Last New Movie Batch for Now

Newer movies have still been showing on my home theater, but I am about ready to start spreading choices out over a larger date range again. This latest batch of new films has not been that exciting. I did finally manage to get a four DVD set of the 1985 documentary Shoah, which included over nine hours of viewing. Fair Game, a true political drama tops the list. Bringing up the rear is the disappointing Babel from 2006.

So again, here is what I have watched on DVD and streaming since I posted my last list. The ratings I give are on my own number system explained at the link on the sidebar. Those watched via Netflix instant view, include “Streamed” after the numeric rating.

Fair Game – 2010 (3.4). This drama effectively tells the story of the outed CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson and her husband Joe. For those who did not follow this news story over the four year course, the movie provides a good presentation starting by showing the type of undercover work Plame did for 18 years, working to prevent nuclear proliferation, and how her husband, who had extensive ambassadorial experience in Niger, was asked by the CIA to investigate whether there was any substance to reports that Saddam Hussein had obtained uranium ore from that African country, and he did travel to Niger and investigated, reporting back to the CIA the story was not true.  The film then touches on the fraudulent methods the Bush administration employed to push for an invasion of Iraq and how Wilson finally wrote his op ed piece exposing the lie about Niger. What followed was a carefully orchestrated campaign to take the focus off the lies that misled us into the war and place it instead on Plame and her husband, exposing her as an operative without regard to how that would jeapordize the non-proliferation mission, maligning her professional status and work and accusing them both of dishonesty, conflicted self-interest and lack of patriotism. For those who did follow the news, this film adds additional information about the nature of Plame’s undercover work and the terrible pressure this ordeal put on their marriage. The film was well written, acted and directed and I decided to watch it a second time, listening to commentary from Plame and Wilson, who were quite pleased with the accuracy of the movie and the importance of the message it gives, that Americans need to stand up for truth and speak out when the government is lying.

Shoah – 1985 (3.2). Eleven years in the filming with five years of editing, this almost ten hour documentary by Claude Lanzmann, a WWII French resistance member, is a holocaust movie that does not use archival footage. What Lanzmann did was track down surviving prisoners, some of whom worked at the gas chambers and crematoriums of some German Nazi concentration camps in Poland, some guards and other Nazis (a few clandestinely filmed) and some townspeople who lived near the camps during the War. His interviewing style, usually with interpreters, was exhaustive and almost excruciating in eliciting details. He had a way of drawing people out in a low key manner, validating the importance of what they had to say by the time and patience he put in to extract minute details from them. He also sought subjective comments from the interviewees on their own thoughts and feelings and on those of the other players in this horrible drama of extermination. Sometimes the interviewees are on screen and at other times the camera visits the remnants of the sites while the interview continues in voice over. Most interviews are sparsely subtitled, but some are spoken in English. This is a unique historical record, confirming the mechanical organization of Nazi brutality, the pervasiveness of anti-Semitism and the almost totally hopeless situation in which these Jews found themselves. Netflix does not have this DVD set. The King County Library, now number one in circulation in the US, has one copy, which is the set I watched. They should buy more; Amazon has vendors who offer new sets for $70. If you ever get the chance to see this film, it is worth the time.

IMAX: Hubble – 2010 (3.0). This short documentary should really be seen in 3D at an IMAX theater, but I settled for the DVD version on my home theater [I’m not screening Blu-Ray yet, even though I have the player, because my TV is only 42” 720p; whenever I upgrade the TV, I may spring for the extra Netflix charge for BluRay]. The movie concentrates on the most recent mission to repair the Hubble, but most fascinating is the imagery traveling through the vastness of the universe, and back in time, via this amazing technology. [Editorial comment, not part of the movie comment: I wonder if we’ll ever learn why, from the billions of options, God chose this little blue speck for the Garden of Eden. Maybe someday we will have a powerful enough telescope to go back in time and see how the choice was made].

Cranford: Return to Cranford – 2009 (3.0). This two episode sequel to the British miniseries was a bit disappointing. It apparently started where the series left off, but gave no recap or assistance in helping the viewer recall the characters and the plot, so it took almost all the first episode to start to get things back in memory. Then we had to wind up a few plot items from before and add some new ones which also had to be wrapped up promptly. All the usual British period piece qualities were present, except the script was not top notch.

