District 9 (2009)

District 9. (2009)

District 9 is a science fiction film satirizing the devastating effects on South Africa of Apartheid. The film centers in Johannesburg, switching regularly between present day and flashbacks to the 1980’s. It is filmed in a mockumentary style, with a shaky hand held camera that follows our main character, Wickus around. It’s designed to look like very raw footage; at times, mud splashes onto the camera. Watching the film is quite a nauseating experience at times, mostly due to all the sickness and gore but also due to the general atmosphere. The film is always moving, very tense and whenever it calms down, the action quickly starts back up again.

Wickus’s character, especially at the beginning of the film, at times underplays the situation; this provides comic relief and introduces the sympathetic aspects of Wickus’ character. Some of the earliest scenes of the film alternate between Wickus getting a job promotion, which feels falsely lighthearted, and subsequent scenes such as an intense interview, obviously shown in retrospect, with someone saying something like: “He was an honest man, and he didn't deserve any of what happened to him.” There’s a lot of subtle foreshadowing at the beginning. The rest of the film is mostly fast action with little left to the imagination. Yet it is still always disorienting; we’re constantly wondering: “What’s going on.” At times, the film can be genuinely confusing and moves a little too quickly. It doesn’t end with a definitive conclusion, and there are many questions left unanswered. But, it does wrap up nicely and leaves room for a thrilling sequel, which is in the making.

A

Lucy. 

Still from the film: 

http://thestorydepartment.com/tsd/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/2009_district_9_005.jpg

Lincoln (2012)

“Lincoln” is the retelling of Lincoln’s struggle to pass the 13th amendment to the constitution through the house of representatives; banning slavery or involuntary servitude in the USA. A very daunting task, for the radicals, up against the majority of confederates, conservatives, and democrats who did not want the bill passed. He is also dealing with issues within his family; his wife, Mary is suffering from great emotional stress due to her son, Robert’s great urge to join the army. 

The historical accuracy of the film has been commended: ‘... “Lincoln” is that rare thing, good history and great cinema at once.” -Matt Brennan, writing in “The Indie Wire.” James M. Mcpherson, a professor at Princeton University, is a Civil war historian who provided backround for the film; he among others contributed to historical accuracy of the film. He says that he thinks Danial Day-Lewis’s performance as Lincoln is the most realistic he’s seen. 

My favorite scenes in the movie were; when Lincoln says: “Do we choose to be born? Or do we fit into the times we’re born into?” and when Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones) gives his excellent speech defending, under false pretenses, that all men are not created equal; but they are all equal under the law. 

Some things about the movie will probably surprise movie-goers; we think of Lincoln as a very innocent, pure, humble man. But, in the film, he uses profanity and makes a couple dirty/harsh jokes which disconcert and confuse the people he tells; it’s very funny but a little shocking. 

I thought the best performances were by Daniel-Day Lewis as Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, and Sally Field as his pathetic and emotional but loyal wife. Tommy Lee Jones really brought out the excellence of the screen play; with his snappy retorts and empowering speeches. Daniel-Day Lewis was perfection as Lincoln; from all that we know of him, it was incredibly realistic. Sally Field is very truthful to her role and seems very believable as Lincoln’s wife. Joseph Gordon-Levitt also gives a great performance; as usual, but in a smaller part as Lincoln’s son, Robert who wants and feels an obligation to join the army against his mother’s will and emotional health. 

In the whole, the movie was amazing, and very well structured. The score, by John Williams, undoubtedly helped the believability of the film and the atmosphere. And of course, direction by Steven Spielberg never fails to amaze. He brought out the most noble but also human aspects of Lincoln, in an unusual and impressive way. I loved the movie and thought it was superbly done.

A+ 

Lucy

"Kids"(1995)

“Kids” follows a group of sexually active, drinking, weed smoking teenagers; connected through mutual first times and druggies, over a few days in a hot summer in New York city during the HIV period in the 1990’s.

