Skimp Flicks

Possession (1981)

2018-06-26T19:04:00.000-05:00

1981

France, West Germany

Directed by:  Andrzej Zulawski
Written by:  Andrzej Zulawski (original screenplay), Frederic Tuten (adaptation, dialogue)
Cast:  Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Margit Carstensen, Heinz Bennent
Rating: R

Synopsis (from Rotten Tomatoes website):

...this challenging and highly unusual drama stars Isabelle Adjani as a young woman who forsakes her husband (Sam Neill) and her lover (Heinz Bennent) for a bizarre, tentacled creature that she keeps in a run-down Berlin apartment. In the beginning, her husband knows nothing about the monster and sincerely believes that his wife is insane. He has her tailed by private detectives, whom she kills and feeds to the creature. Still unaware of what has happened, the husband contends with the reserved and inadvertently seductive presence of his wife's look-alike (also played by Adjani), a schoolteacher who frequently comes to tutor his son while his wife is away. Though tempted by her quiet goodness and beauty, he is still passionately in love with his wife and even after he finds out about the murders, he stays by her side and helps her conceal her crimes.

My Thoughts:

Definitely in the running for Worst Movie Ever Made. One star for the presence of Sam Neill. Run, run as fast and far away as possible from this mess.

My Rating at the IMDb: 1 star out of a possible 10

Irrational Man

2018-06-26T18:04:00.000-05:00

2015

USA

Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woody Allen
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey, Jamie Blackley
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA): R for some language and sexual content

Synopsis (from Rotten Tomatoes website):

When a burned-out, brilliant professor — one who believes in lessons from life rather than textbooks — takes a job at a small college, everyone there is abuzz. He becomes involved with a teacher as well as a precocious student, but it takes a dramatic, existential act to turn his life around and make him see the world through a much rosier and more positive perspective.

My Thoughts:

Maybe I should just give up on Woody, at least until he gets over his Emma Stone infatuation. Something about the girl just makes me want to be somewhere else. There were some interesting ideas in this one, but they got lost in the overall silliness. Joaquin Phoenix is a fine actor, but he's out of his depth as a philosophy professor, "tormented" or otherwise. (And what's with that beer belly? His stomach almost qualified as another character.) But Parker Posey was a bright spot. Please, Woody — no more deep-thought experiments.

My Rating at the IMDb: 4 stars out of a possible 10

Queen of the Desert

2018-06-26T17:34:00.001-05:00

2015

Morocco, USA

Directed by: Werner Herzog
Written by: Werner Herzog (screenplay)
Cast: Nicole Kidman, James Franco, Robert Pattinson, Damian Lewis, Jay Abdo, Jenny Agutter
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA): PG-13 for brief nudity and some thematic elements

Synopsis (from Rotten Tomatoes website):

...the extraordinary true story of a trailblazing woman who found freedom in the faraway world of the Middle East. Gertrude Bell (Kidman) chafes against the stifling rigidity of life in turn-of-the-century England, leaving it behind for a chance to travel to Tehran. So begins her lifelong adventure across the Arab world, a journey marked by danger, a passionate affair with a British officer (James Franco), and an encounter with the legendary T.E. Lawrence (Robert Pattinson). Stunningly shot on location in Morocco and Jordan, Queen of the Desert reveals how an ahead-of-her-time woman shaped the course of history.

My Thoughts:

I had doubts going into this, since Nicole Kidman is not one of my favorite actresses and I'd read that she was in virtually every scene. She was not terrible, but I do think the movie would have been better with someone else in the lead. Kidman is very wooden, too old for the early part of the story, too stiff for the rest. And she's taller than just about everyone else in the film. You'd think they could have put some of the other actors on a box or something. Still, the desert was absolutely gorgeous and was, after all, the real star of the show.

My Rating at the IMDb: 5 stars out of a possible 10

The Watcher in the Woods

2018-06-26T17:34:00.000-05:00

2017

USA

Directed by: Melissa Joan Hart
Written by: Scott Abbott (teleplay); Florence Engel Randall (novel)
Cast: Anjelica Huston, Tallulah Evans, Nicholas Galitzine
Rating: TV-PG

Synopsis (from Internet Movie Database):

Mrs. Aylwood (Anjelica Huston) is a distraught mother since her daughter, Karen, vanished in the Welsh countryside 30 years ago. When the Carstairs family move into the Aylwood manor for the summer, strange occurrences begin to unnerve the family and Jan Carstairs (Tallulah Evans) begins to suspect that they are linked to Karen's disappearance. As Jan unravels the dark past hidden by the townspeople, she delves further into the mystery and deeper into danger, but now it might be too late to escape the Watcher in the Woods.

