This movie tackles one of the most difficult and important subjects of our time with great visual appeal and a lot of heart. For the benefit of audiences too comfortable and secure to relate to the immigrant experience, "Home is Somewhere Else" humanizes people who have been stigmatized, hounded and oppressed. Three families, each with their own version of cross-border and intergenerational trauma, give us a real taste of what it's like to be trapped between Mexico and the United States. Dreams soar, only to be crushed; parents raise their children on a shoestring, only to be deported; simple pleasures enjoyed one day may be replaced by bureaucratic or extrajudicial nightmares the next. Deep love and tremendous pain are portrayed in equal measure through a rich palette of beautiful animation and narrated in the families' own voices. On an aesthetic, political and emotional level, I highly recommend this film.
Reviews
60 Reviews
Mother
(2009)
Sublime
1 December 2022
Although the director became quite famous long after making this film, I did not know about "Mother" until a friend recently mentioned it. This is a rare movie that tackles tragedy and comedy in equal measure and with equal virtuosity, portrayed through cinematography and editing that are at once basic and yet exceedingly refined. It is very suspenseful -- full of wild twists and turns -- and beautiful. "Mother" is quite possibly more brilliant than "Parasite" and deserves acclaim all on its own.
The only regrettable part for me was the fire, which seemed to be on the predictable side. Still, even that concealed a rather stunning surprise...and it may well be an homage to "Enjo," another superb movie.
I can't recommend this film too highly. Just watch it.
The only regrettable part for me was the fire, which seemed to be on the predictable side. Still, even that concealed a rather stunning surprise...and it may well be an homage to "Enjo," another superb movie.
I can't recommend this film too highly. Just watch it.
Second Best
(1972)
Lives up to its name...and then some
9 October 2020
Second Best was apparently a vanity project of Alan Bates, made in 1972. It features an attractive woman moping with great determination while she strolls about the countryside with her fictional sister. Between them, the two women kill two moles and make one easy romantic conquest. That's about it.
This film is poorly photographed and indifferently acted. There is no character development to speak of.
Why did Criterion include this in its deluxe edition of "Women in Love"? The presence of Alan Bates in both, and the shared D.H. Lawrence connection make it seem logical on paper. But the vast gap in quality only underscores how poor a thing "Second Best" actually is.
This film is poorly photographed and indifferently acted. There is no character development to speak of.
Why did Criterion include this in its deluxe edition of "Women in Love"? The presence of Alan Bates in both, and the shared D.H. Lawrence connection make it seem logical on paper. But the vast gap in quality only underscores how poor a thing "Second Best" actually is.
Harold and Maude
(1971)
It hasn't aged well...
17 September 2020
I have long wanted to see Harold and Maude. Finally, I got the chance and I have to say it was very disappointing. A blase, checked out, ultra rich young man meets a free spirited renegade granny and they fall in love. A charming premise, but the execution is underwhelming. The worst aspect for me was sitting through the scenes between Harold and his mother, who is a caricature of the pampered, domineering, self-absorbed distant type who almost never hears a thing Harold says. Every time the mother shows up it's the same thing... she walks in, reprimands Harold in a completely stilted manner, and then she walks off in a huff... or the film cuts away with her in a huff. It is SO unfunny. Then there are Harold's encounters with the one-armed uncle-general who is predictably uptight and only slightly more nuanced than the mother character. Again, these scenes are not nearly as amusing as they were intended to be.
Compared to these encounters with his family, Harold's scenes with Maude are a relief to him -- and to the audience -- but not enough of a relief. Ruth Gordon gives it her all, but the script just doesn't give her enough support, and I found Bud Cort's performance to be uninspiring. Clocking in at just 90 minutes, the film still feels like it has significant padding and could be tightened up. Even the editing seems subpar, which is surprising since Hal Ashby, though directing here, had been an award-winning editor. I'd choose to see some of Ashby's other directorial credits again before I'd revisit Harold and Maude. For example, Being There is in another realm entirely -- a real work of genius compared to this title.
Harold and Maude is a gentle, inoffensive picture that could have been much better than it actually is. There's no harm in seeing it -- just manage your expectations carefully.
Compared to these encounters with his family, Harold's scenes with Maude are a relief to him -- and to the audience -- but not enough of a relief. Ruth Gordon gives it her all, but the script just doesn't give her enough support, and I found Bud Cort's performance to be uninspiring. Clocking in at just 90 minutes, the film still feels like it has significant padding and could be tightened up. Even the editing seems subpar, which is surprising since Hal Ashby, though directing here, had been an award-winning editor. I'd choose to see some of Ashby's other directorial credits again before I'd revisit Harold and Maude. For example, Being There is in another realm entirely -- a real work of genius compared to this title.
Harold and Maude is a gentle, inoffensive picture that could have been much better than it actually is. There's no harm in seeing it -- just manage your expectations carefully.
Come and See
(1985)
Almost unwatchable
29 February 2020
I have never been in a war zone, and am poorly informed about the horrors experienced by the Soviet people at the hands of the Nazis. Doubtless I have much to learn, but could not learn it from this film.
This movie, which is like a parody of a late Goya painting set in the forests and villages of Russia, was very hard to watch. The difficulty is not so much the brutality of the events depicted as the relentless overacting and completely unnatural performances of the actors. Everyone behaves as if they were psychotic in almost every scene, and the camera is often positioned right in front of their faces. Their expressions are, like their mannerisms, so over the top as to make the film difficult to take seriously. As if this weren't enough, the music -- interspersed with snippets of military songs or anthems -- continually makes the emphatic statement IN ALL CAPS that we are watching crazy people enduring unbearable conditions.
To my way of thinking, this film is trying much too hard to make its point. I felt that it could have said much more, with much less. Even the film's length, at nearly 2 1/2 hours long, goes overboard; it could have benefited from some serious editing. Bludgeoning its audience, it mistakes brute force for tragedy, falling well short of its own ambitions.
