Over lapping blogs

Fruitvale Station (DDDD) -  I had heard about this film, but I didn’t know the story. So many films I’ve been watching have been relevant to what is happening in the world today. I often have conversations with family, friends and people I meet that eventually touch on those subjects. We all have opinions on the direction in which the world seems to be going. We ask ourselves if the world is worse than things were.
In my opinion, with technology being what it is today, it makes things seem worse. There has and always will be crime. We now hear and see it sooner in this digital age.
We used to have to wait for police reports to be filed or for someone to call 911. People are filming things as they happen. We are being bombarded with everything via the Internet, smart phones, texts and those that still use a television to get their news.
I new it was only a matter of time before we would actually see someone shot on television and yesterday I saw a police officer roll over someone in his police car at top speed on television and another man shot accidentally by a police. Too many police officers are calling the draw of their gun an accident. ( Feel police are scared. They are not equipped with what is needed to deal with criminals mentally. It’s a kill or be killed mentality similar to the military.)

The first time I remember seeing any get killed on television was when six women jumped from the Rault Center because of a fire. Days later Mark Essex would be killed atop the Howard Johnson’s on Loyola Ave. Many years later, I would find out that Mark Essex was the cause of the fire which caused the death of the six women.
Fruitvale Station is based on a true story that may have been the first incident where people caught the incident with their cell phones. Cops held and brutally beat several black men, but one was killed. There was no justification for this.
I had no idea where this film was going, but I was not expecting that outcome.
Watching anything tragic is not easy to watch whether on the big or small screen. Some people grow up seeing this sort of thing often; it becomes second nature.

Coming soon:  Lincoln, Silver Lining Playbook, Django Unchained, ARGO, August: Osage County,

The rating system - (d) it’s okay, if you like the stars (D) worth a look, especially if you are a fan of the stars (DD) Great cinematography and costumes (DDD) good script, cinematography, (DDDD) Not to be missed (DDDDD) I highly recommend this film



Check out my other blogs:
http://ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
http://dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com





Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again or become a follower. Remember to keep an open mind.

I'm on a roll with my movie watching.

Amoure (Love) (DDD) - This is a French film that I knew nothing about. It’s the story of an elderly couple that love each other, but when the wife becomes ill the story takes an interesting turn. At first I thought the film was going to be about Alzheimer’s and then it went in a different direction as the wife suffers a stroke and the husband takes on the responsibility of caring for her. There are quite a few surprises and some disturbing images, but this is definitely an interesting film, but watch it when you’re feeling happy. It can bring you down and make you think about getting old.

The Lone Ranger (DDD) - I was putting off watching this film, but I finally gave in. I like Johnny Depp, but in recent years, all of his roles seem to be the same. Ever since Pirates of the Caribbean I find the characters to be the same, but that’s just me. At first I thought perhaps this was a Tim Burton film. The stars were those he had worked with in several of his films. I do like Tim Burton and his dark side, but to my surprise this film was directed by Gore Berbinski and the music was by Hans Zimmer.
I was confused with the opening as we go into a museum. I am not a big fan of films that have narration or that tell the story in reverse. From time to time I have made exceptions, but its not always exciting to watch a film when you know how it is going to end. But if the story is told correctly, the journey that leads us to the end or perhaps beyond what we think is the end can be entertaining. Johnny Depp plays Tonto and Armie Hammer plays The Lone Ranger. This adaptation tells us how it all began. The film also stars Tom Wilkinson. There are some great realistic special effects which makes it a fun film to watch.

HER (DDD) - I had remembered seeing a preview for this film, but had totally forgotten the title. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix who hadn’t been in a film for a very long time. I believe he had even mentioned retiring at one point, but no one can really stay away from something that they enjoy. When you get a film that challenges your craft you definitely jump at the chance to play the role.
Joaquin plays a letter writer that starts an unusual relationship.
(This is the part I was talking about in my last entry. Do I give away the plot or do I let you discover it on your own? When it comes to films if I‘m not buying it or paying to see it in a theater, then I don‘t really care what its about unless I‘m in a mood.)
It’s definitely an unusual film that is worth a look.
The film was directed by Spike Jonez and also stars, Scarlett Johansen, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde and Chris Pratt.


