Far From the Madding Crowd

— It’s easy to forget the surprise you first had when reading Dickens or Hardy or James and discovering how interesting their novels really are. Watching “Far From the Madding Crowd” reminds me again what page turners those mid to late 19th century novels are. Carey Mulligan is perfect in the lead role as the spirited woman loved by three men. It’s a beautiful film with romantic landscapes by day and golden shadows created by candlelight in the dark nights. It moves at a quick pace and it’s difficult to pick your allegiances with our 21st century perspectives. We should favor the headstrong lead character, doing her best to maintain her own identity in a world ruled by men for whom women are mostly property, but she’s really not very nice to most men as a result, becoming the poster girl for unrequited love. Worse, for a smart woman, the man she chooses is a poor choice and an impetuous one at that. She’s a heart breaker but we still root for her. Mulligan and Matthias Schoenaerts are perfectly suited for this version which is quite a bit different than the Julie Christie and Alan Bates version from my high school days. I really enjoyed the film; it and “Wild Tales” are the two best things in Columbia theaters this May.

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[2015. 119 min. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg. Starring Carey Mulligan, Matthais Schoenaerts, Michael Sheen, and Tom Sturridge.]
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie/far-madding-crowd/review/785350

Tomorrowland

— I’m not sure how the kids in the audience made it through this one but I do understand why the previews were so vague. A lot of the time, I felt like a churchgoer listening to a preacher hitting me over the head with a single concept and a lengthy rant. In the end, I still wasn’t quite sure what Tomorrowland was, but I’d been told over and over again to take care of my environment and to know that I can change the world. I applaud the idea of an anti-dystopian voice in the current filmic landscape, as well as the idea that holding out hope for a better tomorrow isn’t crazy, just as thinking even small changes in the right direction can make a difference, but this film really needed a bit more depth to it. I was amazed that, after two hours, there wasn’t much of a resolution, just an end. Tomorrowland is an idea, and a fairly simple one at that, without a very satisfactory plot.

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[2015. 130 min. Directed by Brad Bird. Starring George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy, and Tim McGraw.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tomorrowland-2015

Araya

— This is a visually exciting Venezuelan film, semi-documentary in style, is about a salt marsh where generations have harvested the salt and their lives have been largely unchanged for hundreds of years. The tight ecosystem presented is interesting enough but the script adds and visuals an epic quality to the narrative. The music occasionally surges more than necessary, but doesn’t take away from the fact that "Araya" (DVD) is a very good scripted documentary.

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[1959. 90 min. Directed by Margo Benacerraf.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/araya-2010

The Wages of Fear (Le Salaire de la Peur)

— This wonderful, somewhat nihilistic thriller held my attention from start to finish. It’s a world where men have no need for women, where no one can move forward and their past is fading, and where the hope of something more comes at incredible risk. It’s the risk that makes up the tense second half of the film. At the beginning you realize you’re watching a 60-year-old film but very quickly you realize "The Wages of Fear" (DVD) is still mesmerizing. No wonder Sam Peckinpah paid homage to its opening scene in “The Wild Bunch”!

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[1953. 131 min. Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. Starring Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Peter van Eyck, and Vera Clouzot.]
http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/the-wages-of-fear-5951

Danny Collins

— Some movies just start with a clever premise and “Danny Collins” is one of them, although it’s not as imaginative as something like “Shakespeare In Love” or even “Rumor Has It”, it does have a slight basis in reality. In this film, a geriatric rock star who hasn’t written a new song in decades but can still sell out concerts because his audience has aged with him, discovers a letter from John Lennon which might have changed his life if he’d received it when it was written forty years earlier. Al Pacino is doing his twinkly-eyed/bleary-eyed, likeable but flawed and broken role but let’s face it, he’s always worth seeing—he can even make a bad role look better and this is a better than bad role. He sets out to change his life and does. Christopher Plummer, as his best friend and manager, is wonderful, with all the best lines in the film. Annette Banning vaguely recreates her “An American President” role but, with Dan Fogelman writing the screenplay instead of Aaron Sorkin, the banter isn’t as well written, and she’s left nervously laughing a little too much. There’s something sappy about it, but with these actors it’s still a tale of acceptance and love that’s worth seeing. It’s not a great movie, but it’s a good one.

