Movies Blog : families

Sunshine Cleaning

KickinLibrarian@evpl — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:24:00 GMT

Rose and Norah were little girls when their little mother died. They both came in from playing in the yard to find their mom dead in the bathroom, an apparent suicide. As the two girls grow up, that day shapes their lives. Rose is a single mother working hard as a house cleaner to raise her son, while having an affair with her married high school sweetheart. Norah is a party girl. She doesn't have a boyfriend, drinks all the time, and can't hold a job. Their father is a quirky man always looking for a get-rich-quick scheme.

After Rose's son is expelled from school and a reunion with her high school friends approaching, Rose convinces Norah to start a crime scene cleaning business with her. Hilarity ensues as the two women struggle to learn the ropes of cleaning up grisly crime scenes, but there is an underlying seriousness as well. With their new business taking off, both Rose and Norah have to come to grips with what happen to their mother all those years ago and figure out what they want out of their own lives.

Fans of Little Miss Sunshine will like this movie with the quirky characters, humor, but a serious storyline as well. I laughed out loud and cried a few times as well. Highly recommended.

The Spirit of the Beehive

wag.mado@evpl — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:07:00 GMT

Thanks to a recommendation by my friend, I watched a stunning film this weekend. Set in a Castilian village somewhere in early 1940's rural Spain, this movie has won international acclaim as a masterpiece - labeled one of the greatest Spanish films of the 1970's. On the surface, it is a coming of age story in which six-year-old Ana, played by Ana Torrent, tries to make sense of the world after seeing a young girl die in the classic 1931 film, Frankenstein. However, the movie is chock-full of symbolism and is also a commentary on life at the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War. The cinematic photography shot by Luis Cuadrado (who was going blind while the film was being made) is stark and breathtaking. Each scene seems to stay in your memory as a snapshot. As with many foreign films, the pace is hauntingly slow and the dialogue is sparse, adding to the intense feeling and emotion of the storyline. Isabel Telleria plays the innocent Ana's older sister Isabel, and has a menacing side to say the least. Together, these beautiful little girls bring this powerful story to life.

The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) was written and directed by Victor Erice and is one of only three movies he made over a 20 year period. The other two films, The South (1982) and The Quince Tree Sun (1992) are also highly regarded.

Treat yourself to The Spirit of the Beehive. It now ranks among my top ten favorite foreign films.

"The Squid and the Whale": absorbing family drama (not a science documentary)

lit.fic.reader@evpl — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:49:00 GMT

After seeing it mentioned on one or two best movie lists, I decided to check out this 2005 film although I wondered if I would enjoy its story about a 1980s Brooklyn couple's decision to divorce and the resulting damage to their two sons. I was swayed by the casting of Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney as the parents and they are indeed both excellent, Daniels being especially compelling as the increasingly bitter husband watching his wife's star rise while his falls. My reactions varied from reluctant sympathy for the dissolution of the couple's marriage; amusement at their almost comic diatribes and the husband's occasionally pompous comments; but mostly dismay at the parent's insensitivity to and manipulation of their sons, especially by the father who can barely stand being bested at table tennis by his younger son. The title is highly significant but probably not the best choice for attracting the attention of fans of dramatic films. The actors who play the sons are very good, and William Baldwin is also enjoyable in a smaller role as a laid-back tennis instructor. As a plus, I also found the soundtrack quite beguiling.

This is an often heart-rending but also funny family drama, well worth your time.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

wag.mado@evpl — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:20:00 GMT

I picked this one up because I saw the face of Philip Seymour Hoffman on the cover. And as usual, he did not disappoint me. The story is about 2 brothers, Andy (Hoffman) and Hank (Ethan Hawke), who are both in need of money in the worst way. The elder Andy persuades his baby brother Hank to pull off the perfect crime - the robbery of their parent's jewelry store. Since these men are morally corrupt and driven by sex, greed, and drugs, the plot is quite a thriller. Throw their father, Charles (Albert Finney) and Andy's wife, Gina (Marisa Tomea) in the mix and you have a tale of one horribly dysfunctional family. These are NOT nice, normal people! Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is sequenced in flashback/forward style giving the viewer little clues here and there that lead to a complex tension-filled conclusion. I thought all the acting was superb and would highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes suspenseful thrillers. Why not check it out today?

War Heroes and Their Families

wag.mado@evpl — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:37:00 GMT

I guess most of us know of someone who lost their life in a war. The documentary, Be Good, Smile Pretty, takes an emotional look at the personal story of one child who was left fatherless by the Vietnam War. Tracy Droz Tragos' lets us in on her journey to discover who her father, U.S. Naval Soldier Don Droz really was, before he was killed leaving her behind as an infant. She follows her heart and interviews those that knew her father in the military, his family members, and her own mother who lived through the tragic loss of her husband. Many emotions are brought to the surface and revealed, resulting in a powerfully touching documentary.

More information can be found at the PBS website, Independent Lens.

EVPL and Purdue's Military Family Research Institute are honoring local war heroes with a program called Heroes' Tree. Don't let this Veterans Day go by without remembering those who served or paid the ultimate price for our country.

He's not your average "Farmer John"

wag.mado@evpl — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:09:00 GMT

The Real Dirt on Farmer John is a comeback story of the most fascinating kind. The documentary begins with Farmer John tasting the dirt on his farm and ends with him dancing around the farm dressed up as a honey bee! In between is the story of one man's struggle to keep his family's farm alive and prospering during the most harrowing times. Because the Peterson family documented many years on film, the film captures your interest and brings the characters to life before your eyes. The Midwest farming community's efforts to stay alive and it's transformation to meet the challenges of today's eco friendly market is what this story is about. However, it goes beyond the obvious, taking us into the personal battles of a man who does not fit the "mold" of an average farmer, and his attempt to carry on the family tradition that is part of his heritage. Stay with this one. It's worth the ride.

Then, check out Farmer John's Cookbook: the real dirt on vegetables. And much more at the PBS website, Independent Lens.