Boyhood (DDDD) - I had figured with all of the hype that the film might not be that great. In Texas they really back their own so its only natural that they would praise a film whether it is great or not.
I was quite surprised. The film is really good and most of us can relate to different aspects of our own childhood. The film is unique in its story telling as its probably the first time an actor has played in their own aging since the film took 12 years to make. Also, what the actor is experiencing on the screen, he was experiencing for the first time.
It’s definitely worth a look, especially if you have any interest in film making.
The film was directed by Richard Linklater who brought us Slacker and Dazed and Confused, also great films.
Boyhood stars Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater, Richard Linklater’s daughter.








Coming soon:  Lincoln, Silver Lining Playbook, Django Unchained, ARGO, August: Osage County,

The rating system - (d) it’s okay, if you like the stars (D) worth a look, especially if you are a fan of the stars (DD) Great cinematography and costumes (DDD) good script, cinematography, (DDDD) Not to be missed (DDDDD) I highly recommend this film



Check out my other blogs:
http://ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
http://dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com





Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again or become a follower. Remember to keep an open mind.

I should have been a film critic.

The problem is I don't like to give away too much of a movie. I also feel that the fact that a film is made deserves to be seen no matter what someone else things. Each individual has the right to say what they like and don't like. We all have different tastes so we can't please everyone.

The Monuments Men (DDDDd) - It’s funny how I select films to watch. In my regular collection there are films that I watch once a year and then there are those that I watch every two years or a greater span just so I can enjoy the film again.
Of course I had never seen The Monuments Men before, but with the recent attack on a museum I thought it was interesting that I would watch this film at that moment.
The film is based on a true story of a group of soldiers selected to protect the great works of art during World War II. The film stars Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, Dimitri Leonidas and George Clooney who also directed the film.

Savages (d)-  I like films by Oliver Stone and since Blake Lively was in this film along with some other big names I thought I would really enjoy it. Perhaps I should watch it again, but on the first viewing I was not impressed.

The Kid With The Bike (DDDd)- My foreign film collection continues to grow. This is really a good film about a kid that is abandoned by his father because he can no longer take care of his son. The son searches for his father and when he sees his father has a job he thinks his dad will come back for him. His new guardian does her best to care for him, but he gets involved with the wrong crowd. It’s a touching film that makes you wonder why some people have kids when in reality they really don’t want them. The film stars Thomas Doret, Ce’cile France, Jeremie Rennier.

The Book Thief  (DDDDd)- Another foreign film. This film deals with a young girl during wartime in Germany as Jews are sent to concentration camps. A young girl is taken in by a family and her love of books takes her on a journey. The family takes in a border who is Jewish and they must keep him hidden or face the consequences. The film is filled with young love, adventure and heartache. The film stars Geoffrey Rush, Ben Sellnetzer, Emily Watson, Sophie Ne’lisse and Nico Lierscll.
The story is based on the novel by Markus Zusak. It’s directed by Brian Percival and the beautiful cinematography is done by Florian Bellhaus.

Lore (DDDD) This is the story of a young girl that must take on the responsibility of caring for her siblings when her parents are taken to a concentration camp. There are many surprises in this film. When you think you know what is going to happen, then something else happens out of the blue. Although tragic, this is one of the reasons why I like foreign films. They are true to real life. The film is written and directed by Cate Shortland and stars Saskia Rosendahl and Kai Malina.







Coming soon:  Lincoln, Silver Lining Playbook, Django Unchained, ARGO, August: Osage County,

The rating system - (d) it’s okay, if you like the stars (D) worth a look, especially if you are a fan of the stars (DD) Great cinematography and costumes (DDD) good script, cinematography, (DDDD) Not to be missed (DDDDD) I highly recommend this film



Check out my other blogs:
http://ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
http://dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com





Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again or become a follower. Remember to keep an open mind.

