Nebraska

—“Nebraska” is one of those slightly quirky, somewhat sentimental, wonderful films that begins in the unspoken realm of family interactions and slowly reels you into the narrative. It’s part road trip, part family drama, and part glimpse at small town life. Many of the images are stunning, showing the landscape in black and white while the script blurs most of the edges. The film depicts the heartland I know, and is not one of those smart, urban, coastal films inhabited by people stepping out of the fashion pages and heading toward their next shrink appointment. There are some very funny moments and times when things are a bit wistful, maybe even melancholic, but it holds together as a single tale and is well worth seeing. By the end, a son has a better understanding of his father’s past and of the paths taken, regretted, and forgotten over time. Both Bruce Dern and Ruth Squibb’s performances are superb and Alexander Payne’s deliberate direction is spot on.

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[2013. 115 min. Directed by Alexander Payne. Starring Bruce Dern, Will Forte, and June Squibb.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/15/movies/nebraska-directed-by-alexander-payne-stars-bruce-dern.html?_r=1&

American Hustle

—“American Hustle” is alarmingly complex and very successful. An A-list cast and a remarkable script combine to raise lots of questions about the gray areas of life and the need to feel valued and loved. In the film, everyone’s working an angle, there’s a little deception in every act, and everyone’s trying to get ahead. The world is inhabited by con artists and corrupt or manipulative characters who are also endearing, sympathetic, and a little like us all. Ends and means and ethics often take a back seat to matters of survival. This is an A-list film and director David O. Russell and his cast (Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence) deserve kudos.

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[2013. 138 min. Directed by David O. Russell. Starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, and Louis C.K.]
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie/american-hustle/review/660832

Out of the Furnace

— I usually like dark films and “Out of the Furnace” is dark, but it is only a so-so film. A few scenes reminded me “Winter’s Bone” and “Mystic River” and I wish “Furnace” could have been in their league. Christian Bale does an admirable, understated job as the working class guy whose life is out of control, and Woody Harrelson is perfect as a meth-dealing, fight-club-organizing, killing hillbilly. In fact, as I think about it, Casey Affleck, Willem Dafoe, Forrest Whitaker, and Sam Shepard all do a fine job too, but somehow all the characters add up to more gritty reality than anyone needs. The film heaps dirt and drugs and illness, upon rejection and tragedy and death, over and over again, until things couldn’t get much more sad and bleak.

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[2013. 116 min. Directed by Scott Cooper. Starring Christain Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana and Woody Harrelson.]
http://news.moviefone.com/2013/12/05/out-of-the-furnace-review/

The Book Thief

— “The Book Thief” is nicely crafted and fairly well acted, but it seems a little more like a made-for-TV movie than a theatrical release. It’s a bit too sentimental and seems to exist outside of historical context. The horror is relegated to a heightened fear in the neighborhood, a quick scene of Jews being led to a concentration camp, and a bombing or two. Somehow the children, while professing a hatred of Hitler, still seem innocent enough. In fact, there’s something naïve about the whole thing, and you’d think that would be hard to do when you have Death narrating. Remember, this is based on a young adult novel, so it isn’t surprising that there is a great deal of compassion and hope and morality in the story, even if the focus is a bit narrow.

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[2013. 131 min. Directed by Peter BergBrian Percival. Starring Sophie Nelisse, Geoffrey Rush, and Emily Watson.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/book-thief-movie-review/2013/11/13/ea0f896a-47db-11e3-a196-3544a03c2351_story.html

Philomena

— In many ways, “Philomena” is a smaller film than its current theatrical competition, but its clever script, expert direction, and Judi Dench’s tour de force performance leave it more than able to compete. True, the target demographic, based on the audience when I saw the film, appears to be over-60ish white women, it is still a film worth seeing. For those who were raised Catholic, we’re reminded of the role Catholic guilt and forgiveness played in our lives and the ambiguous nature of sin, particularly as it was served up sixty years ago. Mostly, I suppose, the film has more to say about nothing being black and white, and about forgiveness and acceptance over time. Thanks Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, and Stephen Frears.

