Possession (1981)

1981

France, West Germany

Directed by:  Andrzej Zulawski
Written by:  Andrzej Zulawski (original screenplay), Frederic Tuten (adaptation, dialogue)
Cast:  Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Margit Carstensen, Heinz Bennent
Rating: R 

Synopsis (from Rotten Tomatoes website):

...this challenging and highly unusual drama stars Isabelle Adjani as a young woman who forsakes her husband (Sam Neill) and her lover (Heinz Bennent) for a bizarre, tentacled creature that she keeps in a run-down Berlin apartment. In the beginning, her husband knows nothing about the monster and sincerely believes that his wife is insane. He has her tailed by private detectives, whom she kills and feeds to the creature. Still unaware of what has happened, the husband contends with the reserved and inadvertently seductive presence of his wife's look-alike (also played by Adjani), a schoolteacher who frequently comes to tutor his son while his wife is away. Though tempted by her quiet goodness and beauty, he is still passionately in love with his wife and even after he finds out about the murders, he stays by her side and helps her conceal her crimes. 

My Thoughts:

Definitely in the running for Worst Movie Ever Made. One star for the presence of Sam Neill. Run, run as fast and far away as possible from this mess.

My Rating at the IMDb: 1 star out of a possible 10

Irrational Man

2015

USA

Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woody Allen
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey, Jamie Blackley
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA): R for some language and sexual content

Synopsis (from Rotten Tomatoes website):

When a burned-out, brilliant professor — one who believes in lessons from life rather than textbooks — takes a job at a small college, everyone there is abuzz. He becomes involved with a teacher as well as a precocious student, but it takes a dramatic, existential act to turn his life around and make him see the world through a much rosier and more positive perspective.

My Thoughts:

Maybe I should just give up on Woody, at least until he gets over his Emma Stone infatuation. Something about the girl just makes me want to be somewhere else. There were some interesting ideas in this one, but they got lost in the overall silliness. Joaquin Phoenix is a fine actor, but he's out of his depth as a philosophy professor, "tormented" or otherwise. (And what's with that beer belly? His stomach almost qualified as another character.) But Parker Posey was a bright spot. Please, Woody — no more deep-thought experiments.

My Rating at the IMDb: 4 stars out of a possible 10

Queen of the Desert

2015

Morocco, USA

Directed by: Werner Herzog
Written by: Werner Herzog (screenplay)
Cast: Nicole Kidman, James Franco, Robert Pattinson, Damian Lewis, Jay Abdo, Jenny Agutter
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA): PG-13 for brief nudity and some thematic elements

Synopsis (from Rotten Tomatoes website):

...the extraordinary true story of a trailblazing woman who found freedom in the faraway world of the Middle East. Gertrude Bell (Kidman) chafes against the stifling rigidity of life in turn-of-the-century England, leaving it behind for a chance to travel to Tehran. So begins her lifelong adventure across the Arab world, a journey marked by danger, a passionate affair with a British officer (James Franco), and an encounter with the legendary T.E. Lawrence (Robert Pattinson). Stunningly shot on location in Morocco and Jordan, Queen of the Desert reveals how an ahead-of-her-time woman shaped the course of history.

My Thoughts:

I had doubts going into this, since Nicole Kidman is not one of my favorite actresses and I'd read that she was in virtually every scene. She was not terrible, but I do think the movie would have been better with someone else in the lead. Kidman is very wooden, too old for the early part of the story, too stiff for the rest. And she's taller than just about everyone else in the film. You'd think they could have put some of the other actors on a box or something. Still, the desert was absolutely gorgeous and was, after all, the real star of the show.