My Thoughts:

Remake of a cult classic from 1980. Lots of problems here (and lots of "borrowings"), although the atmosphere was nice. Reminded me of those PBS After School Specials I used to watch sometimes, back in the '90s. Melissa Joan Hart's first time directing a feature-length film, I believe. Room for improvement, but shows potential. How did she rope Anjelica Huston into this project?

My Rating at the IMDb: 2 stars out of a possible 10

Dracula A.D. 1972

2018-06-26T17:33:00.000-05:00

1972

Great Britain

Directed by: Alan Gibson
Written by: Don Houghton (screenplay); Bram Stoker (characters), uncredited
Cast: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Stephanie Beacham, Christopher Neame,
Rating: PG

Synopsis (from Rotten Tomatoes website):

...in ultra-mod '70s London, Count Dracula (Christopher Lee) is revived after 100 years by a gang of devil-worshipping swingers led by the not-so-cleverly-named Johnny Alucard (Christopher Neame), and later joined by Jessica (Stephanie Beacham), granddaughter of the legendary vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing, returning to the role after more than a decade). After the group manages to resurrect the Count, he sets about the task of destroying the house of Van Helsing once and forever, leading to a battle in a de-sanctified cathedral. Despite some well-staged scenes, a thrilling prologue (involving a tense battle between Lee and Cushing aboard a runaway coach) and the presence of the stunning Caroline Munro, this is definitely one of the weaker entries in the series, and the script gives Lee very little to do with the hissing, red-eyed villain.

My Thoughts:

Wow! Who knew vampires were so groovy? Not much of interest here. Peter Cushing turns in a decent performance, as always. But by 1972 Christopher Lee was 50 years old and had been playing Count Dracula for at least 15 years. It's a little disturbing to see the Count aging, since he's supposed to be immortal. One of Stephanie Beacham's earliest films, and she was lovely to watch. (And so were her breasts.)

My Rating at the IMDb: 2 stars out of a possible 10

The Martian

2016-06-09T17:02:00.000-05:00

2015

USA

Directed by: Ridley Scott
Written by: Drew Goddard (screenplay); Andy Weir (novel)
Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA): PG-13 for some strong language, injury images, and brief nudity

Synopsis (from Rotten Tomatoes website):

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring "the Martian" home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney's safe return.

My Thoughts:

A team of astronauts on a mission to Mars, forced to evacuate the planet, have to leave Matt Damon behind. How disturbing! This was a really good sci-fi flick. One of those instances where the hype was well deserved. No bug-eyed monsters or slime bombs, and no comic book style villains -- how refreshing is that?

My Rating at the IMDb: 7 stars out of a possible 10

There's Always Tomorrow

2016-06-09T11:40:00.000-05:00

1956

USA

Directed by: Douglas Sirk
Written by: Bernard C. Schoenfeld (screenplay), Ursula Parrott (story)
Cast: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Bennett, Pat Crowley, William Reynolds, Gigi Perreau, Jane Darwell

Synopsis (from the Rotten Tomatoes website):

Fred MacMurray is a toy company executive whose wife (Joan Bennett) and kids (Gigi Perreau, William Reynolds and Judy Nugent) take him for granted [boo-hoo]. Barbara Stanwyck is Fred's former girlfriend, whose own business activities result in a surprise reunion. MacMurray falls back in love with Stanwyck and prepares to leave his family. MacMurray's children go to Stanwyck and politely ask her to back off. She does so, and MacMurray's wife Bennett, who's been out of town during all this, is none the wiser.

My Thoughts:

Another post-war film championing the cause of getting women out of the workplace and back into their aprons. Well, who wouldn't jump at the chance to trade a successful career in fashion design for the life of a household drudge?

Mainly interesting because of the pairing of MacMurray and Stanwyck once again.

My IMDb Rating: 5 stars out of a possible 10

Maleficent

2016-06-09T11:03:00.000-05:00

2014

USA / Disney Movies

Directed by: Robert Stromberg
Written by: Linda Woolverton
Cast: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Brenton Thwaites, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville, Sam Riley

Synopsis (by Google):

As a beautiful young woman of pure heart, Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) has an idyllic life in a forest kingdom. When an invading army threatens the land, Maleficent rises up to become its fiercest protector. However, a terrible betrayal hardens her heart and twists her into a creature bent on revenge. She engages in an epic battle with the invading king's successor, then curses his newborn daughter, Aurora -- realizing only later that the child holds the key to peace in the kingdom.

My Thoughts:

Disney does it again. Such a gorgeous fantasy film! Interesting take on the Sleeping Beauty tale, with Maleficent more victim than villain. Surprised I enjoyed it so much, since I generally find Angelina Jolie hard to watch. Not that she's not great to look at (duh!) -- she just never seems very believable. But she makes an excellent mythic being!

