February 8th, 2016

This weekend was catching up with a film from TIFF that I had be meaning to see.

In The Lobster starring Colin Ferrell and Rachael Weisz you have a tale that speaks about love and relationships in a way that is telling (and funny at times) and also strange and weird. It is a parable of sorts with an underlying theme reflecting how we humans deal with being alone, or seeking out a mate.

The film starts with Colin Ferrell learning of his relationship ending and then checking into a hotel. There he has 45 days in which to fall in love and find a partner or he is forever changed into an animal of his choice. He chooses a lobster. Most people turn into dogs apparently. He is joined by others and there are rules and a routine in the hotel. There are some interesting observations made here. Being true to oneself, compromising one’s values for the sake of a partner, choosing being a couple (even with the wrong person) instead of alone. Then Ferrell moves to another area where there are Loners, where there are other rules to be followed and he meets Weisz. A series of events takes place.

In the end there is a conclusion that puzzles me and was not very satisfying. There are movies like this which deliberately test and challenge the audience. You are expected to fill in the blanks with often very little to go on. Here for reasons that are entirely unclear we have actions taking place that make little sense. And maybe that’s the point but I don’t think so. It is a head scratcher and pushes this film over to the side where I cannot recommend it. I did laugh occasionally and found the observations interesting. Farrell since he has fallen outside the spotlight of Hollywood has done some interesting films like this, and also Miss Julie. In The Heart of the Sea is next on the list to come.

Monday it was In the Heart of the Sea, the Ron Howard Moby Dick story. I had heard the lukewarm reviews and some of the commentary that this was a movie that didn’t know what it wanted to be. Did it want to be Jaws, or perhaps Cast Away? I think those criticisms miss the point entirely. This is a movie that is a story about the creating the fictionalized story of Moby Dick. From a “real life” tale of a whaling vessel attacked by a mammoth white sperm whale, it speaks to the challenges of men at sea and the drive for wealth and riches. And the author who has to decide how the tale should be remembered and what is the underlying message.

Drunkard and quiet, a man sits at home never speaking of his time on the ship Essex and what happened off the west coast of South America. His Wife has never heard the tale. While whaling, there is an attack on the ship by a whale that cripples and sinks the boat and leaves the men for dead. All the while, the vengeful whale keeps watch to ensure that the crew (who has killed his pod members) suffer. Then there are the more predictable stories about survival at sea (like Life of Pi, The Bounty or Unbreakable) that take place and the author has to decide what legacy he wishes to leave for this crew.

I thought that the CGI and the scenes with the whales were well done. The scene which details out how the last few buckets of whale oil are obtained is memorable. In the end, there are some sappy parts with Hemsworth, but also some ideas like honesty and truth and keeping the memories of fallen friends and colleagues alive with a story. My Gramps never told me any stories about WWII and his time on the ship. I wish that he had. Those stories are gone now forever. I am glad that this story was told. The Google/wikipedia story was more poignant in that Melville who wrote Moby Dick did not sell many copies and he ended up writing poetry. It was only after his death that Moby Dick got any notoriety. It is now prescribed reading in many schools in the US in high school, but not here. I have never read it but remember the Gregory Peck version of the movie. The whales are more believable and rich here than in the previous version. One thing that CGI can do is bring about more vivid images for whales, sharks, dinosaurs and other massive creatures. Better than claymation, even claymation that can go down on one another!!

February 1st, 2016

If Downton Abbey teaches us anything and virtually all period pieces for that matter – the 1800s in the UK were a troubling and difficult time. It was a time of change and a time of class struggles. People had their place and their station, and they were not to stray outside the lines. Lines that were written in imaginary ink but were as real as the hedgerows. While we in North America were hunting pelts and Indians alike, the Brits were dealing with class and relationships and farms.
So sets the stage for Far From The Madding Crowd. This is a remake of a late 1960s film starting Julie Christie (unseen by me). It has the familiar Matthias Schonerts from The Danish Girl and also Disorder. He us very good here as Mr Oak. The strong, silent type who knows and is wise about much but says very little. Fate dealt him a poor lot time and again it seems. But he stays his course and supports his independent minded woman. Carey Mulligan plays that woman. She so fiercely independent early on and rebuffing two separate men. Then she meets a swashbuckling handsome soldier and can’t seem to help herself. The rest unfolds as it should.
This is beautifully shot. English landscapes and cliffs that make me want to book air travel. It is well acted. Miss Mulligan who has received raves and plum roles earns her stripes here and is good. I have not liked her before (like in The Great Gatsby nor Wall Street Money Never Sleeps) but here she is good.
I enjoyed this. It is on Netflix and worthy of some time I think. I do think we will all see more of both actors. They do have chemistry. And here it is well served. It must be there honestly for this story to make any sense. No bombs. No light Sabres. No cgi. There it is.

