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.

The Stream Widens

This list includes almost as many Netflix streams as Netflix mails – just one less. But in terms of hours watched, because of the top rated miniseries, I watched more streaming than via mail. Four of the top rated six were mail DVDs, as were two of the bottom rated four, so the quality mix is getting more equal  for mail and instant view. As more movies show up on instant view, I expect I will be watching more that way than by mail.

A couple of Oscar nominees tied at 3.2, but were edged by a Czech sleeper at 3.3. But Masterpiece did it again, playing to one of my favorite genres with Downton Abbey.

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.

Downton Abbey – 2010 (3.6) Streamed. This Masterpiece miniseries evokes Upstairs Downstairs in its British social and political themes from the years before WWI, but also weaves in some Jane Austen themes with three daughters of marriage age. Add the wonderful Maggie Smith as the Dowager mother of the Lord of the manor, and the classic is complete – almost. Is it a spoiler alert to tell you not to expect all issues to be resolved in the last episode? A second series is brewing, and I’ll be there for my fill.

The Country Teacher – 2008 (3.3) Streamed. The premise for this Czech film sounded like a romantic dramedy, handsome gay city teacher flees to a country teaching job after a breakup with his lover, and the pretty village farm widow is attracted to him without knowing his sexual preference. But this surprising drama was much better than that. First of all, the leads were not very good looking, which combined with the authentic village setting to create a feeling of legitimacy. The teacher is attracted to the widow and her college age son in a familial way, while the widow, who had been abandoned by her good looking philanderer husband, is interested in romance, and her son is dallying with a college girl visiting from the city on weekends. All three characters struggle with self-esteem issues and the story proceeds dramatically without artifice of plot. Sexual typecasting and the meaning of intimacy are subtly challenged in this film, prompting the viewer to ponder seriously without feeling pushed.

The Fighter – 2010 (3.2). Developing the quirky family aspects before getting too heavily into the actual boxing made this movie more appealing to me. Melissa Leo and Christian Bale deserve the praise they received for playing the screwed up mother and brother. Filming this truth based story in the real setting, integrating the supposed filming of a documentary about the brother and having Mark Wahlberg well trained for boxing matches filmed by HBO boxing crews were also effective moves. We can’t choose the family into which we are born, but this film shows we can choose whether we want to stay involved with the family even after it has hurt us. The DVD special feature on the making of the movie was fun to watch after the movie, to show the real people and how well the actors captured them; George the cop and trainer was played by the real man.

The King’s Speech – 2010 (3.2). The story of King George working with a commoner speech therapist to overcome his stammering was not well known, and this movie did a good job of showing how uncommon the therapist actually was. Their bond was a closely personal one that lasted for 25 years, though the movie only shows the first part about coaching the new King into speech making capability by the start of WWII. Well written, directed and acted, though the concentration on the stammering and the coaching left little room for developing the other dramatic elements taking place at the time.

Evelyn – 2002 (3.2) Based on a true story of an Irish father whose wife abandoned him and his three small children, this heartfelt movie tells how the Church and State stepped in to take the children away and put them in Church run foster care because the father did not have a regular income and the mother could not be found to consent to him trying to raise the children alone. The man decides to challenge the system, with little hope of success, especially since he has no money to pay for the necessary legal help. This movie is Capraesque in style and almost as appealing.

Housewife, 49 – 2006 (3.0). Victoria Wood, who usually does comedy, wrote and starred in this BBC production, playing Nella Last, a London housewife who volunteered during WWII with a women’s group involved in numerous activities in support of service members. The script is based on a diary Nella wrote for many years, as part of another program to let the government know how ordinary people were doing. Starting with her depressive frame of mind feeling trapped in a dull marriage, with the second of her two sons about to leave the nest, Nella wrote about how her volunteer work freed her from her depression. The script gives a fresh viewpoint of what the War was like on the English home front, through this very personal sharing.

Pierrepoint – 2005 (2.9) Streamed. Albert Pierrepoint followed in his father’s footsteps when he became an English hangman, and from 1933 to 1955 hung 608 people, including scores of Nazi war criminals. This movie provides an intimate look at the man and his wife during these years, including the changes brought about when his anonymity was ended by the high profile Nazi executions. He believed efficient and humane execution was the proper entitlement for convicts forfeiting their lives in payment for their crimes. In later years, he came to believe capital punishment was wrongful retribution, but this phase of his life was not included in the film.

