Welcome to a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.
Take Shelter – Opening October 7, 2011
I saw this trailer before a showing of “Midnight in Paris” at the Clearview Chelsea and haven’t been able to get it out of my head since. Part of what makes this trailer work so well is the creepy score that narrates its main character’s descent into madness, but it looks like a damn good film all by itself. Michael Shannon, who earned an Oscar nomination for his bit part in 2008’s “Revolutionary Road,” is skilled at playing lonely, socially inept characters, as he did in the starring role in “The Missing Person” and in his ensemble part as FBI Agent Nelson Van Alden in HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire.” Here, as a man who sees vision of terrible storms approaching and starts building a tornado shelter in his backyard, it looks like he’s found a role that really suits his particular talents. Jessica Chastain, who is going to be huge this year after “The Debt” and “The Help,” has proven that she’s able to play a long-suffering wife in “The Tree of Life,” and this is sure to be a complex and challenging role. Performances aside, this looks like a fascinating film with a truly engaging and compelling story. I’m somewhat worried that it might border on horror at times as Curtis lets his imagination get the best of him and hallucinates something truly awful, but I think it should be more than thrilling and powerful enough to legitimate a few small scares. I definitely want to see this, and I’m hoping it will be just as good and intense as it looks.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Monday Movie on the Mind: Pixar Edition
Welcome to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe: Monday Movie on the Mind. I’ll be kicking off each week with a clip or trailer from a film that happens to be on my mind, designed as a retrospective look at some well-known, forgotten, or underappreciated classic from movie history, be it antique or current. Chime in with your thoughts about the film or any other movies that you might be thinking of this week!
This week’s Monday Movie on the Mind is a special, more general edition. Rather than address today’s national holiday of Memorial Day, I’m inclined to pay tribute to the theme of the high school youth group convention I staffed this past weekend: Pixar. This studio has, since 1995, produced eleven feature films, all of which have been spectacular. I’ve seen all but one (“The Incredibles”), and I have to say that it’s pretty impressive for a studio not to have a dud. Pixar makes for a terrific theme for a convention, that’s for sure, and it’s amazing to me how these movies can be enjoyed just as much by adults as by kids. It’s not an easy feat to balance sensibilities and work in enough relatable humor for adults in a film that’s still just as age-appropriate for young children (sorry, “Small Soldiers.”) This is hardly truer anywhere else than “Toy Story,” the inaugural Pixar film that spawned two wildly successful sequels, and which brilliantly depicted classic children’s toys coming to life. While I’d contend that the first film is still the best, numbers two and three are certainly worth their salt as well. “A Bug’s Life” may be frequently confused with another similar film released the same year, “Antz,” but it’s inarguably a blast. It’s incredible to note that all eight Pixar films released since the inception of the Best Animated Feature Oscar category have earned a nomination. “Monsters Inc.” lost to “Shrek,” but it’s easily one of the most quotable and heartwarming films of its kind. Ditto “Finding Nemo,” which won in 2003. I personally loved “Cars” and can’t comprehend how it lost to the peculiar “Happy Feet,” and I’m looking forward to the sequel, which will be released in less than a month. The last four years, Pixar has dominated with back-to-back instant classics, from “Ratatouille” to “Wall-E” to “Up.” It’s also impressive just how enjoyable and fun the shorts produced by Pixar are, often shown before the theatrical showings of the features and sometimes interrelated with them. “Day & Night” is only the most recent success, and I can remember being delighted in mere minutes by the likes of “Presto,” “Lifted,” “Mike’s New Car,” “Jack Jack Attack,” and others. The short films have earned nine Oscar nominations and three wins all by themselves, and you can enjoy two of them below. Is there anything more reliable than Pixar? I’m not sure. My favorite film is probably “Toy Story,” but the rest are just so wonderful and enjoyable. What’s your favorite Pixar flick?
This week’s Monday Movie on the Mind is a special, more general edition. Rather than address today’s national holiday of Memorial Day, I’m inclined to pay tribute to the theme of the high school youth group convention I staffed this past weekend: Pixar. This studio has, since 1995, produced eleven feature films, all of which have been spectacular. I’ve seen all but one (“The Incredibles”), and I have to say that it’s pretty impressive for a studio not to have a dud. Pixar makes for a terrific theme for a convention, that’s for sure, and it’s amazing to me how these movies can be enjoyed just as much by adults as by kids. It’s not an easy feat to balance sensibilities and work in enough relatable humor for adults in a film that’s still just as age-appropriate for young children (sorry, “Small Soldiers.”) This is hardly truer anywhere else than “Toy Story,” the inaugural Pixar film that spawned two wildly successful sequels, and which brilliantly depicted classic children’s toys coming to life. While I’d contend that the first film is still the best, numbers two and three are certainly worth their salt as well. “A Bug’s Life” may be frequently confused with another similar film released the same year, “Antz,” but it’s inarguably a blast. It’s incredible to note that all eight Pixar films released since the inception of the Best Animated Feature Oscar category have earned a nomination. “Monsters Inc.” lost to “Shrek,” but it’s easily one of the most quotable and heartwarming films of its kind. Ditto “Finding Nemo,” which won in 2003. I personally loved “Cars” and can’t comprehend how it lost to the peculiar “Happy Feet,” and I’m looking forward to the sequel, which will be released in less than a month. The last four years, Pixar has dominated with back-to-back instant classics, from “Ratatouille” to “Wall-E” to “Up.” It’s also impressive just how enjoyable and fun the shorts produced by Pixar are, often shown before the theatrical showings of the features and sometimes interrelated with them. “Day & Night” is only the most recent success, and I can remember being delighted in mere minutes by the likes of “Presto,” “Lifted,” “Mike’s New Car,” “Jack Jack Attack,” and others. The short films have earned nine Oscar nominations and three wins all by themselves, and you can enjoy two of them below. Is there anything more reliable than Pixar? I’m not sure. My favorite film is probably “Toy Story,” but the rest are just so wonderful and enjoyable. What’s your favorite Pixar flick?
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Home Video with Abe: Solitary Man (Capsule Review)
Solitary Man
Directed by Brian Koppelman & David Levien
Released May 21, 2010
Last year, Michael Douglas returned to the big screen to reprise his role as classic character Gordon Gekko. It turns out that Gekko wasn’t the only power-hungry, ally-alienating personality that Douglas played in 2010. “Solitary Man,” which is available via Netflix Instant Streaming, is the story of Ben Kalmen, a car dealer whose unscrupulous business practices and promiscuous ways have distanced him from anyone he might previously have called his friends. It’s a lonely tale of a man who has made mistakes and refuses to acknowledge them, destined to repeat his errors until he learns his lesson. It’s a decently familiar but equally engaging drama with enough light moments to make it bearable, with a number of fine performances in it. Douglas could play this part in his sleep, and he doesn’t require any support to guide the film. No other actor has near as prominent a role, but they all play their bit parts to great effect, including Danny DeVito, Mary-Louise Parker, Susan Sarandon, Richard Schiff, Anastasia Griffith, David Costabile, and Jesse Eisenberg. Jenna Fischer, who plays Ben’s daughter, needs better and more sophisticated movie roles. This film isn’t a must-see, but it’s a worthwhile and strong drama.
B
Directed by Brian Koppelman & David Levien
Released May 21, 2010
Last year, Michael Douglas returned to the big screen to reprise his role as classic character Gordon Gekko. It turns out that Gekko wasn’t the only power-hungry, ally-alienating personality that Douglas played in 2010. “Solitary Man,” which is available via Netflix Instant Streaming, is the story of Ben Kalmen, a car dealer whose unscrupulous business practices and promiscuous ways have distanced him from anyone he might previously have called his friends. It’s a lonely tale of a man who has made mistakes and refuses to acknowledge them, destined to repeat his errors until he learns his lesson. It’s a decently familiar but equally engaging drama with enough light moments to make it bearable, with a number of fine performances in it. Douglas could play this part in his sleep, and he doesn’t require any support to guide the film. No other actor has near as prominent a role, but they all play their bit parts to great effect, including Danny DeVito, Mary-Louise Parker, Susan Sarandon, Richard Schiff, Anastasia Griffith, David Costabile, and Jesse Eisenberg. Jenna Fischer, who plays Ben’s daughter, needs better and more sophisticated movie roles. This film isn’t a must-see, but it’s a worthwhile and strong drama.
B
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe
Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. Absent a wealth of new film reviews during the weekend, I’d like to start providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in NYC as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.
Now Playing in NYC
The Tree of Life (mixed bag) is such a complicated mess that it’s hard to process. It’s way too art house for such a simple premise, yet there are definitely alluring and captivating parts that make it soar. Overall, you’ll need to be very patient to actually enjoy it and think it’s a terrific film. Read my review from yesterday.
I’m hoping to see The Hangover Part II sooner rather than later, mostly because I enjoyed the first film but didn’t have the opportunity to see it in theatres, so I don’t want to miss out this time too. I can skip Kung Fu Panda 2 since I didn’t care much for the first film. I’d like to see Skateland, which looked interesting when I saw a trailer for it at the Angelika.
New to DVD
My interest in I Am Number Four and Gnomeo and Juliet is about the same: none.
Now on Netflix Instant Streaming
Recently added, we have Stone, which should have been so much better and you can definitely skip. I’m personally interested in Kick-Ass, Howl, and Jack Goes Boating, three films from last year that I missed.
Now Playing in NYC
The Tree of Life (mixed bag) is such a complicated mess that it’s hard to process. It’s way too art house for such a simple premise, yet there are definitely alluring and captivating parts that make it soar. Overall, you’ll need to be very patient to actually enjoy it and think it’s a terrific film. Read my review from yesterday.
I’m hoping to see The Hangover Part II sooner rather than later, mostly because I enjoyed the first film but didn’t have the opportunity to see it in theatres, so I don’t want to miss out this time too. I can skip Kung Fu Panda 2 since I didn’t care much for the first film. I’d like to see Skateland, which looked interesting when I saw a trailer for it at the Angelika.
New to DVD
My interest in I Am Number Four and Gnomeo and Juliet is about the same: none.
Now on Netflix Instant Streaming
Recently added, we have Stone, which should have been so much better and you can definitely skip. I’m personally interested in Kick-Ass, Howl, and Jack Goes Boating, three films from last year that I missed.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Movie with Abe: The Tree of Life
The Tree of Life
Directed by Terrence Malick
Released May 27, 2011
There isn’t really another film out there like “The Tree of Life.” Then again, there isn’t a filmmaker out there like Malick, who marks only his fifth feature film in thirty-eight years and his first since 2005’s bleak Pocahontas reimagining “The New World.” His newest film definitely wants to be an epic, but there is not as much footing as he thinks there is, and the attempt to fill the rest results in an extraordinarily overstuffed, suffocating experience, amidst which sense and logic do not prevail. “The Tree of Life” is a hypnotic film that, more than anything, serves to intrigue rather than to fulfill.
The story in “The Tree of Life,” that of a young boy, Jack (Hunter McCracken), who grows up with a stern, distant father (Brad Pitt), isn’t nearly as grand as it’s made to seem. Thunderous overtures play every time a minor event occurs, aggrandizing regular conversations or small exchanges. The film is prone to extended periods of distraction, showcasing the sun going supernova and other such representations of the relationship between Jack and his father. There is even an unexplained sequence involving two dinosaurs that by no means belongs in the film, and appears comic and incomprehensible at best.
To be fair, a simple movie about a boy, his two brothers, his subservient mother, and his crass father wouldn’t have been nearly as enticing or fascinating to watch. There is barely a hint of a normal shot in the entire film, with each scene framed at an odd angle in order to give it added significance. The score by Alexandre Desplat, which was featured in part in the film’s trailer, is gorgeous and extraordinarily effective, if simultaneously deafening and inappropriately theatrical at times. Like the cinematography, there’s no subtlety to the music; it’s added at every opportune moment, so as to milk as much majesty out of this film as possible. The child performances from McCracken and Laramie Eppler, however, are quite strong. In terms of the adults, Jessica Chastain displays great anguish and joy with a simple facial expression, and Pitt displays an appropriate stoicism. Sean Penn’s casting is more suspect, since he doesn’t utter a single diegetic line.