Two more Movies

Pinky - (DDD) In one of my film or books or in doing research, I had seen this film listed, but I never saw it. I had seen The Imitation of Life which has two versions about the same subject. Thanks to MoviesTVNetwork I was able to finally see Pinky. The film stars Jean Crane as Pinky Johnson, a fair skinned black woman who passes for white. Ethel Waters plays her dark skinned grand mother. This film deals with a lot of issues that are still relevant today. If you forget race, everyone should be able to understand this film. We are all trying to fit in somewhere. We all have to play the game of life at some point. The rules are different for us all. It depends on what you are trying to achieve. There is some truth in the phrase, “ All the world is a stage and everyone has a role to play.”

The Place Beyone The Pines - (DDDD) This was one of those films that I had never heard of. One of my friends had sent me a bunch of DVDs and they were just in those little white paper sleeves. This saves on shipping expenses. Sometimes the title may be familiar and other times I’ve never heard of the film. I like the idea of popping a film into the DVD player and experiencing a film without knowing the premise. It’s funny that I would watch this particular film, as two of the stars were at ZACH promoting other films. The film starts off going in one direction and then without notice it takes off in a different direction. I really enjoyed this film because it has several twists and turns. A man suddenly finds out he is a father and he wants to take responsibility, but is clueless as to how it all works. A few misfortunes lead him down the wrong path. He doesn’t like the idea of another man raising his kid and he finds himself turning to a life of crime to get money. At that point everything beings to unravel for everyone involved. We are then introduced to a new character and things take another unexpected turn and continue to go in that direction. I will not give away the second part of the film, but I was not expecting the out come. This is definitely a film to see.
The film stars Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendez.







Coming soon: The Monuments Men, Lincoln, Savages, Silver Lining Playbook, Django Unchained, ARGO, The Book Thief, August: Osage County, The Kid with the Bike,

The rating system - (d) it’s okay, if you like the stars (D) worth a look, especially if you are a fan of the stars (DD) Great cinematography and costumes (DDD) good script, cinematography, (DDDD) Not to be missed (DDDDD) I highly recommend this film



Check out my other blogs:
http://ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
http://dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com





Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again or become a follower. Remember to keep an open mind.

Dlonzo and his movies

The Counselor - (D) There are many films I’ve never heard of and The Counselor happens to be one of those films. When the film began I had no idea what to expect. I recognized Penelope Cruz so I decided I’d keep watching. I thought perhaps the title was in reference to Michael Fassbender’s character being a sex counselor.
The film opens with a couple in bed, the above stars, and then a sexual conversation ensues. The subject of sex throws you off as to which direction this film will take.
Sex and death do seem to go hand in hand. Through out the film there’s a lot of talk about sex. The film is about suspicion, betrayal and killing in the most bizarre fashions.
I made a post on Facebook, (If you want to see Brad Pitt bleed out on a sidewalk and then get beheaded, watch The Counselor.

The Hunger Games - (DDDD) The film stars, Jennifer Lawrence, Stanley Tucci and Woody Harrelson, just to name a few. I had never seen the film or read any of the books, so I decided I would watch. I didn’t know what to expect. The film seemed to move slow, but then it picked up and I really got into it. I found it quite entertaining. I don’t know how the film compares to the book, but if people keep going back, I guess there are pleased with the story.

The Dog - (DDD) A friend send me a bunch of DVDs and included in the stack were several documentaries. Of course I didn’t know that at the time. I figured it might have been a foreign film as they do tend to have interesting titles. The Dog is a documentary about the man in which the character played by Al Pacino is Dog Day Afternoon is based.
It’s interesting to see how art imitates life and how a man’s life can be affected by the art.
The Dog always wanted to be famous. Probably not the way things transpired, but he got some notoriety. The documentary was quite entertaining and the characters were quite colorful. Although some of the story is disturbing, it’s definitely worth a look if you enjoyed Dog Day Afternoon.







