Take Me To The River

Deb 8      Me 8

This is a movie made about creating an album of music fusing talents of the legendary STAX musicians and the popular rap artists of today. From the first scenes I could see that the filmmaker took the time to sync even the most incidental almost-off-camera performers to the music up front. That was impressive. Then there was a quick a capella performance of the Rhodes Sisters (who look like a bunch PTA moms) that could've been embarrassing but was terrific. That sold me. The rest of the movie was riveting. 

The STAX musicians are not only wonderful, but they're fun people too. The work of the rappers is integrated into the live recordings, and although the heartfelt words are strung together in a clever way they are all strikingly similar in delivery. There were moments when the film felt like a commercial for the pending album, and the unexplained absence of Steve Cropper stands out, but overall this was a great document of our society in the heyday of the STAX (from about 1960 through early 70s) and how the music shaped and reflected its times. A really nice way to spend the evening.

Love Is Strange

Deb 7    Me 6

Strange title. Didn't seem to fit anything. I didn't really accept the premise and there too many unrealized story elements and superfluous characters to make this feel like a whole movie. I get the feeling this was a book and they had to at least mention certain people or situations for fear of alienating the readers. The readers had their chance and including the peripheral stuff screwed up what could have been a better movie. It is about a long term gay relationship and that was presented well, but the supporting people and situations were half baked at best. Didn't get it for me.

The 100 Foot Journey

Deb 9    Me 8

Oh I dreaded having to see this one. I'm so burnt out on all this Baliwood kind 'o stuff. I know the English have some fascination with India but I don't. It's one of the few places on my list to avoid (which is probably true with a lot of people), hence all this "once you get past the rampant monkey shit and selling children as prostitutes stuff" there's a real charm and dignity in India. 

So this movie is different. It's not in England or India, but in France. It starts out spelling out the background and moves in exciting ways that threw me off balance, not knowing what to expect in the rest of the movie and what unfolded was a pretty neat little story, not at all what I  figured. There are holes and weirdnesses and a few odds and ends that maybe don't add up. There were several places where I thought the movie would end, but it didn't, so the 122 minute running time seemed like a long time, but it was a nice way to spend the evening.

The Trip to Italy

Deb 3    Me 1

After fifteen minutes I was looking for a way out of the theater, hoping for an earthquake or something. I had trouble understanding what they were saying and when I could understand them I found they were referring to something i know nothing about. These are my problems. The movies problems were much simpler. It is billed as a comedy and they weren't funny. They are in Italy but it didn't really matter, we didn't see much of it, could've been done in front of a blue screen. It just wasn't anything. There were a couple funny lines and some of the cutaways to food preparation were great, but they couldn't mask the inane ongoing meaningless trite commentary of two boring buffoons. Maybe not the worst film I've ever seen, but in the bottom five. Three. Maybe second worse film ever behind Movie 43 or Prince Avalanche. We're talking boring.

Get On Up

Deb 9    Me 6

It's amazing how many entertainers seem to have identical backgrounds. Or maybe the ones with similar backgrounds are chosen to be film topics. Maybe once the groundwork for a successful movie has been laid, producers look for others to fit the mold. It's now a tired story, so this one focuses on the business side of being a superstar. Acting is terrific (as in so many bio-pics) and this one has a great soundtrack because the star lip syncs to the original soundtrack. It is extremely well done and works even better because his speaking voice perfectly melds into the singing voice. A good movie, good music, a few insights perhaps, and some effort at making a tired formula interesting to watch.

Calvary

Deb 8      Me 5

This didn't look like something I'd ever see and I shouldn't have. Somehow a KCRW review was related to me that this was a comedy so I figured I read it wrong and went. It is a very good movie though. There have been a few movies about the Catholic church and the effect of priests raping children have on the victims, the community and the church itself. Set in a small Irish town the film is filled with interesting looking people who no respect for the church or its officials and have a crude cynical demeanor toward the clergy. That part is neat, but I wish I didnt see the rest of it.