Don't think too much about this one, just let the magic kingdom envelop you.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

My Blood Runs Cold

2015-06-16T16:54:00.000-05:00

1965

USA

Directed by: William Conrad
Written by: John Mantley (screenplay), John Meredyth Lucas (story)
Music by: George Duning
Cast: Troy Donahue, Joey Heatherton, Barry Sullivan, Jeanette Nolan

What it's all about:
Headstrong young heiress (Heatherton) falls in love with a strange young man who may be insane (Donahue). The young man, Ben Gunther, believes he and the young woman, Julie Merriday, are the reincarnations of lovers from an earlier time. Ben convinces Julie of his beliefs and over the objections of her father (Sullivan), she agrees they should run away together. On Ben's boat, Julie finds evidence that Ben has been lying to her and that he is definitely unbalanced. Will she be able to save herself from his madness and convince him to find help before it's too late?

My thoughts:
That title makes you think you're in for some real gore and mayhem -- with Vincent Price or Christopher Lee making an appearance somewhere. Nothing like that here. This one is much more in the Hitchcock mold, suspense but no terror.

I really thought I'd seen all the movies Troy Donahue made back in the late-50s, early-60s, but this one got past me until now. Interesting story, with a fine supporting cast. Troy even does a pretty good acting job here, and Joey is just as cute as she could be, sporting an array of very fetching swim suits and casual beach attire. Not something that's going to exercise your intellect, but fun to watch. Would have been a great date movie in 1965.

A couple more notes:

Yes, the director is that William Conrad, of "Jake and the Fatman" fame.
John Meredyth Lucas was a writer/producer for many classic TV shows from the '50s to the '80s -- most notably, the original "Star Trek" series.

My IMDb rating: 3 stars out of a possible 10

Hyde Park on Hudson

2015-06-15T15:57:00.000-05:00

2012

Directed by: Roger Michell
Written by: Richard Nelson
Cast: Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Williams, Eleanor Bron, Samuel West, Olivia Colman, Elizabeth Wilson
MPAA Rating: Rated R for brief sexuality

Synopsis (by Google):

In June 1939, the reigning British king (Samuel West) and queen (Olivia Colman) visit President (Bill Murray) and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt (Olivia Williams) at their New York home. War with Germany looms on the horizon, and England desperately needs the president's support. An unforgettable weekend unfolds as FDR tries to juggle international affairs with the complexities of his domestic arrangement, as seen through the eyes of the president's intimate confidant (Laura Linney).

My Thoughts:

Not great, but it had Bill Murray and that's enough reason for me to watch. I thought Samuel West made a very good George VI; likewise Olivia Colman as the Queen Mum. In fact, the entire cast was excellent and the whole film was quite enjoyable.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

Crash

2015-06-15T15:33:00.001-05:00

2004

USA

Directed by: Paul Haggis
Written by: Paul Haggis, Robert Moresco
Music by: Mark Isham
Cast: Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Tony Danza, William Fichtner, Jennifer Esposito, Brendan Fraser, Chris Bridges (aka Ludacris), Terrence Howard, Thandie Newton, Michael Peña
MPAA Rating: R for language, sexual content and some violence

Synopsis (by Google):

Writer-director Paul Haggis interweaves several connected stories about race, class, family and gender in Los Angeles in the aftermath of 9/11. Characters include a district attorney (Brendan Fraser) and his casually prejudiced wife (Sandra Bullock), dating police detectives Graham (Don Cheadle) and Ria (Jennifer Esposito), a victimized Middle Eastern store owner and a wealthy African-American couple (Terrence Dashon Howard, Thandie Newton) humiliated by a racist traffic cop (Matt Dillon).

My Thoughts:

That synopsis doesn't really begin to cover the complicated ins and outs of this stark, unsettling work. Every character in the film is allowed to show both the good and the not-so-good sides of their personalities. OK, I get it -- nobody's perfect; but it got a little monotonous after a while. And there was more coincidence and foreshadowing than you'd find in a Hardy novel, with each character touching the lives of the other characters in some way -- they weave in and out of each others' existence. It was a good idea, but could have been served up with more subtlety, I thought.

Best part of the movie? Surprisingly (for me, at least) -- Chris Bridges as the wannabe carjacker Anthony. The energy level soared every time he was on screen. But many of the other actors delivered fine performances as well. Too bad they didn't have more to work with.

My IMDb Rating: 4 stars out of a possible 10

Interstellar

2015-06-15T11:56:00.000-05:00

2014

USA

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Written by: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Mackenzie Foy, Michael Caine, Jessica Chastain, Matt Damon, John Lithgow, Ellen Burstyn
Music by: Hans Zimmer
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for some intense perilous action and brief strong language.

