movie review

Film Review: THE RIVER WILD, 1994

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Tribute review for director Curtis Hanson who died today at the age of 71. 

THE RIVER WILD MOVIE POSTER
THE RIVER WILD, 1994
Movie Reviews

Directed by Curtis Hanson
Starring: Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon, David Strathairn, John C Reilly, Joseph Mazzello

SYNOPSIS:

Meryl Streep takes on a pair of armed killers while navigating a spectacularly violent river.

REVIEW:

I was in the middle of doing some pushing buttons work on the computer and I wanted to watch something while doing it to pass the time. So I flipped through the channels and saw that The River Wild was about to begin. I am always a fan of Meryl Streep because I love to analyze her body of work and the choices she makes. Yes, Streep will go down as one of the great actors of all-time, as she is an outstanding actor, but she also understands that it’s all about the films she works on. There are many a great actor who are lost in the wilderness of Hollywood because they work on mediocre films and few people know who they are. You are only as good as the team you work with and Streep knows that more than anyone. Chose your projects wisely.

There is a rule of thumb for actors (actors who have a choice of projects to pick) that you should only decide to work on a project if you can answer yes twice in the Rule of 3s. The Rule of 3s is that you feel confident in #1 – the script, #2 – the director and #3 – the actors already attached. If you can say yes to two, then you should do it but of course you are always looking to answer yes for all three. If you like the script and are not confident in the other two choices, then don’t do the project. The project will fail if only one answer out of the three questions is yes.

Streep (and her people) pick the right projects. And each project she does you will see that it’s something she’s never done before. She is always pushing her inner performance as far as she possibly can. All the while most of her films are recognized because she works on good projects with talented people.

The River Wild is Streep’s action film. She previously mastered the drama, the romance and the comedy genres, so action was next for her. As of this writing, it’s 2009 and I bet that she has a few fantasy and comic book movies in her to star in. Why not?

The setting of The River Wild is the world of white water rafting. Streep plays Gale, a history teacher mother of two who used to be a professional rafter. On vacation, she takes her son on the journey through the waters she grew up in. Along with her is her husband, but there is a lot of friction between the two. And the son has some issues too with his dad. But now there is just the three of them in a rafting boat with only the water (and their dog) and the beautiful scenery around them. A great place for a family to get reconnected.

Then they meet some drifters (Kevin Bacon and an up and coming actor John C. Reilly) who appear to be good people at the beginning but of course aren’t. Bacon always plays a good heel as he seems to enjoy chewing the scenery playing a man who’s a little unbalanced. His scenes with Streep are a lot of fun as they both are playing their own inner acting game. Streep’s close-ups in The River Wild are a thing of beauty as she is playing a type-A obsessive type who doesn’t like to lose but also a mother of two who’s first instinct is to protect her children. There’s a lot going on in those eyes of hers.

David Strathairn plays Streep’s husband. An actor who could be the greatest ‘that guy’ actor in cinema history. He’s been in 100s of films, but he’s never played the lead in a major Hollywoood film or doesn’t play the macho type of actor who plays army types or cops. He always does those roles that other actors don’t want to do or can’t do. A man who can tap into his emotional core and can be your average American. His role in The River Wild is the thankless role that if not performed right, will tear down the entire film.

So while doing my pushing buttons job, I watched a film that flew by as I enjoyed every minute. The themes of A River Wild are a little hokey as they try to tie the kidnapping angle with the reason a family gets closer together, which was a tad pushed. But overall this is a fun film. Director Curtis Hanson then went on to make two terrific films in LA Confidential and Wonder Boys as he caught the Meryl Streep magic. Take a look at the director’s next film after Streep worked with them. They all seem to make a terrific follow up film. Is it a coincidence? Or is it Meryl?

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Film Review: LA CONFIDENTIAL, 1997

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Tribute review for director Curtis Hanson who died today at the age of 71. 


la_confidential_poster.jpgLA CONFIDENTIAL, 1997
Movie Reviews

Directed by Curtis Hanson
Starring: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, James Cromwell, Danny DeVito, Kim Basinger
Review by Brent Randall

SYNOPSIS:

The corruption existing within Los Angeles police force of the 1950s is exposed in this crime thriller.

WON 2 OSCARS – Best Supporting Actress (Basinger), Best Adapted Screenplay

REVIEW:

From the opening scene to the final credits, L.A. Confidential keeps you on the edge of your seat as it weaves through the murky waters of the Los Angeles police force. Set in the 1950s, the movie opens with discussing the wonders of Hollywood by showing a series of shots of the beach, the grand strand, and Hollywood, and how life in L.A. is better than anywhere on the planet, much less America, and the Los Angeles Police Department is the pride and joy of the City of Angels. After about five minutes of praising the city with a marvelous voice over from Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito), Hudgens shifts gears and begins shedding light on the mobster, Mickey Cohen (Paul Guilfoyle), and how Cohen is pushing heroine through the city and causing chaos in a clean and pristine town.

