Saturday, May 31, 2014

THE IMMIGRANT




PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Marion Cotillard: Ewa Cybulski, a young Polish woman
Angela Sarafyan: her younger sister Magda
Joaquin Phoenix: Bruno Weiss
Jeremy Renner: Bruno’s cousin Emil
Yelena Solovey: Bruno’s boss Rosie Hertz
Maja Wampuszc: Ewa’s aunt Edyta
Ilia Volok: Ewa’s uncle Voytek

REVIEW
The more mature discerning viewer will appreciate that this is a reflection on how things were for some immigrants back in the 1920’s. Not only starting a new life, in many cases it was starting a life they had not foreseen. Unscrupulous people are everywhere of course but seeing how one innocent person is exploited is difficult to watch.

It is a sad story characterized by excellent performances all around (Cotillard especially) and with great attention to detail that gives this period piece a feeling of authenticity.

CLASSIFICATION

 for sexual content, nudity and some language.

Friday, May 30, 2014

THE RAILWAY MAN




PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Colin Firth: WWII veteran Eric Lomax
Nicole Kidman: Patti Wallace, a retired nurse
Stellan Skarsgård: Eric’s best friend Finlay
Jeremy Irvine: the younger Eric
Sam Reif: the younger Finlay
Tanroh Ishida: Japanese army translator Takashi Nagase

REVIEW
Based on a true story, it hammers home the dreadful after-effect the war had on some people and the difficulty they had in dealing with it. Both Firth and Kidman put in terrific performances (you could add Irvine to that list too) as the story unfolds in gripping detail using the flashback technique.

CLASSIFICATION
for disturbing war scenes.

P.S.
The Burma Railway crossed over the infamous bridge on the River Kwai.

Monday, May 26, 2014

FED UP




REVIEW
Much of what is presented is not new in this documentary about the problem of growing obesity rates. However it does raise the awareness of the influence the processed food industry has with setting health guidelines in the United States.

Case in point: sugar is the only ingredient with no indication of the recommended % of total daily intake. Some of the other statistics are worth noting: for example the % of the half-million processed food items that contain sugar and the % of people considered obese in the USA.

Certainly food for thought.

CLASSIFICATION
 for thematic elements including smoking images and brief language.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

THE GERMAN DOCTOR


 In German and Spanish with English subtitles


PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Alex Brendemühl: the German doctor Helmut Gregor
Diego Peretti: Enzo
Natalia Oreiro: his wife Eva
Florencia Bado: their 12-year-old daughter Lilith
Elena Roger: librarian Nora

REVIEW
Based on a true story it is not really a thriller as the promotional material would have you believe because the identity of the German doctor is revealed during the opening credits. Apart from the musical sound track that hints at pending doom from time to time, there is no sense of suspense. Instead it is a straight forward telling of how someone can meld in with others and live a normal life while harbouring awful secrets.

CLASSIFICATION
for thematic material and brief nudity.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

FINDING VIVIAN MAIER





F.Y.I.
Vivian Dorothea Maier: February 1, 1926 – April 21, 2009

REVIEW
A fascinating documentary about a nanny who had a private side to her which only came to light after her death: she was an accomplished photographer who did not exhibit her work.

Although the question of “why not?” is not really answered we are provided some insight to the woman from people she cared for or those who employed her. Interspersed with these interviews are many of the 100,000 still photographs and snippets of 8-mm home movies she took over the years.

As one movie-goer has so succinctly put it “Interesting photos from a most unusual/troubled woman. Interesting film.” I agree.

CLASSIFICATION