My Rating at the IMDb: 5 stars out of a possible 10

There's Always Tomorrow

1956

USA

Directed by: Douglas Sirk
Written by: Bernard C. Schoenfeld (screenplay), Ursula Parrott (story)
Cast: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Bennett, Pat Crowley, William Reynolds, Gigi Perreau, Jane Darwell

Synopsis (from the Rotten Tomatoes website):

Fred MacMurray is a toy company executive whose wife (Joan Bennett) and kids (Gigi Perreau, William Reynolds and Judy Nugent) take him for granted [boo-hoo]. Barbara Stanwyck is Fred's former girlfriend, whose own business activities result in a surprise reunion. MacMurray falls back in love with Stanwyck and prepares to leave his family. MacMurray's children go to Stanwyck and politely ask her to back off. She does so, and MacMurray's wife Bennett, who's been out of town during all this, is none the wiser. 

My Thoughts:

Another post-war film championing the cause of getting women out of the workplace and back into their aprons. Well, who wouldn't jump at the chance to trade a successful career in fashion design for the life of a household drudge?

Mainly interesting because of the pairing of MacMurray and Stanwyck once again.

My IMDb Rating: 5 stars out of a possible 10

My Blood Runs Cold

1965

USA

Directed by: William Conrad
Written by: John Mantley (screenplay), John Meredyth Lucas (story)
Music by: George Duning
Cast: Troy Donahue, Joey Heatherton, Barry Sullivan, Jeanette Nolan

What it's all about:
Headstrong young heiress (Heatherton) falls in love with a strange young man who may be insane (Donahue). The young man, Ben Gunther, believes he and the young woman, Julie Merriday, are the reincarnations of lovers from an earlier time. Ben convinces Julie of his beliefs and over the objections of her father (Sullivan), she agrees they should run away together. On Ben's boat, Julie finds evidence that Ben has been lying to her and that he is definitely unbalanced. Will she be able to save herself from his madness and convince him to find help before it's too late?

My thoughts:
That title makes you think you're in for some real gore and mayhem -- with Vincent Price or Christopher Lee making an appearance somewhere.  Nothing like that here.  This one is much more in the Hitchcock mold, suspense but no terror.

I really thought I'd seen all the movies Troy Donahue made back in the late-50s, early-60s, but this one got past me until now. Interesting story, with a fine supporting cast. Troy even does a pretty good acting job here, and Joey is just as cute as she could be, sporting an array of very fetching swim suits and casual beach attire. Not something that's going to exercise your intellect, but fun to watch.  Would have been a great date movie in 1965.

A couple more notes:

• Yes, the director is that William Conrad, of "Jake and the Fatman" fame.
• John Meredyth Lucas was a writer/producer for many classic TV shows from the '50s to the '80s -- most notably, the original "Star Trek" series.

My IMDb rating: 3 stars out of a possible 10

Hyde Park on Hudson

2012

Directed by: Roger Michell
Written by: Richard Nelson
Cast: Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Williams, Eleanor Bron, Samuel West, Olivia Colman, Elizabeth Wilson
MPAA Rating: Rated R for brief sexuality

Synopsis (by Google):

In June 1939, the reigning British king (Samuel West) and queen (Olivia Colman) visit President (Bill Murray) and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt (Olivia Williams) at their New York home. War with Germany looms on the horizon, and England desperately needs the president's support. An unforgettable weekend unfolds as FDR tries to juggle international affairs with the complexities of his domestic arrangement, as seen through the eyes of the president's intimate confidant (Laura Linney).

My Thoughts:

Not great, but it had Bill Murray and that's enough reason for me to watch. I thought Samuel West made a very good George VI; likewise Olivia Colman as the Queen Mum. In fact, the entire cast was excellent and the whole film was quite enjoyable.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

Crash

2004

USA

Directed by: Paul Haggis
Written by: Paul Haggis, Robert Moresco
Music by: Mark Isham
Cast: Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Tony Danza, William Fichtner, Jennifer Esposito, Brendan Fraser, Chris Bridges (aka Ludacris), Terrence Howard, Thandie Newton, Michael Peña
MPAA Rating: R for language, sexual content and some violence

Synopsis (by Google):

Writer-director Paul Haggis interweaves several connected stories about race, class, family and gender in Los Angeles in the aftermath of 9/11. Characters include a district attorney (Brendan Fraser) and his casually prejudiced wife (Sandra Bullock), dating police detectives Graham (Don Cheadle) and Ria (Jennifer Esposito), a victimized Middle Eastern store owner and a wealthy African-American couple (Terrence Dashon Howard, Thandie Newton) humiliated by a racist traffic cop (Matt Dillon).

