Rest in Peace - October 2008

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Rest in Peace
Oct-25-2008
Estelle Reiner, 94, American singer and actress (When Harry Met Sally), wife of Carl Reiner, mother of Rob Reiner.

Oct-23-2008
Gianluigi Braschi, 45, Italian film producer (Life Is Beautiful), after long illness.

Oct-15-2008
Edie Adams, 81, American actress and singer, pneumonia and cancer.

Oct-11-2008
Neal Hefti, 85, American composer ("Batman Theme", "The Odd Couple Theme"), heart attack.

Oct-08-2008
Olga Kaljakin, 57, American art director, film poster designer (The Last Samurai, Field of Dreams), emphysema.

My October 2008 Viewings

Includes my personal ratings.
Recommended DVDs in bold.
Underlined titles are direct links to review.

The Entertainer 10/31/08 (C+)
A Good Baby 10/30/08 (C+)
Run, Fat Boy, Run 10/29/08 (B)
An Ideal Husband 10/28/08 (B)
The Search for John Gissing 10/26/08 (B-)
Entourage: 1:2 10/25/08 (B)
Longford 10/24/08 (B)
Hugo Pool 10/21/08 (D)
Subway Stories 10/19/08 (B+)
War, Inc. 10/18/08 (B)
Just Like Heaven 10/17/08 (B-)
The Gathering Storm 10/16/08 (A-)
Chef! 1:1 10/14/08 (B)
Entourage 1:1 10/12/08 (B-)
Lone Star 10/10/08 (A-)
Match Point 10/09/08 (B+)
Californication 1:1 10/07/08 (C-)
The Visitor 10/06/08 (A)
Jules and Jim 10/04/08 (B)
Bottle Rocket 10/03/08 (B-)
Gosford Park 10/02/08 (B-)
The Millionairess 10/01/08 (C+)

The Entertainer (1960)

Archie Rice (Laurence Olivier), old-time vaudevillian, tries to keep himself afloat by working at a shabby English seaside resort. He's a womanizer, a lush, a manipulator, mocks his long-suffering wife (Brenda De Banzie), and he's no longer popular on stage.

In a last ditch effort, he cons his father (Roger Livesey), also an old vaudevillian, into performing on stage again at a benefit that Archie feels will bring him back to his former success on stage.

This film marked the film debut of Joan Plowright, Alan Bates, and Albert Finney as Archie's children. Also appearing are Shirley Anne Field and Thora Hird.

Directed by Tony Richardson.

Run time: 1 hour, 36 minutes

My personal rating: C+

A Good Baby (2000)

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While wandering the backroads of North Carolina, loner Raymond Toker (Henry Thomas) discovers an infant. Unable to locate her parents or find someone in town who will take the child, Toker ends up growing quite fond of her. His own family, including his beloved little sister, had perished in a house fire several years before and Toker had little joy in his life since then.

When a traveling salesman (David Strathairn) appears and starts snooping around, the mystery of the abandoned child begins to unravel.

Also appearing are Cara Seymour, Danny Nelson, Jayne Morgan, Allison Glenn, Jerry Foster, Jerry Rushing, Emilie Jacobs.

Screenplay and directed by Katherine Dieckmann.

Run time: 1 hour, 27 minute

I am unsure if this was a Made-For-TV production or a film that never saw theatrical release as the only evidence I see of it is as a DVD rental or purchase. It carries no MPAA rating.

My personal rating: C+

Run, Fat Boy, Run (2007)

Committment-phobe Dennis Doyle (Simon Pegg, who also co-wrote the screeenplay) runs away from everything -- including marrying his long term girlfriend Libby (Thandie Newton) who is about to give birth. He actually walks away from her on what would have been their wedding day.

Even though he keeps in contact with Libby, she finally turns away from him when she knows it's no use. Five years later, she and their son Jake (Matthew Fenton) find themselves loved and cared for by a slick American named Whit (Hank Azaria).

Whit is everything Dennis is not -- fit, athletic, a runner, a successful businessman, but mostly able to make a committment and carry through on it.

