Reviews

Had the opportunity to see this amazing film at a sneak preview last night at the AFI/Silver Theater in Silver Spring MD. This is a powerful film that exceeded my expectations. Reading the marketing blurb I was worried it would be just another hi-tech thriller making use of all the latest cool technology. Being a tech Luddite I was about to pass,but the comparison to Crash pulled me in, and I am glad I went. This is a compelling ensemble film of how three different set of characters are impacted by the technology that has become so integral to our lives. We follow the stories of these people as they cope with the a new reality brought on by their reliance on electronic devices. This is a lame description but I can't go much further into it without spoiling this gripping agonizing film for you. Let just say it will make you recall and relive every stupid thing you did as a teenager, every stupid decision you make now, and how those decisions are amplified by our reliance on electronic devices. None of the stories are new in the human experience, but the speed in which events occur and the seriousness of the consequences are greater because of the wired alienation of society. The screen play, acting, cinematography, editing, lighting all work together to increase the tension of this film. Jason Bateman, in particular, stands out in this dramatic roll. He has proved he can sit in the top ranks of male dramatic actors and I hope to see him expand his resume in drama. All of the actors go deep into their characters, many with a realism that could be sitting next to you in the theater, Particularly effective is the use of text on screen to show on-line chat conversations. As the previous reviewer describes, there is a voyeuristic perspective to the shots. A viewer at the preview referenced Rear Window in comparison, and that is true. This film is a Rear Window for the new millennium, where we peer into our neighbor's lives with cell phones and lap tops. Is this film a thriller? It is thrilling in a way that has you alternating between the edge of your seat and sinking deep into your seat. This film will leave you thinking for hours and days afterward. It may also have you looking at your cell phone and laptop with a new distrust. I can't tell you my favorite scene, other than it was a completely human, non-tech reaction by a character in grief. I will have to wait for more friends to see this film, and then we will sit down face to face and talk about that scene. Go see this film, tell your friends to go see this film. And then have a good talk about this amazing film.

This is a very early Sci Fi feature that is a blend of Buck Rogers and Busby Berkeley with a Josephine Baker type dance revue thrown in for good measure. The beginning is a fascinating jump in time by 50 year increments. Considering how much the world had changed between 1880 and 1930 its no wonder they expected 1980 to be much more advanced than it really was. The Art Deco architectural sets are great, the costumes are outstanding, any one of the women's gowns could be fashionable today. The plot is pretty lame, Ed Brendel is annoying, and the acting leaves a lot to be desired, but I couldn't take my eyes off of the screen. And when the martian dance troupe started doing a dance routine that was very similar to a Josephine Baker dance - and foreshadows Martha Graham I gave up. It's so bad its good, so trippy it will leave you amazed, and you will laugh at all the wrong spots. Quite frankly - its better than Land of the Lost - so if it shows up in a theater near you - go with a very open and receptive mind. And keep an eye out for "modern inventions" that are now part of everyones life.

I saw a sneak preview of Jane Eyre last night at AFI/Silver in Silver Spring MD. This is a beautifully filmed, engrossing, and haunting version of the classic Charlotte Bronte novel Jane Eyre. This film is worth seeing and it will leave you thinking about it long after you have left the theater. It captures that otherworldly and isolated environment that Jane inhabits in her lonely life. After you witness the unloved childhood and brutal boarding school you can understand how Jane can not only adapt to her isolated employment but revel in a world where the absence of abuse is a relief. One thing that struck me was the way the actress portraying Jane Eyre, Mia Wasikowska, inhabited Jane's being. The quiet stillness, the dignity, the steely nerves under the mask of composure. I have been trying to recall another actress who portrayed the physicality of a woman, a governess, in that time period so perfectly. She wasn't a modern actress in a corset, she moved like a young woman who is used to the corset and layers of cloth, and the expectations on a young woman in Victorian England. I also particularly enjoyed the portrayal of a vibrant, intelligent, woman who knows she is caged by the norms of her society and her position in it. Miss Wasikowska did a wonderful portrayal of Jane, giving her great depth while still letting the emotions flit across her usually stoic face. I also liked Mrs Reed - she is a wholly human villain, petty, cruel, insecure, and resentful. You can see her in Miss Ingram, a petty woman who could turn hateful. The young Jane is a stand out performance, all spit and fury, you realize that Jane's survival is due to her courage. That the intensity of the child is coiled inside the adult Jane. The cinematography is beautiful, the sets and costumes look accurate, the screenplay handled well, and the directing outstanding. I also appreciate that no character was over done. This film will age well, where some other versions can make you cringe now. This film is going to make me pick up the novel and read it again after a very long time. Not a bad recommendation for a movie.

