EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED

This week's movie:
EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED

This movie turns out to be more complex than you expect. Not that that necessarily makes it good, more like a pleasant surprise. You can read the synopsis at the link above (by the way: clicking on the movie title (above) will open the film's page at the internet movie database, and from there, you can find out anything you want about the movie - in fact, more than you want to know).

The story: A young man travels to the Ukraine to find (and thank) the woman who, decades ago, saved his grandfather from the Nazis during WWII. The story is not so much about finding the woman as it is about the journey, and about the relationship with his guides. But of course, they eventually find her and are confronted with the realities of the holicaust. The director tempers this with humor though most of the film, much in the same way as "Life is Beautiful".

Warning!! If you've read the book, don't watch this movie! There are a number of negative reviews of the film out there, and they all seem to revolve around the feeling that the movie doesn't live up to the book. It must be a really good book. Whether or not this is true, I can't say, but as a stand-alone movie, it's terrific! - so watch it.

Enjoy.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

From the Archives: 10/4/2004
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

Screenplay is by Charlie Kaufman, who also wrote “Being John Malkovich”, “Adaptation”, and “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”. So expect something, er ...... different, yeah. And in the vast sea of cookie-cutter films and Hollywood formula plots, "different" is definitely good.

Enjoy.

PALINDROMES

This week's movie:
PALINDROMES

If you're looking for something a little unusual, ......

Todd Solondz makes movies that may be a little difficult to watch at times. Not that it's not filled with gory violence or anything like that. But he does know how to push people's hot buttons. He has a tendency to treat as matter of fact, topics that other people may have a little difficulty with (he made "Happiness" which was on my list a few weeks ago).

Palidromes is about a young teenage girl (I want to say about 13), who decides she wants to have a baby. She gets pregnant (I won't say how), but is forced to have an abortion by her parents. Undaunted, she runs away from home in an effort to try again.

The creative element, in this film, that may take two or three scenes to catch on, is that the filmmaker uses different actors to portray the main character, eight different actors, including two adults and one boy.

This movie is not for everyone, but if you're looking for something unusual, and you're not easily shocked or offended, check it out. If you are, check it out anyway. Sometimes you just need your sensibilities shocked a little.

Enjoy.

TURTLES CAN FLY

Foreign movie of the week:
TURTLES CAN FLY

Young orphan children, in Iraq near the Turkish border, eke out an existence in the days just before the US invasion. It's heartrendering and uplifting at the same time (well, maybe not so much of the "uplifting"). The characters are unforgetable.

You think YOU grew up in a tough neighborhood?

It's in Kurdish, with English subtitles. Get over it.

Enjoy.

ANGELS IN AMERICA

From the Archive: 9/27/2004
ANGELS IN AMERICA

This was originally a 6-hr. mini-series shown on HBO, and it’s finally on DVD video (yes, Netflix does have it). It’s long but it’s separated into two discs (3 hrs each), and each disc is further broken into 3 one hr segments, so that you can spread the viewing over time without getting complicated.

It’s pretty intense in some places, very funny in others. Merryl Streep and Al Pacino are great as well as the rest of the cast. This show virtually swept the Emmys for last year.

Worth watching.

THIRTEEN

This week's movie:
THIRTEEN

If you have young daughters, or plan to have young daughters, then this is the movie for you. If you've had young daughters, then you'll watch this movie and say, "Yeah ..... that's about right."

We like to think that we are the biggest influences in our kids' lives, but it's simply amazing at what a little peer pressure can do. This is why this film is astounding.

• The young girl's transformation is frightning. You see it coming and know that it is inevitable.
• You really feel for the mother (Holly Hunter got an Oscar nomination for her role).
• You know (or knew) people like this.
• The screenplay was written by the young actress playing the Evie character (the "bad" girl). The story was actually about her own recent childhood (she's doesn't play herself in this movie).
• It makes you nostalgic for "after school specials".
  

If you have teenage girls, watch it with them.

Enjoy

O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?

From the Archive: 8/9/2004
O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?

This movie is a few years old now, and some of you may have already seen it, but I haven’t seen anything really good lately and this is a really GOOD movie. Very funny - and clean (mostly). As a bonus, it has an award winning soundtrack. Supposedly, the story is very loosely based on Homer's "Odyssey" (not Homer Simpson).

So let's recap:

• It's funny - you'll laugh.
• It's clean enough for you to watch it with your kids.
• An award-winning soundtrack.
• Based on the greek epic "The Odyssey". Now you won't have to read it.
• An unual role for George Clooney.
• Did I mention that it's funny?

Enjoy.

THE PRIZEWINNER OF DEFIANCE, OHIO

Movie of the week:
THE PRIZEWINNER OF DEFIANCE, OHIO

If you're as old as I am, you'll remember a time when people did stuff like this. If you're not that old, then I tell you that the atmosphere in this film is just about right.

That it's a true story - I don't doubt it. You can click on the link above to read info on the movie. If you're the type of person who really needs affirmation before making any movie decisions, the link below will take you to Film Critic, Roger Ebert's review.

Roger Ebert's review of "The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio"

Enjoy.

PIECES OF APRIL

From the Archive: 5/3/2004
PIECES OF APRIL

Sometimes, you don't know anything about a movie. You've never seen commercials for it, it's never played at any theater in your neighborhood, and no one has ever said, "Hey, this is a really good movie. You should watch it." Sometimes, you're just at the video store, and they don't have the movie you went there to rent, and now you're staring at the box for "Pieces of April". The description really doesn't tell you much, and so you take a chance.

I'm really glad I took that chance with this movie. This little independent film is much better and funnier than you would gather from the description. It was unexpectedly good. Patricia Clarkson, who plays the mother, received an Oscar nomination for this role.

It also makes for a great Thanksgiving Day Movie.

Rent.

Eat popcorn .... turkey .... whatever.

Enjoy.