With his plump landlord Mr Goshdashtidar (Harish Patel) as his trainer, Dennis decides to go all out for the London Marathon which Whit is slated to run. Completely out of shape and with the history of a true slacker, Dennis must finally stick to something if he is to ever win back Libby and his own son.

As usual, Simon Pegg in any films means tremendous laughs and interesting insights into human nature.

Directed by David Schwimmer.

Run time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Rated PG-13 for some rude and sexual humor, nudity, language and smoking.

My personal rating: B

An Ideal Husband (1999)

"It is not the perfect,

but rather the imperfect

who have need of love."

Victorian Sir Robert Chiltern (Jeremy Northam) has it all -- wealth, honor, a successful political career, and most of all, Lady Gertrude Chiltern (Cate Blanchett), who Sir Robert adores and is adored by.

Sir Robert's sister, Miss Mabel (Minnie Driver) shamelessly flirts with the wealthy ne'r do well Lord Arthur Goring (Rupert Everett) who is resolved to reject his father's pleas that he settle down and marry well.

But when a certain Mrs. Laura Cheveley (Julianne Moore) comes to town to blackmail Sir Robert, it falls to Lord Goring to become an upright man and friend and rectify the situation.

A wonderfully witty romp!

John Wood as Lord Goring's father Lord Haversham and Peter Vaughan as his manservant Phipps are wonderful.

Directed by Oliver Parker, who also wrote the screenplay based on Oscar Wilde's play.

Run time: 1 hour, 37 minutes

Rated PG-13 for brief sensuality/nudity.

My personal rating: B

The Search for John Gissing (2001)

When Matthew Barnes (Mike Binder, who also wrote, produced, and directed this film) and his wife Linda (Janeane Garofalo) arrive at Heathrow, it's just one more temporary residence they must endure because he is a small cog in an international comglomate. A series of buy-outs and mergers have kept them moving as he smooths over the waters of transition.

But a series of snafus, misunderstandings and mistaken identities make Matthew realize that his London peer, John Gissing (Alan Rickman), is sabotaging him because Gissing fears he will lose his own job. Though Gissing is really a sweet, warm gentleman, he comes across at the meetings as a cranky, cantankerous curmudgeon.

What ensues is a culture clash chess game in the world of big business.

Also appearing are Allan Corduner, Frank Harper, Caroline Holdaway, Angela Pleasence.

Run time: 1 hour, 31 minutes

Released direct to DVD therefore unrated by MPAA.

My personal rating: B-

Longford (2006)

Lord Longford (Jim Broadbent) was a tireless campaigner for social justice even when his opinions and efforts caused outrage throughout the country.

In 1965, Longford begins to visit prisoner Myra Hindley (Samantha Morton) who has been convicted of murdering several children with her lover Ian Brady (Andy Serkis). The two buried the bodies on the moors. Longford feels Myra was pulled into the crime as an innocent and was under Brady's control. Longford plead for Myra's parole.

Even Longford's wife, Lady Elizabeth (Lindsay Duncan), and Prime Minister Harold Wilson (Robert Pugh) disagreed with his opinion on this case. But Longford continues his efforts.

This is a true story and Broadbent is absolutely brilliant in this role.

Directed by Tom Hooper.

Run time: 1 hour, 33 minutes

My personal rating: B

Hugo Pool (1997)

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"If words could speak, I'd still have nothing to say."
Hugo Dugay (Alyssa Milano) runs a pool maintenance business in California. Despite her kookie parents (Malcolm McDowell, Cathy Moriarty), Hugo is mostly stable, runs a good business, but meets the most curious people.

Also appearing are Sean Penn as the strange hitchhiker; Patrick Dempsey as the handsome lawyer who has Lou Gehrig's disease; plus Robert Downey Jr., Richard Lewis, Chuck Barris.

Co-written and directed by Robert Downey Sr.

Run time: 1 hour, 32 minutes

Rated R for language and sex-related material.

My personal rating: C

Subway Stories: Tales from the Underground (1997) Part I

Ten very different vignettes about experiences on NYC subways. Based on true stories submitted by subway riders in a contest sponsored by HBO.