The Steel Trap is a tense nail biter of a movie. A simple story and a great cast make you hope the good man gone wrong gets away with his crime. But this is film noir and nothing goes the way it should. Just saw this gem at the AFI/Silver during the DC Noir festival. The Film Noir Foundation showed the only known copy of this lost film - a homemade DVD. This film deserves finding and/or restoring. The locations are great, a large old bank, various airports, a constellation aircraft, and vintage New Orleans. The cast, Joseph Cotten and Theresa Wright bring to life what could have been dull takes. The home scenes drop down a bit but some of the best shots are in the bank vault. Like most crimes - what seems like a sure thing is anything but. Taking the cash is the easy part. What you do next is the hard part. By the end of this film you will be clenching your hands and trying to remember to breathe. A simple story, a great cast, and a film noir lost gem. I hope the Film Noir Foundation can find a print or gets enough donations to restore the homemade DVD. This is worth the effort.

I saw a sneak preview of Australia Thursday night at the magnificent Art Deco AFI/Silver Theater in Silver Spring MD. Between the film and the theater I felt transported back to 1939, when films were big, expansive productions. This film felt like all the classic film genres rolled into one - the Romance, the Western, the WWll War Film, and a touch of screwball comedy. The villains are really bad and the good guys were all PC. Australia is true to the heart with none of the snarky cynicism of contemporary films. Just when you think the film has hit an almost surreal bucolic ending - you have another hour to go and what an hour - everything is tossed in the air. All the actors were good, particularly the young boy who played Nullah, a child actor who was genuinely a child. The balance of the western world and aboriginal world is well maintained, with due respect given to the aboriginal culture and an unflinching look at the mistreatment they suffered at the hands of the white culture. There is enough imagery, symbolism, references, and analogies to keep you thinking and talking for days. And you'll never listen to Somewhere Over the Rainbow the same way again. There is one discreet sex scene and some not so discreet verbal references to sex bu nothing to offend. For all the chatter about the budget and schedule and ending(s) - Baz Luhmann has created a classic. Australia never looked better, grand epic vistas, and stunning cinematography. I wish Australia the country weren't so very far away. Don't read the storyline or too many reviews in advance, go in and enjoy the story as it unfolds, 2 3/4 hours will fly by without you checking your watch. If you like old films, big films, films that make you feel like you have just spent 2+ hours of your life in a good way - go see Australia. It is well worth the price of admission.

If you ignore the connection to the Zenna Henderson stories, than this movie is an interesting example of a late 60's/early 70's atmospheric mood movie. It's all lingering shots of pretty young women moving through forest glades. People standing around in stilted poses, stiff dialogue, angst driven over/under acting. It's so slow and lethargic that there is none of the tension of the original story. The screen play is more interested in atmosphere and local color than a plot driven story. (Thank you Lucas and Spielberg for bringing back pacing and plot.) It's a shame they mangled the story the way they did, it wasn't necessary. Borrowing freely from other stories in the People series, they needlessly confused the clarity that Henderson created in her books. Kim Darby is miscast as the teacher, who should be a burned out but a spunky pragmatist who knew what she was dealing with, a Karen Allen type. Darby's overly sensitive interpretation is too hippy dippy to be true to Henderson's clear eyed approach to social alienation. Isn't it time for someone to take another crack at Henderson's People series. A nice Sci-Fi series maybe. After all, her stories are still pretty timeless.

