HANNAH ARENDT

Biographical

Portions in German with English subtitles

F.Y.I.

Johanna “Hannah”Arendt (October 1906 – December 1975) was a German-American political theorist and philosopher. Born in Germany she fled her native country for France after being interrogated by the Gestapo and was then stripped of her German citizenship. With the occupation of France in 1940 she escaped to the United States becoming a naturalized citizen in 1950. For years she taught at several different American universities and became a well known author in addition to writing articles for various magazines.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Barbara Sukowa: Professor Hannah Arendt

Axel Milberg: her husband Heinrich Blücher

Janet McTeer: her friend novelist Mary McCarthy

Michael Degen: her long time friend and colleague Kurt Blumenfeld

Klaus Pohl: her first lover and mentor Martin Heidegger

Nicolas Woodeson: William Shawn, the New Yorker magazine Editor in chief

REVIEW

Given the assignment by the New Yorker to cover the 1961 war crimes trial of Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi Gestapo chief in charge of Jewish Affairs, her assessment of the man and the involvement of Jewish leaders soon became controversial.

CLASSIFICATION

for war related thematic material.

RENOIR

 Biography

In French with English subtitles

F.Y.I.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841 – 1919) was one of the most prolific of all the French Impressionist painters. During his sixty year career as an artist it is said he painted more than 6,000 canvasses. He suffered his first severe rheumatoid arthritis attack in his late ‘50’s. Within a few years his hands and feet were so damaged by the disease he had to use a wheelchair to sit or move about.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Michel Bouquet: Pierre-Auguste Renoir, painter

Christa Theret: 15-year-old actress and model Andreé Heuschling

Thomas Doret: Renoir’s third son 14-year-old Claude “Coco”

Vincent Rottiers: Renoir’s second son 21-year-old Jean

REVIEW

Covering the last five years of his life and how one woman had an impact on both Renoir pére and fils, the film unfortunately has several shortcomings:

• there is no background information regarding the painter’s affliction; something as important as that should not be ignored
• the rather stilted acting by both sons is something you might expect from students taking Acting 101 but not in a movie of this calibre
• unexpected events pop up without any sort of explanation such as when one of Renoir’s former models (who has not been heard from for years) all of a sudden shows up at a picnic

On the other hand the cinematography and use of natural light beautifully recreate the sense of the place where Renoir lived and incorporated in his paintings and Bouquet’s performance is top notch.

CLASSIFICATION

for full frontal nudity and brief strong language.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY

• Renoir pére asks his son to put a necklace around the model’s neck insisting it is the emerald one but the only necklace is one of pearls
• When Jean asks the price of some material he is told it is 5 francs a meter but the subtitles read 5 francs a foot.

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

Biographical drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Eddie Redmayne: 23-year-old Colin Clark
Kenneth Branagh: stage and screen star Sir Laurence Olivier
Julia Ormond: his wife Vivien Leigh
Michelle Williams: 30-year-old Marilyn Monroe
Dougray Scott: playwright Arthur Miller, Marilyn’s third husband
Zoë Wanamaker: Marilyn's acting coach Paula Strasberg
Judi Dench: stage and screen star Dame Sybil Thorndike
Emma Watson: wardrobe girl Lucy
Dominic Cooper: Marilyn’s manager
Toby Jones: Marilyn’s press agent

REVIEW
Based on the memoirs of Colin Clark and his involvement in the making of the 1957 romantic comedy “The Prince and the Showgirl” this film encompasses more than a week. In addition to being an insider’s look at the production problems it is an insightful portrayal of the “goddess of sex” herself.

The stunning performance by Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe outshines the rest of the cast, none of whom are slouches in their own right.

Production values are high with great attention to detail and some lovely cinemaphotography of the English countryside.

CLASSIFICATION

for profanity, sexual content and nudity.