“The Tree of Life” is a complicated movie that turns a fairly normal and unmoving story into a giant existential experience. Hearing that this film got booed and also won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival makes perfect sense, since it’s a film that’s easy to be taken in by and just as easy to hate. There’s no rhyme or reason to the film ending when it does, after a prolonged two hours and eighteen minutes. Ending it an hour and a half earlier (before the appearance of those damned dinosaurs) wouldn’t have helped it to make any more or less sense. This film may be one of the most captivating cinematic experiences of all time, but it’s just as frustrating, puzzling, and ultimately, underwhelming.
C+
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Thursday Token Themes
Welcome a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I’m a hugely enthusiastic fan of film scores, and music is far too often an element of cinema that goes unrecognized. Therefore I present a platform for a look – or rather, a listen – to some fantastic film scores. I’ll be selecting a composer and one or more of their film scores for your listening pleasure, embedded from YouTube.
This week’s featured composer is Ilan Eshkeri, a British composer who I first noticed when I first noticed Daniel Craig in “Layer Cake,” but let’s save the best for last. Eshkeri has scored a diverse set of films, with no clear connections between them, but his work is always a highlight. That’s especially true for one of his most recent compositions, which helped to invigorate the first few moments of “Centurion.” Prior to that, he provided a regal melody for “The Young Victoria” and ventured into epic anthems with “Stardust.” The full end credits suite of “Hannibal Rising” is far superior to the film, and presents a number of different styles. What I love most, of course, and what is perfectly embodied by the image on the soundtrack case shown in that video, is “Drive to the Boatyard,” a track from the movie Daniel Craig made before becoming James Bond, “Layer Cake.” It’s a terrific film, and that music completely makes the movie in that scene and others.
Centurion (2010)
The Young Victoria (2009)
Stardust (2007)
Hannibal Rising (2007)
Layer Cake (2004)
This week’s featured composer is Ilan Eshkeri, a British composer who I first noticed when I first noticed Daniel Craig in “Layer Cake,” but let’s save the best for last. Eshkeri has scored a diverse set of films, with no clear connections between them, but his work is always a highlight. That’s especially true for one of his most recent compositions, which helped to invigorate the first few moments of “Centurion.” Prior to that, he provided a regal melody for “The Young Victoria” and ventured into epic anthems with “Stardust.” The full end credits suite of “Hannibal Rising” is far superior to the film, and presents a number of different styles. What I love most, of course, and what is perfectly embodied by the image on the soundtrack case shown in that video, is “Drive to the Boatyard,” a track from the movie Daniel Craig made before becoming James Bond, “Layer Cake.” It’s a terrific film, and that music completely makes the movie in that scene and others.
Centurion (2010)
The Young Victoria (2009)
Stardust (2007)
Hannibal Rising (2007)
Layer Cake (2004)
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Wednesday Westerns: Duck, You Sucker
Welcome a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. In an effort to provide a look back at older films and a desire to highlight a specific genre, I will be spotlighting a Western film each week, combining films from a course I took while at NYU called Myth of the Last Western and other films I have seen and do see. If you have a Western you’d like to write about, please let me know and feel free to submit a guest spot for future weeks!
Duck, You Sucker
Directed by Sergio Leone
Released June 30, 1972
Here we have our fourth chronological film by Leone to be featured and his last Western. It’s an odd film to be sure, and also one with a number of titles, including “A Fistful of Dynamite.” The comma in the title listed above is only so relevant, since James Coburn defines unenthusiasm with his pronunciation of the fabled line right before the dynamite plays its part. “Duck, You Sucker” isn’t as much of a Western, necessarily, as his previous films, but it still involves a typical rivalry between characters and a spirit of lawlessness on the run from many different forms of the law. It’s also by far the most modern of Leone’s films to that time. It’s most memorable to me as ending with the “shon shon shon” music by Ennio Morricone that, as IMDB trivia would have you believe, isn’t representative of either of the main characters’ names, John and Juan. This is a purely strange film, with some odd montages and quite a bit of camaraderie among its primary players. There’s not much matching the thrill of those explosions, the impressiveness of Coburn’s mustache, and the seedy, lazy nature of Rod Steiger’s Juan. It’s hardly Leone’s best, and quite possibly his worst, but it’s still intriguing and invigorating, if more unintentionally hilarious than anything else.
Duck, You Sucker
Directed by Sergio Leone
Released June 30, 1972
Here we have our fourth chronological film by Leone to be featured and his last Western. It’s an odd film to be sure, and also one with a number of titles, including “A Fistful of Dynamite.” The comma in the title listed above is only so relevant, since James Coburn defines unenthusiasm with his pronunciation of the fabled line right before the dynamite plays its part. “Duck, You Sucker” isn’t as much of a Western, necessarily, as his previous films, but it still involves a typical rivalry between characters and a spirit of lawlessness on the run from many different forms of the law. It’s also by far the most modern of Leone’s films to that time. It’s most memorable to me as ending with the “shon shon shon” music by Ennio Morricone that, as IMDB trivia would have you believe, isn’t representative of either of the main characters’ names, John and Juan. This is a purely strange film, with some odd montages and quite a bit of camaraderie among its primary players. There’s not much matching the thrill of those explosions, the impressiveness of Coburn’s mustache, and the seedy, lazy nature of Rod Steiger’s Juan. It’s hardly Leone’s best, and quite possibly his worst, but it’s still intriguing and invigorating, if more unintentionally hilarious than anything else.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tuesday’s Top Trailer: Beginners
Welcome to a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.
Beginners – Opening June 3, 2011
I’ve seen this trailer in theatres now a few times, before “Miral” at the Angelika and before “Midnight in Paris” at the Clearview Chelsea. Fortunately, it’s coming out just next week. This trailer reminds of a few other films, and looks like a brilliant combination. This is yet another eclectic, odd choice from Ewan McGregor following “The Ghost Writer,” “I Love You Phillip Morris,” and “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” and seems like just the right offbeat role for him. This time, it’s not Christopher Plummer talking to a dog the whole time, like he was in the little-seen animated film “My Dog Tulip,” but this looks like a fabulous part for him. It’s nicely comedic with a hint of drama, and I like the way he does his best impression of house music to determine from his son what it is. I love the idea of Mélanie Laurent, of “Inglourious Basterds” fame, in anything, and as an alluring love interest for McGregor’s disillusioned Oliver, she’ll be perfect. The dog subtitles are one thing, but this just looks like a wonderful indie darling, and I think it will be a blast. The summer is an oasis for small, bright films like this with some semi-big stars in highly-acclaimed independent films, and I’m very much looking forward to this one.
Beginners – Opening June 3, 2011
I’ve seen this trailer in theatres now a few times, before “Miral” at the Angelika and before “Midnight in Paris” at the Clearview Chelsea. Fortunately, it’s coming out just next week. This trailer reminds of a few other films, and looks like a brilliant combination. This is yet another eclectic, odd choice from Ewan McGregor following “The Ghost Writer,” “I Love You Phillip Morris,” and “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” and seems like just the right offbeat role for him. This time, it’s not Christopher Plummer talking to a dog the whole time, like he was in the little-seen animated film “My Dog Tulip,” but this looks like a fabulous part for him. It’s nicely comedic with a hint of drama, and I like the way he does his best impression of house music to determine from his son what it is. I love the idea of Mélanie Laurent, of “Inglourious Basterds” fame, in anything, and as an alluring love interest for McGregor’s disillusioned Oliver, she’ll be perfect. The dog subtitles are one thing, but this just looks like a wonderful indie darling, and I think it will be a blast. The summer is an oasis for small, bright films like this with some semi-big stars in highly-acclaimed independent films, and I’m very much looking forward to this one.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Movie with Abe: Midnight in Paris
Midnight in Paris
Directed by Woody Allen
Released May 20, 2011
There’s something noticeably different about Woody Allen’s new film. The Oscar-winning filmmaker has been cranking out at least one movie per year for the past two decades, and especially within the last ten years, it’s been hard to find a hit. It’s almost too easy to predict the plot of an Allen film, which always finds one partner of an unhappy to moderately happy couple considering an affair against the backdrop of some world-renowned city, often New York. A deviation from Allen’s typical formula comes as a major surprise, and it’s refreshing if not entirely effective.
“Midnight in Paris” starts out much the way most Woody Allen films do, with the signature title credits, albeit played over dialogue, a sign that Allen no longer needs to ease into his pictures in quite the same fashion. Gil (Owen Wilson) is clearly with a woman, Inez (Rachel McAdams), who isn’t right for him, prone to fits of frustration when Gil expresses his lack of desire to socialize or do anything exciting save complain about his unfinished novel. For a lonely, down-on-his-luck Gil, a stroll through the city of love after midnight gives him just the release he needs: an unbelievable audience with some of the most famous writers of all time, all in their prime.
Wilson’s nightly trips back in time to the glorious 1920s still constitute an affair of sorts. His fiancée and her disapproving parents (Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy) have no idea where Gil goes each night, and his demeanor and separation from their lives causes them much resentment and anger. Gil, much like a typical Allen movie lead, also becomes a completely different person when he is in a world that welcomes rather than stifles his creativity. The reason for this rift in the space-time continuum is never explained, but that’s the magic of it all, and what makes Paris a worthwhile place to spend time with Allen’s characters.
The roaring twenties provide plenty of opportunities for amusing allusions and appearances, including F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston and Alison Pill), Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll), Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates), and Salvador Dali (Adrien Brody), as well as the always alluring Marion Cotillard as the muse of many, Adriana Ivancich. All play their parts to perfection, and Wilson is the odd man out. It’s hard to believe that the seemingly unenlightened comedian would melt at the sight of a famed author or artist, and that detracts from the character’s credibility. Those in the present day, including his family-to-be and a hilariously pretentious Michael Sheen, are wonderfully entertaining, and it might have been nice to have seen more of them. Gil has trouble piecing together the mesmerizing nature of his nights the morning after they’re complete, and this film suffers from a similar lack of longevity. While it’s going, it’s entirely captivating, but it’s a fleeting story that can be quickly forgotten after and feels like it should have been much more lasting.
B
Directed by Woody Allen
Released May 20, 2011
There’s something noticeably different about Woody Allen’s new film. The Oscar-winning filmmaker has been cranking out at least one movie per year for the past two decades, and especially within the last ten years, it’s been hard to find a hit. It’s almost too easy to predict the plot of an Allen film, which always finds one partner of an unhappy to moderately happy couple considering an affair against the backdrop of some world-renowned city, often New York. A deviation from Allen’s typical formula comes as a major surprise, and it’s refreshing if not entirely effective.
“Midnight in Paris” starts out much the way most Woody Allen films do, with the signature title credits, albeit played over dialogue, a sign that Allen no longer needs to ease into his pictures in quite the same fashion. Gil (Owen Wilson) is clearly with a woman, Inez (Rachel McAdams), who isn’t right for him, prone to fits of frustration when Gil expresses his lack of desire to socialize or do anything exciting save complain about his unfinished novel. For a lonely, down-on-his-luck Gil, a stroll through the city of love after midnight gives him just the release he needs: an unbelievable audience with some of the most famous writers of all time, all in their prime.
Wilson’s nightly trips back in time to the glorious 1920s still constitute an affair of sorts. His fiancée and her disapproving parents (Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy) have no idea where Gil goes each night, and his demeanor and separation from their lives causes them much resentment and anger. Gil, much like a typical Allen movie lead, also becomes a completely different person when he is in a world that welcomes rather than stifles his creativity. The reason for this rift in the space-time continuum is never explained, but that’s the magic of it all, and what makes Paris a worthwhile place to spend time with Allen’s characters.
