buff-29 Reviews

At Any Price (2012)

Dopey melodrama in Big Film Art clothing

[4/10 · 29 April 2013]

I nearly wept at the end of this movie, over all the acting talent gone totally to waste on this dumb little story. It is more than dumb; it doesn't make any sense. I think that one scene sums up the problems this film creates for itself and then fails to solve. One of the characters (it doesn't even matter which one) breaks into a store by shooting a handgun through the window. When the window conveniently falls into a billion pieces, the character leaps through the open space and steals some stuff. Then he and his pal and girlfriend roar off, tires squealing. The event is presaged by nothing and leads to nothing. One is left only with a sense of mystification that anyone (even a film director) would think that a logical way to commit a burglary would be to shoot out the front window of a store with a gun. The rest of film is like that. One silly contrivance piled on another to create a nonsensical melodrama.

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Horror movie traveling under false papers

[4/10 · 17 January 2012]

I went to see a movie about a failed family, expecting characters I could identify with or at least recognize. Not at all. This is a straight Nightmare/Friday the 13th/Freddie Chops Your Head Off screamer. I suspect that fans of horror movies won't like it, since it mostly lacks the scenes that sneak up from behind and make you jump and holler, but that's their tough luck. Tilda Swinton, who must have been suckered into this project, does her (very able) best, but she can't make the material anything but what it is.

I don't know what John C. Reilly is doing here. I wonder if he does. I stuck it out to the end wondering why I was there.

Country Strong (2010)

Why was this film made?

[2/10 · 10 January 2011]

This is such an awful film, it is hard to know where to begin. At its best it is corny; at its worst it is a confused mess that is impossible to follow. It seems almost as if three or four scripts were shot and then the results cut together willy-nilly. I love the leading actress and can only wonder how she was persuaded to sign on here. I am reluctant to mention her name. Let me just say that tonight I am going to get out Paul Thomas Anderson's Hard Eight and watch it, so I can remember why I like her so much. I wish there were something positive I could say, but there just plain isn't. The writer/director is a newcomer. It is hard to believe she will be given the chance to become a veteran.

The American (2010)

Mysterious is OK, mystifying not so good

[5/10 · 3 September 2010]

I couldn't make any sense out of this film. I thought one of the sex scenes was titillating and there is enough female nudity to please the dirty old men in the audience, but I swear there is no story whatsoever. The George Clooney character appears. He is involved in something shady. He is very quick on the trigger, both with his concealed snub-nosed automatic and with his lovely female companions. But why he does what he does remained a mystery to me. He seems to be working with an organization and he speaks over the phone from time to time with someone who might be his boss, or might not. There is some lovely photography, and lord knows there is nobody more photogenic than the star here, but if you can figure out what is going on and why, then you are, um, different from me. When I walked out of the theater the only consolation for me was that at least I had bought a cut-rate early-bird ticket.

Nightfall (1956)

Noir? No. A cheap thriller with a happy ending

[4/10 · 16 June 2010]

Aside from some of the black-and-white photography and a sexy turn by Jocelyn Brando, there is nothing interesting about this movie. The "plot" is one stupid contrivance after another, all adding up to pretty much nothing. The sappy, dippy happy ending ("and they all went to the seashore") denies it any standing as a "noir" film, never mind a "noir masterwork" like the clunks at Film Forum in New York call it. It is kind of fun to see a really good print of one of these old clunkers, but I can't help wondering why anybody bothered. Now I am wondering why I bothered to write this review; maybe to keep just one person from wasting a trip down to Houston St.

The Art of the Steal (2009)

One-sided, virtually a propaganda movie

[2/10 · 18 March 2010]

The Art of the Steal tells one side of the controversy over the relocation of the Barnes Foundation art collection from a private, by-invitation-only suburban site to a great public museum in downtown Philadelphia where any art lover can view the works. Those who were associated with the foundation and/or on its payroll complain at length in this movie about how "a vast conspiracy" of shadowy but very powerful forces stole the art collection. The other side of the controversy is never presented. The most amusing example of the movie's propaganda techniques is the persistent use of art collector Alfred Barnes's medical title. He is always referred to as "Dr. Barnes." Well, he did have a medical degree, but his fortune came from his activities as a manufacturer and salesman of drugs, and so did the money he used to buy all that art. It's not wrong to call him "Dr. Barnes" about 5,000 times during the course of this movie, just dishonest.

