Monday, November 17, 2014

Movie #976 ........................."Killing Kennedy"


Movie #976 "Killing Kennedy" ----  Having lived through this time period, having read almost everything except O'Reilly's book (sorry, just couldn't make myself do that), there was no new ground here; however, the acting is good on Rob Lowe's part and on Oswald's (oh and kudos to Steppenwolf's Francis Guinan as LBJ, and Michelle Trachtenberg as Oswald's wife) Other than that, pretty mediocre Jackie and Bobby.  Anyway, just so you know this isn't in a "whole new light" --- it just goes through step by step what we know that happened, unless you have read very little about Oswald.  It was a good made-for-tv film that I enjoyed watching the other night, esp. since the subject has always interested me.




Killing Kennedy

2013 NR 90 minutes   I would give this 3.5 stars out of 5
Based on the bestseller by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard, this made-for-television thriller about the Kennedy assassination -- an event that shocked the world -- examines the tragedy in a whole new light.
Cast: Michelle Trachtenberg, Ginnifer Goodwin, Rob Lowe



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Movie #975 ........................."Interstellar"


Movie #975 "Interstellar" is Christopher Nolan's attempt to one up the much revered "2001 Space Odyssey", and technically, it challenges the first one --- this is very good, but for me to no avail.  For as long as the film is, it never drew me in emotionally --- yep almost 3 hours of naught.  I didn't care for the characters (either not enough info given on them (like the son) or way over the top repetitive crying/yelling/screaming angst (the daughter/Anne Hathaway's character).  I usually enjoy watching Matthew M., but this performance seemed all smarmy and preachy ----pacing was off -----way slow in some parts, painfully so, but in others too fast, giving the impression we have so much story to tell so, after all  this is an epic film, but never quite got there.  This film tried to cover way too much, and I'm not sure John Q. Public would ever understand some of the long passages of dialogue about wormholes.  After about an hour, I was laughing at some of the soap operyness of the situations, the characters, the dialogue.  I woke up in the third act only because the story started moving at a better pace, and the entrance of the wormhole/blackhole was well done (and rivaled the final scene of "Space Odyssey") ---- I must admit the "saving the world" type of science fiction I really don't enjoy --- the story is in broad terms, usually very preachy, full of didactic moments to fill us in on how we can solve the problem,  and usually follows an overdone plot line --- problem defined, people (and audience suffer)  and then one man, yes one man, saves the world  singlehandedly, usually.  Yes, there are some variations here, but they get sticky, and  they push the audience away from caring.  Sorry, I like Christopher Nolan, but this one, not so much.



Interstellar

2014 PG-13                  I give this 3 stars out of 5.

From director Christopher Nolan comes this futuristic cosmic odyssey, which follows a band of space explorers who surmount the limits of interstellar travel, using a recently discovered wormhole to pass between dimensions.
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain
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Thursday, November 6, 2014

Movie #974 ........................."Of Mice & Men" 2014







Movie #974 "Of Mice and Men" 2014 is a solid performance by Chris O'Dowd, who was rightly nominated for best tony award this past year.  James Franco is James Franco, in and out.  When he's in, he's rock solid, but in the first scene for example, he's too much with the yelling.  He needed more shades of in between.  And I felt he just didn't get to the high point --- when they find the dead body in the stable, he's not near tense enough.  He kind of stands around, so I don't think that was played well.  Curly's wife was a tad weak, too.  All full of anger most of the time, and that was about it.  Her death looked too staged, too.  But anyway, the setting was great --- real water on stage, bunk beds that tracked in, etc.  Loved the scenery, and that we could be so close to the "staged" play that we could see tears in everyone's eyes at the end of this , their last performance.  I would like to see more of these filmed "live" theatre performances in movie theaters on the big screen.  Cool!





Of Mice and Men - national theatre presents last show on Broadway --- videotaped 

2014 PG-13 120 minutes            I would give this 3.8 stars out of 5.
Our best guess for you: 4 stars
Average of 1022363 ratings: 3.8 stars
This moving adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic novel follows two migrant workers, one a dimwitted gentle giant and the other his judicious protector, who find jobs in Depression-era California, only to have their hopes destroyed.
Cast:  James Franco as George and Chris O'Dowd as Lennie

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Movie #973 ........................."The Dish and the Spoon"



Movie #973 "The Dish a and the Spoon" --- I liked this, but then, again, I like a lot of indie type films that take chances.  There's a lot to like ------highly competent acting, beautifully photographed moments, weird script, funny moments of rage and love, deeply intimate connection with another (without the gratuitous sex scenes --- he's a teenaged kid!  and glad that wasn't covered) Okay, the pacing is very slow, I'll give you that, and the high point is very, very quiet and poignant rather than crazy violent, but I felt it still sustained interest in these two deeply flawed, creative, but very lonely people who find solace in each other.  Nice job!











