FRANCES HA (2013)

Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach


Directed By Noah Baumbach


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. June 1, 2013 10:50PM



In "Frances Ha", the latest droll comedy from Noah Baumbach, twenty-seven year old Frances, with her life as a college student now in the past, is expected to begin living as an adult but this is far from an easy transition for her. She dreams of being a modern dancer but is fueled more by ambition than talent. Despite this obstacle, Frances has managed to become a member of a New York dance company but only as an understudy. As with most young people, money is a constant issue but she manages to barely squeak by though odd jobs and teaching ballet to young girls at her dance studio. Displaying her Californian roots, Frances has a care-free, sunny optimism that makes her stand-out among the more sullen and jaded attitudes of her over-privileged, East Coast peers. This young lady is brought to life by Greta Gerwig not only through her fine performance but also as a co-writer of the screenplay with Mr. Baumbach.

Frances is quite content with her current situation due to the fact that she's struggling along with her best friend since college, Sophie (Mickey Sumner). The two have a tight bond, sharing a living space and inside jokes, as they make the perfect couple, minus the sex. Frances admires Sophie mainly because she just gets her, much more than any man, and actually uses her dear friend as an excuse to exit her listless relationship after he asks Frances to move in.

A problem arises when Sophie gives notice that she's moving to a loft in Tribeca, her dream location in the city, without her. The news leaves Frances reeling but she attempts to carry a brave front. She ends up sleeping on a few couches, first with roommates, Miles (Adam Driver of HBO's "Girls") and Benji (Michael Zegan, who was just cast in the next season of "Girls"), a couple of good-natured slackers who treat Frances like one of the guys and later with Rachel (Grace Gummer), a fellow dancer who seems to have regretted the decision as soon as she made it. Frances drifts through each day, lost and unfocused but after Sophie announces that she's engaged to her boyfriend, Patch (Patrick Heusinger), this sends Frances over the edge, causing her to act even more irrationally, like taking an expensive, two-day trip to Paris.

If any of this brings to mind the cinematic romanticism of Woody Allen, it's no accident. Mr. Baumbach freely admits that with "Frances Ha" he's tipping his hat to the director, specifically his "Manhattan" era work. And while this modern view of New York is slightly more grounded and gritty, it's still a fantasy version of the city that manages not to have a single person of color in sight. Shot in beautiful black & white by Sam Levy, this film has a wafer-thin plot and doesn't offer much as far as big laughs or memorable lines. But "Frances" manages to get by with plenty of quirky charm and spiky sweetness.

The director and Gerwig first worked together on the underrated Ben Stiller comedy, "Greenberg" with the actress making a minor splash in her supporting role. They decided to join forces once again to create something new with this partnership even leading them to become a couple off screen as well. Gerwig has managed to make the peculiarities and neediness of Frances both exasperating and pleasantly irresistible while delivering some genuine moments that shows the complicated, messy and awkward sides of youth and self-discovery. Ms Sumner, the daughter of musician, Sting and producer, Trudie Styler, is a mesmerizing presence and to be honest, I think would have been just as impressive in the title role. This actor is one to keep an eye on.

At first glance, "Frances Ha" appears to be just another comedy about a single female searching for love and a sense of purpose in the chaotic big city. But by the time we reach the conclusion, we see that this film plays with that subject and our expectations on the ideas regarding romance, friendship and what makes a successful relationship.
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STORIES WE TELL (2013)

Directed by Sarah Polley


When & Where:  Sundance Sunset Theater, West Hollywood, CA.  May 17, 2013  10:00PM



Following in the footsteps of her thespian parents, Sarah Polley first appeared in a Disney holiday film at the age of four. Michael and Diane Polley's little girl would go on to accomplish far more and achieve greater commercial success than either one of them could have imagined although she certainly didn't take an easy route. Polley first become a beloved television personality in her native Canada at the age of eleven on the program, "Road To Avonlea". This came to an abrupt end due to her subtle protest of the Gulf War at an award ceremony against Disney's wishes. She would go on to great acclaim as a young adult with her performances in such films as "Go" and "The Sweet Hereafter" but famously declined a big Hollywood role she had won in "Almost Famous" so she could do a low-budget Canadian project. While this hit made a name for her replacement, Kate Hudson,  it also helped Polley completely avoid the romantic-comedy trap that Hudson is still struggling to dig herself out of. After directing a couple of short films, Polley would impress with her feature-length debut, "Away From Her" that earned her and star, Julie Christie Academy-Award nominations.