What Would Jesus Buy? (2007)

Same old same old

[3/10 · 16 December 2007]

Even if you subscribe to the knee-jerk anti-free-trade politics of this movie, it is still just the same tired note, played again and again and again. Clink clink clink. Even if you can accept a preacher with peroxide hair who advocates a return to first principles, the Reverend Billy is pretty hard to look at as a serious figure. The clownish reverend is the sort who wakes every morning with no aspiration more ethereal than to see his own face on TV before he climbs back into bed that night. He has a pretty wife, I have to admit, but it would take tons more than that to save this dreary mess of a movie. The interminable bus rides are the worst part--with progress shown--can you guess?--by a colored line moving across a map. Aww, you guessed. Oh well, it has the virtue of being short. Is that the only favorable thing I can say? Hmmmm. Yep, afraid so.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)

From unlikely to just plain silly

[5/10 · 6 November 2007]

Despite all the acting talent on display and director Lumet's smooth narrative style, this one just doesn't work. In this plot line, contrivance is added to contrivance and piled on a coincidence. Just for starters: A drug dealer takes his clients' money and then, as the client watches, adds the bills to a huge pile in an unlocked safe. Naturally, you want your junkie customers to know where you keep your dough. How else could they come back later in the movie and steal it? Only if you have a very high tolerance for this sort of hokum should you spend your hard-earned mite on this. Why did the NY Film Festival make such a big deal of it? A member of the audience suggested it was because Lumet has been making movies in N.Y. for so long they feel like they owe him a thank you. That seems as good an explanation as any. Or maybe they were just star-struck by the list of actors.

Boy Culture (2006)

Flashes of wit, economical style

[7/10 · 23 March 2007]

X, as we are told to think of the narrator of this gay love story, is a hustler. He has only a few clients, but they each pay him well. He lives in luxurious digs in Seattle. He has a couple of roommates and they give us most of the plot. X is cynical and clever, his friends are more romantic and maybe not so sophisticated. It all turns out more or less as you will probably suspect from very early on, but you just might have a good time watching it. I did.

The performances are spotty but all are at least adequate. There are a few sex scenes, but much more is hinted at than shown. I didn't notice a rating, but in a sane world this one could be PG.

Mafioso (1962)

Ham-handed comedy, unbelievable drama

[7/10 · 21 January 2007]

This film has several amusing scenes and an attractive, understated performance by the female lead, Norma Bengell, but when it starts to take itself seriously, it becomes pretty much of a mess. The celebrated Alberto Sordi is fine in the lead, but he is asked to do too many silly things for his character to be effective.

Sordi plays a successful man taking his beautiful wife and lovely children back to visit the home folks--but his home folks are in Sicily and include the local mafia boss, so many complications ensue. There are some laughs when Sordi's mom and dad force-feed their guests and when Sordi meets some of his old cronies, but it is all pretty broad humor. It is when the mafia boss demands repayment of an old favor that things begin to seem ridiculous and viewers, at least this one, start looking at their watches.

10 Items or Less (2006)

Lightweight, but delightful

[9/10 · 4 December 2006]

This movie is a little ray of sunshine in a dark season. It celebrates a quality best described as plain old friendliness. Morgan Freeman plays a character very like Freeman himself--a successful actor pushing 70. He has traveled to a small, rather grimy grocery store intending to research a part he might play, as a manager of such a place. He soon beguiles the staff and the customers, especially the lovely, if cranky, young woman (Paz Vega) who presides over the "10 items or less" checkout lane.

10 Items Or Less doesn't have a big statement to make and doesn't pretend that it does. It follows Freeman and Vega as they become friendly, and as the older man offers his counsel, in exchange for a ride home--the movie-company gofer who is supposed to pick him up never shows and Freeman has forgotten his own phone number so he can't call for help. I had a little case of the blues on a gray Sunday afternoon in New York City and this flick cured what ailed me.

The Black Dahlia (2006)

Noirish, nonsensical, and oh so long

[2/10 · 21 September 2006]

Brian De Palma's take on the old murder mystery makes one wonder how badly he must need the money or the attention. It is hard to believe there was any other source of satisfaction in producing this tripe. There is so much boring, silly back-story about the two cops who investigate the murder of the famous flower that it takes what seems about 90 minutes for the body to be discovered. After that, things slow down even further, though it didn't seem possible. Hillary Swank is the one bright spot in this gory mess. She gives good value, but considering what she is asked to do, it doesn't help that much in the end. I know actors need work, but it is hard to forgive the other perpetrators here.