The main characters are Telly (Leo Fitzpatrick), Casper (Justin Pierce), Jennie (Chloe Sevigny), and Ruby (Rosario Dawson.)

The movie begins with a young girl undressed on a bed with a boy; Telly, seemingly a little older than her. He is trying to convince the girl to have sex. She eventually agrees, and after he comes down and meets his friend, Casper. They start walking, and have a very explicit conversation about the experience. We find out Telly’s main goal in life is to deflower virgins. Casper likes to shoplift. And both love to get high. 

While watching the movie, the word that comes least to mind is beautiful, although looking back on it, and studying it like a work of art, it really is a “true to life” portrait of unbridled sexuality and freedom. This movie is extremely harsh, and it would be trash if it weren't done exactly right; these guys got it right.

It has been described as a wake up call; the film is centering on a particularly negative, bleak and depressing lifestyle; so this is really only a wake up call to all parents who call their children: Mama’s boy or Daddy’s little girl, falsely implying innocence. Most of us are aware of this disturbing fact of life, and the teenage state of mind and body, we just choose to stay away from it, or don’t know what to do about it. The makers of this movie, Harmony Korine and Larry Clark, chose to dive         right into it, to show all sides of “kids”, even the truly horrifying ones. The soundtrack helps the very raw feel of the movie; uncut and real. It’s scary at times: because enough of certain drugs can make people brutally violent and pitiless. the movie is also a warning, in some ways to teenagers of every generation. 

This isn’t just about teen rebel and angst, it’s also about fear and death. Ruby( Rosario Dawson) and her friend, Jennie go get tested for HIV, Jennie( Chloe Sevigny) is just keeping her company since she has only had one sexual encounter and Ruby’s had around 10. But Jennie tests positive. So for one of the main characters, life is over. 

The film ends with Casper waking up, looking into the camera and saying: “Jesus Christ, what happened?”

A.

Lucy.

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

“God she’s beautiful. She’s got the prettiest eyes. She looks so sexy in that sweater. I just want to be alone with her, and hold her, and kiss her and tell her how much I love her, and take care of her. Stop it you idiot, she’s your wife’s sister.”  This is Elliot (Michael Caine), Hannah (Mia Farrow)’s frustrated husband talking in his head about Lee (Barbara Hershey), Hannah’s sister. Lee is living with an anti social, pessimistic and very dark older poet who used to be her mentor (Max Von Sydow). Hannah also has another sister: Holly (Dianne Wiest), who is trying to find a job and discover herself. She has recently stopped taking cocaine. ]  Classic Woody Allen credits of course, white over black. [It is as usual,  a Rollins and Joffe production. The classic match, Mia and Woody, except in this movie Mia is Woody’s’s ex-wife, the “Hannah” of the title. With great performances from Dianne Wiest, and Barbara Hershey, as Mia’s sisters. Woody Allen had the same people working with him for nearly 40 years, from “Take the Money and Run”(1969) to “Manhattan Murder Mystery”(1993).  

The movie starts bluntly, we enter right in the middle of a family gathering, for Thanksgiving. During the gathering we learn that Elliot is in love with Lee, and that Holly is thinking of opening a catering business with her friend, April ( Carrie Fisher). We also find out that Holly needs to borrow money from Hannah, which she has already done quite a few times. We also learn that the sisters’ mother , Norma (Maureen O’Sullivan.) drinks and likes to impress men. The scene ends with Elliot saying: “ We all had a terrific time.” Dianne Wiest  is breezy, and she has this childish, giggly nature, even though we realize later in the movie, she can be serious and sentimental. On the other hand Barbara Hershey  is matter of fact and direct and would be bland if she were not magically alluring in her simplicity. Hannah plays the oldest sister and she is more logical, understanding and mature.—maybe too logical, understanding and mature, as we find out.  She has a very sweet voice, a bit like Dianne Wiest.

