DVD Mini Review - Body of War

Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro have created a powerful film about the effects of the war in Iraq on one young man's life. Tomas Young registered for the Army two days after 9/11. He wanted to go to Afghanistan and the people who did that to us. Little did he know that he was going to go to Iraq instead. Just a few days after he landed in Iraq he was severely injured.

Tomas has to be helped in every aspect of his life. He is also in pain much of the time. His blood pressure fluctuates and go from very high to very low. Much of the film centers on his relationship with his wife Brie. Brie wanted to marry him even with the type of injuries that he has. The film is very frank and we find out that Tomas and Brie don't have much of a sex life because of his injuries.

Tomas was a gung ho soldier but he came back a changed man. He now opposes the war and speaks out against it. His mother Kathy is also now against the war. But his brother Nathan is for it and went to Iraq.

Body of War is not as polished as a Michael Moore film. But it packs a real punch. There were many times that I was in tears. And it is just one more reminder that we should never have gone into Iraq. But Body of War is also about Tomas' body and how it is not functional. It is an important film and I hope that people get to see it now that it is out on DVD. Also of note - there are a number of original songs written and performed by Eddie Vedder.

So do yourself a favor and see this film. I think that it is a must see for every intelligent, thinking person out there (and while you are at it make sure you vote on November 4th and I hope that you make the right choice!).

DVD Mini Review - Rififi

Rififi is Jules Dassin's masterpiece heist film. Dassin was blacklisted and had to work in Europe (as did so many others). His film is a classic film noir.

Tony (Jean Servais) comes out of jail and tries to stay clean. But an offer of a bank heist more than tempts him. His partners in crime are Jo(Carl Moher), Mario (Robert Manuel), and Cesar (played by Dassin himself under another name). The actual heist scene is the centerpiece of the film. It is done in total silence and really amazing. The last sequence of the film has you on the edge of the seat. I should say that there is a complication not with the actual heist but with something that happens afterwards. Let's just say that someone who was not involved with the theft wants a piece of the action.

Most of the heist films of today pale in comparison. Do yourself a favor and rent Rififi (which means trouble). You won't be sorry that you did.

W. and Rachel Getting Married

Here are a few words (and I mean few) about two films that I saw today.

W. is Oliver Stone's character study of President George W. Bush. W. is by no means a great film. In fact, it sags in places. I think that Stone was in such a rush to finish it before the election that he was not careful about the editing. But the film has its moments and you certainly get a number of laughs.

However, I must say that Josh Brolin is just amazing as Bush. I couldn't believe how well he captured the man. His performance is worth the price of admission. Stone starts off with him being a cocky young man and by the end of the film we feel sorry for him (my empathy didn't last long). But no matter what, Brolin is top notch. James Cromwell is also terrific as Bush Senior. Some to the best scenes are between father and son. The tension is so thick that you need a knife to cut it. I got the impression that W. decided to run for Governor of Texas and President not because he was really all that interested but to show his father that he could do it.
Bush Senior always thought that Jeb was the one who was going to be president. Richard Dreyfus was also great as the slimy Dick Cheney. Some of the other cast members, particularly Thandie Newton as Condi Rice, do not fare as well.

W. is a pretty standard bio pic. I would say that Brolin could very well pick up some nominations during awards season and maybe Cromwell will too. That said, as election time is near I do think that this is an important film to see because it will show us what we have now and what should not choose in the future.

Rachel Getting Married has gotten rave reviews from most critics. Some have even called it a masterpiece. But I also know some people who did not like it at all. So I really didn't go into the theater with any type of expectations.

I can say that it is Jonathan Demme's best feature film in a long time (he has made a number of wonderful documentaries during the last few years). The script was written by Jenny Lumet. And it is at times quite sensitive. Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt) is marrying her partner Sidney (Tunde Adebimpe) at her father Paul's (Bill Irwin) home in Connecticut. Her sister Kym (Anne Hathaway) is getting out of rehab for the weekend so that she can attend the wedding. And you can bet that there will be a lot a tension all throughout the weekend. There are a number of confrontations between the sisters and between Kym and their mother Abbey (Debra Winger).