I Am a Sex Addict (2005)

So much self love, so little justification for it

[2/10 · 27 April 2006]

I have never thought the term "addict" was appropriate for those who are unable to control their sexual behavior, but that is the least of my reasons for disliking this narcissistic semi-documentary. The director has actors portraying characters from the earlier part of his life, and interacting with him as he "plays" himself. And of course he also plays with himself a lot; we are subjected to many scenes where he seeks privacy in a bathroom so he can masturbate. When he isn't engaging in self-abuse he is seeking the company of prostitutes or discussing his inability to stay away from ladies of the night with actresses representing his various girlfriends. Oh, what a tedious exercise; certainly for the audience and one would imagine for the director. But maybe there is nothing about himself that bores this man. Perhaps we can look forward to a film about his smelly feet and how often he washes his socks.

Inside Man (2006)

Slick and sassy but unsatisfying

[6/10 · 2 April 2006]

Despite a lot of clever dialogue and some excellent performances this latest Spike Lee effort is unsatisfying. The complicated plot ultimately doesn't hold together. But the movie has a great New York feel and when it is funny it is very funny--as when a local citizen is asked to aid the police and shows up at the scene of the emergency with a paper bag full of old parking tickets she wants fixed.

Lee and his scriptwriter think that corruption is everywhere and that the rich and powerful can always get anything they want, so they don't find it necessary for their story to make sense; it is enough to say: "See, this is a corrupt plot by a rich man. See how evil they are?" Denzel Washington is fun to watch, as is Kim Director, in a minor role.

Match Point (2005)

Stilted dialog, contrived plot

[6/10 · 14 January 2006]

How can this movie have gotten so much praise? British reviewers have not been especially kind, but on this side of the Atlantic the compliments have been tossed around quite recklessly. It is always fun to watch Scarlett Johansonn, but there is not a lot of other entertainment offered in this very long movie. The opening is handled well enough and the first hour of the film passes without causing undue pain. But then: oh my heavens. Characters drift in and out of character, and the plot becomes one contrivance built on another on another. By the time the end rolls round, one has been checking one's watch every 5 minutes for what seems like hours. Woody Allen may still have some movies in him; I just hope that he keeps them, if the rest are as sorry as this.

The Ice Harvest (2005)

At least it's short

[5/10 · 27 November 2005]

This dopey caper comedy has little to offer, but at least you can get it out of the way and still have plenty of the afternoon left. John Cusack is a lawyer for some Kansas gangsters and he has a scheme for stealing a couple of million bucks from his employers. He describes his misdeed as "skimming," though from the look of things it would take his boss at least five years to accumulate that much cash from his Wichita strip clubs, never mind have that much left over for Cusack to "skim." Whatever, a series of dumb missteps by Cusack and his crime partner, Billy Bob Thornton, keep them on the edge of capture by the mob. You won't care. This is not worth even the 88 minutes it lasts. Who is picking scripts for Cusack?

The Woman Next Door (1981)

Soap opera for high brows

[6/10 · 19 November 2005]

Despite its distinguished provenance, and despite the presence of the stunning Fanny Ardant, this is pure soap. It even has a local busybody chattering background on the characters, a tested U.S. soap-opera technique. Gerard Depardieu is wooden and unconvincing as Ardant's lover. The rest of the cast (except for Ardant) is adequate at best. I don't think Truffault ever made a worse movie. It does exhibit his economy of expression and beautiful style, but nothing can save it from its own sentimentality and simple-mindedness. I don't believe this turkey has ever been in general release in the U.S., which should soften the hearts of even the most savage haters of the French. They did us the favor of keeping this one mostly to themselves.

Three of Hearts: A Postmodern Family (2004)

Big holes in a fascinating story

[7/10 · 9 November 2005]

This tale of a threesome is quite interesting but leaves out a lot of information viewers will want. The bare facts are these: Steven, a chiropractor, and Sam, a massage therapist, are lovers. They take a younger woman, Samantha, into their apartment and relationship. They all sleep in the same bed. They also run a professional office together, with Samantha doing the grunt work. Maybe not everybody is as prurient as I am, but I think most of the audience remained curious about the actual sexual practices of this trio after the movie was over. Similarly, I was wondering about the details of the "wellness center" business on which they all collaborated; how many patients did they see? who paid how much? how were the profits divided? (As a New Yorker, I also wanted to know how much rent they paid.)It is quite possible that there is a good explanation for many omissions, but I want to know what they are. Would it have been possible to include an interview with Samantha's predecessor in Sam and Steven's relationship? Why not? And if so, why wasn't it done? I enjoyed the movie but was still hungry for information when I left the theater.