This movie is presented from different characters’ views at different times. Woody Allen’s presence in the movie seems, at the beginning, to be almost irrelevant. But towards the end his character comes into focus and we realize how central he is to the plot. He plays his classic role, a very neurotic hypochondriac. The funniest  sequences are of Woody Allen getting medical tests to see if he has a brain tumour. Woody is nervous, hilarious and of course gives a great performance.

Dianne Wiest is adorable, very soft, and a little weak, but she is extremely fierce when she gets angry. One of my favorite scenes is when she and her friend, April get taken around by an architect (Sam Waterston) they met at a party.; You get a beautiful view of buildings in New York.  Michael Caine as Elliot is so awkward but romantic. He is an insecure intellectual.I love him. All these people have such carousing emotions. They are all trying to find themselves and they are charming and wistful romantics. We soon realize that Holly is nearly crazy with jealousy for Hannah. She attacks her continuously when Hannah is calmly and gently trying to help her.

This is a beautiful story about couples, and the timeless and repetitive story of life, loss and love. “The heart is a very, very resilient little muscle.” This  one of my favorite lines from Woody Allen.  There is very romantic music, ranging from classics such as “Bewitched, Bothered, and bewildered” as sung by Lloyd Nolan, and Maureen O’Sullivan to “I’m in Love Again” sung by Bobby Short. The music and views of New York are what really add to the beauty of the film.  This movie is really timeless and puts Manhattan in great perspective.

A+

Lucy

The Freshman (1990)

The Freshman MB

“There are three types of people in New york, there are people who get paid a million dollars a day and get laid in some tower every night, then there’s the people who live in Time Square and eat Yankee Doodles off the sidewalk. And then there’s the guys like me, I call us the glue of society. We go? forget about it! all hell’s gonna break loose.”

Now this line is spoken by the one and only Victor Ray, (Bruno Kirby) at the beginning of the film, The Freshman (1990), it basically sums the movie up in a nutshell. This movie’s theme is: the important things in life, and the social hierarchy of New York City.

The movie is about a young man from Vermont, Clark Kellog (Matthew Broderick) about to move to New York to start his freshman year of college at New York University, “ a ‘good’ school”, as judged by Victor Ray. Victor Ray meets Clark just as he arrives into the center of New York, Grand Central Station. Clark is intimidated and scared and because he it looking up at the ceilings and staring in awe at all the people. He mistakenly trips over a homeless man sleeping on some steps and falls.

When he looks up, laden in a sleazy beige suit, bling and jingling bracelets, hair slicked back, and a thick mustache to top it off, there is Victor Ray, “of the Victor Ray car service.” He offers Clark the minimum price for an air-conditioned ride in a “mint condition Bonneville” Cadillac. Victor Ray drives off with all Clark’s luggage and the $500 his stepfather gave him to live on.  In his first fifteen minutes in New York, Clark has managed to get his money and all his clothes stolen.

He cannot catch up to him the thief, so he goes to NYU and visits his dorm room. When he walks in, he meets Steve Bushak who righteously teaches him that in New York City, everyone is a victim. Then Clark meets his professor, Fleeber (Paul Benedict), a wonderfully colorful character who thinks Clark is proposing a movie idea, when really he is telling him the truth! (about his “evil” step father Dwight, who gave him barely any money to live in New York and the “hoodlum” who took all his belongings). But, while talking to Fleeber in his office, Clark sees Victor Ray walking down the street with his stuff so he excuses himself and exits through the window, and then there is a great chase through the streets of Greenwich Village and through Washington Square Park. When he Clark catches up to him, Victor Ray offers him a job working for his uncle, Carmine Sabotini, “a great man.”