Magic In The Moonlight

Deb 9   Me 10

This is THE BEST Woody Allen movie I have seen since he made Woody Allen movies. Whoever made this did a great job. I dug the Midnight In Paris movie largely because of all the art references, but this is a story driven movie that digs right in and doesn't let up until resolution. I loved the way it unfolded, everything about it was just right in (the old Alfa 1500 was nice too). The star is Colin Firth and he just rocks. The other people do a fine job too, he's the only one I've heard of though. I really enjoyed this thing from start to finish.

And So It Goes

Deb 9    Me 8

Don't know who this was aimed at, probably every Diane Keaton fan in the world, but it was better than expected. Michael Douglas tries his best to be Jack Nicholson and he is better to just be himself. Pretty much a predictable formula we both enjoyed watching it despite itself. Pretty good actually...

A Five Star Life

Deb 5    Me 4

This Italian film is really titled I Travel Alone. It seemed to be a sort of slice of life movie without a particular point of view or definite statement. It takes place in a series of opulent hotels but they do nothing to save this from being boring. Nice to look at, but left us both hollow.

Boyhood

Deb 7   Me 5

From watching the trailer I decided I had NO interest in this movie. Following these kids around for 12 years and weaving the footage into a story just seemed like a gimmic. But watch it I did and there is little redeeming value in the time spent in the theater. I'm sure it was a challenge for the filmmaker, but the rewards to the viewer are minimal in this lackluster insignificant movie. They were lucky that the "star" turned out to be a cool looking guy, and the traditional stars, Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette were very good.

Ida

Deb 3   Me 6

Absolutely one of the stunningly most beautiful movies I have seen. This is an extremely well crafted film. I so enjoyed the watching of all the lighting and camera angles, the psychology of the whole thing that I was almost able to dismiss the fact that this is the most dismal depressing and hopeless film in the world. See it academically if at all.

Only Lovers Left Alive

Deb 10      Me 5

This felt like a stretch for Jim Jarmusch but he did a fine job of making a sort of straight forward movie with a what I'd say is a new style for him. And style is what really carries this thing. Deb loved the hip look and feel and I liked the audio hardware that made up a lot of the background. Mostly that's what I looked at, the stuff in the scenes, because I was pretty bored by the rest of it.

Begin Again

Deb 7     Me 7

Again with the rank old overused stereotypical dumb formulas. Somehow this thing went beyond the predictable story and was just enjoyable to watch. It didn't really matter that you knew what was next and wished for something a little bit different here and there, it was somehow a treat. We both liked it despite itself.

Words and Pictures

Deb 7     Me 4

Wow, what a let down. The premise was filled with promise and it looked like it could go somewhere. Some of the topics that were introduced (and assumed to be developed) were destined to make a good movie. I excused being fed quite a bit of formula because it seemed like it would lead to a nutritious and filling meal, but in the end it was the worst kind of tripe and made every promise associated with it taste bad.

Life Itself

Deb 8     Me 9

This is a straightforward documentary about film critic Roger Ebert. From the film makers point of view, whatta challenge! I imagine he keeps hearing a review of every shot as he goes along, what a high bar is set when trying to make a film about a film critic. But the guy clears it with room to spare. It is a very good movie. There is a ton of Ebert archival footage to draw from, living family and peers to interview, a huge body of work that reveals his knowledge and opinions, and a personal blog kept right up to the end of his life. Plus the film maker gets to shoot his own footage of his subject and has his input on content. And it is all put together masterfully. The way the story unfolds is just fabulous, I really liked it. AND I'm not particularly a fan of Roger Ebert, didn't know squat about him, but its a very good movie.

Chef

Deb 10     Me 10

Here's an indicator, had to pee the whole time but couldn't find a boring place in the movie to leave for a few minutes. Biggest cast since Ben Hur and a sweet story that unfolds like butterfly wings. The trailer looked good and the movie was terrific. I'm not into food movies but they always seem to have an excellent soundtrack, this one excels with a hefty dose of Cuban music thrown in. Just a nice human interest story, well played, credible, about people trying to do better. Recommend it highly.