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[2013. 98 min. Directed by Stephen Frears. Starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/philomena-movie-review-judi-dench-shines-in-this-alternately-funny-wrenching-drama/2013/11/26/6a11f5f4-56db-11e3-835d-e7173847c7cc_story.html

Dallas Buyers Club

— “Dallas Buyers Club” is a lot more than just the story of a homophobe who became an inadvertent hero among those who were HIV-positive and often gay in the 1980s, back when many of us knew very little about AIDS. It’s something of a David vs Goliath story (McConaughey vs. the medical and pharmaceutical wall), but also a coming of age film, with McConaughey’s character shifting from a crude, uber-straight electrician and bull-riding braggart to an unknowingly compassionate crusader helping people living with HIV. All you’ve heard about McConaughey’s weight loss and extraordinary performance is true, and Jared Leto does an amazing job as well. This is a powerful film and one well worth seeing. I’m still amazed that Matthew McConaughey grew up and became an “actor” and star in films I like. (As an aside, it also amazes me that it’s been twenty years since “Philadelphia” was released.)

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[2013. 117 min. Directed by Jean-Marc Vallee. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, and Jared Leto.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dallas-buyers-club-2013

All Is Lost

— It’s amazing how many good films start showing up in theatres after mid-October. “All Is Lost” falls into the genre of man vs. nature and man persevering, but it’s definitely on the better end of the scale thanks to Robert Redford, the sole character in a film with very few spoken words. It’s hard not to remember “The Old Man and the Sea” and to see allegory everywhere but even if you ignore the economic and political undertones, it is a mesmerizing 106 minutes and worth your while to see it.

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[2013. 106 min. Directed by J.C. Chandor. Written by J.C. Chandor. Starring Robert Redford.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dallas-buyers-club-2013

12 Years a Slave

— “12 Years a Slave” deserve all the ballyhoo it’s gotten. It looks at slavery with a directness that’s unexpected and warranted. Chiwetel Ejiofor does an excellent job of portraying Solomon Northrup, the main character, with both dignity and hopelessness appropriate to the story. The audience is left to confront the reality of slavery, even if understanding it is impossible. Steve McQueen’s film is amazing and has moved to the top of the group of four very good films I’ve seen this fall (“Enough Said”, “Captain Phillips”, and “Gravity” are the other three). See it!

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[2013. 134 min. Directed by Steve McQueen. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael K. Williams, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Lupita Nyong'o, Sarah Paulson, Brad Pitt, and Alfre Woodard.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/12-years-a-slave-movie-review-a-masterpiece-of-form-content-emotion-and-performance/2013/10/16/1b158e76-34e8-11e3-8a0e-4e2cf80831fc_story.html

Last Vegas

— “Last Vegas” isn’t going to leave you pondering any complex issue but, if you’re of a certain age, it’ll have you smiling and going along with it as a fun, “geriatric flick”--even if it does have about as much meat as many films aimed at adolescents. Besides, it’s hard to resist the cast (De Niro, Freeman, Douglas, and Kline). Don’t expect too much out of this and you can enjoy it.

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[2013. 105 min. Directed by Jon Turteltaub. Starring Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Kline.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/movies/last-vegas-stars-de-niro-freeman-douglas-and-kline.html?_r=0

Ender’s Game

— “Ender’s Game” is a bit disappointing but, since so much is crammed into the film, it managed to hold my attention. The adults in the film are all a little disturbing, but a bit more approachable than in the book. Ender, the main character, seemed considerably softened for the movie, a move which changes the impact of the work. In the end, it has a depth that should appeal to adolescents, only touching on the troubling gray issues. In the end, it’s an okay film—better than many but certainly not great. (I should mention that this is the film many activists are boycotting due to the anti-gay views of the book’s author, Orson Scott Card. It is also reported that Card will not receive any money from ticket sales.)

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[2013. 114 min. Directed by Gavin Hood. Starring Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Ben Kingsley, and Viola Davis.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/movies/enders-game-with-harrison-ford-and-asa-butterfield.html

Enough Said

— I’m on a roll, having seen three good films in the last month. I’m just back from “Enough Said” and was really pleased to see a funny, well-written and well-acted, serious film about love in middle age. It’s an updated version of the romantic comedies I grew up with, complete with an against-all-odds attraction, sharp dialogue, wacky friends who spend a lot of time bickering, and a chance meeting that throws a kink in everything. This is really a good film, owing a lot to James Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, but also to Nicole Holofcener, whose talent as both the writer and the director are obvious throughout.

