Rest in Peace - March 2009

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REST IN PEACE
Feb-22-2009
Howard Zieff, 81, American film director (Private Benjamin), complications from Parkinson's disease.

Feb-04-2009
Philip Carey, 83, American actor, lung cancer.
James Whitmore, 87, American Academy Award–nominated actor, lung cancer.

My February 2009 Viewings

Recommended DVDs are marked with *. Underlined titles are links to reviews.

Hysterical Blindness 02/28/09 (B-)
What Just Happened? 02/27/09 (B-)
The Molly Maguires 02/26/09 (B-)
* Bottle Shock 02/25/09 (A)
* Lilies: 3 02/24/09 (B)
* The Madness of King George 02/23/09 (B)
Flash of Genius 02/22/09 (B-)
* Find Me Guilt 02/21/09 (B)
* Man On Fire 02/20/09 (B)
* The Secret Life of Bees 02/19/09 (B)
* Changeling 02/18/09 (B)
* Cradle Will Rock 02/17/09 (A)
* The Crossing Guard 02/16/09 (B)
* Thieves Like Us 02/15/09 (B)
* The Interpreter 02/14/09 (B)
* Housewife, 49 02/13/09 (B+)
* Edge of the City 02/12/09 (B)
Pride and Glory 02/11/09 (B-)
* Grafters: 3 02/10/09 (B)
The Laughing Policeman 02/09/09 (C+)
Opening Night 02/08/09 (B-)
The Deal 02/07/09 (C+)
* Henry Poole Is Here 02/06/09 (B+)
* The Dark Knight 02/05/09 (A-)
* August Evening 02/04/09 (B)
Cleaner 02/03/09 (B-)
* Stuck 02/02/09 (B)
The Hot Rock 02/01/09 (B-)

Hysterical Blindness (2002)

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Looking For Love In All the Wrong Places
Set in New Jersey working class neighborhood in the 1980s, best friends Debby (Uma Thurman) and Beth (Juliette Lewis) often hang out at their favorite bar looking for men. As they approach 30, they're feeling desperation about still being single.

One night, rugged Rick (Justin Chambers) eyes Beth but Debby ends up persuing him pretty aggressively. Beth's style is cramped because she has a pre-teen daughter, Amber (Jolie Peters), but eventually she yields to the flirtation of Bobby (Anthony DeSanto) the bartender. Meanwhile, Debby's long-single mother (Gena Rowlands), a waitress at the cafe, meets a charming widower (Ben Gazzara) and sparks begin.

But when tragedy strikes and hearts are broken, the three women learn a lot about themselves, each other, the relationships, and what is really important in life.

Directed by Mira Nair.

Run time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

This made-for-TV movie aired on HBO. Not rated by MPAA.

My personal rating: B-

What Just Happened? (2008)

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"In Hollywood, everybody can hear you scream."
Hollywood producer Ben (Robert De Niro) struggles to balance his professional and personal life. With two ex-wives (Robin Wright Penn, Lily Rabe) to support, children from both marriages to spend time with, a tempermental actor (Bruce Willis), a ulcer-wracked agent (John Turturro), the blocked scriptwriter (Stanley Tucci), the prima dona writer/director (Michael Wincott), the rigid studio exec (Catherine Keener), Ben is stretched to the limit.

Sean Penn also has a cameo role.

Directed by Barry Levinson.

Run time: 1 hour, 44 minutes

Rated R for language, some violent images, sexual content and some drug material.

My personal rating: B-

The Molly McGuires (1970)

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"...there's no hole deep enough to hide this time."

Times are tough for the Irish coal miners in 1876 Pennsylvania. With the hazards of the work itself, plus the mine-related illneses and early deaths, and mistreatment of the workers by the mining companies, revolt is brewing insidiously.

A secret group of workers, the Molly Maguires, lead by Jack Kehoe (Sean Connery), sabotage the company at every chance they can. When a new Irishman, McKenna (Richard Harris), shows up to work, he is at first suspect by the Molly Maguires, but in time he earns their confidence and is included in their plans.

But McKenna is actually a detective hired by the mining company to find the sabateurs. Will he remain on task with his contract or will he side with his countrymen who are only seeking social justice?

Samantha Eggar appears as the love interest. Others in the cast include Frank Finley, Anthony Zerbe, Philip Bourneuf, and Malachy McCourt.

Directed by Martin Ritt.

Run time: 2 hours, 4 minutes

Rated PG for violence, language and some thematic material.

My personal rating: B-

Bottle Shock (2008)

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Three Cheers for the

Red, White and Cru

JIm Barrett (Bill Pullman) dropped out of the corporate world to open a vineyard in Napa Valley, California, in the early 1970s. With the help of his son Bo (Chris Pine) and some rather unconventional methods, Château Montelena makes some moderate inroads in the area. Other vintners are also producing in the valley, all with dreams of eventually going international but with the caution that their wines were purely regional in nature.

Meanwhile, Brit-in-Paris Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) hopes to revive his flailing wine business by hosting a wine competition. A fellow wine connoisseur American-in-Paris (Dennis Farina) , and a friend encourages him to go to California for a gimmick for the contest.

Off Spurrier goes to the Napa Valley where he samples many wines and also discovers the foods the locals are serving with the wine -- fried chicken in a bucket and chips 'n dips. RIckman gives the perfect balance of distain and joy.

