Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review
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I seen the trailer for it last night, it looked a little soapy-melo dramatic to me, but that's OK, sometimes I'm in the mood for that sort of stuff and that was popular mid to late 50s. I'll post a review when I watch it.
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The Descendants (Alexander Payne, 2011)
Director: Alexander Payne
Writers: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon
Cast: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller
Genre: Drama, Comedy
A wealthy real estate investor (George Clooney) tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his cheating wife is seriously injured in a boating accident...He also has to deal with his decision to sell 25,000 acres of undeveloped line in Kauai, that has belonged to his family for generations.
First off, I see a woman in a hospital on life support. She's surrounded by her grieving family. Damn it! I thought, that's not the subject matter I want to spend two hours with. I hate hospitals and I don't like movies set in them. And yet I was liking this film.
I liked it mostly because it was about Clooney and his family dealing with the situation which was causing turmoil in their lives. Also we didn't have to spend much time in the hospital scenes, thank goodness. And it was a real big help that this was set in Hawaii, that made the subject matter easier to handle.
But what I really liked was the emotions the film explored as Clooney finds out about his wife's past. One of the most brilliant (yet odd) scenes was when Clooney confronts the man who had an affair with his wife and as Clooney is leaving he says goodbye to the man's wife..he then looks at her, grabs her, and kisses her right on the lips! Genius! I know why he did that too. Glad to have watched this movie
Director: Alexander Payne
Writers: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon
Cast: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller
Genre: Drama, Comedy
A wealthy real estate investor (George Clooney) tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his cheating wife is seriously injured in a boating accident...He also has to deal with his decision to sell 25,000 acres of undeveloped line in Kauai, that has belonged to his family for generations.
First off, I see a woman in a hospital on life support. She's surrounded by her grieving family. Damn it! I thought, that's not the subject matter I want to spend two hours with. I hate hospitals and I don't like movies set in them. And yet I was liking this film.
I liked it mostly because it was about Clooney and his family dealing with the situation which was causing turmoil in their lives. Also we didn't have to spend much time in the hospital scenes, thank goodness. And it was a real big help that this was set in Hawaii, that made the subject matter easier to handle.
But what I really liked was the emotions the film explored as Clooney finds out about his wife's past. One of the most brilliant (yet odd) scenes was when Clooney confronts the man who had an affair with his wife and as Clooney is leaving he says goodbye to the man's wife..he then looks at her, grabs her, and kisses her right on the lips! Genius! I know why he did that too. Glad to have watched this movie
The Descendants is one of my favorite George Clooney movies. I was glad to see it did well in the 9th HoF.
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Time Lapse (Bradley King, 2014)
Director: Bradley KingWriters: Bradley King, BP Cooper
Cast: Danielle Panabaker, Matt O'Leary, George Finn
Genre: Indie, Sci-Fi Thriller
about: Three friends discover a strange machine in an abandoned building that belonged to a missing scientist. The machine takes photos 24 hours into the future, thus giving the user the ability to know future events. One of the friends go against the others and uses the machine for his own personal benefit, which leads to a series of disturbing photos of the future.
Thoughts: Time Lapse, is a very small Indie film, so don't expect brand name actors or big budget-CG effects. This little film takes a simple sci fi premise and expands on it by using paranoia, deceit, crime and thriller elements. I thought the acting was appropriate for the type of film it was, a low profile Indie film. The film wasn't trying to be bigger than it was and so the acting seemed real enough...It was like I was watching three people in their apartment. I liked that.
I thought the giant camera that could photograph into the future was a cool idea. And yes, there are giant cameras like that, they're called STAT cameras and they're giant. They use huge sheets of film and are used for photographing flat items like paper.
If you keep an open mind about this and remember that this is a very small budget movie, you'll find it's kinda of cool.
I liked Time Lapse. It's not the best time travel movie, but it's a unique idea, and I thought it was a pretty good movie. The acting wasn't the best, but it wasn't bad either.
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I think both An American in Paris and GiGi are severely overrated. Fred Astaire was way too old for her in Daddy Long Legs, but I absolutely loved her in Father Goose. Loved her in Lili and The Glass Slipper as well.
I love both An American in Paris and Gigi, but I have to agree that they're both overrated movies. I think some of the songs make the movies seem better than they actually are, but they're still good movies.
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The Help (Tate Taylor, 2011)
Director: Tate Taylor
Writers: Tate Taylor(screenplay), Kathryn Stockett(novel)
Cast: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer
Genre: Drama (Comedy)
Writers: Tate Taylor(screenplay), Kathryn Stockett(novel)
Cast: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer
Genre: Drama (Comedy)
What's it about: During the civil rights movement of the early 1960s, a young southern woman inspires to be an author by writing a novel detailing the plight of black maids working for well-to-do white women in the deep south. This is a risky undertaking, as it's illegal to even talk about such things in the segregated society of Mississippi.
