At the Cinema - November 2014

Interstellar – 10
You’ll like this movie if you like time travel, space travel, and mind travel. 

I guess there are only a few things we should really worry about.  This movie is about one of them – the end of the world.  What would happen if the planet was just “give out?”  That’s how this movie begins.  The world has become a dust bowl.  The dust is choking the world and it’s time to find another inhabitable planet.  It’s a disturbing scenario.

Matthew McConaughey to the rescue.  Off he goes through Director Christopher Nolan’s chaotic imagination.  Anne Hathaway is along for the ride and they go searching outer space, though time, black holes, worm holes, and other not-so-easy-to-understand landscapes.

It’s an amazing journey.  To save the world McConaughey must leave his family behind and his daughter is none too happy as she harbors the resentment for the rest of her life.  There certainly are ramifications when you are trying to save the world. 

I’ve often found Christopher Nolan’s work to be exceptional, and he wields his imagination as a weapon in movies like Inception, Memento, and The Dark Knight Trilogy.  This may be his best yet.  But, it’s not always an easy film to understand, and definitely not for everyone.  I strongly recommend you take the ride.

The Theory of Everything – 9

You’ll like this movie if you like biographies and great acting.
This is the low key and rather amazing story of physicist Steven Hawking.  His work serves as much of the basis for the concepts in Interstellar, and his theories about black holes and time are an effective backdrop to his personal story.  Hawking was diagnosed with ALS in the early 60’s and told he would live 2 years.  Amazingly, he is still a productive scientist even though he lost his ability to speak decades ago.

Even more amazing are the performances in this film.  How do you find someone who can portray Hawking?  Well, his name is Eddie Redmayne and his physical transformation into Hawking is incredible.  The script is based on a book by his wife Lisa, who is portrayed wonderfully by Felicity Jones.  This is as much her story as it is Hawking’s. 

If you are feeling sorry for yourself, this film will cure that.

Hunger Games – Mockingjay Part 1 – 7
You’ll like this movie if you liked the first two Hunger Games movies.  Not much has changed.  I thought the second movie was a redo of the first.  This one appears to be a preview of the last, coming soon to a theater near you. 

This must have been what it felt like to watch an old Hollywood serial.  They used to make these, less the production values.  Of course, they didn’t have Jennifer Lawrence, who attacks the role of Katniss, the Mockingjay, with the earnestness of a true heroine.

The action scenes in this movie are actually a cut above what is usually visible in the explosion-laden Hollywood film of 2014.  But, there’s just not enough of them, which is a very difficult thing to come out of my mouth.  Too much soap, not enough war.  There’s just that feeling that the story is being stretched out for a two part extraction of dollar bills from the movie going public.  But if you liked the first two, you’ll like this one.

Scanning the Satellite

Jersey Boys – 8

I finally caught the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on pay per view.   I had deliberately passed on seeing the movie in theaters until I saw the Broadway play, which I can’t wait to see again.  The play is terrific and is now an industry of its own, with many touring companies and even schools to train those who could play the four Jersey boys.

John Lloyd Young won a Tony for his portrayal of Frankie Valli and he carries this movie with his performance. 

The movie was directed by Clint Eastwood and I approached that with a little trepidation which turns out to be well-founded.  But, when you think of it, what director out there is a musical director?  It’s not as bad as when Sylvester Stallone was picked to direct the Saturday Night Live sequel.

There’s a lot of emphasis on the seedy side of the Jersey Boys, but the music is still good enough to carry the day, especially the rousing finale behind the closing credits.  Both the play and the movie even leave out some great songs.  But one of the songs that concludes the movie, “Who Loves you” makes the list of songs that at one point dominated our fraternity house.

Not that anyone cares, but here’s that pantheon of songs 1972 – 1976:

Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding

Can’t Get Next to You

Johnny B. Goode

Hit the Road Jack

Jesus is Just Alright

I’ll Be Around

Who Loves You

Now you know.