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[2013. 93 min. Directed by Nicole Holofcener. Written by Nicole Holofcener. . Starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini, and Catherine Keener.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/movies/enough-said-stars-james-gandolfini-and-julia-louis-dreyfus.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Captain Phillips

— “Captain Phillips” is well-paced, moving along at a seemingly effortless pace so you’re hardly aware of how well the film’s crafted and how gripping it is. Somewhere near the end you realize what a subtle performance Tom Hanks has been giving and, by the final scene, it’s hard not to feel the emotions washing over you. It’s a successful and complex thriller with a final scene that is incredibly moving. Hanks and director Paul Greengrass are both at the top of their game.

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[2013. 134 min. Directed by Paul Greengrass. Starring Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, and Faysal Ahmed.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/11/movies/captain-phillips-stars-tom-hanks-as-a-high-seas-hostage.html?_r=0

Gravity

— “Gravity” is worth the hype. Alfonso Cuarón knows what’s he’s doing and this film is a 3-D delight. Mind you, I usually don’t think 3-D is worth the extra few bucks but in this case, it really is worth it. For that matter, this is a beautiful, “must see in a real theater” kind of film. In fact, it’s as much an experience as a film. It doesn’t hurt that Sandra Bullock and George Clooney are outstanding. See it.

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[2013. 91 min. Directed by Alfonso Cuaron. Starring Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, and Ed Harris.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/gravity-works-as-both-thrilling-sci-fi-spectacle-and-brilliant-high-art/2013/10/02/cffa11bc-2a03-11e3-97a3-ff2758228523_story.html?wpisrc=nl_movies

The Family

— I’d hoped for more from “The Family”, a Luc Besson film with Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfieffer, and Tommy Lee Jones. Billed as a dark comedy/thriller about a former mob boss and his family hiding in the Witness Protection Program, it has a decent premise and decent actors, but the plot is kind of linear, the comedy a little scare, and the pace a little uneven. With these actors, it should have been more clever, but at least it was something other than the slapstick, angst-ridden, overly dirty humor of summer-release, teen comedies. It was vaguely enjoyable but also pretty forgettable.

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[2013. 111 min. Directed by Luc Besson. Starring Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dianna Agron, John D'Leo, and Tommy Lee Jones.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-family-2013

Rush

— I’ve never had much interest in Grand Prix, Formula One, or any other kind of racing, but I respect Ron Howard as a director and he didn't disappoint me with “Rush”. It isn’t the racing, but the two main characters and their dissimilarities that are the focus, raising lots of questions about respect and self-respect, friendship, value, motivation, beauty, and bonding. Oh, and there’s a good bit of car racing too, made even better thanks to great cinematography. Early on I wondered why anyone would like either of the two main characters but, over time, even I found them both a bit more charming, more intricate and principled than I’d thought, but that may just be the allure of boys and their toys.

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[2013. 123 min. Directed by Ron Howard. Starring Daniel Bruhl, Chris Hemsworth, and Olivia Wilde.]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/10281663/Rush-review.html

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

— I’m not sure why I didn’t see “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” in a theater when it was released, but I didn’t. It may have been some notion that a “young-adult” novel wouldn’t satisfy. Not so! I watched the DVD last night and was pleasantly surprised by the memories of adolescent and “young adulthood” that are still within me, ready to be tapped by a film like this one.

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[2013. 102 min. Directed by Stephen and Ezra Miller. Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Dylan McDermott, and Kate Walsh.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower-2012

Prisoners

— “Prisoners” is a well done crime thriller with flawless acting (Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhall, Vliola Davis, and Maria Bello, Paul Dano and Terrence Howard) by director Denis Villeneuve, who caught everyone’s eye with the incredible “Incendies”. Scenes are taut or touching, sometimes a violent enough to make you clench your fists, and sometimes sinister or creepy, all with interesting religious overtones. It does the genre well and is definitely worth seeing, although it is not a film for kids or the squeamish.