In "Stories We Tell", Polley's first documentary feature, she turns the camera on herself or more specifically her mother which ultimately leads back to the director. What began as a family joke regarding Sarah's actual paternity evolves in to an in-depth and fascinating investigation in to the possibility that this could be much more than just an arbitrary remark. The film creatively combines actual home movies along with recreating moments with actors to look like old super 8 film while Polley interviews family and friends to recall what they knew or didn't know about any deep, dark secrets that Diane Polley might be keeping hid.

A bubbly, wild spirit who loved to gab, trill and kick up her heels, Diane MacMillan was considered the life of any party. So many were quite surprised when she fell in love and married Michael Polley, a British actor who settled in Toronto. Michael was the complete opposite of his vivacious wife as he was more of a reserved homebody who didn't have much interest in surrounding himself with loud people at some social gathering. They have children and live a quiet, comfortable life but Michael has a desire to put acting on the back-burner. He decides to concentrate on his writing but not much materializes. Frustrated by her husband's lack of motivation in work and their marriage as well as her own stalled acting career, Diane goes off to Montreal to do a play for a few months. With her family left far behind in Toronto, Diane becomes revitalized as she is able to express herself on stage while spending the rest of the evening hanging out and drinking heartily with friends after the performance.

It has been said that absence makes the heart grow fonder and after Michael pays a visit to his wife in the city, the couple rekindles their relationship. Shortly after her return home, Mrs. Polley soon discovers that she is pregnant. However, instead of feeling thrilled and overjoyed, Diane is despondent with serious thoughts of having an abortion. Her reaction to this news indicates the first sign of something amiss but a last minute decision is made and our director was born in 1979. Some time later, Diane is stricken with cancer but after a valiant battle, she passes away by the time Sarah is eleven years old.

The question of her paternity was never a serious issue until Sarah became an adult. After years of feeling some uncertainty, she decides to begin the process in discovering the possible truth with all of the potential players questioned. Michael Polley reveals that he understands why his wife could have had an affair but doesn't doubt for a moment that he is Sarah's real father. This journey even inspired him to return to expressing himself on paper as we watch Sarah direct her father as he records his written perspective of their family history. Sarah's five siblings share their reasons for believing that their sister might have a different biological parent including a telling phone conversation one brother recalls overhearing their mother having with a mysterious individual. Sarah interviews some of Diane's close friends and even tracks down some members of the theatrical team on that production in Montreal with special interest paid to the men who might have developed an extra special relationship to her mother. What is most unexpected through many of these interviews is how everyone seems to handle the revelations as quite matter-of-fact and very civilly. Since it took several years to put this film together, perhaps it gave the participants time to process what was revealed yet I'm still surprised that no one displays even the slightest bit of resentment or anger.

Polley had made it clear she wasn't at all comfortable revealing her family secrets but also realized that being a public figure would mean that her story would not remain quiet for long. Reporters had also become aware of the details. Yet somehow Polley managed to get them to delay broadcasting the news until first she figured out how she wanted to share this information. In this age of over-sharing and hyper-narcissism, it would be easy to simply dismiss "Stories We Tell" as just a grandiose exercise in self-absorption. I almost made that mistake before actually seeing this film. But what Polley has effectively done is found a way to tell her personal story that is thoughtfully considered and beautifully rendered that reaches far beyond a standard documentary. "Stories We Tell" is truly a masterful and unforgettable experience.

WINNERS FROM THE 2013 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

"La Vie A'Dele" (Blue Is The Warmest Color), the controversial film by Abdellatif Kechiche received the top prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Léa Seydoux and Adele Exarchopoulos (who were each also honored with the prize along with the film) star as teenage girls who fall in love and the complications that come with that. The three-hour long film created some serious buzz due to it's lengthy explicit lesbian sex scene but the jury, headed by Steven Spielberg, looked past that to honor this film. "Inside Llewyn Davis", the latest by the Coen Brothers took home the Grand Prix, a runner-up prize for best film.

