bbrown8870 Reviews

Ricki and the Flash (2015)

This is a wonderful movie for grown-ups.

[10/10 · 23 August 2015]

No car chases here, barely any cars at all. This is a terrific, accurate slice of the American family the way it is, not the way we wish it were. It's a tale told with edge yet heart.

It's difficult to put Kevin Klein and "understated" in the same paragraph, but here it is. He is the perfect glue connecting two disparate, desperate worlds between estranged mother and cuckolded daughter. His performance in "Ricki" makes me appreciate, and want tore-visit his earlier movies.

Cries of nepotism seem childish once you see the film. Even if you didn't know that Mamie Gummer was related to the title star, you would easily have put her in that role. You hate her; feel sorry for her; and then root for her.

My only quibble is that I can't see the movie making any money after Sony finishes paying royalties on all the great songs!

The Judge (2014)

Nice to see a movie for grown-ups with 3-dimensional characters

[9/10 · 19 October 2014]

Although it's easy to see that much of this movie ended up on the cutting-room floor, what remains is a very engaging movie. Every actor is at the top of his game and the camera work is Oscar-worthy. Set against a backdrop of a idealized representation of a small Midwestern town, warts and all, the plot unfolds by having unusual, untimely stress bring characters outside their routines to reveal, perhaps, their real selves. And they need each other to do it.

Courtroom drama that is the rival of "A Few Good Men" or "To Kill a Mockingbird" and undeniable blood ties that have been denied for decades, make this a very watchable movie. I was riveted to every scene.

Love your country? How much? Love your family? How much? Tied to your future? Are you sure? If you pay attention, you'll finish the film asking yourself all these questions. Which is a good thing.

The Battered Bastards of Baseball (2014)

Perfect documentary of the 1970s. A delightful, educational watch.

[9/10 · 16 September 2014]

The deliberate pace of this movie might not be to the taste of all viewers, but I found it riveting. It is a fascinating chapter of the history of Portland, Oregon (in fact the history of the entire Northwest) that has been brought back to life in an unforgettable way.

The mix of current interviews of actual participants, contemporary interviews, news reels clips and professional editing cement the documentation. Truly Oscar worthy.

You don't have to even LIKE baseball to sink yourself into this story. It will carry you. However, if you like the sport, if you have ever watched "Bonanza", ever heard of Lefty Gomez or know who Snake Plisskin is, you're in for a treat.

The Big Picture (2010)

Analog script in a digital world

[4/10 · 30 March 2014]

The failure of a professional photographer to use the latest equipment is a good metaphor for this movie, whose English title makes no sense. It seems like it was shot from the original script submission before any grownups had a chance to edit the story. Terrific performances by all the actors, but a story line so sloppy that I re-animated my disbelief about half-way through. For me the most enjoyable aspect was the glimpse to life in various venues around (and near) Europe. I would love to have seen this in the hands of Alfred Hitchcock. He would have lent credibility to the desperation, which I felt was contrived and forced on me. I'll bet they ran out of money while filming and couldn't afford the ending they'd originally planned.

The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)

Another purpose besides the story being told

[5/10 · 30 September 2012]

Funny moments, but way too few for the star power lined up here.

I smell Clooney pushing this movie to show how disconnected the military is from reality and how many projects are off the books. He believes that the Pentagon is grossly over-funded and that weird stuff goes on that never gets scrutinized by official channels.

The credibility of the premise helps enforce Clooney's thesis, but this would have worked better as a documentary.

It's fun enough, but you can find crazy just about anywhere. You shouldn't have to pay this much in time or money just to see some esoteric stuff.

Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

A superb movie: Hitchcock meets Capra

[13 June 2008]

This is an excellent movie. Very un-formula with a script that was probably turned down more than once by those savvy studio execs who think they have the pulse of the American movie-going public.

It's almost better if you don't know anything about the plot of this movie before you see it. I watched it last night with my wife based solely on the critical reviews it had had last year. The cast is perfect, and unless you are FROM the Nnorthern Great Plains, you might not have a full appreciation of how well the setting is tuned. The weather is perfect; the season is perfect; every room, every sweater, every strand of hair, is spot-on.

The supporting cast is, in the plot, the supportive cast. Watching people work out conflicting values is great cinema.