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[2013. 153 min. Directed by Denis Villeneuve. Starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Viola Davis.]
http://movies.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/movies/prisoners-stars-hugh-jackman-and-jake-gyllenhaal.html?_r=0

Blue Jasmine

— Oh Woody, thank you for “Blue Jasmine” (along with most everything else you’ve done since 2005). And Cate Blanchette, thank you for being in “Blue Jasmine” (along with many of your other films that make up a pretty odd body of work). Blanchette is outstanding in a role that sometimes creates uncomfortable laughs but runs the gamut from fragile to wacky to weird and back again. Almost everyone does a great job – and particularly Sally Hawkins, Alec Baldwin, and Bobby Cannavale. There’s something almost off balance in the witty and perceptive script—some scenes are acted more in the tradition of a stage play than a film, sometimes verging on overly melodramatic, sometimes soft and intimate, but always walking the line perfectly. It’s a wonderful film!

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[2013. 98 min. Directed by Woody Allen. Written by Woody Allen. Starring Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Peter Sarsgaard,, Sally Hawkins, Louis C.K., Bobby Cannavale, and Andrew Dice Clay.]
http://movies.nytimes.com/2013/07/26/movies/cate-blanchett-stars-in-woody-allens-blue-jasmine.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

The Butler

— It’s hard not to get caught up in “The Butler”. Even as it moves along feeling oddly like a made-for-TV movie with A-list actors, I was sucked into this crowded, ambitious film where two of the main characters happen to be witnesses to nearly every key civil rights event. While the father overhears candid white house discussions with a stoic face, the son is sitting at the lunch counter in Memphis, on the Freedom Rider bus firebombed in Alabama, and with Martin Luther King, Jr., just before he was assassinated. The sequence from one event to the next was so predictable that I wasn’t surprised by the next scene, but it didn’t matter, I was still moved by the struggle and by the validity of the viewpoints. I would have been happier if the film had ended when father and son both realize the pivotal role the other played in the struggle (at a rally against apartheid, of course), instead of tying things up too neatly, but that’s just me. It’s well worth the viewing and always worth remembering that, nearly 50 years after the March on Washington and King’s “I Have a Dream Speech”, the fight for equal rights continues.

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[2013. 132 min. Directed by Lee Daniels. Starring Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, and Cuba Gooding, Jr.]
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-15/news/41412198_1_lee-daniels-the-butler-wil-haygood

Elysium

— “Elysium” is an example of a good director whose talents don’t include making use of veteran actors or large budgets. Admittedly, I came to the film expecting it to surpass “District 9”, one of the better sci-films of the last few years. Unfortunately, it didn’t. Instead, it reminded me of “In Time” with more of a social conscience. I never really liked its proletarian hero (Matt Damon) whose motives were decidedly more selfish than based on helping the 99%. Worse, I may have been more sympathetic to Jodie Foster in spite of her inability to bring much depth the two-dimensional character she plays. The special effects are wonderful and it’s worth seeing as one of a group of dystopian films, some with more merit than others. If you must see it, wait for it to be streamed or on DVD, or choose instead to see something like “Blade Runner”, “Looper,” “A Clockwork Orange,” “12 Monkeys,” “Moon,” “Brazil,” “Minority Report,” “Children of Men,” “The Matrix,” “Robocop,” or “Mad Max” or “Road Warrior” first.

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[2013. 109 min. Directed by Neill Blomkamp. Starring Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, and Sharito Copley.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/elysium-2013

Fruitvale Station

— “Fruitvale Station” is a carefully crafted tale about one man whose senseless death sparked riots in 2009. I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t be drawn in by this portrayal of a complex and flawed young father whose sharp edges and tender tendencies both appeal and irritate. This isn’t a one-dimensional look at a social issue, but a way into the issue through one tragic incident and its backstory made more accessible. It is well worth the price of admission.

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[2013. 85 min. Directed by Ryan Coogler. Starring Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, and Octavia Spencer.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/fruitvale-station-2013

Your Sister’s Sister

— Mark Duplass sure picks an odd mix of films to be in, but he always seems to add a depth to every performance and his efforts in “Your Sister’s Sister” (DVD) follow suit. It’s a fun-to-watch romantic comedy without a lot of plot, but a good deal of subtlety of character. Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt are perfect as the sisters. It’s just too bad the film doesn’t end about a minute earlier.

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[2011. 90 min. Directed by Lynn Shelton. Starring Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, and Rosemarie DeWitt.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/15/movies/lynn-sheltons-your-sisters-sister.html?_r=0

Unfinished Song

— I’m part of the demographic for which all these films about old people are aimed. I go expecting the same old formula, but it’s a formula that lures me in. In the case of “Unfinished Song”, it becomes irresistible even if the film could also have been titled “Same Old Song”, kind of a “Young@Heart” as drama instead of documentary. The absolute highlight, the thing that grabs you sets the film apart, is the acting. Vanessa Redgrave is always incredible, but I’d forgotten how Terence Stamp can take over the screen. He is perfect. It may be a tear jerker, but it’s my kind of tear jerker! If you’re at all susceptible to this kind of manipulation, you'll like it.