All or Nothing – 2002 (2.8). Mike Leigh really impressed me with Secrets and Lies, but nothing else he has done, including this movie about an alienated family living in a London housing project, has risen to that level. The whole family is depressed and depressing. The son is so obnoxious that when he has a heart attack you kind of hope he dies. The mousy wife engenders some sympathy, until you realize she makes her own contribution to the familial malaise. If this family somehow could make some changes for the better, you still can’t imagine wanting to be involved with them.

A Perfect Candidate – 1996 (2.8) Steamed. In 1994, Iran-Contra conspirator Republican Oliver North ran for the Virginia U.S. Senate seat of Democrat Charles Robb, son-in-law of LBJ. This documentary, largely from inside the North camp, shows a really nasty campaign with each side accusing the other of character defective lying, North about Iran-Contra and Robb about an extra-marital affair and attendance at parties where drugs were present. The rabid fervor of some North fans seems prescient of Sarah Palin, and the stiffness of Robb a precursor of John Kerry’s run for President. In the end, former Governor Wilder, an African-American Republican running as an independent, tipped the scales by endorsing Robb. Filmed extensively in action, without interviews except for a few with a Washington Post reporter, and without narration.

The Human Experience – 2008 (2.7) Streamed. The Netflix prediction was way too high on this documentary and I failed to read the very accurate and most helpful member reviews which point out that the young film makers were a little too self-centered and superficial in their approach to learning about human suffering. Young and naïve they were, but sincere enough to be given credence by the sufferers and those who are helping relieve their suffering, all of whom welcomed interacting with these young people. The Netflix stream was slightly out of sync, but I watched it anyway and don’t think the problem lowered my rating.

The Rector’s Wife – 1994 (2.7). This 1994 British miniseries starts out really boring and only gets slightly better. The 42 year old wife feels trapped in her life, especially when her husband is passed over for promotion and it appears they will be stuck indefinitely in their small town setting. When she challenges conventionality by taking a job as a supermarket stocker in order to pay for a private school for their daughter, her husband and community are not pleased. As a couple of men make advances to her and her husband becomes tyrannical, she must decide what to do with her life, and as depicted it was hard for me to understand what we were supposed to take away from the story.

Paradise Road – 1997 (2.4). Australian Bruce Beresford meant well when he wrote and directed this movie about the courage of colonial women who became prisoners of the Japanese on Sumatra during WWII, but as good as the story could have been, the script was so uneven, inconsistent and disjointed that disbelief never became suspended. Acting level was almost irrelevant in view of the script deficiencies. Production values were fairly high, but the costume and makeup work on the prisoners was pretty pathetic. Frances McDormand provided the only humor, unintentionally delivering one of the worst German accents I have ever heard.

The Pajama Game – 1957 (2.4) Streamed. The positives: a pro-union story, peppy Bob Fosse choreography, and two good songs (Hey There and Hernando’s Hideaway). The negatives: low quality streaming image, not much of a story and mostly forgettable songs. Bottom line: if you like fast paced ensemble dance numbers, give it a try, otherwise forget it.

Disappearing Streams

When a movie in my Netflix Instant Queue is only going to be available for a few more days, it is tempting to squeeze in an instant viewing to save the use of a future mailing. But if I’m really not in the mood for it, I’ll let it pass and then either put it in the mailing queue or on the “Not Yet” sheet in my computer movie database. If the film is short or marginal enough that I might bail out on it early, I’m more likely to give it a quick try. There are a few of those on this list. Also included is a five disk series 2 of a BBC show which the library had on hand. My Netflix mail queue has shrunk to half the size of my instant queue, so it is time to add more to the mail list, watch more instant or both.

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.

Twin Sisters – 2002 (3.4). Orphaned in the 1920s at 6, German twin sisters are separated and taken by different relatives to be raised out of touch with each other in this Oscar nominee from Holland. One is exploited as cheap farm labor in Germany and the other is raised in urban luxury in Holland. They reunite briefly as young women just as WWII is starting, with little time to reconnect in any depth, and then fall out of touch during the war. Meeting again after the war, their union has problems, which they finally try to work out as they meet again finally in their twilight years. Touching and thought provoking, this movie presents some different perspectives on the impact of the war on German civilians. The script uses frequent flashbacks, but they are not annoying because they are always moving the story forward.