NOWHERE BOY

Biography

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Aaron Johnson: 15-year-old John Lennon
Kristin Scott Thomas: his aunt Mimi
David Threlfall: his uncle George
Anne-Marie Duff: his mother Julia, Mimi’s younger sister
David Morrissey: Julia’s boyfriend Bobby
Thomas Brodie Sangster: 15-year-old Paul McCartney

REVIEW
This is quite an insight about the teen-aged John Lennon. The film covers three short years but has a lot to say about the troubled life he led before he became famous as one of the Beatles.

There are excellent performances from the three principals and lots of rock ‘n’ roll. As with many British films, the f-word is used with abandon.

CLASSIFICATION
for language and one scene of sexuality.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
Seen from John’s perspective Julia offers her left cheek for a kiss but in the side view it is her right cheek being offered.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Biography

F.Y.I.
A Final Club (often misstated as "finals club") is an undergraduate social club at Harvard College. Currently there are eight all-male and five all-female clubs at Harvard.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Jesse Eisenberg: 19-year-old Harvard University sophomore Mark Zuckerberg
Rooney Mara: his girlfriend Erica Albright
Andrew Garfield: Mark’s best friend Eduardo Saverin
Armie Hammer: members of the Harvard Rowing Club, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss
Max Minghella: their business partner Divya Narendra
Justin Timberlake: Napster founder Sean Parker

REVIEW
It is almost as though this role was meant for him: Jesse Eisenberg gives his best performance ever as the key person behind the development of the internet website known as Facebook. Mind you, the rest of the cast are no slouches: it’s just that he really nails it.

Despite a run time of two hours it is not overly long because it has a lot of ground to cover in what is a complex story involving many people and a raft of different situations. The script is tight with believable dialog, often delivered at breakneck speed, and the editing is crisp so the time flies.

Not only is the film well acted throughout, it is beautifully shot, informative and downright entertaining.

One other thing: the musical score is just perfect. I cannot recall the last time I said that of any movie I’ve seen. Now that’s quite a compliment.

CLASSIFICATION
for sexual content, drug and alcohol use and language.

MESRINE: KILLER INSTINCT

True story
Original title: L'instinct de mort
In French with English subtitles.

F.Y.I.
Jacques Rene Mesrine (pronounced may-rean) was born in Clichy, a suburb of Paris on 28 December 1936. He attended the prestigious Catholic school Collège de Juilly but was expelled for his aggressive behavior. After serving with the French Army during the Algerian War of Independence he returned to France in 1959.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Vincent Cassel: Jacques Mesrine, former soldier
Gilles Lellouche: his long time friend Paul
Gérard Depardieu: low-level crime boss Guido
Elena Anaya: Sofia, a dark haired Spanish girl
Cécile de France Jeanne Schneider, a raven haired beauty
Roy Dupuis: small time crook Jean-Paul Mercier

REVIEW
A fast-paced biographical crime thriller with whole chunks of time simply bypassed which is a bit unsettling with the outcome of the scene left to your own imagination.

Although the run time approaches two hours it does not seem overly long, in part because of the crisp editing but more so because it is a riveting portrayal of a fascinating man.

The acting is first class and the action virtually non-stop.

CLASSIFICATION
for strong brutal violence, some sexual content and language.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
With great attention to detail on the part of the producers (correct coloured Quebec license plates for the year, stubbies during the 1960’s etc) it has not been easy to come up with too many nitpicks. Nevertheless I got a couple:
• Jacques and Jeanne were travelling through Arkansas when they got stopped rather than in Utah. But I have to admit, Arches National Park is much more scenic.
• The product placement rotating bottle nitpick: from one shot to the next the bottle rotates so that the label is clearly seen. In this instance all this takes place while Jacques and Jean-Paul are doing some work on a metal platform while drinking Molson Export beer.
• At the end of their telephone conversation Jeanne hangs up and Jacques is left listening to a busy signal. In reality the line goes dead and you hear nothing.

P.S.
This is the first in a series currently in theatres. Stay tuned for part two.

JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK

Documentary

F.Y.I.
Born Joan Molinsky (June 8, 1933) in Brooklyn, New York to Russian Jewish immigrants she graduated from Barnard College in 1954 with a B.A. in English literature. Before entering show business she worked at various jobs such as a tour guide at Rockefeller Center, a writer/proof-reader at an advertising agency and a “fashion consultant” at several Bond Clothing stores.