Here is the list of winners from the 2013 Cannes Film Festival:

Palme d'Or: "La Vie A'Dele" (Blue is the Warmest Color)



Grand Prix: "Inside Llewyn Davis"

Prix du Jury (Jury Prize): "Like Father, Like Son,"

Prix de la Mise en Scene (Best Director): Amat Escalante, "Heli"


Prix du Scenario (Best Screenplay): Jia Zhangke, "Tian Zhu Ding"(A Touch of Sin)


Camera d'Or (Best First Feature): "Ilo Ilo,"



Prix d'interpretation masculine (Best Actor): Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"

Prix d'interpretation feminine (Best Actress): Berenice Bejo, "La Passe" (The Past)

THE ICEMAN (2013)

Written by Ariel Vromen & Morgan Land


Directed by Ariel Vromen


Where & When:  The Landmark, West Los Angeles, CA. May 13, 2013 7:10PM



Richard Kuklinski was a cold-blooded killer who committed homicide not only whenever he flew in to a blind rage but it was also his secret profession. He worked as a hit man for the mob for thirty years and is rumoured to have killed between one hundred to two hundred and fifty people (with the exact number unclear due to Kuklinski's fuzzy recollection) before his arrest in 1986. What actually makes Kuklinski's story stand out is how he managed to live two very separate lives for many years without raising suspicion. He was seen publicly as an unassuming family man living in a quiet suburban New Jersey neighborhood while no one had the slightest inkling that he was responsible for whipping up a deadly path of destruction in the city, leaving a long trail of bloody corpses not far behind.

"The Iceman", a disturbing but thoroughly fascinating crime thriller based on actual events by writer/director Ariel Vromen, has the intense Michael Shannon playing the contract killer as it recounts his life from his early days of working for the DeMeo mob pirating porn before being enlisted to become the preferred assassin of the leader, Roy DeMeo (Ray Liotta).

Kuklinski was very good at his job due to his ability to feel nothing or show any emotion no matter how much someone might beg him to spare their life. The film seems to indicate that the many years of severe physical and mental abuse by the hands of his parents was the likely catalyst that lead the young Kuklinski to lose touch of his compassion and basic humanity. His younger sibling, Joseph (Stephen Dorff) had already become a casualty, serving a life-prison sentence for the rape and murder of a twelve-year old girl but Richard thinks he can do better with his life. He gets the courage to ask out Deborah (Winona Ryder), a young woman who he thinks is prettier than actress, Natalie Wood. She finds his dry wit and quiet demeanor charming and comforting. The couple are soon married, have two daughters and begin a tranquil family life with Deborah believing her loving husband to be some sort of an investment banker. Married life, however, doesn't quell his blood thirst in the slightest but it seems to inspire Kuklinski to become much more methodical in his work.

Kuklinski used many creative methods to kill his victims to help minimize attention by law-enforcement. He was introduced to the idea of freezing the bodies so that the time of death couldn't be identified by another hired assassin known as "Mr. Softee" (an unrecognizable Chris Evans) as an ice-cream truck was his preferred mode of transportation. This helped earn Kuklinski the nickname, "The Iceman" and during this time he's also shown the uses of cyanide as it's difficult to detect in a forensic test.

As what eventually happens in many organized crime groups due to ego and greed, the DeMeo mob implodes with Kuklinski having to lay low for a while. Extremely unhappy about not being able to do his job, "the Iceman" begins to rage against his friends and family with the serial killer recklessly executing some off-target individuals. This ultimately leads to his own inevitable and well-deserved fate.

This is Ariel Vromen's fourth feature film and although his previous works haven't garnered much attention, that should change with his latest, "The Iceman". Stories involving the mafia have become fairly commonplace in cinema and Kuklinski's remarkable tale has been covered in books and documentaries but Mr. Vromen has managed to keep the tension high and the tragic events compelling without feeling overly familiar. There is plenty of blood and violence to be found but the focus is placed on the psychology of this damaged soul and his internal struggle with his desire to live a predictable normal life while fighting with an equally strong desire to participate in a savage occupation that he seems tailor-made for which brings a brutal end to human lives.

At six feet and four inches and with his dead-eyed stare, Michael Shannon is most certainly an intimidating presence and that's what he brings to his performance as Kuklinski. While Mr. Shannon is a reliably good actor and quite impressive here but he's unable to overcome the lingering feeling of how this intense, secretive, quick-tempered brooder was ever convincingly able to fool anybody in to believing that he was some sort of honest, upstanding citizen.

With her career derailed due to the distractions involving her criminal conviction for shoplifting, Ms Ryder has finally gotten a role that serves as a reminder to what a fine talent she has remained. Although she is now forty-one, Ryder still doesn't look old enough to be playing anyone mother but the actress is highly convincing in her supporting turn as the trusting wife in love with an enigma. While Mrs Kuklinski might display deep affection for the man in her life but is unable to always conceal the fear in her eyes as she's fully aware of how unstable and dangerous he can be at times. It's remains questionable whether this woman was completely unaware of  her husband's criminal activities or his involvement with the mafia but I'm sure whatever the case, she thought it best to remain silent for the sake of her children and her own well-being.

