LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER

Historical drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Ami Ameen: young Cecil Gaines

Forest Whitaker: the adult Cecil

Oprah Winfrey: Cecil’s wife Gloria

David Oyelowo: their oldest son Louis

Elijah Kelley: their youngest son Charlie

Terrance Howard: the Gaines neighbour Howard

Adriane Lenox: Howard’s wife Gina

Jim Gleason: R.D. Warner, White House administrator

Cuba Gooding Jr.: White House Head Butler Carter Wilson

Lenny Kravitz: his co-worker James Holloway

CAMEO PERFORMANCES

Mariah Carey: Cecil’s mother Hattie Pearl

Vanessa Redgrave: the plantation’s matriarch Annabeth

Robert Williams: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34^th President of the United States

James Marsden: John F. Kennedy, 35^th President of the United States

Minka Kelly: First Lady Jackie Kennedy

Liev Schreiber: Lyndon B. Johnson, 36^th President of the United States

Nelsan Ellis: civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr.

John Cusack: Richard Nixon, 37^th President of the United States

Alan Rickman: Ronald Regan, 40^th President of the United States

Jane Fonda: First Lady Nancy Regan

REVIEW

This overview of the historical struggle for civil rights in the United States is based on a true story of one man who saw it from a different perspective. There are several notable performances but Oprah is definitely the standout and may well wind up with an Oscar nomination.

Although a tad too long at two hours and 12 minutes, it covers a lot of ground that should not be just brushed over. The only disturbing thing was the slight resemblance most of the actors portraying the Presidents had so I spent more time trying to identify the actor rather than paying attention to what was being said. But at least I got the gist of it.

CLASSIFICATION

 for some violence and disturbing images, language, sexual material, thematic elements and smoking.

P.S.

Apparently Warner Bros. Studios owns the title “The Butler” from a 1916 silent film so the producers came up with this awkward title, crediting the director above the more appropriate real title.

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.

FRANCES HA

 Dramatic comedy

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Greta Gerwig: 27-year-old aspiring dancer Frances Handley

Mickey Sumner: Sophie, her best friend and roomie

Patrick Heusinger: Sophie’s Wall St. boyfriend Patch

Adam Driver: Sophie’s friend Lev

Michael Zegen: Lev’s roommate Benji

REVIEW

Two things set this low-budget film apart from the usual run-of-the-mill: there’s hardly any story and it’s shot in black-and-white. Snippets of Frances’ life play out in quick-cut fashion as she bumbles from one situation to another. Amusing a lot of the time even though there is a ring of truth about it which is probably not hilarious at all.

The acting is nothing exceptional except for Frances who steals every scene she’s in.

CLASSIFICATION

 for sexual references and language.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY

One of her friends tells Frances their flight from Paris to New York City took six and half hours. The fastest non-stop commercial flight actually takes more than an hour longer than that.

BEFORE MIDNIGHT

 Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Ethan Hawke: sucessful author Jesse Wallace

Seamus Fitzpatrick: his 13-year-old son Hank

Julie Delpy: Jesse’s wife Celine

Walter Lassally: their Greek friend Patrick

REVIEW

Basically this is a film about people talking about relationships, love, marriage, child upbringing, long-term commitment, that kind of thing. With the principal actors as co writers what they say often rings true and comes across as a natural conversation between two intelligent people who have known each other for years.

However the conversation during dinner sounds like something you might hear at a frat house with frequent vulgar references to what a man thinks is the most important thing in life. It is unsettling and out of place since most adults do not discuss private matters like this openly with others execpt with their marriage counselor perhaps.

The lengthy 10-minute long tracking shots with the camera plunked in front of the couple as they drive or walk is boring which is probably why no other director employs this technique to the extent this one does.

Some movie-goers are going to be offended by the brashness of the sexual nature of their short stay in the hotel room. During the viewing I attended, no less than five people walked out, offended and put off by what was shown on the screen.

CLASSIFICATION

 for sexual content, nudity and language.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY

While Jesse and Stefanos are talking each has a tall drink beside them but Stefanos’ changes locations from one shot to another although he never once touches it. 

P.S

This is the third film in the series with these two actors. The others were better.

