French director Lorraine Levy has created a nightmarish scenario that evolves into a unique and quite beautiful movie. Imagine living harmoniously for eighteen years, cradled in a niche of comfort, love, security; your solitary concern is how to fill the hours before entering military service or medical school when the apocalypse strikes and reveals that you were switched at birth; …
Read More »Monthly Archives: October 2012
THE SESSIONS
One of the finest films of 2012 based upon the real life story of Mark O’Brien, stricken with polio at the age of six, confined to an iron lung for the entirety of his life. “The Sessions” is based on O’Brien’s article “On Seeing a Sex Therapist”. A therapy brought to the forefront by Masters and Johnson in the 1970, …
Read More »POTPOURRI OF HITS AND MISSES: THE 48th INTERNATIONAL CHICAGO FILM FESTIVAL
In actuality, I attended the last week of an intense, innovative selection of films from around the world; here is a minimal synopsis of the ones I viewed, in the order in which I saw them: “The Scapegoat”, UK. Stunning, scintillating tale of mistaken identity. Hard core entertainment from commencement to conclusion. An unforgettable performance by Andrew Scott. Based upon …
Read More »ARGO
In the midst of the Chicago Film Festival I squeezed in the highly touted and commercially successful “Argo”, a film that captures the explosive and traumatic events revolving around the Iran hostage crisis; November 4,1979, the American embassy in Tehran, was stormed by Iranians, posing as students, the saga lasted 444 days; six escaped and found refuge in the Canadian …
Read More »DOLPHIN BOY (ISRAEL. ENGLISH SUBTITLES)
What is truly remarkable and compelling about this Documentary is where it takes place and the principals involved. Israel, a slice of democracy in a hostile milieu has gifted movie goers outstanding films in recent years; films dealing intrepidly with controversial topics: religion, politics, families in crisis. “Lebanon”, “Lemon Tree”, “Restoration” and the superb Academy Award nominee “Waltz with Bashir” …
Read More »10 DAYS IN PARIS SANS CINEMA….BUT, A GLANCE AT THE PAST
Gluttonous, art-infused junket in the city that is paradigmatic in the world of art, opera, ballet and film; Paris, gloriously, luminously ravishing, glamorous even in an ark-level deluge; imminently, anticipated Noah and his fleet to be docked on the Champs-Elysees. The film gods blessed us with a stunning, nostalgic “Paris Seen by Hollywood” exposition at the Hotel De Ville; over …
Read More »PENEFLIX IS ON A PARISIAN SABBATICAL!
Thank you tremendously for your continued readership!
Read More »THE PAPERBOY
This film is so good that even after hours of mental marinating it is impossible to escape the aura of its mastery. Lee Daniels (“Precious”) is fearless and at times controversial in his selection process. “The Paperboy” based on the novel by Pete Dexter is brutally raw and unflinchingly honest, never shying from the taboo. The film commences with “Anita” …
Read More »TAKEN 2
A great looking cast cannot save this action flick from resonating as one of the top “bombs” of the year; nonsensical, implausible, laughably ridiculous. Liam Nesson, ageing nicely, is again recreating the role of “Bryan Mills” an ex -CIA operative; “Taken” revolved around the kidnapping of his daughter “Kim” (Maggie Grace) by an Albanian sex trafficking cabal; titillating, spine-tingling scenario …
Read More »ORANGES
Alert: these “oranges’ instead of being beneficial are a detriment to one’s health. Skip this supercilious, embarrassing diatribe about a failed marriage, doomed affair; worst flaw: painfully uninteresting people; barely a nutrient worth imbibing, a calorie- less, bland, boring one hour and thirty two minutes! Hugh Laurie, the paradigm of brilliant, caustic wit in the seven- year -role of Doctor …
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