I really love this movie--not quite as much as Fatal Attraction, which is one of my all time favorite suspense/consequences movies, but close. As usual, Adrian Lyne focuses on suburban and marital boredom to show the consequences of an extramarital affair, and the results are dark and disturbing. You know from the beginning that all will not end well. I think my favorite part of the movie is the focus on Richard Gere's character, and how he slowly realizes that his wife is cheating on him and how he deals with it. I think he realizes how much he loves her and values the marriage and the scene between him and Martel is probably one of the most realistic. It is Gere's character sees the snow globe in Martel's bedroom and imagines the lovemaking there that he finally totally cracks and takes an action that will change his family's life forever. Although I love Diane Lane and think she did a great job with her part, I did not think her character was developed quite as well. The meeting between her and Martel was not believable to me. I don't think any woman by herself in NYC would willingly go into a stranger's apartment-no matter how cute and nonthreatening the man might seem. I did not believe that she would actually have an affair either, but if you put those 2 issues to the side, the film is easy to watch over and over again.
Reviews
15 Reviews
Midnight Cowboy
(1969)
Dark Spirituality Gets a Voice
4 September 2012
Simply put, a masterpiece. Jon Voight is superb as the enthusiastic Joe Buck, who is through a series of jarring flashbacks, shown to be haunted by events from his childhood, particularly regarding his grandmother. At the beginning of the movie, Joe Buck quits his job and hops on a bus to New York City, where he becomes a very unsuccessful hustler. His hustling leads him to Ratso Rizzo, played by Dustin Hoffman. The unlikely pair develop a great friendship and some of my favorite parts of the movie are the scenes where the 2 of them are walking the busy streets of New York City together, with Joe Buck and his cowboy hat towering about a foot over Ratso. It is a visual that will stay in your mind long after the movie is over.
There are many big themes going on in this movie, including death, Americana and spirituality, albeit a very dark spirituality. This movie would probably never get made today, and that is just a shame. The acting and cinematography are both excellent.
There are many big themes going on in this movie, including death, Americana and spirituality, albeit a very dark spirituality. This movie would probably never get made today, and that is just a shame. The acting and cinematography are both excellent.
Rabbit Hole
(2010)
Slowing Digging out of the Hole
1 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
This movie was a pleasant surprise. Beautifully filmed, and well acted, it is a story about human relationships, grief, and the slow process of healing. The main storyline follows a couple, Becca and Howie, as they struggle to recover eight months after the death of their 4 year-old son.
The film does a great job of portraying the tension between the couple as they both try to move forward and live in the world after losing their son. They have not been sexually intimate since the accident. They join a support group and try to maintain their former relationships. To add insult to injury, Becca's kid sister accidentally gets pregnant and it serves as a reminder to Nicole of all she has lost. Becca also forms a surprising and touching relationship with the teenage boy who accidentally killed her son.
The film begins and ends in the back yard of the family home. In the beginning, Becca is planting a garden and digs her hands in the dirt. The movie ends with the couple throwing a small party for friends and family. After all of the guests have left, the couple sits alone, looking out over the water and talking about the future. Becca reaches out and puts her hand on her Howie's leg and the viewer feels optimistic about their future. They will be able to survive and move forward. Together, they will dig themselves out of their rabbit hole.
The film does a great job of portraying the tension between the couple as they both try to move forward and live in the world after losing their son. They have not been sexually intimate since the accident. They join a support group and try to maintain their former relationships. To add insult to injury, Becca's kid sister accidentally gets pregnant and it serves as a reminder to Nicole of all she has lost. Becca also forms a surprising and touching relationship with the teenage boy who accidentally killed her son.
The film begins and ends in the back yard of the family home. In the beginning, Becca is planting a garden and digs her hands in the dirt. The movie ends with the couple throwing a small party for friends and family. After all of the guests have left, the couple sits alone, looking out over the water and talking about the future. Becca reaches out and puts her hand on her Howie's leg and the viewer feels optimistic about their future. They will be able to survive and move forward. Together, they will dig themselves out of their rabbit hole.