This movie, which is like a parody of a late Goya painting set in the forests and villages of Russia, was very hard to watch. The difficulty is not so much the brutality of the events depicted as the relentless overacting and completely unnatural performances of the actors. Everyone behaves as if they were psychotic in almost every scene, and the camera is often positioned right in front of their faces. Their expressions are, like their mannerisms, so over the top as to make the film difficult to take seriously. As if this weren't enough, the music -- interspersed with snippets of military songs or anthems -- continually makes the emphatic statement IN ALL CAPS that we are watching crazy people enduring unbearable conditions.
To my way of thinking, this film is trying much too hard to make its point. I felt that it could have said much more, with much less. Even the film's length, at nearly 2 1/2 hours long, goes overboard; it could have benefited from some serious editing. Bludgeoning its audience, it mistakes brute force for tragedy, falling well short of its own ambitions.
Amazing Grace
(2018)
Incandescent songs of love
17 April 2019
This is much more than a concert film. Sydney Pollack's use of multiple cameras that record everyone involved in this affair -- not least the choir and the audience -- leads to electrifying results. There is so much heart and enthusiasm and interchange in this movie that it almost eclipses the music -- fantastic though that music is. Because this is Aretha Franklin and all the talented people with her making incredible Gospel music come to life. But again, this is much more than Aretha -- it is everyone in the room singing, dancing, relating and having the time of their lives.
Special kudos go to the team that synched up the sound with the picture, and to the editor (Jeff Buchanan) whose sensitive interweaving of the footage makes seeing this movie as good, if not better, as being in the room when the concerts happened.
Nearly 50 years in the making, this is a movie you must go out and see on a large screen. Don't miss it!
Special kudos go to the team that synched up the sound with the picture, and to the editor (Jeff Buchanan) whose sensitive interweaving of the footage makes seeing this movie as good, if not better, as being in the room when the concerts happened.
Nearly 50 years in the making, this is a movie you must go out and see on a large screen. Don't miss it!
Wall Street
(1987)
Trite, dated, formulaic melodrama
20 January 2019
This is an interesting film to watch in the age of Trump, when "greed is good" sounds quaint and mild. Nevertheless, despite its rather prophetic moments, this movie is painful to watch. Never before have I seen so much doltish preening by so many suspender-wearing, cufflink twirling blowhards. Michael Douglas does a very good job and earned his oscar, but most of the other actors are straining -- and failing -- to make the script believable and the movie watchable.
"Wall Street" has aged very poorly. If it was a stock, I'd say "short it."
"Wall Street" has aged very poorly. If it was a stock, I'd say "short it."
The Raven
(1943)
Superbly Suspenseful... and Fun
28 April 2018
In a small French town, a doctor is relentlessly hounded by anonymous letters that hint at unsavory secrets not only in his life but also in the lives of most of the town's leading citizens. Before the source of the letters is finally identified, an unbearable level of tension, anguish and confusion grips anyone and everyone.... and the audience is taken on a very wild ride.
This is a truly enjoyable movie. The acting, direction, camerawork and editing are all first rate, but the story itself is the best element of all. There is not one dull moment in the whole film as the letters, suspicions and accusations fly like arrows in a Kurosawa movie.
Highly entertaining, quality pictures like this don't come along every day. If you get the chance, treat yourself to a viewing of "Le Corbeau."
This is a truly enjoyable movie. The acting, direction, camerawork and editing are all first rate, but the story itself is the best element of all. There is not one dull moment in the whole film as the letters, suspicions and accusations fly like arrows in a Kurosawa movie.
Highly entertaining, quality pictures like this don't come along every day. If you get the chance, treat yourself to a viewing of "Le Corbeau."
Black Cat
(1968)
Decent, but over-hyped
24 November 2017
The basic premise of this film is simple: two peasant women are brutally set upon by a band of low-grade samurai who rape them and burn down their house, killing them. After this horrible crime spree, the women's spirits return and they use their feminine wiles to trick and murder as many samurai as they can get their clutches on. This samurai killing machine works flawlessly until the son and husband of the two vengeful spirits shows up after a long absence. The son/husband is, himself, a samurai. Obviously, this career choice puts the two women in quite an uncomfortable bind. Do they choose love, or vengeance?
"Kuroneko" is a workmanlike entry in the long tradition of samurai ghost story films. Attractively filmed with spirits flying everywhere in a manner that prefigures "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," it isn't boring to watch. However, "Kuroneko" definitely lacks the secret sauce that separates a decent movie from a great one. What's lacking? I think the acting isn't so great, and the story and direction aren't top drawer either. It just didn't live up to the hype for this viewer.
If you watch "Ugetsu Monogatari" by Kenji Mizoguchi, you will see a much higher order of filmmaking devoted to a similar subject. The maker of "Kuroneko," Kaneto Shindo, worked extensively with Mizoguchi, but he does not seem to have absorbed the master's talent sufficiently to bring "Kuroneko" up to the level of "Ugetsu." Even Shindo's own "Onibaba" (from just a few years earlier) is a much better movie than "Kuroneko," in my opinion.
In summary, "Kuroneko" is diverting, but it is not a masterpiece of postwar Japanese cinema. Manage your expectations carefully, and you can enjoy its charms without suffering too much disappointment. However, if you are a cat lover, the prominence given to felines in this movie may help to make up for its other shortcomings.
"Kuroneko" is a workmanlike entry in the long tradition of samurai ghost story films. Attractively filmed with spirits flying everywhere in a manner that prefigures "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," it isn't boring to watch. However, "Kuroneko" definitely lacks the secret sauce that separates a decent movie from a great one. What's lacking? I think the acting isn't so great, and the story and direction aren't top drawer either. It just didn't live up to the hype for this viewer.
If you watch "Ugetsu Monogatari" by Kenji Mizoguchi, you will see a much higher order of filmmaking devoted to a similar subject. The maker of "Kuroneko," Kaneto Shindo, worked extensively with Mizoguchi, but he does not seem to have absorbed the master's talent sufficiently to bring "Kuroneko" up to the level of "Ugetsu." Even Shindo's own "Onibaba" (from just a few years earlier) is a much better movie than "Kuroneko," in my opinion.
In summary, "Kuroneko" is diverting, but it is not a masterpiece of postwar Japanese cinema. Manage your expectations carefully, and you can enjoy its charms without suffering too much disappointment. However, if you are a cat lover, the prominence given to felines in this movie may help to make up for its other shortcomings.