Subway Car From Hell
A man (Bill Irwin) enters the Bowling Green Station for the train uptown and has enough time for an encounter with the knish/hot dog vendor (KRS-One) and then tries to load into packed cars without success. He finally finds a car that is completely empty. Directed by Jonathan Demme.

The Red Shoes
A disabled vet (Denis Leary), panhandling on a subway car, has a verbal altercation with a well-off woman (Christine Lahti). A young man (Kevin Corrigan) speaks up when he sees that justice is not served. Directed by Craig McCay.

The 5:24
Jonathan, young stock trader (Steve Zahn), is given investment tips by an old man (Jerry Stiller) every morning. But is Jonathan being set up for a scam or is he being given the opportunity of a lifetime? Directed by Bob Balaban.

Fern's Heart of Darkness
A woman who isn't subway savvy (Bonnie Hunt) is forced to face her own prejudices and fears within the diversity that is the subway system. Directed by Patricia Benoit.

Continued on post below

Subway Stories: Tales from the Underground (1997) Part II

Continued from post above

The Listeners
A political discussion between a liberal woman (Lili Taylor) and her sarcastic boyfriend (Michael Rappaport) ends up irritating Belinda so much that she gets off the subway car, leaving Jake behind. When she sits next to a stranger (Israel Horowitz) she learns that hearing is more than just listening. Directed by Seth Rosenfeld.

Underground
Abandoned by his girlfriend and beaten to bloody pulp, a young man (Zachary Taylor) meets an empathetic lady of the night (Mercedes Ruehl) who teaches him that knowing how to connect "is the whole deal." Directed by Lucas Platt.

Honey-Getter
A young woman (Santa Choudhury) encounters a pair of hip-hopping wrappers (Ajay Naidu, Danny Hoch) on the night train and takes matters into her own hands when they accost her. Directed by Alison Mclean.

Continued in post below.

Subway Stories: Tales from the Underground (1997) Part III

Continued from post above

Sax Cantor Riff
A soulful subway saxaphone player (Kenny Garret) riffs at the Church Street stop while a young woman (Tammi Cubilette) calls her dying mother and sings a sorrowful song whilst a man (Sam Rockwell) and others on the platform listen. A rabbi (Dan Rous) completes the song. Directed by Julia Dash.

Love on the A Train
A couple on their way to work on the morning of their first anniversary kiss good bye on the platform as she (Gretchen Mol) heads one way to teach kindergarden and he (Mike McGlone) heads the other way to Wall Street. A stranger on the A train (Rosie Perez) makes provocative moves on the husband. Directed by Abel Ferrara.

Manhattan Miracle
A man on the Broad Street platform (Gregory Hines) is drawn into the plight of a homeless woman (Anne Heche) across the rails who is contemplating jumping onto the tracks as a train approaches. Directed by Ted Demme.

My personal rating: B+

War, Inc. (2008)

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"Unattended cars
will be crushed
and incinerated!"
There's a feeling of Dr. Strangelove in this bizarre satire that made me keep watching even when I thought it was dumb. I'm glad I saw it through to the end.

Brad Hauser (John Cusack) is a paid assassin working for the former vice-president of the USA (Dan Aykroyd), who owns Tamerlane, the American company that is occupying and conducting the USA's first outsourced war in the country of Turaqistan. Under the guise of being an expo organizer, Hauser travels to Turaqistan to assess the situation while his expo secretary (Joan Cusack) runs the expo.

He promptly meets journalist Natalie Hegalhuzen (Marisa Tomei) who is disgusted by Tamerlane's involvement in the country. He also meets young Yonica Babyyeah (Hilary Duff), a tragic woman-child who is betrothed to a cruel Turaqistani.

Montel Williams is the voice of the GuideStar operator who not only helps Hauser navigate when he's flying and driving, but also serves as his unofficial shrink. Ben Kingsley, as Walken the evil Viceroy of Tamerlane, cracks me up with his Texas drawl.

Directed by Joshua Seftel.

Rated R for violence, language and brief sexual material.

My personal rating: B

Just Like Heaven (2005)

Lonely and depressed landscape architect David Abbott (Mark Ruffalo) sublets a San Francisco apartment but in short order, he realizes he isn't alone. The spirit of Elizabeth Masterson (Reese Witherspoon), the medical resident whose name is on the lease, is just as shocked to see David as he is to see her.