Review: This is called a drama and that's inaccurate, half of the film is parody comedy. Even odder is the high acclaim this film has garnered, which is too high of praise for a film that borders on being an exploitation film...The film neither serves it dramatic side, the serious issues of 1960's segregation & bigotry in the deep south...nor does it embrace it's comic tendencies.
Instead it paints a picture of brainless but pretty, well-to-do young women who rule the south and look like refuges from The Stepford Wives. These catty women are comical, oh yes indeed, but misplaced with such a serious subject.
On the flip side is the very real and compelling story of the black maids who have to work for these women. The maids story is one of the most interesting topics to come to film. We've seen movies about the deep south and segregation before, but never from a first hand telling of the hardships and injustices faced by the black maids who lived it. I thought the story line about the maids was fresh, compelling and I wanted more.
Viola Davis is excellent in this otherwise uneven film.
The maids literally raised the children of these rich white women from the time they were babies and into adult hood. The maids shaped the children's future. And heart breaking as it is, segregation laws meant the black maids could not even use the bathroom in the house or eat off the same plates as the white women.
The problem with the movie is the director/writer treats this subject like a parody. We get stereo type caricatures, especially of the southern fried Stepford Wive's. To make matters worse the poor black maids only hope lies in a free-spirted, white woman (played by Emma Sands) who will write a novel telling of their stories and thus saving the day for the maids. How contrived, as it takes credit away from the black maids themselves.
Emma Sands, with her modern looking curly hair looks more like a contemporary woman from the 21st century.
The problem with the movie is the director/writer treats this subject like a parody. We get stereo type caricatures, especially of the southern fried Stepford Wive's. To make matters worse the poor black maids only hope lies in a free-spirted, white woman (played by Emma Sands) who will write a novel telling of their stories and thus saving the day for the maids. How contrived, as it takes credit away from the black maids themselves.
Emma Sands, with her modern looking curly hair looks more like a contemporary woman from the 21st century.
This could have been the picture of the year had the director/writer Tate Taylor treated the subject matter with respect. Instead it's a confused film that doesn't know if it's a zany comedy or a serious expose.
Last edited by Citizen Rules; 07-01-16 at 05:51 PM.
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I once started The Help but never finished it. Perhaps I shouldn't feel to bad about that.
So you can tell me I'm right!........or wrong!
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Indeed you should watch it! So you can tell me I'm right!........or wrong!
So you can tell me I'm right!........or wrong!
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I really liked The Help, but I enjoyed reading your review and understand your point of view. I was very pleased to see you mention how unpleasant some of the white women in the film were (loved Dallas Bryce Howard) and thank you for mentioning the fact these women's children were raised by their maids. It's something I don't think anyone who has not seen this film is really aware of and it's still going on today.
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My wife liked The Help much better than I did. It was an easy watch I'd say. I guess I'm just disappointed that it could have been more.
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Adventures in Babysitting (Chris Columbus, 1987)
Director: Chris Columbus
Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Keith Coogan
Genre: Adventure Comedy
Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Keith Coogan
Genre: Adventure Comedy
A teenage babysitter must take her parents car and journey into the dangerous city to rescue a stranded friend. Forced to take the kids that she's babysitting along for the ride...The adventures begin as soon as they hit the open road.
"I had the worst nightmare!"...says Elisabeth Shue in the movie. She would say those same words a few years latter in Back to the Future Part III (1990). With the 30th anniversary of Adventures in Babysitting, coming up, it's time to visit this semi-classic comedy from the 80s.
A blast to the past, they just don't make movies like this anymore! You'd be hard pressed today to find a movie that offers fun for both kids and adults and never takes its self too seriously. The movie knows it's about fun and it never gets over the top. Instead it grounds itself in the type of situations a group of naive teens could get themselves into as they journey into the big city.
The kids cross paths with a crazy gun toting, tow truck operator...a friendly car thief who's boss runs a crime ring and isn't so friendly. Just to make this even funier, everyone thinks high school senior Chris (Elisabeth Shue) is Playboy's March Centerfold of the Month. The resembles is uncanny
The movie relies on the appeal of the four kids and mostly they're likeable too. Each has his or hers own quirks, such as the little girls fascinating with Thor, or the red headed kids fascinating with girls and Playboy...These quirks also cause the adventures to happen, which is pretty clever to boot.