January 25th, 2016

In some films you can tell when an actor is “mailing it in” to get a paycheque, like Michael Caine in Jaws 3, or perhaps he just wanted a paid vacation in the Bahamas for a few weeks. But nevertheless, you realize that they are going through the motions and capable of better work. In Tomorrowland, George Clooney has such a role. He plays the adult version of a once positive and enthusiastic young boy, proudly displaying his new Jet Pack at the New York Expo back in 1963. That was the boy. The man is left a bitter recluse who is down and not very positive at all. The story is a mess and jumps all over the place, but ultimately is a social commentary on humanity and our seeming unending appetite for bad news and evidence that the world is a bad place. What to do? Well the “smart people” decided to create a utopia with no politics, or greed for money and allowing science and technology to advance the human condition in another dimension. I was underwhelmed and not convinced. The robot was interesting for a while and some of the effects but it was too long and did not capture my attention. In the end I was glad that it was over.

Yesterday I saw The Revenant with Alison’s review dancing in my head as the movie that she liked best this year. Her review was so glowing that my expectations were high despite my meager understanding of a plot that seemed relatively simple; Man loses son and seeks revenge in the woods up north. The cinematography and look and feel of this film is excellent. One gets a real sense of what living in those times, and in that place, was like. I don’t want to experience it. Snow, cold, sleeping outside, small fires and braving the elements made me shiver as I watched. Then there was the brutality. Stabbings, shootings, arrows, knives and all manner of violence to a human body. But the simple story moved along at its own pace.

For me, it was a pace that was a bit too slow. I was shifting in my seat, and thought I can only see so much of Leo on the frozen ground pulling himself along with his fingers, one painful pull at a time. I got the point that he had a struggle. Tom Hardy was very good here, I think likely better than Leo who couldn’t say much other than groan for most of the film. These are two excellent actors with good direction telling a believable tale. I saw a lot of Tom Berenger’s performance in Platoon in Hardy. The guy struggling to survive, disagreeing with authority and making his own rules up as he goes along. The young solider who stays behind I couldn’t get beyond the spider scene in We’re The Millers out of my head (I chuckled to myself whenever I saw him). If you haven’t seen it, google it and then try and put the seriousness of The Revenant in context with it (it’s NOT easy)! Anyway, visually this movie is stunning. It can also be gross, and make you turn your head to the side. I am not sure whether I needed a veterinary lesson in anatomy of a horse in a film but basically I got one as Leo does his best Empire Strikes Back Taun-taun impression of Han Solo helping Luke Skywalker. In the end, revenge is exacted as is to be expected, and everyone in the audience is exhausted from being put through the paces. This is a physically demanding role and I suspect that Leo won’t personally sign up for another winter outdoor movie for quite some time, if ever. I can’t blame him when The Beach 2 would be so much easier to make! Would he EVER feel warm after a day of filming here? One wonders. I don’t see this as a Best Actor (sorry Leo) but I do for Tom Hardy.

I was glad to see this, and see it on a big screen. I just wish it hadn’t been so intense and graphic.

January 18, 2016

In the Best Picture movie from 1998, Shakespeare in Love, Queen Elizabeth asks the question to the crowd whether a play can show the very truth in nature of love. The reference there of course refers to Romeo and Juliet. In the unknown film to me before Alison mentioned it, The Beauty Inside, a Korean film, it puts forth the fantastical idea that one man (person) can have their body change each and every time they wake up, and still be able to live fully, including finding love.

This film takes the premise and treats it logically and seriously. The man involved literally changes every time he wakes and has to deal with that (man, woman, older, younger, with and without glasses etc.) He has the wardrobe to prove it! He like everyone else seeks love and to be loved. But how can you do that? The rest of the movie explores this. It explores it well and makes comment about the very nature in truth of love. It takes it down to its bare essence with satisfying conclusions. I won’t spoil the plot because it goes places that you wouldn’t initially anticipate. But I will say that it is touching and you feel for these characters and the struggles that they face, and that everyone faces. This accomplishes what The Curious Case of Benjamin Button couldn’t do. So I can wholeheartedly and without hesitation recommend this film if you don’t want to see things blow up good! Perhaps it is the romantic in me that feels this movie more, but I think that those who don’t feel anything should check themselves for having a pulse (or a heart) at all.