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[2012. 93 min. Directed by Paul Andrew Williams. Starring Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton, and Christopher Eccleston.]
http://movies.nytimes.com/2013/06/21/movies/in-unfinished-song-vanessa-redgrave-lives-for-music.html?_r=0

RED 2

— I saw “RED 2” yesterday. It wasn’t quite as entertaining as “RED”, but still passable. It would have been much better with more of Helen Mirren. Luckily, Mary-Louise Parker’s on screen a lot since she’s very good. The surprising thing is that Bruce Willis wasn’t phoning in his performance and, instead, showed some spunk and spark. [Last week I watch “A Good Day To Die Hard” (DVD) and Willis didn’t even bother trying to act in it!] I’m just a sucker for established and talented actors getting together to have fun with an “ensemble cast” film, but this one just misses being fun for the audience.

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[2013. 116 min. Directed by Dean Parisot. Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich,Mary-Louise Parker, and Anthony Hopkins.]
http://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/film-review-red-2-1200562715/

The Lone Ranger

— “The Lone Ranger” isn’t the film the reviewers talked about or Disney touted. It’s actually much better than you’d expect, if you can empty your mind of memories of the original Lone Ranger. Mark Hughes hits the nail on the head when he says “The film is actually about the early expansion across the western USA, the rise of warfare between the white settlers and the Indian nations, and the way politics and business colluded to create a war with a terrible, inevitable outcome.” I almost didn’t go to see it after all the negative reviews. It’s a little long, but I’m still glad I went.

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[2013. 149 min. Directed by Gore Verbinski. Starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer.]
http://www.forbes.com/sites/markhughes/2013/07/04/review-the-lone-ranger-is-a-fun-summer-ride/

Much Ado about Nothing

— What to do when your pedigree is “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, an episode of “Glee”, and “The Avengers”? Josh Whedon went for a low budget, black-and-white, modern day adaptation of “Much Ado about Nothing”, supposedly filmed at his house in Santa Monica in twelve days. It’s Shakespeare with all the iambic pentameter and a whole lot of energy for the common man. The comedy’s a little physical at times and at first I wanted a bit more subtlety, but the actors are really very good and manage to carry off their almost over-the-top performances so everything works. The audience was laughing--really, honestly laughing, more than at some other comedies I’ve seen lately. A little quirky and certainly a whole lot of fun.

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[2012. 109 min. Directed by Josh Whedon. Starring Alexis Denisof, Amy Acker, Fran Kranz, Nathan Fillion, Clark Gregg, and Reed Diamond.]
http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2013/06/20/movie-review-there-much-ado-about-quite-bit-actually-joss-whedon-takes-shakespeare/LnhTEQBNKLKau9eJNpUXEM/story.html

Liberal Arts

— “Liberal Arts” (DVD) was right up my alley, having lived in a college town for so many years and having recently retired from a University job. I enjoyed the humor, the writing, the characters, and the somewhat sitcom-ish vibe. It spends most of its time looking at youth, aging, maturing, and generally coping with growing up or not growing up, but it also touches on, among other things, the value of reading literature and of a liberal arts education. It’s written by, directed by, and starring Josh Radnor. This may not be on anyone's Top 10 List, but I really enjoyed seeing it and nodding knowingly as the characters ponder their lives.

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[2012. 97 min. Directed by Josh Radnor. Starring Josh Radnor, Elizabeth Olsen, Zac Efron, and Allison Janey.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/movies/liberal-arts-from-josh-radnor.html?_r=0

The Bling Ring

— I was the only person in the theater for the 2:30 p.m. showing of “The Bling Ring”. With Sophia Coppola directing and Harris Savides as cinematographer, this should have been exceptional, but it fell oddly flat. Beautiful but lacking much emotion. It’s hard to like or dislike these vaguely high-school aged California kids and their parents come off as new age fools. You may feel a deep sense of regret that this is a society of which we are a part, that somehow we share some responsibility for this shallowness and selfishness, and this obsession with fame and style. I imagine the “Vanity Fair” article on which the film is based may have been more palatable—assuming it was shorter than the film—but the issues are interesting in either medium. Sadly, this is less successful than most of Sophia Coppola’s other films.