Spurrier selects the wines to travel to Paris for the competition and Bo ends up going to represent the vintners of Napa Valley. What happens then is the tale of a fairy tale come true -- and it really is true!

With Rachael Taylor as a love interest for Bo, Freddy Rodríguez as Bo's best friend and hopeful vintner himself, and Eliza Dushku as the barkeep who really believes.

A fabulous feel-good flick!

Screenplay cowritten and directed by Randall Miller.

Run time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language, some sexual content and a scene of drug use.

My personal rating: A

Lilies (TV Series)

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This is the ongoing story about three young Catholic women, sisters, in Liverpool in the early 1920s.

Ruby (Kerrie Hayes) is a corset fitter, May (Leanne Rowe) is a parlormaid who later becomes the housekeeper for the priest, and Iris (Catherine Tyldesley) is the homemaker for the family and also makes fine chocolates at home which are sold in a local shop.

Their widowed Protestant father (Brian McCardie) is a hard drinker and sometimes prone to violence. Their brother Billy (Daniel Rigby) returned from the Great War shell shocked and feeling guilty about the death of their younger brother in the war. Scot Williams is the parish priest, Stephen Moyer is May's romantic interest, and Iain McKee is a young man in the neighborhood who has always know the family.

Wonderful feeling of the '20s with exquisite attention to detail and charming music reminiscent of the era.

Unfortunately this series only ran eight episodes on BBC in 2007 and was then canceled. I'm sure if it had a longer run, I would have loved it as much as I loved Ballykissangel and Monarch of the Glen. I saw great potential for many further episodes and can only hope the BBC will reconsider and begin filming again.

My personal rating: B

The Madness of King George (1994)

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"If a few ramshackle colonists in America can send him packing, why can't we?"
King George III (Nigel Hawthorne) really was quite mad. Later believed to be a metabolic disorder causing dementia, his bizarre ways certainly meant a great deal of unhappiness and debate in England of the late 18th century.

Helen Mirren portrays George's long-suffering Queen Charlotte. Ian Holm plays the King's doctor and Rupert Everett appears as the Prince of Wales. Geoffrey Palmer and Rupert Graves are also in the cast.

Directed by Nicholas Hytner.

Run time: 1 hour, 47 minutes

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements.

My personal rating: B

Flash of Genius (2008)

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David vs Goliath
Engineering professor Bob Kearns (Greg Kinnear) is obsessed with creating what he calls the Kearns Blinking Eye Wiper, a control for vehicle windshield wipers that varies the rate and speed of the sweeps. Once he perfects the design he approaches Ford Motor Company to stick a deal for Kearns to produce the units and Ford to buy them from him. But the deal falls apart after Ford has had a look at the engineering design and the company goes on to manufacture the Electronic Intermittent Windshield Wiper for their own line of vehicles.

Enraged, Kearns begins a one-man stand against Ford for stealing his idea. The battle takes years, sinks Kearns into paranoia and deep depression, and causes huge stress between Kearns and his devoted wife Phyllis (Lauren Graham).

Also appearing are Dermot Mulroney as Kearns' long-time friend, business partner, Alan Alda as Kearns' attorney, and Bill Smitrovich as the judge.

Directed by Marc Abraham.

Run time: 2 hours

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.

My personal rating: B-

Find Me Guilty (2006)

Based on true incidents

"I'm not a gangster.
I'm a gagster."

Despite the fact that his own cousin tried to fulfill a mob contract to murder him, Jackie DiNorscio (Vin Diesel) won't rat out his cousin. Nor will Jackie rat out the 19 others who "love him" in what turns into the longest Mafia trial in American history -- 22 months.

Much of the dialog of this film was taken directly from the court transcripts.

Also appearing are Ron Silver, Alex Rocco, Jerry Grayson, Paul Borghese, Peter Dinklage, Richard Portnow, Jerry Adler, Linus Roache, Raul Esparza, and many others.

Co-written and directed by Sidney Lumet.

Run time: 2 hours, 5 minutes

Rated R for strong language and some violence.

My personal rating: B

Man on Fire (2004)

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"I am the sheep that got lost."
Creasy (Denzel Washington) is a tormented, hard-drinking has-been CIA operative. When he visits his friend Rayburn (Christopher Walken) in Mexico, Creasy is in a hopeless condition but Rayburn encourages him to get a job as a bodyguard because kidnapping is so prevalent in Latin America.

In short order, Creasy secures a job guarding the young daughter of a Mexican industrialist and his American wife (Mark Anthony, Radha Mitchell)

The child, Pita (Dakota Fanning) has Creasy figured out right away despite Creasy's insistence on emotional distance from the child. But it isn't long before Pita grows on Creasy and he's helping her with her competitive swimming and school work.

Despite Creasy's best efforts, Pita is kidnapped and Creasy goes wild in his obsession for justice.

Also appearing is Mickey Rourke as the family's attorney, Roberto Sosa as the main police officer Creasy works with, and Rachel Ticotin as the reporter who covers the kidnapping.

Directed by Tony Scott.

Run time: 2 hours, 26 minutes

Rated R for language and strong violence.