Casino Jack and the United States of Money – 2010 (2.9) Streamed. After watching the dramatized version of the story of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, I streamed this documentary from Netflix. If you are going to watch both movies, I recommend watching the documentary first, to try to get the factual chronology straight, though it is still sort of complex to follow. The drama gives a personal side not contained in the documentary, though they both show how greedy scum lobbyists and corrupt politicians and staffers are hijacking our electoral and governmental process.

Unstoppable – 2010 (2.9). Being a railfan definitely adds to the entertainment value of this powerful action movie about a runaway freight train. Character development and subplots are minimal, but there is some good chemistry between the always watchable Denzel Washington and his inexperienced accomplice.

Welcome to the Rileys – 2010 (2.9). The auto crash death of their 15 year old daughter has left an Indianapolis couple childless and depressed. When he goes to a convention in New Orleans, he meets a young lap dancer who reminds him of his daughter and decides to hang around to try to influence her out of the tawdry life in which she has become ensnared. His wife, who has not left the house since the death of their daughter, decides to go to New Orleans to find him. Simply written, well-acted by James Gandolfini (except for his odd accent), Melissa Leo and Kristen Stewart, and thankfully non-indulgent in sex scenes, this movie presents the difficulty of opening up when life seems to have closed on us.

Flipped – 2010 (2.8). This Rob Reiner movie borrows from the Wonder Years for junior high romantic angst and Rashomon for dual point of view. It has a few moments that are touching, but the central premise of a 2^nd grade girl being attracted solely by the looks of a new neighbor boy who joins her class, and then she can’t shake the attraction even as her intelligence and sensitivity continue to blossom into junior high years, while he continues to be dull and timid left me annoyed. Why didn’t she give up on him and find a better match?

Tangled – 2010 (2.8). Disney and Pixar present the story of Rapunzel 21^st Century style. Pleasant enough with a few elements to hold adult attention, though I wonder how youngsters would do with its length. I don’t watch movies with my young grandkids, so I don’t keep up with what is available in this genre. This film did not have the usual celebrity voice overs, which was fine with me.

The Illusionist – 2010 (2.7). This is the French animated film from the maker of The Triplets of Belleville. The technique is quite accomplished and unique, but as with Triplets, I did not find the story appealing. This tale was based on an unfilmed Jacques Tati script, and the animated sad hero was a takeoff on the Tati character, playing a magician who is being passed over by the emerging new entertainments of the 1960s. The young girl who still believes in him is perhaps intended to be allegorical, but I never felt a connection with her or their relationship.

Casino Jack – 2010 (2.7). Kevin Spacey says he keeps his personal life hidden because it makes it easier for audiences to accept him as the character he plays. That doesn’t work for me. I don’t know or care about his personal life and yet he is one of those actors who always seems to me like he is an actor rather than the character, and he usually plays unlikeable characters to boot, like disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff here. A very muddled script makes the story hard to follow, except to know that Jack and his cronies are total jerks and Graham Greene is an honorable Indian. A better bet, also from 2010, may be the documentary Casino Jack and the United States of Money, available now on Netflix instant view, to get the facts, and then maybe watch this drama to add a personal element. 

Babel – 2006 (2.0). Knowing this would be marginal at best, I finally gave it a try. That was a mistake. This is a nothing script which tries to seem profound by teasing us with how three story lines will intersect. The first two merge pretty quickly, while the last one waits almost to the end of the movie, by which time we could care less. Cate Blanchett is totally wasted, while the film rolls incessantly on a young actress whose role is just to be deaf and horny and flash her pantyless private area. The narrative interweaving is about as shallow as could be and we learn nothing of interest about any of the characters as people.

Some Newer Ones

Movies from 2010 occupy seven spots on this list, and there are only two from before 2000. I decided to peek at some current picks for a change of pace, but did not find them much different from the older films I have been watching. An exception is the documentaries, which cover more recent developments and take the top four spots on the list.

So again, here is what I have watched on DVD and streaming since I posted my last list. The ratings I give are on my own number system explained at the link on the sidebar. Those watched via Netflix instant view, include “Streamed” after the numeric rating.

