My Netflix Notes ... more recent rental reviews

The International
A muddled travelogue / capitalist conspiracy police thriller. Naomi Watts is wasted, obviously in it for the paycheck. Owen's scowling intensity carries the action. The Guggenheim shootout is awesome but that's about it as the rest is a cut and paste of plot points stolen from Bond movie discards.

Valkyrie
The documentary films on this subject are better - cover the same ground and tell you much more about the motives and character of those involved, including Rauchenberg. They were not heroes by any stretch, sought to replace Hitler only when the war began to go badly and they feared their beloved wehrmacht was going down the tubes. They were autocrats - just with a different fuhrer. The movie sticks close to the facts without access to the emotional core we should get from drama. Knowing the true ending diminished the thrill aspect and Tom Cruise's strong presence wasn't enough to keep my involvement.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
My admittedly minority view is that this film is a monumental waste of effort - for the makers and the viewer. The technical achievement of turning the premise into visual reality is notable, but the script by Eric Roth simply restates his fuzzy sentimentality of Forrest Gump - trying to answer the profound big question: "Life is ___." His answers in this film are just as unsatisfying - "some people are mothers, some artists, some dance" - some write sappy screenplays, some make bad movies.

The Day the Earth Stood Still
The first thing the aliens should destroy are all prints of remakes of movie classics. No one who fondly recalls the black & white classic should come anywhere near this one. Why do they think it will succeed? Didn't they learn from last years 'Invasion' or 'The Manchurian Candidate'? Only Spielberg's 'War of the Worlds' was worthy of remake in the genre of paranoid sci-fi. The idiot producer must have thought Keanu was Klaatu's grandson - maybe he is - his acting is otherworldly.

Cadillac Records
Old Hollywood's pop music composer bios were summed as "... and then he wrote, etc." Like 'Dreamgirls' & Ray, this one can be summed, "... and then they sang." Fitting in the hits of the stars + Chess's story + the often tragic endings + the racial issues was too much for this film. But for those who are ignorant of these pioneers of rock & soul, I'm glad it was made. Not answered was why Chess loved this music. Was it just the money? They imply something deeper, but never convinced me.


Last Chance Harvey
Good acting, mediocre script. Two middle aged self-described failures find each other and take one last risk at seeking love. Simple, a good short story that is not often told on screen. But to fill out the 93 minutes, there is far too much accessory plot - her mother and his daughter, ex-wife, and boss - and way too many scenes showing the pair walking, sightseeing, apparently finding things to talk about - the details of the beginnings of trust and love. But the writer and director deny the audience these moments by dialing up the music score, avoiding the difficulty of letting us in on it. It's a fantasy, especially considering Hoffman's character, who is set up as a loser, but acts with a self-confidence that seems contrary to the set-up.

New In Town
Pretty bad. Not a surprise in sight. Every beat is foreshadowed long before it happens. The local "characters" are not close to any real people who live in any world. Timely? The jobs are saved by a tapioca recipe? Yuck.

Doubt
Not being Catholic, I don't want to yield to the temptation of seeing this film as a critique of what's wrong with The Church, or Religion. I also resist the notion that it is a tract about abusive priests. The acting, of course, is first rate, even dazzling. The writing & direction are fluent, with appropriate twists and dramatic turns. My small quibbles involve the plotting, which is deceptively contrived. The setup misleads you - the apparently "good" person may have done evil; the unlikeable "bad" person may be "right". The event that triggers the "doubt" is a bit contrived - I doubted that 'Sister James', as portrayed by Amy Adams, would have interpreted what she saw as something suspect. Other than those small problems, the performances by Streep, Hoffman and the surprisingly moving Viola Davis, are what remain in the afterglow.

The Earrings Of Madame De ...
A film that proves that classic art films with subtitles can be entertaining, if given a chance. Max Ophuls is one of the least known of the great classic film stylists who made full use of the "moving picture camera." Like Welles, Fellini & Hitchcock, the moving camera sets the mood, tells the story, moves the viewer's emotions more eloquently than the words. The story here, like the camera movement, is complex, ironic, witty, and ultimately profound on its many levels.

La Plaisir
As a trilogy showcasing Ophuls brilliant style, 'La Plaisir', joins 'The Earrings of Madame de...' and 'La Ronde'. All set in France's Belle Epoque, an era of decadence and prudery, ostentatious wealth and rigid class pomposity. You can see why Ophuls dazzles and influences modern filmmakers - his camera style and story telling ability are singular.

