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jchory
Reviews
Bébé(s) (2010)
There is Beauty in the World
This movie shows the development of four babies from birth to about one year old. They are from extreme different cultures - Namibia, Mongolia, Japan and the United States. the movie is well-crafted - the photography and musical score is very good. There is no narrative. The movie shows babies as they explore, wonder and learn and I found it easy to create my own narrative as I did the same while watching them.
The diversity among them was part of the narrative. Namibia appeared barely touched by technology; Tokyo utterly transformed its landscape. It was interesting that the Japanese parents sang the birthday song in English and that the simple yurt the Mongolians lived in had an accompanying satellite dish. It is also amazing that each baby's unique personality emerges so early in their lives.
The universality of man was the other part of the narrative. Put a loincloth or a business suit on a man and a man is still a man. I wondered why are all babies so cute, be they humans, puppies or goats? Why does the first word in any language appear to be "mama"? Why were the animals so ambivalent and nonthreatening to the babies? Moms seem to naturally be tender with their little ones. Each baby experienced the struggle and triumph of learning to crawl, stand, walk and run just like the other billions of us.
This world has horrific evil, violence and darkness. But it also has beauty that about takes my breath away. People say "stop and smell the roses". Sometimes I find it good to look at a tree, or the clouds or stars, or people at the mall, just walking by. In the same way, I enjoyed watching the babies. It was a thoroughly entertaining and enriching way to spend 79 minutes.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
A Slice of (Dark) Lives Movie
This movie tells the story of the interaction of the two men, Jesse James and Robert Ford. It is very well crafted - the settings seemed quite authentic; the music was different, creative, mood-setting and intriguing; the acting was awesome; and the characters were fully developed.
But ... the "character development" revealed low quality people with low quality values who paid the price for their lack of, I guess, "development of character". I didn't care about them. I didn't admire them. I wasn't interested in them. And I saw nothing in them to emulate.
So for skill in movie-making I give it a 10, minus 5 for the emptiness of the characters - net rating of 5.
Across the Universe (2007)
Movie was to the 60's what Grease was to the 50's
Just saw this movie and I must say - that was fun! The story is pretty universal - a guy and a girl from two different cultures fall for each other and their differences strain at their relationship, but eventually love conquers. The story has been told a lot of times - this one was set in the hippie period. But the centerpiece of this movie is the music.
One thing a great musical requires is great music - and how can you get better than Beatles music? Listening to all those extremely familiar songs, I still marvel at the changes in chords and the way the music unfolds - awesome - makes me want to cry. Music really gets a person where they live - it exalts the human spirit and adds poetry to everyday experience - great music does it in a great way - Beatles music is great music.
So with the awesome music, the movie has a great head start. Beyond this it is pretty well done - capturing the culture, politics, fashion and icons of the time. (We were pretty sure we saw Joe Cocker in this movie and IMBDb confirms it.) I noticed the director was born the same year I was - knowing Beatles songs inside out and having lived this era caused the movie to mean a lot to me. In addition, the movie had that aspect that you can't just put your finger on - it just moved me.
I know I'm biased, but I believe the years 1965 to 1973 or so were the best ever for music. Every generation rebels against their parents' culture and that usually includes the music. But there is something different about the music of this period. I have noticed that my children's generation and all the subsequent generations to the "60's" rebelled against my generation - but the music is an exception. Subsequent generations to the 60's seem to love 60's music and Beatles music. So this adds some universality to the movie. There were several girls about 16 years old in the row in front of us in the theater - we could see they loved the music and this movie as much as we did. (My frame of reference to the movie was the hippies, protests, Vietnam War, etc. - I can't help but wonder what their frame of reference is for such a movie?)
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
Competes with Jerry Springer
This movie is supposed to be a comedy about a backward, naive Kazak "journalist" crossing America to make a documentary. In reality, it is about someone simply being very rude to others and laughing about it - kind of like when we were in junior high.
I guess it is human nature for people to enjoy being spectators of other people getting humiliated. I suppose that is why folks enjoy the Jerry Springer show. At least on Jackass, people do it to themselves. Such entertainment differs from throwing folks to the lions in the Roman Coliseum only in intensity, not in concept. Based on the half of the movie I wasted time watching, I give it a 1 out of 10.
Why We Fight (2005)
Still looking for the question to be answered
This is not "a movie every American should see!" You'll be OK if you miss it. It is not a documentary, but a commentary. If you go, you will find both sides of the issue presented "equally", but be prepared - the side the movie makers were on is a lot "more equal" than the other side.
It is never hard to take a slice of life showing suffering from any conflict and use it to make a case against war. There is no political cause in the world for which I would sacrifice my children - yet this doesn't disprove the need for a nation to fight. I remain unpersuaded that the only reason our country ever fights is because no one will stand up and object.
Whale Rider (2002)
Great story
At the end of this film, I was a little worried about what was going to happen, but then I recognized the age-old redemption story in this movie. That's part of why it's a great movie - it's a great story. It's the story in which the one who redeems is always the last person one would expect and the one who gets redeemed is always humble (or humbled). Beyond the great story, this movie is excellent because it is beautifully filmed and wonderfully acted - especially by Keisha Castle-Hughes, who's acting is as good as it gets. When she gave the speech dedicated to her grandfather - wow! It got me where I live! This is well worth seeing. I give it a 10 out of 10.