Synopsis (by Google):

In Earth's future, a global crop blight and second Dust Bowl are slowly rendering the planet uninhabitable. Professor Brand (Michael Caine), a brilliant NASA physicist, is working on plans to save mankind by transporting Earth's population to a new home via a wormhole. But first, Brand must send former NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) and a team of researchers through the wormhole and across the galaxy to find out which of three planets could be mankind's new home.

My Thoughts:

I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. I'm not generally a huge Matthew McConaughey fan; but I do like sci-fi, and the rest of the cast sounded promising, so I took a chance. Glad I did -- it was so entertaining I didn't even mind that it was nearly three hours long. Of course, the "science" of time travel (if it might actually exist) is always going to be a little hard to nail down; everybody has a theory, and this spin was as good as any. And I even liked the idea of combining time travel and ghostly events -- something I thought would be annoying turned out to be very intriguing.

A few other stray thoughts:

Loved the robots -- very original designs.
Lots of visual references to Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. I suppose that's to be expected, but when does "homage" become "rip-off"?
Much more entertaining than that other recent sci-fi biggie, Gravity.
With her hair chopped off, doesn't Anne Hathaway remind you of the young Liza Minnelli? But not quite as irritating, thank goodness.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

Dead Souls

2015-04-05T18:16:00.001-05:00

2012

USA

Directed by: Colin Theys
Written by: John Doolan (screenplay), Michael Laimo (novel)
Cast: Jesse James, Magda Apanowicz, Bill Moseley, Geraldine Hughes, Noah Fleiss, Jaiden Kaine
Rating: not rated

Lots of creepy atmosphere and texture in this one, but lots of confusion, too.

On his 18th birthday, Johnny Petrie (Jesse James) learns he's adopted and that he's inherited a farm in Maine. Eager to get away from the hideously circumscribed existence he's led with the aunt who raised him, he strikes out for Maine intending to make the farm his new home. When he gets there, though, he finds the place in very bad shape after being uninhabited for nearly twenty years -- since the deaths of his natural family at the hands of his (I think) grandfather, Reverend Benjamin Conroy. He also finds some locals who are less than thrilled to have him around, and a young homeless woman (Magda Apanowicz) who's been staying in the abandoned farm house.

The town's former sheriff (who is now also the town's drunk) eventually shows up to provide a little background about what exactly has been going on. I could have used a lot more help in that area. I'm still not really sure what the heck it all meant. There was something about Johnny's brother Daniel protecting him when the rest of the family was killed. And something else about conducting a seance to contact Daniel's spirit so he could go on protecting him from evil spirits in the house. At least I think that's how it went. I never really understood why the family was killed, or why the local bully was so pissed off about it all, or why Johnny didn't just say no way am I living in that obviously haunted house. And I'm really not happy about the way they treated that dog.

My IMDb rating: 3 stars out of a possible 10

The Whisperer in Darkness

2015-04-05T17:14:00.000-05:00

2011

USA

Directed by: Sean Branney
Screenplay by: Sean Branney, Andrew Leman
From the story by: H.P. Lovecraft
Cast: Barry Lynch, Matt Lagan, Matt Foyer
Rating: not rated

Synopsis (from Rotten Tomatoes website):

[S]creen adaptation of the classic weird tale by legendary horror writer HP Lovecraft. Following a series of floods in rural Vermont, the bodies of grotesque creatures are found floating in several rivers. The creatures match descriptions given in certain local myths and legends. University Folklorist Albert Wilmarth (Matt Foyer) is initially dismissive of the stories, until he starts to receive a series of increasingly disturbing letters from a Vermont farmer, that hint at a horrifying truth. He travels to Vermont to investigate further, and uncovers a conspiracy that extends out into the furthest reaches of space and the darkest pits of hell.

My thoughts:

Some great atmosphere in this one, and I loved the black-and-white photography. But the pace is slow and the plot confusing. In fact, at times it seems even the actors are confused about what they're supposed to be doing. It was sort of hard for me to stick with it -- had to watch it three times to take it all in because I kept falling asleep. I guess that's not a very good recommendation, but I really didn't hate it. There were definitely some moments of genuine creepiness -- just not enough of them.

My IMDb rating: 4 stars out of a possible 10

Tim's Vermeer

2015-04-05T16:35:00.000-05:00

2013

USA

Documentary directed by magician Teller, and produced by his stage partner Penn Jillette and Farley Ziegler, about Tim Jenison's efforts to prove his theory that Johannes Vermeer knew about and used optical devices to create his astonishing paintings.

Jenison, a successful inventor/engineer in the field of computer graphics spent nearly a decade meticulously reproducing the room pictured in Vermeer's The Music Lesson and then re-creating the painting, using just such an optical device -- a camera obscura. The film is the story of his quest, and it's absolutely fascinating.

