Keep this in mind for the rest of your life and for the lives of those around you. “Thousands have lived without love but not one without water.” This was a statement made by English poet, playwright, and critic W.J. Auden. He may not have been right about everything, but you can hardly disagree with this declaration!
The film is set in the prelude to the Paris Revolution. Mozart is giving a concert and a man from the crowd asks if he could play Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. Five with him on stage. Mozart accepts, yet when he sees it’s a black man, well dressed though he is (his father supported his son so he would want for nothing), Mozart asks his audience, “Who put you up to this?”
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This movie starts out with a “BANG!” We begin with a New Year’s celebration and for some reason, the way it was all set in motion made me think of the Kathryn Bigelow film “Strange Days.” This being the case, I was expecting a three-minute-long POV shot. However, I was taken by surprise by what came next.
I read Judy Blume’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” several times and passed it on to my daughter, making her read it, which she happily did, also more than once. This will go on forever, mothers making sure their children read one of the best YA (young adult literature) writers who ever lived. Just think of her achievements!
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Director Kelly Reichardt and Michelle Williams have made several films together. After this, it looks as if their collaborations aren’t going to stop. They seem to know one another as well as any couple does. “Showing Up” doesn’t have a lot of dialogue and what it does have is often repeated and arbitrary. Most of the story comes from its delightful visuals if you understand where Reichardt is coming from. Williams has a lot of talent and skill and uses it here.
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“Beau Is Afraid” is a cinematic ‘shaggy dog’ story, with a meandering path to an inconclusive conclusion. The main character is a weak-willed weaselly wuss. As a grown Man-Child, this guy has serious ‘Mommy’ issues. Perhaps in the end, all of his fears will be justified. But the long and tedious road that he takes to get to the end is frustrating and really not worth the effort.
“The Covenant” is a war movie by Director Guy Ritchie. So, it is also known as “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant”. Ritchie mainly has been successful with violent crime dramas that include a lot of brutal action. But now Richie gets a handle on the most violent and brutal action of all – wartime. But his focus is on a relationship of trust and honor between two men from very different backgrounds. Read more
I love Broken Lizard. They work together harmoniously, complimenting one another in a way the comedy troupe Monty Python always did. I see them as America’s version of the Python’s. I’m sure I’m not the first to say that, but I’m sure they’re tired of hearing it. Outside of that mention, I’ll not be comparing the two. Read more
In high heels, Bianca (Monica Bellucci) walks through a plethora of dead bodies. She kisses a now dead man, Don Giuseppe Balbano (Alessandro Bressanello). Bianca was his general. He trusted her and he meant a lot to her. She stands and proclaims with an Italian accent, “This means war.”
“Renfield” places its tongue firmly within its cheek – then goes bloody crazy and bites the whole thing off. There are winks and nods to original source material (Universal’s traditional Dracula movies) and modern updates with gore, drugs and violence. But this time the main character is not the Master of Evil, but his put-upon servant. Talk about ‘Horrible Bosses’! Read more