There is a secret that we find out about during the film. I will not say what it is but it is very devastating. All of the scenes in which this dysfunctional family deal with each other are very powerful. However, a lot of the film is made up of the wedding festivities and I thought that there was too much of that. The pre-wedding dinner was especially frustrating. It seemed that it went on forever - I mean did we need to see all of those people wishing the couple well. I think that Demme should have cut some of it out. And the hand held camera, which was probably used to make things seem intimate, didn't always work.

The acting by all four family members is wonderful and I think that Hathaway and DeWitt in particular could do well during awards season. I walked away from the film feeling very sad - I even cried a bit when I left the theater. So the verdict -
on an emotional level Rachel Getting Married worked for me. But as a piece of cinema it could have been even better and I, for one, cannot say that I think this is one of the best movies of the year.

DVD Mini Review - Diary of a Country Priest

Robert Bresson's beautiful, haunting film Diary of a Country piece is a true classic.
It is also a very sad film.

A young priest (Claude Laydu) takes up a new position in a rural setting. From the beginning you can tell he will have trouble. He is inexperienced and not very good in social settings. Before long the townsfolk are against him. He has many confrontations including a duchess, her daughter and her governess. He confides in an older priest who is like a father figure to him. The young priest also is in ill health. He has a very odd diet - one that consists of bread that is dunked in wine.
Because of this some people think he is an alcoholic.

Most of the film conists of the priest writing in his diary as events unfold around him. To me the main theme of the film is how the priest goes back and forth regarding his faith. I felt that he did not always believe and had some conflicts.

The film is beautifully shot in black and white. Laydu is marvelous in the role (I read on imdb that he was born in 1927 and is still alive). Some on that board said that he reminded them of a young Johnny Cash and I can see the resemblance. Laydu's face shows all the agony - physically and spiritually - that is going on inside of him.

This is a wonderful film but it is not for everyone. Those of you who like a lot of action will not like it. The film takes its time telling the story. But for those of you who love contemplative narratives will find this a very worthwhile film indeed.

Appaloosa

Ed Harris has directed, co-written and stars in a fine new western entitled Appaloosa. That is the name of the town where all of the action takes place.

Virgil Cole (Harris) and his partner Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) are peace keepers. That means that they are hired by various towns to keep the bad guys in check (which very often turns out not to be so peaceful). They are in Appalooosa to convict Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons) of murdering several people. But things get complicated when a needy widow named Allison French (Renee Zellweger) arrives in town.

The film is not just a western. It has many interesting components and a psychological twist to it. It is a thinking person's western. There is action but you also have to do a bit of thinking.

Harris, who also directed the wonderful Pollack a number of years ago, does a good job here. The dialog is sharp and the script kept me wondering what would happen next. All of the acting top notch and I especially liked Mortensen as the cynical partner. It was also great to see Timothy Spall, Lance Henrikson and Ariadna Gil in supporting.

I urge you to see this film either on the big screen or on DVD (but the cinematography is so much better on the big screen). In this way we will be supporting Harris in the hopes that he will direct another film (and not take so many years to do it).

DVD Mini Review - Boy A

John Crowley's Boy A is simply one of the best films of 2008. The film is riveting from beginning to end. And it makes us ask some important questions regarding the rehabilitation of former criminals and forgiveness.

Jack Buridge (Andrew Garfield) is released from prison after serving time a heinous crime. His name is different from the one he had before he went to prison. His counselor/father figure Terry (Peter Mullan) is totally committed to helping Jack get his life back on track. Jack starts to work at a delivery company and makes friends with some of the people who work there. He also falls for is co-worker Michelle (Katie Lyons).

