Hollywood

On a recent trip to Amsterdam my friend and I spent time at the Portuguese Synagogue, Jewish History Museum and the Dutch Theatre (holding venue for thousands of Jews, before being sent to various concentration camps); painfully and powerfully connected to WWII, a shameful testimony to genocide, yet positive, because it challenges visitors to reflect and never forget the ultimate …

If you can weather the profoundly profane opening scene, you’ll relish Jude Law’s lusciously entertaining characterization of a safecracker who has spent 12 years in jail for not “squealing” on his co- conspirators. Law gives his scintillating personal best as this grungy, witty, foul-mouthed ex-con; every sentence, sprinkled with nasty, at times poetic, epitaphs; he is the most likeable miscreant …

Nicholas Cage, recently turned fifty; in his latest film “Joe” he time travels back to his acting prowess of “Leaving Las Vegas”; barely recognizable, bearded, inked he is an ex-con running a day- labor crew that poisons undesirable trees, making room for developers to civilize the land; Joe is a nice guy with a volatile, alcoholic temper; Cage is superior …

Kevin Costner is commanding as  “Sonny Weaver Jr.”, fictional general manager of the Cleveland Browns football team; he looks the part and imbues it with the proper angst and intelligence. His father, the legendary coach of the Browns has recently died; Sonny’s mission to build a “team of dreams” fumbles, is stymied by catastrophic obstacles blocking his decisions. The owner …

Jonathan Glazer’s creepy, disturbing science-fiction film, starring Scarlett Johansson as an alien embodiment of a Venus flytrap, is hauntingly meaningless; a circuitous journey of a lusciously robotic fake -female, as she victimizes real men in her quest to adapt to an unfamiliar world. Johansson has the attributes and uses them skillfully: cultured English accent paired with barely distinguishable Scottish brogues; …

For mystery lovers, photography enthusiasts, admirers of a contemporary explorer: Nathan Lerner (1913-1997) who unearthed the voluminous works of legendary “outside” artist, Henry Darger (1892-1973); this hypnotic documentary is a fascinating story of a solitary, insular person;  an enigamatic tale of a woman who chose to live her life shrouded in secrecy; all the while executing some of the most …

Comic books were anathema, banned from my home growing up; they were not worthy of reading, in the “eyes” of my parents;  my siblings and I “drank the cool aid” and wallowed in the worlds of Hans Christian Andersen, “Nancy Drew”, “Hardy Boys” and “Cherry Ames”. So the marvelous “Marvel” action figures are refreshingly unveiled in the darkened, contemporary confines …

A family of three, being photographed: uncomfortable, squirming in front of the technical, clinical gaze of the camera; they like each other, but there is an underlying awkwardness, a pretense of warmth, a feeling of unfamiliarity emanating from their forced gaiety. A gorgeous, precocious exchange student encroaches upon this fragile family and all vestiges of equanimity are shattered, deep- rooted …

Admittedly, I have never given the biblical “Noah” much thought; the ark, pairs of animals and the forty days and nights of rain (Seattle residents can relate to this) sums up my limited level of knowledge or curiosity.  With no expectations I watched Darren Aronofsky’s vividly imaginative interpretation, of what many consider conjecture, myth;  surprisingly, found myself “swimmingly” intrigued. There …

Jason Bateman is captivating as misogynistic, “Guy Trilby”, blessed with an eidetic memory; at forty, has discovered a loophole in spelling bee bylaws and despite convention, or protocol demands entry to a grade school competition. What transpires is a hilarious, often forlorn, entertaining narrative, defying transparency; Guy refuses to be bated by a savvy journalist (Kathryn Hahn), who uses feminine …