Monthly Archives: August 2014

2013 Films, Auto Racing, Biography, Sports, True Stories

Rush-2013

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Rush-2013

Director Ron Howard

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl

Scott’s Review #162

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Reviewed August 31, 2014 

Grade: B+

Rush (2013), a film directed by Ron Howard, delves into the world of auto racing with the true story of the 1970s rivalry between racing superstars of the day, James Hunt and Niki Lauda.

The film mainly focuses on the period from 1970-1976 and the series of races and championships involving the two with some of their life trials and tribulations thrown in.

At first bitter enemies, respect, and friendship slowly build over the years.

Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl give excellent performances as Hunt and Lauda, respectively.

Ron Howard, a very mainstream, Hollywood-style director carves a nice film that is not edgy or particularly risk-taking but is a solid biopic that works and will hold the viewer’s interest.

The film is not gritty and has a definite safe feel, but that is unsurprising since Ron Howard directed it and is a characteristic of his films.

Reportedly, the feud between Hunt and Lauda is slightly embellished from the low-key real-life feud, and some events are created for effect- Hunt never beats up a reporter in Lauda’s defense.

The racing sequences are compelling and are not overdone or take away from the human aspect of the film. I loved seeing the real-life Hunt and Lauda at the end of the film as is quite common these days when telling a true-life story.

Bruhl, an unknown to me, received a deserving Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Rush is not a movie to go down in history nor will it leave one thinking about or asking questions days after viewing it, but a slick, competent, entertaining story with impressive acting by the two leads.

2013 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama

The Spectacular Now-2013

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The Spectacular Now-2013

Director James Ponsoldt

Starring Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley

Scott’s Review #161

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Reviewed August 29, 2014

Grade: B

The Spectacular Now (2013) is a coming-of-age independent film that tells the story of a romance between two unlikely high school seniors.

Sutter (Miles Teller) is a popular student who takes a shine to smart loner Aimee (Shailene Woodley) and the two develop a strong bond as they each struggle with parental issues while being opposite social types.

She is college-bound and motivated, he lives in the now with no thoughts of the future. But somehow they forge a connection.

The success of this film lies with Teller and Woodley who each give nice performances and the chemistry between them is evident.

At first, I neither bought Teller as a traditionally popular kid nor Woodley as the friendless recluse, but somehow the film works as each has a rooting value to them.

Sutter’s ex-girlfriend Cassidy, whom he still has feelings for is played by Brie Larson, and the character is rather undeveloped, needless, and not much rooting value for her or competition for the main couple.

Interestingly, alcohol and alcoholism are touched on as the two leads drink quite heavily and regularly for being only eighteen years old, but glossed over.

I think the film is more about the romance between the two rather than any social issues.

There are capable supporting performances by Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kyle Chandler, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Shailene Woodley received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress, but Miles Teller received no nomination and I am surprised as I thought he was a bit better than she was and had the meatier role.

The Spectacular Now (2013) is hardly anything groundbreaking, but a nicely told story that is authentic and admirable for a teen film.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Female Lead-Shailene Woodley, Best Screenplay

2011 Films, Comedy

Tower Heist-2011

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Tower Heist-2011

Director Brett Ratner

Starring Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy

Scott’s Review #160

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Reviewed August 29, 2014

Grade: D

Tower Heist (2011) is a completely formulaic, by-the-numbers comedy with absolutely no surprises or, frankly, creativity.

It tells the story of a luxury high-rise apartment manager named Josh Kovacs, weakly played by Ben Stiller and set in New York City, whose favorite tenant, a businessman named Arthur Shaw, played by Alan Alda is arrested for involvement in a Ponzi scheme.

The entire staff’s pensions have been squandered, thanks to Josh entrusting Shaw with the funds, and he strives to return the money to the rightful owners via a team of staff and an ex-con, played by Eddie Murphy. They team up and attempt to locate millions of dollars hidden in Shaw’s apartment.