MAN OF STEEL

comic book action/adventure

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Russel Crowe: Scientist Jor-El

Ayelet Zurer: his wife Lara

Michael Shannon: rebel leader General Zod

Cooper Timberline: 9-year old Clark Kent

Kevin Costner: Clark’s earth-father Jonathan

Diane Lane: Clark’s earth-mother Martha

Henry Cavill: the adult Clark

Amy Adams: Lois Lane, reporter for the Daily Planet newspaper

Laurence Fishburne: Perry White, the Daily Planet Editor in Chief

REVIEW

Loud movies loaded with copious CGI will certainly appeal to those whose literary choice is a comic book. For the rest of us it is an assault: not just to our ears but to our intelligence as though we expect nothing more of a movie than a series of hand-to-hand combat scenes that quickly become tedious all to the strains of an overbearing thumping score.

Without a  good story line and solid character development, a movie is just a bore and a waste of time. Instead of having us look up in the sky to see if it’s a bird or a plane and then discover it’s Superman we get to look at one scene of destruction, devastation and mayhem after another. At 2 hours and 23 minutes it is too long except for the die-hard fan who can’t get enough of this stuff.

Not being one of them, I should have walked out earlier.

CLASSIFICATION

 for some language, intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY

• General Zod says Krypton is on the verge of implosion; in fact, just the opposite happens shortly thereafter.
• The Coast Guard helicopter pilot identifies the aircraft as number 6502 whereas the tail number is actually 6011.
• Two Canadian soldiers in uniform are in the bar. No member of the Canadian forces is allowed to be in a public drinking establishment while in uniform.
• The captain of the C-17 Globemaster tells the co-pilot to take over the controls which he does and says “co-pilot in charge”. The correct handoff is “I have control”.
• The aircraft is some distance from the city when permission is requested to drop the bomb; some ten minutes later permission is granted and they are no closer than before.
• The news network is seen by viewers all over the world and they are all watching it at night; somewhere it has to be daylight.

THE KINGS OF SUMMER

 Coming of age

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Nick Robinson: 15-year-old Joe Toy

Nick Offerman: Joe’s  father Frank

Allison Brie: Joe’s older sister Heather

Moises Arias: Joe’s pal Biaggio

Gabriel Basso: Joe’s best buddy Patrick Keenan

Megan Mullally: Patrick’s mother

Marc Jackson: Patrick’s father

Erin Moriarty: Joe’s would-be girlfriend Kelly

REVIEW

For many of us male viewers, the story of three teenagers rebelling against their parents and taking measures to put things right brings back nostalgic memories and thus makes this a very appealing movie. Those who have not experienced something similar will no doubt still find this quirky, somewhat unconventional tale amusing and a pleasant outing.

The acting by the boys comes across as genuine and with a series of rapid-fire montages we get to see the kinds of antics they get up to along with more protracted moments of drama. Definitely a feel-good movie and it has to be said that Baggie is hilarious and steals every scene he’s in. Just to witness his antics is worth the price of admission alone.

CLASSIFICATION

 for languge and some teen drinking. I have no idea why such a harsh rating was assigned as there is nothing that warrants placing it in the same category as hard-core sex; it should be rated PG, no more.

THE INTERNSHIP

Comedy

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Vince Vaughn: mid-40’s watch salesman Billy McMahon

Owen Wilson: his partner Nick Campbell

Josh Brener: 23 year-old Google team manager Lyle

Assif Mandvi: Mr. Chetty, head of Google’s internship program

Tobit Raphael: overachiever Yo-Yo

Dylan O’Brien: brainy Stuart

Tiya Sircar: Neha, the token girl on the team

Rose Byrne: Google executive Dana

REVIEW

After a very long protracted start, the plot soon becomes utterly predictable with only the setting at the Google complex providing anything new that has not already been seen/used hundreds of times. Essentially a rehash of the underdogs (Billy and Nick) confronting overwhelming odds (getting a job at Google) and somehow doing better than expected.

Instead of clever writing the humour relies upon recycling worn-out overused juvenile sex jokes and a couple of new ones that need not be repeated as they are an affront to the elderly or to those with a weight problem.

Speaking of repeating: that technique is employed more than once just in case we don’t get the joke the first time resulting in an overlong two hours running time.

CLASSIFICATION

 for sexuality, some crude humour, partying and language.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY

• During a business dinner meeting, Billy’s glass of red wine moves further away from him although he never once touches it.
• Poorly done ADR results in  the movement of the lips being out of sync with what is being said by Nick’s sister.
• While Mr. Chetty is addressing the candidates Billy’s beanie disappears from time to time.
• When play resumes after the half-time break, the scoreboard incorrectly shows it to still be period 1.
• One of the interns has his headphones around his neck with the large pads showing but in the final shot even though he didn’t touch they have flipped over with the red exterior now showing.