Duchess of Duke Street - Series 2 – 1976 (3.3). I didn’t want to use up Netflix mailings for the five discs of this series, so when a set became available at the library, I went into enjoyable power watch mode. This second set picks the story up on the brink of WWI and takes it through the war and into the mid 20s, mostly following the story arc of the main characters without so many guest star diversions, and concentrates more on the personal issues of the characters and the impact of the War, and less on the business aspects of running the hotel.

The Last Days – 1998 (3.2). In this documentary, five Hungarian Jews who survived the Holocaust tell the stories of their lives as children in pre-war Hungary and then of the horrors of life in the concentration camps. They tell about their lives since being liberated and how they deal with the past, including visiting the places of their youth and the infamous camps. Also included are interviews with some of the liberating American soldiers and a troubling interview with a German doctor who ran a camp clinic that experimented on prisoners and whose claim that he did harmless experiments in order to save them from extermination was enough to gain him acquittal of war crimes.

Desperate Crossing: the Untold Story of the Mayflower – 2006 (3.1). Produced for the History Channel, using Royal Shakespearean actors and Wampanoag Nation Indians, and based largely on the history written by William Bradford, Mayflower passenger and successor Governor of the Plymouth Colony, this documentary with dramatic re-enactments presents the story of the Pilgrims and the Indians in a more accurate manner than what we learned in school and folklore, and does it in a very watchable manner. The 60 or so survivors of the first year after the 1620 landing of the Mayflower were a prolific lot, with an estimated 30 million current American descendants not quite 500 years later.

Moolaade – 2004 (3.0). The Netflix summary of this movie is quite accurate, so I will quote it and add a little. “Senegalese writer-director Ousmane Sembene makes an impassioned plea against the practice of salinde, or female circumcision, in this moving portrait of a society in transition. In a West African village run by uncompromising Muslim males, fiery Colle (Fatoumata Coulibaly) provides safe harbor for young girls fleeing their ‘cleansing’ rituals. But what one man terms "a minor domestic issue" soon puts the whole town on the verge of bloodshed.” Collee is the middle of three wives and the favorite of her husband. Mindless tradition, religion, superstition and ignorance are all effectively attacked by this film which leaves the viewer with a strong sense of authenticity about the village setting and inhabitants.

Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears – 1980 (3.0). This Russian winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, holds it age well and is still fun to watch. It tells the story of three young women who come to Moscow to work in factories and meet potential husbands and of their friendship in 1958 and then 1978. A charming script, appealing cast, pleasant music and restrained direction combine to produce a good movie, though the ending could have been a little more developed.

The People Speak – 2009 (2.9). Actors and entertainers give readings from Howard Zinn’s accurate alternative “People’s History of the United States” and sing related songs as part of a theatrical presentation filmed at two different venues for this documentary. The stage productions and this documentary are aimed at new audiences who may not be familiar with the progressive populist message of Zinn or with his rendering of American history. For those already familiar, there is nothing new, but still interesting to see and hear the performers.

Children of Huang Sui – 2008 (2.9). Filmed mostly on location in China, this movie is based on the true story of George Hogg, a young English journalist who wants to uncover the story of the brutality of the Japanese occupation of China and the civil war between the Nationalists and the communists in the 1930s, but gets sidetracked into taking over an orphanage full of boys of all ages when the home is left without an adult leader. Generally well done, though a little formulaic in parts, with some genuinely emotionally affecting moments. The closing credits include filmed tributes from some of the now elderly orphans.

Blue State – 2007 (2.9) Streamed. A vegetarian 28 year old liberal progressive blogger vows to go to Canada if Bush wins the 2004 election, really doesn’t want to, makes contact with an encouraging Marry a Canadian (to become a Canadian citizen) web site and interviews for a ride sharer, choosing a young girl with blue streaked hair and a nose ring. More of a dramedy, there are a few laughs here and there, but mostly it is a road trip movie that holds our interest because we are not sure why the girl is going and whether and when any chemistry will develop between the pair. The film takes opportunities to comment on war and politics and the comparison of American and Canadian cultures, all fairly low key and mildly humorous. The ending felt too quick and incomplete and I did not understand the final scene until I let it roll to the credits and reminded myself of the name of the blogger.