At first, it seems that the police force is dead set on snuffing out the crime with the arrest of Mickey Cohen in the opening sequence with their brilliant detectives, Bud White (Russell Crowe), Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), and Captain Dudley Smith (James Cromwell). However, it is merely an illusion, and the corruption within the famous police department is quickly exposed. As the viewer, you get the sense early, all is not right within when a brawl breaks out between the inmates and the policeman on Christmas Eve. Personally, I thought it was brilliant to stage the fight on Christmas Eve, a time known for peace and joy, and the fight is one of the most vicious, realistic fights I have seen in recent films. Shortly after the fight, the event that sends everything in motion is a horrific set of murders that occurred at the infamous “Night Owl” restaurant. A blood bath that took place over a failed robbery attempt in Captain Smith’s account. Captain Smith, who is always trying to get justice, in his own words, “swiftly and merciless”, pins the murders on three young black men who had previous records . Smith feels no one would raise too many questions regarding these suspects, and they could shut the case for good.

However, Bud White and Ed Exley, while not choosing to work together for most of the film, know something stinks about The Night Owl investigation, and desire to find some air freshener to eliminate the “smell.” They employ the help of Detective Jack Vincennes, which is brilliantly performed by Kevin Spacey, and Lynn Bracken, a high class hooker, played by Kim Basinger in her best performance ever, in my opinion. We quickly learn that Bud White believes in justice, cares for women, has a major temper, and is loyal to the department. Exley, on the other hand, is a kiss up, but also believes in justice. Throughout the movie, it is easy to see why these two do not get along, but one quickly learns they have much more in common than originally thought, and they both prove to be honest and men of integrity. Russell Crowe (playing Bud White) and Guy Pearce (playing Ed Exley) both give brilliant performances, and makes one realize the line between right and wrong is very, very, complicated and sometimes justice is found on both sides of this proverbial line.

Bud White is probably, in my opinion, Crowe’s best roll to date. Not to take away anything from the movie Gladiator, but in L.A. Confidential, his character is not always right, he is not always wrong, but his quest for justice and righteousness gives the viewer a real sense of hope. Bud White is a character, as a human being, I can relate to. He is real, honest, has major flaws, but genuinely seeks the good in all and more importantly, the good within himself.

In fact, Bud White and the other character is what makes this film great. The story line is solid, but as the film progresses, you find yourself loving some, hating others, and not sure how to take the rest. Some represent the good in the world, Bud White. Others represent the evil in the world, Captain Dudley Smith. Some represent the people who look out for themselves as in Jack Vincennes, and then there is Lynn Bracken. In my opinion, she represents the hope we all have as humans for a brighter future, and that hope along with her brilliant acting might be why she took home the best supporting actress Oscar.

From scene to scene, and character to character, this film keeps probing deeper and deeper into corruption and darkness in search of hope, justice, and peace. It grips your the viewer’s emotions and takes you on a roller coaster ride. The acting is brilliant, and the stars (Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Danny DeVito, Kim Basinger -just to name a few) are even brighter. It is a film that makes you want to search within yourself, question your own morality, and makes people realize that some of the worst enemies are the ones who appear to be friends, and vice versa. While it did not win best picture, (it was nominated and in my opinion, should have won!) it definitely qualifies as one of the best crime thrillers of all time.

 

 

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: VOYAGE OF TIME: LIFE’S JOURNEY (Germany 2016)

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

voyage_of_time_lifes_journey_poster VOYAGE OF TIME: LIFE’S JOURNEY (Germany 2016) **
Directed by Terence Malick

Starring: Cate Blanchett

Review by Gilbert Seah

From the director of THE TREE OF LIFE, this film has Malick at his most personal, which might not be a film for everyone.

Many segments will only make sense to Malick. The film is reported to be a years-in-the-making ode to the wonder of creation. The wildly ambitious Voyage of Time: Life’s Journey, according to Malick, leads the audience on a temporal trip through the history of the universe.

The film begins with light and darkness and explosions interpreted to be the birth of stars and the evolution of life on Earth. The film is then set in the inky depths of the oceans, where incandescent creatures float in the darkness.

The poetic narration written by Malick is voiced by Cate Blanchett. But not all the segments are original.

Some like the funnel of thousands of small fish devoured by other bigger fish and diving birds have been shown on Disnyeworld films. Also warning: the soundtrack is crisp clear. Anyone eating popcorn can be heard. I had to tell the person behind me to stop eating!

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVyWObJY9FQ

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: SADAKO VS KAYAKO (Japan 2016)

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

sadako_v_kayako_poster.jpgSADAKO VS KAYAKO (Japan 2016) **
Directed by Kôji Shiraishi

Starring: Mizuki Yamamoto, Tina Tamashiro, Aimi Satsukawa |

Review by Gilbert Seah

Two iconic Japanese ghosts are thrown into the ring for a grudge match that’s the ultimate spectral showdown.