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA): Rated PG-13 for some strong language

My IMDb rating: 7 stars out of a possible 10

Transcendence

2015-04-05T15:57:00.000-05:00

2014

USA

Directed by: Wally Pfister
Written by: Jack Paglen
Cast: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman, Paul Bettany
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA): Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence, some bloody images, brief strong language and sensuality

What it's all about:

Johnny Depp plays Dr. Will Caster, the world's foremost authority on artificial intelligence. Dr. Caster is the leader of a team conducting highly controversial experiments, with the ultimate goal of creating a "sentient" machine -- a computer with a mind of its own. When extremists try to kill the doctor, they inadvertently give him just the chance he needed to turn his theories into reality. When Will is given just one month to live, his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) comes up with a plan to upload his consciousness into the advanced computer the team has developed. Will's best friend Max (Paul Bettany) questions the wisdom of this action and is eventually persuaded to join the terrorists responsible for Will's death.

Once Will achieves virtual life in the computer, Evelyn helps him to build a sort of technological eden in a remote desert town called Brightwood where he sets about remaking the world according to his own personal designs. Eventually Will's crazed thirst for knowledge and power cause all his loved ones to admit he must be stopped, but they also realize it may already be too late.

My thoughts:

Most of the critics trashed this film, so I wasn't expecting much. But I like Johnny Depp and I try to see every movie Morgan Freeman makes, so I gave it a try. Glad I did -- it's definitely watchable. Not great, but pretty good sci-fi with a thought-provoking theme, enough action to keep it from dragging, and no enormous alien slime worms blasting their way out of anyone's midsection. A lot of it doesn't really stand up to deep thought, but hey -- it's a movie.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

Magic in the Moonlight

2015-04-05T11:28:00.000-05:00

2014

USA

Written/Directed by: Woody Allen
Stars: Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Eileen Atkins, Simon McBurney, Marcia Gay Harden
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA): Rated PG-13 for a brief suggestive comment, and smoking throughout

What it's all about:

In the 1920s, magician Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth) enjoys worldwide fame as Chinese conjurer Wei Ling Soo, his stage persona. One of the most arrogant performers in the business, Stanley despises claims by phony spiritualists that they can perform real magic. At the request of his friend and fellow magician Howard (played by Simon McBurney), Stanley agrees to expose a young medium named Sophie Baker (Emma Stone). The lovely Sophie and her mother (Marcia Gay Harden) are staying with the wealthy Catledge family in their mansion in the Côte d'Azur, where Sophie has managed to ensnare the affections of young Brice Catledge. However, after attending a seance and having a few surprising encounters with Sophie, Stanley begins to change his mind about her and is left thoroughly shaken by evidence that her clairvoyant abilities just might be real.

My thoughts:

This was a very pretty movie -- the light throughout was actually magical. Unfortunately, that amazing light was just about the best thing about the film. I think it's possible I've outgrown Woody Allen. Which makes me sad because he used to be one of my favorite filmmakers -- Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters, Manhattan, and Manhattan Murder Mystery are among my all-time favorite movies. But the only one of the later films I've really enjoyed was Midnight in Paris. I always have high hopes for each new release, but I keep getting disappointed.

It's not a terrible movie -- definitely not as annoying as To Rome with Love or as mean-spirited as Blue Jasmine. And it had some really fine performances -- Eileen Atkins as Aunt Vanessa, and the enormously talented Simon McBurney as Stanley's friend Howard particularly stand out. On the other hand, Marcia Gay Harden was pretty much wasted in the role of Sophie's mother -- more mom and less Sophie would have made for a much more interesting experience.

But, of course, Sophie was the whole point of the film: the young girl who represents renewal and new life for the aging curmudgeonly male at the film's center. Love and youth as some sort of salvation. She's in nearly every one of Allen's films these days, and she seems to be getting younger and younger. In this one, she is quite literally young enough to be the curmudgeon's daughter. OK, I don't really know how old Emma Stone is, but in the movie she looks about twelve. And the film's boyish 1920s-era fashions only exaggerate that childlike appearance (indeed, at one point she's dressed in a sailor outfit, oddly reminiscent of the Von Trapp children in The Sound of Music). In a way it's interesting to see the same trope used over and over in each new film, but it's also becoming truly disturbing.

My IMDb Rating: 5 stars out of a possible 10

Before Midnight

2014-11-05T10:33:00.001-06:00

2013

USA

Director: Richard Linklater
Writers: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Kim Krizan
Stars: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick

My Thoughts:

They drive. They talk. They walk. They fight. They say hurtful things to each other. They apologize. They make up. All against a gorgeous Grecian backdrop.