If this film was a starring vehicle with Ben Stiller in mind, it was done horribly. He has been much funnier in There’s Something About Mary (1998) or Meet the Parents (2000).

Tower Heist has some similarities to the film Ocean’s Eleven (2001) since the score is recognizable and mirrors that film. The band of players is similar to that film and the look of it reminds me of it too.

Murphy plays a silly, stereotypical role, and zero chemistry exists within the group striving to retain the money.

There is also no chemistry between Stiller and Tea Leoni, who plays an FBI agent with a phony Queens accent that I found laugh-out-loud bad.

Nothing worked in this film since it was one tired gag after another and completely predictable.

I will admit that the two minor positives in Tower Heist were Alan Alda who it’s always great to see him in films, and the interesting choice of a luxurious high-rise setting with cool, ritzy interiors taken from real buildings in New York City.

Otherwise, Tower Heist (2011) is a complete dud.

1955 Films, Drama, Romantic Drama

All That Heaven Allows-1955

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All That Heaven Allows-1955

Director Douglas Sirk

Starring Rock Hudson, Jane Wyman

Scott’s Review #159

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Reviewed August 26, 2014

Grade: B+

All That Heaven Allows (1955) is a perfect-looking film. Director Douglas Sirk famously dressed his films in a contemporary, stylish fashion. As evidenced by the story in this film, his movies traditionally contain a social aspect.

Affluent socialite Cary falls in love with handsome young gardener Ron, and they face discrimination in a town where status is everything and gossip is rampant.

I love the chemistry between Jane Wyman (Cary) and Rock Hudson (Ron). The small town in New England is so perfect looking- sets, cinematography, that it fits the subject matter perfectly- most of the townspeople live these seemingly perfect lives and look down on anyone with a different outlook or way of living.

There is a feeling oozing from these people that contrasts perfectly with Ron’s open-mindedness and freedom and the conflict Cary faces.

On the one hand, she is passionate about Ron and wants to live with him; on the other, she is unsure if she wants to give up a comfortable, affluent life with perks like a social club and a beautiful house.

The chemistry between the leads is really what makes this film unique.

All That Heaven Allows (1955) influenced one of my favorite films, the masterpiece Far from Heaven (2002), which substituted the age factor for race.

2012 Films, Horror, Horror-Camp

Argento’s Dracula-2012

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Argento’s Dracula-2012

Director Dario Argento

Starring Thomas Kretschmann, Marta Gastini

Scott’s Review #158

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Reviewed August 22, 2014

Grade: C-

As a huge fan of Dario Argento, his classic horror films such as Suspiria (1977) and Deep Red (1975) would surely land in my Top fifty of all time, not just in the horror genre, this film is a bit of a mess.

The story, as I understand it, involves a young man named Harker, who is hired by Count Dracula to work in his castle as a Librarian. His wife Mina arrives later in the story and is the focal point of the film from that point on.

Another female named Tania rises from the dead to seduce and bite Harker. Dracula intervenes and wants to claim Harker as his own. From this point on, Harker’s wife Mina attempts to look for her husband within the halls of Dracula’s castle.

The plot is difficult to keep track of, not compelling, and not one of Argento’s finest efforts.

An homage to Hammer horror films of the 1950s and 1960s, the film comes across as too campy, poorly performed, and some miscasts among the actors.

The actor who plays Count Dracula is not convincing and seems a strange choice for the part- too nice looking?

It feels like Argento did not know whether to make the film serious or go for being completely over the top. Since when can Dracula change forms into a grasshopper, owl, and other creatures besides a bat?

Other characters like the Priest were introduced for no other purpose than to be killed.

On the positive side, the art direction is amazing. The film is filled with creepy sets, especially inside the mansion, and has a distinct 1970s feel to it. The ambiance is highly effective at portraying a spooky, dark setting.

All in all, though, Argento’s Dracula (2012) is a disappointing experience, and much better films of the same subject matter have been covered in the past.