God's Own Country
(2017)
The UK's answer to Brokeback Mountain
13 November 2017
The story is pretty simple: two very sexy farmers find love against a backdrop of isolation, illness and ethnic prejudice. There are lovely landscapes to savor, hunky bodies to ogle and intimate views of the exhausting, under-appreciated work needed to keep a farm going. Solid acting and a highly distilled approach to storytelling make this enterprise flourish.
Echoes of "Brokeback Mountain" and of Pasolini's "Teorema" may come to mind as you watch "God's Own Country." Like those films, this is an unvarnished, unlikely and astringent love story. It deserve a much wider audience than it will probably get. If you have the opportunity to see it and aren't a prude or a homophobe, I believe you will greatly enjoy "God's Own Country."
Echoes of "Brokeback Mountain" and of Pasolini's "Teorema" may come to mind as you watch "God's Own Country." Like those films, this is an unvarnished, unlikely and astringent love story. It deserve a much wider audience than it will probably get. If you have the opportunity to see it and aren't a prude or a homophobe, I believe you will greatly enjoy "God's Own Country."
1945
(2017)
Searing portrait of shared guilt and madness
13 November 2017
In the immediate aftermath of WWII, the arrival of two Jewish men turns a small Hungarian village upside down. The whole village profited from the deportation and extermination of their former Jewish neighbors, and now everyone fears exposure and ruin.
The petty vindictiveness and corruption of the villagers is their own undoing. All sorts of dire consequences ensue at the merest whiff that the villagers might be forced to take responsibility for their wartime misdeeds. This panic of the natives almost borders on slapstick; it stands in sharp contrast to the methodical, dignified simplicity of the outsiders whom the natives fear.
Great photography, great editing, great acting, great story. I highly recommend 1945.
The petty vindictiveness and corruption of the villagers is their own undoing. All sorts of dire consequences ensue at the merest whiff that the villagers might be forced to take responsibility for their wartime misdeeds. This panic of the natives almost borders on slapstick; it stands in sharp contrast to the methodical, dignified simplicity of the outsiders whom the natives fear.
Great photography, great editing, great acting, great story. I highly recommend 1945.
Beach Rats
(2017)
Strong, beautiful medicine
29 August 2017
"Beach Rats" is an extremely potent movie. The plot turns around the anguished, conflicted sexuality of the central character, a teenager named Frankie. Frankie enjoys having sketchy sex with older men. Unhappy with his own tastes, he tries to refocus his libido on more conventional outlets. Unfortunately, though, Frankie's efforts to take an interest in women are an utter failure, only serving to confirm, again and again, his lust for men and his appetite for anonymous gay encounters along roadsides, on beaches and in motels.
Unable to cope with the dissonance between what he craves and what he wishes he craved instead, Frankie relies heavily on drugs to numb the pain and kill time. He spends his days and nights with a small pack of pathetic, frustrated thugs who resort to petty crime to buy drugs and booze.
Frankie's downward spiral is portrayed with great finesse by Harris Dickinson. Eliza Hittman's writing and direction are highly effective, and the photography and editing are also first rate. All of the subsidiary roles are well cast and played with uncanny naturalness and precision. I did not detect a single false note in any of the acting in this film.
Fundamentally, this is a movie about the inability of people to accept the mountain of ambiguity and filth they have to climb in order to become themselves. Beyond conformity and rebellion, what is a human being? "Beach Rats" proposes no answers to the profound questions raised by the shabby ruins it excavates.
Unable to cope with the dissonance between what he craves and what he wishes he craved instead, Frankie relies heavily on drugs to numb the pain and kill time. He spends his days and nights with a small pack of pathetic, frustrated thugs who resort to petty crime to buy drugs and booze.
Frankie's downward spiral is portrayed with great finesse by Harris Dickinson. Eliza Hittman's writing and direction are highly effective, and the photography and editing are also first rate. All of the subsidiary roles are well cast and played with uncanny naturalness and precision. I did not detect a single false note in any of the acting in this film.
Fundamentally, this is a movie about the inability of people to accept the mountain of ambiguity and filth they have to climb in order to become themselves. Beyond conformity and rebellion, what is a human being? "Beach Rats" proposes no answers to the profound questions raised by the shabby ruins it excavates.
Unique biopic, fascinating subject
14 August 2017
Creating a successful biopic about a writer may be the most challenging task a film maker can undertake. For most viewers, movies are about action and most writers have limited action of the conventional sort going on in their lives.
In "Mishima", though, the challenge of creating a movie that blends literary subtlety with real action is met head on. The relationship between writing and action -- between art and life -- was Mishima's central preoccupation, and this preoccupation provides the structure for the film itself. And a wondrous structure it is....
In "Mishima" we see scenes from the author's final hours before his suicide adroitly interwoven with dramatizations from some of his key fictional works. Given the bizarre death that Mishima staged for himself, some viewers may find it hard to tell "fiction" apart from "reality." Integral to the success of this enterprise is the production design provided by the justly celebrated Eiko Ishioka. The stark economy and determined artificiality of Eiko's set designs adds enormously to one's experience of this movie. Phillip Glass's music is also a major contributor.
When you put together the intricate mix of art and life, the amazing set designs, the excellent acting and the music by Glass you have a film of very rare quality. This movie is, in fact, as unique as its subject... and it seems a miracle that it was even made at all.
My one criticism of the film is the choice of narrator. In the original version of the movie that I watched, the narration was done by Roy Scheider, and I find his manner of reading the narration text to be quite awful. It's hard to say why, exactly, I feel this way, but Scheider's voice here is like nails on a blackboard to me. Apparently later versions/releases of the film use a different narrator and if you can get one of those other versions I would highly recommend doing that.
All in all, this is a movie to savor as carefully as Mishima's novels and plays. Highly recommended!
In "Mishima", though, the challenge of creating a movie that blends literary subtlety with real action is met head on. The relationship between writing and action -- between art and life -- was Mishima's central preoccupation, and this preoccupation provides the structure for the film itself. And a wondrous structure it is....