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[2015. 106 min. Written and directed by Dan Fogelman. Starring Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner, Bobby Carnnavale, and Christopher Plummer.]
http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/danny-collins-20150319

My Life to Live (Vivre Sa Vie)

— Too many years have passed since I routinely saw European Art Cinema in theatres. My days of feeling comfortable with Bergman, Fellini, and Antonioni have passed, as have my days with the French New Wavers—Truffaut, Renais, Godard, Rohmer, and Chabrol. Seeing “Vivre Sa Vie” (DVD) is a joy, reminding me how carefully framed Godard’s images are and how much he enjoys playing with the inside and outside of things, with the reality taking a backseat to truth. This is a spectacular film even if it is representative of a shift in filmmaking and Anna Karina is incredible. You literally can’t take your eyes off her, whether she’s posing in front of wall or emoting in a theatre. The film asks more of the viewer, but it reminded me that a believable storyline isn’t everything and B movies aren’t always a bad thing.

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[1962. 83 min. Directed by Jean-Luc Godard. Starring Anna Karina, Sady Rebbot, and Andre S. Labarthe]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-vivre-sa-vie--my-life-to-live-1963

Wild Tales

— I really enjoyed “Wild Tales” and it seemed like everyone else did too. There was plenty of laughter at all the right times and applause when the film ended, a sure sign I wasn’t the only person having a good time. It’s a well crafted and slightly wicked time from Argentinian Damian Szifron. Pedro and Agustin Almodovar are listed among the producers, providing a clue as to the general tone of the six stories, all standing on their own but linked by a common theme of vengeance. Yes, the stories are a little outrageous and dark, but that’s half the fun. Some are sweeter revenge than others, but they’re all great as we witness the craziness normally held in check but fueled by rebellious hearts with trampled souls pushed too far. It’s a bit excessive but delightful. One of the best times I’ve had in a theater this year.

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[2014. 122 min. Written and directed by Damian Szifron. Starring Dario Grandinetti, Maria Marull, Rita Cortese, Julieta Zylberberg, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Walter Donado, Ricardo Darin, Nancy Duplaa, Oscar Martinez, Erica Rivas, and Diego Gentile.]
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/26/wild-tales-relatos-salvajes-review

Big Eyes

— I have Tim Burton films pigeonholed as attracting A-list actors and being a little wacky, a little funny, a little dark, and pretty darn good bits of fantasy. "Big Eyes" (DVD) doesn’t exactly fit the mold although it has the actors; Amy Adams shines but I’m beginning to wonder if Christoph Waltz ever tones his performances down a bit. It’s interesting, particularly as a glimpse into women’s roles in the 1950s and ‘60s and at the difference between art and kitsch, but the film just lacks depth.

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[2014. 106 min. Written and directed by Tim Burton. Starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz.]
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie/big-eyes/review/749076

Avengers: Age of Ultron

— I like all of the Marvel films and this one was fun too, but flawed. It’s got plenty of great effects and enough action to wear out an old viewer like me. Even so, there were times when I wasn’t sure about the pacing. Maybe it was just difficult to keep track of so many heroes, much less know what to do with several new heroes. Seriously, to have all these characters with different powers battling nothing more than a large group of robots for an extended and important scene seems like a major under-utilization of powers. I like that these movies don’t put superheroes on a very high pedestal, but with so many in one film, they’re downright commonplace. This film suffers in comparison to the original Avengers film and pales next to the wonderful “Guardians of the Galaxy”. If you’re already invested in the franchise, see it. Otherwise, there’s probably something available in DVD or on Netflix that you should see first.

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[2015. 141 min. Directed by Joss Whedon. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and James Spader.]
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/05/04/fighting-on