December Quickie: Deadfall (Kin)

"Deadfall (Kin)" is excellent. Had me on the edge of my seat. Eric Bana in particular is great.

The Sessions: My favorite film of 2012 to date

Where to start? Perhaps I will say this- if you see one film at the theater this year make it this one. John Hawkes and Helen Hunt are perfectly cast. Hunt is a sex therapist and Hawkes plays Mark O'Brien- a Bay Area poet and journalist who must use an iron lung. Based on a true story. Poignant, charming. Bring a box of Kleenex.

November Quickies: Anna Karenina & Hitchcock

Real quick-
Anna Karenina: Beautiful. Good performances. Will see again.
Hitchcock: Alma Hitchcock was the woman who made it happen. See for yourself.

Skyfall: Daniel Craig is the perfect post 9-11 007

Warning: this review is a mash note to Daniel Craig and I must give credit to brilliant sister Anne Tallent for her insights. Maybe it has been noted before but Craig's 007 is the most complex, and frankly well acted, of all Bonds to date. Sorry Sean Connery- you were the alpha dog of the Bond franchise that all actors playing Bond were judged against until September 11, 2001 and then the global landscape changed. The previously impenetrable homeland became vulnerable. The film is a metaphor for this vulnerability and Craig is the perfect human representation of this. His Bond is a broken, flawed, albeit handsome Bond. Not as misogynistic as previous Bonds and far more sympathetic. Javier Bardem is equally complex as the villain.

The Paperboy: Good ole Southern Gothic

So it appears I might be the only person that likes this film having consulted Rotten Tomatoes. Considering "In Cold Blood" is one of my favorite books this is no surprise. All the great Southern Gothic tropes are in play: latent sexuality of all stripes (as well as not so latent), alcoholism, delusional/damaged characters, and the grotesque. This is a film Truman Capote could really get behind. I liked the casting and thought Nicole Kidman particularly good.

Beasts of the Southern Wild: Loved it- nuff said

Loved "Beasts of the Southern Wild." Amazing performance by Quvenzhané Wallis. Really strong performances all around by a cast of unknowns. Quvenzhané Wallis plays six-year-old Hushpuppy and she stole my heart and will steal yours too. Go see this on the big screen.

Moonrise Kingdom- Hyperbole Alert: I Heart Wes Anderson

What to say? Great film that has the usual Anderson preternatural attention to detail, stellar character development, sublime pacing, excellent music, inspired casting and great sets that all combine to offer up a superb cinematic experience. Run, do not walk, to the nearest theater to view. Didn't I warn ya? Maybe not hyperbole after all but you will have to judge for yourself. 

Bernie: Jack Black's finest moment

I think this film might be Jack Black's best to date. Based on a true story, Black plays 39-year old funeral director Bernie Tiede. Tiede murdered 81-year old Marjorie Nugent played by Shirley MacLaine in Carthage, Texas in 1996. Richard Linklater directs and it is as usual good stuff.

Headhunters (Hodejegerne) had me at minute one

I loved this thriller. Reminded me of "Tell No One" - which is an all time favorite. Roger Ebert says it best about this film in his review: he knew he was being manipulated and did not care. This Norwegian thriller will have you on the edge of your seat the entire film using character development and a good plot. No special effects. Old school film making.

Marley: Lively Up Yourself and go see this

This is really good... as in one of the best docs I have ever seen. Interviews of family, friends, Bob Marley himself, doctors, colleagues, and fans paint a fully developed picture of this amazing individual who died sadly at the age of 36 from cancer. Exhaustive in detail: background history and full of numerous anecdotes about what shaped Bob Marley into the amazing artist he became. This is the rare film I will go to see twice if not three times while still on the big screen. Last time I did that was for Pulp Fiction.

Quickies

- The Avengers: Great fun, loved it, love the footage after credits were done.
- Pina by Wim Wenders: about Pina Bausch - Really interesting way to create a documentary.
- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: A surprise. Good cast, a bit maudlin at times but over all okay.

Damsels in Distress - A Joy to Behold

I love a sleeper. This film is charming with strong female leads, witty dialogue and very well cast. Greta Gerwig as Violet is superb. The preview does not sell this film at all so if you have seen it - forget it- and go see the film.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen- Snooze Fest

As interesting as Melba Toast. Am a huge fan of the enormously talented Ewan McGregor and am disappointed he chose this film. Premise is ridiculous, the chemistry zero between McGregor the the lovely Emily Blunt and the entire film is too long.

Friends With Kids - Required viewing

Verisimilitude. This film has it when it comes to marriage and kids and how they change our lives. This film needs to be required viewing for all those who date, wish to be married and with children at some point. Parenting and marriage is tough stuff. I like small films with ensemble casts and this is a really good one: Jennifer Westfeldt in particular is amazing. She reminds me of Gena Rowlands in her looks and emotional range. The surprise in this - Megan Fox. She is actually quite good. 

A Separation (Jodaeiye Nader az Simin) Middle-aged trifecta

Where to begin with this film? For starters it is really good. Anyone who is over forty can relate most likely to one of the following: life with teenagers, aging parents possibly with Alzheimer's disease, and separation/divorce. This film covers all three. I think the preview made me think I was going to watch a comedy. It isn't. Filmed in Iran, it weaves in the role of faith, women's rights and Iranian law in a nuanced way. By the way being middle-aged is a blessing...  tis when you realize life is always hard - all the time - and when a moment of happiness occurs you savor it. In essence, you know life is a struggle and accept it, unlike the years prior.

Hugo: Dickens called and he wants Oliver Twist back

Saw "Hugo" and it is wonderful for kids and adults alike. Charming, poignant. Really glad I saw it. I loved the casting: Ben Kingsley was great as were all the others. Asa Butterfield is perfectly cast as Hugo and his role has an Oliver Twist-like aspect to it. You just want to scoop him up. Hope to see him in more films... Saw this at the Avalon in DC with a ton of families- that made the experience even more enjoyable to be around kids so excited to see this film.

Albert Nobbs: As the Irish say, "fair to midling"

I so wanted to like this a lot, being a huge fan of Glenn Close, but sadly that is not the case. The film has an interesting story to tell, that of Albert Nobbs, a woman who passed through most of her life as a man in late 19th century Ireland. Her life is a lie as she works as a butler in a Dublin hotel. The film's tensions arise when she falls for a young lady. The film suffers from slow pacing. 

Downton Abbey: Warning Addictive

Downton Abbey... I am totally consumed with this show. Character development is so great - even minor characters like Mrs. Patmore- the cook. Also love William Molesley and his roses. I think it is a testament to how well acted these parts are too when such small roles - acted with an economy of words - give us such a rich sense of the character.

Moneyball: Modern David vs. Goliath

I know next to nothing about baseball and found this film very good because it is about the underdog. David vs. Goliath. The movie is all heart in telling the saga of the Oakland Athletics during the 2002 season. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are interesting bookends as characters where these two, using Sabermetrics, which is the mathematical and statistical analysis of baseball records, built a ragtag team. As Hill states "like an island of misfit toys." The best line in a very well-written film. The soundtrack by composer Mychael Danna is hauntingly beautiful. Bring Kleenex.

My Week with Marilyn

Saw "My Week with Marilyn" and while not a great film it is a great character sketch of Monroe, Olivier and even Leigh. It captures a brief moment in time and dynamics between a lengendary actor and a movie star. Michelle Williams dazzles. She captures the elusive ethereal qualities of Monroe none has ever really fully embodied since: sexiness, vulnerability and an "it" quality that is magic onscreen — our eyes never left her. I hope Williams gets nominated for an Academy Award.