A more appropriate title would be THE RING VS THE GRUDGE. University students Yuri (Mizuki Yamamoto) and Natsumi (Aimi Satsukawa) buy an old VCR in order to transfer their home videos to DVD, but when Natsumi watches the dusty old tape found in the machine, she realizes she may have fallen victim to the curse that their urban-legends professor Morishige (Masahiro Komoto) is obsessed with.

Meanwhile, high-schooler Suzuka (Tina Tamashiro) is having dreams about a mysterious house down the street from her new home. Though warned not to enter the house lest she be killed by the Saeki family curse, she is soon drawn inside by the resident ghosts, Kayako and her son, Toshio.

The film is SADAKO VS KAYAKO. But the film does not turn out as well as it sounds. I am not a fan of mash-ups like BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN or COWBOYS VS ALIENS. They turn out too silly and never achieve much, the only exception being the excellent Japanese classic KING KONG VS GODZILLA.

Sadako exists mainly as hair coming out of the TV or video tape so a confrontation of hair against a white crawly ghoul might not amount to much.

Director Shiraishi spends too much time setting the stage for the fight and when it finally occurs, it is a disappointment.

See this only if you must!

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyLA6nfPvRo

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: HUNTING FLIES (Norway 2016) ***

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

hunting_flies_poster.jpg
HUNTING FLIES (Norway 2016) ***
Directed by Izer Aliu

Starring: Burhan Amiti

Review by Gilbert Seah

Not the typical Norwegian film, HUNTING FLIES is totally set in a village in Macedonia. Izer Aliu’s first film takes a look at a way ethnic differences could be solved, though it is a sought of simplified look. As the film begins, the ostensible hero, veteran teacher Ghani, is pleading with his school’s new principal to keep him on staff.

A recent change in government means that the new group in power will likely fire the school’s old administration and bring in their own people, regardless of their experience, as sinecures for the ethic group that got them elected. This ethnic rivalry is keenly felt by the students in Ghani’s class, who are constantly at one another’s throats.

While Ghani struggles to create common ground between the two factions, the newly appointed teachers are more than happy to stay outside the classroom, smoking, gossiping, and smacking kids upside the head when they get unruly.

Ghani decides to keep the children after school, way into the night to make sure they come to peace with each other. Aliu is a first time director and it shows.

His ambitious film is rough in parts and the logic does not really rub off to the audience. But he does elicit fantastic performances from the cast of 10 children of non-professional actors. Watching the children is the highlight of the film.

According to the director, when the auditioning for the 10 children in the village, 11 showed up and it was a difficult decision to decide which one would not get the part.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv7QfRBxGzo

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Film Review: A SPECIAL DAY, 1977

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Tribute review for Sophia Loren, born today at September 20th. 

A SPECIAL DAY, 1977
Movie Reviews

Directed by: Ettore Scola

Starring Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastrioanni, John Vernon,

Review by Leslie McMurtry

SYNOPSIS:

It’s a very special day in 1939—the day Hitler first visits Mussolini in Rome. The event has been marked by a massive Fascist party rally and parade, drawing everyone in the city. An entire tenement block leaves for the parade, except housewife Antonietta and unemployed radio announcer Gabriele. A chance meeting causes the pair to return to each other’s company over and over during the day and in the space of a few short hours, they have formed a very close and ultimately redemptive bond.

REVIEW:

Archival footage shows the arrival of Hitler and his highest-ranking Nazi cohorts by train and Mussolini’s Fascist army meeting and greeting them in Rome. A radio announcer gives full details of the historic event while giant swastikas float in the breeze, the streets choked with spectators. The announcer says that the Fascist forces are there in preparation for the next day, when an even bigger event will take place.

Daylight dawns over a tenement block in central Rome. The date is May 8, 1939—the day after the one the archival footage presented and the day of a huge Fascist party rally and parade. Pauletta (Françoise Berd), the caretaker of the block of flats, unveils a huge Nazi flag next to the Italian flag. In one of the flats, long-suffering mother and housewife Antonietta (Sophia Loren) goes from room to room, waking up all six of her children as well as her husband, Emanuele (John Vernon). It is nearly six, and if any of them are late for the rally, she doesn’t want them to complain to her. A flurry of activity results as the children, from little boy Vittorio to Antonietta’s surly and spoiled daughters Maria Luisa (Alessandra Mussolini) and Romana (Patricia Bazzo). Antonietta angrily discovers dirty pictures in the bed of Fabio (Maurizio Del Paoloantonio), but when she scolds him, he says that his father gave them to him.

Emanuele is a fervent Party member and exhorts his children to their patriotic duty as they have breakfast. Emanuele clearly has no respect for Antonietta, calling her lazy even though she has clearly gotten up hours before dawn to prepare the rest of the family. As the family make a mass exodus, in patriotic costume and their best clothes, streaming out into the courtyard with all the other families, Emanuele wonders that Antonietta doesn’t go to the rally. She says she has too much work to do. At last, the entire tenement empties, and only Antonietta and the caretaker are left in the silent building.

