'I Loved You So Long' Review

Left to Right: Elsa Zylberstein as Léa and Kristin Scott Thomas as Juliette in I've Loved You So Long, a French film directed by Philippe Claudel. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/ive-loved-you-so-long/34549/main

This was one of the best films I've seen this year. Some may find it slow moving but the story builds to a shattering, emotionally draining ending. Kristin Scott Thomas, a bilingual actress best known for The English Patient and Tell No One, a recent French version of a Harlan Coben mystery (which I thought was better than the novel), plays an ex-convict who comes to live with her younger sister, husband, his father, and their two adopted Vietnamese children. We slowly learn she's been released after incarcerated for 15 years. The details of her crime are gradually revealed as she begins to open up to people who want to help her. I won't reveal her crime but let's say you will be able to debate her motive and wish you will never be put in her predicament of making a horrible choice that will affect you for the rest of your life.

Thomas has been acclaimed for this performance and rightly so. Her character hides behind an impassive mask and each smile is a painful crack in her defense that took years to build. The sad vacancy in her eyes speaks volumes about her secrets as well as her lack of emotion and reticence in answering personal questions. Slowly through small doses of interaction with her nieces and others like her sympathetic probation officer and her sister's smiling father-in-law who can't speak because of a stroke, which is good for her since he can't ask prying questions, does she regain her humanity. Her final confrontation with her well-meaning sister well played by Elsa Zylberstein will rivet you in your seat. The rest of the cast is fine.

For those viewers who hate subtitles, there's not a lot to detract you from the story. What's not said can be read from the characters' faces.

'Australia' Review

Nicole Kidman stars in Baz Luhrmann’s romantic epic, Australia. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/australia/32859/main

The trailer says it all. If you like old-fashioned epic movies like Gone With The Wind and Out of Africa, this movie is for you. What I mean by old-fashion is that Australia is long, episodic, full of larger than life characters, romance, war, social injustice, and lots of scenery that sweeps you away for two and three-quarters hours. All this is done in a good way that absorbs you by making the time pass without needing a bathroom break.
Nicole Kidman plays an snooty English Lady who takes over her husband's cattle ranch in 1939 after his death which is blamed on an aborigine. She's aided by her mach drover, Hugh Jackman who clash in the beginning but you can guess where this is going; think of The African Queen. They battle with a treacherous cattle baron and his even more treacherous son-in-law who do nasty things to force her sell her property to them. Then they take a half-caste boy under their wings against the rules of society which earns them more enemies. As if this isn't enough, in comes World War II with the Japanese bombing their country. Add some aborigine customs & magic to the mix and plenty of last minute rescues, you have quite an entertaining stew peppered with digital effects. And there's enough humor to speed along the story on its longish way.
Australia might seem corny or stereotypical to cynical viewers but don't listen to them. This is grand entertainment done on a grand scale. The plot touches on history without lecturing and the opening & closing titles will tell you enough. Australians are divided on their opinion of this movie but it should help their tourist industry. Fans of Australian films will see other well-known actors like Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson, Bruce Spence, and David Gulpilil as the child's grandfather possesed with magical powers. I read there was a four hour pre-release cut that might make it to DVD or later spread out over several nights on TV. It would be interesting to see what was left out of the theatrical version.

DVD Alert: 'Sansho the Bailiff'

The best DVD editions of foreign films, and with American films being added, are from the Criterion Collection: http://www.criterion.com/asp/
What makes these editions so special and worth their price range from $29 & up is the quality of the film and the extras you can't find elsewhere. Besides the glorious restoration of picture and sound, there's usually a scholarly audio commentary that enhances your knowledge and pleasure.I own several Criterions and recently purchased this one in Portsmouth NH's Barnes & Noble that has the largest collection of Criterions I've seen in any store. Japanese Director's Kenji Mizoguchi's Sansho the Bailiff from 1954 is a DVD I've wanted for a long time after seeing it years ago on TV. Its imagery and story still sticks in my mind so I decided to go for broke while we were on our recent mini-vacation. Here's links about the plot: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/sansho-the-bailiff/21892/synopsis and a trailer that doesn't explain the plot but shows the haunting photography: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAQMXboXgmI
The story based on ancient oral traditions takes place in medieval Japan as a noble family is separated and suffers under the worst conditions (prostitution and slavery) but kept alive by their longing to be reunited. I watched the film and was again impressed by its simple but deceptive presentation. This is one movie that reveals more details each time you watch it, the qualification of a good movie. The next morning I listened to the audio commentary that analyzed the movie and compared it with the earlier stories used as its basis. That section alone was worth the cost and the extra documentaries featuring cast & crew were useful and entertaining. Sansho the Bailiff is considered one of the greatest works of international cinema. It's an emotional experience that will stick in your memory for a long time. You can find articles praising it better than me. My next purchase will be the director's Ugetsu, another Criterion and a ghost story.

