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Reviews
Lea i Darija (2011)
Captivating
Sometimes true stories are better than fiction. This is one of those stories. It's about a Jewish girl living with her family in Yugoslavia (Croatia) in the late 1930's and at the beginning of World War II. Lea was a very talented child actress, the Shirley Temple of Croatia, who was celebrated by all that saw her perform. Her family and her were victims of the Naz's as depicted very well in the movie. The acting, which included dance scenes, was excellent.
The Souvenir (2019)
Boring
This was one of the most boring movies I have ever seen. I usually love independent foreign films but not this one. It was painful to see a lovely young woman endure a dependent, abusive relationship with a drug addict. Moreover, I had difficulty understanding the dialog. Usually I'm fine with hearing the dialog in British films, but not this one.
The Post (2017)
My favorite 2017 film
I've seen nearly all this year's films nominated for Best Picture. This one so far is my favorite. Yes, it's similar to "All the President's Men." Yes, there are some cliches thrown out. Still, I thought the film was engaging from the very start. And, as this film poignantly pointed out, it is important that in a democracy the press must be free. Take a look at what happens to the press in a dictatorship, where the press is the ruler's sycophant. This film shows the anxiety we feel when we have to make difficult decisions that put ourselves or our family and friends in harm's way because we must choose to be ethical.We need to do what is right; however, such decisions are not always so clear cut.
All Eyez on Me (2017)
All Eyez on this movie
Look, I would have given this movie a 10 if it wasn't for the necessary violence. Here's why I think my review is important: As a father of young children during Tupac's lifetime, I hated rap and hip/hop music. I did not want my children ever to hear the vile language used in most of such songs. So why would I see this movie? A friend's son was one of the script writers. And after seeing the movie, I thought this was one of the best written scripts of any movie I've ever seen. The directing, the editing, and the writing were first rate. The movie was an amazing biography of Tupac. The acting was excellent. The person who played Tupac looked like him and was perfect for the role. All the other actors were terrific, as well. Even though I very much like documentaries, this was even better. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole film despite the language used in conversation, as well as in the songs. I did enjoy all of Tupac's music (not the lyrics) and the background music in the film. I do not understand why some people gave this film a bad review.
Fences (2016)
Why this movie is a must-see
The performance of Denzel Washington is perfect for this role. He should be nominated for an Academy Award. Viola Davis is also excellent. Moreover, the dialogue created by playwright August Wilson is as rich and poetic as you will find in any medium. I do not recall any other film that has such well-developed dialogue. Even though most plays do not translate very well to film because they have very few scenes and very limited action, this play does so. Despite the 1950's African-American dialect and slang, I was able to understand just about every word. If you are looking for a rags to riches drama or a film where the protagonists learn the lessons of life and move forward and upward, this film will not meet your needs.In the famous dialogue between Denzel Washington's character and his son about not loving his son, I regret at the end of his lecture not seeing the father put his arm around his son's shoulders to show that love. However, this movie is not about redemption but about how many people often cannot push away the effects of the injustices suffered in the past. Perhaps sometimes it is better to forgive those who cause us to suffer if that allows us to move on rather than to be chained to the past and not recognize progress by society. Denzel's character cannot recognize the progress made by blacks in sports, particularly in the baseball he loved, nor that blacks such as him could receive job promotions by their white superiors. He holds on to his bitterness too long, and excuses his misbehavior too easily.
The Revenant (2015)
Good action film but...
Okay, this is a really good action film, but it's too gory and predictable. Fitzgerald is an irredeemable bad guy. The entire scenario was too good to be true. Leonardo DiCaprio was terrific in acting the part but his character had not 9 but 10 lives in this movie. How is it possible for a person near death to survive so many ordeals? The one with jumping off a cliff and surviving the fall when still very much not in great shape is remarkable and unbelievable to me. Of course, I knew the fate of the captain at the end before viewing the last scenes and DiCaprio's trick to get Fitzgerald at the end was used in a previous movie. This flick reminded me of the one with Robert Redford in Jeremiah Johnson. Tom Hardy played Fitzgerald very well, but it was difficult at times for me to understand what he was saying.
Above and Beyond (2014)
Moving Documentary
Essentially, after the UN created the original two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian situation, the Arabs rejected it and claimed they would obliterate the Jews. This documentary tells the story of how mainly Jewish American World War II pilots volunteered to fight on behalf of the newly created state of Israel in 1948 and 1949. Using ragtag airplanes they helped defeat the attacking armies from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. It was a miracle.
This documentary interviews the surviving American pilots and has footage from the war. It shows how difficult it was for the Israelis to acquire weapons to fight for their survival. At the time the United States had an arms embargo against Israel and the other Middle Eastern countries. An American, Al Schwimmer, was instrumental in acquiring the needed weapons and planes. He was indicted in 1950 for violating the US Neutrality Act, but emigrated to Israel. He was pardoned by President Clinton many years later even though he never requested it.
The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, & Observation of David Copperfield the Younger (1935)
Perfect casting and being true to the Dickens novel help make this a great film.
This film is so true to Dickens' novel, and the acting is so incredibly perfect. Every actor in this film, from the stars to the extras made this film a treasure. Freddie Bartholomew as the young David is convincingly the naive, good-natured, and bright David. Roland Young easily displays the creepy, slimy, and untrustworthy Uriah Heap. After his role as Mr. Murdstone, it is no wonder Basil Rathbone was often typecast as a ruthless villain. Edna May Oliver should have won an academy award as the stilted but caring Aunt Betsey Trotwood. This was the quintessential role for W. C. Fields as the penniless Micawber. Jessie Ralph as the faithful, loving Nurse Peggotty was perfectly cast. What is so amazing, too, is that this film does a fine job of capturing many of the details in the almost 700-page novel. With George Cukor as director, it is not surprising this was a fine film.
Who Loves the Sun (2006)
Lukas Haas
Lukas Haas, who will forever be to me the terrific child actor in "Witness," seems miscast in this film. His movements and his delivery of his lines make him appear to be sleep walking through the movie. Maybe he is supposed to play the role as a slacker. But then there's the manuscript he supposedly wrote, which is, of course, supposed to be very good (according to his ex-wife). The script seems rather unbelievable with two friends eventually finding out a secret that makes even less sense and to me is unimportant to make the movie work. I did very much like Molly Parker, although she is a bit too old to be Haas' ex-wife in this movie. She exudes sensual energy. This film works hard at being an independent film, but the dialog is too choppy and the film plods on and on way to slowly. A much better film is the classic Roman Polanski's "Knife in the Water."
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
Vintage Movie
Paul Muni was terrific! This is a classic movie about injustices in the criminal justice system. Paul Muni's character is similar to that of Jean Valjean in Les Miserable. If you like the feel of very dated movies, you will love this movie. There are some great lines in this movie and some discussions that still ring true. Muni's character doesn't want to settle for the old job he had before his stint in World War I. He has bigger plans. Any of you who have ever been depressed about trying to find a job will relive that experience through Paul Muni's character as he burns a lot of shoe leather looking for a job. There's also a very short scene that shows cars driving passed the Art Institute in Chicago. I still remember the first time I saw this movie (on television), probably when I was about 10 years old, with my father, who enjoyed watching old movies with the great actors. There were no color televisions in those days, and, of course, this movie was in black and white anyway. One of the great lines was when Muni is asked something like "What will you do? How will you survive?" I think this is at the end of the movie. Muni's reply is, "I steal."