The Spectacular Now - movie review

          “The Spectacular Now” is a wonderful movie of a book by the same name written by Tim Tharp. It’s the story of two unlikely teenagers who meet and fall in love.  One is out-going and practically an alcoholic and the other is quiet, a peripheral nerd with little life experience.

          The movie stars Miles Teller as the outgoing Sutter and Shailene Woodley as the quiet Aimee.  (Shailene played the older daughter in “The Descendants” with George Clooney.) While Aimee has dreams of a future, Sutter lives in the splendor of what he perceives to be a spectacular now. Both have family issues, but what teenager doesn’t?

          “The Spectacular Now” is a John Huston redux – a coming-of-age movie which comes of age with sophisticated acting and a more complicated story line. It wasn’t  as predictable as such classics as “You’ve Got Mail” and “The Breakfast Club” but it was just as entertaining if not more so. I believe this flick will appeal to people of all ages. It got rave reviews at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival with critics gushing great things for the film and its actors.

          I loved it…I probably will see it again. Even though I know what happens I’ll probably still hold my breath a little when each of these two young people comes to their own personal fork in the road.

Four out of five possible ticket stubs



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Lee Daniels' The Butler - movie review

                                                                               

         First of all, you may wonder why it’s titled “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” instead of just “The Butler.” Evidently Warner Brothers claimed they owned the rights to a 1916 silent film entitled “The Butler.”  Seems like a stretch to me that the two might be confused but, hey, it turned out good for Lee Daniels, the director.

 

          This movie tells the story of black butler, Cecil Gains played by Forest Whitaker, who served eight presidents in the White House. The story was inspired by Eugene Allen, the real White House butler who served throughout the civil rights era as well as during Vietnam. He died in 2010. The movie does an excellent job of showing what it must have been like during the civil rights movement from an African-American point of view.

          The huge back story of this film is the relationship between Cecil and his son, Louis. While father is keeping quiet as he serves a master he may not agree with, the son goes the Black Panther route against oppression. This conflict between the two, which runs the entire length of the film, is the best story being told and, in the end, both are able to see each other’s side of the issue.

          The following stars appear in the film:  Mariah Carrey, Vanessa Redgrave, Oprah Winfrey (as Cecil’s wife), Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lenny Kravitz, Robin Williams, John Cusack, Minka Kelly Live Schreiber, Alan Rickman, Clarence Williams III and Jane Fonda (who, ironically plays the arch enemy of her real life Hanoi persona, Nancy Reagan). Whitaker and Gooding and Howard gave excellent performances but most of the rest detracted from the movie. Instead of paying attention, I was dissecting Robin Williams as Eisenhower, or wondering why Lenny Kravitz had been chosen to play just another butler or how Oprah, an avid non-smoker, couldn’t have been given a prop she could inhale, or maybe she didn’t remember how to inhale. Anyway, she smokes throughout the film and is accompanied by a portable oxygen tank toward the end but we never see the smoke go anywhere other than just in her mouth.

          I found “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” a little boring and, overall, an excellent opportunity to make a highly entertaining movie was squandered on big names and a predictable storyline. With the exception of a few of the freedom rider scenes of violence, I didn’t feel it was as gut wrenching and evocative as billed. Without Whitaker playing the title role, this film would have been a complete waste.

          If you’re like me and want to get in on something big in the beginning, go and see it now, so you can at least say you've seen it. On the other hand, now that I’ve been there, I can encourage you to stay outdoors in the sunshine and wait for it to come out on video.

Two of five possible ticket stubs



 You might enjoy:  Twenty Feet From Stardom - movie review

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What Maise Knew - movie review

         
           What Maise Knew is taken from the novel of the same name written by Henry James in 1898. The movie tells the story of six-year-old Maise (Onata Aprile) who becomes the human volleyball between bitterly divorcing parents, played by Steve Coogan and Julianne Moore.  Maise has that wide-eyed innocence and purity of a child who has done no wrong and who deserves the best love and attention any child should have. Maise does get some of that devotion from the new spouses of her divorced parents; she smiles and comes alive under their care, and they instantly become her loving caregivers.  