The roaring twenties provide plenty of opportunities for amusing allusions and appearances, including F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston and Alison Pill), Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll), Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates), and Salvador Dali (Adrien Brody), as well as the always alluring Marion Cotillard as the muse of many, Adriana Ivancich. All play their parts to perfection, and Wilson is the odd man out. It’s hard to believe that the seemingly unenlightened comedian would melt at the sight of a famed author or artist, and that detracts from the character’s credibility. Those in the present day, including his family-to-be and a hilariously pretentious Michael Sheen, are wonderfully entertaining, and it might have been nice to have seen more of them. Gil has trouble piecing together the mesmerizing nature of his nights the morning after they’re complete, and this film suffers from a similar lack of longevity. While it’s going, it’s entirely captivating, but it’s a fleeting story that can be quickly forgotten after and feels like it should have been much more lasting.
B
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Israel Film Festival Spotlight: Brothers
The 25th Annual Israel Film Festival took place May 5th-19th. I had the pleasure of screening two films from the festival, Intimate Grammar and Brothers.
Brothers
Directed by Igaal Nidaam
This film is a very explicit, surface portrait of the disconnect sometimes found between Orthodox Judaism and the Jewish State, positioning two brothers in opposite worlds, one a secular farmer and the other a Haredi lawyer in Israel to defend yeshiva students who demand to be exempted from mandatory army service. The themes are maddeningly interesting, as are the various twist and turns of the case that flesh out the complications on both sides of this particular long-running conflict. The film itself isn’t nearly as capable, featuring wooden performances and rather clumsy dialogue, especially when it comes to the conversations between the yeshiva students, as well as some less believable plot twists towards the end of the film. Much of it feels staged, and it hampers an otherwise moving and important meditation on religion and its often temperamental incorporation into secular society.
Brothers
Directed by Igaal Nidaam
This film is a very explicit, surface portrait of the disconnect sometimes found between Orthodox Judaism and the Jewish State, positioning two brothers in opposite worlds, one a secular farmer and the other a Haredi lawyer in Israel to defend yeshiva students who demand to be exempted from mandatory army service. The themes are maddeningly interesting, as are the various twist and turns of the case that flesh out the complications on both sides of this particular long-running conflict. The film itself isn’t nearly as capable, featuring wooden performances and rather clumsy dialogue, especially when it comes to the conversations between the yeshiva students, as well as some less believable plot twists towards the end of the film. Much of it feels staged, and it hampers an otherwise moving and important meditation on religion and its often temperamental incorporation into secular society.
Israel Film Festival Spotlight: Intimate Grammar
The 25th Annual Israel Film Festival took place May 5th-19th. I had the pleasure of screening two films from the festival, Intimate Grammar and Brothers.
Intimate Grammar
Directed by Nir Bergman
The festival’s opening night selection is a coming-of-age story, set during the 1960s as a young boy, Aharon, tries to find a place for himself amidst awkward social scenarios and parents who refuse to believe in him and let him grow as a person. It’s a familiar yet original and engaging plot, and there’s a certain immutable spirit in its hero that helps to carry it. Aharon is an aspiring magician, eager to practice his tricks in front of his friends, and is often prone to speaking to an imagined version of himself, paging “Aharon to Aharon” as he dreams of a more exciting life for himself. The film feels just right, sedate and nostalgic, for the charting of a young boy’s journey through the formative years of his childhood in a youthful and secular Israeli society, and, like “Lost Islands” from the 23rd Israel Film Festival, it is a perfect representative film to serve as the opening night selection.
Intimate Grammar
Directed by Nir Bergman
The festival’s opening night selection is a coming-of-age story, set during the 1960s as a young boy, Aharon, tries to find a place for himself amidst awkward social scenarios and parents who refuse to believe in him and let him grow as a person. It’s a familiar yet original and engaging plot, and there’s a certain immutable spirit in its hero that helps to carry it. Aharon is an aspiring magician, eager to practice his tricks in front of his friends, and is often prone to speaking to an imagined version of himself, paging “Aharon to Aharon” as he dreams of a more exciting life for himself. The film feels just right, sedate and nostalgic, for the charting of a young boy’s journey through the formative years of his childhood in a youthful and secular Israeli society, and, like “Lost Islands” from the 23rd Israel Film Festival, it is a perfect representative film to serve as the opening night selection.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe
Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. Absent a wealth of new film reviews during the weekend, I’d like to start providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in NYC as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.
Now Playing in NYC
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (anti-recommended) is so far removed from that fantastic first film that it would almost be hard to find any trace of it were the characters not such blatant caricatures of themselves. I laughed approximately two times during the film and didn’t enjoy myself at all. The 3-D was alright, but the movie wasn’t. Read my review from yesterday.
I’m looking forward to Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, though I’m a bit worried about being disappointed given the recent stuff he’s produced. I’m hoping to see it this weekend and have a review up soon. This isn’t a big week for theatrical releases, but we’ll be getting to some pretty major fare as we approach summer.
New to DVD
The Other Woman (mixed bag) isn’t among Natalie Portman’s best or worst films from the many she’s produced over the past few years. This is a familiar story that isn’t especially well done here, and it doesn’t showcase the best efforts on the part of the newly-minted Oscar winner. It’s easily missable, though it’s hardly a terrible film to get stuck with if you’re looking for a decently interesting adultery-related drama.
Now Playing in NYC
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (anti-recommended) is so far removed from that fantastic first film that it would almost be hard to find any trace of it were the characters not such blatant caricatures of themselves. I laughed approximately two times during the film and didn’t enjoy myself at all. The 3-D was alright, but the movie wasn’t. Read my review from yesterday.
I’m looking forward to Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, though I’m a bit worried about being disappointed given the recent stuff he’s produced. I’m hoping to see it this weekend and have a review up soon. This isn’t a big week for theatrical releases, but we’ll be getting to some pretty major fare as we approach summer.
New to DVD
The Other Woman (mixed bag) isn’t among Natalie Portman’s best or worst films from the many she’s produced over the past few years. This is a familiar story that isn’t especially well done here, and it doesn’t showcase the best efforts on the part of the newly-minted Oscar winner. It’s easily missable, though it’s hardly a terrible film to get stuck with if you’re looking for a decently interesting adultery-related drama.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Movie with Abe: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Directed by Rob Marshall
Released May 20, 2011
Films like “Fast Five” have demonstrated that there is hope out there for sequels so far removed chronologically both in the real world and in the fictional world. The important difference between series like this and that is that none of the “Fast and the Furious” films were ever truly impressive, and none of the successive films were all that bad after a strong start with number one. The first “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie was absolutely terrific and is one of those flicks that can be watched over and over again. The second and third, however, couldn’t even come close to matching its quality. A new director, new cast members, and an equally unfocused premise can’t help this fourth entry at all.
Remembering the glory and thrills of the first film, released now eight years ago, it’s hard not to be set up for disappointment. This film relies heavily on the crutch of being a fourth film with plenty of history to reference and exposition to skip over, immediately establishing Jack Sparrow as the heavily irresponsible, easily distracted, and generally unmotivated and drunk pirate he has always been. It’s a familiar character who has been featured so prominently that he almost isn’t interesting anymore. His behavior, just like the fight scenes, feels painfully choreographed and so expected that it just isn’t any fun.
It’s hard to take the plotline seriously, if it can even be understood at all. The allure of half-dead pirates is long gone, and aside from some insanely creepy mermaids, there isn’t much in the way of coherent scare tactics present in the film. The quest for eternal life is so laden with multiple countries and ships vying for a chance at it that things quickly become confused and get tangled up with each other. Major plot points from previous films are ignored and exchanged so as to position those cast members still willing to return in a way that works best, and there’s little to no sense to be had in the entire film.
Johnny Depp is still decently entertaining as Captain Jack Sparrow, but it’s clear that he just isn’t putting any effort in anymore. Geoffrey Rush has turned his Captain Barbossa into a caricature, and it’s a shame given how great Rush was in the first film and the other exceptional work he’s been doing in recent years in films like “The King’s Speech.” Penelope Cruz isn’t worth discussing, and veteran actors such as Ian McShane and Richard Griffiths are hopelessly wasted in one-note roles. Though the first film excelled in that department, this isn’t supposed to be a film about acting, but its action and adventure don’t succeed any better. Having a romance subplot about a religious man and a mermaid demonstrates just how off-base this film is, and I’d expect better from director Rob Marshall, whose resume prior to this included only “Chicago,” “Memoirs of a Geisha,” and “Nine.” The first “Pirates of the Caribbean” was terrific, and the subsequent movies were somewhat fun if nothing else. This entry, however, is just boring, and so completely skippable.
F
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Thursday Token Themes
Welcome a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I’m a hugely enthusiastic fan of film scores, and music is far too often an element of cinema that goes unrecognized. Therefore I present a platform for a look – or rather, a listen – to some fantastic film scores. I’ll be selecting a composer and one or more of their film scores for your listening pleasure, embedded from YouTube.
This week’s featured composer is Gabriel Yared. The Lebanese musician is best known for his collaborations with the late director Anthony Minghella. Yared usually creates sweeping scores for the epic nature of the material, but he is also gifted at more frantic, thriller-like beats. “The English Patient” is the one that won him his Oscar, back in 1996, when that film swept the Academy Awards. It’s an appropriately dramatic piece that captures the feel of that film. His music for Minghella’s next film, “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” is considerably moodier and creepier but just as beautiful, lending just the right air and allure to its title character. Next up is Minghella’s penultimate film, “Cold Mountain,” for which Yared earned his third consecutive Minghella-supported Oscar nomination. The first track, “Dear Mr. Inman,” is good, but I prefer “Escape from the Chain Gang,” which represents one of the more energizing moments of the film. The two tracks from the Oscar-winning 2006 Best Foreign Film “The Lives of Others” capture the spirit of that film, part getaway adventure film and part serious, heartbreaking drama. The last track always gets me.
The English Patient (1996)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Cold Mountain (2003)
The Lives of Others (2006)
This week’s featured composer is Gabriel Yared. The Lebanese musician is best known for his collaborations with the late director Anthony Minghella. Yared usually creates sweeping scores for the epic nature of the material, but he is also gifted at more frantic, thriller-like beats. “The English Patient” is the one that won him his Oscar, back in 1996, when that film swept the Academy Awards. It’s an appropriately dramatic piece that captures the feel of that film. His music for Minghella’s next film, “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” is considerably moodier and creepier but just as beautiful, lending just the right air and allure to its title character. Next up is Minghella’s penultimate film, “Cold Mountain,” for which Yared earned his third consecutive Minghella-supported Oscar nomination. The first track, “Dear Mr. Inman,” is good, but I prefer “Escape from the Chain Gang,” which represents one of the more energizing moments of the film. The two tracks from the Oscar-winning 2006 Best Foreign Film “The Lives of Others” capture the spirit of that film, part getaway adventure film and part serious, heartbreaking drama. The last track always gets me.
The English Patient (1996)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Cold Mountain (2003)
The Lives of Others (2006)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Wednesday Westerns: Once Upon a Time in the West
Welcome a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. In an effort to provide a look back at older films and a desire to highlight a specific genre, I will be spotlighting a Western film each week, combining films from a course I took while at NYU called Myth of the Last Western and other films I have seen and do see. If you have a Western you’d like to write about, please let me know and feel free to submit a guest spot for future weeks!
Once Upon a Time in the West
Directed by Sergio Leone
Released May 28, 1969
Clint Eastwood didn’t need to be the star of a Leone spaghetti western for it to be truly awesome. Take “C’era una volta il West,” Leone’s follow-up film to the Dollars trilogy, which features a colorful cast of characters and some excellent traditional Western drama. This film is exceptionally skilled at handling multiple characters whose lives intersect in different ways. The opening scene is one of the best in cinema history, and Henry Fonda makes for one mean bad guy. He’s smartly paired with Jason Robards, as good guy Cheyenne, and Charles Bronson as the incomparable Harmonica, whose allegiances and back story aren’t too clear for a good portion of the film. This film works well mostly as a celebration of its title, as if it’s some far-off tale of a time, long ago, when these people might have existed and this is how life might have been. At times, it’s gripping, and at others, it’s appropriately and discomfortingly quiet and slow. The music of the harmonica is fantastic, and gives this film that perfect Old West feel. Like “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” this film incorporates some elements of historical development which help to ground it and give it a proper background. Basically, this is one of those films that feels like a classic from its opening moments, and it’s hard to find a gang as cruel and a Western as iconic. Treat yourself to two magnificent sequences from the film below – the first and the last.