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[2013. 90 min. Directed by Sofia Coppola. Starring Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, and Claire Julien.]
http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2013/06/20/movie-review-the-bling-ring-shows-what-like-live-and-steal/RY6gy8CpSm7AmkENd3LsIL/story.html

World War Z

— I liked “World War Z”, mostly because it’s more a medical thriller than horror action film, and Brad Pitt just can’t help but be impressive. It’s certainly among the best of the summer fare so far but, based on the range of previews beforehand, they haven’t figured out their target audience! Probably anyone who isn’t going to “Monsters Inc 2”! I was expecting to enjoy myself and ended up seeing something much better than I expected.

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[2013. 116 min. Directed by Marc Forster. Starring Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, and Daniella Kertesz.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/world-war-z-movie-review/2013/06/20/0d418ae4-d8ee-11e2-a9f2-42ee3912ae0e_story.html

Man of Steel

— “Man of Steel” was about what you’d expect. It had the flash, the action, and the volume to bring in $125 million for its debut weekend. Russell Crowe is very good as Superman’s selfless father. Henry Cavill, with his constantly furrowed brow, appears to be appropriately angry, worried, and overburdened, spending as much time dealing with his psychological scars as poised to save the world. Amy Adams’ Lois Lane may be a more interesting and updated character, but whatever attraction she and Superman have is hard to see. These darker, more brooding and introspective comic book characters are always interesting, but I think it’s time to start casting psychiatrists as part of the storyline too.

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[2013. 143 min. Directed by Zack Snyder. Starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, and Russell Crowe.]
http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2013/06/16/weekend-box-office-man-of-steel-soars-to-125-million-debut/

Now You See Me

— I enjoyed “Now You See Me” for what it is: an entertaining, cleverly-designed, heist film with a good cast. Characters aren’t developed as well as I’d like, so the motivation is a little sketchy, but the film moves at a quick pace and kept me interested for the moment. It won’t change my life, but it was well worth the matinee price.

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[2013. 115 min. Directed by Louis Leterrier. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Common, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla fisher, Dave Franco, Melanie Laurent, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/now-you-see-me-2013

To the Wonder

— “To the Wonder”, Terrance Malick’s latest film, really is a very odd, amazing, and beautiful film. After the superb “Tree of Life,” I eagerly awaited the arrival of “To the Wonder” in Columbia and today was the day. This isn’t a film for the weak or timid viewer. I could try to describe the experience, but Jon Baskin has already described done a better job than I could—“to those of us who remain convinced by his art, Malick is working at a level so far beyond us that our aesthetic estimations can only seem petty in comparison to his vision…Did you think a film needed dialogue, a plot, particularized conflicts, identifiable characters? Malick’s films will compel you either to enforce your criteria, or to abandon them. It is as if, as with so many modern artworks, what is being asked of the viewer is not only appreciation but conversion.”

If you aren’t one of those who hated “Tree of Life” then prepare yourself for something equally ambitious but more intimate and less expansive, and operating even more beneath the surface.

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[2012. 112 min. Directed by Terrence Malick. Starring Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Javier Bardem, and Rachel McAdams.]
http://lareviewofbooks.org/article.php?id=1659&fulltext=1

The Great Gatsby

— I finally saw Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby”, a retelling of Fitzgerald’s novel on cocaine. That’s not to say it’s without redemption. DiCaprio’s really very good and the costumes and sets are a wonder. Carey Mulligan passes as Daisy and Toby Maguire is a fairly decent Nick Carraway. The story’s there too, but you are constantly aware of Luhermann’s hand in it all, and it’s not a very subtle hand. I tried to cope with the music, with Jay-Z and Q-Tip and will.i.am in the flapper age, but really! It’s worth seeing, but there are several other films worth seeing first. Thank god I didn’t go to the 3-D version—there’s excess and then there’s just plain excessive!