I enjoyed this film, its easily equal to the screwball comedies being made in the US at that time. In some ways even more daring since it deals with subjects that would quickly be censored in the US. Suicide, extramarital sex & office romances, a single woman staying and traveling with a single man (It Happened One Night), cross dressing, rowdy stag parties that walk a thin line just to mention a few. Plus the scenes around pre-war London are fun. But the real reason for watching this film is Laura LaPlante, what a terrific actress. Great comedic timing, a natural accent, pretty in a non-30's way (I kept thinking of Laura Dern), and obviously willing to do slapstick. LaPlante energized every scene she was in, and put sappy Margaret Lockwood to shame. Its a mystery why she couldn't compete with the likes of Carole Lombard or Myrna Loy - she was definitely their equal. I particularly liked the scene by the river when Mary is trying to get her nerve up to jump in, but her nerves and the river aren't quite up to the task. The stag party scene made me cringe, was that planned by the director - or was that truly a more innocent time. While Mary may be a dreamer - she's not stupid, she enjoys a challenge, and she has found it in the Fairbanks character. There was an off hand chemistry between La Plante and Fairbanks and its a shame that it wasn't nurtured. I would like to see more of the British La Plante movies screened.

You can't judge this little 60 year old film by today's frenetic TV game show standards or cynical attitudes. This little film was aimed at a specific market - middle aged house wives. The radio shows humor was gentle, unoffensive,and aimed at those areas a house wife could appreciate; her hats, her home, and her husband. Zasu Pitts and Beulah Bondi perfectly captured the excitement of those housewives who had waited anxiously for their chance to attend the shows taping, and possibly win a prize. Sure, the plot was implausible, but the point was to sell the show's host as a regular guy, who was personally available to his listeners. What better way to attract listeners to the radio show and to the sponsors. A regular listener would have been sure to go to the movie theater to see her show "live". The world of commercial radio was as serious as TV would be in a few years time. Everything you found on TV started on radio - Soap operas, game shows, serials, music, drama, and comedy. If you wanted to "see" radio - you went to the taping of the show or to the movie theater for a film like this. Maybe the host wasn't a comedian, and the contests were silly but don't forget The Newlywed Game, Beat the Clock, Monty Hall, and Bob Barker - all huge hits in their time. In a time when most women, of a certain age, stayed at home and made breakfast for their kids and husbands, 8 AM was probably the first chance in their morning to sit down, relax, and listen to the radio. I'm sure this show was very popular and I wouldn't be surprised if my Grandmothers and Aunts listened to it as well. This charming little film reminds us that early radio and film appreciated and understood their audience. No this isn't a great classic film, but it helps us to understand the film industry and the audience during that era.

HCTB had always been a favorite show from my childhood. We lived in Seattle when it came out and EVERYONE watched it. I was thrilled when I found it on DVD. But, the memories of an 8 year old girl are not necessarily to be trusted. It is still a well done, wholesome, comedy for the most part. The sets are much more static and primitive than I remembered. It is not historically authentic by any stretch - and the social issues it tackles are contemporary 60's issues wrapped up in gingham and calico. The show pace is very slow, the dialog is simplistic, and the acting is better than the screen writer allowed for. Joan Blondell is definitely the best actor on the set, although the main 5 characters do well. The same 15 pretty girls standing around smiling, pouting, crying, or flouncing gets old quick. I'm three shows in and nobody has gotten married yet, wasn't that the whole point? This would be a great show to watch with 7-10 year old children. Fundamental life lessons are learned, the good guys win, and cynicism and irony are held in check. I enjoyed the show with the woman Physician - that was realistic for the time and the 60's - and that actress was quite good. But she wasn't in the next show, which is a shame. Maybe people liked this show because it was the softer, greener, more feminine version of a western. HCTB is not classic TV, but it's pleasant and innocent and worth introducing to your kids. The Rental DVD I have does not have the theme song and I am wondering if it was licensing issue. I can still hear that song after almost 40 years.