Nine years after we last saw Jesse and Celine, and almost two decades after they first met on that fateful train to Vienna, we catch up with them in Greece. They've been together all this time, although still not married. They have twin daughters, Jesse has a fourteen-year-old son from his first marriage. At one point I think they say something about an older daughter of Celine's too, but I didn't really get that. Actually, a lot of this film went by before it could really register with me. It's a lot like eavesdropping on a conversation at the next table in a restaurant -- some of it is fascinating, some is not so much, and some of it you just don't really grock. But I believe that's the feeling Linklater and his crew are trying to achieve.

OK, I know it's not fashionable or hip to say this, but I've been mostly bored by this whole series of films, and I think this latest one has the least to offer. I do appreciate what Linklater is doing, and I'm gratified that there's someone out there making films for adults, with real actors and settings, and not just turning out CGI schlock. I just wish there was a little more to the films -- more than just two fairly ordinary people talking and talking and talking. And talking some more. At least in this third film, there are a few other people doing some of the talking.

Also, the two stars seem much less natural in this one, more like actors trying to be natural. Especially Julie Delpy -- she even seems to have lost all that French charm that kept her from being totally unbearable in the earlier films.

But if you've loved the other two "Before" movies, you should love this one too -- it's more of the same.

My IMDb Rating: I'm giving this one 4 stars out of a possible 10, mainly because the scenery was so attractive.

Acacia

2014-03-18T00:52:00.000-05:00

2003

Korea

Written and Directed by Ki-hyeong Park
MPAA Rating: R for violence and language

Synopsis from SundanceChannel.com:

"Korean filmmaker Ki-Hyung Park (Whispering Corridors) serves up an unsettling tale of muted dread about a childless couple's attempts to forge a family. Despite her mother's disapproval, Mi-sook (Hye-jin Shim) and her husband (Jin-geun Kim) adopt Jin-seong (Oh-bin Mun), a quiet, artistic six-year-old boy. Soon Jin-seong evinces an obsessive attraction to a dying acacia tree in the backyard, which he associates with his birth mother. Yet even more unsettling events are in store when Mi-sook unexpectedly becomes pregnant."

My Thoughts:
Strange and definitely "unsettling" film with two adorably spooky kids who looked a little too much like the wraiths in The Grudge for my taste. Pretty good psychological suspense drama with a supernatural touch. One of those films that make the viewer work a little to figure things out. Kept me guessing about what was actually going on, and it delivered surprises right up to the end. Gorgeous cinematography and nice spare settings; even though the film was in color, it almost comes across as black-and-white so that the violent splashes of red in the final scenes are all the more shocking. If you're contemplating adoption, you'll probably want to stay away from this one.

This film kept me watching all the way through, even with its unpleasant subject matter and some pretty graphic violence (including, it should be noted, one rape scene). Probably not one I'd advise anyone to seek out, but I found it pretty entertaining.

My IMDb Rating: 4 stars out of a possible 10

Vitus

2014-03-18T00:38:00.000-05:00

2006

Switzerland

MPAA Rating: Rated PG for mild thematic elements and language.
Written by Peter Luisi and Fredi M. Murer
Directed by Fredi M. Murer
Cast: Teo Gheorghiu (Vitus, age 12), Fabrizio Borsani (Vitus, age 6), Bruno Ganz, Julika Jenkins, Urs Jucker

Synopsis: (from the Rotten Tomatoes website)

In this engaging drama from Switzerland, a child prodigy finds a unique way of dealing with being different. Vitus is no normal child. With a 180 IQ, a voracious appetite for knowledge, and a preternatural gift at playing the piano, he finds it hard to fit in with his peers. Like many parents of exceptional children, his mother and father (Julika Jenkins and Urs Jucker) are overbearing, eager to see their child succeed. But as his parents push and fellow children jeer, Vitus's grandfather (Bruno Ganz) simply allows the boy to be himself. Though VITUS follows the blueprint for childhood prodigy movies a bit too closely at times, it's saved by a great cast and some interesting twists. As the 12-year-old Vitus, Teo Gheorghiu, himself a piano prodigy, heightens the sense of realism in the film. The classic music he plays is beautiful, and the actor's playing itself is remarkable. Audiences used to seeing hand doubles in films about musicians will be . . . surprised to see that there aren't any cuts, displaying Gheorghiu's incredible talent. Veteran actor Ganz has literally played everything from an angel to Hitler in his decades-long career, and he's wonderful here as Vitus's warm grandfather and best friend. As a result of great performances like these, it's easy to see why VITUS was the Swiss entry to the Oscars.

