberg’s attention to period detail. Virtuoso performances by Day Lewis and Jones. Loved the depictions of early congressional warfare- when Republicans were more like Democrats. For me, though, the film really dragged and was way too long. I think this is one you could watch on the small screen and enjoy as much..

Title: Not Fade Away

Genre: Film

Grade: A- /B+

Notable People: Directed by David Chase, John Magaro, Jack Huston, and James Gandolfini

Review: what a great movie to see on a winters’ afternoon. I gave it a split rating because I’m not sure if the appeal is more “of an age”. For me- it captured very well the dreams of the early-mid sixties; the culture, the music, the simplicity that was quickly becoming something else. David Chase and James Gandolfini reunite from the Sopranos- and they do it really well; clearly a love poem from Chase. Gandolfini is superb (though not a huge stretch from Tony Soprano) as the blue collar Jersey dad trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Steve Van Zant oversees the music with great panache. The movie opens with teen aged Mick and Keef meeting on train and talking blues, and ends with the mid teen younger sister (and narrator) dancing in the middle of LA’s Sunset Strip; seemingly a dance into the change that was to come. In between- there is some great sixties garage rock. I really liked this movie a lot and it made me want to reclaim my lost Stratocaster and old fashioned mike. Greet McGuinn-esque Rickenbacker guitar makes a cameo.

Title: Gangster Squad

Genre: Film

Grade: C-

Notable People: Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Sean Penn

Review: What should I say about this one. I love dark movies set in post war LA. Chinatown set the bar for this and many have tried to follow. This one is an amalgam of the two great special cop squad movies of our era- The Untouchables and LA Confidential. The film tries to take from both of these and simply comes out as a flat cliché of itself. You don’t even get the real feeling of LA in this time period from the shoot. Lots of automatic weapons and blood. Bad dialog, bad Mickey Cohen channeling (Penn), bad boys club motif. Brolin’s gang of rogue cops could really use Sean Connery and Kevin Spacey. Emma Stone is hot and Nick Nolte has a good little run as the stand up Police Chief. That’s it. I was pretty excited to see this- but I’d say catch it late at night on TV. Boo…. (Nate – does this make you feel better about the reviews?)

Title: Life of Pi- 3D

Genre: Film

Grade: B+

Notable People: Ang Lee- Director

Review: I had not read the book- so has less expectations than many. Visually stunning movie; very moving story filled with metaphors and allegory. In many ways a technical masterpiece- though I thought the 3D was not the best I’ve seen. The entire major segment of the movie on the boat was really great; the narrative reminiscences with an older PI dragged for me. A good winter afternoon diversion.

Title: Django Unchained

Genre: Film

Grade: A

Notable People: Quentin Tarentino- Director, Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leo DiCaprio and a cast of many surprises

Review: It’s a Tarentino. I could say more but it would be like Blah, Blah, Blah. You like movies??? Go see it NOW……

Title: Silver Linings Playbook

Genre: Film

Grade: A-

Notable People: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert Deniro, Directed by David O. Russell

Review: Very, very nicely done movie. Touching story about two quirky, emotionally unstable people who connect in a pretty strange way. Pretty complex for the story line with really good performances by Cooper, a rejuvenated Deniro (best role in years) and an absolutely stunning turn by Lawrence (all grown up after winning The Hunger Games). This one’s a real sleeper.

Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Genre: Film

Grade: A-

Notable People: Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Paul Rudd, cameo by Joan Cusack

Review: This is the best coming of age movie I’ve seen in a very long time. A lot of people think this is film for teens only- but we were all totally moved by it. Much darker and more complex than it seems at first. I don’t know who Logan Lerman is- but this role is a tour de force. Watson is to die for. Heartbreakingly real.

Title: Hemingway’s Girl

Genre: Novel

Grade: B+

Notable People: Erika Roebuck

Review: Reviewer said “You’ll love this robust, tender story of love, grief, and survival on Key West in the 1930s…Addictive.” I agree. Hemingway seems to have been reborn recently and is everywhere; not all of which is good. This fable is one piece I’m glad to have. Very nicely written and quite moving; I cried several times.

Title: Hitchcock

Genre: Film

Grade: A-

Notable People: Anthony Hopkins, Scarlett Johansen, Jessica Beal

Review: Hopkins IS Hitchcock- incredible channeling. Movie takes place during the making of classic Psycho; great period piece, great acting and a lots of info you did not know. See Hitchcock go nuts in lobby of theater first time the movie is shown. Liked it a lot.