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The Reader

movieMoll — Sat, 23 May 2009 19:10:47 +0000

Fifteen-year-old Michael Berg (David Kross) meets and is drawn into a torrid affair in the summer of 1958 with Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet), a woman more than twice his age. She vanishes, leaving his life as abruptly and mysteriously as she had entered. Michael next sees her in 1966 as a law student, whose class observes the trial of six people accused of Nazi war crimes at Auschwitz. “The Reader” is a complex film about coming of age and coming to grips with our past, individually and collectively. The nuanced performances of Kate Winslet as Hanna, David Kross as young Michael and Ralph Fiennes as older Michael draw us into their personal tragedies. Stephen Daldry, who also directed “The Hours,” deftly weaves a story that spans five decades. There are no simple answers to the questions raised in “The Reader” about human frailty and the inadequacies of justice. The emotionally powerful film leaves us to ponder if some sins are simply beyond absolution. (124 min.)

Rated R - 2008

Director:
Stephen Daldry

Starring:
Kate Winslet
Ralph Fiennes
David Kross
Lena Olin
Bruno Ganz
Jeannette Hain
Hannah Herzsprung
Alexandra Maria Lara
Ava Eusepi-Harris

Writers:
David Hare (screenplay)
Bernhard Schlink (book)

The Reader

GroovyMovieGuy — Sat, 23 May 2009 19:03:27 +0000

A German boy journeys to manhood while coming to terms with a world he did not create in “The Reader.” As a young man in the 1950s, the adults in Michael’s life lived during and, to differing degrees, participated in the Nazi atrocities of his country. Only 15-years-old, Michael Berg (David Kross) has a brief affair with Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet) — a woman old enough to be his mother. This affair has a life-long effect on him and eventually leads to a turning point for the forty-something Michael (portrayed by Ralph Fiennes).
This multi-layered story is well told by its director, Stephen Daldry, and the leading actors. The film captures the look of 1950s post-war Germany as well as the revitalized Germany of the 1990s.
A sometimes heavy movie, “The Reader” is a fascinating study of the main characters and the post-WWII era in Germany. (124 min.)

Rated R - 2008

Director:
Stephen Daldry

Starring:
Kate Winslet
Ralph Fiennes
David Kross
Lena Olin
Bruno Ganz
Jeannette Hain
Hannah Herzsprung
Alexandra Maria Lara
Ava Eusepi-Harris

Writers:
David Hare (screenplay)
Bernhard Schlink (book)

The Oscar Blues

GroovyMovieGuy — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:23:08 +0000

They say bad things come in threes.
On Friday night I got to see Frances McDormand’s rear end in “Burn After Reading.” Saturday night brought Adam Sandler’s exposed back side in “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan.” The Oscar’s on Sunday night featured Hugh Jackman singing.
Jackman is a great actor. He was outstanding as Wolverine in the previous “X-Men” films. I can’t wait to see “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” which is in post-production and slated to come out in mid 2009. It wasn’t his fault that “The Prestige” could have been named “The Ho Hum.” It certainly wasn’t his fault that “Happy Feet” was less interesting than a mound of frozen penguin guano. Doesn’t this talented actor have management?
This year’s Oscars (the program not the winners) was an overall disappointment. While one of my great fears is becoming one of those old guys who shakes his fists and says, “In my day they used to…” Even so, this one just didn’t match up to previous years. The entertainment was not so entertaining, although I must admit the singing of Beyonce and Zac Efron was a welcome relief from Jackman’s braying.
Congratulations to “Slumdog Millionaire” for winning Best Motion Picture of the Year, to Sean Penn for his lead actor award for “Milk” and to leading actress, Kate Winslet, for “The Reader.”

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominees for these categories at the 81st awards were: (Winner denoted with an asterisk)

Best motion picture of the year
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.) - A Kennedy/Marshall Production - Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal) - A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production - Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers
- “Milk” (Focus Features) - A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production - Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers
- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company) - A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production Nominees to be determined
- *”Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight) - A Celador Films Production - Christian Colson, Producer

Performance by an actor in a leading role
- Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
- Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
- *Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
- Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
- Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Performance by an actress in a leading role
- Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
- Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
- Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
- Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- *Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
- Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)
- Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
- Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- *Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
- Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
- Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- *Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
- Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
- Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Burn After Reading

GroovyMovieGuy — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:35:03 +0000

A Coen brothers’ dark comedy that’s as quirky as one could hope for. Set in DC with CIA operatives and fitness club employees, “Burn After Reading” weaves a tangled web of entertainment.
The cast is great. Frances McDormand shows her ass (or was it a stunt ass?), George Clooney is an ass, John Malkovich can be a real ass and Brad Pitt is a silly ass.
For cinephiles, the DVD bonus features has interesting interviews with the directors and cast that shed some light on the making of the movie.
(96 min.)