My personal rating: B

The Secret Life of Bees (2008)

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The Meaning of Family
When Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning) was fiour years old, she accidentally shot her mother to death trying to help her fend off a brutal attack by her father T-Ray (Paul Bettany). For 10 years, T-Ray harbors resentment toward Lily for the loss of his wife.

It is 1964 and the president has just enacted the Civil Rights Bill. Lily goes with her beloved housekeeper Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson) to town so Rosaleen can register to vote. On the way, Rosaleen is empowered to talk back to bigot who harasses her and Lily.

With Rosaleen in danger of prosecution on trumped up charges and Lily sick of the abuse her father doles out, the two escape and find their way to a small North Carolina town and are taken in by the Boatwright sisters -- the self-confident, strong beekeeper August (Queen Latifah), the stern June (Alicia Keys), and the emotionally fragile May (Sophie Okonedo).

Being in the household of sisters and learning the at of beekeeping, young Lily finally learns the truths about her mother and finds out what family really means.

Also appearing are Nate Parker as June's persistent but rebuffed boyfriend and Tristan Wilds as best young friends.

Adapted from a beloved novel by Sue Monk Kidd. Screenplay and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.

Run time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Rated PG-13 for thematic material and some violence.

My personal rating: B

Changeling (2008)

Based on a true incident

Bringing LAPD to It's Knees
When single mother Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) discovers her nine-year-old son Walter (Gattlin Griffith) is missing, she immediately notifies the Los Angeles police department but is told she can't file a missing persons report until the child had been gone for 24 hours. This wasn't unusual procedure in 1928 but the frustrated Christine is angry that time is being wasted in finding her son because she is certain he wouldn't run away.

Five months later, Capt. J.J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan) calls to tell Christine that Walter has been found in Illinois and will return to LA via train. When Christine first sees the boy as he comes off of the train, she knows this is not her child. Ybarra tries to convince her that children change in five months time and the boy most certainly is her son. The boy (Devon Conti) even says that his name is Walter Collins and gives his street address.

In shock, Christine takes him home but soon finds much evidence that the boy is not Walter, including verification from the boy's teacher and dentist.

When the Reverand Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich) finds out about the situation, he talks about it freely on his radio show. He has a vendetta against the LAPD because it is extremely corrupt and lies about everything. Briegleb urges Christine to go public and force the cops to do something about this matter. Instead, Christine is taken into custody by the police and sent to a mental institution labelled as paranoid and disassociative. There she is subjected to brutal hydrotherapy and electromagnetic shock treatment and is beaten down emotionally by the psychiatrist (Peter Gerety).

It takes the revelation of another missing boy (Jason Butler Harner) and the investigation by Detective Lester Ybarra (Michael Kelly) to reveal the full extent of the story.

Directed by Clint Eastwood.

Run time: 2 hours, 22 minutes

Rated R for some violent and disturbing content, and language.

My personal rating: B

Cradle Will Rock (1999)

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"Well, you can't climb down and you can't sit still. That's a storm that's gonna last until the final wind blows, and when the wind blows the cradle will rock."

Based on true incidents of the Depression era and the WPA's various projects for artists.

Orson Wells (Angus Macfadyen) sets about to produce a Broadway play about pro-union activities which is reviled as anti-establishment and communist oriented. Nelson Rockefeller (John Cusack) has artist Diego Rivera (Rubén Blades) decorate the lobby of Rockefeller Center. Italian Countess Margherita Sarfatti (Susan Sarandon) sells art for Mussolini.

Others in the stellar cast include Hank Azaria, Cary Elwes, Philip Baker Hall, Vanessa Redgrave, Gretchen Mol, Joan Cusack, John Turturro, Emily Watson, Bob Balaban, Jack Black, Paul Giamatti, Barnard Hughes, and many more.

Written and directed by Tim Robbins.

Run time: 2 hours, 12 minutes

Rated R for some language and sexuality.

My personal rating: A

The Crossing Guard (1995)

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Facing Demons

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When John Booth (David Morse) is released from prison after serving five years for manslaughter, Freddy Gale (Jack Nicholson), a seedy Los Angeles jeweler whose daughter died because of Booth, gives Booth warning that he has days to live before Gale kills him.

This idea has obsessed Gale for the entire time since his daughter's death and lead to the end of his marriage to Mary (Anjelica Huston) and resulted in Gale living a very destructive life with alcohol and prostitutes. Booth feels guilt, remorse and depression about what he is done but does nothing to escape Gale's threat.

As they approach the determined date, each man is forced to confront their own issues. Gale's grief and personal sadness transcends the loss of his daughter. In the climactic scene, Gale and Booth live out a serious cat and mouse game.

Robin Wright Penn appears as JoJo, a woman who befriends Booth; Piper Laurie and Richard Bradford are cast as Booth's parents; David Baerwald is Booth's friend Peter; Priscilla Barnes is one of Gale's prostitutes, and Robbie Robertson as Mary's new husband Roger. Shawn Penn's mother, Eileen Ryan, plays the woman customer in the jewelry store, and his father, Leo Penn, also had a small role.

The song "Missing" was written and performed by Bruce Springsteen.

Written and directed by Sean Penn.

Run time: 1 hour, 51 minutes

Rated R for sexuality and strong language.

My personal rating: B

Thieves Like Us (1974)

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"I shoulda robbed people with my brain instead of a gun."