2013 Films, Documentary, French, International, International Documentary

The Missing Picture-2013

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The Missing Picture-2013

Director Rithy Panh

Starring Randal Douc

Scott’s Review #157

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Reviewed August 21, 2014

Grade: C+

One question continued to go through my mind while viewing The Missing Picture (2013). Is it a documentary or a foreign film? It is a documentary, but strangely, the film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.

I hate to say this, but after fifteen minutes or so I found the film quite dull.

I respect the creative, expressionist clay figures and enjoy the black-and-white real-life clips of the horrific events from 1970’s Cambodia.

But I found the narration as dull as dishwater.

I watched forty-five minutes of the one hour and thirty-five minutes run time and deduced that I had gotten the film’s point. It does not take away from the importance of the subject, but the presentation could have been a bit more exciting.

This is a common occurrence in the documentary genre.

Oscar Nominations: Best Foreign Language Film

1951 Films, Science Fiction

The Day the Earth Stood Still-1951

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The Day the Earth Stood Still-1951

Director Robert Wise

Starring Michael Rennie

Scott’s Review #155

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Reviewed August 18, 2014

Grade: B+

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) is one of the best, most credible, original science fiction thrillers. It has stood the test of time, considering it is over sixty years old.

Made in 1951, the film is a message movie about a spaceship that suddenly arrives on planet Earth in the United States capitol of Washington, D.C.

Michael Rennie is fantastic as Klaatu, the calm, poised leader of the spaceship. Along with Gort, a 7-foot-tall robot, Klaatu intends to deliver a message of peace and humanity to the leaders of Earth.

The arrival sets off a panic, and Klaatu is captured, only to escape and meet local townspeople as he tries to pass himself off as human and deliver his message.

The Day the Earth Stood Still is a liberal-slanted, anti-war, pro-tolerance, and acceptance movie, but also a good, old-fashioned black-and-white science fiction thriller rolled into one.

It’s an important film.

It is an edgy, questioning film that can easily still be viewed and appreciated today (sad that not much seems to have changed in the world after all these years).

It is political, and the setting of Washington, D.C., is wise and symbolic.

While a handful of humans are portrayed as intelligent and accepting, most of Earth’s human beings, especially politicians, are portrayed as war-happy, foolish individuals.

The viewer will question the world around him or herself and, hopefully, begin to question political decisions and the horrors of war that continue unabated.

1964 Films, Comedy, Documentary, Musical, Musical Comedy

A Hard Day’s Night-1964

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A Hard Day’s Night-1964

Director Richard Lester

Starring The Beatles

Scott’s Review #154

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Reviewed August 18, 2014 

Grade: C

Why this rock documentary, a day in the life film, is considered among the Top 100 films of all time completely escapes me. I’m a huge fan of the band The Beatles, but this is a letdown.

The segments consisting of musical numbers performed by the band are excellent, and, humming along, I enjoyed the black and white filming of the “documentary.” Still, the film is not a documentary in the traditional sense and is very difficult to categorize.

Is it a rock opera, a comedy, a documentary, or a musical? It is somewhat of a hybrid as the viewer journeys through a typical day in the life of a Beatle.

But everything else seems fluff to the point of silliness. Countless scenes of the band running through the streets with adoring fans screaming and chasing after them become irritating. The film has little plot.

The Beatles were a huge band. We get it.

Paul, George, Ringo, and John do a capable job in the film, considering they are non-actors. I’d much rather have been exposed to a straightforward documentary focusing on the background of some of the songs or the band members themselves instead of a lightweight tale of a day in the life of The Beatles with silly attempts at humor thrown in.

A Hard Day’s Night (1964) influenced the 1960s television comedy starring The Monkees.

Oscar Nominations: Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, Best Scoring of Music-Adaptation or Treatment

2013 Films, Documentary, Independent

After Tiller-2013

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After Tiller-2013

Director Martha Shane, Lana Wilson

Scott’s Review #153

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Reviewed August 13, 2014 

Grade: A

After Tiller (2013) is a brilliant and thought-provoking documentary about the controversial topic of abortion. The issue presented is not whether abortions should be performed, but rather if they should be performed late-term (beyond twenty weeks).