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[2013. 143 min. Directed by Baz Luhrmann. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Macguire, Carey Mulligan, and Joel Edgerton.]
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/cinema/2013/05/13/130513crci_cinema_denby

Mud

— I’m a sucker for coming-of-age films and “Mud” doesn’t disappoint. The film ambles along at an easy, pace mirroring life in the film’s Mississippi River town. When two boys stumble across Mud, a down-on-his-luck guy holed up on an abandoned island, the stage is set. Mud is avoiding bounty hunters and the two boys help him get a boat up and running so he can meet up with his girlfriend and the two of them can escape into the sunset. There’s plenty of great dialogue and good direction, along with decent acting. Matthew McConaughey is outstanding—he really can act! The film may be a little long, but it does raise questions about life and love that are worth thinking about at any age.

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[2012. 130 min. Directed by Jeff Nichols. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Reese Witherspoon, Jacob Lofland, and Sam Shepard.]
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/05/life-on-the-mississippi.html

Iron Man 3

— “Iron Man 3” wasn’t as good as I’d like. Oddly slow getting started and references to “The Avengers” were just too much verbal product placement. Luckily, there’s some clever banter and Robert Downey, Jr.’s timing and likeability keep everything going. To be fair, Gwyneth Paltrow’s Pepper Potts helps too. The first two installments in the franchise worked a little better and I suspect changing directors for the third installment wasn’t a good idea. Just the same, it didn’t take itself too seriously and it was fast moving fun. What more could I want?

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[2013. 130 min. Directed by Shane Black. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Guy Pearce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, and Ben Kingsley.]
http://www.nola.com/movies/index.ssf/2013/05/iron_man_3_review.html

John Dies in the End

— I watched the weirdest movie of the weekend – “John Dies in the End” (DVD) – and I’m still not sure if it was worth seeing or not, but it was an unusual mix of genres. Kind of “Buffy”, “MIB”, and “Ghostbusters” meet in parallel universes directed by a young Quentin Tarantino with an eye toward becoming an instant cult classic, and originally written with Cheech and Chong in mind for the lead roles. Just very weird. (I also saw Michael Bay’s “Pain and Gain” and it was mostly pain and not worth anyone’s time unless they just want to test their tolerance and endurance.)

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[2012. 99 min. Directed by Don Coscarelli. Starring Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, and Paul Giamatti.]
http://movies.nytimes.com/2013/02/01/movies/john-dies-at-the-end-directed-by-don-coscarelli.html?_r=0&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1367853214-%2FD+oXXiJDMG68by0GGXkxQ

The Company You Keep

— “The Company You Keep” kept me wondering what someone who did not live through the SDS and Weathermen would think of it. Mind you, the film does have a generational tug to it with most of the cast able to collect social security but still more liberal and more focused on change than they perceive is the case with younger generations. As one member of the Weather Underground is arrested after living for 30 years as a suburban housewife, more and more people’s lives are affected. The story unfolds, and it unfolds with a steady, slow ease that may be unfamiliar to a viewer accustomed to multitasking and sensory overload. One thing’s for sure, the mostly AARP-eligible cast is a thing of wonder and they all can act with a subtlety that is a joy to see (Robert Redford, Julie Christie, Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte, Chris Cooper, Stanley Tucci, Brendan Gleeson, Richard Jenkins, Sam Elliott). Oh, and Shia LaBeouf manages to hold his own as a young, amoral reporter representing a generation with less anger and social commitment than existed in the sixties. I liked this film, but these are my contemporaries dealing with morality, so it makes sense to me.

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[2012. 125 min. Directed by Robert Redford. Starring Robert Redford, Shia LaBeouf, Julie Christie, Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte, Chris Cooper, Terrence Howard, and Stanley Tucci.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/movies/the-company-you-keep,1244298.html

Rust and Bone

— “Rust and Bone” (DVD) certainly isn’t your usual love story, but it is a good one. Instead of gentle caresses there’s something almost brutal about the path of these two damaged people moving from odd friendship to romance. No cupid’s floating around the exceptional performances by Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts as their relationship grows deeper. I really liked Jacques Audiard’s well-crafted and unusual love story.

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[2012. 120 min. Directed by Jacques Audiard. Starring Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts.]
http://movies.nytimes.com/2012/11/23/movies/rust-and-bone-starring-marion-cotillard.html?_r=0

Oblivion

— Enjoyed "Oblivion" and it's amazing graphics—Tom Cruise still draws me to the movies! I pretty much agree with Michael O'Sullivan's review, except it wasn't painfully loud in the theater I went to.

