Monday, June 30, 2014
OBVIOUS CHILD
PRINCIPAL CAST
MEMBERS
Jenny Slate: part-time comedian Donna Stern
Jake Lacy: an unlikely bar patron Max
Gabu Hoffman: Donna’s BFF Nellie
Gabe Liedman: their friend Joey
and others no doubt
REVIEW
I am not a big fan of humour that relies upon getting laughs
about day-old female underwear and intimate details about the stand-up
comedian’s sex life. And from the opening scenes it is apparent the patrons of
the sleazy smoky bar are of the same opinion as no one laughs. Other than that
the jokes are of the potty-mouth variety including reference to noisy bodily
functions, the sort of gags that appeal to 5 and 6-year-olds.
Given that the film is promoted as a romantic comedy the
comedy side is practically nil. As for the romance it is basically a one-night
stand and there’s not a lot of romance in those type of encounters. So that
aspect is practically nil as well.
It didn’t take long before I realized this is a big waste of
time so I walked out.
CLASSIFICATION
for profanity, sexual situations, crude
humour.JERSEY BOYS
PRINCIPAL CAST
MEMBERS
Vincent Piazza: Tommy DeVito, one of the Varitones trio
John Lloyd Young: his friend 16-year-old Frank Castelluccio
Christopher Walker: mob boss Gyp DeCarlo
Johnny Cannizzaro: Tommy’s brother Nick, the trio’s bassist
Michael Lomenda: their friend Nick Massi
Renée Marino: Mary Delgado
Erich Bergen: Bob Gaudio, songwriter of the hit “Short
Shorts”
Mike Doyle: music producer Bob Crewe
Elizabeth Hunter: Frankie’s 7-year-old daughter Francine
Donnie Kehr: loan shark Norm Waxman
Erica iccininni: Journalist Lorraine
Freya Tingley: 17-year-old Francine
REVIEW
Perhaps it is not a fair comparison but having seen the
stage version this film is far less entertaining, prone to go off on tangents
that add little or nothing to the narrative and it is too long, far too long. Using
the narrative device of some band members directly addressing the camera from
time to time, I find jarring: a reminder of the fact we are sitting watching a
made-in-Hollywood-movie rather than simply being swept up in the story.
Voice-over would have been a much better technique as it is less intrusive.
Another thing I found unsettling was the confusing
side-story about Tommy’s money problems, presumably from gambling or playing the
horses or partying? That was never made clear. And the band’s commitment to
helping him out is pushing the “code of honour” a bit too far given the amount
involved.
But the chief shortcoming in my view is too much talking
between the musical numbers, the reason why this group was so well know.
Knowing a bit about them is fine but that should not bog things down.
CLASSIFICATION
FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
- Frankie and the rest of the group arrive at Gyp’s house in two Cadillacs, and park with the blue one in front of the red one. When Bob leaves and gets in the red one, he could not have driven off the way he did without first moving the blue one out of the way.
- This is one of my classic all-time favourite nitpicks: at the end of the telephone conversation the other party hangs up and Frankie 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.
- After performing at the Ohio State Fair the group is approached by a police officer who says “Welcome to Cleveland”. The state fair is held in Columbus, Ohio not in Cleveland.
P.S.
The aging makeup for the last scene is so poorly
done it is almost comical. Friday, June 20, 2014
CHEF
PRINCIPAL CAST
MEMBERS
Jon
Favreau: Chef Carl Casper
Scarlett
Johansson: hostess at Gualoises, an upscale LA restaurant
Emjay Anthony: Carl’s 10-year-old son Percy
Dustin Hoffman: Ravi the restaurant owner
John Leguizam: Martin, line cook
Bobby
Cannavale: Tony, sous chef
Sofia
Vergara: Carl’s ex-wife Inez
Oliver Platt: food critic Ramsey Michel
Russel Peters: a Miami cop
REVIEW
There is something to be said about taking a hard look at
what is important to you and follow through. That is but one aspect of this
humorous tale combined with some realistic father and son bonding. Add in a
road trip across America and there’s lots to like. And did I mention food:
close-ups of the preparation might prompt you to order in, even before the
final credits.
The acting for the most part is uniformly good, the dialogue
snappy and often funny but the one thing there is too much of is the swearing:
there is no need to include the f-word in every second utterance. That simply
detracts from the story line making it less plausible. And losing a star as a
result.