Once Upon a Time in the West
Directed by Sergio Leone
Released May 28, 1969
Clint Eastwood didn’t need to be the star of a Leone spaghetti western for it to be truly awesome. Take “C’era una volta il West,” Leone’s follow-up film to the Dollars trilogy, which features a colorful cast of characters and some excellent traditional Western drama. This film is exceptionally skilled at handling multiple characters whose lives intersect in different ways. The opening scene is one of the best in cinema history, and Henry Fonda makes for one mean bad guy. He’s smartly paired with Jason Robards, as good guy Cheyenne, and Charles Bronson as the incomparable Harmonica, whose allegiances and back story aren’t too clear for a good portion of the film. This film works well mostly as a celebration of its title, as if it’s some far-off tale of a time, long ago, when these people might have existed and this is how life might have been. At times, it’s gripping, and at others, it’s appropriately and discomfortingly quiet and slow. The music of the harmonica is fantastic, and gives this film that perfect Old West feel. Like “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” this film incorporates some elements of historical development which help to ground it and give it a proper background. Basically, this is one of those films that feels like a classic from its opening moments, and it’s hard to find a gang as cruel and a Western as iconic. Treat yourself to two magnificent sequences from the film below – the first and the last.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Tuesday’s Top Trailer: Page One
Welcome to a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.
Page One – Opening June 24, 2011
This isn’t your usual Tuesday’s Top Trailer. There are no big stars, no well-known director, and no independent street credit. In fact, it’s a documentary, a genre which is often hard-hitting and informative, and just as off-putting to a number of viewers who would much rather have an acted narrative set out for them. While I’m not always in the mood for a documentary, I certainly see the value in nonfiction filmmaking, and I was lucky enough to see almost twenty-five documentaries last year. This one really strikes me as quite intriguing, mostly because it hits close to home (in a generally positive way) and is very much a developing story. I’ve actually e-mailed Brian Stelter, one of the top media reporters for The New York Times and one of the subjects of this film, to (hopefully not obnoxiously) correct a few mistaken facts about the Emmy finalists several years ago. My intersection with the topic of this film also comes as someone coming into the field of journalism as it’s undergoing a major transition to new forms. While I certainly fit into the new mold, like Stelter, it’s definitely more difficult to “break into the business” with considerably fewer options, like local papers and magazines, out there. David Carr has the best line of the trailer, speculating that Stelter “is a robot assembled to destroy me,” and I think this movie should appropriately probe those ideas of new media and those who might get left behind, even if they were and still are the pioneers of their respective fields. Mainly, this is a story about the people behind the scenes, whose work we read but whose faces we don’t often see, and as an aspiring journalist, I’m very interested. Anything about The New York Times is sure to be fascinating. On a less serious note, I’m amused that it’s rated R, presuming that Carr is likely responsible for that.
Page One – Opening June 24, 2011
This isn’t your usual Tuesday’s Top Trailer. There are no big stars, no well-known director, and no independent street credit. In fact, it’s a documentary, a genre which is often hard-hitting and informative, and just as off-putting to a number of viewers who would much rather have an acted narrative set out for them. While I’m not always in the mood for a documentary, I certainly see the value in nonfiction filmmaking, and I was lucky enough to see almost twenty-five documentaries last year. This one really strikes me as quite intriguing, mostly because it hits close to home (in a generally positive way) and is very much a developing story. I’ve actually e-mailed Brian Stelter, one of the top media reporters for The New York Times and one of the subjects of this film, to (hopefully not obnoxiously) correct a few mistaken facts about the Emmy finalists several years ago. My intersection with the topic of this film also comes as someone coming into the field of journalism as it’s undergoing a major transition to new forms. While I certainly fit into the new mold, like Stelter, it’s definitely more difficult to “break into the business” with considerably fewer options, like local papers and magazines, out there. David Carr has the best line of the trailer, speculating that Stelter “is a robot assembled to destroy me,” and I think this movie should appropriately probe those ideas of new media and those who might get left behind, even if they were and still are the pioneers of their respective fields. Mainly, this is a story about the people behind the scenes, whose work we read but whose faces we don’t often see, and as an aspiring journalist, I’m very interested. Anything about The New York Times is sure to be fascinating. On a less serious note, I’m amused that it’s rated R, presuming that Carr is likely responsible for that.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Monday Movie on the Mind: Back to the Future
Welcome to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe: Monday Movie on the Mind. I’ll be kicking off each week with a clip or trailer from a film that happens to be on my mind, designed as a retrospective look at some well-known, forgotten, or underappreciated classic from movie history, be it antique or current. Chime in with your thoughts about the film or any other movies that you might be thinking of this week!
Back to the Future
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Released July 3, 1985
I was reminded of the first film in this fantastic trilogy for two reasons, both of which arose this past weekend. A reference was made about a bride-to-be being an impending groom's destiny, with a hit tip to the future husband's love for this film and that token line ("You are my density"), and, later on, the signature score by Alan Silvestri had to come up sooner or later in a guessing game of hummed movie themes. I am a proud owner of the trilogy DVD set, and while I would cite the second film as my favorite, the first one is probably the best and most inventive. It's amusing to realize just how much content there is in this 1985 film aside from the decently sound and logical time travel science and plot related to the McFly family and its near-nonexistence. Terrorists chasing down Doc Brown to retrieve their stolen plutonium and jokes about Ronald Reagan, "the actor," being president are among the myriad references that make this film so great. My favorite line would probably be "Give me a milk - chocolate," but anything said by Marty or Doc has to rank high as well. It's criminal that Silvestri’s music wasn’t nominated for any major awards since it’s easily one of the most iconic melodies I know. I can instantly picture Doc plugging the cables into each other and sliding down into the bushes and Marty driving the car back into the future. Pitch-perfect comic performances from Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd can be found here, as well as spot-on supporting turns from Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson. As a science fiction film, this is probably the most excellent example. As a corny parody of the 1950s, it’s just as capable, and as an all-around film, it’s simply one of the best, and there’s just nothing else like it. Having two sequels that are pretty damn good isn’t too bad either, and this is one of those movies – and trilogies – that I could watch over and over and over again. Treat yourself to this collection of some of the funniest scenes from the film.
Back to the Future
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Released July 3, 1985
I was reminded of the first film in this fantastic trilogy for two reasons, both of which arose this past weekend. A reference was made about a bride-to-be being an impending groom's destiny, with a hit tip to the future husband's love for this film and that token line ("You are my density"), and, later on, the signature score by Alan Silvestri had to come up sooner or later in a guessing game of hummed movie themes. I am a proud owner of the trilogy DVD set, and while I would cite the second film as my favorite, the first one is probably the best and most inventive. It's amusing to realize just how much content there is in this 1985 film aside from the decently sound and logical time travel science and plot related to the McFly family and its near-nonexistence. Terrorists chasing down Doc Brown to retrieve their stolen plutonium and jokes about Ronald Reagan, "the actor," being president are among the myriad references that make this film so great. My favorite line would probably be "Give me a milk - chocolate," but anything said by Marty or Doc has to rank high as well. It's criminal that Silvestri’s music wasn’t nominated for any major awards since it’s easily one of the most iconic melodies I know. I can instantly picture Doc plugging the cables into each other and sliding down into the bushes and Marty driving the car back into the future. Pitch-perfect comic performances from Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd can be found here, as well as spot-on supporting turns from Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson. As a science fiction film, this is probably the most excellent example. As a corny parody of the 1950s, it’s just as capable, and as an all-around film, it’s simply one of the best, and there’s just nothing else like it. Having two sequels that are pretty damn good isn’t too bad either, and this is one of those movies – and trilogies – that I could watch over and over and over again. Treat yourself to this collection of some of the funniest scenes from the film.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Movie with Abe: Hey, Boo (Capsule Review)
Hey, Boo: Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird
Directed by Mary Murphy
Released May 13, 2011
It’s hard not to like “To Kill a Mockingbird.” In fact, it’s easy to be moved by the story, both in book and cinematic form. What’s extraordinarily interesting to discover is that Harper Lee, its famed author, never again published another book and in fact rarely makes any public appearances to discuss it. The film is a tribute to the work’s legacy and to the woman who created it, doubling as an essay on the impact of the book and film and an investigation into the subsequent hibernation of Lee. There isn’t necessarily a grand point to be made or anything to be uncovered about why Lee has shied away from the public eye, but a celebration of “To Kill a Mockingbird” is still a damn good reason to see a film.
B
Movie with Abe: Hesher (Capsule Review)
Hesher
Directed by Spencer Susser
Released Mau 13, 2011
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has proven that he is a talented performer who shines in just about anything, be it a romantic comedy like “500 Days of Summer” or “Inception.” Why he chose his latest project is an enormous and lamentable mystery, yet he’s still easily the best thing about it. “Hesher” is an eerie, off-putting film about a socially-incompetent druggie who manages to completely ruin the life of a young misfit named T.J. with his furious and dangerous activities. In a film like this, there’s usually a silver lining, but here, there’s not, and it quickly devolves from dark and disturbing to simply inane. Both Natalie Portman and Rainn Wilson need to seriously consider just how many movies they’re making at one time, since the ratio of good to bad recently hasn’t been strong. It may not be as unbelievably horrendous as “Super,” but it still doesn’t have any redeeming qualities.
F
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe
Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. Absent a wealth of new film reviews during the weekend, I’d like to start providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in NYC as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.
**You’ll have to excuse the state of things here this weekend. Blogger went down over the past few days and managed to almost eat a few of my TV posts with it as well as slightly screwing up the four movie reviews I had planned for this weekend. They’ll be up eventually, most in capsule form this time around. Additionally, this week’s edition of Saturday Night Movie Recommendations will be considerably more abridged than usual. Look for a return to the usual format in subsequent weeks.**
Now Playing in NYC
This weekend, there are a few good films opening, some wider than others. For fans of independent comedies, take a look at Everything Must Go, an endearing Will Ferrell film that shows the funnyman at his subtlest, playing a mildly dramatic lead who has been literally thrown out on his lawn with all of his possessions. It’s easy to like Hey Boo: Harper Lee and To Kill A Mockingbird, a documentary about the famed book and film and its reclusive author that serves as a proper celebration of their legacy, playing at the Quad Cinema. The First Grader is a sweet story about an 84-year-old Kenyan man who goes back to school to learn how to read, and I’d recommend stopping by the Angelika or the Beekman if that storyline appeals to you. Please, for me, steer clear of Hesher, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It’s just awful. The review will explain it. Otherwise, Bridesmaids is the kind of movie I might see on DVD someday, and I think I’ll skip Priest because, unlike what the first trailer for the film indicated, it looks like a horror movie more than a futuristic sci-fi thriller.
New to DVD
Blue Valentine (recommended): This Oscar-nominated drama features strong performances from Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams and packs quite the emotional punch. Some of the parts are better than the whole, but ultimately it’s a worthwhile and powerful film.
No Strings Attached (mixed bag): In this case, you get about what you’d expect from a comedy starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, an intriguing mix of less-than-stellar plotting and dialogue and some decent entertainment. Given the expectations, it’s fairly enjoyable.