I saw this film at AFI/Silverdocs, in Silver Spring, Maryland. It was the night before Father's Day, and I can think of no more fitting tribute to the love of Fathers and Sons for one another. The Swenkas are South African workers who have found a unique way to channel their self respect, their creativity, and their hope in the future in the worker's hell that Apartheid created and modern South African society can't seem to dismantle. Hard lives, miserable living conditions and long separations from their families would beat down the strongest men. The Swenkas beliefs in cleanliness, self respect, chaste behavior, and support for one another give them hope in their grim world. Their healthy humorous competition for the best attired man gives them joy. Their snappy clothing and male model performances are exercises in self respect and creativity, a Texas beauty queen has nothing on these guys. These guys love life and every bit of excitement they can wring out of it, and their families share in that joy. It was those small moments between husband and wife, father and son, mentor and student that brought tears to my eyes. Jeppe Ronde has created a warm and loving documentary/fable on a small but strong community. His use of the story telling technique is appropriate for a culture that passes it's stories down verbally. His selection of music is inspired, reminding us that these men are not so unlike us. Mr. Ronde spoke after the film, and he was warm, funny, and further broadened my appreciation for his film and for the Swenkas. There is a lot we can learn from the Swenkas, beyond the best dressed lists - we can learn some tenderness and some humanity. Its not the flashy clothes, its the heart behind it. See this film, and then show it to the men in your life.

A delightful documentary about the International Whistling Competition in Louisburg NC. This is not a bunch of hicks standing on a stage at a county fair. These are dignified professional people who have a passion for a dying music form. The finalist are followed from their homes and thru the competition until the awards. We hear how they started to whistle, their passion for it, and their various techniques. The whistling at the competition is truly amazing, and it would have been nice to hear a complete performance from beginning to end. You'll hear Vivaldi, Handel and Big Voodoo Daddy on the same stage. If you don't leave this film trying to coax a whistle from your lips - then you have no heart. A must see for anyone with kids, for anyone old enough to remember hearing whistling daily, and a must see for the rest of us as a reminder that you can make your own music with just a little practice. Pucker Up and go see this documentary.

This is a great story, a well crafted film, and a positive move for a young, talented film maker. M. Night Shyamalan has proven that the power of a movie is in the story, not the special effects. It is in the directing, editing, cinematography, and acting, not the cheap thrills. If you're expecting a formulaic thriller, a bloody slasher film, or another sci-fi twist at the end - you will be disappointed. If you go wanting to be mesmerized by a complex, layered story, and terrific ensemble acting - you will be enjoying and thinking about this film for days.

This film is about fear, and how fear impacts lives, and controls a communities future. This film is about the community misfits rising above the group fear to face the unknown, the unseen, and find their own courage and leadership. Something to think about in this time of Homeland Security and Code Orange Alerts. Shyamalan is being compared to Hitchcock - but Hitchcock at his prime, with years of film making under his belt. Compare Shyamalan to the young Hitchcock of "A Lady Vanishes", "Sabotage", and the first "The Man Who Knew Too Much". There you will see a strong story teller, testing his theories, and refining his craft. Is this the best Shyamalan film? I hope not, I hope in 10 and 20 years Shymalan will be weaving his stories, and keeping us on the edge of our seats with greater films. The man is a gifted story teller - and his medium is film.

And for those who have criticized the 'stilted' dialogue - if you read diaries from the 1800's, the dialogue is not far off the mark. It was a time when people considered speaking and oration an art to practice.

I enjoyed this film and would highly recommend it.