Pathos abounds as you suspend disbelief watching characters suspend disbelief.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

Do yourself a favor

[9/10 · 2 January 2008]

The inadequacies of the descriptions of this movie emphasize the gulf between the written (or spoken) word and the work of art itself. I could write all the spoilers and it wouldn't make a difference, because the riveting quality here doesn't depend on plot surprises. It is the improbable story, a story that will touch you and then executed by actors who seem like their lives depend on being true to the story.

This is an anti-Hollywood, anti-formula movie. Those have their place, but this is a great antidote to the silly decisions made by inappropriately powerful studio execs.

See it. You'll be thankful you did.

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)

Tommy Lee will get better as a director

[6/10 · 1 December 2007]

I liked this movie a lot, but after reading the critics and many of the comments herein, I can't believe I'm the only one with some nits to pick.

Strengths –

1. CINEMATOGRAPHY. If you've ever visited the Southwest, you know that it's difficult to represent accurately on film. Kudos. TTBOME is accurate to the countryside depicted and panoramically beautiful.

2. ACTING. Although Barry Pepper will always be Roger Maris to me, he is easy to hate here and then even easier to be ambivalent about later. Pepper makes a great hostage. Melissa Leo nails the role of Rachel. Nearly everyone else is superb.

3. NUANCE. Why make everything in black and white? The world is beautiful with shades of meaning and so is TTBOME.

4. THOUGHT PROVOCATION. This isn't a kids'movie, but not for the reasons the rating states. My wife called it a "thinking an's 'Weekend At Bernie's'". You do have to think about a lot of things:

a. Roles. Do we like who we are? Do we like what we do? …where we live? …what others think of us?

b. Racism. Is everyone you meet of Mexican origin undocumented? How about the reverse? Are the bad guys now always the gringos?

c. Economics. If it is so beautiful, friendly, peaceful, musical, and well-fed, would so many south of the border risk all they have to come north of the border and "pick strawberries"? On the other hand, if I lived in Van Horn, Texas, I'd be looking to escape to anywhere else. Seriously.

d. Endurance. Could you survive this trek? I wouldn't make it 100 yards without shoes.

There are other strengths. Refer to the other reviews.

Weaknesses –

1. CHARACTER BUILDING. We are given very little reason to believe that Pete would do this for anyone. We are asked to believe that he is deep, e.g., thousand-yard gazes, fierce loyalty, rugged determination; but also shallow, e.g., dalliance with a married woman, gullibility, disrespect for the law. We may like nuance in a movie, but who is the protagonist? Pete is a weak one, considering the milieu he came out of. If he were a match for the country, we'd be cheering for him like Shane.

2. CHRONOLOGY. Stupid! Unnecessary! Contrived! Distracting! Egotistical! Stupid. A poor substitute for character good building.

3. LOGIC.

a. Lou Ann's relationship with Mike adds nothing to the story. He is central and we already have enough to dislike him.

b. Rachel's loyalty to Bob strains at reason. He loyalty to anything is questionable.

c. Gomez' willingness to cut a quick deal with Belmont has no history to back it up.

d. Why is Rachel able to hear every syllable through glass?

e. Lack of conversation between Mike and Pete. If you thought coming clean would buy you your life or even some more time, you'd talk your head off.

f. Cincinnati? That hotbed of INS recruitment?

4. ACTING. Dwight Yoakam will not be offered leading man roles. He's already found his shtick and this isn't it. Tommy Lee's performance as Pete would benefit from a more seasoned director. Joel Coen comes to mind.

5. LENGTH. This could have been over sooner. You especially know that when there are long silences in the commentary version with three good commentators.

6. BIZARRE COINCIDENCE. Am I the only one who thinks Cedillo looks like Johnny Damon? Couldn't shake it.

7. ROTTING CORPSE. OK, we get it. He's a dead guy.

8. CREDIBILITY.

a. Snake bites kill. They really, really kill people weakened by travel, forced labor, deprivation, and lack of a hat in the desert.

b. Law enforcement is not that venal. Venal, yes—just not THAT venal… or impotent.

c. Also, which is it? Sheriff and I.N.S. work together or they don't?

d. Sixty grand for a single-wide in Van Horn? Fifty-four? Got to assume that this is prior to the current realty reality.

e. Man #1 is shot by Man #2. By wild cinematic coincidence, Man #1 has been indiscreet with the wife of Man #2, but only because Man #3 has induced him to do so? The mind boggles.

f. How exactly were three distant cowpokes watching soaps they couldn't understand, with excess food they freely give away?