Papillon
(1973)
Free as a Butterfly
11 June 2011
This movie has early 70s written all over it, in both appearance and feel. My husband kept after me to watch "Papillon" for years and I had heard of the movie, but thought it was just going to be another prison movie. It is anything but. The movie is part drama, part fantasy, part action. At its heart it is about friendship and the power of the human spirit. Steve McQueen is fabulous as Papillon, a petty thief who is falsely imprisoned for murder. The conditions of the prison in French Guiana are abhorrent. From the beginning, Papillon attaches himself to Louis Dega and becomes both friend and protector. This friendship ultimately leads to solitary confinement for Papillon. At some point in the movie, you forget McQueen is even acting--he really seems to become the character. No matter how hard they try to break his spirit, Papillon is determined to escape and reach freedom at all costs. It is hard to fully do this movie justice--it has so many different elements to it, from the scenes in the prison to the fantasy sequence on some exotic island. Well worth the 2 1/2 hour time commitment.
The Wrestler
(2008)
A True Work of Genius
5 May 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This Aronofsky movie was almost perfect-it is hard to imagine any scene being left out. From the opening frame to the end, I was mesmerized by the story of Randy "The Ram" Robinson. By the time we meet him, Randy is wearing a hearing aid and barely eking out an existence from wrestling--we are witnessing the tail-end of his career, and possibly his life. When he has a heart attack, he realizes how alone he is and he tries to reach out to people he cares about, like a local stripper and his daughter. The cinematography in this film was fantastic, as each frame emphasizes just how alone Randy is---the scene where he leaves the hospital and goes out to the empty parking lot to get his van is a great example. After his heart attack, Randy realizes he can no longer wrestle and he tries to get a normal job and assimilate back into the non-wrestling world, but he quickly realizes that the only place he really matters to anyone is in the ring--it is there that he feels truly appreciated and loved by his fans. Mickey Rourke has a truthfully brilliant performance in this film and one can easily see the parallels to his own acting career and life. Go rent this film immediately--you will not regret it.
Michael Clayton
(2007)
Clooney at his Best!
18 January 2008
From the opening voice-over by Tom Wilkinson's character until the final frame, this movie holds your attention and you feel the true magic of the cinema. Tightly edited, beautifully filmed, brilliantly acted--there is very little one can criticize. Clooney is perfectly suited for the lead character, the one lawyer at the firm who does more work outside the courtroom than inside; the protector of the firm with a conscience. There is a scene somewhere around the middle of the movie where Clooney runs into the center of a field and 3 horses stand there---the camera moves in to a close-up of the horses, with haunting music in the background--and at this point, I realized that I didn't ever want the movie the end.
The story is also riveting and will definitely hold your attention. It is a complex storyline, but not so complex that you get totally lost. Most of the characters are neither purely good, nor purely evil, but somewhere in between. Even though Tilda Swinton's character is ruthless, there are moments where the viewer feels sympathy for her, like when she rehearses some of her lines for a meeting in front of a mirror. If you were not lucky enough to see this at the theater, run go rent it now! It is one of the best movies to have come out in years. "No Country for Old Men" is the only film I have seen in 2007 that gives it a run for its money.
The story is also riveting and will definitely hold your attention. It is a complex storyline, but not so complex that you get totally lost. Most of the characters are neither purely good, nor purely evil, but somewhere in between. Even though Tilda Swinton's character is ruthless, there are moments where the viewer feels sympathy for her, like when she rehearses some of her lines for a meeting in front of a mirror. If you were not lucky enough to see this at the theater, run go rent it now! It is one of the best movies to have come out in years. "No Country for Old Men" is the only film I have seen in 2007 that gives it a run for its money.
No Country for Old Men
(2007)
Slow Burn
18 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
It may be hard to remember the title of this movie, but impossible to forget it. It is one of those slow-paced movies that stays with you for a long time--kind of like a chili pepper that has no effect at first, but comes on slow and strong until it burns your mouth. Go see it with someone else so that you have someone to talk to about it--you will need to process the film for at least a couple of days afterwards.
I am a huge fan of the Coen brothers and was not at all disappointed with this film. What is interesting about it is the fact that there is virtually no music at all--it is a very quiet movie in between dialogue and quite frankly, from about 3/4's of the way in, I started getting confused about some plot points, but it doesn't matter because the film is so great you can forgive the confusion towards the end. Here is one question I have--who ended up with the money? I have a friend who read the book and gave me the answer from the book, but I certainly couldn't figure it out from the movie.