Late Spring – 1949 (2.9) Streamed. This Japanese movie, made right after WWII by the great film maker Ozu, tells the story of widowed professor and his devoted daughter who lives with him. She is quite happy dealing with his idiosyncrasies and wants to spend her life caring for him, but he thinks the time has come for her to get married, rather than spend her life all on him. Slow but authentic feeling in its portrayal of their life on the outskirts of Tokyo, this well done film is a cultural time capsule.

Only When I Dance – 2007 (2.8) Streamed. From Brazil, this documentary follows two aspiring ballet dancers from lower income households in Rio. Both sets of parents are supportive but financially challenged to raise money to send their child to prestigious competitions. The boy, who is brown skinned, is a wonderful dancer and it is when he dances that this film literally soars. The girl is very talented but has two extra obstacles to becoming a world class ballerina, her black skin and her robust body.

My Boy Jack – 2007 (2.8). Brit actor David Haig is a ringer for Rudyard Kipling and plays him in this Masterpiece Theater version of the Haig written play about Kipling’s son Jack, whose extreme myopia kept him out of the war with Germany, much to the disappointment of his father, who eventually got him a chance with the Irish Guards. Though only 17, Jack wanted to join and fight, as much to become a man in his own right as to please his father. Though well done, the script lacks depth and fails to explain character backgrounds or show much character development other than Kipling questioning whether he should have pushed so hard.

Zelig – 1983 (2.8) Streamed. This Woody Allen mockumentary was short enough to squeeze in before the instant viewing rights expired. I don’t recall ever seeing the whole thing before, though I know I have seen parts of it and knew what to expect. It is like a standup comedy routine presented as narration to quite well done integration of old newsreel footage and new film made to look old. The joke of a man who can morph into character types like the people he is around could wear a little thin, but the show moves at the faster pace of the old newsreels and finishes in 79 minutes counting credits.

Sunshine – 1999 (2.6). The idea to tell a story of one man from successive generations of a Hungarian Jewish family and how they dealt with anti-Semitism under the Emperor, the Nazis and the Communists was a good one, but the resulting movie was a disappointment, mostly because of the script but also because having one actor play all three roles actually distracted from the story. The problem with the script was that it often seemed to ramble without proper pace for three hours, most noticeably in spending disproportionate time covering one man’s skill at fencing and for all three men spending too much time on promiscuous sex scenes without showing any other intimacy or the emotional consequences of lack of other intimacy. Having Ralph Fiennes play all three roles, fencing prodigiously and demonstrating multiple acts of sexual prowess may have been fun for him but constantly called attention to him as an actor rather than as the three separate characters.

Henry V – 1989 (2.2) Streamed. For more than a score this tale of Henry hath laid within my list. In days of tape I shortened once a try. Its stream about to disappear I pulled it from the mist. Then did it play unto my ear and eye. Alas though fear of Bard I do not have, his words passed sadly undiscerned. Though mine eyes beheld the movement on the screen, my heart beat mildly unconcerned. Others about it have made much ado, but I cannot gift it over two point two.

A Forgotten List

I just remembered why I have so few movies in my Netflix mail queue. It is because it had gotten so big a while back, that I removed the majority of them and put them on a new “Not Yet” sheet in my movie database, and maybe even added a few more to the sheet while I still remembered it was there. When rediscovered, the sheet had over 250 movies, twelve of which were promptly moved to the top portion of my mail queue. Some of them, at the top of the list below, were pretty good. Again there is a tie at the top, hence two pictures.

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.

For My Father – 2008 (3.3) Streamed. Per the Netflix filmographies, the young talent in this Israeli movie is all new. The first impression they have created with this film about a Palestinian suicide bomber who can’t get his bomb to work is very promising. The script has lots of back stories, none of which are developed, but that is OK because the story is really about the bomber, a talented soccer player whose father got caught up in Palestinian politics and the Israeli girl who has made a moral mistake and become a social outcast. Mutual attraction, curiosity, defensiveness and a kind of desperate fatalism mark their attempts to relate, and somehow we sense that is also the case between their nations.