My Thoughts:

That synopsis doesn't really begin to cover the complicated ins and outs of this stark, unsettling work. Every character in the film is allowed to show both the good and the not-so-good sides of their personalities. OK, I get it -- nobody's perfect; but it got a little monotonous after a while. And there was more coincidence and foreshadowing than you'd find in a Hardy novel, with each character touching the lives of the other characters in some way -- they weave in and out of each others' existence. It was a good idea, but could have been served up with more subtlety, I thought.

Best part of the movie? Surprisingly (for me, at least) -- Chris Bridges as the wannabe carjacker Anthony. The energy level soared every time he was on screen. But many of the other actors delivered fine performances as well. Too bad they didn't have more to work with.

My IMDb Rating: 4 stars out of a possible 10

Dead Souls

2012

USA

Directed by: Colin Theys
Written by: John Doolan (screenplay), Michael Laimo (novel)
Cast: Jesse James, Magda Apanowicz, Bill Moseley, Geraldine Hughes, Noah Fleiss, Jaiden Kaine
Rating: not rated

Lots of creepy atmosphere and texture in this one, but lots of confusion, too.

On his 18th birthday, Johnny Petrie (Jesse James) learns he's adopted and that he's inherited a farm in Maine. Eager to get away from the hideously circumscribed existence he's led with the aunt who raised him, he strikes out for Maine intending to make the farm his new home. When he gets there, though, he finds the place in very bad shape after being uninhabited for nearly twenty years -- since the deaths of his natural family at the hands of his (I think) grandfather, Reverend Benjamin Conroy. He also finds some locals who are less than thrilled to have him around, and a young homeless woman (Magda Apanowicz) who's been staying in the abandoned farm house.

The town's former sheriff (who is now also the town's drunk) eventually shows up to provide a little background about what exactly has been going on. I could have used a lot more help in that area.  I'm still not really sure what the heck it all meant. There was something about Johnny's brother Daniel protecting him when the rest of the family was killed. And something else about conducting a seance to contact Daniel's spirit so he could go on protecting him from evil spirits in the house. At least I think that's how it went. I never really understood why the family was killed, or why the local bully was so pissed off about it all, or why Johnny didn't just say no way am I living in that obviously haunted house. And I'm really not happy about the way they treated that dog.

My IMDb rating: 3 stars out of a possible 10

Transcendence

2014

USA

Directed by: Wally Pfister
Written by: Jack Paglen
Cast: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman, Paul Bettany
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA): Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence, some bloody images, brief strong language and sensuality

What it's all about:

Johnny Depp plays Dr. Will Caster, the world's foremost authority on artificial intelligence. Dr. Caster is the leader of a team conducting highly controversial experiments, with the ultimate goal of creating a "sentient" machine -- a computer with a mind of its own. When extremists try to kill the doctor, they inadvertently give him just the chance he needed to turn his theories into reality. When Will is given just one month to live, his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) comes up with a plan to upload his consciousness into the advanced computer the team has developed. Will's best friend Max (Paul Bettany) questions the wisdom of this action and is eventually persuaded to join the terrorists responsible for Will's death.

Once Will achieves virtual life in the computer, Evelyn helps him to build a sort of technological eden in a remote desert town called Brightwood where he sets about remaking the world according to his own personal designs. Eventually Will's crazed thirst for knowledge and power cause all his loved ones to admit he must be stopped, but they also realize it may already be too late.