She wanted to become an actress and her first agent, Tony Rivers, suggested she change her name: Joan Rivers first appeared in a short-lived play called Seawood. She performed in numerous comedy clubs during the early 1960’s before making her first appearance in February 1965 as a guest on The Tonight Show hosted by Jack Parr. She worked as a gag writer and participant on Candid Camera and was frequently on television including The Ed Sullivan Show.

Known for her brash manner, River’s comic style relies heavily on poking fun at herself and other celebrities.

REVIEW
It is not a complete biography in the sense it skips over the first 35 years of her life and gets right into the woman she is today. Although there are brief snippets of her early career beginning in 1965 the film covers the events in about one year of her life, the year she turned seventy-five.

Warts and all. Well not really warts but bloodshot eyes and Botox blotches. How these unflattering scenes made the final editing cut is beyond me as most “stars” would have them eradicated in a nano-second.

And not just that: there is one other scene when she is doing a stand-up show in Wisconsin that I think most “stars” would have insisted it be removed but it is there for all of us to see and judge.

For those who have only seen Joan on television seeing her night club act shows an entirely different persona, one who will do practically anything to get a laugh. It is a revelation and may change your perception of the lady.

CLASSIFICATION
for pervasive language and crude sexual humor.

COCO BEFORE CHANEL

Biography
Original title: Coco Avant Chanel
In French with English subtitles

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Audrey Tautou: Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel
Marie Gillain: her younger sister Adrienne
Benoît Poelvoorde: rich playboy Étienne Balsan
and others no doubt

REVIEW
To sum up in one word or less it is one boring film. This dragged out biography of the woman who changed the world of fashion will test your patience since things evolve at a snail’s pace. There are too many words and not enough action.

Although it looks good with lovely costumes and grand sweeping exterior shots that is not enough to hold your interest for very long. I left after 45 minutes.

CLASSIFICATION
for sexual content and images of smoking.

AMELIA

Biography

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Hilary Swank: aviatrix Amelia Earhart
Richard Gere: promoter and publishing magnate George Putnam
Ewan McGregor: the founder of TWA Gene Vidal
Cherry Jones: First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt
Christopher Eccleston: Amelia’s navigator Fred Noonan

REVIEW
This is the true story of one of the most incredible people of the 20th century, a woman holding title to many “firsts” not just in aviation but with product endorsements as well. And Hilary Swank nails it: not only does she look and act the part of Amelia she ably handles a full range of emotion. I think this is her best performance ever. The rest of the cast give very credible performances, but none match hers.

The production values are top notch with great attention to detail (apart from two minor points as outlined below) creating the look and feel of the period. And it all rings true since the producers have resisted the temptation to exaggerate a little (or a lot as sometimes happens in Hollywood) especially about the uncertainty of some events.

CLASSIFICATION
for some sensuality, language, thematic elements and smoking.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
• A Petty Officer Second Class enters the radio room aboard the Coast Guard cutter Itasca. Immediately one of the enlisted men stands up and salutes. A salute is not required when indoors unless reporting to an officer and never extended to a N.C.O. Only Commissioned Officers and Warrant Officers are entitled to a salute.
• Fred used a fishing rod to pass messages to Amelia rather than by way of a clothesline shown in the movie.

P.S.
Gene Vidal’s son Gore went on to become a famous author.

P.S.S.
One minor quibble: I don’t see the reason for using the flashback technique since the story begins at a point when we do not know the outcome. I would have taken the straightforward chronological approach.

W.

Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Josh Brolin: G.W. Bush, forty-third President of the United States
Scott Glenn: Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Jeffrey Wright: Secretary of State Colin Powell
Thandie Newton: National Security Advisor Dr. Condoleezza Rice
Richard Dreyfuss: Vice President Dick Cheney
Toby Jones: Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove
Vincent Kartheiser: speechwriter David Frum
Elizabeth Banks: the president’s wife Laura
James Cromwell: former President George Herbert Walker Bush
Ellen Burstyn: his wife and mother to W
Bruce McGill: C.I.A. director George Tenet

REVIEW
This is a straightforward biography of George W Bush ending in 2004, a year after the invasion of Iraq. It has a ring of truth about it despite skipping over some major issues (his service with the Air National Guard for one). The official website indicates that some “creative liberties were taken for the benefit of the narrative” but for the most part it seems consistent with well-documented facts.

The acting is uniformly excellent and casting has done a great job. Many of the actors physically resemble the real personage although we do have to make a mental shift for some (Rumsfeld and the elder Bush for example). But the one who’s bang-on is Dreyfuss: he has mastered the voice, the facial tics and even the sinister look of the real thing. Brolin comes a close second in his portrayal of the President.

Although a tad long at two hours and nine minutes it doesn’t seem like it. The one word I heard most frequently mentioned by others upon exiting was “interesting”. That it is.

CLASSIFICATION
for language, sexual references, alcohol abuse, smoking and brief disturbing images of warfare.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
 During the roundtable meeting while everyone else is eating pecan pie the President’s glass is less than half full except for one scene when it fills itself only to revert to the previous level in the shot following.
 Although he had given up drinking in several scenes after that W has a beer in hand: this could have been a dandy nit-pick except for the fact it’s a non-alcoholic brand of beer called O’Doul’s…drats!

P.S.
The person maintaining the movie marquee got a break on this one.

I’M NOT THERE

Biography

BACKGROUND
Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman), May 24, 1941 is an American singer-songwriter, author, musician and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. Much of Dylan's most celebrated work dates from the 1960s, when he became an informal chronicler and a reluctant figurehead of American unrest. A number of his songs, such as “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are a-changin’” became anthems of the anti-war and civil rights movements.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Marcus Carl Franklin: a young African-American musical protege calling himself Woody Guthrie
Christian Bale: Jack Rollins, the early Dylan
Heath Ledger: Robbie Clark, the Dylan that gets married
Charlotte Gainsbourg: his wife Claire
Ben Whishaw: the talking-head Arthur
Cate Blanchett: Jude at the the top-of-his-career
Richard Gere: Billy the Kid

REVIEW
Those of you who are regulars readers know I purposely go to a movie knowing as little about it as possible (even to the point of going into the theatre only after the trailers are shown so not to "contaminate" future viewings) relying mostly on the ratings of a few critics (but ignoring their reviews entirely) to decide whether to see a movie or not. In this way I hope to replicate the experience of the average moviegoer who pays his/her ticket and sits down to watch what unfolds. Unfortunately that does not always work because sometimes unless you are “clued in” beforehand you find yourself in the wrong movie for you or simply totally lost.

This film falls into the latter category: I never figured out that the six story lines had anything in common. Only now having gone to the official website and watched two of the trailers did I find out that these six people reflect the different personas of one man, Bob Dylan. It’s a novel idea but one that was never made clear from either the brief ramblings of some fellow at the start or any other means such as an on-screen label “Bob Dylan, the wanna-be Woody Guthrie young, black, sassy kid” or something similar.

Now I can understand why the film begins with a 11-year-old black boy who tells his travelling companions he’s already been singing and writing music for years then proceeds to demonstrate his talent and then we jump to someone else (“Bob Dylan, the wanna-be Jack Rollins type of up-and-coming troubadour”) and never see the kid again.

But for reasons I have yet to figure out, they don’t even use the name of the singer being portrayed. Instead he’s called Jude. And played by a woman rather than a man. Why?

Frankly the whole thing is such a mess it’s not worth the effort of trying to sort it out. In addition it is long, running over two hours and lacking any linear time-line means these characters frequently reappear which just adds to the confusion. Switching from black-and-white to colour and back doesn’t help either. Nor does the weird Billy-the-Kid in a carnival setting.

It’s a wonder I didn’t walk out.