SPOILER. The movie's title gives away the ending.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)

Elizabeth: Die Hard With a Vengeance

[3/10 · 13 October 2007]

This rates as high as it does for me because of the cinematography. It is dazzling and Blanchett can't be denied, but "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" is like a chick-flick with explosions plus costumes, super hair, and loud, intrusive music. The result is faux epic.

My wife summed it up well as we left the theater: "I feel like I've just flipped through a coffee table picture book for two hours and somebody turned up the stereo." History wrote this plot but Nicholson and Hirst thought they could do better. They couldn't, or certainly didn't. Freshmen composition classes come up with better stuff. Trite, forced, predictable. Did they even run this by an expert in English history? You gotta wonder. The script is oozing with 21st century mores and clichés. It made me think (during the movie, mind you) of the way Dutch painters depicted Homer and Aristotle in the garb of 17th century Holland. Are we that dumb? Sir Walter Raleigh is a caricature and Sir Francis Drake, never properly introduced, was a throwaway. Geoffrey Rush is wasted as Walsingham. Come to think of it, nearly everybody is wasted. Every single character is underdeveloped, with the possible exception of the title character—possible exception.

"Golden Age" set the target high and then turned and fired in the opposite direction. Realizing the script had missed, Director tried to make up for it with window dressing. Substance would have served this queen better. With the colon in the title, I almost expected to see Bruce Willis saving the day.

You can see why "Golden Age" came out in October because it's not going to compete for Oscars in categories that anybody cares about. With all the budget they had for this movie, you'd Universal could have found better writers.

Delicatessen (1991)

Derivative but amusing

[7/10 · 5 October 2007]

If I had never seen "The Triplets of Belleville", "Brazil", "V for Vendetta", or "Sweeney Todd", I would have rated this movie a 9. The production values are second to none, especially for a European movie.

Perhaps I'm jaded, but plots with a twist or two are great, but not if you can see them coming from a mile away.

It is, however, a very mature film because it is unashamedly campy and doesn't pretend to be anything other than that. Not really "film noir", but instead "film sepia".

If you're a fan of French movies, you should recognize Dominique Pinon right away as the pessimistic young thug in "Diva". He seems miscast here as the potential love interest of the butcher's daughter, since he seems older than Jean-Claude Dreyfus, who plays the butcher. Alas—maybe that's part of the intended effect. (Pinon is actually nine years younger than Dreyfus.) If you didn't really like any of the movies named hereinabove, you probably will have a hard time "getting" this. Otherwise… enjoy.

Children of Heaven (1997)

Charming story with very revealing scenes of Irani culture

[9/10 · 24 April 2007]

I lived in Iran when I was younger that the children depicted here. It was also a long time ago (Truman was president). Nevertheless, this was very nostalgic for me.

The plot is more than enough to carry this movie and entertain most adults and many pre-adolescents, but I wouldn't think anyone over 10 or under 30 would be riveted. Young Ali is like many a Hitchcock hero in that the unwanted circumstances he finds himself in are not his fault, but he doesn't really know that.

"Children" reveals things most Americans think they already know about Iran: Strong patriarchal society, strange mix of high tech and ancient coexisting comfortably, certainly not diverse the way we perceive it. There are some unintended revelations that are refreshing. Strong scholastic discipline among the middle classes, sibling bonding altruism that outstrips natural sibling rivalry, family values that are the equal of any anywhere, but, most beautiful to me, the greenery of the country. This last is not showcased, but all the more surprising because it's taken for granted. This is a beautiful land.

This film should be mandatory viewing for all Department of State and Department of Defense employees and their bosses and their bosses' bosses.

Duck Soup (1933)

Not Their Best Work

[6/10 · 31 January 2007]

I saw it for the first time tonight and felt like I didn't get my money's worth.

Lines that were clever in the Marx Brothers' other, even earlier, movies, fell flat here and there was lots of filler between. The execution of the plot is so inane that it could easily have been made into a hand-drawn cartoon of itself with not a single laugh lost.

The Three Stooges probably based their careers on THIS movie instead of the other, much more cerebral Marx Brothers' offerings. To be fair, it was released in 1933 and there were many iron crosses in evidence. The world has changed so much since then I suppose we owe the boys a mulligan.

