The Secret in their Eyes

It seems funny to me that again I read a book and see a movie which has the same theme. Yesterday I went to see the movie The Secret In Their Eyes. This is an Argentina/Spain collaboration set in Argentina and therefore was in subtitles. To think I would sit through a subtitled movie for over two hours and think nothing of it contributes to the magnificence of this movie. Within the first few frames I had the thought "this is an ART movie". In other words not the usual movie we are subjected to.  The cast, Ricardo Darin, Soledad Villamil and Guillermo Francella did an absolutely wonderful job of displaying this story of unrequited love, coupled with a murder mystery and everything else thrown in. Shot in present day, plus their memories back 25 years, the story holds you enthralled wondering what is coming next. It slowly builds the characters, but somehow you don't mind because the photography, the editing, the direction is all working towards some dramatic conclusions. My friend Jeanne and I just sat after it was finished while the credits (in  Spanish) rolled by. Yes another magnificent movie, where one is left wondering the conundrum of life.
Now to the book which is completed this morning. The House at Riverton, by Kate Morton. Again working in two times, a 99 year old remembering her years at Riverton House where she entered service when she was 14 and all that happened in between. Again unrequited love,  mystery and intrigue set in a Victorian, yet also modern time, as she jumps between the time periods, filling in the gaps of what happened to the main characters, but the subcharacters all play a huge part of the story. Well worth the read.
So two magnificent pieces of art. One in movie form, one in written form. Both speaking how opportunities not taken or misread lead to other events. The book is easy to get, its Kate Morton's latest. The movie, look for it, I'm sure it will come in DVD form soon, and it is worth the just over two hours, after all you don't see a full frontal male in full bloom too often these days.

Secretariat

Last night I went to see Secretariat and loved every moment of it. It was a wonderful film, filled not only about a great horse but the photography and the sense of well-being portrayed was great. The editing was wonderful as you were kept up with the adventure of Secretariat and his owner. I think this is one movie I will definitely have to see again, if only to see the wonderful horse races. My friend Suzanne was telling me she got to visit him at his home and pat him. Of course this was after his racing days and he spent his time as a stud. The underlying theme of this movie, listen to what you know is correct for you and go for your end result you want no matter what to me gave this movie even more depth. Also, at a time when women were supposed to be in the home, here was a woman who believed in her horse and her childhood home to keep it going, even though for three years she travelled back and forth between Denver and Virginia. Oh yes, lots of secondary stories of belief, loyalty and support.  If you have a chance, go see the movie. My friend who came with me was not as interested in horse racing as me (coming from racing New Zealand, where I grew up listening and going to horse races) she was surprised as to how much she enjoyed it.  4 1/2 out of 5.

Our Town

Last night I ventured out with the wind whistling away, like a storm was going to come, but it didn't, or if it did it was when I was asleep. Asleep I wasn't during the movie Our Town. Ben Affleck has always been a favorite of mine, even when Hollywood seem to be dissing him. He was smart, took a break from movies, got his personal life sorted out and came back with some great acting and directing. In Our Town he does both, it most certainly had action, yet the acting from the main characters was really good. Last year's Oscar winner certainly did his role proud. His was the harder part to play, I thought, in order to convince us of his complicated character. I definitely got it, all the complexity of growing up in a certain neighbourhood, believing certain 'honor' is the way to do things. Ben himself was his excellent self and his directing skills are certainly as good as many.
The question is "did I enjoy this movie?" Well can't say I enjoyed it, with all the guns blazing and people dying, but the story was told well, the acting was good with the characters believable. On that level yes, and of course my usual complaint about editing seemed fine too.  All in all a well done movie. The question for me is it a 3 1/2 or 4 stars.  I think 3 1/2. Well worth seeing if you can take guns blazing, shootouts with a love story. But no happy ever after ending, but then that is what made it a good movie.  Still 3 1/2 stars out of 5.