CLASSIFICATION
for language, some sexuality and nudity.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
 The reflective glass behind the music producer on the left-hand side allows you to see the camera tracking in for a close up.
 While performing in someone’s living room the strumming by the Woody Guthrie character is out of sync by at least half a beat to the music being heard.
 And his first vocal rendition is off by twice that to the words being heard.

P.S.
The title comes from one of Dylan’s songs.

AMERICAN GANGSTER

Biography, crime drama

BACKGROUND
Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (1906–1968) was an American gangster from Charleston, S.C. who moved to Harlem in New York city with his parents as a small boy. He was given the nickname "Bumpy" because of a large bump on the back of his head. He was hired by the Genovese crime family to protect Mafia operations in black neighbourhoods against local Harlem criminals. Johnson was arrested more than forty times and would eventually serve three prison terms for narcotics-related charges. He served as mentor to future drug kingpin Frank Lucus.

Frank Lucas (born 1930 in North Carolina), as the oldest boy in the family he had to put food on the table. He began stealing food and later, mugging drunks. He eventually had to leave home in his teens, after taking $400 from his boss and setting the man's place on fire. Lucas headed for Harlem where he continued his life of petty crime. He took a step up when he caught the attention of mobster "Bumpy" Johnson and became his driver.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Clarence Williams: “Bumpy” Johnson, crime boss of Harlem
Denzel Washington: his associate Frank Lucas
Russell Crowe: New Jersey drug cop Detective Richie Roberts
John Ortiz: his partner Javy Rivera
Josh Brolin: Detective Trupo, chief of the NYPD narcotics squad
Lymari Nadal: Miss Puerto Rico 1970
Chiwetel Ejiofor: Frank’s brother Huey
Ruby Dee: Frank and Huey’s mother

REVIEW
At 2 hours and 37 minutes, it is way too long. I suspect the explanation is a pedestrian as the producers trying to get in the same league in terms of running time as the best of the gendre: “Scarface”, 2 hrs 50 min., “The Godfather”, 2 hrs. 55 min.
They should not have bothered because it simply prolongs a well made, good story past the point where sustained interest remains paramount. As with most movies of this type, the last 20 – 30 minutes are “must see” so you are almost compelled to hang in to the bitter end whether you want to or not. Chop out half an hour (an easy thing to do, starting with the extended court proceedings of Richie’s divorce case) and it gets one more star!

The acting thoughout is top notch with both Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe at the top of their game. For that reason alone it is worth seeing.

CLASSIFICATION
for violence, pervasive drug content and language, nudity and sexuality.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
 Frank tells the telephone operator the international country code for Bangkok is 376; in fact it is 66.
 Richie calls in a code 10-13 on the police radio. That is a request for weather and road conditions. Given the circumstances a 10-71 (shooting has taken place) would have been more appropriate.
 When they visit Frank’s brother at his service station, the posted cost of gas is 30 cents a gallon. That was the price back in 1964 and had reached 36 cents a gallon when the story takes place.

CONTROL

Biography

BACKGROUND
Ian Kevin Curtis (b. July 1956 in Manchester, England) from a young age exhibited talent as a poet. Although he was awarded a scholarship to attend The King’s School in Macclesfield he never pursued academic endeavours. He got a job as a civil servant at the Labour Exchange but his real interest was the pursuit of art and literature, eventually culminating in music.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Sam Riley: Ian Curtis, lyricist and vocalist of the punk band Joy Division
Samantha Morton: his wife Deborah (Debbie)
Craig Parkinson: Tony Wilson, Manchester television personality
Toby Kebbell: Rob Gretton, the band’s manager
Alexandra Maria Lara: Annik Honoré, an employee with the Belgian Embassy

REVIEW
It is so unusual to see a movie in black and white but it is absolutely the best choice: it feels like it was made years ago, it best depicts the dreary inner city of Manchester, it perfectly suits the languorous pace of the movie.

Complementing that is another great choice, that of the actors. Particularly outstanding is Sam Riley. Although I’ve never seen the performance of Ian Curtis, the way he is portrayed looks and feels so authentic I have to believe it really was how he acted both on and off stage. In addition, Morton and Lara both put in excellent performances.