          The ill-suited parents can do nothing right, saying “I love you,” but leaving – or rather dumping – Maise on the street with no assurance of anyone to care for her, or forgetting her at school hours after she was supposed to be picked up by mom.  Their shallowness occurs throughout the entire movie, and Coogan and Moore do an outstanding job as neglectful, self-centered and angry people who stop at nothing to lash out at each other even if it means torment and misery for their precious child.

          It pained me to watch this movie as it might any child who has ever been the object of two warring parents. Neither one has the time or true desire to keep Maise emotionally healthy and happy but she’s almost too valuable to let go of in terms of being a tool for taunting the other parent.  Onata plays the innocent victim with minimal ‘acting’ relying mostly upon haunting looks that require little or no dialogue.

          A little research showed me that James wrote this story as a thorough condemnation of parents abandoning their responsibilities to their children. During his time, he saw English society as becoming more corrupt and decadent and What Maise Knew was his harshest indictment of these kinds of parents.

          Could I recommend this movie? Yes, in terms of the acting by all players, however, no, if you’re likely to be waiting for a bigger shoe to drop than is delivered in this film, or if you’re one of the walking wounded from a crummy childhood and/or split home. When I escaped to the movies in this film I wound up in a place I didn't really enjoy being.

Two out of five possible ticket stubs



20 Feet From Stardom – movie review

          Award-winning director Morgan Neville created this documentary about the untold yet true story of the backup singers who performed with some of the greatest singing legends including Frank Sinatra, Sting, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and the Rolling Stones. The film joyously shows the power of many singers whose names we never knew and also shows the heartbreak of their endeavors to stand alone in front of the audience….most were not successful in their efforts to perform as headliners.

          The first 30 minutes of this documentary drag a little until Lisa Fischer appears. Her story about singing behind major headliners to her struggles to make it out in front are told in more depth, and the focus of her journey is highlighted. At this point I began to recognize more of the songs and the story is enhanced by the appearance of Bette Midler. Other great input is provided by Bruce Springsteen and Mick Jagger.

          I’m a documentary junkie, so it’s easy to entertain me when I'm learning something new. I learned a lot about these unsung heroes (sorry about that pun). Anytime I can learn while tapping my toe to fabulous R&B and rock music, it’s a good thing.

 

Four out of possible five ticket stubs

 

 

Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen – book review

 

          Anna Quindlen, the venerable baby boomer author and Pulitzer Prize winner, has written a memoir that strings together pearls of wisdom from an older – she’s now 60 – mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister and career writer. With all this experience she’s got a lot to say on myriad subjects and, as a 60+ woman myself who also had an involving career, I am interested. She’s such an excellent writer that I would probably be interested if she was detailing her lifetime relationship with laundry. She has been described as America’s laureate of real life.

          Most of what Ms. Quindlen speaks of in this book is through the filter of aging, how things are different as an older woman versus the gung ho youngster. She starts off saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know when you’re young.” I love how she speaks warmly and humorously about getting older, for instance, depicting the cuteness some of our youthful characteristics were and how they often became irritating in old age – a flirtatious nature evolving into unattractive lecherous behavior. At the same time, she reminds us that the older we get, the better we get at being ourselves. Gone are the concerns about being judged, disliked, or not enough.
          Among other topics, she waxes so eloquently:

          - downsizing:   As we age the value of possessions lessens and it’s easy to get
                    rid of clutter. “Stuff is not salvation.”

          - marriage: “A safety net of small white lies can be the bedrock of a successful
                    marriage,” and “The long sound journey of a long marriage outweighs
                    romantic love.”

          - girlfriends: In youth, other women can be viewed as a threat or competitor.
                    Over time, girlfriends are the placeholders of support and less criticism
                    and more cheerleading.

          - work: Anna admits her generation felt that they had ‘invented’ the whole work
                    and family dual opportunity for women, forgetting all about the previous
                    generation’s contribution. Later she regretted never asking her mother
                    about the drafting table that sat stored in their basement for her entire life
                    at home (her mother was the only female engineer in a prestigious firm in
                    the 1930’s.).