The Doctor Tiller mentioned in the title was the Doctor who opened the handful of clinics that perform late-term abortions and who was murdered outside of his church by fanatics before the documentary was made.

The four remaining protégé of his are Doctors who now openly perform these controversial procedures and who are presented as, not monsters as some would think of them, but as sympathetic, kind professionals who put the pregnant mothers’ needs first.

As I assumed before seeing the documentary, the Doctors are not strictly performing the abortions for mothers seeking a way to get rid of a “problem”, but rather, in most cases, the baby will lead a life of pain, misery, and health problems.

Typically, the parents do not learn of the problem until late in the pregnancy which adds dimensions and levels to the issue.

The viewer is left wondering, what would I do?

Most of the parents struggle with the decision to terminate their pregnancies.

These Doctors (and their families) constantly receive death threats from pro-life groups who do not comprehend the issue and the Doctors are harassed by people who do not want their abortion clinics anywhere near them and as a viewer, this is painful to watch.

Any viewer who is pro-life or pro-choice ought to watch this for a better understanding of the complexities of late-term abortions.

After Tiller (2013) is riveting but has shamefully been seldom seen by audiences.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Documentary Feature

2012 Films, Documentary

Room 237-2012

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Room 237-2012

Director Rodney Ascher

Starring Bill Blakemore, Geoffrey Cocks

Scott’s Review #150

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Reviewed August 6, 2014

Grade: C-

My viewing of the documentary Room 237 (2012) resulted in mixed emotions.

On the one hand, it is an interesting glimpse into the world of the classic, horror masterpiece The Shining (1980), with many clips and film facts presented.

It also features other works by Director Stanley Kubrick and compares them to each other, which is interesting to fans like me.

I love the passion of the fans of this film and admire how they know every intricate detail of The Shining.

But at the heart of this documentary lies conspiracy theories from the fans and theorists, regarding The Shining, that are downright wacky and become redundant after about fifteen minutes.

What makes these people credible? Only their voices are heard and the audience does not see their faces. Who are they? What walks of life are they? Most of these conspiracy theories are much ado about nothing.

Somehow a camera angle or a photo of a surfer or an expression on the face of Jack Nicholson turns into a mythological meaning. There is also some gibberish about moon landings and the holocaust that did not interest me.

I bought very little of it if any.

I would have been quite content with a documentary solely focused on the making of The Shining, interviews with the cast and behind-the-scenes facts, or even bloopers. It would have been more realistic, interesting, and plausible.

As a tribute to the excellence of The Shining, this documentary succeeds; in all else, it fails.

2013 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama

Short Term 12-2013

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Short Term 12-2013

Director Destin Daniel Cretton, Lakeith Stanfield

Starring Brie Larson

Scott’s Review #149

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Reviewed August 6, 2014 

Grade: C+

Having just viewed Short Term 12 (2013), I am not sure I am getting all of the “this movie is brilliant” or “beyond amazing”, or glowing praise surrounding the film.

The film is set in a group home for troubled teens and centers around the supervisor of the home named Grace (Brie Larson). Grace runs the home with her boyfriend and other twenty-something, mostly former troubled youths.

The film’s focal point is Grace and both her problems (she is pregnant and her abusive father is being released from prison) and her relationships with the teens currently staying in the group home.

The film is fairly engaging but seems a bit forced and not gritty enough given the subject matter.

I enjoyed the relationship between Grace and a new charge, Jayden, whom she befriends. The group of teens is almost too perfectly cast, however- with a mix of races and stereotypes, the kids did not come across as genuine.

I would have liked to see more backstory for some of the kids besides the two that were given one.

Subjects were introduced but not followed through with- Why was Grace’s father never introduced onscreen? Where was the mother? Her childhood issues were mentioned only in passing. Some of Grace’s actions were unrealistic and out of character for a counseling supervisor.