Under the Same Moon – 2007 (3.3). Patricia Riggen does not sound like a Spanish name, but the young director of that name is Mexican and did a good job on this Spanish language movie filmed mostly in her country. She also worked closely with the script writer. The story is about a young Mexican single mother who has illegally entered the US and is doing domestic work in LA and sending money back for her 9 year old son, very well played by Adrian Alonso. They have not seen each other for four years, but she talks with him every Sunday morning from phone booth to phone booth. A change in Mexico starts the boy on an unapproved road trip to reunite with his mother, just when the anguish of separation is prompting her to return to him.

Lemon Tree – 2008 (3.2) Streamed. The Israeli Defense Minister builds a house on the border of Palestinian territory, with an old family lemon grove, now run by a lonely Palestinian widow, on the other side of the border fence. When the security authorities decide the grove must be cut down, the widow fights it in Court, aided by a lonely young Palestinian attorney. Meanwhile the wife of the chauvinistic Minister begins to sympathize with the widow. An Israeli film well done all around, with an especially strong performance by Hiam Abbass as the widow.

Fugitive Pieces – 2007 (3.2) Streamed. His parents killed and sister abducted by the Nazis, a young boy is rescued and raised by a Greek professor and into his adulthood he struggles with his own version of survivor’s guilt in this sensitive and well done drama from Canada.

Thirteen Days – 2000 (3.2). I don’t remember following in detail the Cuban Missile Crisis of October, 1962, probably because I was absorbed in adjusting to my first quarter in law school. This well done movie takes viewers through the crisis with an inside look at it from the point of view of JFK and his top political adviser. Of course Bobby Kennedy is relied on heavily by his brother and there are many experts with divergent opinions, with the joint chiefs expectedly leaning heavily toward aggressive actions. This film realistically reminds us how close we were to nuclear world war and how important it was to have a level headed Commander-in-Chief.

Avatar – 2009 (3.1). Granted I did not see this on the big screen and in 3-D, but we got a pretty good impact viewing it on my home theater set up. Quite a production, well done and with some interesting though not particularly novel allegories, but is just not a favorite genre with me. I did like the concept of transporting the humans into their avatars and back and the way it was central to the script. I would like to see the special features, which apparently are not made available for rental [a new marketing ploy by the film industry to try to regain some sales lost to rentals], so I may have to borrow a collector’s set from a friend.

The Atomic Café – 1982 (3.1) Streamed. With the radiation leakages at the nuclear plants in Japan in the news, concerns over nuclear safety again come forward. Attitudes run the gamut from hysteric fear to ridiculous dismissal of any danger. This 30 year old documentary affords a double opportunity to view the history of the debate. First we can see very interesting archival footage of the first atomic and hydrogen explosions and film of radiation victims from the bombs dropped on Japan and from people exposed during bomb tests, along with government propaganda films telling us how manageable a nuclear attack on America would be. Second, we can see how those early atomic years were viewed 30 years later, during the early years of the Reagan Administration while the Cold War was still running and Reagan wanted to take nukes into outer space. Fast forward another 30 years to now, and see what you think.

Bloody Sunday – 2002 (3.0). Made 30 years after the event, this Irish production uses documentary style to dramatize the day that a peaceful demonstration in the Catholic part of Derry, Northern Ireland, took a bad turn as a few young rock throwers played into the hands of trigger happy British paratroopers, setting off a small massacre that dashed hopes for peaceful resolution of the political issues and fueling IRA enlistment. Local amateurs were used to good effect in most of the roles.

The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall – 2008 (2.9) Streamed. Based on a true story of the shooting by a Bedouin Israeli sniper of a young English peace activist in Palestine, this British movie chronicles the effort by his parents to have the Israelis properly investigate. It doesn’t get too much into the politics involved beyond the intensity of Israel’s security protocols, while it does an effective job at portraying the tension between the parents and the stress on the younger siblings of the victim.

