Man On A Ledge (2012)

A fun thriller about a ex-police officer turned escaped fugitive who climbs out on the ledge of a building to prove that he's innocent for the crime he was put in prison for.  How you ask?  Well, that would be giving it away and because of this film's structure it's pretty entertaining.  Sam Worthington is a fine example of the everyman and Ed Harris plays a subtle but sinister villain.  But the two who steal the show are Jamie Bell and Génesis Rodríguez, who both sizzle with sexual chemistry and laughs.  Grade: B+

Spoiler Alert: There's one flaw that keeps this from being a A picture and that's the very concept of Sam stealing the diamond to prove that he never stole it in the first place.  It's not enough to steal the diamond he must show that Ed Harris still has it.  As I watched this film, it's clear Sam and his family didn't really have a plan beyond that.  If he showed up at a press conference and said, "See I have the jewel but I didn't steal it the first time," it will just look like he did steal it the first time and now he's trying to fool everyone.  I wish the writers would have established what Sam planned to do after his brother stole the diamond.   

Republican National Convention (Commentary)

The 2012 Republican Convention is over and obviously their nominee is Mr. Mitt Romney.   I must admit right from the start I didn't really watch it.  I heard sound bites and read transcripts.  Do these conventions even matter anymore?  The Republicans certainly don't believe so or maybe they would have tried a little harder to sell us their choice for President instead of bashing the current man in charge.  Ah, but that's politics for you.  I plan to write more blogs about the upcoming election but I'm not really that good of a writer to remain unbiased.   While a registered Independent, I can't really imagine ever voting for a Republican, or at least a Republican in today's current mode.   I have some problems with the Democrats too but at least they have a realistic understanding of the challenges ahead.  The Republicans seem stuck in the past, still drinking the Kool-aide of trickle down economics and small government/ big business.  They complain that Obama isn't doing enough to create jobs but they want government out of the picture to do such a thing.   If Romney were to become President how is he going to do this impossible task?  I guess, he would just get out of the way and do nothing-- his faith that free markets alone will solve all our problems.  Because that worked so well before.  The one smart tactic the Republicans used was to never mention the last guy they put in the Oval Office.  Has this ever happened before when a political party doesn't invite a former President to give his approval?  I'll try to give you my take on all the main speeches; and I say try because they were so geared to their party I don't know how to take any of them seriously.  Ann Romney's sappy speech at least created a more positive picture of her husband than the super rich white guy who believes corporations are people.  It was the emotional, vote-for-my-husband-because- he's-a-good-man speech that is pretty pointless.  Mark Rubio's tone was a bit condescending.   I'm a little tired of politicians spouting a history lesson about their parents and how hard they worked to get where they are.   Who cares?   Get to the facts, tell me what Mitt Romney is going to do when he becomes President.   Oh, but you don't know because you're only speaking today to help get money for your next campaign.  John McCain just wants to go to war, completely ignoring the fact that war costs lots of money (and human life).   His delusion that America has lost its footing as a global leader ignores Hilliary Clinton's great work as Secretary of State.   Thank god he's not our President or we'd be in the middle of WWIII.  Then there's Paul Ryan.  Perhaps Romney should have selected Pinocchio as his running mate, at least Pinocchio is a liar we can find adorable.  Talk about misrepresenting the facts, I doubt even his favorite author Ayn Rand would have composed a better fiction.   Then there's Mitt, giving the speech of his life.  I really tried to watch it but it was so red-white-and-blah.  Yes, America is a proud great country and we work so hard.  Sure, try and convince me that Obama is doing a bad job, I don't buy it, but try again, and tell me how wonderful your family is, don't forget that.  Yes, you're a Mormon, who cares, your religion is irrelevant to me.  Did Mitt give us any big details on what he will do as President, besides knocking down a Health Care Law that might actually help people?  Nope.  In the end the biggest problem I had with this convention was the lack of ideas and substance.  I'm sure the Democratic convention will be no different, trust me, but if you're trying to take my vote away from the guy I voted for last time, you better explain why you're a better fit for this country.  So far Mitt Romney hasn't done anything to convince me to jump ship.  Yet we still have two months to see if he can.  Grade: C. 