In "Mishima" we see scenes from the author's final hours before his suicide adroitly interwoven with dramatizations from some of his key fictional works. Given the bizarre death that Mishima staged for himself, some viewers may find it hard to tell "fiction" apart from "reality." Integral to the success of this enterprise is the production design provided by the justly celebrated Eiko Ishioka. The stark economy and determined artificiality of Eiko's set designs adds enormously to one's experience of this movie. Phillip Glass's music is also a major contributor.
When you put together the intricate mix of art and life, the amazing set designs, the excellent acting and the music by Glass you have a film of very rare quality. This movie is, in fact, as unique as its subject... and it seems a miracle that it was even made at all.
My one criticism of the film is the choice of narrator. In the original version of the movie that I watched, the narration was done by Roy Scheider, and I find his manner of reading the narration text to be quite awful. It's hard to say why, exactly, I feel this way, but Scheider's voice here is like nails on a blackboard to me. Apparently later versions/releases of the film use a different narrator and if you can get one of those other versions I would highly recommend doing that.
All in all, this is a movie to savor as carefully as Mishima's novels and plays. Highly recommended!
A Quiet Passion
(2016)
An acquired taste...beautifully filmed, stilted and very depressing...
6 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
It was an act of either supreme bravery or utter cluelessness on the part of Terence Davies to make a biopic about Emily Dickinson. The "belle of Amherst" may have been a great writer, but any motion picture showing her life and work is automatically and severely challenged by her cloistered and reclusive existence. Since Dickinson hardly ever left her family's house for many years and saw very few visitors most of the time, there is almost no "motion" to portray in a film about her.
I suspect many viewers will find this film -- however beautiful to look at and however carefully wrought on the technical side -- insufferably slow and claustrophobic. One does not need to be addicted to big-budget movie chase scenes, violence and explosions to find "A Quiet Passion" trying on many levels.
One level on which the film is most trying is the almost relentless sadness and loss that pervade Emily's story. We see her genius go unrecognized and the frustration and bitterness that causes her; we see her father die; we see, even more graphically, her mother die; we see Emily's severe health problems and symptoms most graphically of all; and then we see Emily's death also. For most of the film it really is one calamity after another. The only relief amidst this dirge comes from a few comic interludes between Emily and a saucy neighbor named Vryling Buffam.
The acting is capable, although sometimes the 19th century dialogue is not well suited to the actors' temperaments. This seemed especially true in the case of Emma Bell who played the young Emily. Cynthia Nixon gives her all to the title role, even though the script does not always furnish her with the raw materials to show her delightful talent to its best advantage.
I'd really like to recommend "A Quiet Passion" because I believe very strongly in what the movie is trying to do, but my viewing experience was not what I'd hoped it would be. If you go, and I'm not exactly saying you shouldn't, it's best to know what you're getting yourself into. And now you know.
I suspect many viewers will find this film -- however beautiful to look at and however carefully wrought on the technical side -- insufferably slow and claustrophobic. One does not need to be addicted to big-budget movie chase scenes, violence and explosions to find "A Quiet Passion" trying on many levels.
One level on which the film is most trying is the almost relentless sadness and loss that pervade Emily's story. We see her genius go unrecognized and the frustration and bitterness that causes her; we see her father die; we see, even more graphically, her mother die; we see Emily's severe health problems and symptoms most graphically of all; and then we see Emily's death also. For most of the film it really is one calamity after another. The only relief amidst this dirge comes from a few comic interludes between Emily and a saucy neighbor named Vryling Buffam.
The acting is capable, although sometimes the 19th century dialogue is not well suited to the actors' temperaments. This seemed especially true in the case of Emma Bell who played the young Emily. Cynthia Nixon gives her all to the title role, even though the script does not always furnish her with the raw materials to show her delightful talent to its best advantage.
I'd really like to recommend "A Quiet Passion" because I believe very strongly in what the movie is trying to do, but my viewing experience was not what I'd hoped it would be. If you go, and I'm not exactly saying you shouldn't, it's best to know what you're getting yourself into. And now you know.
Glory
(2016)
First rate black comedy
25 April 2017
This is a very skillfully made and incisive movie. Part parable, part satire, it follows the struggles of a very poor man who tries to do the right thing and then gets coldly manipulated and abused by multiple levels of a corrupt system as a "reward" for his honesty.
The story is both painful and quite funny to watch as railroad lineman Tzanko has his life upended by the machinations of a rapaciously ambitious PR demon named Julia and her squad of incompetent flunkies. The two main actors are superb in their starkly different, yet completely interdependent, roles, and the supporting cast members do a fine job portraying a motley crew of hoodlums, cowards, bureaucrats and other assorted scum.
The camera-work is very good -- it's mostly hand-held and the carefully modulated restlessness perfectly complements the edgy narrative. The editing is brilliant... somehow it lends an understated note to a story that, less deftly handled, would be too obvious, too blunt.
I almost didn't get to see this movie and feel very happy I did. It reminds me another excellent recent release, "Toni Erdmann," except that the behavior on display here is even worse and the stakes are much higher. Do yourself a favor and see "Glory."
The story is both painful and quite funny to watch as railroad lineman Tzanko has his life upended by the machinations of a rapaciously ambitious PR demon named Julia and her squad of incompetent flunkies. The two main actors are superb in their starkly different, yet completely interdependent, roles, and the supporting cast members do a fine job portraying a motley crew of hoodlums, cowards, bureaucrats and other assorted scum.
The camera-work is very good -- it's mostly hand-held and the carefully modulated restlessness perfectly complements the edgy narrative. The editing is brilliant... somehow it lends an understated note to a story that, less deftly handled, would be too obvious, too blunt.
I almost didn't get to see this movie and feel very happy I did. It reminds me another excellent recent release, "Toni Erdmann," except that the behavior on display here is even worse and the stakes are much higher. Do yourself a favor and see "Glory."
Kaos
(1984)
Not all it's cracked up to be
20 January 2017
My experience watching "Kaos" was not as rapturous as that of many who have reviewed it here. This is not, by any means, a bad movie, but it does have some shortcomings that marred the overall impression for me.
Among the movie's strengths are its high production values, as evidenced by the gorgeous photography (including wonderful aerial shots of mountainous crags and deep valleys), meticulously assembled locations (invoking the poverty of the region so perfectly that they must have cost a lot of money), and the lovely music that punctuates and provides transitions among the various stories. It's obvious that this is a team that spared no expense or effort to create the best film they could.