DVD ALert: 'The Lady and the Duke'

Watch the trailer and read the NY Times review: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/254693/The-Lady-and-the-Duke/trailers

Here's an unknown gem from 2001 I found used for $7.95 in my favorite CD/DVD store which is in Portsmouth, NH. The cover art about the French Revolution and reading that the director is Eric Rohmer, one of France's famous filmmakers who's in his 80's, were enough for me to take a gamble and the price was right too. What was most interesting was that the historical exterior backgrounds were digitally recreated to resemble old paintings. They looked fine on my 32" TV screen and would have looked better in a theater's larger one.

What's also unusual that there's more dialogue than action here that the movie resembles a stage play with mostly interior scenes but is never stagy. The plot concerns an English lady living in France during the Reign of Terror and sympathetic to the aristocracy and risks her life to help a fugitive escape. Her former lover, a French Duke, wants to help lead the new France but hasn't convinced their new dangerous leaders of his loyalty. These two spend lots of screen time debating the merits of their beliefs as well as others who join in their arguments. There's enough suspense with 'will-they-get-away?' scenes as they avoid being caught or argue with their unruly accusers whose usual verdict leads to the guillotine.

Some may find this movie too talky for their taste but it's good talk. It's also based on the heroine's memoirs and the historical details will appeal to fans of costume epics. Call it an intimate epic boistered with good performances. If you hate subtitles and there's plenty needed to cover the debates, avoid it.

'I Served The King Of England' Review

Ivan Barnev as the younger Jan Dite (and Oldrich Kaiser as the older Dite), wearing a sash, plays a headwaiter who endures Nazis and Communists in I Served the King of England. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/search/i%20served%20the%20king%20of%20england

One of the reasons we planned an overnighter in Portsmouth NH was to see this remarkable foreign film. We stayed at this charming inn downtown: http://www.siseinn.com/index.html within walking distance of the historic theater where this film was playing: http://www.themusichall.org/ The weather was cold & windy but we enjoyed ourselves shopping & dining.
We caught the evening showing of I Served The King Of England after a dinner of good Mexican food. What made us want to see this film was reading this impressive review. http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/08/29/movies/29serv.html I don't agree that the scenes set in the grimness of the present/1960's clash with the earlier ones but are needed for contrast as our hero looks back on his life. You can find my comments with other readers under 'JohnCol' I know this is a cheat but I'm fighting a cold and the reviewer can say it better than me.

'Quantum of Solace' Review

Quantum of Solace stars Daniel Craig as James Bond and Olga Kurylenko as a potential romantic interest. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/quantum-of-solace/26922/main

Having read all the Ian Fleming novels and seeing all the James Bond movies, I have trouble accepting Daniel Craig as the actor to fill the role. He's a good actor but he's not my idea of Bond. Maybe it's because I grew up with all the movies with Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and the other two who aren't mentioning because I never accepted them. Each actor played the role differently so it's like comparing apples to oranges to grapes. Craig seems not sophisticated enough and more brutish but these are different and harsher times so perhaps this Bond has to be tougher. His cold blue eyes says it all.
Quantum of Solace, the title of a short story, starts where Casino Royale left off. Bond wants revenge on the criminals who he blames for making a dead lover betray him. But did she really betray him? His boss M, admirably played with steely resolve by Judi Dench, thinks he's lost focus in killing those who can provide information. She thinks he's disobeying orders but he's really searching for the enemy in his own way.
There's plenty of rapid action scenes that are too tightly edited but will astound you. There's a parallel story of a woman seeking revenge on the man who killed her family. She and Bond join forces to hunt down the men who destroyed their loved ones and are now partners plotting to control a natural resource in South America. There's a good villain, played by the French actor Mathieu Almaric, oozing evil charm.
This is a good Bond film with everything you expect here but in different quantities. There's less gadgetry and more fights to the death, the usual foreign locations, more perversion than usual, and a ersatz John Barry music score. Too bad the movie starts off with a gawd awful song warbled by Jack White and Alicia Keys. Some reviews said it's the worst Bond theme song and I didn't believe it until I heard it.

The Ahn Trio in Concert

It's always great to see your favorite performers in concert. I've been fortunate to see most of them over the years, sometimes many years after they've been on the music scene and are still as good as ever. Last night we got to see a new favorite called the Ahn Trio that I wrote about on an earlier blog. Check out their website: http://www.ahntrio.com/v2/ These three Korean sisters (Maria the cellist and Lucia the pianist are twins and their younger sister Angella plays violin and spoke for the group) travel over the world with their eclectic mix of classical, rock, tango, jazz, etc. When I learned that they were playing in nearby Hartford and their tickets cost only $20, an incredible bargain but I would have paid double or more, we would be crazy not to attend.
Friday night was rainy so we left early to get there when the doors opened because it was general seating in a grand old church with vaulted ceilings and marvelous acoustics. We raced to get to the front row/pew so my wife who plays piano could watch the pianist's fingerings. They arrived on stage decked out in colorful gowns and sequined shoes. They charmed the crowd with their playful sibling rivalry banter. They played selections from their CDs and some new ones with one intermission where I bought their first two CDs to fill out my collection.
Seeing them live was as good as hearing their CDs and only better to watch this tightly-knit group keep pace but never upstage each other. My only regret is that they didn't play any tango but there was some worked into 'My Funny Valentine,' a fave song that's on their latest CD, Lullaby For My Favorite Insomniac. I managed to take video of their curtain call as they exited the stage. We could have met them after the show to sign our CDs but we were tired and didn't want to wait in line.
Here's a good introduction to them and their work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcsUVKo-UE4&feature=related Here's another video about their Lullaby CD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O1kmpHwS_8&feature=related