Or so she thinks. Going about her chores as if in a dream, Antonietta is flung into action when the family mynah bird flies out the window and across the courtyard to the flat opposite. Antonietta tries to signal to the man in the flat (Marcello Mastroianni), but he isn’t paying attention. Inside the flat, we see he has stacks of papers surrounding him as well as a gun. The impression is made that he is about to shoot himself. Antonietta arrives and asks for his help to rescue the bird. He helps her to rescue the bird and is relieved at the interruption. The loudspeaker radio announcer detailing every detail of the rally can be heard through every moment of the next few hours. Antonietta wants to make a quick getaway back to the safety of her flat, but the man introduces himself as Gabriele. Antonietta notices his copy of The Three Musketeers, which she accidentally confuses with The Four Musketeers, an extremely popular Italian radio serial of the time. Gabriele asks her to take the book with her, but she declines and leaves.

Gabriele receives a phone call from “Marco,” who it soon becomes clear is his absent lover. They argue and hint at a future that looks very bleak. Gabriele goes soon after to Antonietta’s flat and gives her the book anyway. He asks her for a cup of coffee, and she begins the long laborious process of hand grinding he beans. She takes the opportunity to try to tidy up and at the same time improve her appearance (she is dressed in an old housedress and dressing gown). They are interrupted by the arrival of Pauletta, who mean-spiritedly warns Antonietta against Gabriele. Gabriele decides he should probably leave, but Antonietta convinces him to stay for his coffee. She finds out that he is a radio announcer who was recently fired. He looks at the albums dedicated to Mussolini that she has put together, and he is both impressed and saddened by her devotion to “Il Duce.” She notes that she has six children and if she has a seventh the family will be eligible for the Large Family subsidy; as a bachelor, Gabriele has to pay a Celibacy Tax.

Pauletta interferes once again, intimating that Gabriele is not to be trusted because he is an antifascist. She also says Antonietta’s washing on the roof is dry. Antonietta says that he is in the flat fixing a light. Gabriele fixes the light but is rebuffed by Antonietta. She goes up to the roof to get her washing, while Gabriele follows her, ostensibly to avoid meeting Pauletta on his way back to his flat. Up on the roof, Gabriele surprises Antonietta by wrapping her up in a sheet, allowing her to laugh for the first time all day. Then she grows angry, saying that “all you men are the same,” and implies that Gabriele has only been after her to have a casual affair. Gabriele admits to her that the reason he was fired from the radio station was because of “degenerate behavior.” Antonietta gradually realizes that he means he has been ostracized for being gay—or “queer,” as he calls it. Gabriele is hurt by Antonietta’s attitude since has just bared his soul to her, and grows angry, attacking her and pretending to assault her. He chases her down the stairs and shouts for the entire complex to hear. Will the two remain friends on this special day? Or will scandal and unhappiness result when Emanuele and the children return?

A Special Day (Una giornata particolare in Italian) was nominated for two Oscars and two Palme D’Ors. It was a joint production with Canadian production company Canafox, and several of the actors, including the superb John Vernon, were Canadian. Set in one location and following the Aristotelian conceits of drama, it takes place in 24 hours. Its backdrop story is a dramatic and ominous one—Mussolini and Hitler and the takeover of Fascism—but its main story is a quiet and relatively uneventful one. Still, it is a powerful drama beautifully filmed by Scola and acted by the two leads.

Sophia Loren seems to have gone to extraordinary lengths to dull down her incredible good looks to exude Antonietta’s unhappiness. Trapped in a marriage to a cheating husband she doesn’t respect, her days filled endlessly with dreary chores, self-admittedly a woman of little education, she seems to go about in a perpetual cloud of exhaustion and tedium. We get this information, and the sense that her devotion to the Party and to radio are there because she has nothing else, mostly from the way Loren performs rather than the script. Mastroianni also beautifully underplays the erudition, the repression, and the extreme kindness at the heart of Gabriele’s character. For once in her life, Antonietta has found a man who doesn’t act like a man—that is, he cleans up after himself, he cooks, and he treats her as a human being rather than a housewife-robot. The two are trapped in different ways, and for that reason they create a unique bond that is touching to watch develop.

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Film Review: OFFICE SPACE, 1999

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Tribute review for actor Gary Cole, born today September 20th.

OFFICE SPACE MOVIE POSTER
OFFICE SPACE, 1999
Movie Reviews

Directed by Mike Judge
Starring: Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston
Review by Matt Lohr

SYNOPSIS:

Peter Gibbons, thanks to a hypnotic suggestion, decides not to go to work at the same time his company is laying people off. When layoffs affect his two best friends, they conspire to plant a virus that will embezzle money from the company into their account.

REVIEW:

Mike Judge’s Office Space is a movie for me. And a movie for you. And really, a movie for anyone who’s ever worked what I call a “joe job”, a job so mentally undemanding and essentially meaningless that any joe can do it. Supervised by idiots who treat you like a bigger idiot, besieged by obnoxious co-workers, strait-jacketed by nonsensical company policy…we’ve all been there, and if Judge hasn’t, he certainly fooled me, because he has captured the deadening, infuriating hell of modern corporate culture with pitch-perfect satirical accuracy. Of course, why, after a day at our awful jobs, would we want to watch a movie about people with awful jobs? Because these people, unlike most of us, finally figure out how to fight back.

Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) is a cubicle slave at the monolithic Initech Corporation, one of those companies in which lots of anonymous people work too hard doing things they don’t quite understand. Peter hates his job, his desk, his soulless supervisor (Gary Cole), and pretty much the fact that the sun rises and sets every day. “Every day since I started working at Initech has been worse than the last,” says Peter, “which means that, every time you see me, it’s the worst day of my life.” Willing to try anything to bring him out of his funk, Peter goes to an “occupational hypnotherapist”, who puts him into a serene, I-don’t-care-about-work trance…then drops dead of a heart attack before bringing Peter out of it. That trance stays put but good, and Peter finally starts doing his job the way he’s always wanted to…that is, not doing it. He skips mandatory-overtime days to go fishing, guts the fish on his desk, dismantles the door handle that shocks him every morning, and even finds romance with a cute waitress (Jennifer Aniston) whose own frustrations with her job (and its policy about a mandatory number of funny buttons, or “flair”, on the uniforms) are reaching the breaking point.

The marvelous (and, when you think about it, rather horrifying) thing about Office Space is that even though it is clearly a satire, there is nothing in it that seems so far over the top as to be unbelievable. Everyone’s dealt with a fax machine that always says “Paper Jam” when there’s no such thing, co-workers whose relentless cheerfulness seems like a constant slap in the face, and the stultifying drag of having three different managers caution you about the same infinitesimal screw-up. Arbitrary workstation moves, paranoia-inducing “efficiency experts”, managers who do nothing and still get to drive Porsches home…it’s all here, and it all elicits a laugh of recognition and empathy for the characters’ miserable plight.

Mike Judge is one of those rare things today, a comic filmmaker with a genuine vision. His comedic muse is lower-middle-class America, its frustrations and glories, trials and triumphs, and his satirical approach to this universe can be both affectionate (King of the Hill) and pitilessly savage (the brilliant but barely released Idiocracy). Office Space falls somewhere in the middle of this divide. Surely, many of the jokes are cruel, particularly at the expense of poor Tom Smykowski (Richard Riehle), an office schlump who sweats every day over his tenuous hold on his job, then finally has his dreams of financial security come true when he’s crippled in a horrible car accident. However, Judge is not just poking fun here. He truly feels for Peter and his fellow office drones, and their revenge against corporate America works not just comedically, but emotionally as well; we get our own vicarious charge out of watching the fatcats get royally screwed. This was Judge’s first live-action effort, but there’s no hint of awkwardness or uncertainty in this transition from animation. The directorial hand here is a firm one, and the jokes hit home with all the punch they deserve.

Perfect casting is the main key to the success of Office Space. Livingston’s blandly handsome looks and deadpan manner make him a perfect choice to convey both Peter’s work-induced funk and his later devil-may-care rebellion, and he and Aniston spark nicely in their scenes together. Gary Cole scores big laughs as a soulless middle-manager with a coffee mug permanently welded to his hand. Also quite enjoyable are Ajay Naidu as Samir Nahinanajar, a software programmer who can’t understand why no one in America can pronounce his name, David Herman as a fellow techie cursed with the unfortunate name of Michael Bolton, and Stephen Root (who does the voice of Bill on King of the Hill) as poor put-upon Milton, whose ever-escalating battle to defend his workstation and his beloved red stapler soon leads to hilarious consequences for Initech.

The film’s soundtrack also scores a lot of laughs, mainly by being comprised of what would seem on the surface to be wildly inappropriate music. There’s a little Louis Armstrong and a few mambos by Perez Prado, but the majority of the soundtrack is gangsta rap tunes; a montage of Peter’s office antics is scored with the Geto Boys’ “Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta”, and Canibus and Biz Markie kick in a hilarious end-credits anthem, “Shove This Jay-Oh-Bee”. The hardcore urban black sounds hilariously clash with the images of white-collar white revolt, while at the same time perfectly bringing out the outlaw streak that runs deep within these corporate rebels.

Office Space was not a success upon its initial theatrical release, but has found a loyal fan base in ancillary markets. Almost everyone I know has seen it and loves it, and I have a hunch that as long as people still spend their days trapped in little boxes with desks, doing work they don’t understand for people they don’t like, Mike Judge’s film will be there, easing the pain and offering hope that some day, we can escape and do our own thing. And if you don’t respond to it quite so strongly, at least it should give you some good laughs after a hard day’s work.

 

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Film Review: THE WOLF MAN, 1941

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Tribute review for Lon Chaney Jr., AKA – The Wolf Man, who died today on September 20th.