          - the aging process: When we’re babies and youngsters we have tantrums about
                    doing what we want to do when we want to do it and, as we age, we
                    gradually go back to that, minus the tantrums hopefully. We have become
                    the older generation we criticized so vehemently.

          The book contains an insurmountable amount of relatable moments for anyone 55 and older, even if you did have kids or a high-powered career or a marriage. This book also contains “gobsmacked,” which is a literary first for me. Look for this word to appear in a future blog post.

          Finally, in a final chapter, Anna Quindlen writes about mortality, but you’ll have to read the book – I don’t want to give away the ending.

Love is All You Need – movie review

          “Love is All You Need” is a film about an Englishman played by Pierce Brosnan living in Denmark where he runs a large produce business. He is a widower, a loner, and an emotionally absent single father to Patrick who brings everyone together in Italy for his wedding to Astrid. Things get complicated when, two days before the wedding, Astrid’s mother, Ida (Danish actress Trine Dyrholm), splits from Astrid’s father due to his affair with a much younger woman.

          This movie is a wild combination of “Under the Tuscan Sun” meets “It’s Complicated” meets “Threesome.” It’s an entertaining romp where much is predictable but that’s okay with me as long as it turns out well for all (or most) of the parties involved. Brosnan, the bride’s father, for instance, comes off so crass and closed off in the beginning of the movie you just KNOW he’s going to loosen up and be a hero in the end.

          While the title and premise of the movie are certainly not unique or new, a lemony fresh tartness is detected throughout because of the unknown (to me anyway) actors who bring a juiciness to their roles. In addition, after the sun would set over the Cinque Terre-like Italian backdrop of seaside hilly homes, I could practically feel the dewy new mornings in the picturesque garden where everyone gathers.

           Both English and Danish are spoke in this film, with easy-to-follow subtitles. One reviewer says of the movie’s Danish filmmaker, “Susanne Bier has shaken a cocktail of love, loss, absurdity, humor, and delicately drawn characters that will leave only the hardest heart untouched.” I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living – book review

Three out of possible five bookmarks

          This book couldn’t have come to me at a better time. I’d just been experiencing problems with my computer and had been working with barely understandable techs in foreign countries for the last month. If this situation doesn’t cry for the need of patience, I don’t know what does.

          You should know I’m not a patient person to begin with. In fact, this book was recommended by someone I’m working with who also happens to be a friend. At first, I thought his recommendation might have been a joke, but looking back now I can see the real value that I’m sure he knew would be of benefit to me.

          The author, Allan Lokos, writes from a very calm and spiritual place, which is outstanding considering the title of the book. He steps the reader through the benefits and, yes, necessity of coming from a patient point of view of you want a happy life. He says, “Inner peace can be seen as the ultimate benefit of practicing patience.” He also shares that the Dalai Lama has expressed we are here to be happy and that impatience greatly detracts from that happiness.

          The first part of the book deals with learning patience for yourself, which I have yet to master. In the second part of the book, Lokos discusses patience in relationships, and this, as we all know, is an excellent place to experience lack of patience, especially with spouses and friends. Next, the author addresses children, again where it’s obvious that a great deal of patience is not only required for yourself but in serving as a role model to blossoming children. Finally, the discussion moves to the workplace – dealing with co-workers, and bosses and subordinates – and technology. Who hasn’t come unhinged dealing with technology?

          Patience comes from seeing and accepting things as they are. Knowing that things are always changing also aides in accepting that what is before us won’t last forever. One of the best tools I received from this book was creating a pause between my experience of a feeling and my response to that feeling. Having said that, I must admit as soon as I finished the book and completed this short review, I experienced the most absurd exhibition of my own lack of patience at my gym. I was petulant, rude and certainly didn’t pause between my feelings and my responses to those feelings when someone was using equipment I wanted. It took me hours to calm down enough to forgive myself and laugh a little about not being perfect right off the bat. This incident certainly pointed out my need of focus and the practice of mindfulness. At least I have more tools to work with in increasing my patience in this world. I just have to take them out and try them on a little more.