2010, Acceptable for children, Car Chase, Crime, Detective, Drama, Love Story, Prison, Suspense

The Next Three Days (2010)

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From NetFlix:

When his wife (Elizabeth Banks) is sent to jail on murder charges she fervidly denies, college professor John Brennan (Russell Crowe) comes up with a plan to break her out by meticulously plotting the ultimate escape — despite the fact that he’s never committed a crime in his life. Writer-producer Paul Haggis (Crash) also directs this remake of the French film Pour Elle by Fred Cavayé. Liam Neeson and Brian Dennehy co-star.

An old saying is “The Devil is in the Details”, and indeed this is a film about a desperate, intelligent man calmly plotting to extract his wife from prison without her realizing what he is planning. Frankly, I had to suspend disbelief because it does not seem possible that the character John Brennan could have successfully executed his scheme. Of course I was rooting for the family to escape from the United States, justifying my cheering for the bad guy because after all the wife was supposed to be innocent. Indeed that is one of the threads of the story: did she or did she not murder that woman ? Watch carefully at the very end where the detective who originally prosecuted her is ruminating over the murder case and … but I don’t want to spoil a really exasperating and clever detail.

Russell Crowe plays Russell Crowe: “Speak softly and carry a big stick” (attributed to Theodore Rossevelt). Russell should lose some weight.

Acceptable for children. Ignore the impossibilities and just enjoy the chase!

2010, Drama, Drugs, Explicit sexual discussion, Feel Good Not For Children, Gay theme, Love Story, Sex Scenes

Every Day (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Ned (Liev Schreiber) is fed up with his unfulfilling work as a writer on a flawed television show and his stagnant marriage to wife Jeannie (Helen Hunt). Just when he thinks life can’t get worse, his teenage son announces he’s gay and his ailing father-in-law (Brian Dennehy) moves in. Ned’s relationship with an amorous co-worker (Carla Gugino) adds even more tension, but despite the setbacks, the rewards of everyday family life overcome.

NetFlix’s description is misleading: As soon as the film opens Ned’s son is already discussing being gay. In fact the boy is nagging to attend a gay prom and Ned is protectively worrisome lest some older male might take advantage of the boy.

No one is perfect, but this husband and wife are a good and struggling couple beset with stressful problems that are certainly familiar to all of us in this American 21st century:

  • Ned worries about his gay son and confides in no one
  • Jeannie’s aged father is a nasty man that she could never love
  • Ned is a TV screenwriter whose gay boss is demanding and unpredictable.
  • Home life is so stressful that Ned and Jeannie do not have much sex much to Ned’s chagrin.
  • As a result Ned is sorely tempted by his temptress co-worker

Characters are well scripted and portrayed. Brian Dennehy plays the miserable father to perfection but shows his sad human side as well. Helen Hunt (who for me will always be the wife in the TV series “Mad About You”) is now (2011) an attractive 48 years old who is perfect for this part. Liev Schreiber does well as a very attentive and caring father whose job is very stressful.

Ned is part of a team of writers who are constantly urged by the boss to invent shocking plots involving sex of all types. Were it not for these explicit discussions I could almost recommend the film for children. Even the almost invisible nude sex scene in the swimming pool is not really objectionable.

Moreover, this is the first film I have seen which treats the life of a teenage gay person in our ordinary American day to day lives. You would worry about your straight daughter’s relation to boys, so why would you not worry similarly about your gay son ?

An “Every Day” film about a family that has it all, that is to say, all those nasty problems. I loved its ordinariness.

2010, Could be boring, Could Be Sad, Drama, Grim, Love Story, Not Feel Good, Nudity, Quiet, Sex Scenes, Slow, Unusual

Never Let Me Go (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed novel, this sci-fi drama from director Mark Romanek is centered on thirtysomething Kathy (Carey Mulligan), who reflects on her time spent at Hailsham, an English boarding school, alongside classmates Ruth (Keira Knightley) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield). Born for an unusual reason, the three struggle with their destiny and their love triangle. Charlotte Rampling plays headmistress Miss Emily.

Until I reached approximately page 72 of Ishiguro’s novel I could only suspect what was happening. Since I don’t do spoilers, you will have to wait (if you haven’t already guessed) until one of the characters gives us the insidious answer. If you can’t stand the suspense then you can find the answer in the Wikipedia article.

In order for the story to work you must suspend much disbelief. Quiet, understated, beautiful scenery, beautiful children, handsome young adults are the hallmark of the film. But there could be no rebellion for the story to succeed. You have to believe that what is happening is now completely accepted by the rest of the world. You have to believe that the progress of the story is inevitable.

It is quite possible that many of you will be bored to death. Slow and politely quiet as a whisper, expect no action whatsoever. “Sci-fi” is a just plain incorrect description. Quite possibly you will find the entire film grim.

Personally I loved the film and thought the ending achingly sad.