But Elizabeth doesn't really know who she is; she only knows that David is in her apartment and using her things. David sets about to help Elizabeth discover who she is with the help of Darryl (Jon Heder), a book store employee who leads them to the ethereal world.

A sweet little romance of the out of body kind.

Also appearing are Donal Logue as David's funky psychologist friend; Dina Winters as Elizabeth's sister, Ben Shenkman as Elizabeth's nemesis at the hospital, Ivana Milicevic as Elizabeth's best friend Katrina, and Ron Canada as the hospital's chief of staff.

Directed by Mark Waters.

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content.

My personal rating: B-

The Gathering Storm (2002)

This fascinating biopic covers the years from 1936 to 1939 when most Englishmen were complacent with what was happening in German. But Winston Churchill (Albert Finney) had serious concerns about Hitler and went to extraordinary means to investigate documents that would help him substantiate his concerns to British legislature and the Prime Minister.

This is also the love store between Churchill and his beloved Clementine (Vanessa Redgrave).

Finney's portrayal is magnificent and, at times, eerily like I've seen Churchill in film footage.

Also appearing are Jim Broadbent, Derek Jacobi, Tom Wilkinson, Hugh Bonneville, and Linus Roache.

Directed by Richard Loncraine for HBO.

My personal rating: A-

Lone Star (1996)

Sam Deeds (Chris Cooper) has long been suspicious of his father's involvement in the disappearance of local sheriff Charlie Wade (played in flashback by Kris Kristofferson). Sam's father, Buddy Deeds (played in flashback by Matthew McConaughey) is now deceased also, but stood to gain the most from the death of Wade as Buddy would become sheriff. But the town seems to adore Buddy Deeds long after his death.

Now Deeds has returned to his dusty Texas home town along the Rio Grande after a long absence and has, himself, become sheriff. When a skeleton and Masonic ring are found in the desert, it's clear that Charlie Wade had been dead a long time and Sam Deeds needs to find the truth even if it implicates his father.

The story is made more complex as Sam's infatuation with a schoolmate, Pilar Cruz (Elizabeth Pena), continues. Her mother, Mercedes Cruz (Miriam Colon), owns the town cafe and is the most successful Mexican in the area. Meanwhile, Otis Page (Ron Canada) is likely the most successful black man in the community. He owns a popular bar that is frequented by soldiers from the nearby Army base. Otis' estranged son, Colonel Delmore Payne (Joe Morton), has only recently arrived to command the base. Delmore's son Chet (Eddie Robinson) wants to know his grandfather but Delmore won't encourage it.

This is a big and long film -- over two hours -- but held my attention as layer after layer of town secrets are revealed.

One of director John Sayles's best.

Rated R for brief language, sex and violence.

My personal rating: A-

Match Point (2005)

Tennis pro Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is introduced to the world of great wealth when he becomes friends with one of his students, Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode). One a weekend holiday to the Hewett estate, Chris falls in love with Tom's beautiful sister Chloe (Emily Mortimer). The senior Hewetts (Brian Cox, Penelope Wilton) are delighted to welcome Chris to the family.

But Chris simply can't help himself when he falls in love with Tom's fiancée, the beautiful and sexy and seemingly unobtainable American starlet Nola Rice (Scarlett Johansson). In time, Tom and Nola break their engagement but when the married Chris happens to see Nola by chance some time later, he can't contain himself and they begin an affair.

By this time, Chris has risen to a high position in the Hewett family family business. Would he risk losing his wealth by divorcing Chloe so he could be free to marry Nola? When Nola becomes pregnant with Chris' child, the pressure is really on. Who will win the match point?

Written and directed by Woody Allen.

Rated R for some sexuality.

My personal rating: B+

The Visitor (2007)

Professor Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins), a widowed economics professor at a Connecticut college, lacks motivation and seemingly just walks though life in loneliness. He begrudgingly agrees to attend an academic conference at NYU and decides to take a little extra time to work on his long overdue book manuscript.