Coming soon: The Monuments Men, Lincoln, Savages, Silver Lining Playbook, Django Unchained, ARGO, The Book Thief, August: Osage County, The Kid with the Bike,

The rating system - (d) it’s okay, if you like the stars (D) worth a look, you are a fan of the stars (DD) Great cinematography and costumes (DDD) good script, cinematography, (DDDD) Not to be missed (DDDDD) I highly recommend this film



Check out my other blogs:
http://ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
http://dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com





Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again or become a follower. Remember to keep an open mind.

Two more movies

Mud, is one of those films I wanted to see. I believe it had played SXSW, but it didn’t make its way to ZACH, or if it did I had to work. I am a big Matthew McConaughey fan. I liked his films before, but after meeting him, it means something more when I see him on the screen. If I had met Matthew McConaughey under different circumstances I might have had pictures. I met him right after Katrina at the Austin Convention Center.
It was really by accident and he thought I might have been a plant. I was picking up some magazines and one of them happened to have Matthew McConaughey on the cover. A few minutes later I see Matthew McConaughey giving an interview and when he is finished, I go over to shake his hand and to get his autograph. I pull from my backpack an issue of Details magazine in which he happens to be on the cover. He was freaked out about it and asked if someone had put me up to it. Of course that wasn’t the case. We spoke briefly and after signing the magazine with his signature phrase, “Keep On Living”, he was on his way.

Mud is one of those stories that unravels. We think it is one story and it turns out to be another story entirely. It could have easily been called something else as we meet two boys who become infatuated with Mud. The film stars Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon. It’s a film about first love, love in general, betrayal, friendship and family. Matthew McConaughey is a great actor. He has taken on some great roles. Even minor parts which he makes very memorable.
This is also one of those films that makes sense at the end. This is one of the reasons I like to give a film my full attention whether I think it good or bad when I first start watching.

Many years ago I used to be on a screening committee for a film festival. They would only watch 15 minutes of a film to determine if it were going to get in or not. I never thought this was a good way to judge a film. Sometimes it takes 15 minutes for a film to get its characters together. Whether it is a short film 30 minutes or less, or a feature 30 minutes or more. A person has put a lot of time and energy in most cases to tell a story and I applaud anyone who can do that. Which means whether I am paying to see a film or if I get to see it for free, I should give them their props to watch it all the way through. Even if I don’t particularly like it doesn’t mean someone else won’t.
So Mud’s opening characters are very appealing, the real story doesn’t come together until the end, but each character is very memorable. I particularly like the story of the two young boys who befriend Mud. There could definitely be another story about the two boys as they grow up.
(DDDD)

I am not a big fan of Woody Allen. I think one of the reasons is that he always plays an annoying character. The other could be that I am not very fond of directors that want to act, but aren’t really that good at it. Woody Allen writes good material. He has a way with dialogue like that of Quentin Tarantino who’s work I really like a lot. I find his use of dialogue to be realistic. Real conversations or funny even when they aren’t supposed to be. The first film I believe I saw by Woody Allen was Everything you always wanted to know about sex, but were afraid to ask. I actually enjoyed it. Perhaps I was too young to understand some of his other work. When I got older I was talking to a friend about Annie Hall and I decided to watch it. I knew this film had won an Academy Award for best picture and I had seen scenes from the film. I just didn’t find Woody Allen or Diane Keaton appealing enough to watch the film.

This is probably why I have issues with being the face of my own videos. I don’t think people will find me appealing.

In recent years, I’ve seen films by Woody Allen in which he doesn’t appear and I’ve really enjoyed them. A couple of years ago I saw Carnage. I believe that is the correct name. It stars Jodi Foster and Kate Winslet. It’s a four character piece that I really enjoyed as they talk about the other two characters, but we never see them on screen. The film also takes place in one apartment. It reminded me of Rope by Alfred Hitchcock.
The most recent film that I’ve seen is called Midnight in Paris. I believe this is going to be my favorite of all of Woody Allen’s films. Perhaps its because I’ve been wanting to go to Paris and in recent years I’ve been thinking of spending a year in Paris to do some writing. Midnight in Paris is a film about that. A man, played by Owen Wilson is about to be married and he falls in love with Paris. He is an established screen writer, but now he wants to write his first novel.