2010, Based on true facts, Conspiracy, Feel Good Not For Children, Lawyers, Nudity, Police Story, Prison, Underdogs win, Violent

Conviction (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Convinced that her brother, Kenneth (Sam Rockwell), has been unjustly convicted of murder and incompetently defended by court-ordered attorneys, high school dropout Betty Anne Waters (Hilary Swank) puts herself through law school in order to represent him in his appeal. Inspired by a true story, director Tony Goldwyn’s stirring drama also stars Melissa Leo, Minnie Driver, Peter Gallagher and Clea DuVall.

Miscarriages of justice, at least for me, are always compelling stories. Of course, you know that the film would not have been made if events had not turned out well for Kenneth Waters.

Read about about the history in the Wikipedia article. There you will also find mention of Martha Coakley, Attorney General of Massachusetts. In the film she comes off very badly. Hearing her name so often during the film was almost a shock. Read about her reaction to the film in the same Wikipedia article. Politicians always know the right thing to say.

Warning: Although the film is eventually a feel-good, getting to the end is a real roller-coaster of setbacks. At the very least, I can only admire the incredible and inspiring fortitude of Betty Anne Waters.

Do NOT miss the final frames which explain in text how things turned out after Kenneth got out of prison. Also the Wikipedia article has some follow through.

My biggest disappointment was that the corrupt woman Ayer police officer, Nancy Taylor, who framed Kenneth could not be prosecuted due to the Massachusetts statute of limitations.

2003, Car Chase, Military, PTSD, Serial Killer, Suspense, Violent, War

The Hunted (2003)

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From NetFlix:

Tommy Lee Jones is Agent Bonhan, an FBI deep-woods tracker who captures an assassin (Benicio Del Toro) with a weird proclivity — he makes a sport of killing deer hunters. When the killer escapes in the city, Bonham must team up with another Bureau agent (Connie Nielsen) to hunt down the thrill killer before he starts to hunt them. William Friedkin directs.

Many Tommy Lee Jones films have a thought provoking theme or sub-theme. Interestingly enough, both In the Valley of Elah (2006) and this film “The Hunted” deal with the effects of warfare on the combatants. In the former the message was that after experiencing the violence of Irag the young military personnel became emotionally numb and could kill even their own without feeling any remorse. In “The Hunted” Tommy Lee Jones taught Benicio Del Toro to be an expert killer for the military to such a point that eventually Del Toro could not “turn off” and continued to kill in civilian life. Both films in their way are anti-war films.

In the second half of this film we watch Jones using the skills he taught in order to locate and capture Del Toro. Both men are expert trackers, woodsmen, trappers, survivors, fighters and killers. If you enjoy bloody hand to hand combat, then stay tuned for an exciting adventure.

2010, Could Be Sad, Drama, Flirting, Gloomy, Not Feel Good, Quiet, Wonderful acting

Another Year (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Over the course of a tumultuous year, contented medical counselor Gerri (Ruth Sheen) and her geologist husband, Tom (Jim Broadbent), see their friends and relations through a series of happy events and heartbreaks — including a birth and a death. Imelda Staunton and Oliver Maltman co-star in this character-driven ensemble dramedy from writer-director Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky, Vera Drake, Secrets & Lies).

British in every sense: quiet, perfectly acted, not a pretty or handsome face to be seen, miserable teeth, and downright depressing.

More than anything, this film is a study in faces. Have you any idea how difficult it is for an actor when the camera stays fixedly focused on that actor’s face ? Just watch Lesley Manville’s character Mary tell the whole story with the mere movement of her eyes. I could have watched her for the entire film’s length.

Another theme here is loneliness.

What is really scary is that we all know people just like the characters in the story. Mary is an aging lonely neurotic alcoholic who never managed to reach a sensible maturity. Ken is a lonely overweight man who is slowly but surely drinking and eating himself to death. Tom’s widower brother is a zombie who has no idea how to go on living after the death of his wife and whose estranged son is a real mental case.

Another theme is kindness and love.

Tom and Gerri (OK, laugh it up) are an older couple in love and very kind people who try to help Mary and Ken. Mary desperately flirts with the couple’s much younger son Joe and acts like an abandoned lover when Joe gets a wonderful girlfriend Kate. Even then Gerri can forgive Mary’s outrageous behavior.

Although I have done my best to paint a really depressing picture, do not miss this pitch perfect production.

2010, Ancient Rome, Historical Fiction, Military, Revenge, Suspense, Torture, Violent, War

Centurion (2010)

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From NetFlix:

In 2nd-century Britain, Roman fighter Quintas Dias (Michael Fassbender) is the lone survivor of a Pictish attack on a Roman frontier post. Eager for revenge, he joins the Ninth Legion — under General Virilus (Dominic West) — and journeys north on a mission to destroy the Picts. Writer-director Neil Marshall’s rousing sword-and-sandals adventure also stars Olga Kurylenko as the beautiful Pict warrior Etain.

