Under the Skin

— Jonathan Glazer’s “Under the Skin” was supposedly greeted at Venice (Film Festival) by an even split of cheering and boos and it’s easy to understand why: not much dialogue, many scenes without much light, an unsettling eroticism, and a fairly dark view of things.  It’s a little terrifying and a lot creepy as Scarlett Johansson continues to show just how talented she really is.  I kept wishing there was just a little more information given to help me understand why the alien was wandering in Scotland, but not having it may have helped me see the alien side of our own civilization from her eyes.  This is far from a traditional film but it is a very creative film that just doesn’t follow enough standard patterns to be marketable to large audiences.

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[2013. 108 min. Directed by Jonathan Glazer. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, and Lynsey Taylor Mackay.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/04/movies/scarlett-johansson-as-a-deadly-alien-in-under-the-skin.html?_r=0

Kill Your Darlings

—“Kill Your Darlings” (DVD) was worth a viewing.  It’s a look at a brief time in 1944 when Alan Ginsberg was at Columbia University and crossed paths with William Burroughs, Jack Kerouac and Lucien Carr. I didn’t know the story, so it was interesting on that level, but much of the interest came from the fact that I was watching it with the benefit of knowing what Ginsberg, Burroughs and Kerouac would become and how the 1950’s Beat Generation changed things—pulling away from conformity and ushering in a less structured time, embracing immediacy and individual freedom while being politically active—only to fade in the 60s when the next counter-culture arose, bringing some of the Beat tenets with them.  It’s an interesting film, although the closeted relationships are a little creepy and disturbing when seen through today's more tolerant eyes

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[2013. 104 min. Directed by John Krokidas. Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, and Michael C. Hall.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/16/movies/kill-your-darlings-stars-daniel-radcliffe.html?_r=0&pagewanted=2

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

—Saw “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” this afternoon. I can’t help it but I’m a sucker for the Marvel Comics’ films that take place mostly on Earth. Luckily, it’s more than some odd fascination. These things really are pretty good even if a bit over the top in terms of action and special effects. I had a good time and the 2+ hours flew by. Oh, and Robert Redford and Scarlet Johansson are good additions to the franchise.

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[2014. 136 min. Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo. Starring Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, and Scarlett Johansson.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/captain-america-the-winter-soldier-review-maybe-the-most-grown-up-avengers-movie-yet/2014/04/03/89bad3d8-ba60-11e3-9a05-c739f29ccb08_story.html

The Grand Budapest Hotel

— I have to echo the sentiments of all my friends who have already seen “The Grand Budapest Hotel”—it’s a wonderful film. There are many, many perfectly crafted lines spoken by perfectly costumed, quirky characters in perfectly cropped scenes/frames. This really is imagination and whimsy built with layers in a way only Wes Anderson can do.

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[2014. 100 min. Directed by Wes Anderson. Starring Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, Owen Wilson, et al.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/in-the-grand-budapest-hotel-wes-anderson-dreams-of-a-europe-before-the-bombs-fell/2014/03/13/8f7f6d3a-a64a-11e3-a5fa-55f0c77bf39c_story.html