Every night at midnight he experiences something in Paris that I think most writers would love to experience. To be among the greats and enjoy in their experiences. Their creative process. The heartache and the pain that made them who they became. The writers and artist that created such beauty in words and brush strokes. Imagine Paris in the 1920’s. There is a message in this film that most artists feel they were born in the wrong era. They believe they would have been better at what they do had they been born during a different time.
Midnight in Paris also stars Rachel McAdams, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy, Michael Sheen, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody and Marion Cotillard.
I will definitely be watching this movie over and over again. Especially when I need some inspiration or until I can make it to Paris.
(DDDD)






Coming soon: The Monuments Men, Lincoln, Savages, The Counselor, Silver Lining Playbook, Django Unchained, ARGO, The Hunger Games, The Book Thief, August: Osage County



Check out my other blogs:
http://ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
http://dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com

Back to the Movies

I’ve been catching up on some movies thanks to a friend. A couple of friends who like movies as much as I do, send me films from their collection when they are ready to retire them. In the last few weeks I’ve seen quite a few interesting movies, including The Book Thief, August: Osage County, Klown, Midnight in Paris, The Deep Blue Sea, Mud, Incendies, and Dragon Heart.

I’m going to begin with The Deep Blue Sea which stars Rachel Weisz, Simon Russell Beale and To Hiddleston. I was not impressed with this film at all. I thought it was slow moving and hard to follow. Perhaps I will watch it again to see if I feel differently. Sometimes that happens. I’ll watch a movie and feel one way about it the first time and then when I watch it again it all changes. It depends on my mood, that’s why I like to watch certain films at a certain time. (D)

Dragon Heart was one of those surprises. I didn’t know what this film was about. I figured it would be a Medieval story, but I was not expecting the comedic side or the cast. The film stars Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis, John Postelwait, Julie Christie and Sean Connery voices the dragon. Dragon Heart is the name given by Dennis Quaid’s character to the Dragon who is the last of his race. The two team up together to save each other and save each other from extinction. The special effects are really great. This was truly a delightful film. One for the entire family. (DDD)

Incendies is a foreign film I had never heard of. It’s the story of fraternal twins, Jean and Simon who are asked to search for their father and brother as instructed in their mother’s will. The unwanted search leaves them to discover things they never knew about their parents and their past. This is a gripping and torturous film. I really like foreign films because they can be so real. They don’t hold back, and life isn’t always about happy endings.
The film stars Lubna Azabel, Melissa Desormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, Remy Girard and Abdel Ghafour Elaaziz (DDD)

Klown is one of those film I had never heard of. It was a foreign film, but very funny. Just what I needed after watching several powerful films. The film stars Frank Havm and Casper Christensen who also wrote the film.

It’s the story of a man who finds out his girlfriend is pregnant and he wants to prove to her he can be a father before she has an abortion. He takes one of the kids in the family on a canoe trip with a friend that has other plans. It’s non stop mayhem from the opening sequence all the way to the end. Some of the humor is not for everyone, but if you need a good laugh, I recommend this one. (DDD)

Coming soon: Mud, August: Osage County, Midnight in Paris, The Book Theif

Nebraska

Here is my rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So, so if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation. Just the idea that someone was able to get a film made is an accomplishment.)

Nebraska - DDDD Some people are fortunate to have parents who will do anything for them. Some parents are fortunate to have kids that will return the favor.

As most of you know, the majority of films in my collection are there because I’ve met an actor, or I can relate to the film on a personal level. Both of my parents were very important to me. They did things I never expected them to do. I did my best to make sure I took care of them the best that I could.

That is what I loved about the film Nebraska. Although the family was more dysfunctional than mine, I understood how a son could put his life on hold to help out his father. The son, played by Will Forte, goes out of his way for his father to ease his conscious when he believes he has won a million dollars. We meet a lot of interesting characters along the way as the son takes his father back to reunite with family he hadn’t seen in many years.
The film is about family, sacrifices, and making people happy. There are moments that will make you laugh, feel sentimental and think.
The film stars Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Stacy Keach and Bob Odenkink.