THE WOLF MAN MOVIETHE WOLF MAN, 1941
Movie Reviews

Directed by: George Waggner

Starring: Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains, Evelyn Ankers, Warren William, Bela Lugosi and Maria Ouspenskaya

Review by JR Kuzm

SYNOPSIS:

Upon the death of his brother, Larry Talbot returns from America to his ancestral home in Wales. He visits a gypsy camp with village girl Jenny Williams, who is attacked by Bela, a gypsy who has turned into a werewolf. Larry kills the werewolf but is bitten during the fight. Bela’s mother tells him that this will cause him to become a werewolf at each full moon. Larry confesses his plight to his unbelieving father, Sir John, who then joins the villagers in a hunt for the wolf. Larry, transformed by the full moon, heads for the forest and a fateful meeting with both Sir John and Gwen.

REVIEW:

After the sudden death of his brother, Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.) is called home to take on the family estate. Home is the Welsh country side and after a fight with his father, Sir John Talbot (Claude Rains), decided to move to America in order to study, but the death forced him home and to make amends with his father.

Upon his arrival, the two men act rather coy about their relationship and are obviously trying to find a common interest to talk about. The solution is resolved when Larry comes across a brand new telescope Sir John had recently installed. As Larry takes hi

Larry walks down to the village and enters the antique shop. The young girl greets him and ask if he needs any help with anything, Larry tells her that he is looking for a pair of earrings exactly like the pair the girl was putting away earlier. Not quite picking up on this yet, Larry tells her that he saw her through her window, at first upset, Larry sets the girl at ease with his charm. It is revealed that the girl is Gw

Even a man that is pure of heart

And says his prays by night

May become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms

And the autumn moon is bright

Larry asks Gwen if she would like to do something later, which she informs him that she and her friend Jenny are going to the Gypsy fortune tellers that night if he cared to go, which was a no brainer. So that night, Larry escorts the two young ladies to the Gypsy camp.

While Jenny is receiving her fortune telling, Larry and Gwen take a little walk through the forest. During her reading though, the Gypsy Bela (Bela Lugosi) sees a pentagram appear on Jenny’s hand. This symbol is only visible to a werewolf and appears on its next victim. Bela begs Jenny to run, so she does. While in the woods, Larry is moving in for a kiss when it is interrupted by Jenny’s scream. Larry rushes to her rescue to find her dead body being mauled b

Larry and Gwen take Jenny’s remains to Dr. Lloyd (Warren William) who tries, but is unable to do anything for Jenny. Larry also takes the police out to the spot where the attack happened, but when they got to the spot, there wasn’t the dead wolf lying thchecks him and discovers that his skull had been bashed in. The police believe what happened was that both Bela and Larry hear Jenny’s screams and rushed to the rescue and in the frenzy of a fight got confused and accidently killed Bela. Larry knows that She tells him that Bela was a werewolf and that Larry now carries the mark. At first Larry is skeptical but as he visits Bela tomb he comes to realize the curse he now bears.

Although the Talbot family is well respected in the area, the villagers have become cold and distance towards Larry believing that he is a murderer now, no scene shows this more than when Larry and Sir John go to church the following Sunday and the people jus

Later that night, while Larry is preparing for bed, he starts scratching all over his body. He removes his shoes and socks and sees them start to get hairy. He has transformed and leaps from his bedroom window. Peering from behind a tree, it is revealed th

The next morning, Larry is awaken from the sunlight shining on him. Not remembering a thing that had happened, he sees muddy footprints on his floor and starts to worry. It is at this time that his father comes in and tells him about the dead gravedigger, wsees him as the wolf and comes to his aide. She says a chant and Larry transform back to normal, but the next morning the villagers are much more scared and this compels the Talbots to join in on the posse. Before they head out though, Larry visits Gwen, th

So later that night, Larry transforms again, attacks and kills another man, while Gwen is running around the forest fearful for Larry’s safety, when she happens upon the wolf. The beast attacks her, Sir John hearing her screams comes to her aide. Carrying

Ten years after the success of Frankenstein and Dracula, a few years after what many believed to be end of the golden age for the monster movies, Universal, now considered mostly as a B studio released The Wolf Man. Not excepting it to be much of a success due to the recent failures that the genre had produced and the fact that the release date was just five days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Universal was surprised to see that the movie was a runaway hit, quickly raising The Wolf Man to the third spot in the studios monster roster.

One reason for the movie’s success is due to its escapism affect it had on the public, who went to see the movie to forget about the drama that was happening in the real world. Another aspect that Universal did not count on was having Lon Chaney Jr as its

Just a few years prior Chaney Jr made himself a name in the industry for his performs in Of Mice and Men (1939), which many believe is the best supporting actor of that year, even though he was not even nominated. This though was his first big hit as the lead and it propelled him to the ranks of Lugosi and Karloff. Chaney would later say that the wolf man was

Outside of Chaney, the acting is pretty dull, once again, being perceived as a B picture, many of the actors were still novices, except for Rains who had just come off one Oscar nomination for his work in Mr. Smith goes to Washington (1939) and one year prior to his second nomination for Casablanca (1942).

The acting isn’t what the film is known from anyway though, it is the wolf makeup that the legendary Jack Pierce did that was the real star. Pierce, the wizard behind all the classic looks, spent four hours day applying the legendary look, many consider this as one of his best jobs.