One caveat though: it is long, just over two hours, so it requires a fair amount of patience. But it is well worth the effort.

CLASSIFICATION
for language and brief sexuality.

P.S.
The title comes from one of the band’s best known songs, She Lost Control.

According to the press releases the movie constiutes the first for several people:
 Anton Corbijn: an acclaimed still photographer, this is his directorial debut
 Sam Riley: his first role in a film
 Deborah Curtis: her first book, Touching From a Distance, being the principal source of material

TALK TO ME

Biography

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Chiwetel Ejiofor: Dewey Hughes, Program Director for radio station WOL-AM
Don Cheadle: prison DJ Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene
Taraji P. Henson: his girlfriend Vernell Watson
Martin Sheen: E.G. Sonderling, station owner
Cedric The Entertainer: on-air personality Bob Terry aka Nighthawk

REVIEW
Some of the things that transpired when Petey goes on the air for the first time demand a certain amount of credulity to accept. And possibly his girlfriend was not quite so ebullient as portrayed. But apart from these minor issues this fact-based movie has a lot going for it.

As starters it is entertaining with more than a few amusing moments. The performances of the three lead actors are all first-rate and the story is one few of us are familiar with. One note of caution though: the profanity might make some people uncomfortable.

CLASSIFICATION
for pervasive language and some sexual content.

CITIZEN LAMBERT: JOAN OF ARCHITECTURE

Documentary

REVIEW
Unlike most autobiographies, this one does not follow the traditional timeline to parallel the subject’s growth over the years. Instead, it offers up a combination of frank on-camera interviews along with mock grainy newsreels of key events in the life of Phyllis Barbara Lambert (née Bronfman), C.C., G.O.Q., M.Arch., O.A.L., F.R.A.I.C., F.R.S.C., R.C.A., and LL.D.

A letter in the alphabet often appears on screen and is then followed by Ms. Lambert’s thoughts pertaining to that letter. But even then there is no formal “going through the alphabet” from a to z with the result at the end when not all have been addressed you get the feeling this was an idea that simply petered out.

But even if it is a bit unorthodox, the film provides a wonderful insight to one of the world's leading architectural activists. The fact she has done it pretty well on her own with little moral support of her family only adds to her achievement.

CLASSIFICATION
Rated


P.S.
The title is a play on words of the classic movie Citizen Kane produced by Orson Wells and released in 1941 in which movie clips for the first time were used to advance the storyline.

LA VIE EN ROSE

2008 Best Actress in leading role
Best Makeup



Biography
In French with English subtitles

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Jean-Paul Rouve: Louis Gassion, Edith’s father
Marion Cotillard: the adult Edith Piaf
Gerard Depardieu: Paris cabaret owner Louis Leplee
Marc Barbe: her singing coach Raymond Asso
Jean-Pierre Martins: boxing champ Marcel Cerdan

REVIEW
Making extensive use of flashbacks, often with one of her songs playing in the background, this is an in-depth look at the life of a very well-known singer of the 40’s and 50’s.

By and large though, the movie is really a one-woman show as the actress playing the leading role gives a wonderful, believable performance. The rest of the crew are there to fill out the empty space in the picture frame.

Although it runs for 2 hours and 20 minutes, it doesn’t seem quite that long.

CLASSIFICATION
for some sexual content, brief nudity, mild language and some drug references.

P.S.
The title comes from her first big hit released in 1945.
BTW: Piaf is a Parisian colloquiaslism for “sparrow”.

MISS POTTER

Biography

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Renée Zellweger: Beatrix Potter, author of children’s tales
Barbara Flynn: her mother
Bill Paterson: her father Rupert
Ewan McGregor: her editor Norman Warne
Emily Watson: Norman’s sister Millie

REVIEW
Great acting by people who seem to fit their roles perfectly, this is a well-written story about a strong-willed woman who has to overcome more than a few difficulties. Along the way there are plenty of humorous moments and some really gorgeous shots of the Lake District in England. The pacing is excellent and unlike most movies lately, it is not too long.

CLASSIFICATION
for brief mild language.