**You’ll have to excuse the state of things here this weekend. Blogger went down over the past few days and managed to almost eat a few of my TV posts with it as well as slightly screwing up the four movie reviews I had planned for this weekend. They’ll be up eventually, most in capsule form this time around. Additionally, this week’s edition of Saturday Night Movie Recommendations will be considerably more abridged than usual. Look for a return to the usual format in subsequent weeks.**
Now Playing in NYC
This weekend, there are a few good films opening, some wider than others. For fans of independent comedies, take a look at Everything Must Go, an endearing Will Ferrell film that shows the funnyman at his subtlest, playing a mildly dramatic lead who has been literally thrown out on his lawn with all of his possessions. It’s easy to like Hey Boo: Harper Lee and To Kill A Mockingbird, a documentary about the famed book and film and its reclusive author that serves as a proper celebration of their legacy, playing at the Quad Cinema. The First Grader is a sweet story about an 84-year-old Kenyan man who goes back to school to learn how to read, and I’d recommend stopping by the Angelika or the Beekman if that storyline appeals to you. Please, for me, steer clear of Hesher, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It’s just awful. The review will explain it. Otherwise, Bridesmaids is the kind of movie I might see on DVD someday, and I think I’ll skip Priest because, unlike what the first trailer for the film indicated, it looks like a horror movie more than a futuristic sci-fi thriller.
New to DVD
Blue Valentine (recommended): This Oscar-nominated drama features strong performances from Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams and packs quite the emotional punch. Some of the parts are better than the whole, but ultimately it’s a worthwhile and powerful film.
No Strings Attached (mixed bag): In this case, you get about what you’d expect from a comedy starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, an intriguing mix of less-than-stellar plotting and dialogue and some decent entertainment. Given the expectations, it’s fairly enjoyable.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Movie with Abe: The First Grader (Capsule Review)
The First Grader
Directed by Justin Chadwick
Released May 13, 2011
It’s a treat to find a story that’s positively affirming and inspirational as well as politically stirring and historically relevant. “The First Grader” is a simple film with a kind heart that spotlights Kimani Maruge, a real-life Kenyan man who, following the announcement of free education for all, decided to enroll and learn how to read at the age of eighty-four. Oliver Litondo is charming as Maruge, who is plagued by memories of the harsh torture and sadness he experienced as a young man, and Litondo conveys it all through his distinct facial expressions and gentle tone of voice. Naomie Harris fills the role of his sole supporter, a forward-thinking teacher with a soft spot for the old man. The movie is prone to some traditional plot conventions, but all in all, it’s a sweet and enduring story with an extremely sympathetic hero.
B
Movie with Abe: Everything Must Go
Everything Must Go
Directed by Dan Rush
Released May 13, 2011
Will Ferrell has a very notable screen presence. Very often, he’s the comic lead or supporting star who steals the show with his loud antics and humorous actions. Ferrell has played subtle before, however, in more subdued roles in films like “Stranger Than Fiction,” and, to an extent, his recent arc on the television series “The Office.” Now, he’s back in a similar role as Nick Halsey, a down-on-his-luck man who, after he loses his job and gets thrown out of his home by his wife, must figure out how to recollect his life and learn how to start over.
Though Nick is quickly established as a drunk prone to fits of fury and embarrassment, Ferrell declines the opportunity to showboat, instead portraying Nick as a man motivated by kindness but often overshadowed by laziness and a weakness for alcohol. Nick is clearly the wronged party, and instantly becomes the hero of the story, even if he doesn’t seem to be the most sympathetic of personalities. Returning home on the day of his firing to find all of his possessions strewn out on his lawn and his house impenetrable thanks to new locks, Nick is forced to reshape his perspective out in the open air.
“Everything Must Go” is a comedy that lives very much within its own bubble, which is to say that, for the duration of the film, only the characters seen on screen seem to exist. That lends the film a feeling of intimacy and allows for deep connections to be made to the various players, be it Nick, his pregnant neighbor Samantha, his young new friend Kenny, or his sponsor Frank. It detracts slightly from the authenticity of the film to presume that nothing else is going on and no one else is important, yet a film such as this shouldn’t be just on such merits since it isn’t meant to be taken literally.
Ferrell’s performance is just the right tune for the film, and he’s supported ably by those around him. Rebecca Hall shines as a lonely woman waiting for both her husband and her baby to arrive who takes a liking to her peculiar neighbor. Christopher Jordan Wallace, in his second-ever screen performance, believably embodies a boy without any sense of purpose or drive in his life, and he plays very well off of Ferrell, responding and maturing in just the right way. Stephen Root reliably occupies his new go-to role as an arrogant, obnoxious businessman determined to squash anyone else’s dreams. Altogether, the cast is strong. The film is fun, endearing, and engaging, and even if it’s a bit light on its story, it’s an entirely enjoyable experience nonetheless.
B+
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Thursday Token Themes
Welcome a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I’m a hugely enthusiastic fan of film scores, and music is far too often an element of cinema that goes unrecognized. Therefore I present a platform for a look – or rather, a listen – to some fantastic film scores. I’ll be selecting a composer and one or more of their film scores for your listening pleasure, embedded from YouTube.
This week’s featured composer is Abel Korzeniowski, whose name I think I’ve finally learned to spell correctly! When last week I talked about one single cinematic soundtrack being enough to merit inclusion in this list, I was thinking both of Max Richter and Korzeniowski. The latter, a Polish composer whose first filmic work was a score to a re-release of the classic film “Metropolis,” blew me away with the music in “A Single Man,” the Oscar-nominated 2009 film starring Colin Firth. I’m not sure I can cite another movie where the soundtrack is as complete and necessary a player as it is in fashion designer Tom Ford’s feature film debut, perfectly fleshing out the colors and the dated setting to create a monumentally moving experience. Though this film does contain a narrative story, it might be easy to get lost were it not for Korzeniowski’s astounding, gorgeous music guiding the way. In lieu of a number of films, here are four tricks from the soundtrack of “A Single Man.” My personal favorite is “Clock Tick,” which serves as marvelous accompaniment to the wordless trailer for the film. For a bonus, listen to “Dandube,” a work not from the film by this terrific composer that can also be found on YouTube.
Stillness of the Mind
Daydreams
Going Somewhere
Clock Tick
Dandube
This week’s featured composer is Abel Korzeniowski, whose name I think I’ve finally learned to spell correctly! When last week I talked about one single cinematic soundtrack being enough to merit inclusion in this list, I was thinking both of Max Richter and Korzeniowski. The latter, a Polish composer whose first filmic work was a score to a re-release of the classic film “Metropolis,” blew me away with the music in “A Single Man,” the Oscar-nominated 2009 film starring Colin Firth. I’m not sure I can cite another movie where the soundtrack is as complete and necessary a player as it is in fashion designer Tom Ford’s feature film debut, perfectly fleshing out the colors and the dated setting to create a monumentally moving experience. Though this film does contain a narrative story, it might be easy to get lost were it not for Korzeniowski’s astounding, gorgeous music guiding the way. In lieu of a number of films, here are four tricks from the soundtrack of “A Single Man.” My personal favorite is “Clock Tick,” which serves as marvelous accompaniment to the wordless trailer for the film. For a bonus, listen to “Dandube,” a work not from the film by this terrific composer that can also be found on YouTube.
Stillness of the Mind
Daydreams
Going Somewhere
Clock Tick
Dandube
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Wednesday Westerns: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Welcome a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. In an effort to provide a look back at older films and a desire to highlight a specific genre, I will be spotlighting a Western film each week, combining films from a course I took while at NYU called Myth of the Last Western and other films I have seen and do see. If you have a Western you’d like to write about, please let me know and feel free to submit a guest spot for future weeks!
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Directed by Sergio Leone
Released December 29, 1967
Almost inarguably the definitive spaghetti western, “Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo” is a fantastic follow-up to last week’s entry, “For a Few Dollars More.” There's a reason this film currently ranks at #4 on the IMDB Top 250 list. Joining the good, Clint Eastwood’s Blondie, and the bad, Lee Van Cleef’s Angel Eyes, is the even more despicable Tuco, played by a fast-talking Eli Wallach. It was personally enjoyable for me to see Wallach in such a scummy role after encountering the still-working actor, now 95 years old and perfectly charming, in a restroom at the AMC Lincoln Square before “For Your Consideration” a few years old. Eastwood, Van Cleef, and Wallach make an incomparable trio, each more seedy, slimy, and out for themselves than the former. The backdrop of the Civil War helps to ground this film historically and give it a larger sense of itself, even if all we really care about is the three main characters and their feuds. It’s a wonderful trick to be able to manage three players and have them each be just as crucial and significant to the story without marginalizing one too much or showcasing another to strongly. This film just wouldn’t work without each of its contributors, and Leone’s careful, stylized direction. Most famous about this film, of course, is its signature score by Ennio Morricone that has been repurposed for movie standoffs more than the theme to “Star Wars.” I can’t embed the classic, incredible final scene, but you can watch it for yourself here. There’s just nothing like it. If you’re not keen on venturing off this page, here’s that incredible theme.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Directed by Sergio Leone
Released December 29, 1967
Almost inarguably the definitive spaghetti western, “Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo” is a fantastic follow-up to last week’s entry, “For a Few Dollars More.” There's a reason this film currently ranks at #4 on the IMDB Top 250 list. Joining the good, Clint Eastwood’s Blondie, and the bad, Lee Van Cleef’s Angel Eyes, is the even more despicable Tuco, played by a fast-talking Eli Wallach. It was personally enjoyable for me to see Wallach in such a scummy role after encountering the still-working actor, now 95 years old and perfectly charming, in a restroom at the AMC Lincoln Square before “For Your Consideration” a few years old. Eastwood, Van Cleef, and Wallach make an incomparable trio, each more seedy, slimy, and out for themselves than the former. The backdrop of the Civil War helps to ground this film historically and give it a larger sense of itself, even if all we really care about is the three main characters and their feuds. It’s a wonderful trick to be able to manage three players and have them each be just as crucial and significant to the story without marginalizing one too much or showcasing another to strongly. This film just wouldn’t work without each of its contributors, and Leone’s careful, stylized direction. Most famous about this film, of course, is its signature score by Ennio Morricone that has been repurposed for movie standoffs more than the theme to “Star Wars.” I can’t embed the classic, incredible final scene, but you can watch it for yourself here. There’s just nothing like it. If you’re not keen on venturing off this page, here’s that incredible theme.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Classic Israeli Cinema: Sallah Shabati
Sallah Shabati
Directed by Ephraim Kirshon
Released March 10, 1965
I had the pleasure last night of introducing this film at a festive Yom Haatzamaut (Israeli Independence Day) event at the East 55th Street Conservative Synagogue in New York City. This film, which takes place when the State of Israel was just being founded, is an old-fashioned, humorous chronicle of one man and his enormous family as they struggle to adapt to their new lives, transplanted from Yemen and brought to the land of milk and honey. Topol, the future star of “Fiddler in the Roof,” dominates the movie in his showy role as the patriarch who refuses to accept his new living circumstances and also refuses to do any work to earn money for an actual home. The film is entertaining and deeply committed to its zaniness, and certainly nothing like any Israeli film that’s being produced today. Yet it makes perfect sense when looked at alongside “Dr. Strangelove” and “Mary Poppins,” two films produced at the same time, and it’s also worth celebrating this film as the first-ever Israeli Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film. Enjoy the energetic, Topol-centric scene below.