When Vale arrives at his Greenwich Village apartment that he seldom uses, he finds a Syrian percussionist named Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and his girlfriend Zainab (Danai Gurira), a Senegalese jewelry crafter. They've fallen victims to a rental scam but Vale at first thinks they are squatters. When Tarek and Zainab quickly gather their things and leave, Vale watches them on the street from the window and feels sorry for them. He calls them back and tells them they can stay on in the apartment with him until they find a place of their own.

Because Tarek and Zainab are in the USA illegally, they face difficulties in trying to find a place to live but the arrangement with Vale is working out well. Tarek is teaching Vale how to drum and Vale is finding great solice in the music and is enjoying his new friends.

When Tarek is arrested over a minor incident, he's taken to a deportation center in Queens. Zainab cannot visit him for fear of being arrested and deported, too, but Vale visits every day and consults lawyers in an attempt to get a reprieve for Tarek. Tarek's mother Mouna (Hiam Abbass), concerned that he hasn't contacted her in some time, arrives from Detroit to discover the situation. Vale takes her in and they try together to make sense of the situation and help Tarek.

A tender and touching tale in this post-9/11 era when the Patriot Act makes us all frightened for how fragile our freedom is.

Written and directed by Thomas McCarthy.

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.

My personal rating: A

Jules et Jim (1962)

The film opens in Paris, 1900, when the Frenchman Jim (Henri Serre) meets the Austrian Jules (Oskar Werner) and they rapidly become best friends. When Jim meets and marries the beautiful Catherine (Jeanne Moreau) the three become constant companions.

After WWI, when the war-weary Jules returns to Paris, he and Catherine fall in love. But Jim is willing to take Catherine's best interests to heart and the three continue their close friendship despite the Catherine's journeys between the two men.

A classic -- and I can see bits of this film's tenderness in some of the scenes in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Based on a novel by Henri-Pierre Roché. Adapted and directed by François Truffaut.

Subtitles.

My personal rating: B

Bottle Rocket (1996)

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While this debut of director Wes Anderson bombed at the box office, it got critics looking for more -- which in time he delivered in the form of Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and The Darjeeling Limited.

Not only was this Wes Anderson's first film, it was also the debut for brothers Owen and Luke Wilson.

As the film opens, Dignan (Owen Wilson) is rescuing Anthony (Luke Wilson) from a voluntary stay at a mental hospital where Anthony went for self-described exhaustion. On the escape bus, Dignan shares his 75-year plan to pull off many heists. As a practice run, the two burglarize a private home but Anthony gets furious when he realizes that Dignan stole Anthony's mother's diamond earrings even though they weren't on the approved list of items to be stolen.

Just the beginning of the friends' adventures which culminate in -- hey, I can't tell you how it ends!

Also appearing are James Caan, Robert Musgrave, Andrew Wilson.

Written by Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson.

Rated R for language.

My personal rating: B-

Gosford Park (2001)

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"He was a hard-hearted randy old sod."

A wealthy, aristocratic industrialis, Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) is throwing a hunting weekend for a number of other socialites. When he turns up dead, the who-dunnit begins for there are many friends, family members, and staff members who would benefit from his death.

Also in the very large; cast are Kristin Scott Thomas as McCordle's young wife Lady Sylvia; Alan Bates as the butler Jennings; Helen Mirren as the housekeeper Mrs. Wilson; Jeremy Northam as the film star Ivor Novello; and Maggie Smith as McCordle's dependent aunt. Others appearing are: Bob Balaban, James Wilby, Ryan Phillippe, Stephen Fry, Kelly Macdonald, Derek Jacobi, and Emily Watson.

Directed by Robert Altman, and based on an idea by Robert Altman and Bob Balaban.

Run time: 2 hours, 17 minutes

Rated R for some language and brief sexuality.

My personal rating: B-

The Millionairess (1960)

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When Epifania Parerga's (Sophia Loren) father dies, she suddenly becomes the wealthiest woman in London. But the money means little to her because she is looking for love. Enter Ahmed el Kabir (Peter Sellers), a doctor who treats the impoverished. He cares little about love because he is looking for funding.

Also appearing is Alastair Sim.

Based on a play by George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Anthony Asquith.

Run time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Not rated by MPAA.

My personal rating: C