Cuban Fury

Deb 8    Me 8

This looked terrible, but it features Salsa dancing, which is an important element in our household. What a pleasant surprise. Just a sweet little movie. I always like things about overcoming yourself and this fits in well. I'm happy to have seen it.

Teenage

Deb 10     Me 10

We really loved this documentary BUT... The subtitle is "Revolution Never Gets Old". Loved that too. A great look at the development of the teenager from somewhere in the late 1800s - early 1900s through the 1950s or so. I never really thought about about, figured teenagers had always existed, but as a cultural phenomenon it is relatively new. The big BUT about the movie is the growing trend toward un-labeled but accurate re-enactments in documentaries. This is dangerous territory and I hope it doesn't last. Re-enactments are nice, but they need to be clearly identified as such for they are clearly interpretations at best and only document what the film maker understands as real and has limited validity. But its a terrific movie.

Watermark

Deb 4    Me 5

This is presented as a documentary about water. There's a lot of water in it but no real documentation. What it amounts to is a live action coffee table book. Very pretty, VERY pretty in places, and not much content and little continuity.

Vivian Maeir

Deb 9    Me 9

Really an intriguing documentary about a woman who was a terrific photographer who kept her work to herself. Her stored work was eventually discovered in an auction and the guy that bought all her stuff recognized the quality of her work and set out to have it acknowledged. Its a very interesting story filled with black & white pictures and colorful people.

Dom Hemingway

Deb 7      Me 4

Probably well acted and perhaps a good movie, but for me it was a "who cares". Reminded me of a less violent Pulp Fiction. Snappy reparte among people you don't care about doing things you wish people didn't do.

American Hustle

Deb 10    Me 5

I don't know why these things bore me. I get lost in the sets and action and my mind wanders. Its been a little while since we saw it and I couldn't tell you what its about. Couldn't tell you when I left the theater either. Now, Deb loved it. She actually watched it and followed along as the story unfolded and this brought her great joy and appreciation for the film maker's talents. I was thinking about monkey bones in Beatles songs or something. Opportunity missed.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Deb 10    Me 6

Like most stories, there's a subplot or a vehicle that moves the story along. I was completely confused by this element here and thus missed the whole thing. Sharp as a marble. But when the story was just moving along it moved with charm and wit. It was fun to watch and very entertaining. Bill Murray has a small role in it and he brings his brand of serenity to the screen in a most appealing way. For the most part this is a fun quirky picture to watch but there was a whole part of it that got by me and sort of wrecked my experience. I'm sure you'll have better luck.

The Great Beauty

Deb 8     Me 5

This actually was long at 2:22 but wore on nicely. There were some privileged behind the scenes type shots of some terrific Roman features as we follow a guy around partying. It was just plain watchable, not particularly insightful as I remember, but populated with interesting folks. Deb seemed to have got a lot more out of it than me, so there is meat there.

The Wind Rises

Deb 5     Me 6

An animated feature about the guy who ultimately designed the Japanese ZERO aircraft. This is a great looking movie with (perhaps unwitting) homage to Disney's top animated classics. The story is told well and in beautiful scenes done in a variety of mediums. Some scenes looked to be pastel, others guache, oil or watercolor. It may have all been done on a computer (I don't know), but the feel of these media were artful and convincing. Its only a tick over two hours, but felt long. Pretty good movie, I've heard the hype on the radio and it doesn't meet the level of beauty they proclaim, but it is good looking and interesting.

Particle Fever

Deb 7    Me 7

I was really excited about seeing this, not so excited while seeing it. Its a documentary about the particle accelerator in Switzerland where they hope to create the elusive Higgs boson, minute particle whose existence has only been theorized. So there's a huge facility built specially for trying to discover this little gem and I figured this movie is supposed to tell us all about it. It told a lot about it, but not enough to get a grip on the whole idea. The place they build for the experiment is beyond huge, and didn't think its enormity translated well to the big screen. They pulled the best looking people from the project and followed them around for the execution of the experiment and its aftermath. That was pleasant and added the needed human interest aspect, but I'd like to have had a bit more explanation of what and was going on. Its a fascinating project, look for a good PBS special on it.