The Sandlot (1993)
good memories
I saw this movie again the other night on TV. Reminded me of one of the happiest evenings of my life. My son was 9 years old then. Mom was out of town. I was feeling blue. He and I got hamburgers and went to see this movie. We camped out in the Family Room afterwards and he thanked me so profusely and genuinely and affectionately for the wonderful evening. The movie made me think. The ONLY way to overcome a problem is to confront it straight on -- that's how they got the ball back in the movie. It got me out of my blueness that night. The movie was also hilarious. Great music. Great message. Great fun. Great evening. It's underrated in the TV Guide. I give it 9 out of 10.
Open Range (2003)
Not Slow - Well Paced
Ah, Friday night - at last a chance to go the movies! I've been waiting for 3 weeks to get time to see Open Range. Then I ran into a neighbor waiting in line who said "Oh, I saw that. It was so slow." Well, thanks a lot for saying that! But I saw it anyway and it was great, not slow, but well-paced. People need to relax!
Deep down I think most men want a cause and a woman worth fighting for and most women want to be considered beautiful and worth fighting for. This movie did a great job incorporating such classic themes, was pretty to look at (great dog's-eye views), historically authentic-looking, had fun good guys and really wicked bad guys.
I thought a little of the script was so hokey, that maybe it was intended to be so as a joke (e.g., let's rustle up some grub, etc.) Still, this was very good movie. I give it 8.5 out of 10.
The Italian Job (2003)
Now that was fun
Some days it's fun not to be saddled with having to think too hard. This movie offered no philosophy, no morality, no deep message (and unbelievably, no chemistry whatsoever between Stella and Charlie) but . . . I did have a flat out 104 minutes of fun. Pretty clever indeed. A clone of Ocean's Eleven in too many ways to mention. There were some middle school teen boys in the crowded theater who apparently never saw a caper movie. At first they annoyed me, but it ended up being almost as much fun watching them enjoy themselves as watching the movie. I give it 9 out of 10. (P.S. My eyes might have deceived me, but I'm almost sure I saw Spider Man in the crowd dashing to get out of the way of those Minis.)
Bruce Almighty (2003)
Carrey preaching the gospel, strange mix, but neat movie!
I love Jim Carrey, but the trailer bugged me a bit -- Yikes! Looked a little blasphemous to me. And with my viewpoint as a conservative Christian, I guess it was a bit sacreligious. But as my aunt used to say when I was growing up, "sometimes we've just got to close our ears during the bad parts".
So, that's what I did and I have to say -- I loved this movie! It addressed a lot of real questions, such as -- What would happen if you could get ANYTHING you want -- would it really make you happy? Do you have to die to your old life to live a new one? Is it really better to give than receive? Is God really punishing me when things go bad? How do you get someone to love without messing with the free will thing? and on and on.
I was stimulated mentally and laughed my head off. I give it 9 out of 10. (P.S. Like the way Albert Hitchcock had a "trademark" cameo appearance, I think Carrey has developed a "trademark" of "accidently" sticking his butt in someone's face at least once in each of most of his movies.)
Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)
Good movie about dreams
Okay, I know this movie goes off the sentimentality, sappy, manipulation chart, and I should be ashamed to be a big 51 year old man fighting the tears when I watch it by myself on my big screen TV down in the basement, but -- well, sue me -- I like this movie. As someone once said, what is happiness but your dreams? Those of us who are a little older may reflect on the unrealized dreams of our youth, but although some of those dreams went unrealized, some of life's events still turned out to be a lot richer than we would have ever expected. The look on Glenne Headley's Iris as she comes to grips with who "Rowena" is (see the movie and remember her look) gave me chills. When Glenn Holland later says "I love you" and she says "I know" -- now that's a realized dream that beats being on stage at Carnegie Hall. Relax, don't be too critical and enjoy. I give it an 8.9 out of 10.
Phone Booth (2002)
Darker than it seems
This was a very entertaining movie on the surface. If you just want to have some fun and sit on the edge of your seat for 81 minutes, this movie will do it for you.
And if you want to think, it will make you do that too. I believe this movie is not a redemption story and it is not a morality story. It is a much darker story than it first might seem. It reminds us that there is this little voice in each of us that condemns us, but we rarely stop to listen to it. If we do, it drives us crazy with its oppressive demands to redeem ourselves. The story was summed up in the end with a chilling reminder that the oppressor could call again if the Colin character got out of line! To me the moral of the story was -- it's good to be good and it's good to be redeemed, but better find another way than yourself to straighten things out.
I liked it -- I give it 9 out of 10.
About Schmidt (2002)
irresitable genre
My favorite movies are those ones that portray a person absolutely at the end of their rope and then before it's over -- somehow -- the person manages to find some hope -- movies like It's a Wonderful Life.
What a great production job in this movie creating such a gray, Class C, low quality world for Schmidt to live in. It was depressing -- even more so to realize how familiar it was.
What a great actor Nicholson is. This guy Schmidt - I was agonizing for him. I could sense how hard he was working to try to keep his desperation below the surface. Thank goodness for a few laughs in the movie to give me a break. But the ending made it worth it for me. Very sweet.
For some reason, I keep thinking about this movie since I saw it. That's how I judge the good ones. I give it 9 out of 10.