My thoughts:

Most of the critics trashed this film, so I wasn't expecting much. But I like Johnny Depp and I try to see every movie Morgan Freeman makes, so I gave it a try. Glad I did -- it's definitely watchable. Not great, but pretty good sci-fi with a thought-provoking theme, enough action to keep it from dragging, and no enormous alien slime worms blasting their way out of anyone's midsection. A lot of it doesn't really stand up to deep thought, but hey -- it's a movie.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

Before Midnight

2013

USA

Director: Richard Linklater 
Writers: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Kim Krizan
Stars: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick 

My Thoughts:

They drive. They talk. They walk. They fight. They say hurtful things to each other. They apologize. They make up. All against a gorgeous Grecian backdrop.

Nine years after we last saw Jesse and Celine, and almost two decades after they first met on that fateful train to Vienna, we catch up with them in Greece. They've been together all this time, although still not married. They have twin daughters, Jesse has a fourteen-year-old son from his first marriage. At one point I think they say something about an older daughter of Celine's too, but I didn't really get that. Actually, a lot of this film went by before it could really register with me. It's a lot like eavesdropping on a conversation at the next table in a restaurant -- some of it is fascinating, some is not so much, and some of it you just don't really grock. But I  believe that's the feeling Linklater and his crew are trying to achieve.

OK, I know it's not fashionable or hip to say this, but I've been mostly bored by this whole series of films, and I think this latest one has the least to offer. I do appreciate what Linklater is doing, and I'm gratified that there's someone out there making films for adults, with real actors and settings, and not just turning out CGI schlock. I just wish there was a little more to the films -- more than just two fairly ordinary people talking and talking and talking. And talking some more. At least in this third film, there are a few other people doing some of the talking.

Also, the two stars seem much less natural in this one, more like actors trying to be natural. Especially Julie Delpy -- she even seems to have lost all that French charm that kept her from being totally unbearable in the earlier films.

But if you've loved the other two "Before" movies, you should love this one too -- it's more of the same.

My IMDb Rating: I'm giving this one 4 stars out of a possible 10, mainly because the scenery was so attractive.

Acacia

2003

Korea

Written and Directed by Ki-hyeong Park
MPAA Rating: R for violence and language

Synopsis from SundanceChannel.com:

"Korean filmmaker Ki-Hyung Park (Whispering Corridors) serves up an unsettling tale of muted dread about a childless couple's attempts to forge a family. Despite her mother's disapproval, Mi-sook (Hye-jin Shim) and her husband (Jin-geun Kim) adopt Jin-seong (Oh-bin Mun), a quiet, artistic six-year-old boy. Soon Jin-seong evinces an obsessive attraction to a dying acacia tree in the backyard, which he associates with his birth mother. Yet even more unsettling events are in store when Mi-sook unexpectedly becomes pregnant."

My Thoughts:
Strange and definitely "unsettling" film with two adorably spooky kids who looked a little too much like the wraiths in The Grudge for my taste. Pretty good psychological suspense drama with a supernatural touch. One of those films that make the viewer work a little to figure things out. Kept me guessing about what was actually going on, and it delivered surprises right up to the end. Gorgeous cinematography and nice spare settings; even though the film was in color, it almost comes across as black-and-white so that the violent splashes of red in the final scenes are all the more shocking. If you're contemplating adoption, you'll probably want to stay away from this one.

This film kept me watching all the way through, even with its unpleasant subject matter and some pretty graphic violence (including, it should be noted, one rape scene). Probably not one I'd advise anyone to seek out, but I found it pretty entertaining.

My IMDb Rating: 4 stars out of a possible 10

Vitus

2006

Switzerland

MPAA Rating: Rated PG for mild thematic elements and language.
Written by Peter Luisi and Fredi M. Murer
Directed by Fredi M. Murer
Cast: Teo Gheorghiu (Vitus, age 12), Fabrizio Borsani (Vitus, age 6), Bruno Ganz, Julika Jenkins, Urs Jucker

Synopsis: (from the Rotten Tomatoes website)