Still need to see The Revenant. Brother saw it and felt that it was brutal and intense. That is a common theme.

A word too about the snubbings at the Oscar nominations. I cannot understand how Ridley Scott gets overlooked for The Martian. That and an increasingly impressive body of work which includes Best Picture Gladiator. Still there is no respect. I also feel for the young boy in Room, who was terrific, and Alicia Vikander for Ex Machina that was overlooked. It is all too bad. There are other awards of course SAG, and BAFTA, and Golden Globes, but the Oscar is the pinnacle really. Sorry that they don’t always get it right.

January 11th, 2016 Bowie memorial

As we enter into awards season, I wanted to first pass along some words for an actor, singer and legend who passed away yesterday. I didn’t even know that David Bowie was sick, let alone had cancer. I had heard about his new album that just came out. Then this morning I see the news feed that said that he had died. He was an incredible talent, and had a nose for the fashion and being on the cutting edge. His catalogue of songs is impressive with early tunes like Space Oddity and Young American and Heroes (talking about people kissing at the Berlin Wall in East Germany). But then morphed into Ziggy Stardust and then later the Thin White Duke. Then in the 80s he changed once again to the yellow suited guy who sang Modern Love, China Girl and Let’s Dance. He left a lasting legacy, and his music will go on and on (although my kids are hard pressed to know who he is). RIP David Jones…funny you changed your name to avoid confusion with The Monkees’ David Jones who pre-deceased you, and few will remember like you. You also starred in films like The Hunger, Labryinth, and the Man Who Fell to Earth.

On to the films of the week. I saw Pawn Sacrifice finally and this gave me more insight personally into my own family than speaking to me as a film. This was a film that I had wanted to see with my step-father. He is a renowned chess player from the 50s and was a Canadian Junior Chess champion. He won the US Junior Championship in 1954. He represented Canada as well. I saw this on my own, but he had seen separately. Bobby Fischer was his junior in age, but was shown here with all his eccentricities. He was a strange and beguiling man. From a young age, he was catered to, and he was demanding and bossy. His Dad was no where around and Mom was not a stable provider. But he had a gift with chess. An amazing gift to see the board and make amazing plays. The Russians ruled the sport, and took a team approach. Fischer noted this and then refused to play. Later as this movie shows he was the centrepiece with the matches with Boris Spassky. It was Cold War TV, at a time in 1972 which also brought about the Canada vs Russia hockey series. Finishing on my step-father, he played against the “second” of Fischer’s who is played by Peter Sarsgaard who had turned to the priesthood. Step-father beat him. Anyway, this movie is not great, but it shows how difficult it could be to manage and be around Fischer. It also shows that he recognized his value to the sport, and by refusing to play and participate, he could get compensated (as he rightfully should) for showing his talents. The Russians were all State supported. The Americans were privately funded. In the end he won the Spassky match and was world champion. There is an element of madness in those with great talent. Certainly in the chess world it seems but in many facets of life. I am glad that I saw this. As it was more personal for me, this likely doesn’t translate well for others, but was interesting nevertheless.

I did see Joy as well, and Jennifer Lawrence wins for the Best Actress in a comedy. This wasn’t really a comedy at all, but then again, neither was The Big Short nor The Martian. I found this bio-pic slow to start with the early days and dysfunctional family elements almost a parody on a real family. It was a caricature of what real might be like. Yes, Hollywood and movies do that anyway but it was just strange here. Virginia Madsen as the mother was just bizarre, and De Niro as her Dad was also just odd. Later when there is a moment of decision, he buckles and does what no father should ever do – although it reminded me of Silver Linings with the Dad after the Eagles game when the fight took place. The second half where the business things start happening is where this movie gets better and Lawrence shines. There is a pivotal scene in a hotel which I think was brilliantly done and a sophisticated negotiation strategy. Lawrence plays it to perfection. And ends up getting even more than the expectation. This was not big screen at all for me, and I was glad I saw it on my smaller screen. It is not as satisfying as Silver Linings with the same cast (mostly) and Director.

As for the Awards, I need to see Revenant which won and even Leo too.