The movie's primary weakness --and it is not a small one-- is that the stories are neither particularly engrossing, nor are they told in a way that creates any real suspense for the viewer (including the viewer who has read not one word of Pirandello). The script blends humor and pathos in an interesting way, but somehow there isn't much depth to the performances, all of which are competent if not electrifying.
Joined to the weakness of the stories one must also note the bloated length of the movie. There are doubtless many ways that this film could have been edited down into something less unwieldy, but none of them seem to have been given any real consideration in the design or execution of "Kaos." Thus we are left with an endurance test of sorts -- one which dilutes rather than strengthening the overall impact of the movie.
People who have been ordered by their physicians to avoid stress at all costs will find this gentle and attractive movie easy to watch; those who yearn for stronger, tighter and more challenging stuff on their screens will not be overly impressed by "Kaos."
Among the movie's strengths are its high production values, as evidenced by the gorgeous photography (including wonderful aerial shots of mountainous crags and deep valleys), meticulously assembled locations (invoking the poverty of the region so perfectly that they must have cost a lot of money), and the lovely music that punctuates and provides transitions among the various stories. It's obvious that this is a team that spared no expense or effort to create the best film they could.
The movie's primary weakness --and it is not a small one-- is that the stories are neither particularly engrossing, nor are they told in a way that creates any real suspense for the viewer (including the viewer who has read not one word of Pirandello). The script blends humor and pathos in an interesting way, but somehow there isn't much depth to the performances, all of which are competent if not electrifying.
Joined to the weakness of the stories one must also note the bloated length of the movie. There are doubtless many ways that this film could have been edited down into something less unwieldy, but none of them seem to have been given any real consideration in the design or execution of "Kaos." Thus we are left with an endurance test of sorts -- one which dilutes rather than strengthening the overall impact of the movie.
People who have been ordered by their physicians to avoid stress at all costs will find this gentle and attractive movie easy to watch; those who yearn for stronger, tighter and more challenging stuff on their screens will not be overly impressed by "Kaos."
Moonlight
(I) (2016)
Deeply touching... essential viewing...
27 November 2016
"Moonlight" is a very moving and well-crafted film. It concerns the many challenges faced by an African American youth growing up with the burden of a drug-addicted, abusive mother and relentlessly vicious schoolmates. Chiron finds a few rays of light as he fends off attacks from all sides and negotiates his own complex sexuality. Those rays include a well-meaning but highly culpable adult drug dealer, the drug dealer's girlfriend and, separately, another teenager who eagerly kisses and then reluctantly assaults Chiron within the same 24-hour period.
The structure of the film is highly reminiscent of Satyajit Ray's Apu trilogy, except here the story is contained in one movie rather than three distinct films. The acting perfectly expresses the ongoing devastation and chaos in Chiron's life, aided by a script that serves up a minimum of mawkishness or sentimentality. The blunt realism of this film, filled with violence more psychological than physical for the most part, really pierces the heart -- I defy anyone to see it and feel unmoved by what it shows.
The camera work is phenomenal, and perfectly complements the frightening milieu and seriously damaged characters with its restlessness and aggression. The editing, too, is highly skilled -- not a moment in this film feels wasted.
If only movies like "Moonlight" were the norm. It plies the narrow strait between forgettable blockbuster entertainments on the one hand and pointless independent movies replete with clichés on the other. Please see and support "Moonlight" so we can all look forward to further efforts by its abundantly talented creators and cast.
The structure of the film is highly reminiscent of Satyajit Ray's Apu trilogy, except here the story is contained in one movie rather than three distinct films. The acting perfectly expresses the ongoing devastation and chaos in Chiron's life, aided by a script that serves up a minimum of mawkishness or sentimentality. The blunt realism of this film, filled with violence more psychological than physical for the most part, really pierces the heart -- I defy anyone to see it and feel unmoved by what it shows.
The camera work is phenomenal, and perfectly complements the frightening milieu and seriously damaged characters with its restlessness and aggression. The editing, too, is highly skilled -- not a moment in this film feels wasted.
If only movies like "Moonlight" were the norm. It plies the narrow strait between forgettable blockbuster entertainments on the one hand and pointless independent movies replete with clichés on the other. Please see and support "Moonlight" so we can all look forward to further efforts by its abundantly talented creators and cast.
Born Yesterday
(1950)
Absolutely superb
7 November 2016
This is a wonderful movie that you'll want to see primarily for its electrifying performances.
Judy Holliday reigns supreme as the Duchess of Coney Island transplanted to Washington where she gets spoon fed a diet of long-overdue book learning, and offhandedly wooed, by smooth-talking straight arrow William Holden.
Archboor, tycoon and ignoramus Broderick Crawford is out of his depth and sometimes seems out of his mind -- his volcanic performance routinely goes off the rails, providing the raw energy and unadulterated nastiness that makes this boy-meets-girl meets political satire of a movie so flawlessly balanced.
Howard St. John is quite serviceable, and sad, as the alcoholic doormat lawyer/fixer for the creature played by Broderick Crawford. And everyone else from chamber maids to petty hooligans turns in a flawless supporting performance.
There are scenes in this movie that are beyond priceless. My personal favorite is the one where Holliday and Crawford play gin rummy -- it is directed to perfection by the peerless George Cukor, who should have gotten his second (i.e., his first) Oscar for his work creating this gem.
Don't miss this witty, fast-paced, funny and touching picture -- it is truly a must see.
Judy Holliday reigns supreme as the Duchess of Coney Island transplanted to Washington where she gets spoon fed a diet of long-overdue book learning, and offhandedly wooed, by smooth-talking straight arrow William Holden.
Archboor, tycoon and ignoramus Broderick Crawford is out of his depth and sometimes seems out of his mind -- his volcanic performance routinely goes off the rails, providing the raw energy and unadulterated nastiness that makes this boy-meets-girl meets political satire of a movie so flawlessly balanced.
Howard St. John is quite serviceable, and sad, as the alcoholic doormat lawyer/fixer for the creature played by Broderick Crawford. And everyone else from chamber maids to petty hooligans turns in a flawless supporting performance.