There are also flashbacks to the past showing Jack - who was then Eric Wilson (Alfie Owens) - with his friend Philip (Taylor Doherty). That friendship was like poison for Eric, who had a very bad home life.

I really don't want to say much about the plot. The film is based on a book which I think was based on true events. But I want people to be surprised about what happens.

The directing is marvelous. And so is the acting. Garfield is a new talent to watch. His portrayal of Jack is heartbreaking. And what can one say about the brilliant Mullan? He is such an outstanding actor. And his character shows real pain. James Young, who plays Mullan's son Zeb, is also good. And Lyons is terrific as Michelle. It was nice to see them cast an actress who is a little heavier than most actresses (but not most other women) as the love interest.

Boy A is a must see film. It played for at a brief time at only one theater but now that it is on DVD I urge you to rent it. I will warn you that it is a very sad film but that shouldn't stop you from seeing it. It represents life as it really is, which sometimes can be quite bitter.

Note: The accents are at times heavy and the DVD had English subtitles that I put. This way I understood what was being said at all times.

Religulous

I have been a fan of Bill Maher's for a long time. I find him to be a very funny man. He also says what's on his mind even if it is not popular. So I was very anxious to see his new film Religulous and it doesn't disappoint. Directed by Larry Charles (Borat) the film takes on most of the world's religions. But Maher generally focuses on the most extreme aspects and people of the religions. Various types of Christianity are taken on as well as Orthodox Judaism, Islam and even Scientology.

I myself do not follow religion. I am a Jew but my affiliation is cultural and historical. In an interview Charles said that he is steeped in Judaism but he doesn't believe in the Bible. I pretty much feel that way - I do not believe that the Bible was written by God but instead by men. But I also think that people should follow their religion if that is what they believe in and it helps them. However, it should be a private matter and never mixed with politics. I do believe that there some force out there but I don't really know what it is and it goes beyond organized religion.

Anyway, Religulous is a funny film even if you don't completely agree with Maher. The theater was packed so there are quite a lot of people who like him and agree with him. I won't get into all of the details because I think that people should see this film for themselves. Perhaps some of what Maher says will make sense to them. I did not agree with some of his remarks but I do think that what he says gives food for thought. Maher's mother Julie and sister Kathy were interviewed. His mother was Jewish and his father was Catholic. He and his sister were raised Catholic until their father left the Church (when Bill was 13). I guess that his mother didn't follow any religion. Anyway, just go out and see this film. It is always wise to hear diverse opinions on matters like this so you can make up your own mind what is right for you.

Blindness and The Duchess

Today I saw two good films. The first one is Blindness. It is based on the fantastic novel by Jose Saramago. The film does not live up to the book but I didn't expect it to. It is a very hard book to adapt and I have to give credit to director Fernando Meirelles for attempting this. He made a very interesting film.

In an unnamed city a man (Yusuke Iseya) goes blind. But this is a white blindness and not a dark one. But his blindness appears to be contagious and many people become blind. The man goes to see a doctor (Mark Ruffalo) and the next day he is blind. But for some strange reason, the doctor's wife (Julianne Moore) can still see. Along the way we meet the Thief (Don McKellar, who also wrote the screenplay) who stole the first blind mans' car, the girl with the sunglasses (Alice Braga), the man with the eye patch (Danny Glover) and the bartender/king of ward three (Gael Garcia Bernal) among others.

The blind are taken to a hospital and have to stay in their assigned wards. You can only imagine what horrific events follow. The film version indicates that there is a government coverup, which wouldn't surprise me. But the overall theme of the story is how humans react towards one another in times of crisis. It is not a pretty picture. But aren't humans animals? They are and here we see them at their most primative.

Blindness has been unfairly critcized. While not a great film it certainly has a number of things going for it. The story is a timely one. And Moore's performance is outstanding. There were others - particulary Bernal - who gave fine performances. Also, the the look of the film is beautiful and eerie. And it certainly gives one much food for thought. After all, isn't it possible that something like this could happen in the crazy world that we live in?! I think it could.