The Dish & the Spoon2011R92 minutes    I'd give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
Reeling with rage after learning of her husband's infidelity, Rose departs for Delaware to confront the other woman. But once she arrives, she shifts her focus to an unexpected romance with an eccentric teenage boy who helps her cope with her anger.
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Monday, November 3, 2014

Movie #972 .........................."Kill the Messenger"


Movie #972 "Kill the Messenger" was a taut, intense thriller, much like an earlier movie with Rusell Crowe entitled "The Whistleblower" except this story was easier to follow, if I remember correctly.  This story is based on a journalist, Gary Webb, and his discovery of the Contra controversy.  The story he happens to fall into, much like "All the President's Men" but unlike that story, his bosses aren't ready to lose their jobs to defend him.  And also unlike "All the President's Men" he is discredited, which greatly affects his career and his family and his personal reputation.  I like that the movie shows what this guy has to go through by simply pursuing the truth ------he comes from a small newspaper, so that doesn't help his initial credibility.  Sometimes we feel that journalists are bottom feeders, but this film shows us much more what is involved in the life of a journalist.  And I liked that about the movie -- it had relevance to me!  and good acting!  Jeremy Renner is on his way to be another Sean Penn, my guess!








Kill the Messenger2014R   I would give this 4 out of 5 stars
This disturbing, fact-based thriller is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gary Webb's involvement in revealing the CIA's secret funding and assistance for Nicaraguan Contra rebels during the 1980s.
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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Movie #971 ..........................." A Day Late and a Dollar Short"

Movie #971 "A Day Late and a Dollar Short" -- this was definitely a Whoopi Goldberg vehicle, and she has gathered together an unbelievable supporting cast to play her children/husband.  It is too bad that the script and dialogue aren't up to their abilities --- if the film would have had just one or two of the problems presented here, it might have been easier to swallow, but with so much going on in this family, well it's reminiscent of soap opera fodder.  I had one huge question, too.  Mom Whoopi seems to be more than capable to dispense great advice and steer her kids in the right direction --- but did that happen over night?  I don't think so, so why the heck are her kids so troubled?  I know Dad hasn't been present, but it's hard to see he was a big problem when we only see him rather loving as he ages.  Lots of holes in the plot; too bad the good actors wasted their time with this, but I did find the ending satisfying.  Letter writing to each kids seems to work, esp. when the kid who is asked to read the letter is the one having a problem with that kid.  Good advice!  But my good advice here is not to bother with this film.






A Day Late and a Dollar Short   (3 stars out of 5)

2014 TV-PG 90 minutes
Our best guess for you: 3 stars
Average of 1073 ratings: 3.5 stars
Facing the reality of her grave medical condition, ornery Viola Price decides to bring her combative clan back together to create a sense of solidarity. Among the challenges she'll have to tackle are drug addiction, incarceration and teen pregnancy.
Cast
Lyriq Bent, Whoopi Goldberg, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer, Anika Noni Rose, Kimberly Elise
Director
Stephen Tolkin
Genres
Television
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Friday, October 24, 2014

Movie #970 ........................."Robot & Frank"


Movie #970 "Robot & Frank" is a film with  an intriguing premise --- a senior citizen using a robot to help him out in his life, and esp. to help him steal from the rich in the neighborhood.  His kids come in and out of his life fleetingly, but really the film is all the robot and Frank (thus the title).  This makes the film a bit difficult to watch, because it seems slow going and I fell asleep a couple of times, but the film picks up once the caper starts.  And there are a couple of surprises along the way.  So as far as recommending it, I'm on the fence on this one.  I'm glad I saw it because of the idea of it, but not sure it would be a good watch for everybody.  If the idea intrigues you, too, and you like the cast, I would see it then because there's much to like here once the story gets off the ground floor.












Robot & Frank2012PG-1389 minutes   I would give this 3.5 out of 5 stars
Worried about their aging father living alone, Frank's kids give him a humanoid robot that's programmed to be his caretaker. Reluctant Frank -- a retired cat burglar -- soon warms up to his new helper and begins to treat it as a partner in crime.
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