Quantum Of Solace
What made this JB different from others was the ruthlessness, arrogance, blatant machismo plus a debonair English dry wit, the wry smile, the cool settings. Craig lived up to that in 'Casino Royale', but here he is not much more than 'Jason Bourne' on a revenge trip, a humorless lethal weapon. His adversary, 'Greene', was not worthy - never had a chance. Disappointing.

Frost / Nixon
With the original interviews available (see below) and fresh in my memory. Damn, I'm old. I found the back story about Frost more interesting. Sheen captures Frost's smarmy lightweight personality & the drama in his desperation to be seen as legitimate. The subtext should be noted: the celebrity non-journalist interviewer now rules over the serious traditional reporters. Imagine Larry King, Oprah, Matthews, or O’Reilly interviewing Nixon.

Frost / Nixon: the Watergate Interviews
Having watched it when it first aired, I welcomed reliving the disgust I felt then listening to the pathos Nixon tried to squeeze when revealed as the liar he was. The close-up camera, Frost's incredulous tone, Nixon's falsely earnest voice make gripping viewing, fully understood only in context of the entire historical record. Nixon's defense - that his motives were not criminal - is so weak that only the most air-headed apologist could swallow it without gagging

The Spirit
Frank Miller as film director went for an unapologetic comic book look and over-the-top self-conscious acting style that undercuts the noir mood he managed to capture in ‘Sin City’. It didn't work - you can't take it seriously and it wasn't very funny or original.

Vicky Christina Barcelona
Woody Allen at his best manages to cloak a very deep and insightful film about the human condition in apparently frivolous forms. I would rank this film in the upper 1/3 of Woody’s work, certainly below his earlier works of genius, but far superior to his later tossaways. The best since ‘Match Point’. It exploits Woody's special talent as a short story writer and it is the most authentic of his European set films. Woody works his favorite themes - the messiness of love, sex and relationships; the mystery of art and genius. His characters are complex, self-deceiving, struggling with self image, passion, seeking the elusive happiness and romance and fulfillment that Woody knows often makes them (and all of us) look silly, pretentious, and sometimes tragic. Well schooled in Americans-abroad literature and European film sensibility toward 'life' and 'passion' and unconventionality, Woody is ultimately a realist rather than a romantic - at least, here his realist side wins out in a logical, tho not completely satisfying ending. The film, like Vicky & Christina's summer vacation, is itself something of a fantasy. Cruz's brilliant realization of the mercurial artist Maria Elena is more than a cipher, but she is another of Woody's singular characters, raising one of his favorite themes - genius residing in a flawed human may never be fulfilled.

Tell No One
Another French film that owes much to American film style and form. Guillaume Canet's previous films, 'Love Me If You Dare' and 'Merry Christmas' showed a willingness to tweak genres. This mystery / thriller of the Hitchcock wrong man-racing-to-solve-riddles is overly complex and long and reliant on contrived twists, but still stylish, with interesting characters & familiar faces in minor roles - Rochefort, Baye, Scott-Thomas.

Rachel Getting Married
I'm ambivalent about this film. Anne Hathaway stretches into drama quite comfortably - impressive. The family dynamic of the wedding and the warmth & charm of the celebrants is enjoyable to watch, filmed so that you feel you are part of the fun in the intimate multi-focused witness-like style that suggests Robert Altman. BUT the elephant in the room plot - the tragedy that might have destroyed the possibility of happiness for this family, and seemingly almost did, is a bit melodramatic for my taste. Anne's 'Kym' is the one who understandably can't put it completely to rest. Her intense need for re-connection with the the family she hurt is painful to watch.

Synecdoche, New York
I think the previous Charlie Kaufman works are among the best films in recent times. I got the idea he was trying for in this one. His images & metaphors are brilliant as usual. BUT I didn't "enjoy" this film. I squirmed. And it is not a great film. My problem is the same one I have with Kubrick (especially his last film) and later Woody Allen. The philosophical world view is ultimately too sad to be credited. 'Caden', however, is a poor example of an everyman. He is an artist groping for a way to express all about his life. He seems captivated by every neurosis that precludes man from happiness. Kaufman stacks the deck. Life is beyond this character - is that sad life, art? Sure, but it is not the whole truth. Is it all so meaningless and trivial? Caden's "art" certainly turned out to be a delusion.

Elegy
A film to love or hate. Sexist, creepy, sentimental, contrived or sensitive, insightful, tragic, ironic. Filled with undeniably excellent actors. I felt less sympathy for ‘David's’ dilemma than others might. What many will find unreal is ‘Consuela's’ love for him. But Penelope Cruz finds honest and brave motivation in her character's attraction to him. She overcomes the assumptions of her startling beauty with a depth that only a truly beautiful woman can.