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[2013. 124 min. Directed by Joseph Kosinski. Starring Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, and Andrea Riseborough.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/oblivion-movie-review/2013/04/18/af45ace0-a760-11e2-b029-8fb7e977ef71_story.html?wpisrc=nl_movies

42

— “42”, the biopic about Jackie Robinson, is engaging and emotional, and Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, and Nicole Beharie all do a good job. It is a little heavy-handed, many characters may be overly two-dimensional, and all the scenes are a little too clean and crisp, but it’s still the kind of irresistible story that makes you feel good because it about a win over racism in the 1940s. Good summer fare!

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[2013. 128 min. Directed by Brian Helgeland. Starring Chadwick Boseman, R.R.Knight, Harrison Ford, and Nicole Beharie.]
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-04-17/why-42-had-the-most-successful-opening-weekend-of-any-baseball-movie-ever

A Place Beyond the Pines

— “A Place Beyond the Pines” is a remarkable film and much more than just another look at the relationship between fathers and sons. It’s also a look at the effect of a single choice, at what being a male seems to mean, at misjudgment, at corruption, at rebellion or acceptance, at receiving the sins of our fathers, and at fate. The film is divided roughly into thirds with the first third focusing mostly on the Ryan Gosling character, the second on the Bradley Cooper character, and the third on their sons 15 years later. The last third is the weakest and suffers from weaker actors and a tendency to seem to be tying up loose ends, but there’s no denying the effectiveness in terms of taking us from one generation of flawed characters to the next. This film is complicated, ambitious, and well worth seeing, and both Gosling and Cooper are superb.

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[2012. 140 min. Directed by Derek Cianfrance. Starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, and Eva Mendes.]
http://movies.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/movies/the-place-beyond-the-pines-directed-by-derek-cianfrance.html?_r=0

A Royal Affair

— “A Royal Affair" (DVD) is “a lush romantic drama set in 18th-century Denmark.” (Well, all that and more.) It’s gorgeous and it has lots of good ideas. It’s a satisfying look at Danish royals and the Enlightenment, even if it unfolds a bit slowly amongst the beauty of the countryside and the castle—it’s 137 minutes.

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[2012. 137 min. Directed by Nikolaj Arcel. Starring Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen, and Mikkel Boe Folsgaard.]
http://movies.nytimes.com/2012/11/09/movies/a-royal-affair-with-mads-mikkelsen.html?_r=0

Olympus Has Fallen

— When all you want is a diversion, something that’ll tug at your pride in country, then “Olympus Has Fallen” is the perfect film. It really should have been released on the Fourth of July like its relatives “Die Hard 2”, “Armageddon”, and “Independence Day”. Not much more to say about it except that it’s exactly what it claims to be and that’s all that’s needed sometimes. (Now I'm wondering why "Air Force One" wasn't a July 4th release...)

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[2013. 119 min. Directed by Antoine Fuqua. Starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Finley Jacobsen, Dylan McDermott, Rick Yune, and Morgan Freeman.]
http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/olympus-has-fallen.aspx

Hyde Park on Hudson

— Bill Murray’s been in some pretty good films, but “Hyde Park on Hudson” isn’t one of his best. The set-up had promise and Laura Linney’s presence should have helped, but it was hard to know if this was a comedy or a drama gone awry. It was still somewhat enjoyable and interesting enough to make me wonder where fact was lost to fiction, but it’s a good thing there’s not much in theaters where I live or I would have been disappointed to have chosen this film over something a little more focused.

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[2012. 94 min. Directed by Roger Mitchell. Starring Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Williams, Samuel West, Olivia Colman, and Elizabeth Marvel.]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/9843381/Hyde-Park-on-Hudson-review.html

The Words

— I expected “The Words” (DVD) to be fairly straightforward. Instead it was purposely convoluted, leaving me wondering why and feeling sorry that good performances in two storylines (Jeremy Irons, Bradley Cooper) are lost amidst failed cleverness. Making matters worse is a third, mostly unneeded storyline involving Dennis Quaid. The best part of the film was catching a few of what were probably many references to literary history.

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[2012. 102 min. Directed by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal. Starring Bradley Cooper, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde, and Zoe Saldana.]
http://entertainment.time.com/2012/09/06/the-words-oh-what-a-tangled-web-they-weave/