Rated R - 2008

Starring:
George Clooney
Frances McDormand
John Malkovich
Tilda Swinton
Brad Pitt
Richard Jenkins
Elizabeth Marvel
David Rasche
J.K. Simmons
Olek Krupa
Michael Countryman
Kevin Sussman
J.R. Horne
Hamilton Clancy
Armand Schultz

Directors:
Ethan Coen
Joel Coen

Writers:
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen

Burn After Reading

movieMoll — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:32:32 +0000

Viewers who didn’t enjoy “Raising Arizona” or “Fargo” won’t like “Burn After Reading” either. However, those who are entertained by Joel and Ethan Coen’s distinctively dark comic sensibilities may agree with my assessment that this is their best film since “Fargo.” Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) and Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt) work in a fitness club, where they stumble upon a CD they believe contains secret U.S. intelligence information, which they then try to sell. While this sums up the plot, it’s akin to saying “Fargo” is about a kidnapping in a small town. It’s the deftly interwoven subplots, delectable dialogue and pitch-perfect performances that make this movie so good. (96 min.)

Rated R - 2008

Directors:
Ethan Coen
Joel Coen

Writers:
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen

Reservoir Dogs

GroovyMovieGuy — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:39:47 +0000

What’s black and white and red all over? “Reservoir Dogs.”
No dull moments in this action-filled shoot ‘em up flick. Even the scenes consisting mostly of dialogue are filled with so much tension that the plot kept moving quickly.
Harvey Keitel turns in a powerful and assured performance. Steve Buscemi balances Keitel with an edge that cuts.
The movie was so good I didn’t watch the DVD’s bonus feature of deleted scenes. It’s great as is. (99 min.)

Rated R - 1992

Starring:
Harvey Keitel
Tim Roth
Michael Madsen
Chris Penn
Steve Buscemi
Lawrence Tierney
Quentin Tarantino

Director:
Quentin Tarantino

Writer:
Quentin Tarantino

Reservoir Dogs

movieMoll — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:35:18 +0000

Quentin Tarantino’s directorial debut features all the elements that have become his signature, a winning combination of humor, memorable dialogue, retro music — and violence. In “Reservoir Dogs” senior gangster Joe and his son Lucky Eddy assemble six guys for a diamond heist. Taking a cue from the game “Clue” the unacquainted criminals keep their identities a secret from each other using pseudonyms, like Mr. White and Mr. Orange, assigned by Joe. The film begins with friendly banter over breakfast just before the heist, then segues to just after the robbery when everything has gone horribly wrong and it appears one of them is a police informant. We then piece together what happened through flashbacks. Perfectly cast, lead actors all give top notch performances. (99 min.)

Rated R - 1992

Starring:
Harvey Keitel
Tim Roth
Michael Madsen
Chris Penn
Steve Buscemi
Lawrence Tierney
Quentin Tarantino

Director:
Quentin Tarantino

Writer:
Quentin Tarantino

Tropic Thunder

GroovyMovieGuy — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:40:07 +0000

Blah, blah, blah. Hollywood making a statement about Hollywood. Who gives a rat’s ass. And they didn’t even go “full retard.” (Stop whining about that statement. Watch the movie and you’ll understand.) The best part of “Tropic Thunder” is Robert Downey Jr. who is the only actor who could pull off being a dude, playing a dude, playing a dude. I actually saw the movie by accident, thinking I was going to see “Pineapple Express.” Don’t miss it — “Pineapple Express” that is. (107 min.)

Rated R - 2008

Starring:
Ben Stiller
Jack Black
Robert Downey Jr.
Nick Nolte
Steve Coogan
Jay Baruchel
Danny R. McBride
Brandon T. Jackson
Bill Hader
Brandon Soo Hoo
Reggie Lee
Trieu Tran
Matthew McConaughey
Tom Cruise

Director:
Ben Stiller

Writers:
Ben Stiller (story and screenplay)
Justin Theroux (story and screenplay)
Etan Cohen (screenplay)

Top Hat

movieMoll — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:25:52 +0000

“Top Hat” has all the best that 1930s musicals had to offer — glamorous evening gowns, dreamy art deco sets, an array of quirky supporting character actors and perfect chemistry between leads Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The plot finds Rogers falling in love with Astaire, but trying to avoid him because she mistakenly believes he is married to a friend of hers. The couple’s dance number to Irving Berlin’s “Cheek to Cheek” is pure movie magic. Look fast to spot Lucille Ball as the girl in the flower shop. (99 minutes)

1935

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Edward Everett Horton
Erik Rhodes
Eric Blore
Helen Broderick

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Writers:
Allan Scott (writer)
Dwight Taylor (screenplay)

Top Hat

GroovyMovieGuy — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:20:13 +0000

“In dealing with a girl or horse, one just lets nature take its course.”
Fred Astaire as Jerry Travers said this in “Top Hat,” one of the best Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movies. The old “boy meets girl” formula with an interesting twist at the end features fewer big dance segments than usual. However, it has some of the better songs (music and lyrics composed by Irving Berlin) including a favorite of mine, “Cheek to Cheek.”
The biggest downside to this movie is the constant fluctuation in volume. Keep a remote handy because the dialogue is way too quiet and the music is way too loud. If Dante was alive today, he would have a special level of hell for these artless sound people who can’t get the audio right.
Great late night or lazy day fare. (99 min.)
The DVD has an interesting segment about the movie and the making of Astaire and Rogers movies. It also has a Bob Hope short, “Watch the Birdie.” This short is filled with one-liners and gags by Hope of such quality it is amazing it didn’t put an early end his long career.

1935

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Edward Everett Horton
Erik Rhodes
Eric Blore
Helen Broderick

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Writers:
Allan Scott (writer)
Dwight Taylor (screenplay)