Movies Blog : films

Easy Virtue

KickinLibrarian@evpl — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:55:00 GMT

I am a huge fan of Colin Firth. I might question his decision to make films such as What a Girl Wants, but he easily redeems himself with performances in Love Actually, Then She Found Me, and now Easy Virtue. In this movie, Firth plays the distant father and husband of an English family living in a crumbling estate. Firth’s character returned home after wandering around Europe following WWI as part of the Lost Generation. He now hides in his family’s shed repairing an old motorcycle and avoiding his family and their problems. He pops up throughout the movie with sardonic wit and repressed feelings.

Easy Virtue was adapted from a Noel Coward play set in the late 1920s. Jessica Biel plays American racecar driver, Larita, who steals the heart of English heir, John (played by Ben Barnes). The two marry and head to the family's English estate. Larita faces the scorn of her new mother-in-law who had plans for her son to marry the wealthy neighbor girl. Kristin Scott Thomas does an excellent job as the mother fighting against her daughter-in-law for her son's attention and affection. Larita's only allies come in the form of the family's servants and father-in-law (Firth). Once her past scandals come to surface, however, Larita must decide if she will stay with John or leave him and his family behind.

I loved the music, costumes, and actors in Easy Virtue. This movie slipped my attention before landing on the library shelves, so I guess many others may have missed it as well. Check it out- highly recommended.

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.

Classic Film Series Continues Thursday Evening with 6:00PM Screening of "Stormy Weather"

potentate@evpl — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:51:00 GMT

We're expecting a crowd Thursday evening at 6:00 as the Library's Classic Film Series continues with a screening of the 1943 musical with an all-star, African-American cast, "Stormy Weather." Starring Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, and Bill Robinson. In 2001, Stormy Weather was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Come a little early for popcorn and a preview, and stay late for discussion!

"Who Watches the Watchmen?"

PotionsMaster@evpl — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:36:00 GMT

I did. Last night, actually. I'm usually all over graphic-novels-turned-movies because I like to see how the film industry interprets the books and how accurate the sets are. On this one, I was going to wait to see the movie until I had read the novel, but at the urging of a Watchmen-loving friend, I was lured to the grandeur that the film claimed to give it and saw the celluloid version first. "The movie will be more interesting to you if you don't know what's happening," he said, "The movie is the book practically frame for frame."

The opening was well done to hook a person in; it's not every day that you see someone get hurled through a window off a tall building. After that big of a bang to start off with, I thought that's what the rest of the movie was going to be like, but it then did flashbacks to explain the Watchmen's origins. While interesting, it started to drag out a bit as it set up the rest of the doomsday plot. It is set in an alternative universe where Nixon has been elected for 5 consecutive terms (scary thought all on its own without the 'end of the world' threat), America has won the Vietnam War, and Cold War is very much about to become a reality. After the Masked Vigilante golden era, people dressing up and fighting crime are banned and outlawed. That provides some problems for the Watchmen.

The fight scenes, on the other hand, were everything you'd expect from Zack Snyder; especially after 300. Those are what made it worth sitting through the history lesson in the beginning. I didn't quite understand where the super strength of the Watchmen came from, with the exception of Dr. Manhattan. They seemed to be like Batman on superhero juice, every day Joes with an unusual amount of power packed into their punch.

All in all, I liked the movie. The fight scenes were glorious, but I wouldn't spend money to see it on IMAX; you'll get the same effect on any size screen. I'm glad I saw it before reading the book, though I hear tell that a giant squid is missing from the movie. It gave me more of a reason to sit through the 163 minute long film. My friend was right on that point. However, my friend had also told me, "You'll never guess who the bad guy is." As soon as I saw the costumes, I had to shake my head and smile. I don't know as much about comics as some people, but I do know one truth.

Bad guys almost always wear purple.

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.

Two Weeks (2006)

HRevvdon@evpl — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 23:58:00 GMT

Two Weeks (2006) is about four grown siblings that return to their mother’s house to be with her while she is dying from ovarian cancer. There are wonderful poignant performances from all the characters, all of which are played by actors that always turn in credible performances but don’t have the star-power to make you remember their names. You will remember their faces.

The strongest performances are from Julianne Nicholson as Emily and Ben Chaplin as Keith, along with the usual excellent performance by Sally Field as the mother. Field is in an almost dual performance as a woman in the last days of dying and in video vignettes filmed by one son in the days before she becomes bedridden. The vignettes serve to punctuate the emotional impact of what the siblings are going through and give insight to the character of the mother. Listen carefully for gems of wisdom and observation from both the mother and Emily.

The film is touching, emotional, and funny. It is well written and directed by Steve Stockman and based on personal experience. Having recently lost three family members, two to ovarian cancer, I thought the film would be difficult to watch but I told myself I would just stop it and take it out of the DVD player. Rather that being difficult to watch or depressing, it was a cathartic experience for me and so obviously close to “real life” that I was laughing out loud.

It is an exceptional independent film that I would highly recommend. I am very glad I stumbled across it.