Inside Job – 2010 (3.2). Charles Ferguson, who made the excellent No End in Sight about the Bush invasion of Iraq, also made this documentary about the financial crisis. The movie manages to legitimately simplify the technical aspects of the financial machinations of Wall Street, and also documents how Congress and our Presidents of both parties have been co-opted by the supposedly brainy insiders of the financial world, through campaign contributions and the resulting appointments to policy making and advisory positions. The film is particularly good for those who have followed this less closely; but for others there is not much new except for the shabby ethics of financial academics who allow the prestige of their university positions to be bought by means of undisclosed fees earned for writing articles supporting the questionable practices that led to the great recession, and the idea that our best young engineering minds were wasted on fabricating shoddy financial products rather than being put to good use inventing worthwhile tangible manufactures.  The fallen Eliot Spitzer is interviewed and comes across as a white knight against Wall Street blackguards, which is why they engineered his downfall as documented in Client 9.

The Tillman Story – 2010 (3.1). I was not familiar with Pat Tillman the NFL player, so when his death as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan was reported I assumed he was some sort of Toby Keith type patriot. What I learned about Pat and his family from this documentary was that they are free spirit humanists and that he and his brother volunteered for the Army because they believe in America as a nation that respects their beliefs whereas the 9/11 terrorists and the Taliban want to destroy them. When the military and the Bush administration tried to hide the truth of Pat’s death by trigger happy “friendly” fire, what was surprising was not the dishonesty and disrespect, but as this movie showed, the extent and shamelessness of it.

Restrepo – 2010 (3.0) Streamed. Spending a year in close quarters with an infantry platoon in an outpost on the edge of Taliban controlled territory in Afghanistan is a dangerous way to live, but a good way to make a documentary movie showing what it is like for the young soldiers facing mortal danger fighting a war that, at the extremely local level involved, is actually quite futile. The film makers let the soldiers tell their own story through scenes of firefights, down time and post exit interviews following their 15 month tour of duty.

Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer – 2010 (3.0) Streamed. This documentary was slickly made by Alex Gibney, who has a good track record as a documentarian. Gibney scored some inside interviews with former NY Governor Spitzer and some of those who wanted to see him taken down, but the film was a little disappointing in not giving enough background and in concentrating too much on the sexual aspects of Spitzer’s fall. I would like to have learned a little more about Spitzer the man and a lot more about how the Republicans influenced the FBI to pursue the escort service Spitzer used and how the Republican US Attorney geared the public phase of the charges to out only Spitzer as a patron. Spitzer made it clear than he blames no one but himself for his downfall. One commentator observed that if Spitzer was a French politician, this scandal would have helped his career.

Nowhere Boy – 2009 (3.0). This Brit movie tells about John Lennon’s rascally teenage years when he struggled with conflicted feelings on reuniting with his mother who had given him up to her sister to raise. Mom was a flakey free spirit and Aunt was somewhat of a tough love advocate. Mom brings out his hidden musical talent, while Aunt tries to keep him disciplined, which renews the conflict between the sisters and creates an awkward love triangle. The younger Paul McCartney meets and musically mentors John, and George Harrison signs on, but the film ends before Ringo and the evolving band being named The Beatles.

Dirty Pretty Things – 2002 (3.0). Deserved praise for the script attracted me to this movie, which tells the story of two undocumented aliens in London. As if their struggle to eke out a living isn’t tough enough, she is subjected to unwanted sexual advances and he is pressured to engage in illegal activities. Well directed and acted, the film maintains an underlying hopefulness.

127 Hours – 2010 (2.9). This movie struck out on all its Oscar nominations, but the one for best adaptation screenplay attracted me. It is quite a feat to hold attention on a man pinned in a tight canyon, even though it is a true story, but with creative writing interweaving subjective delirium it was accomplished. Throughout the ordeal I tried to figure how I would get myself out of such a predicament, even though I have no experience or particular knowledge of such endeavors.