Lord of War (2005)

Preachy film about the gun trade

[6/10 · 2 October 2005]

This movie is earnest, well-meaning, virtuous, right-thinking, long-winded, and confused. It might well have started out as a newspaper op-ed page article. It does have a few funny bits, and the performances are adequate, but the preachy tone drains the movie of whatever vitality it might have had. There is one plot oddity; Nick Cage's arms dealer has a son who never seems to age. He is always a toddler, though the film stretches over many years. Maybe this has some hidden meaning, or maybe it just shows sloppiness. I might have a little more respect for this heavy-handed sermon if it had shown me something about the international arms trade. But no, the Cage character just announces he is in the business and proceeds to get rich and guilt-ridden. The movie tosses around jargon ("end-user certificate" for example) but demonstrates no knowledge of how the business works. What a bore.

The Chorus (2004)

Too sentimental even for a movie about a boys' school

[6/10 · 5 February 2005]

To Sir, With Love would look like stark British realism if placed next to this French treacle. All the clichés are in place: the troubled but decent boys; the overworked and cynical teachers; the harsh, almost sadistic, school administrator; the idealistic new staff member who wants to make a difference. You know the rest. The plot is not very carefully worked out and the whole enterprise has a slap-dash quality. Some subplots are begun and then just allowed to trail off. The acting is adequate throughout and the boys choir is nice to listen to, even as you doubt that a school of ordinary boys could possibly sound like that. This movie has gotten quite a bit of attention. It doesn't deserve any of it.

Ray (I) (2004)

Ah, that music

[8/10 · 31 October 2004]

Despite a wonderful performance by Jamie Foxx and a lot of wonderful music by The Genius, Ray is disappointing. Taylor Hackford's direction lacks the kind of subtlety the story deserves and the development is often irritatingly abrupt. Ray Charles' becomes a heroin addict, the movie tells us, when he insists on joining some of his fellow musicians as they shoot up while on the road. We see nothing of any internal struggle, of temptation felt and resisted. He just turns himself into a junkie. Boom. Similarly, his wife learns of his drug use when she finds his works in his shaving kit. Nothing of suspicion, fear, and worry followed by eventual confirmation. Just another boom. Still, this is a very entertaining film, and even at 152 minutes it doesn't feel long. Foxx looks, sounds, and moves like Ray Charles. Even in the scenes where he is making music and we hear the real Charles on the super soundtrack, Foxx is Ray. The supporting performers are all convincing. If you ever saw Ray Charles live, or if you wish you had, go see this movie.

Love Actually (2003)

Too Long Love

[8 November 2003]

This is a nice enough, if somewhat dumb, holiday comedy with a terrific cast. But my heavens it is long. I was prepared to leave happy after about 90 minutes, but as the sappiness just kept going I began to hope for relief, and so did my backside. I was positively glaring at my watch by the time the last unlikely ending finally appeared and I was allowed to stagger out into the chill. What ever happened to those nasty movie moguls we used to hear about who insisted that stuff like this come in at about 100 minutes? Can we bring them back?

Catching Out (2003)

They know every engineer on every train....

[8/10 · 21 August 2003]

This is a pleasant, affectionate look at a group of adventurous people who call themselves "hobos" or "tramps" and ride the rails as a way of life. Of course these drifters romanticize themselves, but they are charming nonetheless. The movie is a little short on background, I felt. I wanted to know more about what brought them to riding the rails, but I loved meeting Switch, Baby Girl, Lee, and all the rest. You learn a lot about these folks from their advice to newcomers to the railyards: Be afraid of the "bulls" (railroad police) and treat other railroad workers with decency and respect; they are likely to return the favor. There is a terrific soundtrack.

Bolivia (1999)

A grim, stark, but rewarding little movie

[28 February 2003]

Freddie is a Bolivian in Buenos Aires, working as a cook in a small bar/restaurant. His contact with the owner, the working-class customers, and his co-workers tells a story of poverty, intolerance, violence, and despair in contemporary Argentina. This brief (75-minute) film is well worth the effort you may have to make to seek it out. First rate.

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2002)

A romantic thriller that makes little sense

[27 February 2003]

In the first half of the movie we see events from the point of view of a lovesick Parisian art student. She is hard to accept as an artist (too silly and self-absorbed) and hard to sympathize with as a lover (too obsessed and selfish). In the second half of the movie we see the same events from the viewpoint of the object of the art student's affections, a married cardiologist. He is a little thick to be believed, even for a man in these parlous times for the gender. Anyway, we discover that he barely knows this girl who has been worshipping him and lusting after him for 80 minutes of movie. Many of the events are also hard to believe, they are simply contrivances for the advancement of the plot. For example, the art student runs down the doctor's pregnant wife on her mo-ped and causes the woman to miscarry without doing her any other damage. Then, when she is (finally) confined to a booby hatch her doctors don't even notice that she doesn't take the pills they give her and they release her so she can return to stalking her cardiologist. I think French movies have started to imitate those from Hollywood: the plots don't have to make sense; in fact, it seems preferable that they do not.