Three hapless escaped convicts -- Bowie (Keith Carradine), Chickamaw (John Schuck), and T-Dub (Bert Remsen) go on a bank robbing spree across Mississippi in 1936. With 36 successful heists behind them, the 37 proves to be nearly the potential undoing of the team as they are placed on the "Wanted: Dead or Alive" list.

Also appearing are Shelley Duvall, Louise Fletcher, Ann Latham and Tom Skerritt as friends and family who harbor the criminals.

Marvelous vintage cars, clothing and settings, plus terrific jazz and snippets of radio shows of the era and attention to detail across the board.

Screenplay and directed by Robert Altman.

Run time: 2 hours, 3 minutes

Rated R.

My personal rating: B

The Interpreter (2005)

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"Vengeance is a lazy form of grief."

"The situation in Matobo has now become critical. With Ajene xola in hiding and Kuman-Kuman in exile, Edmond Zuwanie has few domestic obstacles to his policy of ethnic cleansing."

United Nations interpreter Silvia Broome (Nicole Kidman) accidentally overhears details of a plot to assassinate a high-ranking government official. Secret Service agents (Sean Penn, Catherine Keener) are sent to protect her when it becomes apparent that the possible instigators of the potential assassination have discovered that Silvia may be able to reveal the plot.

But does Silvie have her own agenda?

Also appearing are Sydney Pollack (who also directed this film) as a Secret Service official; Earl Cameron as Zuwanie, the corrupt leader of Matobo; Yvan Attal as a photographer who has come from Matobo with information for Silvie; Hugo Speer as Silvie's brother Hugo.

Run time: 2 hours, 9 minutes

Rated PG-13 for violence, some sexual content and brief strong language.

My personal rating: B

Housewife, 49 (2006)

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"We can't pander to husbands. These are perilous times."

In September 1939, an English newspaper challenged readers to submit their journal entry accounts of daily life in war time. Nella Last (Victoria Wood) of Barrow-in-Furness, an oppressed and emotionally fragile housewife, struggles to begin journaling. At first it is uncomfortable and she is self-concious, but over the years of the war, her journal reveals the story of a blossoming woman who no longer has to live subservient to anyone.

Though her husband Will (David Threlfal) wants Nella to stay at home to tend to his needs, Nella wants to feel more useful. She's previously had a mental breakdown and is now near another. Thanks to the counsel of her physician (Jason Watkins), Nella is encouraged to journal and to "get out or go under."

With her two sons (Christopher Harper, Ben Crompton) going off to war, Nella finds the courage to defy Will and she signs up with the Women's Voluntary Service which aids the war effort from the homefront. Will feels she won't fit in but, in fact, he's just jealous of her time and doesn't want to lose control of her.

And she religiously enters passages in her journal which help her grow and evolve into an independent woman.

Based on the true journals of Nella Last, who passed away in 1968. Her diaries were published in 1980.

First journal entry:

My name is Nella Last and I'm sad and scared and I have nobody and I don't know who I am. I feel like I'm behind a glass wall. My name is Nella Last. I suffer from nerves. I'm very cheery when I'm in company. I cry all the time.

This made-for-TV film aired on BBC.

Directed by Gavin Millar.

Run time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Not rated by MPAA.

My personal rating: B+

Edge of the City (1957)

originally titled:

A Man Is Ten Feet Tall

Axel Nordman (John Cassavetes) is in trouble. He's AWOL and afraid to go home to his parents (Ruth White, Robert F. Simon) in Ohio. He's running scared of being discovered and court martialed.

When Nordman arrives in NYC, he finds a job as a longshoreman and befriends a co-worker, Tommy Tyler (Sidney Poitier). Together with Tommy's wife Lucy (Ruby Dee) and a new girlfriend, Eileen (Kathleen Maguire), begins to relax and enjoy life.

But when Nordman's boss, Charlie Malik (Jack Warden), finds out about Nordman's secret, Nordman becomes the boss' target -- especially since friendships between whites and blacks was uncommon in the mid-1950s. The prejudice leads to violence on the dock with tragic results and a police investigation that is thwarted by fear and bigotry.

Directed by Martin Ritt.

Run time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Not rated by MPAA.

My personal rating: B

Pride and Glory (2008)

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"If my guys were doing something, I would know about it, trust me."

When four police officers are killed in an ambush in a drug den in Washington Heights, a family of police officers is drawn into the drama.

It appears as though there is extensive corruption with the precinct run by Captain Francis "Franny" Tierney, Jr. (Noah Emmerich). His father, police brass, Francis Tierney, Sr. (Jon Voight) recruits his other son, Det. Ray Tierney (Edward Norton), to be part of the investigation team.

In hunting for the dirty cops, Ray Tierney realizes that his own brother-in-law, Jimmy Eagan (Colin Farrell), might well be involved.

Also appearing are Jennifer Ehle as Ray's estranged wife; Lake Bell as the daughter, sister and wife of the cops; John Ortiz, Frank Grillo, and Shea Whigham as cops in the troubled precinct.

Screenplay and directed by Gavin O'Connor.

Run time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language and brief drug content.

My personal rating: B-

The Laughing Policeman (1973)

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"What ever you are reaching for better be a sandwich coz you're gonna have to eat it!"