There are scenes in this movie that are beyond priceless. My personal favorite is the one where Holliday and Crawford play gin rummy -- it is directed to perfection by the peerless George Cukor, who should have gotten his second (i.e., his first) Oscar for his work creating this gem.
Don't miss this witty, fast-paced, funny and touching picture -- it is truly a must see.
Heaven Can Wait
(1943)
Very dated and tedious... stupid, actually
18 June 2016
Heaven Can Wait is a very bad movie that can be summarized as follows:
Strengths: Excellent production values; lavish, over-the-top decor and costumes; glorious technicolor photography; scene of Eugene Palette and Marjorie Main at table
Weaknesses: Characterless, watery, stone-age, middlebrow humor; lame, stilted dialogue; very stereotyped and completely shallow family dynamics driving all of the action; some *Really* bad acting (especially the teenaged versions of the male characters and the voice of the stupendously irritating "mademoiselle" character)
The first half hour and the last 15 minutes were especially painful and I was very tempted to walk out but, somehow, suffered through the whole thing. I regretted going to see this movie and would not wish the experience of seeing it on my worst enemy.
Strengths: Excellent production values; lavish, over-the-top decor and costumes; glorious technicolor photography; scene of Eugene Palette and Marjorie Main at table
Weaknesses: Characterless, watery, stone-age, middlebrow humor; lame, stilted dialogue; very stereotyped and completely shallow family dynamics driving all of the action; some *Really* bad acting (especially the teenaged versions of the male characters and the voice of the stupendously irritating "mademoiselle" character)
The first half hour and the last 15 minutes were especially painful and I was very tempted to walk out but, somehow, suffered through the whole thing. I regretted going to see this movie and would not wish the experience of seeing it on my worst enemy.
Embrace of the Serpent
(2015)
Ultimately Unsatisfying
26 February 2016
"Embrace of the Serpent" is a beautifully photographed movie with some good acting, but these virtues are offset by a story line that is confused and awash with clichés. In essence, this is a movie about how whites and native people interacted in the Amazon during the good old days, and the portrayal of those interactions has two modes for each race that we have seen many times before in countless films. The whites are either crazy visionaries or corrupt, greedy and filled with self-loathing; the "natives" are either benevolent spirit guides and faithful servants of the whites or they are malevolent and dangerous to the whites (mostly because of the injustices inflicted on them previously by the whites). Here we see these character types in their unadulterated forms, behaving habitually according to type; this gives us the feeling we've seen "Embrace of the Serpent" before the first frame unspools.
Despite the unoriginal premise that animates it, this movie isn't painful to watch. There's plenty of action to divert your attention, and as already noted it is easy on the eyes. I must say, though, that I found the ending to be particularly lame. To say more about the ending would be to give away something that you have, nonetheless, already too often seen elsewhere.
The one thing that is a little bit different and positive about "Embrace of the Serpent" is that there are two timelines that intermingle -- the first one being in the early part of the 20th century and the second about 40 years later. The way the movie flows between these two timelines, which run in parallel during the film, is intriguing and well handled, particularly from the photographic point of view.
If you like glorious black and white photography featuring exotic scenes you'll appreciate the visuals; if you like predictable stories about whites exploiting "natives" and the pernicious, long-lasting effects of the exploitation you'll appreciate the plot. If neither of those happens to be true for you, this might not be your kind of movie.
Despite the unoriginal premise that animates it, this movie isn't painful to watch. There's plenty of action to divert your attention, and as already noted it is easy on the eyes. I must say, though, that I found the ending to be particularly lame. To say more about the ending would be to give away something that you have, nonetheless, already too often seen elsewhere.
The one thing that is a little bit different and positive about "Embrace of the Serpent" is that there are two timelines that intermingle -- the first one being in the early part of the 20th century and the second about 40 years later. The way the movie flows between these two timelines, which run in parallel during the film, is intriguing and well handled, particularly from the photographic point of view.
If you like glorious black and white photography featuring exotic scenes you'll appreciate the visuals; if you like predictable stories about whites exploiting "natives" and the pernicious, long-lasting effects of the exploitation you'll appreciate the plot. If neither of those happens to be true for you, this might not be your kind of movie.
Vengeance Is Mine
(1979)
Interesting...and tiresome
16 July 2015
This movie recounts the many unsavory exploits and pointless wanderings of a murderous criminal. Ken Ogata plays a man with absolutely no redeeming qualities and without a shred of nuance. Although I admired Ogata's vigorous performance and found the other actors quite capable, this movie became grating rather quickly. At a certain point I looked at my watch and was very surprised to see that only one hour had passed -- despite being "action packed" this film actually drags on and on and on.
The essential problem is that whenever Ogata is on screen his mode is almost always full-on viciousness. The audience gets beaten over the head relentlessly with the obvious message that this guy is absolutely no good. Fair enough, but it's hard to sit through 2.5 hours of that atmosphere without feeling cramped, oppressed and a little (or even more than a little) bored by it all. This movie could definitely have used some serious editing.
My favorite scene involves a very fraught and intimate conversation between the murderer's wife and his father. It is played with remarkable finesse and restraint by the two actors involved and offers a welcome respite from the constant drumbeat of murders, robberies, jailhouse interviews, etc.
I'd say this thing is worthwhile if you keep your expectations well in check and don't have anything too pressing to do. Your patience will be rewarded at certain times and severely tested at others. All in all, "Vengeance is Mine" is a very mixed bag.
The essential problem is that whenever Ogata is on screen his mode is almost always full-on viciousness. The audience gets beaten over the head relentlessly with the obvious message that this guy is absolutely no good. Fair enough, but it's hard to sit through 2.5 hours of that atmosphere without feeling cramped, oppressed and a little (or even more than a little) bored by it all. This movie could definitely have used some serious editing.
My favorite scene involves a very fraught and intimate conversation between the murderer's wife and his father. It is played with remarkable finesse and restraint by the two actors involved and offers a welcome respite from the constant drumbeat of murders, robberies, jailhouse interviews, etc.
I'd say this thing is worthwhile if you keep your expectations well in check and don't have anything too pressing to do. Your patience will be rewarded at certain times and severely tested at others. All in all, "Vengeance is Mine" is a very mixed bag.