In this engaging drama from Switzerland, a child prodigy finds a unique way of dealing with being different. Vitus is no normal child. With a 180 IQ, a voracious appetite for knowledge, and a preternatural gift at playing the piano, he finds it hard to fit in with his peers. Like many parents of exceptional children, his mother and father (Julika Jenkins and Urs Jucker) are overbearing, eager to see their child succeed. But as his parents push and fellow children jeer, Vitus's grandfather (Bruno Ganz) simply allows the boy to be himself. Though VITUS follows the blueprint for childhood prodigy movies a bit too closely at times, it's saved by a great cast and some interesting twists. As the 12-year-old Vitus, Teo Gheorghiu, himself a piano prodigy, heightens the sense of realism in the film. The classic music he plays is beautiful, and the actor's playing itself is remarkable. Audiences used to seeing hand doubles in films about musicians will be . . . surprised to see that there aren't any cuts, displaying Gheorghiu's incredible talent. Veteran actor Ganz has literally played everything from an angel to Hitler in his decades-long career, and he's wonderful here as Vitus's warm grandfather and best friend. As a result of great performances like these, it's easy to see why VITUS was the Swiss entry to the Oscars.

My Thoughts:
M ordered this one from Netflix – don't know how he found out about it, but I was skeptical. The description made me think it was likely to be either too depressing or too cutesy for my taste, so we delayed watching for several weeks while other DVDs came and went. I'm sorry we waited so long, because the film was absolutely charming – in fact, it was so mesmerizing I hardly even noticed the subtitles. And for me, that's high praise indeed!

Well, I really wouldn't agree that Vitus's parents are overbearing – they actually appear to be very caring and loving people. But his mother does develop into something of a classic "stage mother" over time, forcing her little wunderkind to keep up with his practice and controlling every aspect of his life until the boy engineers his own unique method of escape. There are some wonderfully moving and funny scenes with Vitus and his grandfather (played by the amazing Swiss actor, Bruno Ganz), and a very touching (and also funny) relationship is portrayed between Vitus and baby-sitter, Isabel. Vitus falls in love with the older girl, and when she protests he explains his theory that since a woman's libido matures faster than a man's, women should always marry men who are at least six years younger! All of the actors are terrific, but the children are especially impressive; and Teo Gheorghiu is himself a true wunderkind. This is one I'd love to see again.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

10 Items or Less

2006
USA

MPAA Rating: R for language
Written and Directed by: Brad Silberling
Cast: Morgan Freeman, Paz Vega, Bobby Cannavale, Anne Dudek, Jennifer Echols, Jonah Hill, Jim Parsons

Synopsis:
Once a world-famous movie star, Morgan Freeman's character (called only "Him" throughout the film) is now an aging actor who finds that his fear of failure has brought his career to a standstill. Now he's considering a role in a low-budget independent movie and, ever the professional, he's doing research for the role by spending a day in one of L.A.'s Latino community markets. While there, he's taken with the fiery young clerk (played by Paz Vega) in the "10 Items or Less" check-out lane, and when he's abandoned by his driver and can't remember his new home phone number, Scarlet agrees to drive him to his home in another part of the city. But Scarlet, who's hoping to get away from her dreadful dead-end job in the market, has a job interview scheduled, and as he rides along, the Movie Star gets involved in her plans. Their trek through Los Angeles takes them through unexpected situations and personal revelations, building an odd but compelling relationship that affects both their lives.

My Thoughts:
Wonderful little film, produced by Freeman. Funny and heart-wrenching by turns, it really should have gotten more attention. I'm a big Morgan Freeman fan – he never turns in a less-than-stellar performance, and he's amazing in this one. But the rest of the cast is pretty amazing, too – especially Paz Vega (a young Spanish actress I had never seen before although she's apparently a pretty big star in Europe) who plays Scarlet, and Jim Parsons (of The Big Bang Theory fame) doing a campy turn as a ditsy building company receptionist. Anne Dudek is also noticeable, as Lorraine, another check-out clerk; I kept thinking she looked really familiar but just couldn't place her until I found out she played Francine, Betty Draper's pal in Mad Men.