What Just Happened
The best work De Niro has done in a long long time. Though it failed to hit with critics or audiences, this Hollywood movie biz bitter comedy deserved better. In the tradition of 'The Player' & many others, it comes close to the nasty truth about the fragile egos & self deceptions rampant in that town.

A Handful Of Dust
'Tony Last' may be one of the most infuriatingly naive characters in Brit lit. He is always the 'last' to get the picture - his wife's infidelities, his guide's incompetence, his captor's dark intentions. Evelyn Waugh’s picture of between-the-wars English society is typical of its genre. Whether meant as social parable of England's naivete, or satire of upper class twits & their reliance on outmoded traditions of decency, or a postmodern tale of the wreckage of selfish indulgence ('Unfaithful' is the most recent example), the acting by Scott Thomas, Wilby, and of course, Guiness, is first rate. You will squirm for poor ‘Tony’ and his ilk - the trusting and foolish wellborn, about to become (justifiably) extinct.

Lady Chatterley
Stories about passionate affairs by bored - or abused - wives of inattentive - or sexually crippled - husbands with manly men - usually defined as those with two day beards - are common in literature (‘Anna Karenina’) and film (‘Unfaithful’). Lawrence's novel has been filmed many times, mostly for the explicit sex & sometimes with the class issue as a rationale. This one, released in 2006 directed by Pascale Ferran, though painfully long & very French (while set in England) finds a new fresh slant. After an hour of meandering through forests and glades, we realize that it is about 'nature' and the natural urges of the human animal, not in the brutish sense of mere lust, though that counts, but to show that sex and physical connections are as natural as rain, flowers, and birds. 'Constance'- the same character name as in 'Unfaithful' - conveys a completely different meaning. This woman is completely true to her nature, in the end trying to live a complete life.

Ghost Town
Apart from the idiot conceit that a woman such as Tea Leoni's character would end up with a guy like Ricky Gervais', this re-cycled ghost-helps-living-guy-live-better romantic comedy is pretty pleasant. Ricky's initial character flaw - you know, the one he's going to learn to suppress so he can get the girl and be a better guy - is a bit less painful than his dentist drill - his whiny misanthropy grates like the sound of the drill. But his snide asides - reminiscent of W.C. Fields sarcastic throwaways - are often very funny & his self deprecating insights are on the mark. Greg Kinnear & Tea, as always, hit theirs on the money.

Righteous Kill
It's time for De Niro & Pacino to retire at least as cops. They've played these parts so often they qualify for pensions. And we need the rest. Please. The entire premise - that ‘Fisk’ lost his faith when his partner planted evidence, so decided to kill all the bad guys - is absurd. These guys would have been fixing cases all their careers. The big reveal is so transparent because of bad writing or bad acting by De Niro. His rants make him too obviously the suspect and only one other is likely. As a buddy film, it also fails, partly because De Niro & Pacino occupy the same personas. Other matches: Gable & Tracy, Newman & Redford etc, have far better chemistry due to age, personality & style differences.

Mad Men: Season 1
Terrific series all around. How did HBO pass on it? ‘Sopranos’ vets are the creative force and the structure is similar - eg, ‘Draper’, like ‘Tony’, has deep secrets from his family & ruthlessness vs. compassion. Startlingly accurate & insightful in its depiction of place & time, attitudes & biases. Revealing in understanding of the truth that we are all trapped in the assumptions of our social milieu. The second season will move to the 60's and the changes should be something for these "people".

Nights In Rodanthe
Gere & Lane: boy met girl in 'Cotton Club' lost girl in 'Unfaithful', now gets her back but are they doomed? Thrown together at a crucial turning point in their lives (i.e. careers), will they survive a hurricane (in an inn perched on stilts on a beach), their kids, their script? Only a romance novel reader would care very much or take any of the supersilly plot devices or soapy morals seriously. Emotions are all by the numbers here, and fantasy is all about the sub-pornographic dreams of unfulfilled middle aged women. A sad story.

Tropic Thunder
Proof that war is (funny as) hell in the movies Stiller finally hit the mark with a broad satire of actors, stars, agents, action films. Downey, Jr's work is up there with Peter Sellers for inventiveness. Tom Cruise is shockingly great in his character role. Jack Black, Steve Coogan are hysterical. The DVD contains deleted scenes that are terrific & don't miss the commentary by Stiller, Black, & Downey (still in character).

Wanted
A stew of plots, characters, and effects from previous comic book action flicks - chops bits from 'Matrix', 'Spiderman', too many hitman films to count. Jolie & Freeman walk through without effort. McAvoy could have been Toby Maguire, but with much more whining. The teen nerds who have had sand kicked in their faces can dream of bending bullets around school lockers to get back at the BMOC's. By the way, why do they have to be able to bend bullets around meat?

