- Geneva’s landmark icon, the Jet d’Eau, can be seen through the office window of the Swiss banker but it is obviously just a photo of the real thing since it does not move.
- There are just five steps leading up to the country club but in one shot directly in front there are at least a dozen steps, maybe more.
- Cell phones of the sort being used were not introduced until 2004, some five years after these events transpired.
Monday, December 30, 2013
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Leonardo DiCaprio: 25-year-old Jordan Belfort
Matthew McConaughey: his boss Mark Hanna
Cristin Milloti: his wife Teresa
Jonah Hill: his neighbour salesman Donnie Azoff
Rob Reiner: his father Max
Christine Ebersole: his mother Leah
Kyle Chandler: FBI agent Patrick Denham
Margot Robbie: party-goer Naomi Lapaglia
Jean
Dujardin: Swiss banker Jean-Jacques Saurel
Joanna Lumley: Naomi’s aunt Emma
REVIEW
Several times I was tempted to walk out because like a lot
of discriminating viewers I am not comfortable viewing hours of debauchery
depicted on screen. And I certainly do not like having to listen to dialogue
you would expect from a member of the Hells Angles bike gang not from
stockbrokers. It has been reported that the f-word is used 506 times in the
film; frankly, it seems like twice that many. And it’s not just the guys who
swear and curse: the women talk like that too.
And on top of that, it is too long, running almost three
hours since a lot of the hard-partying lifestyle is repetitive. Total frontal
nudity, acts of sexual depravity, explicit love-making and groping may be
eye-candy to some, but not to me. Sorry, not my style.
However DiCaprio’s depiction of the real-life swindler has
got to be one of his best and the main reason for hanging in if you can put up
with everything else.
CLASSIFICATION
for sequences of sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use
and language throughout along with some violence.
FOR
NITPICKERS ONLY
Monday, December 23, 2013
SAVING MR. BANKS
F.Y.I.
P.L. Travers wrote a series of books published over the
period 1934 to 1988 featuring Mary Poppins, a magical nanny to the children of
Mr. and Mrs. George Banks.
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Emma Thompson: middle-aged author Pamela “P.L.” Travers
Ronan Vibert: her agent Diarmuid Russell
Paul
Giamatti: Pamela’s LA chauffeur Ralph
Tom Hanks: filmmaker and producer Walt Disney
Bradley Whitford: screenwriter Don DaGradi
B.J. Novak: songwriter Robert Sherman
Jason Schwartzman: his brother and associate Richard
Melanic Paxson: Walt’s secretary Dolly
Kathy Baker: Walt Disney studio executive Tommie
Colin Farrell: Australian banker Travers Goff
Ruth Wilson: his wife Margaret
Annie Bucklye: their eight-year-old daughter Helen aka Ginty
REVIEW
Getting a first-hand look at what transpired when production
of the film version of the popular Mary
Poppins novel first began is insightful. As expected, Emma Thompson is
terrific with Tom Hanks and Colin Farrell putting in their usual splendid
effort. Although it runs a little over two hours it needs all that time to tell
the background story as well. As one movie-goer was heard to say “it’s an
emotional journey well worth telling”.
Great attention to detail (except for the few items noted
below) adds a sense of authenticity to this “mostly-true” version of what
really happened. The actual tape recording played during the final credits
attest to this as well.
CLASSIFICATION
FOR
NITPICKERS ONLY
- When Pamela is outside the Los Angeles airport one of the signs reads Trans World Airways. The correct name for TWA was Trans World Airlines.
- Pamela uses the remote to turn on the television in her hotel room. The upscale Beverley Hills hotel would have used the latest control in 1961 with four oval buttons not one with two square buttons introduced ten years earlier.
- Walt tells of the time as a young lad he delivered 500 newspapers both the morning and the evening editions, sometimes with snow up to his waist: in fact it would take 5 to 6 hours to deliver that many papers in a residential area and the record snowfall ever in Kansas City where he lived was just 24” back in 1911/1912, which would be up to his knees at best.
- This is one of my classic all-time favourite nitpicks: at the end of the telephone conversation Walt hangs up and Pamela is left listening to the dial tone. In reality the dial tone is only heard after picking up the phone before dialling. That’s why it’s called a dial tone.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
AMERICAN HUSTLE
Crime drama
F.Y.I.
In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s the FBI sting operation
code named Abscam targeted corruption of elected officials.
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Christian Bale: con man Irving Rosenfeld
Bradley Cooper: FBI agent Richard “Richie” DiMaso
Amy Adams: Irving’s partner Sydney Prosser
Louis CK: Richie’s boss Stoddard Thomsen
Jeremy Renner: Camden NJ Mayor Carmine Polito
Elisabeth Rohm: Carmine’s wife Dolly
Jennifer Lawrence: Irving’s wife Rosalyn
Robert De Niro: Mob guy Victor Tellegio
REVIEW
Loosely based on the FBI investigation this is one terrific
movie. Perhaps a tad too long at 2 hours and 18 minutes it is fast-paced,
riveting and wholly entertaining. Production values are top notch with great attention
to period detail. The script mostly rings true and is replete with humorous
moments.