Directed by Ephraim Kirshon
Released March 10, 1965
I had the pleasure last night of introducing this film at a festive Yom Haatzamaut (Israeli Independence Day) event at the East 55th Street Conservative Synagogue in New York City. This film, which takes place when the State of Israel was just being founded, is an old-fashioned, humorous chronicle of one man and his enormous family as they struggle to adapt to their new lives, transplanted from Yemen and brought to the land of milk and honey. Topol, the future star of “Fiddler in the Roof,” dominates the movie in his showy role as the patriarch who refuses to accept his new living circumstances and also refuses to do any work to earn money for an actual home. The film is entertaining and deeply committed to its zaniness, and certainly nothing like any Israeli film that’s being produced today. Yet it makes perfect sense when looked at alongside “Dr. Strangelove” and “Mary Poppins,” two films produced at the same time, and it’s also worth celebrating this film as the first-ever Israeli Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film. Enjoy the energetic, Topol-centric scene below.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Movie with Abe: Octubre (Capsule Review)
Octubre
Directed by Daniel & Diego Vega Vidal
Released May 6, 2011
From the country of Peru comes this Cannes Grand Jury Prize winner and downer of a film, about a lonely money lender, Clemente, who has a baby dropped in his lap and absolutely no idea what to do about it. He spends most of his time hunting down the mother of his child, a prostitute from the local brothel who has up and disappeared, forcing him to conduct business with his clients with his child on his lap. Clemente’s pursuit of his former lover underlines his loneliness, as he is hopeless to find her on his town-to-town search and seems to garner pity from no one but a kind-hearted neighbor, Sofia, who begins serving as a nanny for him. To call “Octubre” engaging would be misleading, but it’s far more dynamic in pace than a film from Romania from the past few years. It’s clear that both the gruff, unlikeable Clemente and the sunny, excitable Sofia are complicated characters, and that the story also boasts hidden depth. Seeing a film from Peru is an interesting cultural experience, even if it’s hardly the most energetic and exciting film. It’s worth a look for fans of international cinema and some patience to endure a solemn story.
B-
Double Movie with Abe: The Conspirator & Miral
The Conspirator
Directed by Robert Redford
Released April 15, 2011
Miral
Directed by Julian Schnabel
Released March 25, 2011
These two films have been in limited theaters for several weeks now, and they make a good pair to review together for several reasons. Both are directed by well-established filmmakers, one an Oscar winner for 1980’s “Ordinary People,” and the other an Oscar nominee for 2007’s “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” Both spotlight lesser-known cases involving civil liberties that played out in the shadow of internationally-famous historical events. Both have been challenged with respect to their historical accuracy, and, unrelated to that, neither film serves as a particularly strong display of cinematic storytelling, performances, or drama.
“The Conspirator” tells the story of Mary Surratt, the lone female charged with being an accomplice to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, while “Miral” moves between the lives of several different Palestinian women striving for a better life around the time of the founding of the State of Israel. Both attempt to turn commonly-perceived notions of national pride and guilt on their head, and neither succeeds completely. “The Conspirator,” far removed from the time in which its surrounding events transpired, completely demonizes the narrow-minded government, while “Miral” represents a more current conflict that can’t yet be sealed up and moved past due to its ongoing nature, evidenced by its closing credits call for peace.
“The Conspirator” is an ordinary legal drama burdened by the predictability of such movies, prone to far too swift and sudden developments where the clock ticks at an appallingly fast pace compared to the rest of the trial’s happenings and considerable theatrics in the courtroom that seem too far-fetched to be believed. The acting isn’t necessarily wooden, but it’s hardly energetic or moving. James McAvoy delivers a fine American accent but not much of a performance as Surratt’s lawyer, and Robin Wright is uncreative and bland as Surratt. Colm Meaney, as the military judge of the trial, and Danny Huston, as lawyer for the prosecution, do their best to personify evil, but their efforts are far too transparent and lend the film a very haughty and overly-constructed feel. Illuminating as the story may be, there are considerable holes and much knowledge left to be desired once the film is over.
“Miral” purports not to be an ordinary film, yet the few liberties taken in that pursuit do not negate its status as a generally uninteresting, slow-moving and scattered picture. If “The Conspirator” is too focused, “Miral” is hardly focused enough. The film moves from woman to woman in its path to the protagonist of its title, glossing over their connections and appearing heavy-handed in its mission to expose an underrepresented sector of the population. The question of whether Miral’s involvement with the Intifada makes her a terrorist is never properly addressed, and the film presents unilateral challenges without considering them, such as aggrandizing an imprisoned terrorist who is shocked to have received three life sentences for planting a bomb in a movie theater, even though it didn’t actually detonate. Politics and facts aside, the film, in addition to its plot, is out of focus in a literal way. Blurry cinematography may have worked for Schnabel in “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” but here it merely represents a lack of clarity and coherence. With the exception of Alexander Siddig, as Miral’s father, and Omar Metwally, as a freedom fighter, the cast is less than memorable, and the film serves little purpose other than to infuriate.
These two films, in their own ways, may serve to provoke and look at a historical event or situation in a new light, but neither has enough positive cinematic, storytelling, or production value to back it up. As a critic, I try not to judge films from the outset based on their alleged, or actual, content, and prefer to see for myself before condemning. I didn’t see “The Passion of the Christ” because I had no interest in seeing the horrible violence I had heard about it, and when I saw “Apocalypto,” I didn’t see much merit there, mostly due to the story. “The Conspirator” is obviously not as topical or hot-button as “Miral,” so that might be dismissed as a lackluster, underwhelming, forgettable film. “Miral,” on the other hand, in its blatant efforts to get a rise out of its audience, is even more lamentable since it could have been an intriguing and multi-faceted story had it been better and more fully told.
The Conspirator: C+
Miral: C-
Directed by Robert Redford
Released April 15, 2011
Miral
Directed by Julian Schnabel
Released March 25, 2011
These two films have been in limited theaters for several weeks now, and they make a good pair to review together for several reasons. Both are directed by well-established filmmakers, one an Oscar winner for 1980’s “Ordinary People,” and the other an Oscar nominee for 2007’s “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” Both spotlight lesser-known cases involving civil liberties that played out in the shadow of internationally-famous historical events. Both have been challenged with respect to their historical accuracy, and, unrelated to that, neither film serves as a particularly strong display of cinematic storytelling, performances, or drama.
“The Conspirator” tells the story of Mary Surratt, the lone female charged with being an accomplice to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, while “Miral” moves between the lives of several different Palestinian women striving for a better life around the time of the founding of the State of Israel. Both attempt to turn commonly-perceived notions of national pride and guilt on their head, and neither succeeds completely. “The Conspirator,” far removed from the time in which its surrounding events transpired, completely demonizes the narrow-minded government, while “Miral” represents a more current conflict that can’t yet be sealed up and moved past due to its ongoing nature, evidenced by its closing credits call for peace.
“The Conspirator” is an ordinary legal drama burdened by the predictability of such movies, prone to far too swift and sudden developments where the clock ticks at an appallingly fast pace compared to the rest of the trial’s happenings and considerable theatrics in the courtroom that seem too far-fetched to be believed. The acting isn’t necessarily wooden, but it’s hardly energetic or moving. James McAvoy delivers a fine American accent but not much of a performance as Surratt’s lawyer, and Robin Wright is uncreative and bland as Surratt. Colm Meaney, as the military judge of the trial, and Danny Huston, as lawyer for the prosecution, do their best to personify evil, but their efforts are far too transparent and lend the film a very haughty and overly-constructed feel. Illuminating as the story may be, there are considerable holes and much knowledge left to be desired once the film is over.
“Miral” purports not to be an ordinary film, yet the few liberties taken in that pursuit do not negate its status as a generally uninteresting, slow-moving and scattered picture. If “The Conspirator” is too focused, “Miral” is hardly focused enough. The film moves from woman to woman in its path to the protagonist of its title, glossing over their connections and appearing heavy-handed in its mission to expose an underrepresented sector of the population. The question of whether Miral’s involvement with the Intifada makes her a terrorist is never properly addressed, and the film presents unilateral challenges without considering them, such as aggrandizing an imprisoned terrorist who is shocked to have received three life sentences for planting a bomb in a movie theater, even though it didn’t actually detonate. Politics and facts aside, the film, in addition to its plot, is out of focus in a literal way. Blurry cinematography may have worked for Schnabel in “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” but here it merely represents a lack of clarity and coherence. With the exception of Alexander Siddig, as Miral’s father, and Omar Metwally, as a freedom fighter, the cast is less than memorable, and the film serves little purpose other than to infuriate.
These two films, in their own ways, may serve to provoke and look at a historical event or situation in a new light, but neither has enough positive cinematic, storytelling, or production value to back it up. As a critic, I try not to judge films from the outset based on their alleged, or actual, content, and prefer to see for myself before condemning. I didn’t see “The Passion of the Christ” because I had no interest in seeing the horrible violence I had heard about it, and when I saw “Apocalypto,” I didn’t see much merit there, mostly due to the story. “The Conspirator” is obviously not as topical or hot-button as “Miral,” so that might be dismissed as a lackluster, underwhelming, forgettable film. “Miral,” on the other hand, in its blatant efforts to get a rise out of its audience, is even more lamentable since it could have been an intriguing and multi-faceted story had it been better and more fully told.
The Conspirator: C+
Miral: C-
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Movie with Abe: Do Not Disturb (Capsule Review)
Do Not Disturb
Released Online May 1, 2011
On several sites and on your Netflix queue, you can now watch this 73-minute assemblage of vignettes centered around one particularly quirky, curious hotel maid. Each segment is directed by a different filmmaker, and the short films run the gamut from sedately intriguing to all-out deranged. The subtlest piece, chronicling the unlikely bonding of two Southern high school students, is by far the most effective, and shines among the others. Eric Balfour gets hypnotized by aliens for the second time in two years, after last year’s horrific “Skyline,” leading to similarly awful results. Most grievous, however, is the film’s final segment, which, aside from an amusing appearance by Troy Garity, is unnecessary violent, off-putting, and altogether grotesque and underwhelming at the same time. Compared to something like the already flawed 1995’s “Four Rooms,” this film doesn’t hold a candle, and that’s partially due to its underdeveloped lead character, played by Diva Zappa, and the incongruity of the different segments.
Movie with Abe: Last Night
Last Night
Directed by Massy Tadjedin
Released May 6, 2011
One fateful night is a subject oft-explored in films. A last night is a last night for many reasons – it’s the last opportunity to do something that might never come up again, to take a break from the mundane, repetitive nature of daily life, to experience something completely out of the normal. These themes have been tackled in an enormous number of films in the past, and “Last Night,” one of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival Spotlights, is the latest. Sam Worthington and Keira Knightley star as a husband and wife both tempted at the same time by the allure of trying something new, exciting, and different.
Knightley is no stranger to playing a lovelorn woman fated not to be with the right man (see “Atonement” for a prime example). Worthington, on the other hand, has burst onto the screen in loud action epics such as “Avatar” and “Terminator Salvation” and is an odd choice to play a romantic lead. Knightley and Worthington do nonetheless make a believable couple suffering from real problems, even if their characters and performances don’t display too much originality or personality. Their respective temptations, Guillaume Canet and Eva Mendes, are appropriate attractions and manage to seduce without even saying much of anything at all. The threat of unfaithfulness is real, yet there’s something about the film that doesn’t demand attention from its audience.
A last night should be plagued by feelings of urgency, and this film doesn’t feel as if it’s in a rush to get anywhere at all. Perhaps it’s because it stretches out the night – in addition to starting the action well before that night – into what feels like an eternity, consistently delivering more and more chances for both partners to be unfaithful to each other. Michael (Worthington) is tempted by a beautiful co-worker on a business trip, while Joanna (Knightley) happens to run into an old friend visiting his old stomping ground. The film plays out much like the pull of adultery, where the idea of spending a life with someone else is appealing if not fully thought through, fleeting but hardly permanent. It’s easy to get swept up by the hypnotizing, moody slowness of the film and to want not to leave, but once it’s over, there’s not much left and these characters can be easily and almost immediately forgotten.
B-
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe
Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. Absent a wealth of new film reviews during the weekend, I’d like to start providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in NYC as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.
Now Playing in NYC
Thor (recommended): is almost a guaranteed hit, putting one of the most well-known Marvel superheroes on the big screen for the first time in the run-up to the mega-blockbuster that will be “The Avengers.” It’s a terrific action piece, but make sure you get all your fun in during the first half since it lets up considerably and doesn’t deliver as much in the second hour. Definitely worth a watch though; 3-D not necessary but still cool.
Last Night (mixed bag): This film, which played at the Tribeca Film Festival, is at the Angelika Film Center, the Clearview Chelsea, and the Beekman this weekend, showcasing action star Sam Worthington and token romantic love interest Keira Knightley as a husband and wife both contemplating affairs on one fateful night. It’s a familiar story, and this is hardly a groundbreaking or terribly worthwhile take on the idea. Look for my review tomorrow.