A mass murderer is loose in San Francisco and when he mows down eight people on a city bus, including a cop, Sgt. Jake Martin (Walter Matthau) and his new partner Ins. Leo Larsen (Bruce Dern) have to explore the seedy side of town to try to find the killer before he strikes again.

Also appearing are Louis Gossett Jr. and Anthony Zerbe as other cops, Cathy Lee Crosby as the murdered cop's wife, Joanna Cassidy as a prostitute, and Gregory Sierra as a biker.

Directed by Stuart Rosenberg.

Run time: 1 hour, 52 minutes

Rated R

My personal rating: C+

Opening Night (1977)

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Actress Myrtle Gordon (Gena Rowlands) is having a mental breakdown just as the new play she is in is finishing its run in New Haven and preparing to debut on Broadway. Not coping well with aging, she also feels she is being haunted and taunted by the ghost of a young fan (Laura Johnson) who was struck and killed by a car while pursuing Myrtle.

John Cassavetes, who also wrote and directed this film, appears as Myrtle's leading man in the play, Ben Gazzara is the play's director,
Joan Blondell and Paul Stewart are the play's producers. Peter Bogdanovich, Seymour Cassel, and Peter Falk appear briefly in cameo roles.

Run time: 2 hours, 24 minutes

Rated PG-13

My personal rating: B-

The Deal (2008)

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Charlie Berns (William H. Macy), a down-and-out Hollywood dude, decides to play a major studio for money to make a motion picture supposedly based on his nephew's (Jason Ritter) first script about England's Benjamin Disraeli. But Berns liberally adapts the script, updates it, turns it toward an action adventure staring the hot property Bobby Mason (LL Cool J) whose only resemblence to Disraeli is the yamulka.

What Berns really decides to do is woo the up-tight studio executive (Meg Ryan) assigned to oversee his film.

Also in the cast are Elliott Gould as the rabbi hired as a consultant on Jewish tradition, Sharon Raginiano as the film's inept director, plus Aiden Lithgow and Kate Blumberg.

While some fine performers seemed to have a lot of fun, this isn't high humor and only a tick above ordinary.

Directed by Steven Schachter, who co-wrote the script with William H. Macy.

Run time: 1 hour, 38 minutes

Rated R for sexual content and language.

My personal rating: C+

Henry Poole Is Here (2008)

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"This was the last place I remember feeling happy."

Henry Poole (Luke Wilson) needs only to buy a house, live out his last six months in isolation binging on junk food and booze before his terminal illness claims him. But others get in his way -- a real estate agent (Cheryl Hines) who doesn't seem to understand boundries, a nosy neighbor (Adriana Barraza) who sees the image of Jesus in the new stucco on Henry's house, a mute child (Morgan Lily) who has post traumatic shock syndrome and secretly audio tapes conversations and her mother (Radha Mitchell).

Also appearing are George Lopez as the priest, Richard Benjamin as Henry's doctor, Rachel Seiferth as a store clerk who takes an interest in Henry, and Noah Dahl as Henry in childhood.

Touching and poignant.

The soundtrack almost seem as though it is another character.

Favorite line:

"You can't go to the past to fix the present."

Directed by Mark Pellington.

Run time: 1 hour, 31 minutes

Rated PG for thematic elements and some language.

My personal rating: B+

The Dark Knight (2008)

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"I believe that whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you stranger."

This is not my genre. I repeat: This is not my genre. That said, I loved this movie! I guess I'm going to have to reconsider my opinion of superhero films since, in the last six weeks, I've loved Iron Man and Hancock -- and now The Dark Knight.

The mob king (Eric Roberts) is after Batman (Christian Bale). So is the police commissioner (Gary Oldman) who wants that vigilante Batman stopped. And then there's the Joker (Heath Ledger). He's after Batman, too. And while Batman is ready to quit and revert to the quiet life of Bruce Wayne, billionaire, the district attorney (Aaron Eckhart) tells Batman, "You can't give in. You can't quit."

Maggie Gyllenhaal is the love interest, Michael Caine is Bruce Wayne's man Alfred Pennyworth, Morgan Freeman is a director at Wayne Enterprises. Others appearing are Anthony Michael Hall, William Fichtner, and Nicky Katt.

A favorite line:

Thug: "What's the difference between you and me?"
Batman: "I'm not wearing hockey pads."

Directed by Christopher Nolan, who cowrote the script with his brother Jonathan Nolan.

Run time: 2 hours, 32 minutes

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace.

My personal rating: A-

August Evening (2007)

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"Life can be a disappointment. Even in good times."

Lupe (Veronica Loren), a young widow, lives in Gonzalez, Texas, with her in-laws, Maria (Raquel Gavia) and Jaime (Pedro Castaneda). She's a sullen young woman who resists her in-laws' urgings to date and get on with her life, four years after the death of her husband, their son.

When Maria suddenly dies and Jaime loses his job at the chicken farm, he cannot find other work in town. Jaime and Lupe take a bus to San Antonio to live with his son Victor (Abel Becerra) and his family until they can find work. But the arrangement is not satisfactory to Victor's wife Andrea (Grisel Rodriguez). So Jaime and Lupe move on to live with his daughter, Alice (Sandra Rios) and her husband (Tom Spry) in a San Antonio suburb. But Alice also finds the situation too difficult so Jaime and Lupe take a bus back to Gonzalez where Lupe finds work in a factory and Jaime picks up odd jobs.