The performances are all excellent ranging from Academy
Award exceptional-type (Bale, Adams, Cooper, Lawrence) to strong believable
characters (Renner, Rohm, DeNiro). One more thing: any movie about a con man is bound to have
more than a few plot twists: this one does not disappoint.
CLASSIFICATION
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
PHILOMENA
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Steve Coogan: Television journalist and author Martin
Sixsmith
Judi Dench: Philomena Lee, an elderly Irish woman
Anna Martin: her daughter Jane
Sophie Clark: the younger Philomena
Amy McAllister: Sister Anunciata
Mare Winningham: the grown up Mary
Barbara Jefford: the elderly Sister Hildegarde
REVIEW
Based on the true story of Philomena (pronounced
phil-ah-me-nah) and the problems she had with the Catholic church. You have to
smile at Philomena’s simplistic view of the world which is poles apart from
that of Martin who is a socially awkward worldly sophisticate. They make for an
interesting couple bent on trying to find out what happened years ago. And both
give outstanding performances.
CLASSIFICATION
FOR
NITPICKERS ONLY
- Martin carries a bag slung over his shoulder but it disappears completely when he gets into the car.
- Aboard the aircraft the spiral staircase identifies it as a Boeing 747 but the shot of the plane landing at the Washington airport is something other than a 747.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
INEQUALITY FOR ALL
REVIEW
Former United States Secretary of Labor Robert Reich
presents the latest in documentaries about the widening economic gap in the
USA. With state of the art graphs he explores the impact this has on the
deterioration of the nation’s economic health.
Despite the complexity of the subject Reich makes it easy to
understand his principal premise: except for the 1%, there is Inequality for All.
CLASSIFICATION
Saturday, December 14, 2013
NEBRASKA
Drama
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Bruce Dem: seventies-something Woody Grant
Will Forte: his son David
June Squibb: David’s mother Kate
Bob Odenkirk: David’s older brother Ross
Mary Louise Wilson: David and Ross’ aunt
Rance Howard: their uncle Ray
Stacy Keach: Woody’s old business partner Ed Pegram
Angela McEwan: Peg Nagy, editor/publisher of The Hawthorn
Republican
REVIEW
Several things sets this one apart from the others:
- It is shot in black and white
- None of the cast are high profile well-known actors
It is a terrific story about someone wanting to see
things through with dialogue and situations that are believable, characters
that ring true and the interpersonal dynamics bang on. The acting is uniformly
good and I just loved the pacing, the depiction of rural family life and the amusing
moments. What a great combination.
CLASSIFICATION
Thursday, December 12, 2013
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Matthew McConaughey: rodeo bull rider Ron Woodroof
Jennifer Garner: Dr. Eve Saks
Jared Leto: Rayon, a transgender woman
Steve Zahn: Ron’s brother Tucker
Griffin Dunne: Dr. Vass, expatriate American doctor
REVIEW
Based on the true story of Ron Woodroof’s fight against the
system, it has its gritty side that may shock some people despite its R classification
warning.
However the acting is the strong point: the performances by
McConaughey and Leto are worth the price of admission alone. Perhaps a tad long
at just under two hours, it moves along at a pretty good clip so it does not
overstay its welcome.
CLASSIFICATION
FOR
NITPICKERS ONLY
- In July 1985 two viruses were suspected of infecting AIDS patients, HTLV-III and LAV. Doctors did not use the term HIV until a year later when these two viruses were found to be the same thing.
- When Ron returns from Mexico the border agent asks for his passport which he gives him. In fact it was not until years later in 2004 that all travelers were required to present any document that denotes their identify and citizenship when entering the United States.
- Ron fires a shotgun blast that opens a hole the size of a dinner plate but well above the lockset so the door would still be locked and would not have opened when he pushed on it.
$400 in 1985 had the same buying power as $873 in 2013.
Friday, December 6, 2013
THE BOOK THIEF
Wartime drama
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Sophie Nélisse: 11-year-old Liesel Meminger
Geoffrey Rush: her adoptive father Hans Hubermann
Emily Watson: his wife Rosa
Nico Liersch: 11-year-old Rudy Steiner
Rainer Bock: Buergermeister Hermann
Barbara Auer: his wife Ilsa
Ben Schnetzer: Jewish refugee Max
REVIEW
This story of a young girl who learns to love books begins
before the onset of World War II. However this is a sanitized version of the
real thing and does not ring true: the flags are all bright and pristine, not
faded and frayed; the cars are all clean and polished not dusty and dirty; the
uniforms are all pressed and immaculate, not tattered and torn; these Nazis rough
up citizens and burn books, not people.