Macario
(1960)
Charming morality tale
15 June 2015
This film, set in colonial times, tells the tale of Macario, a destitute woodcutter who stumbles onto a magical source of healing power. He has a series of beautifully photographed adventures curing the sicknesses of the incurable in his tiny farming hamlet and the nearby town. As Macario's fame spreads, his wealth increases but his uncanny powers attract the wrong kind of attention, leading to a tragic denouement.
The powerless suffering of the poor, the boundless greed of the rich and of the poor alike, the eternal desire to cheat death and squeeze a few more drops out of this life -- these timeless themes are all operative here to good effect. This is not a subtle movie, and it is rather dated in its characterizations and its moralizing. Even so, the acting is competent and the plot engaging. There are some stunning scenes that combine with the first-rate cinematography to make the film lovely to look at.
If this rarely screened movie comes your way, I recommend that you take the opportunity to view it.
The powerless suffering of the poor, the boundless greed of the rich and of the poor alike, the eternal desire to cheat death and squeeze a few more drops out of this life -- these timeless themes are all operative here to good effect. This is not a subtle movie, and it is rather dated in its characterizations and its moralizing. Even so, the acting is competent and the plot engaging. There are some stunning scenes that combine with the first-rate cinematography to make the film lovely to look at.
If this rarely screened movie comes your way, I recommend that you take the opportunity to view it.
Ida
(2013)
Worthwhile, but overrated
4 July 2014
Warning: Spoilers
A thundering herd of critics and viewers have wildly applauded the beauties and virtues of the movie "Ida." With so much rapture being expressed with such intensity from so many people it is daunting to offer the slightest criticism of this movie. Nonetheless, I will perform the very under-appreciated service of giving "Ida" a balanced review.
On the plus side, the cinematography is lovely. Shot in austere black and white, impeccably framed and endlessly atmospheric, the movie is a visual marvel. The stark simplicity of the images complements perfectly both the subject matter and the locations chosen for the film.
The acting is generally good, with Agata Kulesza's magnificent portrayal of Ida's aunt taking top honors here. Ms. Kulesza's exploration of a woman sliding quickly into multiple forms of self abuse -- most notably alcoholism, soulless promiscuity and depression -- is extremely compelling and provides the principal reason to see this movie. Haunted by the past (the Holocaust, in particular) and unable to live with the present, Kulesza's tortured character is luminously dark, dark, dark.
Much less felicitous, in my opinion, is Agata Trzebuchowska's portrayal of the lead character, Ida. How hard is it, I wonder, to act repressed, timid and holier-than-thou, to look down at the floor and away from other people, in scene after scene? Ms. Trzebuchowska plays her part well but my point would be that her part lacks depth and nuance; as a result, Trzebuchowska's acting comes across as rather rote and predictable. Not bad acting, mind you, but hardly deserving of the ecstatic praise that has been heaped upon it.
The story is fine so long as it revolves around the interactions between the worldly, depraved and depressed Aunt and her virtuous, repressed niece-nun. The various scenes in the convent where Ida usually resides are also deftly handled with all of the restraint they require. But in the last quarter of the film when Ida takes a flier on all sorts of depravities better suited to her infamous aunt the whole enterprise starts to go off the rails. There's a switch from "virtue" to "vice" and then back again, apparently, to "virtue" that seems simultaneously pointless and predictable. We have no warning that Ida is going to take this walk on the wild side but, despite the lack of warning, it seems obvious when it happens.
So to conclude, there is much to admire in this movie and it is certainly worth seeing and supporting. But to suggest that "Ida" is the cinematographic equivalent of Nirvana, as so many reviewers have done, is to inflate the accomplishments of the director, screenwriter and actors well beyond their actual scope. It's a movie that could have been great but that somehow couldn't bear to steer clear of conventional devices to move the plot along. By putting sex and death scenes in a film that actually demanded their exclusion, the screenwriter greatly compromised an otherwise promising work. Too bad, but there it is...
On the plus side, the cinematography is lovely. Shot in austere black and white, impeccably framed and endlessly atmospheric, the movie is a visual marvel. The stark simplicity of the images complements perfectly both the subject matter and the locations chosen for the film.
The acting is generally good, with Agata Kulesza's magnificent portrayal of Ida's aunt taking top honors here. Ms. Kulesza's exploration of a woman sliding quickly into multiple forms of self abuse -- most notably alcoholism, soulless promiscuity and depression -- is extremely compelling and provides the principal reason to see this movie. Haunted by the past (the Holocaust, in particular) and unable to live with the present, Kulesza's tortured character is luminously dark, dark, dark.
Much less felicitous, in my opinion, is Agata Trzebuchowska's portrayal of the lead character, Ida. How hard is it, I wonder, to act repressed, timid and holier-than-thou, to look down at the floor and away from other people, in scene after scene? Ms. Trzebuchowska plays her part well but my point would be that her part lacks depth and nuance; as a result, Trzebuchowska's acting comes across as rather rote and predictable. Not bad acting, mind you, but hardly deserving of the ecstatic praise that has been heaped upon it.
The story is fine so long as it revolves around the interactions between the worldly, depraved and depressed Aunt and her virtuous, repressed niece-nun. The various scenes in the convent where Ida usually resides are also deftly handled with all of the restraint they require. But in the last quarter of the film when Ida takes a flier on all sorts of depravities better suited to her infamous aunt the whole enterprise starts to go off the rails. There's a switch from "virtue" to "vice" and then back again, apparently, to "virtue" that seems simultaneously pointless and predictable. We have no warning that Ida is going to take this walk on the wild side but, despite the lack of warning, it seems obvious when it happens.
So to conclude, there is much to admire in this movie and it is certainly worth seeing and supporting. But to suggest that "Ida" is the cinematographic equivalent of Nirvana, as so many reviewers have done, is to inflate the accomplishments of the director, screenwriter and actors well beyond their actual scope. It's a movie that could have been great but that somehow couldn't bear to steer clear of conventional devices to move the plot along. By putting sex and death scenes in a film that actually demanded their exclusion, the screenwriter greatly compromised an otherwise promising work. Too bad, but there it is...