Luis (Walter Perez), a neighbor of Victor's, grew smitten with Lupe when Jaime and Lupe lived with Victor, but Lupe rejects all encouragement to become interested in him. She is still grieving the loss of her husband and feels strongly that she needs to help Jaime. But Luis has moved to El Paso and comes to see Lupe and propose to her. Lupe is very confused about what to do.

A tender and loving story of family, though too long and slow moving. Despite that, the film director and several actors won awards at numerous film festivals and the Independent Spirit Award.

Written and directed by Chris Eska.

Run time: 2 hours, 7 minutes

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.

My personal rating: B

Cleaner (2007)

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"We don't clean up blood. We clean up anger and grief, heartache"

Tom Cutler (Samuel L. Jackson) a former New Jersey cop, now operates a bio-cleaning company that thoroughly cleans up human and animal waste, especially that left after a human death, either natural or criminal.

Cutler is called in to clean up a shooting scene and goes about his business in his usual professional manner. The order to clean had apparently been cleared by the police department but later Cutler realizes that the police knew nothing about it. A man is missing from his home and it's the home Cutler cleaned -- and probably destroyed all evidence of a murder.

Meanwhile, Cutler's teenage daughter Rosie (Keke Palmer) is asking him many questions about the death of the man who killed her mother. And it's clear there's major corruption in the police department.

Also appearing are Ed Harris and Luis Guzmán as a couple of Cutler's old cop cronies, Eva Mendes as the wife of the missing man, Maggie Lawson as Cutler's office assistant, and Robert Forster as the pathologist.

Directed by Renny Harlin.

Run time: 1 hour, 28 minutes

Rated R for bloody images, some violence and language.

My personal rating: B-

Stuck (2007)

Inspired by a true story.

"Help me!"

Down on his luck Thomas Bardo (Stephen Rea) is evicted from his room in a residential hotel because he can't pay the rent. Though he has a job interview that day, the landlord is firm. Downsized from a responsible job, he's really been having trouble getting work and is very frustrated. Now he's walking around with all his worldly possessions, namely his clothes, bundled up in his arms.

Brandi Broski (Mena Suvari) is a nursing assistant at an old folks home and is about to be promoted to head of the nursing assistants.

That night, as homeless and dejected Thomas roams the streets, Brandi parties at the club with her boyfriend Rashid (Russell Hornsby) and co-worker Tonya (Rukiya Bernard). Impaired, Brandi leaves the club in her car and strikes Thomas as he crosses a street.

Brandi speeds away with Thomas' upper body through her windshield. She first goes to a hospital but is frightened and ends up driving home and parking the car in the garage to try to hide the mess. Thomas is still alive but completely stuck and dripping blood. When Brandi goes inside the house and to work the next day, Thomas uses whatever he has left to try to free himself. Brandi returns with her boyfriend to finish Thomas off and dispose of him but are they in for a big surprise.

Not for the squeamish.

Story and directed by Stuart Gordon.

Run time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Rated R for strong violence, disturbing content, sexuality/nudity, language and drug use.

My personal rating: B

The Hot Rock (1972)

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"I'm not superstitious. And I don't believe in jinxes, but that stone's jinxed me and it won't let go. I've been damned near bitten, shot at, peed on and robbed. And worse is gonna happen before it's done. So I'm takin' my stand. I'm going all the way. Either I get it, or it gets me."

Upon release from prison, John Dortmunder (Robert Redford) vows to the warden that he won't be back, but he didn't expect to have his old pal and brother-in-law Kelp (George Segal) meet him a few blocks from the prison and try to persuade him to lead a heist. Dortmunder resists but Kelp insists he at least listen to the guy who needs the job done, Dr. Amusa (Moses Gunn) who is the UN representative from the African country of Central Vatawi. Seems there's been a fabulous diamond that's been stolen back and forth for generations by Central Vatawi and Outer Vatawi. He wants the diamond back in possession of the diamond, the Sahara Stone, which is currently on display in a NYC museum.

Dortmunder and Kelp begin gathering a team which includes the get-away driver Murch (Ron Leibman) the mechanic and Greenburg (Paul Sand) the explosives expert, with Kelp as the locks man and Dortmunder as the logistics man.

Despite coming close to having the diamond in their hands, it's elusive and motivates Dortmunder all the more to succeed. But can he?

Also in the cast are Charlotte Rae as Murch's mother, Topo Swope as Dortmunder's sister and Kelp's wife, and Zero Mostel as Greenburg's father, an unscrupulous lawyer. Christopher Guest also appears in a minor role as a cop in one of his earliest film appearances.

Terrific jazzy music by Quincy Jones and sound track musicians that read like a who's who of jazz giants -- Gerry Mulligan, Clark Terry, Jerome Richardson, Grady Tate and more.

Directed by Peter Yates.

Run time: 1 hour, 37 minutes

Not rated by MPAA.

My personal rating: B-

Rest in Peace - January 2009

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REST IN PEACE
Jan-14-2009
Ricardo Montalbán, 88, Mexican actor (Fantasy Island, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), heart failure.

Jan-12-2009
Claude Berri, 74, French Academy Award-winning film director (Jean de Florette, Manon des Sources), stroke.