Elisabeth Shue plays the lead and much like her roles in the Back to the Future movies, she's a likeable, nice girl who gets herself into sticky situations.
The prerequisite 'singing with the band scene' that all the 80s teen movies seemed to have.
Adventures in Babysitting doesn't come up to the level of Pretty in Pink, Fast Times at Ridgemount High or The Breakfast Club, but it's a nice, even paced, fun film that never gets too corny and delivers the goods.
A blast to the past, they just don't make movies like this anymore! You'd be hard pressed today to find a movie that offers fun for both kids and adults and never takes its self too seriously. The movie knows it's about fun and it never gets over the top. Instead it grounds itself in the type of situations a group of naive teens could get themselves into as they journey into the big city.
The kids cross paths with a crazy gun toting, tow truck operator...a friendly car thief who's boss runs a crime ring and isn't so friendly. Just to make this even funier, everyone thinks high school senior Chris (Elisabeth Shue) is Playboy's March Centerfold of the Month. The resembles is uncanny
The movie relies on the appeal of the four kids and mostly they're likeable too. Each has his or hers own quirks, such as the little girls fascinating with Thor, or the red headed kids fascinating with girls and Playboy...These quirks also cause the adventures to happen, which is pretty clever to boot.
Elisabeth Shue plays the lead and much like her roles in the Back to the Future movies, she's a likeable, nice girl who gets herself into sticky situations.
The prerequisite 'singing with the band scene' that all the 80s teen movies seemed to have.
Adventures in Babysitting doesn't come up to the level of Pretty in Pink, Fast Times at Ridgemount High or The Breakfast Club, but it's a nice, even paced, fun film that never gets too corny and delivers the goods.
Last edited by Citizen Rules; 07-03-16 at 03:06 PM.
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The Song of Bernadette (Henry King, 1943)
Director: Henry KingWriters: George Seaton(screenplay), Franz Werfel(novel)
Cast: Jennifer Jones, Charles Bickford, Charles Bickford, Vincent Price, Lee J. Cobb, Gladys Cooper
Genre: Biography, Spiritual Drama
Synopsis (spoiler free): In 1858 Lourdes France a poor, simple peasant girl has a vision of 'a beautiful lady' in a rock grotto above the town's dump. The girl never claims her vision to be anything else but this, however the town's people begin to believe it's a vision of the Virgin Mary. The town's bureaucratic government fearing throngs of believers tries to seal off the area, but the crowds keep coming. The Catholic church does not readily accept the vision as a miracle but instead questions it and Bernadette's worthiness to receive such grace. Despite Bernadette's desire to remain simple, the vision has repercussions for her.
Review: The Song of Bernadette goes down in film history as the movie that launched the career of Jennifer Jones, making her a star and earning her an Academy Award for Best Actress. The film received a staggering 12 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Based on the actual events that happened at Lourdes France in the mid 19th century the film tells the sometimes happy, sometimes heart breaking tale of Bernadette.
I found the film to be surprisingly balanced in it's subject matter. We see the events and it's up to us to interrupt them. What is clear is that these version of a beautiful lady that took place over a period of time, brought both serenity and hardship to the poor country girl Bernadette. She's put threw the ringer by both the town's folk and the Catholic church. The events of her life and how they turned out make up the rest of the movie. I won't say what those events were but they were dramatic.
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Last edited by Citizen Rules; 07-03-16 at 11:11 PM.
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The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler 1946)
Director: William Wyler
Writers: Robert E. Sherwood(screen play), MacKinlay Kantor(novel)
Cast: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright,
Genre: Drama, Romance, War
About: After World War II has ended, three American Veterans return home to their small town where they discover that while they were off fighting the people at home have also been change by the war.
Review: Damn impressive movie! I'd seen it before and knew I liked it but after a second watch, I realized just how well made and intelligent this film is.
A film like this that covers the lives of three returning soldiers could have easily became cliche and overly dramatic...this movie never does that. The characters and the dialogue and the scenes, are all well grounded in reality. We hear about Italian neorealism films, this American film from 1946 is 'new realism'.
I was most impressed with the way the film handles real situations that returning WWII soldiers faced...as they tried to find jobs that the war hadn't trained them for...and dealt with dissolving relationships...and alcoholism and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Most memorable is Homer (Harold Russell) the Navy sailor who lost his hand and returned home with hooks. You might think that's an actor with prop hooks, nope...Harold Russell was not an actor but a Paratrooper who lost his hands during an explosion. This non-actor, gave one of the best performances in the movie and that's saying a lot because all of the main cast stood out as exceptional.
I could go on and on but I will end this by saying: I truly enjoyed watching The Best Years of Our Lives, it's a classic who's message is still as relevant today as it was when the film was made.