Le Week-end

Deb 4    Me 3

The title translates to "the Weekend", yet it feels like it took a month to watch it. Set in Paris, you'd think the scenery would be used to best advantage, but no. A big problem for us was the actors whispered most of the time. Couldn't hear a thing and knew nothing of what was going on. To add to the frustration, the few parts we could hear sounded like they might have been interesting if there was a context. Jeff Goldblum was a welcome addition to the otherwise anonymous cast as we could hear him fine and his character was amusing. The other players even commented that he was loud, so the quiet talking throughout was by design, just a very bad idea from our vantage point. A waste of time.

August: Osage County

Deb 10    Me 10

Stupid title. This is a great story and I like the way it unfolded. Because of the cast I thought this would be some sappy chick flick, BUT even though its populated with chicks its just a very good movie with recessive male genes. This was up for some awards which goes to show the awards aren't completely without merit. The acting really was superior and that goes for direction, set design, you name it, it was pretty darn great. Not an easy movie to watch, not full of comic relief. If you like straight dramatic storytelling, check it out.

Dallas Buyers Club

Deb 10    Me 9

So this has been out for months and the theater is packed I haven't seen that kind of movie support since Senna. But a bunch of people is not always a good sign. In this case they were right, its a great movie. The star was so convincing, the rest of the cast just as excellent. Its a great story, its told well and kept me going all the way through. We saw How to Stop a Plauge several months ago and it was the nuts and bolts examination of fighting the AIDS epidemic. This was more the human side, a couple humans in particular and avoided too much technical info and just adhered to the story. Very well done!

Why We Ride

Deb hasn't seen it yet       Me 10

No, I'm not just handing out 10s these days, I'm just writing about the 10s as they come to me. This is a documentary about why people ride motorcycles. It isn't so much about the activity of riding, but the motivations and responses to riding. First off, this is one of the prettiest movies I've seen in a long time. There's a lot of talking heads and each one is lit beautifully. In fact every scene is lit with the light of a master, really a great looking film, and this is a documentary, not a Hollywood production. There are action scenes of course and a couple of them portray speed as well as I've ever seen and the slo-mo work is just spectacular. If there's any problem with this movie it might be that it is so sincere it borders on being sappy. But it doesn't quite get there, and proves to be a great study of human qualities. Look for it on the big screen, video will only be a pale reminder of how pretty a movie it is.

Short Term 12

Deb 12    Me 12

We rate movies on a scale of 1 to 10, ten being highest praise. When this was over we both looked at each other and said "12". It has everything I like in a movie and kept me interested every minute. I didn't recognize any of the actors, making it feel all the more real. This is worth looking for.

Tim's Vermeer

Deb 10    Me 10

Another movie about art. Bring 'em on, its a huge and fascinating subject. This one is an extension of Hockney's presentation on the possibility of Vermer working with some sort of visual aid like camera obscura. Simply, it is thought that Vermeer figured out a way to project his subject to his canvas and eliminate a lot of the drawbacks from traditional drafting. If this is true then it is likely a lot of artists did this, not only the Dutch, but Italians too. The reason they single Vermeer out is that there's no record of him ever serving an apprenticeship with anyone in a time when all that stuff was well recorded. 

So this cat named Tim sets out to prove the theory one way or another by painting "his own Vermeer". His journey makes for an entertaining and eye opening movie about one aspect of making art, being creative and keeping your eyes open to opportunity. A great little movie!

Monument Men

Deb 10    Me 10

We'd been waiting for this one for quite a while. We were both impressed with the documentary Rape of Europa and curious how this could translate to a mainstream film. Well, they did a pretty good job. I liked thinking that the actors chose to do the movie because they liked the story, which is basically about the many ways art is important in our society. They managed to make it entertaining and still keep it educational, they developed the personalities but not at the expense of story and most important to me, they didn't make the Nazis out to be any less despicable than they are. For an all star cast type of movie this one really felt like an independent close to the heart film.