This one is definitely worth seeing. The DVD we watched also included a documentary about the making of the film which is also interesting if you're a film fanatic – it's almost as long as the movie itself, and very detailed. As M said, it's like a little tutorial in the making of low-budget independent films. But for us normal folk, it can get a little tedious – maybe your time would be better spent watching another Morgan Freeman movie.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

Cloud Atlas

2012

Multi-National Production

Directors: Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Writers: David Mitchell (novel), Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski
Cast: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, James D'Arcy, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Keith David, Xun Zhou
MPAA Rating: Rated R for violence, language, sexuality/nudity and some drug use

Story: 

????? (see below)

My Thoughts:
The Internet Movie Database says this is "An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution."

Well, if you say so.

My husband had recently read the novel by David Mitchell and gave me a brief synopsis before we watched the movie. But if I hadn't had that bit of info, I would not have had a clue about what was going on in this one. If you're going to see it, it's probably a good idea to be familiar with the novel first. Otherwise, it's all just a picturesque jumble of fleeting images. A little too cartoon-y for my tastes. But it was fun watching all the actors playing different roles and having so much fun with the costumes and makeup. 

My IMDB rating: 3 stars out of a possible 10

1408

2007

USA

Director: Mikael Håfström
Writers: Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski 
Based on a short story by Stephen King 
Cast: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Tony Shalhoub, Mary McCormack 
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic material including disturbing sequences of violence and terror, frightening images and language

Story:

Writer Mike Enslin (John Cusack) believes only in what he can see with his own two eyes. He's written a string of bestsellers discrediting paranormal events in the most infamous haunted houses and graveyards around the world, always hoping for some proof of "afterlife." The target of his latest literary project is suite 1408 of New York's notorious Dolphin Hotel.  The room is permanently "unavailable for guests"; but after he threatens to sue the hotel, Enslin is allowed to spend a night in the room.  And it's a night during which his cynical skepticism is going to change forever.  Because at the Dolphin, when you stay in room 1408, just like the song says: Some guests check in, but they can never leave.

My Thoughts:
Watched this a few weeks ago on (I think) TBS.  I'd been watching Winter Olympics coverage for several days straight, and needed some relief.  I had seen it before – I think we got it from Netflix back around the time it was first out. Or maybe it was on one of the movie channels. Anyway, I was very disappointed with it that first time, but after seeing it again, it seemed much more frightening than I remembered. I think the special effects are too over-the-top to be really scary; when a movie becomes a cartoon it loses much of its potential for true spookiness. But on second view, I was able to get past all the CGI junk and enjoy the really very creepy story a bit more. Still, the scariest thing about it was watching Cusack crawling around on that hotel carpet!  Yow!

My IMDb Rating: 5 stars out of a possible 10

Gran Torino

2008

USA

Written by Nick Schenk and Dave Johannson
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, John Carroll Lynch
MPAA Rating: R for language throughout, and some violence

Synopsis (from RottenTomatoes.com):

"[T]he story of a grizzled Korean War vet's reluctant friendship with a Hmong teenage boy and his immigrant family. . . . Eastwood stars as Walt Kowalski, an unabashed bigot who never heard a racial insult he didn't love. Bitter, haunted, and full of pride, Walt refuses to abandon the neighborhood he's lived in for decades despite its changing demographics as he clings desperately to a mindset long since out of step with the times. When his Hmong neighbor Thao tries to steal his prized muscle car as part of a gang initiation, Walt is forced to grapple with the world around him. . . . More than simply a racial morality tale, however, GRAN TORINO is about the unlikely bonds that people form to navigate the subtle complexities [of] every day life. . . . GRAN TORINO explores the challenging yet rich new world that can open up when individuals let down their guard, even if for just a moment. Estranged from his family and his church, and without any sense of personal peace, Walt offers all that he has to Thao and his family, namely wisdom and protection. When tragedy strikes the family, Eastwood allows a little classic Harry Callahan to poke through, but the surprising finale posits a hero that Dirty Harry would never have the guts to be. It's a potent symbolic gesture to Eastwood's own growth as a storyteller."