I’m not a fan of Mel Gibson and I don’t really know what to make of The Beaver, but I like to see things before I judge them, so I may try to see this one. I’ve heard great things about Octubre and am hoping to watch that one soon.
New to DVD
The Green Hornet (mixed bag): I like the idea of Seth Rogen in any movie, and the trailer for this film was a blast, but the result is truly underwhelming. It’s fun, mindless entertainment, but hardly a worthy superhero story or action movie in its own right. Probably a good film to rent rather than to have seen in a theater.
La Soga (anti-recommended): It wouldn’t be accurate to call this Dominican Republic-based crime film messy since it’s actually rather neat; it’s just not believable and impossibly trite. Executing a criminal who’s just been arrested on camera in the first five minutes is not a good start, and this pale rip-off of “Animal Kingdom” just doesn’t deliver.
Now on Netflix Instant Streaming
Leaves of Grass (recommended): This film somehow never received the proper theatrical release and therefore was seen by almost no one. I’m glad it’s now instantly accessible, since any film with Edward Norton playing two roles is worth a look. This dark comedy is reminiscent of “A Serious Man” and features some truly incredible acting from Norton as two twin brothers, one a professor and the other a drug dealer.
Handsome Harry (recommended): This ensemble drama featured the strongest cast of last year and a truly compelling story. Led by Jamey Sheridan and also starring Steve Buscemi, Aidan Quinn, Titus Welliver, and Campbell Scott, this film is a serious, thought-provoking, complicated film that deserves to be seen.
Now Playing in NYC
Thor (recommended): is almost a guaranteed hit, putting one of the most well-known Marvel superheroes on the big screen for the first time in the run-up to the mega-blockbuster that will be “The Avengers.” It’s a terrific action piece, but make sure you get all your fun in during the first half since it lets up considerably and doesn’t deliver as much in the second hour. Definitely worth a watch though; 3-D not necessary but still cool.
Last Night (mixed bag): This film, which played at the Tribeca Film Festival, is at the Angelika Film Center, the Clearview Chelsea, and the Beekman this weekend, showcasing action star Sam Worthington and token romantic love interest Keira Knightley as a husband and wife both contemplating affairs on one fateful night. It’s a familiar story, and this is hardly a groundbreaking or terribly worthwhile take on the idea. Look for my review tomorrow.
I’m not a fan of Mel Gibson and I don’t really know what to make of The Beaver, but I like to see things before I judge them, so I may try to see this one. I’ve heard great things about Octubre and am hoping to watch that one soon.
New to DVD
The Green Hornet (mixed bag): I like the idea of Seth Rogen in any movie, and the trailer for this film was a blast, but the result is truly underwhelming. It’s fun, mindless entertainment, but hardly a worthy superhero story or action movie in its own right. Probably a good film to rent rather than to have seen in a theater.
La Soga (anti-recommended): It wouldn’t be accurate to call this Dominican Republic-based crime film messy since it’s actually rather neat; it’s just not believable and impossibly trite. Executing a criminal who’s just been arrested on camera in the first five minutes is not a good start, and this pale rip-off of “Animal Kingdom” just doesn’t deliver.
Now on Netflix Instant Streaming
Leaves of Grass (recommended): This film somehow never received the proper theatrical release and therefore was seen by almost no one. I’m glad it’s now instantly accessible, since any film with Edward Norton playing two roles is worth a look. This dark comedy is reminiscent of “A Serious Man” and features some truly incredible acting from Norton as two twin brothers, one a professor and the other a drug dealer.
Handsome Harry (recommended): This ensemble drama featured the strongest cast of last year and a truly compelling story. Led by Jamey Sheridan and also starring Steve Buscemi, Aidan Quinn, Titus Welliver, and Campbell Scott, this film is a serious, thought-provoking, complicated film that deserves to be seen.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Movie with Abe: Thor
Thor
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Released May 6, 2011
For the past decade, Marvel Comics has been churning out film after film bringing back each of its token superheroes to the big screen in the run-up to its “Avengers” project slated for next year. The latest in that series is the Norse god Thor, making his first live-action cinematic appearance in the form of actor Chris Hemsworth, whose future flourishing career will no doubt date back to this as his first big hit. Like the recent “Iron Man” movies, “Thor” is a loud, modern take on a classic story that manages to incorporate mythology and tweak it just the right amount to play out in the present day.
As a loyal “X-Men” fan and Marvel adherent in the timeless Marvel-DC debate, I can’t profess to having much knowledge about the character of Thor. That’s not a problem, however, since the film provides a comprehensive crash course almost immediately in the history of Asgard and the Frost Giants, full of dazzling visuals. Fast-forwarded to the present, Thor lands right in the lap of a curious scientist in New Mexico, and his story begins. The film shares equal time between Thor’s homeland and Earth, as two very different worlds converge in one blockbuster of a movie.
Hemsworth, who stole the first few minutes of the “Star Trek” reboot as George Kirk, is a fantastic choice to play Thor. He seems designed to be cocky, confident, and kindly all at the same time, and Hemsworth does a marvelous job of conveying that through his charisma. He understands the need for comedy, as well, in order to merge his ancient regal world with modern-day New Mexico, and Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard, and Kat Dennings help to ratify that notion on the ground by appearing both starry-eyed and shocked at the wonders produced by and around Thor. Anthony Hopkins continues his trend of playing mentors to the young kids as Thor’s wise, all-powerful father, and Idris Elba stands out in an unrecognizable role as portal guardian Heimdall.
“Thor” starts strong and loud, providing several enthralling action and battle scenes within its first half-hour to hour. Unfortunately, the film is rather top-heavy, lacking in similarly thrilling events for the remainder of the film. Its ending comes as somewhat of a surprise, almost right in the middle of the action, as it seems ready to move on to its next plot point or villain. Like “Sherlock Holmes,” this serves as a promising reboot of a franchise that simply starts without presenting the best entry-specific plotline. It’s also not nearly as entertaining in its references to other “Avengers” members as some of Marvel’s other films have been, which is hardly a fair requirement. Regardless, this film is wildly enjoyable and considerably captivating, particularly when it features Thor’s awesome hammer, blending all-out action with light comedy for an exciting if incomplete experience.
B
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thursday Token Themes
Welcome a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I’m a hugely enthusiastic fan of film scores, and music is far too often an element of cinema that goes unrecognized. Therefore I present a platform for a look – or rather, a listen – to some fantastic film scores. I’ll be selecting a composer and one or more of their film scores for your listening pleasure, embedded from YouTube.
This week’s featured composer is Max Richter. This is one of those cases where one score captivated me so much that it was enough to feature him just for that. Upon further research, however, I found that the German-born composer has also created memorable music for two other films that I’ve seen. The first is “Shutter Island,” in which his gorgeous “On the Nature of Daylight” serves as a reminder that this film wasn’t all about foghorns. The second is “When We Leave,” the underseen German Oscar contender for Best Foreign Film from last year. Richter specializes in melodic, melancholy scores that are simply beautiful. “The Haunted Ocean,” from 2008’s best film, “Waltz with Bashir” is one of my absolute favorite pieces of music. Part of it has to do with the hypnotic beauty mixed with horror happening on screen while it’s played, but that moment is only so effective due to the incredible passion of the score. I could say more about how much I love this piece, but in this case, my words can’t capture it. Listen for yourself!
Shutter Island (2010)
When We Leave (2011)
Waltz With Bashir (2008)
This week’s featured composer is Max Richter. This is one of those cases where one score captivated me so much that it was enough to feature him just for that. Upon further research, however, I found that the German-born composer has also created memorable music for two other films that I’ve seen. The first is “Shutter Island,” in which his gorgeous “On the Nature of Daylight” serves as a reminder that this film wasn’t all about foghorns. The second is “When We Leave,” the underseen German Oscar contender for Best Foreign Film from last year. Richter specializes in melodic, melancholy scores that are simply beautiful. “The Haunted Ocean,” from 2008’s best film, “Waltz with Bashir” is one of my absolute favorite pieces of music. Part of it has to do with the hypnotic beauty mixed with horror happening on screen while it’s played, but that moment is only so effective due to the incredible passion of the score. I could say more about how much I love this piece, but in this case, my words can’t capture it. Listen for yourself!
Shutter Island (2010)
When We Leave (2011)
Waltz With Bashir (2008)
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Wednesday Westerns: For a Few Dollars More
Welcome a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. In an effort to provide a look back at older films and a desire to highlight a specific genre, I will be spotlighting a Western film each week, combining films from a course I took while at NYU called Myth of the Last Western and other films I have seen and do see. If you have a Western you’d like to write about, please let me know and feel free to submit a guest spot for future weeks!
For a Few Dollars More
Directed by Sergio Leone
Released May 10, 1967
After a brief hiatus for the Tribeca Film Festival, this series is back, and for the month of May, we’ll be looking at the four films from the famous Spaghetti Western director Sergio Leone, who brought his Italian influences to the genre and made some of the most compelling and memorable Westerns of all time. This is the first of his films that I had the pleasure to watch, skipping the first entry in his “Dollars” trilogy, “A Fistful of Dollars.” The pairing of young gun Monco (Clint Eastwood) with the older, just as trigger-happy Colonel Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef) is one of the most brilliant and inspired on film. It’s a blast to see the two duke it out for the chance to kill one of film’s best bad guys, Indio, maniacally played by Gian Maria Volonté. Indio features one of the best back stories, perfectly accompanied by a haunting theme that plays every time he opens his watch. Also, Ennio Morricone’s score here is superb, reused and retweaked for the next film in the series. It’s hard not to get drawn in to this world of bounty hunters, and both Eastwood and Van Cleef are so similarly and fantastically unemotive that it’s easy to get behind both characters as legitimate heroes who aren’t all that heroic and are certainly self-motivated, for profit. This Western is easily my personal favorite. If you haven’t seen the film, don’t watch the ending, embedded below, but it’s just too terrific and iconic not to include.
For a Few Dollars More
Directed by Sergio Leone
Released May 10, 1967
After a brief hiatus for the Tribeca Film Festival, this series is back, and for the month of May, we’ll be looking at the four films from the famous Spaghetti Western director Sergio Leone, who brought his Italian influences to the genre and made some of the most compelling and memorable Westerns of all time. This is the first of his films that I had the pleasure to watch, skipping the first entry in his “Dollars” trilogy, “A Fistful of Dollars.” The pairing of young gun Monco (Clint Eastwood) with the older, just as trigger-happy Colonel Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef) is one of the most brilliant and inspired on film. It’s a blast to see the two duke it out for the chance to kill one of film’s best bad guys, Indio, maniacally played by Gian Maria Volonté. Indio features one of the best back stories, perfectly accompanied by a haunting theme that plays every time he opens his watch. Also, Ennio Morricone’s score here is superb, reused and retweaked for the next film in the series. It’s hard not to get drawn in to this world of bounty hunters, and both Eastwood and Van Cleef are so similarly and fantastically unemotive that it’s easy to get behind both characters as legitimate heroes who aren’t all that heroic and are certainly self-motivated, for profit. This Western is easily my personal favorite. If you haven’t seen the film, don’t watch the ending, embedded below, but it’s just too terrific and iconic not to include.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Tuesday’s Top Trailer: 30 Minutes or Less
Welcome to a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.