Conviction – 2010 (2.9). A troubled childhood ends in a young man being in the 1980s convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Convinced of his innocence, his sister, who doesn’t even have a high school diploma, decides to become a lawyer so she can work to overturn the conviction. This drama of the true story shows a little of the childhood encounters with the law and shows a little of the personal life of the sister, mostly how she relates to her two teenage sons and how she finds a supporting friend in another older female law student, but it concentrates mostly on the woman’s perseverance through the years as her brother experiences emotional swings. Though the movie was intended to be a story about the sister, the drama could have been enhanced by showing a little of what was going on through these years in the lives of the incriminating witnesses and investigating police officer, and with the man’s daughter who grew up believing her father, with whom she had no contact since he was convicted when she was still a toddler,was a murderer.

Made in Dagenham – 2010 (2.9). Sort of a British Norma Rae, this movie is about the 1968 strike of 187 women who sewed seat covers in a Ford factory in England. They were led by an unlikely young activist wife and mother of two small children. She rose to the occasion at the right time and shut the entire factory down, caught media attention and the sympathetic ear of a female cabinet member in the Labour Party government, forcing Ford to back down and give the women a raise to 92% of what the men were paid, with equal pay legislation to come in two years. The script is straightforward, with some coverage of the personal toll taken on the young leader and some good business about a corrupt male union official and a very sympathetic one. I would like to have seen more drama about the hardball tactics of Ford and the pressure it put on the government by threatening to pull out of Britain. A little more on the personal lives of some of the women would also have enhanced the tale.

Vanity Fair – 1998 (2.9). This A & E miniseries of the classic novel was fairly well done, considering the obviously low budget production values. It is supposedly a faithful adaptation. I just found all the characters rather unappealing, Becky because she was such a terrible person and never got her comeuppance to my satisfaction and most of the rest of the characters because they were so stupid. This may be as much a compliment to the actors as a criticism of the novel. I don’t feel like I learned anything from the film about the era portrayed or about human nature. The music score seemed inappropriate and was much too loud.

Fat Head – 2009 (2.8) Streamed. This documentary does a pretty good job of debunking Super Size Me, the popular attack on McDonald’s junk food, attacking the holes in the methodology of that experiment in eating nothing but McDonald’s food for one month. Unfortunately, it seems to be a curious mix of parody, science and libertarianism. The science is the most worthwhile part of the movie, pointing out the fallacies underlying the conventional wisdom of the food pyramid and the cholesterol scare, and advocating the paleo type eating style. The doctor interviews and animated diagrams are very helpful, but seem rather scholastic compared to the sillier material that precedes it. Interviewing McDonald’s diners was a waste of time. Curiously missing is any mention of sodium in food, especially in McDonald’s.

Islander – 2006 (2.8) Streamed.  An island off the Maine Coast is home to a lobster fisherman who makes a mistake that sends him to jail for five years in this low budget indie movie. During his incarceration, his young wife divorces him and takes their young daughter with her as she moves in with another fisherman. On release from prison, the convict is shunned by most of the islanders, as he struggles to learn from his experience and move on with his life. Bottom line seems to be you either like living on a fishing island off the Maine coast, or you don’t.

A Simple Plan -1998 (2.8). This thriller novel must have been pretty good, because the Oscar nominated script for the movie tells a good morality tale of how one bad choice can seem to force a crescendo of cover up challenges. A dramatic triangle involving three male culprits gets expanded as two wives become involved. The acting seemed a little weak at first, but that disappointment was soon overcome by the interest in following the story. Billy Bob Thornton got a nomination for his acting as a bit of a dim wit, but I thought it was an uneven performance.You couldn’t root for these characters, but you were tempted to sympathize with them a little as their moral rationalizations continued to fizzle.

Breach – 2007 (2.7). Robert Hanssen was a highly respected FBI agent, devout Catholic and dedicated family man, with many years of public service, when he was arrested in 2001for having been a spy for the Russians for 15 years. His treason was the most serious security breach in US history and caused 50 US agents to be identified and executed. This movie about the final phase of the operation to catch him in the act should have been very exciting, but the script was too weak, trying to show his idiosyncrasies, both blatantly and subtly, and detailing a few supposedly suspenseful incidents of trying to gather evidence before he returns to find the searchers. We know from the start he is a spy and will be captured and we keep hoping for a twist or plot enhancement, but the film just plods ahead to its conclusion. Chris Cooper does a good job as Hanssen, but it is wasted.