Jan-03-2009
Pat Hingle, 84, American actor (Splendor in the Grass, Hang 'Em High, Batman), blood cancer.

My January 2009 Viewings

Recommended DVDs marked with *. Underlined titles are links to reviews.

* The Contender 1/31/09 (A)
Snow Angels 1/30/09 (C+)
* The Legend of 1900 1/29/09 (A-)
* Grafters: 1:1 1/28/09 (B)
* Coast to Coast 1/27/09 (B)
* Hudson Hawk 1/26/09 (B)
* Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys 1/25/09 (B+)
* Maldeamores 1/24/09 (B)
* Four Rooms 1/23/09 (B)
* Mikey & Nicky 1/22/09 (B)
Chaos Theory 1/21/09 (B-)
* Shakespeare Retold: Macbeth 1/20/09 (B+)
* Shakespeare Retold: Much Ado About Nothing 1/19/09 (B)
* Burn After Reading 1/18/09 (A-)
Autumn Hearts 1/17/09 (B-)
* Straight Time 1/16/09 (B)
* Ambulance Girl 1/15/09 (B)
* Midnight Run 1/14/09 (B)
* White Palace 1/13/09 (B)
* Towelhead 1/12/09 (B)
* Righteous Kill 1/11/09 (B)
* Iron Man 1/10/09 (B)
* The Other Boleyn Girl 1/09/09 (B)
* Traitor 1/08/09 (B)
Wanted 1/07/09 (B-)
* The Big Tease 1/06/09 (B)
* Snow Falling on Cedars 1/05/09 (B+)
* The Virgin Suicides 1/04/09 (B)
* Unconditional Love 1/03/09 (B)
Sexy Beast 1/02/09 (B-)
* Happy Accidents 1/01/09 (B)

The Contender (2000)

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"...principles only mean something if you stick by them when they're inconvenient."

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When the Vice-President dies, Democratic President Jackson Evans (Jeff Bridges) must appoint a replacement. Approaching the end of his second term, he wants to leave an important legacy and therefore nominates Senator Laine Hanson (Joan Allen), D-OH, a former Republican.

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But Congressman Sheldon "Shelly" Runyon, R-IL, (Gary Oldman), a major Republican opponent of the President, leads a McCarthy-esque witch hunt guised as the Congressional confirmation hearing. Runyon is set to discredit Senator Hanson on the basis of reports of her sexual indiscretion when she was in college. Fact of the matter is, the very conservative and disingenuous Runyon is opposed to all of Senator Hanson's positions on the abortion issue and religion, and his obvious disdain for powerful women. He seeks to humiliate her in whatever way he can.

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Some very interesting twists that made it a real keep-watching political thriller. Interesting, too, in the comparisons to President Clinton's indiscretions, references to Chappaquiddick. and a certain prophetic tone that hit home in terms of the 2008 presidential campaigns, the election of a fresh new attitude in Washington in 2009, and the national embarrassment of the gubernatorial scandal in Illinois.

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Also appearing are Christian Slater as the young senator and rising Democratic star from Delaware, Sam Elliott as a President's Chief of Staff, William Petersen as the Virginia governor who had been the preferred vice-presidential contender but was by-passed by the President, Saul Rubinek as the President's press secretary, Mike Binder as Senator Hanson's legal counsel, Philip Baker Hall as Senator Hanson's father and former Republican Governor of Ohio, Robin Thomas as Senator Hanson's husband and former campaign manager, Mariel Hemingway as Senator Hanson's former college chum and ex-wife of Hanson's current husband, Kathryn Morris as the FBI agent who thoroughly investigates the Virginia governor and Senator Hanson, Noah Fryrear as the Hanson's six-year-old son.

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Jeff Bridges and Kim Carnes sing the opening song -- "Ring of Fire" -- which all just seems so right!

Some of my favorite quotes from the film:

President Jackson Evans: "It pains my soul to tell you that you have brought blood and shame under this great dome. Your leadership has raised the stakes of hate to a new level where we can no longer separate the demagogue from the truly inspired. And believe this, there are traitors among us."

Senator Laine Hanson's closing statement at her confirmation hearing: "...and, Mr. Chairman, I stand for the separation of Church and State, and the reason that I stand for that is the same reason that I believe our forefathers did. It is not there to protect religion from the grasp of government but to protect our government from the grasp of religious fanaticism. Now, I may be an atheist, but that does not mean I do not go to church. I do go to church. The church I go to is the one that emancipated the slaves, that gave women the right to vote, that gave us every freedom that we hold dear. My church is this very Chapel of Democracy that we sit in together, and I do not need God to tell me what are my moral absolutes. I need my heart, my brain, and this church."

Written and directed by Rod Lurie.

Run time: 2 hours, 7 minutes

Rated R for strong sexual content and language.

My personal rating: A

Snow Angels (2007)

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"Each step is an anticipation of the next."

The life of teenager Arthur Parkinson (Michael Angarano) is interwined with the life of his former childhood babysitter, Annie Marchand (Kate Beckinsale), as they work together at a Chinese cafe in a small western Pennsylvania town.

Annie, who is estranged from her fragile husband Glenn (Sam Rockwell), has been having an affair with Nate Petite (Nicky Katt), the husband of her friend and co-worker Barb (Amy Sedaris). When Barb finds out, Annie blames Nate for giving Barb her name. While fighting over this, Glenn arrives at Annie's house, drunk, and angry that Nate is with his wife. Annie tells both of them to go away.