This is the most dancing I've even seen Groucho do and it is funny. You get the feeling that he could be very accomplished at it if that were a goal of his.

These guys can do, and have done, better.

A Prairie Home Companion (2006)

An acquired taste, but I think I acquired it before I was born

[9/10 · 9 November 2006]

Altman has created the anti-Hollywood, which I'm sure was not by accident. A true gem.

It's a shame that this was not a more commercially successful vehicle. The ensemble cast is superb, without exception. Garrison Keillor has a face made for radio, but I understand why he has to play himself. Nice baritone, but those are weapons-grade eyebrows.

Altman pokes fun at standard 21st century American movie fare, but mid-20th century radio gets lampooned pretty well too. The eponymous radio show, the state of Minnesota, and mindless belief all takes it in the slats. Even irony itself is not safe from Altman's watchful eye. It's deliciously subtle and, by starts, wonderfully bawdy. Paying attention pays dividends. Doing subtle right takes a lot of work.

One of the sweet surprises is that people you knew could act can also sing: Merryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Woody Harrelson (not a typo), Lindsey Lohan, and John C. Reilly croon. Where else could they strut such stuff? Underplaying their roles, never stealing a scene, letting the well-written script be the star. Kevin Kline was never better, not even in "Wanda". Al Gore's old roommate is heartlessly evil.

I'm glad I watched it alone because I felt free to laugh out loud. That would have been out of character with the movie.

It's unlikely you would only like this movie. You'll love it or run the other way. I didn't want it to end.

Don't look for a sequel.

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)

I Was Transported Back in Time

[6 October 2006]

Watching this wonderful film in late 2006, I was struck by how much simpler life was on many levels. Stepping out of line meant a good caning; falling in love did not have immediate sexual overtones; getting your baggage was virtually hassle-free; fear of terrorists was not foremost in the minds of international travelers; and, most delightfully, young boys were completely trusted in the company of men. Thoroughly enjoyable also is the view of history through the eyes of 1930's English historians. Racism and sexism are appropriate to the setting, but xenophobia, while evident in nearly every scene, is amusingly excoriated toward the end of the film.

It is, in many ways, an anti-war movie. It shows well the contradiction of wanting for go to war in The Great War, merely for honor, only to come home to honored posthumously. Discipline and Boy Scout virtues are shown to be the backbone of society and it is implied that English society is the one that really matters. Still, forgiveness and a gentler touch are what eventually win the day.

The film quality was not tremendous--the black and white graininess does compete well with contemporaries like "GWTW" and "The Wizard of Oz" and many corny visual devices, already trite by 1939, are used. However, these actually add to the charm of this movie. They reinforce the earnestness of the characters and the plot of GMC. (May I call it that?).

This seems like the granddaddy of all prep school movies and is probably the inspiration for "Harry Potter", "Dead Poet's Society", "Chariots of Fire", and many others of this type (more of an ilk than a genre). This movie came out 11 years before I was born, but it made me wish I had attended Brookfield.

Robert Donat shows restraint while showing great range, no mean feat. Greer Garson is delightful and the supporting cast is dutiful and appropriate. Paul Henried plays a caricature of himself to a degree that would be mocked in other settings, but feels just right here.

No serious film buff's viewing portfolio is complete without this one.

Miller's Crossing (1990)

This is "Dick Tracy" for adults

[9/10 · 20 March 2006]

Not just making fun of gangster movies, the Coen brothers are making fun of Hollywood, making fun of us all. By making fun of a genre, they are making a whole new genre.

Every character is a caricature. No line is a throwaway. Every shot produces a carefully desired effect. That effect is usually to have the viewer cerebrally scurrying to try to remember who said what to whom when. Loyalties outwardly mean everything but get changed more frequently (it would seem) than undershirts. This is camp, all grown up.

The Coens suck us right down into the plot. We think for a while that they're serious, but they're laughing all the way. Even finally realizing their manipulation of us doesn't dampen for one minute the enjoyment of the movie. The dialog and action clip along at an impressive pace and the viewer is compelled not to miss a single line.

If you like movies, you'll likely like this one. If you like the Coens, you'll love this one. If you've just read some Tolstoy, you shouldn't have any trouble keeping up with the number of characters and their (ahem) development. The rest of us need a scorecard.