Several other shortcomings are much in evidence: with a run
time in excess of two hours it is a tad too long and the narration by the Grim
Reaper serves only as an unwelcome intrusion and people speaking English with a
funny accent and using a smattering of German words.
On the other hand the performances are all top-notch
although that of Sophie Nélisse is the best, possibly garnering a nomination
for an award of some sort?
CLASSIFICATION
Thursday, December 5, 2013
FROZEN
Animated action\ adventure
Idina Menzel: Elsa, the princess of Arendelle
Kristen Bell: her younger sister Anna
Santino Fontana: Prince Hans of the Southern Isles
Josh Gad: Olaf, a snowman
Jonathan Groff: ice seller Kristoff
Chris Williams: owner of Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post
REVIEW
The story of a fearless princess wanting to find her sister,
the one with magical power, is replete with musical numbers. In fact, the first
half hour or so plays like a Broadway musical with the story being told in lyrical
form. From that point the spoken word dominates and we get to see the loving
relationship between sisters.
In classic Disney fashion, the sidekick provides a lot of
the laughs. In this case it is Sven, Kristoff’s big-hearted reindeer. The silly
snowman Olaf steals the show every scene he is in, including the movie poster.
Technically the film is state of the art with exquisite
rendering of clothes and hair, beautiful wide screen images but the pedestrian
musical numbers are what holds me back to awarding this a five star rating.
Finally one movie-goer had this to say: “I loved the
message, about love and devotion, while the kids around me were laughing their
heads off at the animals and screeching whenever the snow monster appeared.”
That pretty well sums it up.
CLASSIFICATION
Monday, November 4, 2013
12 YEARS A SLAVE
Historical Drama
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Chiwetel Ejiofor: Solomon Northup
Paul Giamatti: slave trader Theophilus Freeman
Benedict Cumberbatch: Baptist preacher and slave owner
William Ford
Paul Dano: overseer John Tibeats
Michaael Fassbender: Edwin Epps, cruel plantation owner
Lupita Nyong’o: Patsey, one of the slaves at his plantation
Sarah Paulson: Edwin’s wife Mary
Brad Pitt: Bass, a Canadian carpenter and abolitionist
REVIEW
You might be able to avert your eyes from the horrific
scenes of cruelty but you will not be able to block out the sounds of agony. It
is agonizing to watch as the camera lingers for what seems forever and all you
want is for it to end. We all know that slaves were subjected to harsh working conditions
and poor housing and they had to put up with psychological abuse as well. But this movie is the most disturbing one I’ve ever seen about the subject of
slavery.
Based on a true story with strong performances from all the
cast, Ejiofor in particular, it is riveting albeit it a tad too long at 2 hours
and 13 minutes.
At the end as we shuffled out I overheard one woman ask her
husband “Why is everyone so quiet?” to which he replied “Probably like me, they
are in a state of shock”.
CLASSIFICATION
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
BRIGHT DAYS AHEAD
Drama
In French with English subtitles.
Original title: Les Beaux Jours
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Fanny Ardant: 60-year-old dentist Caroline
Laurent Lafitte: 30-something instructor Julien
Patrick Chesnais: Caroline’s husband
REVIEW
Not your usual romantic comedy it does have a certain ring
of truth to it but I found the acting to be less than stellar particularly by
the two principals. Although the husband comes across in much better light the
overall impression is underwhelming and the plot for the most part is fairly
predictable.
As with a lot of films produced in France, adultery is a key
factor but it seems so contrived. Maybe because it is?
CLASSIFICATION
ALL IS LOST
Adventure
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Robert Redford: a solo sailor in the Indian Ocean
REVIEW
Fans of Robert Redford who cannot get enough of him will
just love this one: there is no one else to watch. This rather unusual film has
just one star, no dialogue and apart from the initial voiceover, very few
spoken words.
As with all survival movies there is a certain amount of
tension as events unfold leading up to the big question “Will he/she make it
out alive?” Along the way Redford has a daunting task: to convey the entire
range of emotions only through his facial expressions and body language. He
cannot verbalize his interior feelings because he is all alone. It is quite
some task but Redford proves he is up to it.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Tom Hanks: merchant mariner Captain Richard Phillips
Michael Chernus: Shane Murphy, First Officer of MV Maersk
Alabama
David Warshofsky: Mike Perry, Chief Engineer
Corey Johnson: Ken Quinn, helmsman
Barkhad Abdi: Abduwali Muse, leader of the highjackers
Yul Vazquez: U.S. Navy Captain Frank Castellano, Commanding
Officer of the USS Bainbridge
REVIEW
Based on actual events that took place in 2009, the film is
riveting albeit a tad too long at two hours and 15 minutes. The tension begins
to build almost from the get-go and never really subsides until the end.