Would she smash the windows of one of the teen’s father’s cars out of anger and not consider the repercussions? And what was with the constant poop jokes, especially in the first ten minutes?

That was dumb and out of place.

The film feels glossed over and I didn’t feel the realism- almost like a CBS television drama with swear words added to seem harsher. The subject was brave, but many more details could have been delved into and explored in Short Term 12 (2013).

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best Female Lead-Brie Larson, Best Supporting Male-Lakeith Stanfield, Best Editing (won)

1956 Films, Epic, Western

The Searchers-1956

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The Searchers-1956

Director John Ford

Starring John Wayne, Natalie Wood

Scott’s Review #148

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Reviewed August 5, 2014

Grade: B+

The Searchers (1956) is a classic film considered one of the greatest ever made. It took me a few viewings to appreciate, but I now admire it more and more with each subsequent viewing.

I understand why it is on many Best Films of All Time lists.

I do not think it’s great, but I understand its outstanding qualities. And while admittedly, I am neither a fan of the Western genre nor of John Wayne, both are top-notch in The Searchers.

It tells the story of a Civil War veteran (Wayne) named Ethan Edwards, whose brother and his sister-in-law, whom Ethan is in love with, are brutally murdered by a Comanche Indian tribe.

Ethan’s two nieces are kidnapped, and for the remainder of the film, Ethan, along with his best friend, searches for the missing girls.

Two aspects that initially bothered me about the film were the overt racism involved in this film towards any Indians- the treatment of one Indian woman is cruel, and my disdain for the character of Ethan.

The fact that I am not a fan of John Wayne- way overrated in the acting department, in my opinion, may have something to do with this. But the character of Ethan is racist, and it is tough to root for a character like that.

One could make the argument that he is also self-loathing due to lusting after his sister-in-law.

Over time, though, I have come to appreciate this Western drama more and more, mainly due to John Ford’s direction, the sweeping cinematography of the Old West, and the now-understood complexity of Ethan’s character.

He is confident, masculine, and even mean but wounded and, in some way, sympathetic to viewers.

The Searchers (1956) also captures what the real West was probably once like.

An epic western that I have grown to admire.

2013 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, Romantic Drama, Science Fiction

Her-2013

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Her-2013

Director Spike Jonze

Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johannson

Scott’s Review #147

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Reviewed August 5, 2014

Grade: A-

Her (2013) is a very unique film directed by Spike Jonze.

The film tells the tale of a lonely, depressed man named Theodore, played by Joaquin Phoenix, who lives in a beautiful high-rise in futuristic Los Angeles.

He works as a writer for a company that creates intimate cards for people in relationships. Having suffered a recent divorce, he falls in love with his computerized operation system named Samantha, played by Scarlett Johansson- voice only.

Conflicts emerge as the relationship deepens and intensifies. Her is a love story uniquely crafted, but also a story of loneliness and the world of technology we now live in.

It portrays human relationships as troubled and unsuccessful yet several characters have wonderful relationships with computers.

Is this what the future may bring with human beings? How many people have fallen in love with a fantasy or a voice on the phone?

The film ponders why relationships have been changed due to technological advances and wonders what will happen further into the future. Technology, while wonderful, has changed our interpersonal relationships and this film successfully delves deeply into that aspect.

The conversation is a lost art and Her features the joys and the tragedies of technology.

Visually, the film is successful because it portrays Los Angeles in a sophisticated, ultra-sleek, modern way that is fascinating.

Several technological games are featured (the Alien child is brilliantly comical) and the “Mom points” is fascinating in its irony.

Her is a deep film that raises questions and I applaud this in modern cinema.

Her is a slow-moving film, but a questioning one.

It won the 2013 Best Original Screenplay Oscar and I am so glad the academy recognized the originality of this film.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay (won), Best Original Score, Best Original Song-“The Moon Song”, Best Production Design