30 Minutes or Less – Opening August 12, 2011
I had the pleasure of catching this hilarious trailer when it was sandwiched between previews for “The Hangover Part II” and “X-Men: First Class” before “Fast Five.” This movie needs no predecessors for its comedy, and I think it looks terrific. Jesse Eisenberg is fresh off the fame he garnered for “The Social Network” and back to being a good sport as a slightly socially awkward but somewhat more confident pizza delivery man who is kidnapped and forced to rob a bank. Starring alongside him is the magnificent Aziz Ansari, who never necessarily acts but still manages to have the funniest delivery of lines that I think I’ve ever seen. Ansari is currently serving up laughs as Tom on “Parks & Recreation,” and I saw him at a stand-up show at NYU and he was quite good. Pairing the two of them, however unlikely it is, seems like a superb plan. The opening scene of the trailer is strong, and I just love how hysterical Ansari’s Chet gets when he skewers Eisenberg’s Nick for coming straight to a school full of children after having a bomb strapped to his chest. This just looks like pure hilarity, and it’s refreshing to see that the red band trailer isn’t all that much different, demonstrating that the jokes and writing may actually be funny on their own without having to rest on their expletive laurels. Add in Danny McBride of “Eastbound & Down” as the number one bad guy, and this movie looks like a blast – the perfect end-of-summer comedy that has to be infinitely better than last year’s similarly-timed “The Other Guys.” The director's only previous feature film was "Zombieland," which was great. Thoughts?
30 Minutes or Less – Opening August 12, 2011
I had the pleasure of catching this hilarious trailer when it was sandwiched between previews for “The Hangover Part II” and “X-Men: First Class” before “Fast Five.” This movie needs no predecessors for its comedy, and I think it looks terrific. Jesse Eisenberg is fresh off the fame he garnered for “The Social Network” and back to being a good sport as a slightly socially awkward but somewhat more confident pizza delivery man who is kidnapped and forced to rob a bank. Starring alongside him is the magnificent Aziz Ansari, who never necessarily acts but still manages to have the funniest delivery of lines that I think I’ve ever seen. Ansari is currently serving up laughs as Tom on “Parks & Recreation,” and I saw him at a stand-up show at NYU and he was quite good. Pairing the two of them, however unlikely it is, seems like a superb plan. The opening scene of the trailer is strong, and I just love how hysterical Ansari’s Chet gets when he skewers Eisenberg’s Nick for coming straight to a school full of children after having a bomb strapped to his chest. This just looks like pure hilarity, and it’s refreshing to see that the red band trailer isn’t all that much different, demonstrating that the jokes and writing may actually be funny on their own without having to rest on their expletive laurels. Add in Danny McBride of “Eastbound & Down” as the number one bad guy, and this movie looks like a blast – the perfect end-of-summer comedy that has to be infinitely better than last year’s similarly-timed “The Other Guys.” The director's only previous feature film was "Zombieland," which was great. Thoughts?
Monday, May 2, 2011
Movie with Abe: Fast Five
Fast Five
Directed by Justin Lin
Released April 29, 2011
There’s a reason that the fifth entry in the “Fast and the Furious” series is getting the best reviews of any of the five films so far. The second and third movies in the franchise shouldn’t be considered since they didn’t include star Vin Diesel, and the fourth was merely a successful reboot that helped bring back the elements that made the first one work so well. “Fast Five” is an entirely different beast, assembling a slew of actors from all four previous films to create a wholly entertaining and enthralling action piece that stretches beyond the world of car racing and delivers far beyond expectations.
In previous films, Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) was a cop, and Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) was a criminal. The lines were blurred as early as the first film, and by the fourth, it was clear that Brian’s allegiances were to Dom above anything else. The two men and Dom’s sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) are on the run at the start of this entry, but they’re not merely trying to stay one step ahead of the law. Brian, Dom, and Mia feel the “need for speed” and can’t hope to resist a good car heist. The same is true of the colorful cast of characters they invite to join them in Rio to rip off a powerful drug kingpin named Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida) who has put a price on their heads. None of these guys is a hardcore criminal, but there’s something about breaking the law that excites and entices them.
“Fast Five” proves that this franchise has officially evolved from a car movie into a heist movie, wisely relegating its car racing scenes mostly to mid-heist getaway driving, thereby making everything more universally enjoyable. This film manages to follow up on the awesome ending of the fourth film by expanding the scene to make it even more eye-popping and impressive, and then features one of the most awesome action sequences in recent years in its first half hour. The movie doesn’t let up after that, and it’s a blast all the way through. This is one of those rare times where 130 minutes is not too long.
Reuniting cast members from previous films and having them meet each other is a superb idea, and it’s a tribute to the effectiveness of this series that a dozen actors from the past ten years were willing to come back to the project. The result is a blast, and each personality is given just the right amount of room to shine, making this feel a lot like “Ocean’s Eleven,” in the most complimentary sense. It may be hard to place what specific role in which film each character played, but it doesn’t matter since they’re all so much fun together. The Rock, a.k.a. Dwayne Johnson, is a fabulous addition as an adrenaline-addled agent hot on our heroes’ trail, and one of the most energizing parts of the film is to see him and Diesel brawl hand-to-hand and compete to see who can more aggressively jump through windows. Those with less apparent interesting in the actual acting, such as Diesel and Walker, are smartly given few lines and much more body language to work with instead. This is a film that starts out strong and doesn’t let up until after the end credits, when a jaw-dropping scene paves the way for a sixth film that couldn’t come soon enough. This is a definitive action movie that fires on all cylinders and provide preposterously huge levels of entertainment.
B+
Directed by Justin Lin
Released April 29, 2011
There’s a reason that the fifth entry in the “Fast and the Furious” series is getting the best reviews of any of the five films so far. The second and third movies in the franchise shouldn’t be considered since they didn’t include star Vin Diesel, and the fourth was merely a successful reboot that helped bring back the elements that made the first one work so well. “Fast Five” is an entirely different beast, assembling a slew of actors from all four previous films to create a wholly entertaining and enthralling action piece that stretches beyond the world of car racing and delivers far beyond expectations.
In previous films, Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) was a cop, and Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) was a criminal. The lines were blurred as early as the first film, and by the fourth, it was clear that Brian’s allegiances were to Dom above anything else. The two men and Dom’s sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) are on the run at the start of this entry, but they’re not merely trying to stay one step ahead of the law. Brian, Dom, and Mia feel the “need for speed” and can’t hope to resist a good car heist. The same is true of the colorful cast of characters they invite to join them in Rio to rip off a powerful drug kingpin named Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida) who has put a price on their heads. None of these guys is a hardcore criminal, but there’s something about breaking the law that excites and entices them.
“Fast Five” proves that this franchise has officially evolved from a car movie into a heist movie, wisely relegating its car racing scenes mostly to mid-heist getaway driving, thereby making everything more universally enjoyable. This film manages to follow up on the awesome ending of the fourth film by expanding the scene to make it even more eye-popping and impressive, and then features one of the most awesome action sequences in recent years in its first half hour. The movie doesn’t let up after that, and it’s a blast all the way through. This is one of those rare times where 130 minutes is not too long.
Reuniting cast members from previous films and having them meet each other is a superb idea, and it’s a tribute to the effectiveness of this series that a dozen actors from the past ten years were willing to come back to the project. The result is a blast, and each personality is given just the right amount of room to shine, making this feel a lot like “Ocean’s Eleven,” in the most complimentary sense. It may be hard to place what specific role in which film each character played, but it doesn’t matter since they’re all so much fun together. The Rock, a.k.a. Dwayne Johnson, is a fabulous addition as an adrenaline-addled agent hot on our heroes’ trail, and one of the most energizing parts of the film is to see him and Diesel brawl hand-to-hand and compete to see who can more aggressively jump through windows. Those with less apparent interesting in the actual acting, such as Diesel and Walker, are smartly given few lines and much more body language to work with instead. This is a film that starts out strong and doesn’t let up until after the end credits, when a jaw-dropping scene paves the way for a sixth film that couldn’t come soon enough. This is a definitive action movie that fires on all cylinders and provide preposterously huge levels of entertainment.
B+
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Movie with Abe: That’s What I Am
That’s What I Am
Directed by Michael Pavone
Released April 29, 2011
Taking a trip back in time is always an opportunity for a grand adventure. This particular trip back to the 1960s doesn’t involve any drugs or all that much violence. Instead, it’s a lesson in morality and humanity taught by a popular teacher far ahead of his time who desires to show his students that, through understanding and compassion, they can live fulfilling lives.
“That’s What I Am” is the latest film from WWE Studios, which produces movies starring wrestlers. Fortunately, this film is infinitely better than last year’s disaster “Knucklehead,” for several important reasons. For one, it relegates its token wrestler star, Randy Orton, to a small role that demands little more than toughness and roughness, as the bigoted father of a troublesome middle school student. This film also tells two intersecting stories, one of a young boy learning to accept the differences of those around him, and the other of a kindly teacher taking a moral stance after ignorant accusations spread around the school and threaten to tarnish his reputation.
Like “Knucklehead,” however, there is a bizarre blend of child-oriented comedy and playfulness, which gets stopped dead in its tracks when Andy (Chase Ellison) hears another student calling Mr. Simon (Ed Harris) a “homo.” The movie quickly reassumes its less serious tone and switches back and forth throughout, making for a somewhat disjointed experience. There are glimmers of brilliance in the colorful voiceover narration provided by an adult Andy, but the story can’t escape its ultimate simplicity. Mr. Simon’s blatant efforts to get Andy to realize that he needs to be more accepting of everyone by partnering him with token nerd Big G (Alexander Walters) coupled with conversations about how there’s nothing wrong with homosexuality gives the film an almost suffocating preachy air.
As a children’s film, “That’s What I Am” isn’t terrible. It’s rated PG, taking into account thematic material, language, and bullying, something which runs rampant through the film. The performers, at least those in leading parts, are in decent form, and it’s particularly refreshing to see a rising talent in young actress Mia Rose Frampton, who plays Mary Clear, Andy’s crush. Ed Harris gives an effortless performance that’s still better than most, and supporting players like Amy Madigan, Daniel Roebuck (Artz from “Lost”), Molly Parker (“Swingtown”), and even Orton are fine in their throwaway roles as educators and parents. This is hardly a movie that demands to be seen, but it’s considerably better than it could have been, and far better than the kind of films this studio has produced in the past.
C
Directed by Michael Pavone
Released April 29, 2011
Taking a trip back in time is always an opportunity for a grand adventure. This particular trip back to the 1960s doesn’t involve any drugs or all that much violence. Instead, it’s a lesson in morality and humanity taught by a popular teacher far ahead of his time who desires to show his students that, through understanding and compassion, they can live fulfilling lives.
“That’s What I Am” is the latest film from WWE Studios, which produces movies starring wrestlers. Fortunately, this film is infinitely better than last year’s disaster “Knucklehead,” for several important reasons. For one, it relegates its token wrestler star, Randy Orton, to a small role that demands little more than toughness and roughness, as the bigoted father of a troublesome middle school student. This film also tells two intersecting stories, one of a young boy learning to accept the differences of those around him, and the other of a kindly teacher taking a moral stance after ignorant accusations spread around the school and threaten to tarnish his reputation.
Like “Knucklehead,” however, there is a bizarre blend of child-oriented comedy and playfulness, which gets stopped dead in its tracks when Andy (Chase Ellison) hears another student calling Mr. Simon (Ed Harris) a “homo.” The movie quickly reassumes its less serious tone and switches back and forth throughout, making for a somewhat disjointed experience. There are glimmers of brilliance in the colorful voiceover narration provided by an adult Andy, but the story can’t escape its ultimate simplicity. Mr. Simon’s blatant efforts to get Andy to realize that he needs to be more accepting of everyone by partnering him with token nerd Big G (Alexander Walters) coupled with conversations about how there’s nothing wrong with homosexuality gives the film an almost suffocating preachy air.
As a children’s film, “That’s What I Am” isn’t terrible. It’s rated PG, taking into account thematic material, language, and bullying, something which runs rampant through the film. The performers, at least those in leading parts, are in decent form, and it’s particularly refreshing to see a rising talent in young actress Mia Rose Frampton, who plays Mary Clear, Andy’s crush. Ed Harris gives an effortless performance that’s still better than most, and supporting players like Amy Madigan, Daniel Roebuck (Artz from “Lost”), Molly Parker (“Swingtown”), and even Orton are fine in their throwaway roles as educators and parents. This is hardly a movie that demands to be seen, but it’s considerably better than it could have been, and far better than the kind of films this studio has produced in the past.
C