Hugo – 7
You’ll like this movie if you like
a. slowly paced drama
b. movie history
c. Martin Scorcese
Martin Scorsese’s initial foray into 3D technology is a tale of two movies. The first half is a methodical story of the young orphan Hugo who hides out in the Paris train station. He has assumed the duties of his uncle as the keeper of the clocks in the station, where he gets to utilize the mechanical skills taught to him by his late father, who was tragically killed in a fire.
The pacing of the first half is luscious and tedious at the same time. The characters are all wonderfully developed in the claustrophobic city within a city that exists in an old train station. The problem here is that this is a movie that employs 1950’s pacing with 2011 technology. The 3D impact centers on the intricate workings of the myriad clocks. Don’t mistake the PG rating to be a sign that that this is a movie for children. I don’t know any kids that won’t squirm their way through the movie.
The second part of the movie, when Hugo becomes the catalyst for the revival of pioneer film-maker Georges Melies, is more quickly paced, almost rushed. But, it is certainly more vivid and interesting than the first two thirds.
Scorsese has received much acclaim for this love letter to the beginning of movie making. A Scorsese release is always a sure ticket for me, but sorry, this one doesn’t crack my personal top ten of his films:
Raging Bull
Taxi Driver
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
The Departed
Goodfelllas
Gangs of New York
The Aviator
Shutter Island
The Last Waltz
Cape Fear
Footloose – 7
You’ll like this movie if you like
a. Julianne Hough
b. the first Footloose
c. Dancing
The best thing you can say about this movie is that it’s a faithful remake of the Kevin Bacon 1984 film. That’s also the worst thing you can say about it. There are no surprises here, but there’s some good dancing.
Julianne Hough and Kenny Wormald are the leads and they’ve got the goods. Julianne is best known for her appearances on the never-ending Dancing with The Stars, but here she shows even greater promise as she lights up the screen in the key role. The dancing is luminous. The problem is there’s just not enough of it.
There’s been a tragedy in Bomont, Georgia and subsequently the town has moved into the dark ages. What was believable in 1984 would have been a stretch in 2000, but is downright ridiculous in 2011. The townspeople are so backwards they make you want to scream. I guess that’s the point.
Fortunately, the plot is broken up by some great dancing scenes, particularly in a honky-tonk. They make it worth the ticket price.
Scanning the Satellite - Wherein I check out some of the movies I missed in theaters and other stuff brought to me by the fine millionaires at DirecTV.
Love and Other Drugs – 8
All of Anne Hathaway’s attributes are on display, and I mean all of them, in this “Love Story” which I missed in the theaters, but caught on HBO this month. The critics blew this one off, so despite the lure of Anne’s extreme nakedness, I didn’t rush to see it. Big Mistake.
Hathaway plays a blunt young lady suffering from early onset Parkinson’s and the “nothing to lose” approach to life that seems to accompany movie diseases. Her love interest, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who women tell me isn’t as bland as I think he is, must decide between career advancement and caring for dreamboat Annie. Annie takes her clothes off a lot to help him along in the decision making process.
Jake plays Jamie Randall, one of those pharmaceutical reps that comes and goes through doctor’s offices while you’re sitting there at 12:15 for your 10 am appointment. As a Pfizer rep he gets to peddle Viagra and that comes in handy as things progress.
Anne Hathaway is terrific and brings the emotional heft needed to play mercurial. Not a perfect movie, but certainly enjoyable, especially when Anne is on-screen.
Unknown – 6
It’s one of the great movie mysteries that Liam Nielson has become an action hero. Did Tom Cruise go on leave? Is he too busy with his Scientology? In this potboiler, Liam goes swimming in a taxi, bumps his head and can’t remember who he is, and can’t understand why his wife, played by January Jones (who is terrible in this role by the way) doesn’t know him. In a cross between “The Man Who Knew too Much” and “Frantic” the movie gyrates all over Berlin and is resolved just in time for the credits.
Country Strong – 2
This movie is barely watchable, even for a Gwyneth Paltrow fan. Cringe your way through it if you love Country Music, or a by-the-numbers soap opera on the road to redemption. Gwyneth does the Ronee Blakely thing here (see Robert Altman’s “Nashville” if you have any questions.)
I’ve often said that the happiest people I know are those who play music for a living. But there’s no happiness in this movie, and it portrays musicians as tortured. The truth is probably somewhere in between. Other than one nice concert scene, there’s just not much to like here, unless it’s the country music, of which I’m not an aficionado. Here’s hoping someday someone taps Paltrow’s musical potential for the big screen the way Glee did on the small screen. How about her and Anne Hathaway as Ann & Nancy Wilson of Heart?
The Last Winter – 6
This is a movie about environmental horror at an artic drilling sight and you’ll shiver your way through it until you get to the single incredible scene – a small airplane crashing into the campsite. It’s a jaw-dropping scene in an otherwise forgettable soap opera.
Homeland – 9
I’d caught enough of this Showtime series, and read enough of the media accolades to do something I rarely do, go back to the beginning via On-Demand. It was worth it. Claire Danes who last wowed in Temple Grandin, shines here as the off-kilter CIA agent who is stalking a returning 8 year U.S. prisoner of war. She believes he has been turned into an Al Qaeda operative and so far the cat and mouse game has been exquisite. Produced by the team that gave us “24” this is a less frenetic version of what they do best. I’m guessing it’s going to be in for a long run.
Woody Allen - American Masters - 9
For an Allen fan, this four hour PBS documentary, with a lot of unique Allen interviews, explains much of the ups and downs of his career. It gives some fascinating insight into his film-making process. Especially interesting are the discussions on his classics like Annie Hall, Manhattan, and Hannah and her Sisters. Great stuff. Must be time for a pledge drive.
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