I was saddened that Alicia Vikander did not win, but happy for Brie Larson, and Kate Winslet. Also pleased for Matt Damon and The Martian which is my top pick of the year so far. I did not see the awards. Oscars are next.

January 4th, 2016 New Years Edition

I did see The Big Short this past weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it as well. I saw it with a Banker, who understood a great deal about the trades (and insurance) that was being proposed and we were both pleasantly surprised about the amount of humour in the film. Much in the same way that The Martian had more humour than expected! Short was engaging and interesting and very scary to boot. The level of complicity on all levels of Bank, regulators, Bond Rating (Moody’s and Standard and Poor) and the Federal government was scary to behold! To borrow from Cumberbatch’s Hamlet “…something is rotten in the State of Denmark…” What was remarkable was the fraud in propping up the value of these bonds when the underlying mortgages were clearly dog shit! This is a story where as they show, you are Chicken Little and you are betting against your own country and the underlying economy. People’s lives will be changed and destroyed and yet no one at the top of house goes to jail. No one pays for this horrible example of modern day greed. I am a reasonably bright person but I still struggle to understand how one gets paid out from a falling asset. I liked the performances all around and was most impressed by Steve Carrell as I felt his Oscar nomination for Foxcatcher was not really deserved. Here, this is more deserving, Gosling as well (even with blackened curly hair and brown contacts) also was better than his more recent films. All was needed was Edward Norton and Daniel Day Lewis!! Christian Bale was his reliable self.

A co-worker saw Joy and enjoyed it. She also really enjoyed Revenant which is next on my list.

Enjoy Room, and Toronto acting as Akron Ohio (even the CN Tower inexplicably!!) See Apache Burger as well at Six Points Plaza! I visited there Saturday night and asked about the cameo. They said that they did not close down restaurant for the entire day. It was only a few hours. They did not know that there was an outside shot! The house in Room was filmed along the Kingsway – with the shed.

December 28th, 2015 (Christmas edition)

I have been off for a week and catching up on my films.
I also saw a couple Shakespearian plays on film:
A Winter’s Tale is a play by Shakespeare performed on stage in London and then shown in theaters. It stars Judi Dench and Kenneth Branaugh. It was a story that I was unfamiliar with to begin with. There are elements of Othello here where the King protagonist is seeing his Wife (pregnant) with another man and friend and thinks she is untrue. The story evolves from there with tragic elements. I enjoyed the performances and remain in awe of those who can memorize the soliloquies. It was worth watching.

Then I saw Carol. Two nominated performances with Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. It is a simple story of a woman in a repressive time (late 50s) who is a socialite and married with a child. She is having marital trouble likely because she loves women. In a time when lesbianism was considered deviant behavior. Blanchett is the real story here and performance. This was slow. Plodding along with very little really said. Much left unsaid. Very little action. This is not the best film of the year.

Bridge of Spies was a good film that the lawyer in me liked more than some I think. A co-worker thought it too much Spielberg. I disagree. This is the story of an accused soviet spy who is defended by an Insurance lawyer (Hanks). Then later Frances Gary Powers a U2 pilot is shot down over the USSR and they are looking to make a deal. Trading spies. It is an interesting case study in negotiations. I enjoyed it.

Macbeth was the second Shakespearian play I saw and enjoyed. Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard were both very good. This is a very bloody interpretation with some really good cinematography. Slow motion shots with great colours. I also thought the addition of the death sequence early for Macbeth and his wife burying a child was new. And it made sense. I liked this and was glad I saw it.

I also sent to see Room. Much of this is filmed in Toronto (CN Tower included) but the film insists on calling it Akron Ohio. Apache Burger front and centre. I thought that was cool. Anyway, there are two really good performances here. The little boy is excellent. 5 year old little boy does an amazing job. Brie Larson too is very good as the Mom under horrific circumstances. But she makes the best of it. There is tension and a story that moves along well. I was engaged and cared. This won the TIFF people’s choice award but I don’t see it as the best film of the year. Still it was good. Carol and Room are not big screen films really. Nor Bridge of Spies.

December 21st, 2015 – Force Awakens

So here it is – the review of the most hyped movie in recent memory. And for the most part it delivers – but having said that I still feel a bit empty having seen it. Before seeing it, I wanted and hoped for it just to “be good” and that they “didn’t screw it up”. It does an admirable job at melding the old with the new. You have a new, younger and fresher group (and politically correct) taking the reins of this storied franchise.