The Song of Sparrows – 2008 (2.9). Majid Majidi is an Iranian film maker who does good work presenting movies that have an authentic feel about showing us life among the less affluent families in Iran. His actors may in fact be real people, not professionals. In this story a man who works on an ostrich farm loses his job and takes his motor scooter into Tehran on some errands which quickly lead him into making money driving people around in the horrendous traffic. Since he returns home every day to his wife and children, we can compare the city and the country, the rich and the poor, and the honest and dishonest, as we watch the man coping with all this new information and deciding on how to let it play out in his life, as he absorbs it and learns more about his family and friends also.

Mr. and Mrs. Iyer – 2002 (2.9). This Indian movie is not a Bollywood musical. It does have good music on the soundtrack and a small amount of incidental singing, but it is a serious drama with an undercurrent of romantic potential. The principals are a young college educated Hindu mother traveling with her toddler and a Muslim man the family asks to look after her on the bus trip. When the bus gets stranded because of post 9/11 violence between Hindis and Muslims, the pair spends a couple days together discussing some of the issues and getting to know each other better. This is not preachy and the on screen chemistry is very good (both leads are quite appealing). The toddler is also entertaining.

Everybody’s Famous – 2000 (2.8). Not that funny for a comedy, this Dutch movie tells a variation of the story about kidnapping a celebrity in order to get a chance to show your talent in performance. This time it is dumb but loving Dad doing it for overweight but supposedly talented daughter. It starts like a dumb comedy, then gets a little more serious and turns into a reverse caper with what is supposed to be a heartwarming finish, but it falls a little flat.

Love Laughs at Andy Hardy – 1946 (2.8) Streamed. I always enjoyed the Andy hardy movie series, but not many of the 15 films have made it to DVD. This was the last of the series, done after WWII, with Mickey Rooney playing Andy as a returning GI, which Mickey actually was, having served 21 months in the Army as an enlisted man entertaining the troops and doing some broadcasting. Still funny, especially Andy dancing with a girl twice his height, the film also had some serious overtones about GIs returning home to their special girl. On the brink of the War, Mickey was number one at the box office, but after the War his career headed down hill, as did his personal life with many financial setbacks and broken marriages. Yet, like Andy, he always makes it through and has been married to his current wife since 1978.

Hula Girls – 2006 (2.7). Based on a true story of a coal mining town in northern Japan in 1965 that was in economic trouble because the mine was closing down, this Japanese movie tells how the mining company decided to try to turn the town into a Hawaiian theme park because it had hot springs. Townspeople were resentful of the plan but a few of the women decided to go along with the plan and train to become Hula dancers, taught by an experienced but troubled young woman professional from Tokyo. Clumsy and a bit amateurish, the broad humor at the beginning does not work well, but then settles into a drama with some sensitive moments but lots of missed opportunities. If you don’t watch it all, skip ahead to the end to see the long shots of the last dances, which apparently were performed by real pros.

Winter’s Bone – 2010 (2.4) It was hard to tell the professional actors from the real local yokels and the settings were real places in Missouri hillbilly country in this movie that had the right look but didn’t tell a story that ever got me as interested as I should have been. Drug cooker Dad put up the home property for bond and is now either a bail jumper or a doomed snitch. To save the place, and take care of her incompetent Mom and younger siblings, the heroine sets out to track him down, but meets only with resistance from her inbred family and neighbors who are also in the same pharmaceutical business. Sorry, but I laughed out loud during what was supposed to be the most horrific scene.

The Windmill Movie – 2008 (2.4). I’m not sure how I got wind of this windmill. Only a few people rated it at Netflix and they all liked it. Maybe they were part of the Hampton set often shown in this posthumously assembled selection of self-indulgent home movies of a documentary film maker, Richard P. Rogers, who despite his privileged upbringing, struggled with self-esteem issues, while at the same time, being stuck on himself. This will be coming to streaming, but then you won’t get to see the two shorts by Rogers that were on the DVD extras, and which weren’t as bad as the main show.

The Jilting of Granny Weatherall – 1980 (2.4) Streamed. I streamed this old TV drama of a Katherine Anne Porter short story because I had an hour to kill and I have seen every other movie at Netflix by the director, Randa Haines, and liked them all. This was well directed and acted and captured the feel of its era, but it also felt like an old TV drama. The material itself had little appeal to me and to be honest I slept through a lot of the show, so maybe this review is unfair.