My Thoughts:
M ordered this one from Netflix – don't know how he found out about it, but I was skeptical. The description made me think it was likely to be either too depressing or too cutesy for my taste, so we delayed watching for several weeks while other DVDs came and went. I'm sorry we waited so long, because the film was absolutely charming – in fact, it was so mesmerizing I hardly even noticed the subtitles. And for me, that's high praise indeed!

Well, I really wouldn't agree that Vitus's parents are overbearing – they actually appear to be very caring and loving people. But his mother does develop into something of a classic "stage mother" over time, forcing her little wunderkind to keep up with his practice and controlling every aspect of his life until the boy engineers his own unique method of escape. There are some wonderfully moving and funny scenes with Vitus and his grandfather (played by the amazing Swiss actor, Bruno Ganz), and a very touching (and also funny) relationship is portrayed between Vitus and baby-sitter, Isabel. Vitus falls in love with the older girl, and when she protests he explains his theory that since a woman's libido matures faster than a man's, women should always marry men who are at least six years younger! All of the actors are terrific, but the children are especially impressive; and Teo Gheorghiu is himself a true wunderkind. This is one I'd love to see again.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

10 Items or Less

2014-03-18T00:24:00.001-05:00

2006
USA

MPAA Rating: R for language
Written and Directed by: Brad Silberling
Cast: Morgan Freeman, Paz Vega, Bobby Cannavale, Anne Dudek, Jennifer Echols, Jonah Hill, Jim Parsons

Synopsis:
Once a world-famous movie star, Morgan Freeman's character (called only "Him" throughout the film) is now an aging actor who finds that his fear of failure has brought his career to a standstill. Now he's considering a role in a low-budget independent movie and, ever the professional, he's doing research for the role by spending a day in one of L.A.'s Latino community markets. While there, he's taken with the fiery young clerk (played by Paz Vega) in the "10 Items or Less" check-out lane, and when he's abandoned by his driver and can't remember his new home phone number, Scarlet agrees to drive him to his home in another part of the city. But Scarlet, who's hoping to get away from her dreadful dead-end job in the market, has a job interview scheduled, and as he rides along, the Movie Star gets involved in her plans. Their trek through Los Angeles takes them through unexpected situations and personal revelations, building an odd but compelling relationship that affects both their lives.

My Thoughts:
Wonderful little film, produced by Freeman. Funny and heart-wrenching by turns, it really should have gotten more attention. I'm a big Morgan Freeman fan – he never turns in a less-than-stellar performance, and he's amazing in this one. But the rest of the cast is pretty amazing, too – especially Paz Vega (a young Spanish actress I had never seen before although she's apparently a pretty big star in Europe) who plays Scarlet, and Jim Parsons (of The Big Bang Theory fame) doing a campy turn as a ditsy building company receptionist. Anne Dudek is also noticeable, as Lorraine, another check-out clerk; I kept thinking she looked really familiar but just couldn't place her until I found out she played Francine, Betty Draper's pal in Mad Men.

This one is definitely worth seeing. The DVD we watched also included a documentary about the making of the film which is also interesting if you're a film fanatic – it's almost as long as the movie itself, and very detailed. As M said, it's like a little tutorial in the making of low-budget independent films. But for us normal folk, it can get a little tedious – maybe your time would be better spent watching another Morgan Freeman movie.

My IMDb Rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

Sherlock Holmes

2014-03-18T00:12:00.003-05:00

2009

USA/UK

MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material.
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Written by: Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, and Simon Kinberg (screenplay); Lionel Wigram (story)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong

Synopsis:

Sherlock Holmes (played by Robert Downey, Jr.), along with his trusted ally Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), investigates a string of brutal ritualistic murders in this 2009 effort from British director Guy Ritchie. When Holmes and Watson arrive upon the scene just in time to prevent the aristocratic villain, Lord Blackwood, from doing away with his latest victim, the evil lord warns them that death has no power over him. And, seemingly, he's right about that: After Dr. Watson witnesses Blackwood's hanging and pronounces him dead, Blackwood reappears in London and continues on his murderous path. Scotland Yard is flummoxed, but Holmes is back on the case. And as they search London for Blackwood in order to put a stop to his evil shenanigans, Holmes and Watson are involved in a world of dark arts and dangers more deadly and surprising than any they've faced before.

My Thoughts:
Boring movie, really; nothing but special effects – and extremely annoying special effects, at that. The characters of Holmes and Watson were completely unrecognizable, but since the film obviously was aimed at an audience that had never read the Conan Doyle stories, I guess that really doesn't matter. I suppose the fact that the movie was based on a comic book version of the Holmes tales (by Lionel Wigram) should be a good indication of what to expect. I know I'm fighting the entire trend of the 21st Century here, but I really long for the days when movies had real sets, real locations, and real actors.