Rope of Sand (1949)

This film noir stars Burt Lancaster as a wronged man, returning to South Africa to steal the diamonds he was accused of stealing years earlier but never did.  Claude Rains and Paul Henreid complete the tension-packed triangle of testosterone and Corinne Calvet plays the typical femme fatale caught in the middle.  Not the best example of the genre, the plot kind of goes all over the place.  Corinne's character switches from bad girl to girl-in-love so quickly it's hard to believe.  Claude Rains' motivation is never really that clear: he wants the diamonds or is it he wants to watch Lancaster and Henreid destroy each other.   I also didn't think it was the best paced film of its time either.  This surprised me because director William Dieterle has done much stronger work.  Still if you love the genre it's not all bad.  Lancaster is pretty great as usual and there is a fight scene in a sand storm that is pretty exciting.  Grade: B

I Want To Live! (1956)

Robert Wise directs a film that takes us into the mind of a social misfit convicted of murder and who is sent to the gas chamber.  Susan Hayward's memorable performance as Barbara Gordon is incredible on many levels (even if her voice kind of drives me up the wall).  Supposedly a true story, I've come to learn that this script takes many liberties with the true story, even to the point of making us believe Mrs. Gordon is Innocent.  Regardless, this is a honest and an intense picture that delivers into the morality of capital punishment and pulls off one of the more gusty endings I've seen from a film made during this time.  Grade: A-

The Pawnbroker (1964)

One of Sidney Lumet's more raw exploits of the mean streets of New York with Rod Steiger as a bitter Jewish Holocaust survivor haunted by the past as he tries to come to terms with his present career as a Pawnbroker.  Steiger's performance is quite good if a tad bit too intense (which is a strange critique but I don't know how else to describe what seems like an overuse of method acting.).  Not really a happy film or even focused story with any clear judgments, it is a brave work of '60s cinema.  Grade: A-

Damages (Season 3)

In many ways this third season is the end of the series, as it ties up story lines from previous seasons even as it dives into a new court battle.  Patty Hewes is now going after the Tobin Family, a rich family involved in a Ponzi scheme that robbed thousands of people.  Now Patty and Tom are trying to find where Mr. Tobin hid the money he claims doesn't exist.  Don't worry though Ellen Parsons is still on the show, she just works for the District Attorney now.  Martin Short is a very welcome addition as the Tobin family's most trusted lawyer and I love the bit of time devoted to Ted Danson's vile character Arthur Frobisher from the first season.  Grade: A-

Spoiler Alert:  Wow, they killed Tom.  I couldn't believe it.  His character was one of the driving forces of the series.  He will be missed.  I'm a little annoyed at how the writers keep trying to trick us into believing that Patty is Ellen's real mother.  It might have been a good idea if it was true, but to lead you down the path that it is and then stomp it out is just frustrating.

The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975)

This Disney comedy western still holds up.  Don Knotts and Tim Conway are a great comic duo as bumbling thieves and Bill Bixby and Susan Clark prove to be a charming couple.  The three kids are as cute as you'd expect but keeping that realistic look that is missing in today's family films.  The plot is simple but fun: a gambler cares for three orphan kids and tries to find a way to get rid of them.  Obviously in the process he becomes fond of them just like a father.  Okay, it's corny at times and, yes, very G rated, but it still entertains.  Maybe it won't win over any skeptical cinephiles out there but if for the rest of us (and there might not be that many of us left) it's a gold rush.  Grade: B+ 

The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)

Charles Laughton was and still is the best actor to have portrayed King Henry VIII.  He just nails down the look and a goofy royal authority that's so memorable.  This film by Sir Alexander Korda is a well-crafted and darkly humorous look into eighth Henry's marriages.  When the kingdom attends the beheading of Anne Boyeln it's like a Football game.  The highlight of the film is when Mr. Laughton's real wife Elsa Lanchester arrives from Frances as Anne of Cleves.  Their marriage night is alone well worth watching.  Basically this is an old film that feels old only by the fact that the sound pops some and the picture isn't that clear, but the ideas and sense of humor are very current.  Grade: A-

The Office (Season 7)

I just finished the seventh season of the Office and was glad to see it continue to find comedic peaks and that the writers found ways to expand the character arcs established before.   Many great laughs and heart-warming moments.  Grade: A-

Spoiler Alert:  It's almost impossible to discuss a television show seven seasons in without spoiling what's happened before.  This season will be remembered mostly as Steve Carrell's last and they did an excellent job sending him off into the sunset.  On top of that, bringing on Will Farrell as his replacement, even if for only two episodes was genius.  I have to say I'm a little bit bummed by the Andy/ Erin love story.  Obviously the writers are trying to avoid copying the Jim/ Pam love story and make something different but it's not really working, even with the annoying Gabe as their obstacle.  It makes me wonder if they're abandoning that love story.  Regardless Ed Helms and Ellie Kemper are becoming essential for the series and I'm hoping with Carrell gone the writers can give these guys more to work with.   Still for seven seasons this show still has life and knowing that they're planning on wrapping up after the ninth season I expect for some even better comedy ahead. 