There is a point to this film, something like “ET Go Home”.

Traipsing (or actually running breathlessly to avoid being eaten by wolves or slaughtered by Picts) through beautiful forests, fields, and mountains, the only thing these poor survivors of the Roman Ninth Legion want to do is leave nasty northern Britain and go home.

As usual our wanderers are superb (dare I say, super-hero) fighters who, unfortunately, for the most part eventually die. In fact, the entire film is for the most part just watching their demise, one by one.

For me Olga Kurylenko was just plain silly: lady, get a better makeup artist! Michael Fassbender was Lieutenant Archie Hicox in Inglourious Basterds (2009).

No spoilers allowed: stick around for an ending that surprised me.

For what it is worth, I give you this quote from IMDB:

German archaeologists have found evidence of the Ninth legion on the banks of the River Rhine and carbon dated them long after these events took place suggesting that rather than them being wiped out, the reason that there is no evidence of them being in Scotland after these battles is that they moved to Germany.

2006, Bullying, Corny, Fashion, Feel Good Not For Children, Love Story, Musical, Transvestite theme

Kinky Boots (2006)

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From NetFlix:

After inheriting a shoe factory, Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton) aims to take the fashion world by storm with help from a flashy cabaret dancer named Lola (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who helps him design a racy line of men’s boots, in this whimsical comedy from British director Julian Jarrold. But on the eve of the Milan Shoe Fair — just as Charlie’s about to introduce the world to his signature shoes — everything falls apart.

Sometimes maudlin, sometimes almost preachy, “Kinky Boots” has enough originality to provide a decent evening’s entertainment. Think of this British film as part of the tradition of films such as the American version of “La Cage aux Folles”: singing and dancing and a sermon here and there about acceptance, tolerance, motherhood and apple pie. Tell the children what a transvestite is and even the children can watch.

Give it a B and just enjoy the fun!

2008, Acceptable Trash, Car Chase, Gangs, Kidnapping, Revenge, Super Hero, Suspense, Torture, Violent

Taken (2008)

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From NetFlix:

While vacationing with a friend in Paris, an American girl (Maggie Grace) is kidnapped by a gang of human traffickers intent on selling her into forced prostitution. Working against the clock, her ex-spy father (Liam Neeson) must pull out all the stops to save her. But with his best years possibly behind him, the job may be more than he can handle. Famke Janssen also stars in this relentless action-thriller from director Pierre Morel.

Perhaps we should rate these kidnap-revenge films by body count. Either Man on Fire (2004) or this film might be clear winners. In fact both films share a common laughable trait: Denzel Washington in the former and Liam Neeson in this film are presented as outrageous superheros who never fail in each encounter with villainous bad guys. Liam Neeson never met a neck he couldn’t break. Only once is our hero trapped (in a Parisian underground auction house for kidnapped virgins to be purchased by shieks) and even then his chains pull miraculously from the ceiling.

Perhaps we should rate these films by stereotypes encountered. In “Man on Fire” Mexico was the cliché target. In this film consider:

  • Albanians are genetically inclined to kidnap well-off young female tourists in order to make them drug addicts and prostitutes.
  • French bureaucrats are mostly corrupt.
  • Wealthy sheiks purchase kidnapped virgins for their evil purposes
  • You really don’t love your daughter unless you give her a horse on one of her birthdays.
  • American spy operatives are in such incredible physical shape that they can outrun automobiles (and speeding bullets).
  • And the list goes on.

My big disappointment was that in the end our hero did not taunt his ex-wife with a really nasty “I told you so!”. And, by the way, the lead up to his agreeing to let his 17 year old daughter travel with a (really dizzy) girl friend to Paris is well done.

Despite all these objections, I was glued to the screen. But then I LOVE TRASH

2004, Crime, Drama, Gangs, Kidnapping, Redemption, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Man on Fire (2004)

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From NetFlix:

Jaded ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Denzel Washington) reluctantly accepts a job as the bodyguard for a 10-year-old girl (Dakota Fanning) in Mexico City. They clash at first, but eventually bond, and when she’s kidnapped he’s consumed by fury and will stop at nothing to save her life. Tony Scott directs this thriller about a demoralized soul whose sense of purpose is reawakened by a human connection. Christopher Walken and Mickey Rourke co-star.

Seeing one kidnapping film is almost tantamount to seeing all of them. Plot twists keep this kidnapping adventure alive. Also the secondary (primary ?) theme of John Creasy finding something worth living for helps to hold the plot together. Violent revenge takes over after the kidnapping which disappointed me because I thought Creasy was trying to rise above his life of killing. Assumedly the justification is that the action takes place in Mexico which is so corrupt that our American notion of law and justice has no meaning. Unfortunately that is a fairly accurate description of Mexico.

Dakota Fanning as the girl Pita is her usual cute self. I wonder what kind of actress she will eventually become. Denzel Washington plays Denzel Washington.