Lee Daniels' The Butler

Here is my new rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So, so if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation.)




Lee Daniels’ The Butler - DDDDD-The film is directed by Lee Daniels. The Butler is  based on a true story about Lewis Gaines who served as a Butler in the Whitehouse spanning several decades. This film takes us on a journey through history. We relive the childhood of Mr. Gaines as it begins with him in the cotton fields with his father. We see him have a family of his own and how he takes pride in what he does in hopes of giving his family a better life. It seems natural that there is always a father and son struggle. If history does repeat itself it certainly does when parents don’t see eye to eye with their children and the cycle just continues. There are many ups and downs along the way, but he is a dedicated man. Sometimes dedication to one thing can cause a person to neglect other things.
I really enjoyed this film as it made me think about my own personal experiences. Things I remembered when I was growing up.


The film stars, Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Terrence Howard and David Oyelowo. There were many surprise appearances including Mariah Carey, Robin Williams as President Eisenhower, James Marsden as President Kennedy, Cuba Gooding, Jr. Lenny Kravitz, Clarence Williams, III, Jesse Williams, Alex Pettyfer and Vanessa Redgrave.

Coming soon: Lincoln, Savages, Nebraska, Silver Lining Playbook, Django Unchained, ARGO

12 Years A Slave

12 Years A Slave -DDDDD

 There are some films that don’t need a lot of dialogue to tell the story. 12 Years A Slave is one such film. This is an intense film filled with emotions. There is no way a person can sit and watch this film and not have some sort of reaction.  Every actor in this film gave an incredible performance.

It’s the sorry of Solomon Northup played incredibly well by Chitwetel Ejiofer, a free black man who is lured into a scam and sold into slavery. It’s his struggle to not be broken and to be reunited with his family.

Sometimes all it takes is a few minutes on screen to make an impact and I think that was just the case with Lupito Nyong’o in her Oscar winning performance as slave girl who is the obsession of her master played by Michael Fassbender. I think one of the most intense scenes in the film is that way because of the reasoning behind the act. It wasn’t your typical slave not obeying the master. It was a misunderstanding.

The beauty of the art of film is that it brings to life what you read on a page. It gives you a completely different visual than what you have imagined for yourself. Director Steve McQueen, Sean Bossett and Hans Zimmer bring the intensity to the story. Music adds to our emotional state and the cinematography lets us see it in all its horrendous detail.
Other members of the cast include Dwight Henry, Bryan Batt, Quevenzhane’ Wallis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt, Sarah Paulson and Alfre Woodard.

Coming Soon: The Butler, Lincoln, Savages, Nebraska, Silver Lining Playbook

1-28-15 Movies

Impossible - DDDDD Last night I watched this powerful film. I had no idea what it was about. I don’t even remember if this film played in the theaters, just went straight to DVD or if it was made for cable. When I was a part of the film festivals I knew the films that were being made. Which ones had distribution; the ones that wouldn’t see the light of day.

 When the opening credits rolled it said it was based on a true story and it repeated it as if it would be so unbelievable that no one could comprehend that something like this could happen. The story is about a family that goes from Japan to Indonesia in 2001. That was the year of the earthquake and tsunami. This is a story about survival, family and love. This film is not for the squeamish as there are scenes that are very intense. I was in awe at how well the effects were done.
It was as if someone had taken a camera and actually experienced what was going on. I really, really enjoyed this film.
The film stars Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland.

Once again I got inspiration that I should continue writing my Katrina story.

A Better World -DDDD This is a Swedish film, which some of it takes place in Kenya. The first few months have some English dialogue. This is another film I had never heard of. My film friends know what I like so I trust their judgment and when they are clearing out their collections it just doesn’t matter. As I’ve mentioned many times before, I love film. If I don’t have to pay to see it, I will watch anything. It’s an art form so you either like something or you don’t. It is not for everyone. I know some people that watch a film once and they never watch it again. I watch films over and over. The first time I watch it for the purpose of the story. Depending on what I take away from it then it is either going to become a yearly watch or one of those that I watch every so many years.