Appaloosa
I liked this slow moving western that isn't as cynical as 'Unforgiven' or as violent as ‘Wild Bunch’ or as old fashioned as any John Wayne film. Ed Harris as director & actor clearly cares about the characters, tells us just enough about them - except maybe ‘Mrs. French.’ We'd like to know a lot more about her - she says she does what she does in order to survive, but I wonder if she's a sort of pre-noir femme fatale in training. Mortensen is Eastwood's heir for showing intelligence with a minimum of words.

Holy Smoke
Jane Campion, like her French feminist counterpart, Catherine Breillat, is an angry woman. Her films slice into sexual politics with a sometimes cruel scalpel. Of the two, Campion is more entertaining, for sure. This film is visually interesting, often funny. Like Breillat, her take on eroticism focuses on sexual power as a woman's weapon for independence rather than identity. Winslet & Keitel are brave actors, committed to full out risk.

The Duchess
Recognizing the quality work involved in this film, by the actors, costumers, wigmakers, et. al., my reservation stands on the too obvious issues which smash the viewer over the head well beyond unconsciousness. (1)Women were literally treated like dogs by their husbands: kept for breeding and show. They had no legal rights. (2) This ancestor of Lady Diana Spencer led a life not much different from the tragic Di. She married a cold fish who openly had a mistress. She was a celebrity, involved in current events, a fashion icon, a beauty, a socialite, hounded by the press.

RocknRolla
How good? (1) Watched it all the way through (2) without once fast forwarding. (3) I used English subtitles - that helped. (3) Tom Wilkenson bald? (4) Not enough Thandie. (4) Ahh, its kind of Elmore Leonard (‘Get Shorty’)lite. (5) One hour later - did I watch that one?

The Reader
A film that should make moral absolutists sputter obscenities. After all, it asks you to consider as human a woman who has committed the most heinous of crimes. For some in our times, her seduction of a 15 year old boy for sex would be enough to condemn her. But later we discover(through the eyes of the boy, who was left emotionally damaged by the affair) that it was the least of her crimes. But if we are more accepting of human frailty, we may see more ambiguity in the morality choices she made and which he also makes, reflecting on those judgments we are capable of - certainly German society and we are forced to question ourselves as well if we are to be honest. The film wisely gives no answers. Strong views are voiced (by a fellow law student and in the end by another of the woman's victims) and they are just as moving as the pity, if not forgiveness, that we are manipulated into feeling. It is also about the terrible cost to the soul of concealing shameful secrets, and the potential of redemption. A powerful film with a spectacularly brave performance by Kate Winslet, the best of its kind since Meryl Streep's in ‘Sophie's Choice’.

The Incredible Hulk
The Hulk in the end becomes more like Kong in his toying with his little girlfriend. The cynical "Ka-ching" of Marvel's marketing genius is nothing new. Nor is the CG effects auto - destructo binge. Nor is the counter supervillain green thing - Abomination’ (?) maybe a better title for the movie itself. Nothing original. Nothing to feel or think - so its a big hit, right?


Exterminating Angels
Jean-Claude Brisseau, like his female counterpart, Breillat, is not for everyone - especially those who can't abide sexually explicit takes on sexual power politics & a peculiarly French attitude about attraction, obsessive love, and sadness. There is also a creepy dirty-old-man voyeurist sense about Brisseau's eye that is off-putting. But this film does succeed as mainstream soft porn, satisfying the two goals: arousal and involvement. For us men who are always stumped by the mind of woman, it is some help, but not much. As the story shows, in the end, it is a dangerous place to go.

Lies
Nice to see that Korean society is just as confused about sex as we are. Issues like repression, obsession, taboos, sexual power and deception, westernization, all underlie the film with not much subtlety. Contrary to many reviews, there is a plotline and arc to the tale - involving the relationship. The man begins by manipulating the girl. It ends with her dominance over him, sexually as a metaphor for her awareness of her power over him. In the end, she has changed, matured, while he is trapped in his obsession.

Traitor
A better than average political thriller with a far better than average lead, Don Cheadle, one of the few current actors who gives an impression to an audience that he is thinking while he listens, watches & speaks. The critical complaints that the film can't decide whether it is a blow-em up / shoot-em up action flick, or a political issues movie are quibbles - like 'Munich' it is thought provoking, raising troubling questions about terrorism, religion, loyalty. So it is not 'fun' like a superhero action ride, but it is gripping, with some neat twists, and a lot of suspense.