Later, when Annie and Glenn's four-year-old daughter Tara (Gracie Hudson) goes mising, both Glenn and Nate are suspects. Arthur and his classmates participate in the search. All of their lives are forever changed by the outcome.

Also appearing are Jeanetta Arnette and Griffin Dunne as Arthur's recently separated parents, and Olivia Thirlby as Arthur's new girlfriend.

Screenplay and directed by David Gordon Green.

Run time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Rated R for language, some violent content, brief sexuality and drug use.

My personal rating: C+

The Legend of 1900 (1998)

La Leggenda del pianista sull'oceano

"I think land people waste a lot of time wondering why."

An infant was found laying in a wooden TD Lemons box atop a grand piano on a transatlantic steamer ship, The Virginian, on the morning of January 1, 1990. The coal stoker who found him, Danny Boodman (Bill Nunn), named the baby boy Danny Boodman TD Nineteen Hundred. Hidden away by the hard working engine room workers in the bowels of the ship to prevent the child from being from being taken from them, he is nurtured and educated and grows to be an adult.

As a child (Cory Buck), 1900 crossed the Atlantic back and forth many, many times. He never stepped foot on land because officially, he'd never been born. He had no birth certificate, no visa, no passport, no family, no country.

His infatuation with the piano grew into a passion, as did his talent at playing it. As a young man (Tim Roth), he began playing with the ship's band where he met Max Tooney (Pruitt Taylor Vince), a trumpeter from New Orleans, who is the narrator of 1900's story with a few embellishments.

1900's talent was legend aboard the ship. He wrote all styles of music himself, but was particularly attracted the jazz. He "listened to appearances and actions" of various people he saw on board to create his music. He's challenged to a jazz duel by King of the Blues, Jelly Roll Morton (Clarence Williams III).

He never left the ship, though once he tried. He'd fallen in love with a beautiful immigrant (Mélanie Thierry) who invited him to visit her on Mott Street in NYC. After several more crossings and with her always on his mind, he determines to go ashore on the next NYC landing, but despite his overwhelming desire, fear overwhelmed him.

Years later, when Max recounts the story of 1900 to a pawnbroker (Peter Vaughan), he discovers that the Virginian had been used as a hospital ship for many years and now is to be demolished. Max has a terrible fear. Is 1900 still aboard?

An utterly charming and touching story by the director who brought us Cinema Paradiso, Giuseppe Tornatore.

Run time: 2 hours, 1 minute

Rated R for language.

My personal rating: A-

Grafters: 1:1 (TV Series)

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Brothers Joe (Robson Green) and Trevor (Stephen Tompkinson) Purvis, a couple of Newcastle blokes, set up a construction company and win a contract to totally remodel an old, broken house in London.

Trevor, a sweet innocent, has a wife and baby son. He's been pushed into this partnership by his brother due to rough economic times and is eager to return to Newcastle to his family. Joe, a con man, wants to become a big contractor in London. He's slick, manipulative and a playboy. He also has an ex-wife he still loves and a young daughter he seldom sees.

The story mostly revolves around the brothers' work on the big old house and their relationship with the couple (Neil Stuke, Emily Joyce) who own it.

Also appearing are Maurice Roëves as the boys' widowed father Lennie and Darren Morfitt as Simon, their cousin who comes to help with the project.

Not rated by MPAA. Originally aired on BBC-TV beginning in 1998.

My personal rating: B

Coast to Coast (2003)

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"Every time we get together, we kick holes in each other's lives. Why do we do that?"

"Maybe it's the only pleasure we have left ."

Comedy writer Barnaby Pierce (Richard Dreyfuss) and his homemaker wife Maxine (Judy Davis) have a strained marriage. After raising three children and the death of a son, they really seem to have little in common any more.

They've put their home in Maine up for sale and set out in their old Thunderbird heading to California for their son Benjamin's (David Julian Hirsh) wedding. The car is to be a gift to him. But from Maine to California, they have many stops to make.

First it's to Maxine's sister's (Kate Lynch) and her husband (Richard Fitzpatrick) to drop of their dog. There they see the teenaged nephew (Owen Rotharmel) and get a glimpse at his mental illness. Then on to Maxine's college town where she is subcousiously looking for approval for her divorce from her beloved professor Casimir (Maximilian Schell) only to find that he's now divorced his formerly beloved wife and has been married to one of his young graduate students for three years.

From there they head to Chicago to see Barnaby's former writing partner Stanley (Paul Mazursky, who also directed the film) and his second wife. Barnaby talks with Stanley about Stanley's divorce and reasons for them and how is life is now with a younger trophy wife.

Their daughter Stacy (Selma Blair) awaits in Minneapolis where Stacy has strong suspicions about her parents' situation and also springs her own big news.

Onward to Denver to see Hal Kressler (Fred Ward), an old friend of Maxine's. In Beverly Hills, Berry (James Kee), a producer who stiffed Barnaby on a deal years ago.

Along the way, the couple considers why they married in the first place, what they meant to each other, and how they can move on in their lives.

An interesting study in relationships.

Rated R for language including sexual references, and for a scene of sexuality.

Run time: 1 hour, 47 minutes

My personal rating: B