Mao's Last Dancer

Yesterday I was treated to a most wonderful movie. Mao's Last Dancer.  I enjoyed the movie so much I want to go buy the book and read more of this main characters story. Expect for Bruce Greenwood, I did not recognize any of the actors, mainly because they were dancers. What dancers and what a story. A story of a young boy chosen from a village to go to Beijing to train as a dancer. This young boy had no interest in ballet, but had the flexibility and therefore was sent to the school. He came from a large family, his name being sixth son (of seven) and was known as Li (Lee). The editing was wonderful as it wove the story of his early years with what happened when he came to the U.S. on a three month visa to study with the Huston Ballet. The sensitivity, the creative dancing, the story of relationships were all wonderfully directed and woven and photographed.  Plus it shows a little of the regime at the time of Mao and the Cultural Revolution. As you can tell I cannot say enough about the quality of the movie. Tears at the end of course helped, as the show came to a conclusion. And I loved, as usual, the end notes that tell you what happened to the main characters.  This one I give 5 out of 5.  A must see!

Going the Distance

Last night I took in the late movie of Going the Distance. There were five of us in the theatre, two couples and then older me. What surprised me with this movie was how much I laughed. I left the theatre with a good feeling which surprised me. I as not expecting to be so entertained. Now there is a definate generation gap with the movie. The use of the F word with both males and females should not longer surprise me, but it does. Is it really necessary? I don't personally think it adds to the movie, but heh I'm older and we did not speak like that when I grew up. But the laughs, the jokes, the inside relationship jokes were so well written and executed by the supporting actors. I though Justin Long was a bit stiff, like he was walking through the role.  Drew Barrymore was her usual Drew self, which is good. The guy who played Dan took the movie though. His lines were executed wonderfully well. For my age group though to enjoy this movie you have to look beyond the language and enjoy the great deliveries.  Surprise, surprise I give this 3 out of 5 for enjoyment. Its been awhile since I left a movie feeling warm inside.

Eat Pray Love

Last night several of us had supper and then went to see Eat Pray Love with Julia Roberts. Although one of us had to leave to attend a husband who was not well, the rest of us said how much we enjoyed it at the end. Personally, I found the first two sections a bit slow. The divorce and romancing the young actor for some reason (for me) did not 'take'.  Not sure what or why, perhaps the chemistry wasn't there, but I was glad when she left for Italy. This part of the book I had enjoyed, here it seemed disjointed at times and then she arrives in India. Here is where the movie took off for me. The scenes rolled together, and the storyline flowed. Humor was introduced and somehow I relaxed into the story. And then Bali. The beauty, the ease and the essence of the story line. Although my friends said how much they enjoyed it, I kept quiet in that I thought it could have been better. For instance, I would have liked (and was waiting for) the postscript that comes up at the end saying what happened to them (even though many of us had read the book and knew - I wanted to read it). I feel the movie could have been a bit better, if they had Julia Roberts act as a narrator transitioning the events, filling in some of the deeper emotional moments.  Oh well, what do I know. I just think it would have made it much better. I really wanted that postscript and I felt a bit let down when it wasn't there.  This movie was a person's life, not just a book and yet somehow the movie was made like it was just another made up book.
Therefore I give it 3 stars out of 5.  (nearly only gave it 2 1/2) but the scenes of the locals were great.

Expendables

I found it hard to write about this movie. What do I say?  Violence, yes, Lots of action actors, yes. Story line weak. Yes. Did I enjoy it, sort of. It was the 'sort of' which is the issue. I went to see this movie because I thought I needed to see it, plus it was very hot and the afternoon would be spent in a cool environment. Not much of a reason. As the movie began the first 10 minutes or so, I was wondering on my choice of the afternoon, after all I could have seen The Other Guys. But no, I had opted to go see Sylvester Stallone and the boys. Violence was the key, plus the coloring and how the movie was shot was not my favorite. My favorite bit was when Arnold 'the Terminator' was in a scene and Bruce Willis's character asks "what's his problem" and the answer from Sylvester is "He wants to be President".  I laughed out loud at that one. And that is what saves this movie, the humor. The writers, of which Sylvester was one had the humor quotient just right. (Except for the first 10 minutes). I found Jason Statham's character 'Christmas' was well done, and I enjoyed his character, but then he was the humor foil and the philosophy person. The other characters, well they were there, although Jet Li, looking older and larger in build was his usual self. I did not really realize he was so short, which a number of jokes were about. The most telling aspect about the movie was I was aware of myself through the movie, I was aware of my legs, reaching for my water bottle, of getting a snack. I am never aware of myself in a 'good' movie. I'm caught up in the action, the storyline, the acting.  So all in all Expendables is expendable. Not a movie I would recommend, but for the action, the humor, not the violence.  I would give this 2 stars out of 5.  Stay home, or go see something else.