The real accomplishment of "Miller's Crossing" is that it never descends into kitsch. The same script could have been acted by the Marx brothers without any dialog edits and would have been on a par wit "Duck Soup", but the cast here keeps and straight face and keeps us interested the whole time.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

This movie will still be talked about a generation from now.

[9/10 · 4 March 2006]

I convinced my wife, who is often very socially conservative, to accompany me to see "Brokeback Mountain" last night. We both loved it.

It moves at its own deliberate pace, but after a few scenes, you realize that a pace any faster would be untrue to the story. Characters develop appropriately. Casting is perfect. Dialogue is just right. The Canadian Rockies play a flawless stunt double for Wyoming. The movie's visual sweep adds to the enjoyment is actually integral to the plot.

If you fail to see this movie because "gay cowboys really don't do it for me", you are missing the point. This is an extremely well-crafted, intelligent, adult (in every sense of the word) piece of cinematic art. If you see this movie and can honestly say that you didn't enjoy, you'd better stick to "Leave It To Beaver" re-runs. That was the portrayal of a comfortable world. "Brokeback Mountain" portrays a very uncomfortable contemporary version.

These tough young men are equal to the challenges of nature without, but are no match for nature within. Supervisory tyranny, social prejudice, family issues are challenging enough for anyone. They deal even-handedly with life situations most of us would blanch at, but have no answer for love. They are rational, Ennis more than Jack, and approach horrendously difficult tasks with equanimity, even disdain. They are irrational, even rash, however, when dealing practically with their feeling for each other. Watching it all unwind was the best entertainment I've enjoyed at a movie since "Private Ryan." That's high praise.

A tiny quibble: There is one tiny editing error, but it occurs at an awkward moment for the story. There is a fly or some other small, black insect on Ennis's right cheek, down by the jaw. You see it from the front when he's in a highly intense conversation with Jack. The camera switches to Jack's face where you now see Ennis from behind. The bug is gone. Back to Ennis--voilà! The bug is still there. Insect predation is not at all unusual for that altitude, but it distracted me from what was one of the most gripping dialogs in the entire plot.

The net is that I really CARED about these characters and can't get them out of my head, not that I'm trying. If you're of age, please, see this movie.

Munich (2005)

Much too long for the message it delivers

[6/10 · 29 December 2005]

This movie is interesting enough, but are we afraid to edit, just because it's Spielberg? This is little more than a string of brutal assassinations, beginning with the first one in Munich. The acting is superb, the directing is too, but after a while, it's too much work for too little payoff. "Munich" is a quasi-documentary without supplying the historical background that a good documentary would include. I give Spielberg credit for some thought-provoking dislodge, but it's mixed in with gratuitous sex (and I usually like a certain amount of sex in a movie), gratuitous violence, and corn-ball dislodge. The movie just never really grabbed my heart.

Maybe the highly visible director/producer doesn't want to repeat Salmon Rushdie's exile and so he softened his message. This could have been another "Schindler's List", but it feels like the movie's editor didn't cut anything. (Was there even an editor involved?) I ended by not caring about anyone in the movie. There is not one truly sympathetic character.

Where are all the great end-of-the year movies?

Come Back, Little Sheba (1952)

Well-Done Authentic Period Piece

[8/10 · 3 September 2005]

I was so impressed with the middle-America authenticity of the setting of this movie that the acting seemed secondary. That said, the acting was spot-on.

The mores of post-war America come through loud and clear. There's plenty of Victorian attitude and yet a strong undercurrent of changing standards. Male dominance permeates every aspect of daily life and all sides seem quite comfortable with that. It's reassuring and yet begs for a crusade. The images in this very simple set reminded of my grandparents' houses and the rush of emotion I'm sure contributed to my enjoyment of the movie.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys Inge (writer of the play from which the screenplay was taken) or the state-of-the-art film production for the beginning of the second half of the twentieth century.

Closer (I) (2004)

Not really beautiful, but boy, can she act!

[8/10 · 24 June 2005]

Nichols' casting is 3/4 correct in "Closer". Law, Owen, and Portman seemed hand-picked. Julia Roberts seems placed in the cast so the whole production won't lost money. She nails the part, but she is much more believable as a box office draw than someone Jude Law's character would be attracted to.

Really just a minor quibble. I loved the movie.

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