And about those real actors – Robert Downey was as watchable as ever, but even his performance couldn't save this one. And Jude Law seemed to have abandoned Dr. Watson in favor of a sort of stiff-upper-lip portrayal of Wilde's Dorian Gray. I'm afraid the rest of the cast wasn't very memorable, but then they had all those special effects planted firmly between them and the audience.

We watched this one on DVD, so maybe the experience of seeing it on the big screen might have improved my opinion. But I doubt it.

Nutshell Review: The best thing about this movie was the poster.

My IMDb rating: 4 stars out of a possible 10

Cloud Atlas

2014-03-12T12:03:00.001-05:00

2012

Multi-National Production

Directors: Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Writers: David Mitchell (novel), Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski
Cast: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, James D'Arcy, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Keith David, Xun Zhou
MPAA Rating: Rated R for violence, language, sexuality/nudity and some drug use

Story:

????? (see below)

My Thoughts:
The Internet Movie Database says this is "An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution."

Well, if you say so.

My husband had recently read the novel by David Mitchell and gave me a brief synopsis before we watched the movie. But if I hadn't had that bit of info, I would not have had a clue about what was going on in this one. If you're going to see it, it's probably a good idea to be familiar with the novel first. Otherwise, it's all just a picturesque jumble of fleeting images. A little too cartoon-y for my tastes. But it was fun watching all the actors playing different roles and having so much fun with the costumes and makeup.

My IMDB rating: 3 stars out of a possible 10

Comedian

2014-03-12T11:37:00.000-05:00

2002

USA

Director: Christian Charles
Producer: Jerry Seinfeld (executive producer), Amy R. Baird, Gary Streiner
Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Greg Giraldo, Orny Adams, Robert Klein, and lots of other stand-up comics too numerous to mention
MPAA Rating: R (probably for language)

What it's about (from the Internet Movie Database website):

A look at the work of two stand-up comics, Jerry Seinfeld and a lesser-known newcomer (Orny Adams), detailing the effort and frustration behind putting together a successful act and career while living a life on the road.

My Thoughts:
OK, I should start by confessing that while I love comedy, I'm just not much of a fan of the modern (or should that be post-modern?) stand-up variety. And even though I LOVED the Seinfeld TV show (I still watch the reruns everyday), I've never really been too impressed with Jerry Seinfeld as a performer on his own. But my husband is a real fan (of Seinfeld, standup, and just comedy in general), so we rented this from Netflix and I prepared myself for a couple of hours of boredom.

Big surprise -- it's not a boring movie. It's not all that funny either; which is strange, considering that the cast is made up almost entirely of comedians. But it really isn't meant to inspire yucks -- it's basically a look at how funny men (and women) come up with their material, refine their acts, hone their skills, and go about the business of being funny. All of which turned out to be surprisingly intriguing to watch. Who knew professional comedians could be so insecure about their talents?

I had never heard of the young comic whose career is at the center of the action -- Orny Adams -- and I have to admit, nothing I saw in this film made me eager to find out more. For me, the best part of the movie was the brief clip of Richard Pryor in his prime, doing what he did best -- just being wonderfully, amazingly, incredibly, profoundly funny.

My IMDB rating: 6 stars out of a possible 10

1408

2014-03-12T10:52:00.002-05:00

2007

USA

Director: Mikael Håfström
Writers: Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski
Based on a short story by Stephen King
Cast: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Tony Shalhoub, Mary McCormack
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic material including disturbing sequences of violence and terror, frightening images and language

Story:

Writer Mike Enslin (John Cusack) believes only in what he can see with his own two eyes. He's written a string of bestsellers discrediting paranormal events in the most infamous haunted houses and graveyards around the world, always hoping for some proof of "afterlife." The target of his latest literary project is suite 1408 of New York's notorious Dolphin Hotel. The room is permanently "unavailable for guests"; but after he threatens to sue the hotel, Enslin is allowed to spend a night in the room. And it's a night during which his cynical skepticism is going to change forever. Because at the Dolphin, when you stay in room 1408, just like the song says: Some guests check in, but they can never leave.

My Thoughts:
Watched this a few weeks ago on (I think) TBS. I'd been watching Winter Olympics coverage for several days straight, and needed some relief. I had seen it before – I think we got it from Netflix back around the time it was first out. Or maybe it was on one of the movie channels. Anyway, I was very disappointed with it that first time, but after seeing it again, it seemed much more frightening than I remembered. I think the special effects are too over-the-top to be really scary; when a movie becomes a cartoon it loses much of its potential for true spookiness. But on second view, I was able to get past all the CGI junk and enjoy the really very creepy story a bit more. Still, the scariest thing about it was watching Cusack crawling around on that hotel carpet! Yow!

My IMDb Rating: 5 stars out of a possible 10