When Clark arrives in the “best neighborhood in New York”, according to Victor, he is surprised to find that Carmine bares an uncanny resemblance to Don Vito Corleone, which Victor tells him not to mention. Clark learns that his job is just to deliver a package from JFK to Cherry Hill, New Jersey, but the package brings them into quite a few tricky situations. Clark finds out that the package is a Komodo dragon which is an endangered species. He tells Carmine about Greenwald and Simpson, two agents from the “fish and wild life division” who are onto Carmine and his business in importing and serving endangered animals at the Gourmet Club. (His very exclusive restaurant supposedly serving endangered animals for no less than a couple hundred thousand dollars a plate. “Tip included!”) He runs this business with Larry London (Maximilian Schell.) On the last night of the Gourmet Club, action ensues, and as Clark beautifully puts it: “My heart was pounding as I crossed the dance floor. In a few minutes I would be free or dead… or Rodolfo Lasparri of Palermo, Sicily!“

The movie has a great ending, Carmine, Clark, and the Komodo dragon walk across a cornfield. It’s hard to pick a favorite scene or quote beacause every line and every shot in this movie is genius, but I think the most touching scene is when Carmine visits Clark in his dorm room and Clark tells the poem that his late father wrote. I find this scene so moving. It’s a great poem, and like Carmine, I like the last line.. “To the certainty of his fur”.

My favorite characters are Clark, Fleeber, and Carmine’s daughter, Tina played by the lovely Penelope Ann Miller.

This is definitely in my top 5 favorite movies. It’s a great film, I love it.

A+

Lucy

"The Artist" (2011)

Okay, so I’m in love with a movie.

The Artist is about a famous and successful silent film actor in the 1920’s, George Valentin (Jean Dujardin). He runs into Peppy Miller (Bérénice Béjo) (literally) outside one of his film openings. She bends down and bumps into him there is a moment of charming confusion but he gracefully and quickly picks up by starting to laugh about it, so does everyone else, and she does of course. She poses a lot, at one point kissing him on the cheek. So this turns up on the front page of the newspaper the next morning, with the headline: “Who is that girl?”

This movie is charming, witty, and beautiful. Jean Dujardin is great and gives a superb and exciting performance. Bérénice Béjo sparkles as Peppy Miller, an aspiring dancer who wants to be a famous actress. Her smile always makes me beam and I came out of this movie happy for no reason.  The movie has a subtlety and charm to it.  The denouement is surprising and heartbreaking.

I saw the movie two times, and cried in the same scene both times. This scene is when George is in the hospital from a fire that he started in his apartment, and Peppy runs up desperately to the hospital room, still dressed up for the movie she was shooting. With the sympathetic doctor and nurse looking on, she notices the burnt film cannisters on the table next to him, pulls out some film and looks at the film.  This is the film he was clutching when they found him, says the doctor. This film is of Peppy and George dancing, she cries because she realizes that he really loves her.

They call it a silent film but I think without the music in this movie, it wouldn’t be as good.  The movie is a lot like “Singing in The Rain” because Jean Dujardin is inspired by Gene Kelly:  in the scene where he watches his boss, Al Zimmer’s (John Goodman) sound test with his colleague, actress (Missi Pyle) Constance. She seems to have a terrible voice.  In “Singing in the Rain”, they also have this problem because Gene’s partner actress who stars with him in all his big films sounds ridiculous out loud like Constance in “The Artist.” George laughs and says: “If that’s the future, you can have it!” 
Absolutely A+
Love,
Lucy

Cape Fear(1962), Cape Fear(1991), Night of the hunter(1955)

“I’m goin’ give your wife and kid somethin’ they aint’ never gon’ forget, they ain’t never gon’ forget it counselor.” This is the line that has stuck with me the most from the film “Cape Fear”(1962). This movie is about an ex-convict, Max Cady, (Robert Mitchum) who comes back to town after being in prison for eight years. He went to jail for attacking a girl in a parking lot. The man who got him arrested was a lawyer who was also a witness to the crime, Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck) . Bowden was working late on a case that evening, and walking home, he heard some whimpers in the parking lot, so he ran over and found Max Cady attacking the girl.  He fought with Cady while the girl screamed.  He was tried in court, and Bowden testified against him, playing the part of a witness not an attorney.