Accident
(1967)
So-So Expose of the Upper-Crust Bloated-Liver Set
13 June 2014
I had high hopes for this movie given the many bright lights involved in its making, especially Dirk Bogarde. Unfortunately, "Accident" did not live up to its promise. I found myself getting restless and fidgety as the characters laid their overeducated, upper-crust depravity on quite thickly in scene after scene. There's a lot of very heavy drinking and a lot of bed hopping here, with a dollop of death and a dash of spoofing the Oxford dons, but in the end it doesn't seem to amount to very much really...just a couple of middle-aged gents chasing the same skirt, that skirt being predictably much younger than themselves, while their wives are left to piece things together, or not, off on the sidelines. The fact that these middle-aged men succeed in their shared conquest of a girl half their age while their boyishly virile, handsome rival (Michael York) doesn't get any makes the whole premise rather implausible.
If I could rewrite this plot I'd have Dirk Bogarde's Stephen and Stanley Baker's Charley suddenly discover their suppressed lust for one another amidst their frustration in being bested by Michael York's William. Michael York would get the girl of everyone's dreams after many trials and tribulations and Bogarde and Baker would make beautiful gay music together. Scandalous...piquant...but alas it was not to be...
If I could rewrite this plot I'd have Dirk Bogarde's Stephen and Stanley Baker's Charley suddenly discover their suppressed lust for one another amidst their frustration in being bested by Michael York's William. Michael York would get the girl of everyone's dreams after many trials and tribulations and Bogarde and Baker would make beautiful gay music together. Scandalous...piquant...but alas it was not to be...
The Wind Rises
(2013)
Gorgeous whitewash, but whitewash nonetheless
4 April 2014
"The Wind Rises" is a beautifully crafted and highly enjoyable movie. Its story of an obsessively brilliant young man given to dreaming extravagant dreams and then actually realizing those dreams is timeless. When viewed purely as a cinematic experience, "The Wind Rises" is an achievement of a very high order.
Unfortunately, the film has two significant flaws. First, the handling of the character of the movie's protagonist, Jiro Horikoshi, is regrettable. Jiro is portrayed in uniquely heroic terms. From an early age, we see him acting with the utmost virtue under any and all circumstances -- rescuing young children from bullying, carrying a woman for miles and miles on his back in the aftermath of an earthquake, etc. Given the complexity of the animation, this oversimplification of Jiro's character is jarring and his portrayal sometimes becomes mawkishly sentimental and irritating.
More significantly, this film glorifies the work and life of a designer of military airplanes that were used to kill many thousands of people. In scene after scene, the Japanese military-industrial complex of the 1930s is portrayed as employing a wonderfully sincere and good-natured group of men who were ready to roll up their shirtsleeves and work day and night to build "beautiful planes." The passing references to what those planes would be used to do, to the devastation of war, are noticeable but have little impact on the viewer. Bathed in the warm glow of Miyazaki's incredible animation, the audience feels the few brief references to war and devastation as if they were mild bumps on a very smooth airplane flight.
The scenes of Jiro and his colleagues when they visit pre-war Germany are quite telling in this regard. Although the scenes in Germany do include some highly controlling German behavior, as well as a scene of someone being pursued at night by a gang of well-dressed thugs, not one single swastika is shown during perhaps 20 minutes of footage. The word "Nazi" is never uttered. Although the name "Mr. Hitler" is uttered much later in the film during a conversation Jiro has with a German at a Japanese resort -- the man has a very large nose and is perhaps a regrettable caricature of a Jewish person -- the name "Mr. Hitler" is spoken only once and with complete neutrality, as if Jiro is saying the name "Mr. Smith."
This movie's brief allusions to wartime devastation and its omission of any mention of Japan and Germany's heinous ideologies greatly compromised my experience. It portrays Jiro, an enabler of terrible worldwide aggression, in the most heroic and reverent terms. If for domestic Japanese political or commercial reasons Miyazaki could not offer a more realistic and balanced story of Japan's preparations for, and its predations during, World War II, then he should have chosen a different subject for his film. This comic book fantasy-adventure left me angry and sad, and for all the wrong reasons.
Unfortunately, the film has two significant flaws. First, the handling of the character of the movie's protagonist, Jiro Horikoshi, is regrettable. Jiro is portrayed in uniquely heroic terms. From an early age, we see him acting with the utmost virtue under any and all circumstances -- rescuing young children from bullying, carrying a woman for miles and miles on his back in the aftermath of an earthquake, etc. Given the complexity of the animation, this oversimplification of Jiro's character is jarring and his portrayal sometimes becomes mawkishly sentimental and irritating.
More significantly, this film glorifies the work and life of a designer of military airplanes that were used to kill many thousands of people. In scene after scene, the Japanese military-industrial complex of the 1930s is portrayed as employing a wonderfully sincere and good-natured group of men who were ready to roll up their shirtsleeves and work day and night to build "beautiful planes." The passing references to what those planes would be used to do, to the devastation of war, are noticeable but have little impact on the viewer. Bathed in the warm glow of Miyazaki's incredible animation, the audience feels the few brief references to war and devastation as if they were mild bumps on a very smooth airplane flight.
The scenes of Jiro and his colleagues when they visit pre-war Germany are quite telling in this regard. Although the scenes in Germany do include some highly controlling German behavior, as well as a scene of someone being pursued at night by a gang of well-dressed thugs, not one single swastika is shown during perhaps 20 minutes of footage. The word "Nazi" is never uttered. Although the name "Mr. Hitler" is uttered much later in the film during a conversation Jiro has with a German at a Japanese resort -- the man has a very large nose and is perhaps a regrettable caricature of a Jewish person -- the name "Mr. Hitler" is spoken only once and with complete neutrality, as if Jiro is saying the name "Mr. Smith."
This movie's brief allusions to wartime devastation and its omission of any mention of Japan and Germany's heinous ideologies greatly compromised my experience. It portrays Jiro, an enabler of terrible worldwide aggression, in the most heroic and reverent terms. If for domestic Japanese political or commercial reasons Miyazaki could not offer a more realistic and balanced story of Japan's preparations for, and its predations during, World War II, then he should have chosen a different subject for his film. This comic book fantasy-adventure left me angry and sad, and for all the wrong reasons.
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