It is rare when a Bollywood film lingers in Western theatres for more than a week; surprisingly, but more than worthy, “Kapoor and Sons” survived the seventh day elimination; blurring the lines between east and west the movie focuses on three generations of the “Kapoor” family, confronting issues pervasive in all cultures: love, rivalries, indiscretions, subterfuge; a family torn asunder, …
Read More »Monthly Archives: March 2016
MARGUERITE (FRENCH: ENGLISH SUBTITLES)
There is a purity, a sublime essence in “Marguerite” that is sensationally unique; an unlikely heroine, both tragic and admirable, a Diva whose talents lie in the bastardization of every iconic aria created by the masters of music; Mozart, flayed, her favorite, unworthy victim. Catherine Frot is magnificent as “Marguerite”, a Countess of formidable means in 1920, Paris; her screeching, …
Read More »EYE IN THE SKY
Director Gavin Hood’s taut, traumatic, contemporary warfare film will ambush viewers from its first frame to its stunning conclusion. Starring Helen Mirren as UK “Col. Katharine Powell”, who after a six-year hunt has discovered the lair of suicide bombers and key terrorists in Kenya; Drone technology allows the military to detect, spy and target threats to international security; “Eye in …
Read More »HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS
It is instinctive in horror, war, egregiously violent films that we turn away, shut our eyes or exit the theatre; this is the first time that I experienced such horrific, unmitigated, cringing embarrassment, sickening malaise in a film, that on the surface, is billed as fanciful and funny; in actuality is a pathetic pandering, to thankfully a tiny, elite group. …
Read More »HAIL, CAESAR (previously reviewed)
Hollywood loves Joel and Ethan Coen, and the more they ridicule, parody, negate the bubble-like milieu, their lovability balloons. “Hail, Caesar” is an anemic, bland slam of the “old”, bygone era where pretense supersedes reality, stars’ foibles are masked, protected by the “studio”. “Eddie Mannix” (based upon an MGM executive of the same name) is stunningly depicted by Josh Brolin; …
Read More »ZOOTOPIA
Animation has never appealed to me; even as a child I wanted the “real deal”; there are exceptions and “Zootopia” falls into that category; a welcome hiatus from the limbo of mediocrity film lovers wallow in between the Academy Awards and the summer movie blitz. “Zootopia” is a contemporary, mammal metropolis reminiscent of any “people-populated” city; disparate neighborhoods, anthropomorphic animals, …
Read More »10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
Squeamishly, creepily compelling, producer J.J. Adams and director Dan Trachtenberg delve into the realm of “Howard”, a man lusting and prepared for a post-apocalyptic world; his underground technologically secure bunker is stock -piled with food, films, games and all the essential accoutrements for a year of closeted living. “Howard” (a staggering, weird, corpulent John Goodman) has two roommates: “Emmett” (likeable, …
Read More »WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT
Based on the book, “The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan” by Kim Baker, a war –correspondent, 2002-2007. I admit that having seen only tidbits of “30 Rock”, (or “Saturday Night Live”) I cannot separate Tina Fey from her doppelganger, Sarah Palin. Fey’s innate comedic timing lends itself perfectly to television, less so in film (“Admission” “This is …
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