Movie Critiques & Raves

Catching Up On a Great List of Movies - April 2006 - July 2007

Hello everyone. It’s been along time since I posted a movie review because of my duties to my company, Lancer Media, Inc. I haven’t stopped attending movies, though. My favorite theaters these days are The Galleria in Sherman Oaks (which is soon becoming an Arclight Theater!), the ArcLight Cinema in Hollywood and the Laemmle in Encino. The Laemmle, named after Max and Kurt Laemmle who started the Los Angeles-based chain in 1938, is a haven for independent films, much like the Kendall Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. By the way, the Laemmle’s cousin Carl Laemmle founded Universal Pictures so I guess movies run in the family.

Most people enjoy movies and most people enjoy weighing in on the best movies of all time so I recommend List of Favorite Movies which discusses best DVD movies, best drive-in movies, best movies with soundtracks, best thrillers, best suspense, best comedies, you name it.

Must See - 4 STARS from April 2006 - Dec 2006
Paris, je t’aime Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Steve Buscemi

Children of Men Clive Owen

Pan’s Labyrinth Ivana Baquero

Dreamgirls Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose

Friends with Money Catherine Keener, Jason Isaacs, Timm Sharp, Joan Cusack, Frances McDormand

Lady in the Water Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeffrey Wright, Bob Balaban

The Ant Bully Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Paul Giamatti

Enjoyable
Mission Impossible III Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Billy Crudup, Michelle Monaghan

The Omen Liev Schreiber, Predrag Bjelac

The Lake House Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Christopher Plummer

Superman Returns Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, Parker Posey

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly

Man of the Year Robin Williams, Christopher Walken, Laura Linney, Jeff Goldblum

Stranger then Fiction Will Ferrel, Queen Latifah

Pursuit of Happyness Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandie Newton

The Break-Up Vince Vaughn, Jennife Aniston

Must See - 4 STARS from Jan 2007
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

Enjoyable
Spiderman 3 Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace

Ocean’s Thirteen George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Elliott Gould, Bernie Mac, Don Cheadle, Al Pacino, Casey Affleck, Carl Reiner, Ellen Barkin

Evan Almighty Steve Carrell, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham

Knocked Up Seth Rogan, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd

Movie Critique and Rave for APRIL 2006

Must See - 4 STARS
Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing and Charm School Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, Mary Steenburgen, Sean Astin, Donnie Wahlberg, John Goodman and many other great actors. Directed by Randall Miller. John Goodman is emotive (phenomenal). Robert Carlyle is brilliant and understated. Marisa Tomei puts in another endearing, credulous, solid performance.

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Spanglish - the movie

Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni, Paz Vega, Cloris Leachman

“I’m going to show you love in every language” is how one of the songs of the movies goes. It works. It certainly worked in Spanish. Listen to Juan Luis Guerra’s “Areito” and you’ll understand.

Spanglish is about the intersection of two languages, two cultures, English in America and Spanish from Mexico. A woman named Flor (Paz Vega escapes the servitude of Mexico and of a controlling husband to live free in the US, settling in the most populous Hispanic sector of the country – Los Angeles.

When she realizes that she needs $450 or so per week from ONE job instead of two (in order to keep a daily eye on her child as she matures), she seeks a job as a housemaid in a wealthy household. Enter the Clasky family headed by John (Adam Sandler and Deb (Tea Leoni. John and Deb are high school sweethearts, have been married maybe 15-20 years and have two kids. She is a chronically insecure person who seeks constant approval. In addition, her insecurity is exacerbated with the loss of her high profile job a short while back and the success of her husbands restaurant venture. All of it leads to family crisis as she begins to question not only her place in society but her place at home. Easy for her to blame it all on her alcoholic mother (played with deft skill by Cloris Leachman but she knows better.

Flor (Paz Vega) brings a sense of clarity, character, steadfastness, confidence and righteousness that matches that of John (Adam Sandler). They both know it and a bond between them grows throughout. There’s even the hint that if John did not have children, he would choose Flor over Deb. At this advanced stage in their lives, their values and clarity, sense of spirit link them inextricably. One gets the sense that even in their ultimate separation (the responsibility of 2 young children ultimately force John ad Deb back together), they will remain bonded – similar to the situation encountered by Robert Kincaid (Clint Eastwood) and Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep) in The Bridges of Madison County . The “responsibilities” of family, of children prevent their physical union. However, one gets the feeling that their souls will be intertwined throughout the ages, that perhaps in old age they may find each other again and live out their love for one another.
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Lost in Translation was directed by Sofia Coppola and starred Bill Murray (Bob Harris) and Scarlett Johansson (Charlotte). It was released in 2003.

You know you’ve seen a good film when you want to go have coffee afterward and discuss it. I’ve seen the film a few times now. I do that with good filmmaking. There’s always so much more to glean the second time around.

Bob is a Hollywood actor leveraging his fame doing $2m commercials in Japan but would rather be performing on Broadway. He is still married because he has kids. Charlotte is intelligent, curious and just graduated. But, she’s been married two years to a photographer sure of his direction and not keenly inclined to help Charlotte find hers.

The two - Bob and Charlotte - find each other in the bar of the hotel in which they both stay.
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From a posting in Yahoo Movies, the final words Bob whispers to Charlotte are:

Your husband {ever asks to explain anything}, don’t lie to him, tell him the truth, Okay?

The words in the brackets are extremely difficult to understand but basically Bob is telling Charlotte don’t forget me and keep it real you skank.”

These words differ greatly from the
Lost in Translation script - go to page 136 and see for yourself.

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