My Thoughts:

I've liked Clint Eastwood ever since I first saw him as Rowdy Yates in the old Rawhide TV show when I was a tot. A lot of his movies are a little more violent and raw than I really like, but I usually enjoy them just because of Eastwood's presence. Even so, I was a little dubious about Gran Torino because of the racial conflict aspect – and these days I tend to shy away from any film or book described as "gritty," "symbolic," or a "morality tale." At my age, I've had just about all the grit, symbols and moralistic preaching I can stand. So I wasn't certain about the movie, but I figured – hey, it's Clint Eastwood after all.

And I wasn't disappointed. Eastwood manages to find an enormous amount of humor and pathos in Walt's bigotry and insularity, without pulling any punches about its crudeness or offensiveness. And the developing relationship between Walt and his new neighbors is very appealing and fascinating to watch. The supporting cast is terrific, and includes quite a few new faces (well, new to me anyway). Both Bee Vang and Ahney Her as the young brother and sister deliver wonderful performances; and I especially loved John Carroll Lynch as Martin, Walt's barber and sparring partner in racial slurs.

I know I'm probably one of the last people on the planet to see this one, but it's definitely got my recommendation.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

Take Shelter

2011

USA

Written and Directed by Jeff Nichols
Cinematography by Adam Stone (director of photography)
Cast: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Kathy Baker, Tova Stewart, Shea Whigham
MPAA Rating: R for some language

Story:
When solid family man Curtis is plagued by a series of hallucinations, delusions and nightmares, all centered around a coming apocalyptic storm, he fears he might be heading down the path to schizophrenia, like his mother before him.  He also becomes obsessed with the idea of restoring an abandoned storm shelter on his property -- an obsession that eventually causes him to lose his job just as his young daughter Hannah (who is deaf) is scheduled for surgery that might allow her to hear normally.  As his strange behavior intensifies, he loses his standing in the community and frightens his wife and daughter.  But still he persists.  Will his determination to finish the shelter save his family or tear it apart?

My Thoughts:
This film has won or been nominated for a LOT of awards (see the list HERE), but I don't believe I'd ever heard of it until I saw it on Encore/Drama last night.   And while I'm not sure I'd agree with the "new American masterpiece" designation, I thought it was a very interesting and well-made little film.  The acting is restrained, the characters seem very real, the dialogue completely natural; the story kept me guessing about Curtis' sanity right up to the end.  And that ending is deliciously ambiguous, open to several different interpretations (won't say more -- see it for yourself).  Generally, that sort of ambiguity would annoy me, but here it works perfectly.  This is one I wouldn't mind seeing again.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

Looking for Richard

1996

(Watched DVD from Netflix)

Directed by: Al Pacino
Written by: William Shakespeare (play), Al Pacino & Frederic Kimball (narration)
Cinematography: Robert Leacock
Cast: Al Pacino, Penelope Allen, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Winona Ryder, Estelle Parsons, Paul Guilfoyle, Aidan Quinn, F. Murray Abraham, Harris Yulin
Rating: PG-13 for brief strong language and some scenes of violence

The Story: 

Looking for Richard is a 1996 documentary film and the first film directed by Al Pacino. It is both a performance of selected scenes of William Shakespeare's Richard III and a broader examination of Shakespeare's continuing role and relevance in popular culture. Pacino plays both himself and the title character. The movie guides the audience through the play's plot and historical background. Pacino and several fellow actors...act out scenes from the play. In addition, the actors comment on their roles. Pacino also features other actors famous for performing Shakespeare...[and] interviews with Shakespeare scholars and ordinary people on the street. [--Wikipedia]

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this, but it's not for everyone. Anything with Al Pacino is worth watching.  And all the acting in this film is top-notch and fascinating (especially Penelope Allen -- a real revelation).  But in the end, Looking for Richard is basically an extended rumination on the problems and pros/cons of filming a production of Richard III.  If you're a Pacino fan or a theater arts major, this is probably right down your street. Other, more normal, folk would be better served just seeing the play itself -- try Olivier's 1955 version first.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10