Abrams did much here like he did to re-boot Star Trek. He borrowed heavily from the base material and mirrored previous plot lines. You won’t need to pay attention long to see what I am talking about. There is a great deal unsaid, and few Aha moments. There are some “yea right” moments too – you will know those too – like just incredible coincidences!

There are also scenes and plot lines that will have you pause and scratch your head – like the whole Millennium Falcon subplot. To say that some stallwarts like R2D2 and Luke Skywalker get short shift is somewhat of an understatement.

Still…..there is much to like here. Characters who you care about (mostly). A decent story and decent acting. I liked the visuals and the scenes of older Empire ships dotting the landscape of a planet that looks a lot like Tattooine. It’s not, but might as well be. Our heroine has questions too, along with the baddie Kylo Ren (bad tempered and all which is actually quite refreshing).

I expect that there are at least two movies to be made here (with a three trilogies when they are done). Expect more as Disney knows how to milk a franchise (just look at Toy Story!!)

I saw this in Imax 3D and the 3D yet again did nothing for me. It is fun, it is escapism. It is another chapter in this franchise that has been a part of my life since I was my youngest son’s age (11yo). Let’s see where else they take us!

P.S> I still left the theatre feeling a little bit disappointed. Like “is that it?!” Such is what happens when expectations are so high.

P.P.S> I re-watched Grosse Point Blank and enjoyed. I like Minnie Driver. I also watched Resevoir Dogs for the first time and thought Tim Roth and Steve Buschemi were the best parts! A movie that had eluded me until that point. Strange.

December 16th, 2015 – Pre-Star Wars

So there are two reviews that I have seen for Star Wars Force Awakens (Globe and Mail and Roger Ebert.com) and both are positive generally about it. I am pleased to hear that. I did not read anything with a spoiler since I want to be going into this fresh. I will be taking youngest son to see Star Wars this weekend at some point.

I have a number of films that I will see during the upcoming time off. TIFF Lightbox has Macbeth. Others include Bridge of Spies, Heart of the Sea, Trumbo, Carol and Revenant.

On Netflix I have seen a few different things. One was a documentary about Atari and ET game in a landfill. Honestly don’t ask me why I watched this. No idea. It was really rather silly, especially the ego-maniac former software developer who was responsible for the very bad game ET.

I had also caught Cinderella which was decent but nothing spectacular. I do think that Cate Blanchett as the baddie step-mother here was not as memorable as Anjelica Huston in Ever After with Drew Barrymore. Terence and Stamp about the Who was just silly too.

Jack Ryan – with Captain Kirk was okay but predictable, I noted that Kenneth Branaugh directed and acted.

Disney shorts were good and interesting.

I am caught up on Downton Abbey and await the next season.

I did re-watch A Beautiful Mind last night and again was impressed by Jennifer Connolly. She supports and allows her husband to be what he could. And she had a number of leaps of faith that would never have been easy. Her moment of anger in the bathroom is a priceless scene and won her the Oscar in my mind.

Lots to see. Hopefully we can connect in the next couple weeks.

November 17, 2015 – British Spy Edition

Had to see the big screen version of Spectre (IMAX even) and shared with my daughter in Halifax. This movie tries really hard to pick up various pieces and pull them together. Certainly with the Daniel Craig Bond films. For the most part it works. But the traditional Bond stuff is really what works best. Great chases. Amazing cars. Fabulous women in dresses and Bond in jackets and ties. Oh and things that blow up real good. All of this is there. And well done. Monica Bellucci is sadly under used but things move and the globe is traversed. I appreciated just how good the writing and dialog of Quentin Tarantino is for Christoph Waltz. Here the guy I can think as a master stroke for a villain kind of is – but he could be more evil. Overall I am glad to see this and can recommend it. It is fun. It is escapism. Enjoy.

I watched Kingsmen on Netflix last night. I had no expectations. It was better than expected. There are some silly scenes but it worked. Speaking of Tarantino, Samuel L Jackson plays a lisping baddie who wants to solve globe warming. He has an interesting theory. His no-legged assistant creates a stir in most of her scenes. Yet the scene which turned it for me was a bar scene and then an over-the-top scene in a church. It made me laugh and shake my head. Suffice it to say that it was remarkable in a Kill Bill kind of way. The young Cockney blue collar kid is an interesting guy and the ending was just priceless. It’s a different kind of spy film but kind of fun.