Cat On The Hot Tin Roof (1958)

There's no doubt that the play that is the basis for this film by Tennessee Williams is one of the great American dramas ever written.  And what a pleasure to watch such a wonderful cast and production crew bring it to life, or at least the parts that they could.  True, it is a very much Hollywood-ized and censored adaptation but it's still a fine entertainment.  Paul Newman is amazing, Elizabeth Taylor delivers her best performance and Burt Ives is Big Daddy, having been the original from the stage version.  There is a feeling during some parts of it that there's something missing, like the fact that Brick's feelings toward Skipper were more than friendly.  Yet the Hays Code did that to a lot of fine films back in those "innocent" days so I can't really get that angry about ti.  If it had been made after the Hays Code I would be much more irate.  Still Richard Brooks directs the film with a fiery energy and keeps the picture as cinematic as such a story can be.  Grade: A- 

Gas Food Lodging (1992)

Directed by Allison Anders and starring a strong cast of actresses (Brooke Adams, Ione Skye, and Fairuza Balk), this drama follows a single mother living in a small desert town trying to raise two teenage daughters.  The oldest daughter falls in love with a geologist and the youngest daughter decides it's her job to find a husband for her mother.  Based on a novel by Richard Peck called Don't Look and It Won't Hurt, I enjoyed this independent, rough little movie.  Anders captures the subtle details of this family, helping the audience understand each of their struggles.  I will certainly try and watch more of Allison Anders's work.  Grade: B+   

The Lovers (1958)

What a daring film to be made in 1958; a film about a married woman who falls in love with a stranger when her car breaks down.  Shocking when it came out in its day, it was actually banned in some parts of the world.  It even triggered a famous and important U.S. Supreme Court ruling.   This is one of Louis Malle's best films and I loved it.  Sure it's unrealistic and kind of irresponsible but there's something really daring and beautiful about a woman following her passions.  Jeanne Moreau is striking and her performance is what makes this film work.  Grade: A.

Spoiler Alert:  Seeing someone thwart marriage and family for a possible disastrous relationship probably shouldn't be praised.  Jeanne is a mother for Godsakes!  But it's clear that her marriage isn't really that deep by the fact she's seeing a lover.  In my heart I feel like she isn't abandoning her child, that she is saving herself so she can have a more rewarding relationship with her child later.  She certainly needs to escape the life she has, one that prevents her from growing and feeling any real emotions.  Ah, but at the same time I don't think Malle really cares what the audience thinks.  It's a celebration of love and everything else is for naught.      

On The Town (1949)

This musical starring Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Jules Munshin as Sailors on leave for one day in New York walks a razor's edge of being a quaint celebration of New York and a sex comedy about sailors chasing tail before heading out to sea.  The songs are fun and the acting stagy which is acceptable being this is a musical and there's dancing involved.  The Bernstein and Edens' score pops and the location shots help make this more than an adaptation of a Broadway show.  For me its Betty Garrett's performance as Hildy Esterhazy the Taxi driver that really helps bolster this film.  Her comic timing and charm stand out, even against Mr. Sinatra.  Grade: B.

10 (1979)

This was probably Blake Edward's best film.  Many fans of his Pink Panther series might disagree but I really enjoyed what I thought was going to be a pointless sex comedy.  Sure it deals with a topic we've seen before, the male midlife crisis, but it finds a honest balance between farce and tender romance.  Dudley Moore plays a famous song writer who becomes entranced by a bride he sees at a stop light on her way to get married.  Struggling to define his relationship with his singer girlfriend, played by Julie Andrews, he bumbles his way in a drunken stupor to Mexico to where the young bride is on her honeymoon.  Bo Derek plays the stunning bride and I was delighted to see she actually plays a character and not just a sex object.  Grade: B+

On a side note: when I say they don't make them like this anymore I mean it.  An entire scene where a couple argues over the definition of the word "broad" doesn't get made anymore.   Too bad because it's a terrific scene.  