The acting is top notch, even from the highjackers who had
never done this before. Credit has to go to the casting director for his/her
excellent choices.
CLASSIFICATION
FOR
NITPICKERS ONLY
Driving from his home in Underhill, VT to the Burlington
International airport Captain Phillips would get off I-89 at Exit 14E not
Exit 30E.
F.Y.I.
The hijackers chew on khat, a flowering plant
native to the Arabian Peninsula. This is a social custom going back thousands
of years in part because it is an amphetamine-like stimulant.Friday, October 18, 2013
GRAVITY
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Sandra Bullock: Mission Specialist Dr. Ryan Stone
George Clooney: Mission Commander Lieutenant Matt Kowalski
REVIEW
This one warrants seeing it in 3D to truly experience the
sensation of being out in space. The images are nothing short of spectacular.
But that is not the only thing going for it: the acting by Sandra Bullock is
probably the best she has ever done. She is on screen probably 95% of the time
and does a really superb job.
So it is more than just a run-of-the-mill story about the
dangers that can be encountered when in Earth’s orbit and the struggle to stay
alive. You feel like you are there, watching things unfold.
This movie is sure to win awards if for nothing else than being
able to create the weightlessness of space.
CLASSIFICATION
FOR
NITPICKERS ONLY
The on-screen title makes reference to the
conditions in space 600 kilometres in altitude but the Hubble Space Telescope
they are working on is just 559 km above the earth’s surface.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
ENOUGH SAID
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Julia Louis-Dreyfus: self employed massage therapist Eva
Catherine Keener: Marianne, one of Eva’s clients
James Gandolfini: Albert, employee of a museum of tv
broadcasting
Tracey Fairaway: Eva’s daughter Ellen
Tavi Gevinson: Ellen’s friend Chole
Eve Hewson: Albert’s daughter Tess
Toni Collette: Eva’s best friend Sarah
REVIEW
By sticking to the conventional formula of these things the
film does not break any new ground nor is it particularly funny, just mildly
amusing. What does make it different from the others is the low-key performance
by Gandolfini. He steals the screen just about every time he appears and it’s
refreshing to see someone who comes across as real in this situation. That is
reason enough to go see the movie but you’ll not hear about it when the awards
are handed out for best picture of the year.
CLASSIFICATION
FOR
NITPICKERS ONLY
Eva has a glass of wine at the party that changes level
although she never gets it topped up. Same thing happens with Albert’s glass of
water when they’re having dinner together.
P.S.
The closing credits include “For Jim” as James Gandolfini
passed away in June 2013 from an unexpected heart attack while vacationing in
Italy.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
CLOUDY WITH CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2
Animated action\adventure
PRINCIPAL
VOICE MEMBERS
Bill Hader: lifelong
inventor Flint Lockwood
Neil Patrick Harris: Flint’s “assistant” Steve, a monkey
Neil Patrick Harris: Flint’s “assistant” Steve, a monkey
Will Forte: world-famous inventor Chester V, head of the
Live Corp.
James Caan: his
father Tim, owner of a bait and tackle shop
Anna Faris: Samantha “Sam” Sparks, the weather network intern
Benjamin Bratt: Manny, the tv cameraman
Benjamin Bratt: Manny, the tv cameraman
Terry Crews: Earl
Devereaux, the town policeman
REVIEW
Definitely geared to children, anyone who is not should not
be too harsh in judging its excesses. Adults will see it as a pleasant
diversion with lots of clever lines providing more than a few comic moments
(and some outright laughs) even when things get a little bit gross.
The technical aspect is beyond reproach: the CGI rendering
is stunning, the detail quite amazing, the colours brilliant. And the
imaginative transformation of vegetables into something resembling people is
clever.
CLASSIFICATION
Saturday, September 28, 2013
RUSH
PRINCIPAL
CAST MEMBERS
Chris Hemsworth: British racing driver James Hunt
Danile Brühl: Austrian racing driver Niki Lauda
Pierfrancesco Favino: BRM Formula One team driver Clay
Regazzoni
Christian McKay: financier Lord Alexander Hesketh
Olivia Wilde: supermodel Suzy Miller
Alexandra Maria Lara: socialite Marlene Knaus
REVIEW
This is the true story of two of Formula One’s best-ever
drivers and the rivalry between them that made the 1976 season one of the best. Between exciting
racing sequences time is given for in-depth character studies of the two men.
Strong performances by the entire cast and great attention
to detail make this a must-see for every racing fan. But even those who do not follow the sport will find it an entertaining two hours as the focus is not entirely on the
sport itself. The wonderful orchestral soundtrack by Hans Zimmer is an added
bonus.
CLASSIFICATION
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