Once again, although the acting in this movie for the most part isn’t very good, this is a film is a must for fans of the horror genre. As I have stated earlier, The Wolf Man has become the third most popular of the Universal monsters, so might as well see

 

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Movie Review: Spider-Man (2002)

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Tribute review for Rosemary Harris. Happy Birthday Today!

SPIDER-MAN MOVIE POSTER
SPIDER-MAN, 2002
Movie Reviews

Directed by Sam Raimi
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Rosemary Harris, Willem Dafoe, Cliff Robertson and J.K. Simmons
Review by Andrew Kosarko

SYNOPSIS:

Orphaned at a young age, young Peter Parker was always some what of a nerd, living with his aunt and uncle. One day while attending a high school field trip to a science laboratory, Peter is bitten by a genetically enhanced super spider. The next morning, he awakes to some massive superhuman changes overtaking his body, allowing him to climb walls, shoot webs from his wrist and a super keen reflex ability. As any teen would, he attempts to abuse his new power to win points with a girl he’s in love with, Mary Jane Watson. Then, because of an indirect result of his greed, his uncle is shot and killed, leaving him with the knowledge that with his great power, comes great responsibility….

REVIEW:

Alright, let’s begin. I was never, ever a fan of Spider-man, nor Marvel for that matter. But I was pumped for this movie when I first saw the trailer where Spider-man webbed up a helicopter full of crooks between the Twin Towers. It gave me Goosebumps. And while I wasn’t a fan, I knew all about this character and his enemies. I got so jazzed seeing Easter eggs like “Otto Octavius” portrait in the background of the trailer. But it seemed no one around me was “pumped” about it. Then, the day the world stopped. September 11th. The world was in shock. Americans were in confusion. In the time that followed, little was accomplished in bringing those responsible to justice. People where discouraged. Their faith in justice, un-rewarded. All they wanted was a hero. Someone to stand against an unstoppable evil force, and triumph. And that man was Spider-man. I once took a History of film class. The one thing I took away from the lessons was that films have their success by the time they are created. Sure, stories, acting and a whole bunch of other things contribute to a great film. But timing is everything. Spider-man hit at just the right time.

The Story:

This film does a great job of just getting to the point. Within the first few minutes we meet all our central characters and the inciting incident is off and running. And it doesn’t stop. Complication leads to complication. But this film, compared with other films of it’s genre, is able to keep itself fun. You can actually enjoy every scene and not feel all too depressed or upset. Of course the scenes of death may lower the tone a bit, but joy wouldn’t feel as good if it wasn’t for pain. Catch my drift? The plot rarely gets off track and keeps in mind that it has to do two things at once; tell an origin story, and tell the story of a hero battling evil. Everything that happens develops both the plot and the characters in addition to their relationships with those around them. That right there folks, is how you tell a story.

Acting:

Now we’re going to run into some problems… Tobey Maguire – Peter Parker / Spider-man: Tobey’s 2nd best portrayal of the webslinger is in this film. He takes the cake in the second film, but this one was still strong. He’s able to play a lovable dorky nerd and a true bad ass when he wants to be. His emotional scenes with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May are always touching and some of his best work. But overall, as many others have said before me, it’s a tad “wooden” at times. The emotion comes and goes from him. I don’t think it’s a lack of effort on his part, just a style of acting he’s become accustomed to. It’s really just a nitpick to be honest.

Kirsten Dunst – Mary Jane Watson: Never since Smallville’s Lana Lang have I been so annoyed with a female lead in a super hero portrayal. There’s just something about her that makes me want to drive off a cliff. I’m not saying she’s a terrible actress because she can hit the mark (See: The Virgin Suicides). But I just don’t like her in this role. In an effort to make her an “independent, strong willed woman”. She just comes off as a pain. I’m all for strong women roles. Aunt May is a strong women role. But there’s some actresses that try to show “strong women” and just come off as annoying and bitchy. This is one of those portrayals.

James Franco – Harry Osbourn: Good stuff. I mean, there’s not much all for him to do right now. He’s just a spoiled rich kid who takes up with Peter because he’s outcast from the normal crowd. He does a good job of showing that there is a good side to him, but that he’s headed down the wrong path because of his father’s lead. Which, of course, brings us to…

Willem Dafoe – Normal Osbourn / Green Goblin: By far, one of the greatest villain portrayals ever. He’s crazy. No more explanation needed. When he slips from persona to persona he’s taken the job of working his eye movements differently, different posture, changing up his voice tone, and as my father always said about characters who wear masks in movies; “It’s all about the eyes.” Dafoe does an excellent job of helping to plant the seeds for Harry’s arc in later film as well.

Rosemary Harris / Cliff Robertson: Aunt May / Uncle Ben – this tag team is great. When one sets down the reigns of guiding Peter, the other picks them up in a beat. It’s the anatomy of a good couple. One that holds the same values. So not only is it believable when they guide Peter through his journey, but also makes them realistic characters. I could believe that these two were in love just by the way they compose themselves in scenes where the other is not there. Fantastic acting and characterization.