CLASSIFICATION
FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
- The wall clock shows it to be 2:32 and remains unchanged during a spirited discussion between the Chef and Ravi which took at least 5 minutes.
- While having a shooter in a bar and without touching it, Martin’s beer bottle rotates from one scene to the next showing the brand label.
P.S.
Subtitles would have been useful for those not
fluent in Spanish to get the implication when Martin asks the workers if they
will help lift the heavy equipment “or I can call immigration.”Sunday, June 8, 2014
FADING GIGOLO
Romantic comedy
F.Y.I.
Shorim (Hebrew for watchers or guards) are Jewish civilian
patrols set up in Hasidic neighbourhoods in the United States and England.
Their primary role is to combat anti-Semitic attacks, burglary, vandalism,
mugging, assault and domestic violence. The volunteers are unarmed and do not
have the authority to make arrests. They ride in vehicles that look like
regular police cars.
PRINCIPAL CAST
MEMBERS
Woody Allen: former bookstore owner Murray Schwartz
Sharon Stone: Murray’s dermatologist Dr. Parker
Sofia Vergara: Dr. Parker’s friend Selima
John Turturro: Fioravante, Murray’s former employee
Tonya Pinkins: Murray’s wife Orthella, an African-American
Vanessa Paradis: Avigal, the widow of a Hasidic rabbi
Live Schreiber: Dovi, a volunteer with Shorim
REVIEW
Preposterous, ludicrous and vulgar. Other than that this
film about a male escort does not have much going for it. The surprising thing
to me is the fact Woody Allen is involved with such a trashy, pulp-magazine
type movie. The fact that his role is so unbelievable and totally out of
character begs the question “why?”.
Although there are a few bits of comic relief, mostly of the
slap-stick sort, the acting somehow feels wrong and does not ring true. And there
is one other thing.
Once more Ralph’s Rule of Redundancy applies:
“Any film where one person takes on more than two key
positions has a major shortcoming: the absence of independent critical
judgement that results in something less than it might have been.”
In this case John Turturro stars in and is also the Writer
and Director.
CLASSIFICATION
for some sexual content, language and brief
nudity.TRACKS
PRINCIPAL CAST
MEMBERS
Mia Wasikowska: 25-year-old Australian naturalist Robyn
Davidson
Adam Driver: National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan
Roly Mintuma: Eddy, an aboriginal elder
REVIEW
Based on a true story that took place in the 70’s, it is
left to the viewer to decide why someone would undertake such an adventure on
their own. Her solo walk across the desert of Australia with four camels and a
dog as her only companions will seem to some as a waste of time.
However it is lovely to look at and plays out with very
little melodrama, much like a documentary.
CLASSIFICATION
for thematic elements, some partial nudity,
disturbing images and brief strong language.Tuesday, June 3, 2014
THE GRAND SEDUCTION
F.Y.I.
Since the 16th century European fishermen have been fishing
for cod in the waters off Newfoundland along with the locals in the area known
as the Grand Banks. Approximately 8 million tons of cod were caught in the 100
years from 1647 to 1750. With the introduction of factory fishing in the early
1950’s that amount of cod was caught in just 15 years.
The Atlantic coast fishing industry collapsed entirely in
1992 owing to this overfishing coupled with a lack of oversight and poor
fishery administration. The Canadian government declared a moratorium but even
after 20 years the cod population has not returned. The effect on the local
economy has been disastrous since fishing represented their livelihood. Most
now live on Government welfare cheques.
PRINCIPAL CAST
MEMBERS
Brendan Gleeson: Murray French
Gordon Pinsent: his buddy Simon
Mark Critch: bank teller Joe
Liane Balaban: Kathleen, the postmistress
Cathy Jones: Murray’s wife
Taylor Kitsch: Dr. Paul Lewis
Mary Walsh: telephone operator
REVIEW
This is something of a rarity: a feel-good movie with no
violence, no swear words, heart-warming and wholesome with only mildly
suggestive situations done in good taste.
I was smiling the whole time while the laughs just kept
coming. The acting is uniformly good and the cinemaphotography beautifully
show-casing the rugged beauty of the area.
CLASSIFICATION
for some suggestive material and drug
references.
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