Last edited by Yoda; 07-08-16 at 11:53 AM.
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Adventures in Babysitting (Chris Columbus, 1987)
Director: Chris Columbus
Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Keith Coogan
Genre: Adventure Comedy
Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Keith Coogan
Genre: Adventure Comedy
A teenage babysitter must take her parents car and journey into the dangerous city to rescue a stranded friend. Forced to take the kids that she's babysitting along for the ride...The adventures begin as soon as they hit the open road.
"I had the worst nightmare!"...says Elisabeth Shue in the movie. She would say those same words a few years latter in Back to the Future Part III (1990). With the 30th anniversary of Adventures in Babysitting, coming up, it's time to visit this semi-classic comedy from the 80s.
A blast to the past, they just don't make movies like this anymore! You'd be hard pressed today to find a movie that offers fun for both kids and adults and never takes its self too seriously. The movie knows it's about fun and it never gets over the top. Instead it grounds itself in the type of situations a group of naive teens could get themselves into as they journey into the big city.
The kids cross paths with a crazy gun toting, tow truck operator...a friendly car thief who's boss runs a crime ring and isn't so friendly. Just to make this even funier, everyone thinks high school senior Chris (Elisabeth Shue) is Playboy's March Centerfold of the Month. The resembles is uncanny
The movie relies on the appeal of the four kids and mostly they're likeable too. Each has his or hers own quirks, such as the little girls fascinating with Thor, or the red headed kids fascinating with girls and Playboy...These quirks also cause the adventures to happen, which is pretty clever to boot.
Elisabeth Shue plays the lead and much like her roles in the Back to the Future movies, she's a likeable, nice girl who gets herself into sticky situations.
The prerequisite 'singing with the band scene' that all the 80s teen movies seemed to have.
Adventures in Babysitting doesn't come up to the level of Pretty in Pink, Fast Times at Ridgemount High or The Breakfast Club, but it's a nice, even paced, fun film that never gets too corny and delivers the goods.
A blast to the past, they just don't make movies like this anymore! You'd be hard pressed today to find a movie that offers fun for both kids and adults and never takes its self too seriously. The movie knows it's about fun and it never gets over the top. Instead it grounds itself in the type of situations a group of naive teens could get themselves into as they journey into the big city.
The kids cross paths with a crazy gun toting, tow truck operator...a friendly car thief who's boss runs a crime ring and isn't so friendly. Just to make this even funier, everyone thinks high school senior Chris (Elisabeth Shue) is Playboy's March Centerfold of the Month. The resembles is uncanny
The movie relies on the appeal of the four kids and mostly they're likeable too. Each has his or hers own quirks, such as the little girls fascinating with Thor, or the red headed kids fascinating with girls and Playboy...These quirks also cause the adventures to happen, which is pretty clever to boot.
Elisabeth Shue plays the lead and much like her roles in the Back to the Future movies, she's a likeable, nice girl who gets herself into sticky situations.
The prerequisite 'singing with the band scene' that all the 80s teen movies seemed to have.
Adventures in Babysitting doesn't come up to the level of Pretty in Pink, Fast Times at Ridgemount High or The Breakfast Club, but it's a nice, even paced, fun film that never gets too corny and delivers the goods.
I agree that Adventures in Babysitting is a fun movie, but I think it's a bit over-the-top at times, and the little girl who's obsessed with Thor is very annoying. But it's a typical fun '80's teen movie.
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The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler 1946)
Director: William Wyler
Writers: Robert E. Sherwood(screen play), MacKinlay Kantor(novel)
Cast: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright,
Genre: Drama, Romance, War
about: After World War II has ended, three American Veterans return home to their small town where they discover that while they were off fighting the people at home have also been change by the war.
Writers: Robert E. Sherwood(screen play), MacKinlay Kantor(novel)
Cast: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright,
Genre: Drama, Romance, War
about: After World War II has ended, three American Veterans return home to their small town where they discover that while they were off fighting the people at home have also been change by the war.
Review: Damn impressive movie! I'd seen it before and knew I liked it but after a second watch, I realized just how well made and intelligent this film is.
A film like this that covers the lives of three returning soldiers could have easily became cliche and overly dramatic...this movie never does that. The characters and the dialogue and the scenes, are all well grounded in reality. We hear about Italian neorealism films, this American film from 1946 is 'new realism'.
I was most impressed with the way the film handles real situations that returning WWII soldiers faced...as they tried to find jobs that the war hadn't trained them for...and dealt with dissolving relationships...and alcoholism and Post Dramatic Stress Disorder.