Two Unexpected Winners

Pictures of two movies are shown this time, because they are both very impressive films and surprises to me. Quite often I have a preconceived idea of what a movie is going to be like, only to find on viewing that it is altogether different. But it is not very often that a movie of which I do not expect much turns out to be an unexpected winner. Two such films are on this list.

Some of the 2010 award contenders are starting come out on DVD, so starting with this list I will be checking some out and giving my two cents worth here.

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.

Prayers for Bobby – 2009 (3.7). When I saw that a movie about a young gay man having problems with his parents accepting him had made it to the top of my Netflix queue and was in the mail, I was a bit disappointed, as it seemed like I had already seen enough of those. But when I watched it, I found an unexpected winner, based on a powerful true story, well written, directed and acted, especially by Sigourney Weaver as the religious mother intent on healing her son of his homosexual illness. The production took 13 years to bring to the TV screen, where it was shown on Lifetime. Watch the brief special features to hear a little of the background of the production coming together and to meet the real mother.

City Island – 2009 (3.5) Streamed. What a pleasant surprise to expect a decent comedy about a jail guard who discovers a new prisoner is the son he abandoned as an infant, and brings him home to meet the family, and find a movie instead that is a hidden gem about frustrated desires, hidden hopes and the need to get back in touch. This reminds me of one of my favorites, Secrets and Lies. Writer and director Raymond DeFelitta has made three movies, all of which I liked, and a documentary I have not seen. I hope he makes many more films.

The Elephant Man – 1980 (3.3) Streamed. All these years I have avoided viewing this movie, because I did not want to spend time watching a grotesque looking man. With stream rights at Netflix ending, I went for it and was touched by the portrayal of this young man who maintained his dignity in spite of his gruesome appearance. As individuals learn he is not a freak but a sensitive person, our sense of compassion is invoked. The visit to the doctor’s home and meeting with his wife is particularly strong. The basic story is true, though some of the details have been reported in conflicting ways.

A Cry in the Dark – 1988 (3.2). This true Australian story of a woman who in 1981 claimed her baby was carried off by a dingo and then herself became a suspected murderess became a media circus and captured the interest of the Australian public as much as the O. J. trials did here. Well written, directed and acted (Meryl Streep plays the woman with a convincing accent), the movie does not appear dated and captures the feeling of the country in a convincing way, while showing the terrible burden on the baby’s parents from not only losing their child to certain death, but also not having her body recovered over the ensuing years while it remained a main topic of media interest.

The Social Network – 2010 (3.1). In spite of already knowing something about the founding of Facebook and the litigation over its starting, I was a little confused during the early part of this movie with just where we were in the chronology. The technical details of the computer programing and the litigation were minimal in the screenplay as were the details of character backgrounds and family situations, but the focus on the campus life and principals involved was consistent with the all-consuming nature of being a college whiz kid on “the” campus. An interesting story, well directed and acted, it stayed on point for two hours and held my attention. I did not learn about why people go nuts for Facebook, except that it started as a way for guys to check out, comment and exchange info on campus women. Ironically, the main Facebook developer, Mark Zuckerberg, was inept socially and early in the picture a girl told him his problem was not that he was a nerd, but that he was an a-hole, and then near the end, another woman told him his problem wasn’t really that he was an a-hole, but that he was trying too hard to be one.

[John posted a comment on the last list, saying he found this movie boring and that Citizen Kane covered the same material and he would rather watch that classic ten times than this movie once. This is definitely not in the Kane league, but I don’t think the material is that similar. Zuckerberg is a flash in the pan compared to William Randolph Hearst. Hearst dealt with news spinning and commentary whereas Facebook is just a social linking platform. Wealth is the main thing they have in common, but while Hearst coveted and embraced it, Zuckerberg could care less.]

Beauty in Trouble – 2006 (3.1). This Czech movie about a young woman facing a choice between her young and virile husband, the father of her two children, who turned to crime due to economic loss, and an older wealthy man who is good to her but not that great in the sack has some well nuanced characters, portrayed in good order by the entire cast, and very good direction. The drama of having to make the decision is pervasive without obvious plot structure, and combines with the authenticity of the characters and settings to make a very watchable film. When I was younger and maybe less judgmental and opinionated, I probably would have appreciated the ending more.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger – 2010 (3.0). Woody Allen uses a very good ensemble in London to tell about marriages breaking up and people, none of whom were written to be particularly appealing, moving on with new hopes that don’t quite work out. Too much narration at the beginning, but then settles in and is easy going fun if you don’t take it too seriously.

