"Barbara" "Boyhood" and "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby"

Welp, it's been a full 3 weeks since my last entry. Am I getting lazy or just disinterested? Maybe both, maybe neither. The point is nobody knows or wants to know the answer to that question. The people want to read THREE reviews for the price of TWO. What a bargain. Soak up the savings, dance with the deals.

"Barbara" (2012, Germany, Written and Directed by Christian Petzold, 105 Minutes, in German with English subtitles)

I thought to review this particular movie this week because a good friend of mine just became the proud father of a daughter named Barbora. It's a Czech and Slovak name so you'd best Czech yourself before continuing on. Slovaking, while risky, is encouraged as well.  While Barbora isn't exactly Barbara, I'm sure the character and the actual new-born child will have near-identical life journeys.

This is a story of a woman named Barbara living in a rural area of East Berlin in 1980. You don't need to be a history buff to know things were "locked down," if you will, in this time and place. Barbara is a doctor and was sent to work there as punishment for applying for an exit visa to return to her home town of Berlin
Barbara patiently waits for her literal "man on the other side" so she can escape back to the West.
I'd rather not say too much but our gal Barb, as reclusive as she attempts to be, starts to fall for a college working with her in the East. To complicate the matter Barbara thinks, and for good reason, this particular colleague may be a spy. This unavoidably leads to difficult decisions and good old fashioned tension. Yum. 

The story is engrossing and intelligent, the plot is extremely well crafted.  This enjoyment of the plot is a rarity for me: what actually happens in the movie does not concern me as much as it does others. I tend to go for the characters. And that's precisely what this film is, a closely observed character study with a character who show's us her true self without ever being expository or making one false move. Every single action  action seems to have purpose.
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My favorite aspect to this film is the acting. It's incredible naturalistic. Especially so from our lead character, played superbly by Nina Hoss.

Hoss, wearing her blond hair pulled back tight, and wearing an expression of impenetrable and inscrutable melancholy, gives a performance that doesn't feel like a performance at all. It feels like she is living the part.

She must have read Jason Alexander's (fictional) book "Acting without acting" (That's a reference to a great "Curb Your Enthusiasm" episode for those not in the know.)

My rating: 4/5 Stars



"Boyhood" (2014, USA, Written and Directed by Richard Linklater)

Richard Linklater has made another masterpiece. The difference is this one is epic in scale and the truest movie he has ever made (which is saying a lot). It is of course epic because it was filmed over the course of 12 years using the same actors. You get to witness these people grow in front of your eyes. It is quite remarkable to say the least.

But even without this amazing conception, the movie still would be a joy to watch. It follows a family shortly after their divorce and the two children that have to deal with it. The mother and father are quite different people and this leads to many funny and drama-packed moments. Often in the same scene.

One of my favorite quotes is "Above all, give me truth." And this film is one of the most truthful representations of growing up in divorced America and coming of age stories I have ever seen.

While many movies would go for easy dramatic plot pivots and "shockers" this film stays true to life. Nothing mind-blowing happens in the plot, but it simply doesn't need to. The aging and growing of all these characters in a great ensemble cast are mind-blowing enough. There is no need for mindless tragedies in this movie; life can be tragic enough.

But the film isn't all doom and gloom. It's actually quite funny and light. A 2 hour 45 minute drama seems like it would drag at points. But, this on really doesn't.

Though the subject matter can be heavy, the film never is. I guess we just have to sit back and applaud Mr. Linklater... again.

Here is the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiDztHS3Wos

My Rating: 5/5 stars




"Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" (2006, USA,  Directed by Adam McKay,  written by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay)

Comedy movies (by their nature) are very hard to pull off sucessfuly. Most great comedy is found in either half-hour shows and 15 minute shows (Adult Swim). My point is comedy films are VERY hard for me to enjoy.  At least for the entire duration of the movie. 

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love comedy and it's one of my biggest passions. I just think comedy is very hard to sustain for long periods. Characters get tired, jokes become less funny. Well, that doesn't seem to happen in this movie. From start to finish the jokes are top notch. John C. Reily gives an amazing comedic performance and Will Ferrell's Ricky Bobby is a character for the ages. 

I loved watching this and I laughed through out. This movie is a quoteable dream. It's like the poor-man's "The Big Lebowski." Not as funny, but still with amazing characters and joke writing.