A Better World is one I will probably watch again before the year is out. Although I don’t particularly like films that I can figure out, this one is an exception because the ending was not what I would have liked to have seen. This is the story of two families and two boys dealing with the life of teenage boys. Being the new kid in school and being picked on. Wanting to fight back, but not sure how to do it. This is a film about communication, family, friendship, betrayal, compassion, survival, revenge and love.

The film is directed by Susan Biehr and stars Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thomsen, William Johnk Juel Nielson and Markus Rygaard

Here is my new rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So, so if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation.)

Coming soon: 12 Years A Slave, The Butler, Django Unchained, Lincoln and The Counselor

Still watching movies

Thanks to a very good friend I received about four dozen movies over the weekend. Now I can catch up on all of the movies that I missed. I started with The Wolf of Wall Street. The film is based on a true story, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Seth Rogen. I like Leonardo DiCaprio and although he has come great scenes toward the end, I feel Seth Rogen stole the movie. I don’t recall if Seth was nominated for best supporting actor or not, but both of their performances were oscar worthy. Matthew McConaughey has a small role in the film as well. He is just all over the place these days, but that’s what a good actor does. He keeps working. It’s not the size of the part, it’s what the part offers that’s important.
The Wolf of Wall Street is a rags to riches story in an unorthodoxed fashion. Some people will do anything to live the life they never had at any price. I am not sure if the version of the film I have was unrated, but there is a lot of sex, perversion, fowl language and drugs, lots of drugs.

The Wolf of Wall Street - DDDD

Savages - DDDd - this is a film by Oliver Stone. I wanted to see the film because it starred Salma Hayek. You may remember, many many years ago I had met the actress a couple of times at the Seattle International Film festival. A few days ago I caught some of the film on one of the Spanish channels and it seemed interesting. It also stars Blake Lively who I think is pretty, but she’s been playing all of these gritty roles. I guess she’s trying to get away from the image she had on Gossip Girl. It’s an okay film about friends who decide to go into the drug business and when their product infringes on that of another source, conflict begins.
The story is somewhat deceiving as we believe something may or may not be true, but still the ending is not what we are expecting. There are many surprises in the film. Also in the film are Benecio Del Toro, John Travolta, Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson and Emile Hirsch.

Cloud Atlas - DDDd - I am definitely going to have to watch this film again. There is a lot to take in. I found myself trying to figure out which star was playing which role as opposed to paying complete detail to the story. I liked the idea of people being connected from past lives and the interaction of the present and future. That’s why we have what is known as Dejavu. We experience things we feel as if we’ve done them before and we spend out time trying to figure out what will happen next, but we can never do it.
The makeup and cinematography in this film is incredible, as well as the special effects. There are many surprises besides trying to figure out who the actors are, but seeing all the great talent that is a part of this film. Tom Hanks, Halley Berry, Keith David, Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Donna Bae, Ben Wishaw, Xun Zhou, Hugh Grant, James D’Arcy, and David Gyasi. The film is based on the book by David Mitchell which I am now interested in reading. We go from the future to the past and present in various intervals in the film. Now that I write this, it makes me think of Inception, but this time it’s stories, within stories as opposed to being inside of someone’s mind. And there are more stories to take in than Inception. I really enjoyed it.

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes - DDD- I had mixed feelings about seeing this film in the theater because of the CGI. The original film franchise was more interesting. The film has its moments. It is original which is what I keep wishing Hollywood would do. Don’t just remake a movie, tell a different story.
The effects are interesting and other than Caesar, the other chimps, gorillas, orangutans look so realistic. Andy Serkis plays Caesar and it looks creepy at times.
The film stars, James Franco, John Lithgow, Frieda Pinto, Brian Cox, David Oyelowo and Tom Felton.





Here is my new rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So, so if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation.)


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