I read one reviewer who stated that this was Javier Bardem's best performance ever. I don't agree--he was much better in the "Sea Inside", but his performance was very good and he is one of the best actors that exists today. I was more impressed with Josh Brolin's performance--he was the lead character for over half of the movie and did a really good job. Tommy Lee Jones was also very strong throughout. The success of the entire film really falls on the back of these 3 main male characters, so their strong performances really come through. Woody Harrelson also held his own.
As stated in other reviews, the pace of this movie is quite slow, but very methodical. It is not as funny as "Fargo", although it is just as dark and does have some comedic moments in it, in the line of dark comedy or "black comedy".
If you like the Coen brothers, you will like this movie. If you have never seen a Coen brothers film, this would not be a bad place to start. Not many great female characters in this one, but I guess I will forgive that too.
I am a huge fan of the Coen brothers and was not at all disappointed with this film. What is interesting about it is the fact that there is virtually no music at all--it is a very quiet movie in between dialogue and quite frankly, from about 3/4's of the way in, I started getting confused about some plot points, but it doesn't matter because the film is so great you can forgive the confusion towards the end. Here is one question I have--who ended up with the money? I have a friend who read the book and gave me the answer from the book, but I certainly couldn't figure it out from the movie.
I read one reviewer who stated that this was Javier Bardem's best performance ever. I don't agree--he was much better in the "Sea Inside", but his performance was very good and he is one of the best actors that exists today. I was more impressed with Josh Brolin's performance--he was the lead character for over half of the movie and did a really good job. Tommy Lee Jones was also very strong throughout. The success of the entire film really falls on the back of these 3 main male characters, so their strong performances really come through. Woody Harrelson also held his own.
As stated in other reviews, the pace of this movie is quite slow, but very methodical. It is not as funny as "Fargo", although it is just as dark and does have some comedic moments in it, in the line of dark comedy or "black comedy".
If you like the Coen brothers, you will like this movie. If you have never seen a Coen brothers film, this would not be a bad place to start. Not many great female characters in this one, but I guess I will forgive that too.
Babel
(I) (2006)
The Tower of Babel
13 May 2007
According to the Bible, the Tower of Babel was a tower built by a united humanity to try to reach the heavens, but as the mythology goes, God was angered by this attempt by humans to think they could reach heaven, and the whole incident somehow led to the development of different races and languages. Certainly, "Babel" has numerous races and languages in it, as it jumps back in forth (and not always chronologically, so watch out for that!) between scenes in Morocco, America, Mexico, and Japan, but why the director Inarritu chose to title his movie "Babel" has never been fully explained to me.
Unlike "21 Grams", which I found to be extremely choppy and self-indulgent, I actually thought that elements of "Babel" worked and were weaved together in a more cohesive fashion. For me, the most interesting storyline was that involving the character, Chieko, the Japanese deaf-mute teenager, who although her character was never fully developed, was quite fascinating. The camera-work and sound editing in her sections were outstanding, especially the scene in the Japanese disco.
It was a shame that Cate Blanchett's role was so small--she seems almost wasted in her role. Brad Pitt's performance is one of his best--he really looked older and gritty. The only storyline which seemed a little unnecessary was the one involving Brad and Cate's children and their Mexican nanny--some of the things that happened in that storyline seemed over the top and not really connected to the rest of the story lines, except to show that Mexican wedding receptions can be just as cheesy as American wedding receptions.
Overall, I enjoyed the movie more than I expected to and did make it all the way until the closing credits, unlike "21 Grams", which my husband and I walked out of when we saw it at the theater a few years ago.
Unlike "21 Grams", which I found to be extremely choppy and self-indulgent, I actually thought that elements of "Babel" worked and were weaved together in a more cohesive fashion. For me, the most interesting storyline was that involving the character, Chieko, the Japanese deaf-mute teenager, who although her character was never fully developed, was quite fascinating. The camera-work and sound editing in her sections were outstanding, especially the scene in the Japanese disco.
It was a shame that Cate Blanchett's role was so small--she seems almost wasted in her role. Brad Pitt's performance is one of his best--he really looked older and gritty. The only storyline which seemed a little unnecessary was the one involving Brad and Cate's children and their Mexican nanny--some of the things that happened in that storyline seemed over the top and not really connected to the rest of the story lines, except to show that Mexican wedding receptions can be just as cheesy as American wedding receptions.