The scene where Ricky says grace at his family dinner table stuck with my and is a great representation of the kind of silly, absurd, and hilarious comedy presented in this quality movie. Here's the youtube link for those interested:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HfwnpGDFD8

You probably saw this film as it was quite popular when it came out 8 years ago. But, If you are ever in need of a good laugh, watch this movie. It holds up and the jokes seem fresh and funny even in 2014.

My Rating 4/5 Stars

Happy Sunday
Bye bye now.

"Inside Llewyn Davis" and "The Darjeeling Limited"

Happy Saturday, you made it. Happy August, you made it.

I woke up feeling good today, which was nice, so I decided to use this time to spout out whatever came to mind about two movies I love. Thanks for reading. Have a nice weekend.


"Inside Llewyn Davis" (Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, 2013, USA, 104 Minutes)

This was my favorite movie to come out last year. The Coen Brothers have done it again. And, by "it" I mean write and direct a fantastic film. 

Our subject matter is Llewyn Davis himself (think Bob Dylan but homeless and looked down upon by the people closest to him,) and the 60's folk scene in Greenwich Village, New York. The plot isn't too mind-blowing, it's simply a week in this man's difficult life. But, hey, nobody ever said being an artist is easy.

"Inside Llewyn Davis" gets everything softly, quietly right. T-Bone Burnett supervised the music, and it never sounds as if it's been lifted out of some dusty vault - it's alive. Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel gives us a half-tarnished, half-burnished vision of early 1960's New York, just dreamy enough, rather than laden with false nostalgia. 

Besides being a great film, it's also a great pleasure to watch. The music numbers are absolutely wonderful and the acting is superb. Oscar Issac's performance as the lead is subtle, nuanced, and true. This was the first I've seen of him and I was extremely impressed. He is supported by the always great Carey Mulligan (Joan). The anger coming from her character practically oozes out of her pours. Our other support is Justin Timberlake (Jim), who we all know is extremely talented. I gotta say, the more I see out of the guy the more impressed I am. He makes a great SNL host, great (almost) 4th member of The Lonely Island, and a seriously talented actor. His role here in an earnest folk singer-songwriter who is eager to please.

A scene between Llewyn and Jim is especially hilarious (they are recording a song for a corporate label and Llewyn is rightly questioning the absurdly hilarious, but not meant to be, song).

Llewyn - "Jim, I don't want to insult anybody here but... who wrote this song? (laughs)"
Jim - (looking puzzled at the question) "Well, I did."
Llewyn - "Oh, OK, yeah I was just.. yeah, OK."

This movie is funny, heartbreaking, and true all at the same time. This is what I'm sometimes looking for in films. Something to make me feel my world views are not crazy. The Coens seem to see the world as I do: absolutely ridiculous and without obvious meaning.

This is a must-not-miss film. Do yourself a favor and watch it.

My Rating 5/5 Stars.


"The Darjeeling Limited" (Directed by Wes Anderson, 2007, USA-India, 


Well, I'm sure many of you have seen this film. It's Wes Anderson after all, how could you miss it?

"Darjeeling" is called by many Anderson's worst film. I strongly Disagree. It is actually my 2nd favorite Wes film. The movie casually meanders from scene to scene, and like the first film I talked about today, is also a pleasure to watch.

Our film stars the brothers, Jack, Peter, and Francis Whitman (Jason Schwartzman, Adrian Brody, Owen Wilson.) Why are they in India? Well, to reconnect as brothers. Their father died 1 years previous and they haven't spoken since. But I think that question is best answered by Wilson's character, Francis, when he says "Well, we originally came here on a spiritual journey, but that didn't really pan out." It's comic lines like this that are delivered dryer than a saltine cracker that make me love this movie. 

I said the movie meanders. It will therefore inspire people complaining that it doesn't fly straight as an arrow at its target. But it doesn't have a target, either. Why do we have to be the cops and enforce a narrow range of movie requirements? Anderson is, in a way, like Jerry Garcia, who I'm listening to right now. He knows every note of the original song, but the fun and genius come in the way he noodles and improvises around. And in his movie's cast, especially with Owen Wilson, Anderson takes advantage of champion noodlers.

Watch this one for the laughs, for the colors of India, and for the love of brothers and family in general.

My rating 4.5/5 Stars

Thanks for reading, now get out there and enjoy your weekend, "ya filthy animals!"