'Pride & Glory' Review

Edward Norton stars as Ray Tierney, a New York City detective, in Pride and Glory. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/pride-and-glory/23827/main


This movie is not doing well at the box office and the reviews have been mixed. I read that it sat on the shelf for a while. I enjoyed it but it has this 'you seen it before' feeling while watching it. It's loaded with cliches that you see on TV cops shows but I think this movie rises above them. It was entertaining with enough scenes where you think something is going to happen one way but it surprises you with a twist.
John Voight is a cop with two sons and a son-in-law who are also cops. One brother (Edward Norton) discovers a team of crooked cops lead by his sister's husband (Colin Farrell). Older brother (Noah Emmerich) is reluctant to accept the truth from his brother. Dad wants to be peacemaker and settle it without hurting his family or the force. You get a hint of how all this is played out in the trailer.
There are better cop movies but you won't go wrong if you like this cast that includes Jennifer Ehle ( of Pride & Prejudice fame) in a brief but touching performance as Noah's dying wife urging him to do the right thing.

'Rachael Getting Married' Review

Rosemarie DeWitt and Anne Hathaway star in Rachel Getting Married. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/search/rachel%20getting%20married

Here's a small film about Kim, a recovering drug addict well played by Anna Hathaway if you can accept her in this role because we're used to seeing her in comedies. Kim returns home to attend her sister Rachael's wedding. Dad (Bill Irwin) tries too hard to play peacemaker between the sisters as Rachael (Rosemary DeWitt) thinks Kim's presence is upstaging her big day as Dad overprotects Kim. A lot of ugly truths & lies, and repressed emotions are finally revealed amid the wedding preparations at their Connecticut home. Some issues are resolved and others don't have closure as the movie ends but that's life. The multi-ethnic wedding and its guests demonstrate the importance for accepting people regardless of their race or religion as Rachael marries a black man and Dad's second wife is black. For a liberal family, they need to learn to accept people's flaws and to forgive.
The sometimes jerkiness of the handheld photography compliments the scenes of emotional turmoil. There's plenty of different kinds of music performed before and at the wedding as the celebration continues with dancing. Performances are good, especially with a return to the screen of Debra Winger as the sister's mother. She has aged gracefully and you want her to be more in the story.
The main issue here is Kim facing the truth about herself as addicts must learn and how she can make amends for her past. And will the people she hurt can forgive and accept her? A powerful film that will resonate in your head for days....

'Don Giovanni' Review

http://ctopera.com/

If I haven't mentioned it before, my wife & I enjoy all kinds of music and wanted to know more about opera. There's an earlier Blog entry about why you should listen to Opera. A few years ago we started taking an Adult Ed course in town. 10 two hours sessions where we watch and discuss videos; no tests, just fun listening to great music. We're taken on a field trip to see a live production so this time we went to the Palace Theater in nearby Waterbury. And what a grand old showplace that was recently restored to its former majesty: http://www.palacetheaterct.org/
I've seen Don Giovanni before on stage performed by a local opera company. The sets were minimal but effective and the cast was wonderful. I own DVDs of Joseph Losey's marvelos 1979 version filmed on location and a recent filmed staged production featuring Renee Fleming. I won't bore you with a plot synopsis you can find online so let me say this was a big but good, conventional production that would satisfy those who never seen this opera and would also please fans.

'Ashes of Time Redux' Review

Tony Leung Chiu-wai as the blind swordsman in Ashes of Time Redux. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/search/ashes%20of%20time%20redux

As much as I like Chinese films, I won't recommend this one unless you are a rabid fan of its director Wong Kar-wai. I own two of his films and tried watching one of them. 2046's complex plot and subtitles needed more attention than my sleepy head could afford so I saved it for later. Chungking Express sits unwrapped but is supposed to be more accessible. As for Ashes of Time Redux, it was a chore and not a labor of love for me sitting through this one. The visuals were exciting but you needed to take notes to follow the plot's time shifts and repetitions. At times I wasn't sure which character was who. OK OK I won't make any jokes about all Asians looking alike but you get the idea.... Some films need multiple viewings to be understood as one critic mentioned he needed two sittings to understand the plot. Don't ask me to rehash it because I'm not sure. That's why DVDs can be watched many times and this one needs an audio commentary. Perhaps it will be dubbed in English to make it easier going.
The film was made in 1994 and this version is restored, re-edited, and digitalized. Having not seen the original, I'm guessing it was more confusing. How much of an improvement is this new version? The reviews have been wildly mixed for Redux. There are some swordfights but they are too hastily and choppily-edited to please fans of Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. You might enjoy it for its ravishing visuals, but bring your score card. This movie was more exhausting than entertaining. Here's an article about the production: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/movies/05cheng.html?_r=1&oref=slogin