The Duchess is based on real life events and is adapted from a book by Amanda Foreman. When she was very young Georgiana Spencer (Keira Knightley) was married off to the older Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes). Her mother Lady Spence (Charlotte Rampling) thought that it was an ideal match. But it certainly wasn't. The Duke is rather cold and his main objective is for the Duchess to give him a male heir. That doesn't happen so quickly.

The Duke is allowed to have mistresses, much to Georgina's distress. But he is a Duke and back in those days women didn't really count that much. Add to the mix Lady Bess Foster (Hayley Atwell) as the Duke's special mistress and Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper) as the man who loves Georgiana and who she really loves and you have quite a mix.

I found the story quite fascinating. Director Saul Dibb did a good job and the film is quite lush to look at. Knightley is growing as an actress and this may be her best role yet. Cooper and Atwell are very good and the great Rampling is just marvelous. But best of all is Fiennes. He is just outstanding at the cold, emotionless Duke. At the end you actually feel sorry for him.

After the film I read something about the real Duchess that was posted at the theater. Her life was even spicier than portrayed in the film. Ah, if only the filmmaker would have take a bit more risk and shown this. But still and all, The Duchess is a worthwhile film as is Blindness.

DVD Mini Reviews - Contempt, Beaufort, Jellyfish

During the last few days I saw three films in the comfort of my own home. Here are a few words (and I mean a few) on each of them.

First off is Jean-Luc Godard's Contempt. Michel Piccoli stars as a middle aged writer named Paul. He is having mixed feelings about writing a screenplay for the Odyssey. It doesn't help that the director is the difficult Fritz Lang (who plays himself) and that the producer is an obnoxious American named Jeremy (Jack Palance).
Throw into the mix his problems with his younger wife Camille (Brigitte Bardot). The film is an interesting exploration of the filmmaking process (although not as good as 8 1/2 or Day for Night). It also shows how the business can take its toll on relationships. I liked the film but felt that there was an emotional factor missing. Still and all it is a definite must for any real lover of cinema. Bardot in particular is very good and Giorgia Moll's translator Francesca is an interesting (but not very developed) character.

I saw Beaufort on Netflix's instant play. Beaufort, directed by Joseph Cedar, was nominated for a foreign film Oscar earlier this year. Beaufort was a castle in Lebanon. In 1982 Israel invaded Lebanon and occupied the castle. Due to a growing outcry the Israeli's left Lebanon and destroyed the castle in 2000. The films shows the Israelis last days in Lebanon. The soldiers are led by Liraz (Oshri Cohen) who is a by the book guy. This does not always work in the favor of his soldiers. In fact, we see that he really is not all that courageous. A number of incidents prove this. There are some scenes in the film that are truly nail biting. And after the film I felt like I had been through a war. The pacing is deliberately slow so you feel as if you are there. Beaufort is a powerful film that shows us the futility of war and violence.

My favorite film of the three is another Israeli film entitled Jellyfish. The film is directed by novelist Etger Keret and his screenwriter wife Shira Geffen. At the beginning of the film (a scene or two in) we are at a wedding. There are three women in attendance who will be the focus of the film. The bride Keren (Noa Knoller)
sees her honeymoon spoiled. Batiya (Sarah Adler) is a waitress who works for the caterer of the wedding. And Filipina Joy (Ma-nenita De Latorre) is at the wedding as a caregiver of an elderly woman. The lives of these three women are changed and touched during this wonderful film. I won't say how because you should see the film.
All of the acting is terrific. And I was very moved by this film. On the DVD there is an interview with Keret and Geffen said that they will probably make another film.
I certainly hope that they do and I can't wait to see what they will come up with. Edit - by the way, this film won the Camera D'Or at Cannes last year and it certainly deserved it.