Overall, I enjoyed the movie more than I expected to and did make it all the way until the closing credits, unlike "21 Grams", which my husband and I walked out of when we saw it at the theater a few years ago.
Red Eye
(2005)
Red Eye Rocks!
23 April 2007
I have read several of the comments about this movie tonight, and I must say that some of these people are taking this movie too seriously--sure, as a thriller, it has all been done before, but bottom line: this is an enjoyable film. Yes it is cheesy and really not very scary, but still fun to watch. Rachel McAdams is perfect as the woman who is not going to just sit back and be an easy victim, even when she is trapped on a plane with a hired thug who is threatening to kill her father. She is engaging and makes you want to root for her.
My only complaint is with Cillian Murphy being used, again, as a "scary" villain. This actor could not scare me if he wore a Halloween mask--he is too slight of build and looks like he is twelve years old. He is a good actor, but I have a hard time buying him in scary roles. And frankly, based on the injuries he receives in the movie, in real life, he would not be getting back up.
If you sit down and really try to analyze the plot, the whole movie falls apart. My advice would be to pop up some good popcorn and sit back in front of a big screen TV with a nice stereo hookup and let the movie entertain you for 82 minutes, which it does quite nicely.
My only complaint is with Cillian Murphy being used, again, as a "scary" villain. This actor could not scare me if he wore a Halloween mask--he is too slight of build and looks like he is twelve years old. He is a good actor, but I have a hard time buying him in scary roles. And frankly, based on the injuries he receives in the movie, in real life, he would not be getting back up.
If you sit down and really try to analyze the plot, the whole movie falls apart. My advice would be to pop up some good popcorn and sit back in front of a big screen TV with a nice stereo hookup and let the movie entertain you for 82 minutes, which it does quite nicely.
Volver
(I) (2006)
Volver Rules!
11 April 2007
Almodovar is without question one of the greatest directors of our time and this movie is no exception. It is hard to pinpoint exactly what makes this film so great--the cinematography, the script, the beautiful, non-obtrusive score, the acting, the colors--the movie is seamless. From the moment the film begins, you are sucked into Almodovar's world and you don't want to leave. There is not one scene that should have been omitted. This movie is at its heart, about human relationships and loss and has many humorous moments, but is told from a very unique perspective. If you have never seen one of Almodovar's movies, this would be a good place to start. It is definitely more light-hearted in theme than "Talk to Her" or "Bad Education" or "All About My Mother".
Inside Man
(2006)
Inside Disappointment
9 April 2007
I am a big Spike Lee fan, and I will be the first to tell you to skip this movie. From the moment it started, I was just totally not drawn into the plot at all--I couldn't even really figure out what the plot was. The actors in the movie are great, but they were all wasted in their roles--Willem Dafoe was wasted as a cop and Jodie Foster was certainly wasted in her tiny little role. Denzel Washington could not even pull off his character, whatever it was supposed to be, the hat-wearing, cool as a cucumber detective. There were a few references to Denzel's character's girlfriend and the issue of whether or not he would get married again, but I didn't care, because there was no real character development in this movie. The plot was incomprehensible and boring. It was really a self-indulgent movie that went absolutely nowhere. I am not even really sure why I bothered to watch until the very end--I think I kept holding out hope that there would be some big revelation at the end or some justification for watching/making the movie, but there never was. Let me also say that the actual plot of why the bank robbery occurred was really stupid and disappointing. If you want to see a good Spike Lee joint, try "Do the Right Thing" or "She's Gotta Have it".
Juliet of the Spirits
(1965)
Juliet is a Delight!
11 September 2006
I loved this movie. For me, as a relatively new student of Fellini, I understand that there is a progression in his films over the years. His initial films are more generally coherent stories like "La Strada" and then his later films are more focused on the visual and surreal, like "8 1/2".
This movie is somewhere in between. There is the coherent storyline of Juliet and her philandering husband and all the other strange characters in her life, like family and friends, but then there is also the psychedelic and surreal element of the spirit world that Juliet is in close contact with everyday.
Masina is great as usual--she acts a lot just with her eyes and the expressions on her face.
This film is just a delight. My suggestion is that you don't try to analyze it too deeply. Just sit back and let the colors, settings, costumes, and larger than life characters wash over you.