JK Simmons: JJ Jameson – had to mention this. BEST PART OF THE MOVIE EVER. If anyone ever got a comic book character more perfectly adapted it’s this one. Granted it’s not a prominent role, but still scene stealing none-the-less. Directing: Sam Raimi hit the mark on this film. It’s a perfect balance of tragedy, comedy drama and action. It has all the necessary requirements to please comic fans, movie fans, and the general audiences. The look of the film, the tone, just everything about it, while it doesn’t appeal to me personally, does work and coincide with one another. The hallmark of a good director is someone with a stylistic goal. Raimi never sways away or loses track of what he intended.

Cinematography:

Don Burgess – A great job. The swinging shots through the city are just amazing and everything is well captured and shot. The colors shine greatly like how a comic book film should. It’s not blatantly campy/comic booky ala Batman & Robin or Sin City, but it’s also not gritty and “realistic” as something like Batman Begins.

Production Design:

As cited above, everything is well done and put together. It combines the realistic feel it needs while still giving it that “comic book” style and edge.

Editing:

No real problems here. Nothing special either.

Score: Not Elfman’s greatest work, but he still shines. I’m not a personal fan of the theme for Spider-man that he came up, but it works. The strongest part of his score, in my opinion, is the sad scenes and the use of the piano and the strings. Very powerful stuff that is guaranteed to hit your heart when you’re watching it.

Special Effects:

Top notch. I mean, nothing has topped Jurassic Park in terms of CGI believability, but this doesn’t take you out of the movie or anything. It’s always enjoyable and fun.

In closing:

The movie is solid. It’s a good popcorn flick with a little swig of substance mixed in. It was what we needed in a tough time to give us all that hope that in the end, the good guy will win. Call it what you may. But I find it ironic that the first trailer focused on the WTC and then those terrible events happened, only to come back with the Spider-man movie and give people some hope again. So from me to those who made this film. Thank you. Your film was what we needed.

….oh, but really quick. Next time, do it without Macy Grey. Ok-thanx-bye.

 

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Movie Review: NINOTCHKA, 1939

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Tribute review for actor Greta Garbo. Happy Birthday today!

NINOTCHKA MOVIE POSTER
NINOTCHKA, 1939
Movie Reviews

Directed by Ernst Lubitsch
Starring: Greta Garbo, Elvyn Douglas, Bela Lugosi
Review by Patrick Askin

SYNOPSIS:

A stern Russian woman sent to Paris on official business finds herself attracted to a man who represents everything she is supposed to detest.

REVIEW:

“Ninotchka” from MGM released in 1939 and directed by the incomparable Ersnt Lubitsch is one of the great all -time comedies from the classic film era. This movie is like a fine champagne, it is delicate, bubbly and gets better with each viewing. The movie stars GRETA GARBO and is famous for the tag line “GARBO LAUGHS.” She is simply marvelous as a dour Soviet official with no sense of humor sent to Paris to oversee her incompetent but lovable co-workers who have bungled selling Soviet goods to the French.

The movie is basically a subtle satire of THE SOVIET UNION and also a subtle glorification of all things Capitalism. One of my favorite lines in the film is when Melvin Douglass who plays the charming French aristocrat Count Dagou meets the overly serious GARBO he says” Oh A Russian, I love Russians, I’ve been admiring you five year plan for fifteen years.”

So Count Dagou and Ninotchka(Garbo) end up falling in love despite their differences which sets a a confrontation of cultures and lots of comic twists in the plot. Garbo’ s supporting cast is full of wonderful character types and film also stars the wonderful INA CLAIRE as the former Grand Duchess Swana from Czarist Russia now living in exile in Paris.

Ersnt Lubitsch was a German emigree who’s directing style was known as the “Lubitsch touch” and it is never better than in this film. No one was better at sophisticated comedy than he was. There are so many great moments in this film but the comedy is subtly funny not laugh out load uproariously funny.The movie was released in 1939 which is considered the most Golden year of the Golden era. It received many Academy award nominations but that was the year of “Gone with the Wind” so it was overshadowed a bit. Garbo was nominated for Best Actress and it’s a shame she never won one because not only was she a great beauty she was also a wonderful actress and it’s too bad she didn’t make more comedies. Her talent like her beauty is timeless and she has a wonderful time here poking fun here at her own image.

All the elements of this film come together perfectly between the great writing, directing and acting. I’ve watched this film over ten times and it just gets better each time and it is about as perfect a movie as you can get. Unfortunately this sort of sophisticated type of comedy is sorely lacking in today’s films. When you watch this movie it doesn’t feel dated, there is always a market for satire and I think there is still an audience today for this type of movie.

So if you going to pick one comedy to watch from the Golder Age of Hollywood you can’t do any better the “Ninotchka.” But I suggest you watch it more than once because there are many little moments to cherish here. And if you are a Garbo fan or have never heard of her then this is also. a must see film

 

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