Now, he’s back in town and he’s out to get the lawyer’s family. Bowden has a wife, a young daughter, and a dog. This movie is definitely disturbing and quite terrifying, but  the cinematography is excellent and the shadowing is superb. (So is the directing, by J. Lee Thompson.           

Robert Mitchum is terrifying and haunting in this movie. There is a remake of this film directed by Martin Scorsese. This later film also features Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum, but this time with Peck as Cady’s lawyer, and Mitchum as a police man working with Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte). Juliette Lewis gives a haunting performance.

The second film changes the plot alot. The daughter is obviously older (almost sixteen), and she is more sexually desirous. The music, is by Elmer Bernstein (Leonard Bernstein’s father. The music, in my opinion suits the first film much better. Here it sounds taken. So, even though Scorses’s movie is a more modern and explicitly violent film than the original, I actually find Mitchum much more terrifying that De Niro in the lead role of Max Cady and  in “Night Of The Hunter.” Except for at the end. During the desperate last scene during the storm on the boat, Robert De Niro is truly relentless, and therefore truly terrifying. He says all this on a breaking boat during a storm with his head severely burned!

I think the best performances in this movie are those of Robert De Niro and Juliette Lewis. The new version has some very disturbed and twisted scenes, a few of which I had to skip over.  The truly sick and horribly violent scenes in the newer film  makes me kind of hate it.  We see Robert De Niro hurt (very badly) the people in this town. The movie is more violently intense (people being set on fire, cannibalism, beating up with chains and wood, rape, and strong battery.) Cape Fear (1962) has a scene with Robert Mitchum beats up a girl, but we don’t see her get beat up and we only see bruises after. In the second movie, he brutally beats a girl and severely injures her resulting in her being put in the hospital. The only time when I felt that De Niro had any psychological value was at the end when I think he gives a great performance stating the fact that Sam buried the part of the report that says that the girl he brutally raped was being promiscuous.

 In the version with Robert Mitchum, Cady calls Sam Bowden’s innocent, 14-year old daughter “juicy,” but in the De Niro version, the girl is almost 16 and their relationship gets much more explicit: the girl is amost sixteen and a little sexually interested in Cady not knowing what a monster he is. Cady calls her up, posing as her new drama teacher.  He kisses her. The girl is slightly sexually interested in Cady and the mother is a little interested, too. In the first version, not only is the girl 1 but she is childish and unassuming. In the first film, the daughter is psychologically almost a small child, even though she is supposedly Fourteen and obviously developed; she has a baby face and she is very short.

Night of the Hunter also with Robert Mitchum as a murderer stalking a family.  In this case, he targets the children of a widow of a man who was arrested and hanged for a bank robbery and 2 murders. “Children are man at his strongest, they abide.” “They abide and they endure.”  This is said by Lillian Gish at the end of the movie, I think it’s my favorite line. Night of the Hunter is a much better movie than “Cape Fear” first or second. Mitchum’s character comes to town as “Preacher” Harry Powell and marries Willa Harper (Shelley Winters) and makes it clear very fast that the marriage is for “caring for her children, not for begetting more!”. Mr.Powell married Willa for the 2 thousand dollars that her husband supposedly hid in the river. But the money is  really in Pearl ( the  four-year-old daughter)’s doll.  Mr. Powell/He brainwashes Pearl into loving him and believing everything he says.  (She calls him “Daddy Powell.”)  But her brother John is a little older and knows better.  

The movie is just great, really one of my top 10 favorite movies.  Robert Mitchum and, of course, Lillian Gish give the best performances as, respectively, a preacher/killer/seeker of money and a bible-following “angel” who rescues homeless children and saves John and Pearl in the end. The movie isn’t gruesome although there are a few mildly disturbing scenes that still haunt me, but the whole movie sticks with me.

Night of the hunter: (1955) A+

Cape Fear: (1962) B+

Cape Fear: (1991) B

Lucy