This movie is somewhere in between. There is the coherent storyline of Juliet and her philandering husband and all the other strange characters in her life, like family and friends, but then there is also the psychedelic and surreal element of the spirit world that Juliet is in close contact with everyday.
Masina is great as usual--she acts a lot just with her eyes and the expressions on her face.
This film is just a delight. My suggestion is that you don't try to analyze it too deeply. Just sit back and let the colors, settings, costumes, and larger than life characters wash over you.
The Elephant Man
(1980)
My Fair Elephant Man?
8 September 2006
This film is very different from most of Lynch's work and is beautifully filmed. As I watched it, I could not help seeing parallels to the infamous story of "My Fair Lady". Dr. Treves as Henry Higgins, takes the circus freak, teaches him how to speak politely, dresses him in nice suits, and makes him presentable to society. The Elephant Man is even allowed to attend the theater. The only problem is, as the film reveals, his life in society is not that much different than when he was in the circus--either way, because of his deformities, people want to come see him because of their curiosity. He is still viewed as a freak of society. Very few characters in the film really seemed to care about John Merrick, even though he seemed to believe that they were all his "friends." Everyone seemed to be using the Elephant Man to advance their own careers, or to make money. The only character, besides Dr. Treves, that seems to really be interested in the Elephant Man as a person is the actress, Mrs. Kendal. There is a fabulous scene when she comes to visit John Merrick in his room at the hospital.
There are many heartbreaking scenes in the film and it really makes you think about the true nature of unconditional love and how we, as a society view people, especially those who appear different on the outside. How we are so quick to judge and how even the most grotesque looking person can be so beautiful on the inside. Very highly recommended.
There are many heartbreaking scenes in the film and it really makes you think about the true nature of unconditional love and how we, as a society view people, especially those who appear different on the outside. How we are so quick to judge and how even the most grotesque looking person can be so beautiful on the inside. Very highly recommended.
Broken Flowers
(2005)
Boring and Pointless
1 April 2006
I like Jim Jarmusch as a director, but this movie was pretty lame. It was beautifully filmed, but slowly paced, and if it wasn't loaded with well-known actresses, you would not even care about it. It is like a few days in the life of a "Don Juan" character (hard to imagine Bill Murray as a ladies man), a person we know nothing about and really feel no sympathy for. It is unclear what message we were supposed to take from this film. Each former girlfriend the main character visits is in an entirely different scenario; some women are more happy to see him than others. I guess it is supposed to be some kind of reflection on life--the message that you cannot focus too much on the past kept being repeated, but again, after watching this movie for almost 2 hours, I was rather irritated by the end. My main reaction was, why did I bother watching this movie? If it had not been for the scene with Jessica Lange, it would have been totally without redemption.
The Caine Mutiny
(1954)
The audience becomes the officers
9 October 2005
One of the most amazing things about The Caine Mutiny is the way the direction of the movie totally controls the audience, first to believe that the mutiny against Queeg was valid, and after Lt. Greenwald drunkenly reveals his true feelings at the party after the trial, to then feel the guilt and shame that all the officers involved, especially Lt. Keefer, must surely have felt about their actions. It is almost as if when Jose Ferrer berates all the officers, he is berating the audience as well. Captain Queeg is a fascinating character from the moment he brings those little silver balls out of his pocket in his first meeting with his officers. From the beginning of his tour of duty, his own actions begin to call his judgment into question. By the time of the penultimate scene during the typhoon, the audience is likely to be convinced that Lt. Maryk and the other officers had every reason to commit the mutiny. Lt. Greenwald does such a masterful job of making Captain Queeg reveal his paranoia on the stand that the audience still floats along thinking that the mutiny was the right thing to do. But by the time Lt. Greenwald speaks at the party, the audience is shown another perspective--that the whole mutiny was the logical result of the initial doubts that Lt. Keefer put in Lt. Maryk's mind earlier on and that maybe Captain Queeg, as an honored Naval officer, deserved more respect after all. Sure, Captain Queeg was eccentric, but did he really deserve to be the victim of a mutiny? Of course, the only way to know for sure would have been to not have the mutiny, continue to follow the Captain's orders, and see whether or not the Caine would have survived the storm. If the Caine sank, then Queeg should have been relieved of his duties by mutiny. I don't know if the odds would have been worth it for all the officers and crew of the Caine.
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