Most memorable is Homer (Harold Russell) the Navy sailor who lost his hand and returned home with hooks. You might think that's an actor with prop hooks, nope...Harold Russell was not an actor but a Paratrooper who lost his hands during an explosion. This non-actor, gave one of the best performances in the movie and that's saying a lot because all of the main cast stood out as exceptional.
I could go on and on but I will end this by saying: I truly enjoyed watching The Best Years of Our Lives, it's a classic who's message is still as relevant today as it was when the film was made.
The Best Years of Our Lives is a terrific movie. It's one of those movies that just gets better each time I watch it.
Did you know that Harold Russell won two Academy Awards for that role? He's the only actor to ever win two Academy Awards for the same role. He was given a special award for "bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans", and he also won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
BTW, it's called "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder", not Post Dramatic Stress Disorder. (I assume that was just a typo.)
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I agree that Adventures in Babysitting is a fun movie, but I think it's a bit over-the-top at times, and the little girl who's obsessed with Thor is very annoying. But it's a typical fun '80's teen movie.
The Best Years of Our Lives is a terrific movie. It's one of those movies that just gets better each time I watch it.
Did you know that Harold Russell won two Academy Awards for that role? He's the only actor to ever win two Academy Awards for the same role. He was given a special award for "bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans", and he also won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
BTW, it's called "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder", not Post Dramatic Stress Disorder. (I assume that was just a typo.)
Did you know that Harold Russell won two Academy Awards for that role? He's the only actor to ever win two Academy Awards for the same role. He was given a special award for "bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans", and he also won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
BTW, it's called "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder", not Post Dramatic Stress Disorder. (I assume that was just a typo.)
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No Man's Land (2001)
Director: Danis TanovicWriter: Danis Tanovic
Cast: Branko Djuric, Rene Bitorajac, Filip Sovagovic
Genre: War Drama
Foreign Language with subtitles
about: 1993, during the Bosnia and Herzegovina conflict.
Two soldiers from opposing sides of the war become trapped in a trench...in no man's land. The two enemies are at each others throats, as a third soldier is trapped laying on a live bobby trap mine. If he's moved, the mine will explode.
Review: No Man's Land, won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Picture of the Year 2002.
This small budgeted film packs a huge wallop as it tells a very personal telling of the futility of the Bosnia and Herzegovina conflict. I thought this was well made and I thought the scenes (the sets and the way it was filmed) all looked very real to me. The movie felt like I was there, which is just what the movie needed to do, to be believable...and this was believable!
It was filmed in almost documentary style and I think that was appropriate for the subject matter. Luckily there was no fancy camera work or ultra fast edits or overbearing music score. Nicely done film.
I didn't expect light humor arising from the situation on the battle field, but the humor kept the film from being too dark and some of it was quiet clever. And the latter scenes where the UN 'tries' to help was clearly a double edged meaning to the failed attempt by the UN to bring the real war to a speedy end. The film makes a strong statement about war...but you'll have to watch it to see what that statement is.
BTW, the end scene will leave an impression on you.
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The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler 1946)
Director: William Wyler
Writers: Robert E. Sherwood(screen play), MacKinlay Kantor(novel)
Cast: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright,
Genre: Drama, Romance, War
about: After World War II has ended, three American Veterans return home to their small town where they discover that while they were off fighting the people at home have also been change by the war.
Writers: Robert E. Sherwood(screen play), MacKinlay Kantor(novel)
Cast: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright,
Genre: Drama, Romance, War
about: After World War II has ended, three American Veterans return home to their small town where they discover that while they were off fighting the people at home have also been change by the war.
Review: Damn impressive movie! I'd seen it before and knew I liked it but after a second watch, I realized just how well made and intelligent this film is.
A film like this that covers the lives of three returning soldiers could have easily became cliche and overly dramatic...this movie never does that. The characters and the dialogue and the scenes, are all well grounded in reality. We hear about Italian neorealism films, this American film from 1946 is 'new realism'.
I was most impressed with the way the film handles real situations that returning WWII soldiers faced...as they tried to find jobs that the war hadn't trained them for...and dealt with dissolving relationships...and alcoholism and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Most memorable is Homer (Harold Russell) the Navy sailor who lost his hand and returned home with hooks. You might think that's an actor with prop hooks, nope...Harold Russell was not an actor but a Paratrooper who lost his hands during an explosion. This non-actor, gave one of the best performances in the movie and that's saying a lot because all of the main cast stood out as exceptional.
I could go on and on but I will end this by saying: I truly enjoyed watching The Best Years of Our Lives, it's a classic who's message is still as relevant today as it was when the film was made.
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