The Vampire Diaries (Season 1)

I almost wasn't able to keep watching this television program about a high schooler in love with a vampire.  The whole concept is getting old.  Why is it teenage girls find it so romantic to fall in love with 100 year old dead guys?  Is it the bad boy image?  What's been done before and better is really stale here and by episode five I was ready to give up.   Yet there is a mystery about Mystic Falls and the Salvatore brothers that intrigued me so I stayed with it.  The end result is that I was entertained and I am interested to check out Season 2.  I hate the CW soap opera vibe and the annoying CW music soundtrack fading in and out of scenes, but the acting is decent and the characters are becoming more developed.  Sometimes I wish they'd cast actual teenagers for these shows about teenagers, but I guess that's not something the producers have any control over.  (You can't stop an actor from aging.)  Also it would be nice if they would cast actors that looked like the teenagers I grew up with instead of casting from a modeling agency of Hollywood hotties.  But that's why these shows succeed, the audience of these shows want to fawn over beautiful people, so obviously I don't know what I'm talking about.  Still behind all the usual vampire lore and eye-rolling melodrama I must admit this could become a guilt pleasure in time.  We'll see. Grade: B. 

The Women (1939)

I'm starting to realize that I'm not much of a George Cukor fan.  This anti-feminist melodrama about catty women and their game for husbands is about as dated as a record player.  Based on a famous Broadway play, the only aspect of this film worth mentioning is the decent acting and the slick witted dialogue.   A radiant Norma Shearer plays a woman who learns that her husband is cheating on her with the vile Joan Crawford.  Yet her husband, Stephen, is portrayed as Mr. Innocent and it's his wife who needs to stand up and fight for her man.  What?  There's even a scene where their daughter confesses watching her father mope around all sad.  Of course he marries Crawford only hours after the woman he supposedly loves gets a divorce in Reno.  What?  The big gimmick is that the entire cast is women and never does the audience see a man on the screen.  I'm sure back then this was a wildly innovated idea, now it's just trite.  Grade: C+

The Day of the Jackal (1973)

If you're going to see an adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's novel than see this one directed by Fred Zinnemann .  Skip the one staring Bruce Willis known as the Jackal which is only vaguely similar.  What struck me the most while watching this thriller about an assassin and the detectives trying to capture him before he completes his assignment is that I struggled to know who to root for.   And that's why this film is so good, it challenges the viewer to choose.   The hero of the film is the Jackal and while he's a bad guy (yes, the hero of a film can be the bad guy) you can't help but admire him.  My only complaint comes at the end when the Jackal is about to strike: certainly the film makers could have come up with something a little less convenient.  Still this is a strong film that builds to a wonderful climax.  Grade: A- 

Spoiler Alert:  How Claude Lebel is able to find the room where the Jackal is about to shoot his target is very circumspect.  Supposedly he asks the Police officer if he saw anything unusual and the Police officer mentions the war vet he let through.  And that's all Lebel needs to know that the war vet was actually the Jackal in disguise.  I guess I can believe that but if the Jackal's disguise fooled the police officer than would he even mention it to Lebel, the Jackal was convincing.  I would have rather seen Lebel see something to make him interrogate the police officer more thoroughly but that probably would have slowed the pacing some.  Regardless I didn't completely buy it.    

The Little Fugitive (1953)

This little gift of a film is a fable about a boy who runs away because he's tricked into believing he shot his older brother and ends up spending a few days on Coney Island having the greatest time a kid could imagine in the '50s.  Shot on location with an almost documentary realism it's no wonder this film inspired Truffaut's Les quatre cents coups.  Some might find this film too old fashion and simple but I was charmed.  Funny and engaging this is a true family classic.  Grade: A

The Woman in Black (2012)

This spooky ghost story set in England tells of a young widowed lawyer named Arthur Kipps who travels to a small town to go over the affairs of an old estate.  While there, Arthur sees a ghost which triggers an old curse.  To keep the curse from ruining his life he must solve a mystery and set things right.   This is Daniel Radcliffe's first performance since playing Harry Potter and I have to say he impressed me.  He's certainly a gifted actor and I hope he can crawl from out of Harry's persona.  Without giving away too much I'll just say that I enjoyed this film, stereotypical scary movie tricks and all, until the ending which disappoints. Directed by James Watkins.  Grade: B.

Spoiler Alert:  About the ending, what annoyed me wasn't that Arthur Kipps dies with his son.  It's that Arthur Kipps' ghost wife doesn't try an stop the Woman in black.  I kept expecting her to shield her son from the Woman in Black's influence.  I know that might make for a Hollywood ending but if dying isn't that awful why should anyone be scarred of dying it it just means reuniting with your loved ones. 

Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (2011)

I wasn't a great fan of the first film of this franchise but this sequel is an improvement.  Guy Ritchie gives us his usual treatment of bombastic film making yet it seems to work most of the time on this outing.  Robert Downey Jr. still plays the Holms character like he plays Tony Stark but at least this time the writers make us believe Holms is a genius.  Jarried Harris is perfectly acceptable as the infamous Moriarty and while Noonan Rapace is a welcome addition they completely under use her character.   Ultimately a fun ride with a laugh out loud ending that's great.  Grade: A-

Menage (1986) 8/9

This is a strange little French comedy that's more absurdist art than entertainment. A married couple are at a restaurant in the middle of an argument when suddenly Gérard Depardieu as Bob shows up. He sweeps them both off their feet into a series of house break-ins. Yet Bob isn't interested in wooing the wife, although he does, he's obsessed with the husband whom he expects to be gay. While never predictable and at times funny, I had a hard time really caring that much for any of the characters, which would have made for a more satisfying film. Grade: B

The Men (1950)

Marlon Brando's film debut is about a soldier dealing with life after being paralyzed from the waist down.  There's nothing surprising or overly memorable about this dedication to those who sacrificed so much in honor for our country.  It's enlightening that such a movie was made when it was but the story itself isn't as ground breaking.  Directed by Fred Zinnermann.  Grade: B

This Man Must Die (1969)

This isn't your typical revenge flick.  Directed by Claude Chabrol, it's not just about a man trying to find the driver of the car that ran down his young son, it's also about how revenge makes it impossible for one to love again.  While it feels like a dated thriller it's still an enjoyable story with acceptable performances.  If you like Chabrol than this is one to check out even if it's not his best.  Grade: B+

I Remember Mama (1948)

George Steven's adaptation of the play of the same title is a memorable family drama centered around a mother of true courage, strength and passion.  Irene Dunne is the perfect choice to play the role and her performance is perfectly subtle and consistent.   The entire ensemble is great because it's hard to imagine they're not really a family.  I'll admit that as the film started I didn't expect much.  But by the time the film ended I had tears running down my cheeks.  What a glorious picture.  Grade: A   

The Intouchables (2012)

This is French feel-good comedy of the year.  I loved this film and expect it to be nominated for Best Foreign Film.  It's funny and dramatic with characters you fall in love with.  What more could you ask for?  Based on the true story of Driss, an unemployed man from the Ghetto, played with great charisma by Omar Sy, who becomes the nurse to a wealthy quadriplegic named Philippe, played by François Cluzet.  As buddy comedies go these two actors have that winning chemistry that every film maker craves.  Watching their friendship grow is inspiring and also quite humorous.   Grade: A-

Medium (Season 5)

Allison DuBois and her family are back in this well-crafted and entertaining fifth season.  I wouldn't say it's the best season of the series but as psychic-detective episodics go this one still thrives, keeping with the wonderful family dynamic that works to maintain the narrative whole.  Grade: B+ 

The Tempest (2010)

It seems that Julie Taymore was more interested in creating a visual dynamic circus than telling a compelling story.  That's not to say she fails in this adaptation of Shakespeare's play, it's just in creating a specticale she forgot about the story a little bit.  Helen Mirrem, Alfred Molina, Alan Cumming, Tom Conti and surprisingly Russell Brand pull off Shakespeare quite well while the rest of the cast misses the mark, reminding the audience how hard the Bard's language is to some actors.  I enjoyed the change of gender for Prospero into Prospera and many of the special effects work.   But I hope that this isn't the last time this terrific play gets adapted.  I'd love for a more seasoned director of Shakespeare tackle this someday for the silver screen.  Until then I'd recommend read the play and only check this one out if you're curious.  Grade: B

Bloody Sunday (2002)

Paul Greengrass's honest and realistic depiction of the tragedy known as Bloody Sunday is a powerful work of art as well as an important recreation of how easy police forces can overreact.  The fact that no one was charged for what was obviously a major misuse of force is maddening and a great shame.   It is no wonder why Greengrass was able to make United 93, he understands how to dramatize a real event without over politicising it.  It is baffling how anyone could shoot unarmed people and while the film demonstrates the confusion of that day it can never lessen those military men's guilt.  A must see for anyone who loves history.  Sure it's a depressing film but too important to ignore.  Grade: A

Passion of Anna (1970)

Another ground braking film from Ingmar Bergman.  While not his best, it still stands up as a work of fine drama with strong performances from everyone involved.   Andreas, played by the legendary Max Von Sydow, is a private man who becomes involved with Anna, played by Liv Ullmann, a friend of his neighbors, the Vergerus.   Their relationship soon desolves and its how it unravels that's so impressive.  There's also subplots based on Andreas' friendship with the Vergerus played by Bibi Andersson and Erland Josephson .  Grade: B+