Holiday – 1938 (3.0) This romantic comedy with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn was from a stage play of the same name, which more accurately could be called Work Sabbatical, about a young man who worked his way through college and early success in business and is ready to marry and take time off for a deep self-inquiry. Problem is he picked inadvertently picked a conventional rich girl, providing ample fodder for some Depression era progressive political spirit. Fast pace, great sets and actual acrobatics by Grant help avoid stage bound feel. The film has been well restored, but the Netflix stream version attempt a while back was out of sync.

Get Low – 2009 (2.9). Preview clips with Robert Duvall and Bill Murray prompted a view of this true story of a mean recluse in 1938 Tennessee who wanted to have his funeral while he was still alive. As expected, contains some good deadpan humor.Well enough done with good acting and ambiance, though the ending may leave some slightly disappointed.

Absence of Malice – 1981 (2.9). Paul Newman and Sally Field as a romantic couple had no screen chemistry, but that was not essential to this story about the ethics of prosecutors using media leaks to put heat on a potential informant. The issues were portrayed well, if not in depth, but the cleverness of the informant in matching wits took away from the coverage of the real issues, and the profane Assistant Attorney General who made the final decisions was a little much. Sally did an excellent job of showing what a young star reporter feels like when her stories hurt innocent people.

An Autumn Afternoon – 1962 (2.9). This last film of Yaujiro Ozu deals with an aging widower who decides it is time for his daughter to get married, so she does not have to spend her life taking care of him. The man meets regularly with old schoolmates and has encounters with a former teacher and a subordinate from his time as a naval officer in WWII. The story also weaves in observations about the loss of the War and the impact of American culture on Japan. The slow paced film holds its age and our attention because it is so grounded in simple truth. Watch the special feature first to learn of the Zen style of Ozu, who always used a fixed position camera at a low to ground level.

The Kids Are All Right – 2010 (2.8). For me this was one of those movies that present characters that are all sort of appealing in a situation that is a little different and you’re not sure where it’s headed but you are interested in finding out, and then when you get there you feel sort of letdown. This is not really a comedy as some call it, but rather a slice of lesbian family life with one bit of drama. I expected the sperm donor dad to be hoot, which he really wasn’t, but I am not quite sure what he was, except maybe part of the letdown.

Waiting for Superman – 2010 (2.8). This documentary about the American public school system left out so much of what is important to discuss, such as the full meaning of an education, the choice of curricula, school boards, voters, government funding, PTAs, the impact of the school principal, student discipline, learning disabilities, ESL, teacher pay, extracurricular activities and probably much more. Why then did I give it a passing grade? Partly for effort and sincerity, but mostly for the emotional impact of watching the filmed subjects at the lottery drawing waiting to see if they would be admitted to the charter school that would change their lives. Villianizing teacher unions and canonizing charter schools is an oversimplified and incomplete answer.

All about Eve – 1950 (2.8) Streamed. This movie about a scheming young woman who seeks acting stardom at the expense of an older star won Oscars for best picture, director and screenplay and is considered a classic, but I never bothered to check it out because I figured it would be stage bound, talkative and theatrical, which I have now confirmed it is. That said, the dialogue is sophisticated and the film does hold interest, even though it runs too long. Imminent expiration of the Netflix instant play rights prompted my viewing.

Night Sun – 1990 (2.7). This Italian film about an 18^th century lesser nobleman who decides to become an ascetic monk says it was “liberally” based on a Tolstoy work. The best part of the movie is the stark mountain scenery. There is little drama or character development, as the film almost entirely concentrated on the central character who makes his decision early and then then tries not to give in to temptation by lust and pride, neither of which is portrayed in a particularly memorable way. Netflix calls it cerebral and understated: I would say mildly thoughtful and minimally eventful.

The Princess Bride – 1987 (2.2). I never bothered with this movie before because I figured it would be a little in the vein of the supposed humor of Mel Brooks, that I really don’t care for, but Netflix said I would like it, so I gave it a try. Wrong. Not quite as bad as Mel Brooks, but close.