While "The Iceman" might not be in the same league as some other films dealing with the mob underworld such as "The Godfather" trilogy, Brian DePalma's "Scarface" or the Scorsese classics, "Good Fellas" and "Casino" but this gritty film certainly holds it's own. While we are given insight in to why Kuklinski, who found an outlet for his pent-up rage, was so driven to the endless carnage and destruction but it's less clear on the reason he needed to drag his innocent family, that he seemed to love and care for, down with him.

PAIN AND GAIN (2013)

Written by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely


Directed by Michael Bay


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas. Hollywood, CA.  April 28, 2013  8:35PM


For a number of years, Michael Bay has achieved great box-office success with his brand of testosterone-fueled, hyper-violent and high-priced action flicks such as "Bad Boys", "Armageddon", "Pearl Harbor" and his most profitable, the "Transformers" franchise. Most of these explosive endeavors have brought home big-bucks but failed to earn the filmmaker much love or respect as many critics gleefully deride his cinematic efforts as exercises in mindless excess.

While I'm certain Mr. Bay has not lost a single night's sleep over this slight but it might be possible that it could still be gnawing away at him. His latest, "Pain & Gain" is a major departure for the director as it appears to be a not-so-subtle attempt to show those mean-spirited critics that he can do "low-budget" or at least his version of that. I can't claim to be sitting in Mr. Bay's cheering section as I agree that most of his movies are pretty hollow and mindless yet "Pain and Gain" won me over, at least for most of the way.

This dark comedy is loosely based on the true-life case involving some horrific crimes committed by employees of the Sun Gym in Florida. Made for the bargain price of around twenty-six million dollars, Mr. Bay was already ahead by assembling an inspired cast and getting some hilarious performances from them, lead by Mark Wahlberg as Daniel Lugo, a meathead personal trainer who was the mastermind behind the crazy plot to kidnap his wealthy client, Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub) and force him to sign over his vast fortune.

The idea was inspired by a motivational speaker (Ken Jeong) who made Lugo realize that he should stop being a "don'ter" and be a "doer". Because of his impressive, well-built body and good looks, Lugo feels entitled to the glamorous lifestyle that someone like Kershaw enjoys but doesn't actually deserve. Since the man is an out-of-shape, obnoxious a-hole, the fact that he's a self-made millionaire hardly matters.

A couple of guys are rounded up to help put some muscle in the plan although neither would ever be mistaken for any type of genius. First on board is Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie), another trainer at the gym who needs cash to help pay for treatment as he suffers from a limp noodle due to his steroid use. Also enlisted is Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson), a hulking former drug addict and ex-con who has turned his back on his criminal past as he was saved by divine intervention. However, Lugo easily convinces him that the job will be quick and promises no one will get hurt.

The fact that Lugo is the brains of this outfit leaves one to wonder how this prosperous plan will ever get off the ground. After a couple of failed attempts, the boys actually manage to take Kershaw hostage but, not too surprisingly, an unplanned wrinkle develops as the blindfolded victim is able to quickly identify Lugo. Another unforeseen problem occurs with Kershaw being far from cooperative in handing over his money, requiring a lengthy capture and necessary torture. Eventually, Kershaw breaks and with the help of the gym owner (Rob Corddry), who just happens to be notary, the trio becomes instantly rich. But there is one last obstacle and that's what to do about the former millionaire? Since Kershaw can identify them, Lugo decides he's got to go. This persuasive gym-rat is able to talk the conflicted others in to helping him do the dirty work.

It should be no surprise at this point that Kershaw manages to survive the brutal attempt to end his life. Since the police don't believe his story, he tries to find a private investigator to help. The retired detective (Ed Harris) that Kershaw locates is skeptical but decides to take on the job in tracking down the gang. Meanwhile, Doyle, who has blown all his cash on drugs, women and a high-rolling lifestyle, needs to do another kidnapping. They find another mark; the owner of a phone-sex operation (Michael Rispoli) but their latest harebrained scheme winds up even more botched than the first, leaving this inept gang with a couple of corpses to contend with.

Mr. Bay starts "Pain and Gain" off quite nicely, handling the comedy with a deft hand while utilizing his trademark swirling and twirling camerawork to great advantage but by the time we move into the second heist, the pumped-up, cartoon antics and the over-the-top violence seems better suited for a "Three Stooges" short than the comic retelling of an actual crime-story. In fact, the director does himself a great disservice by displaying the images of the real-life counterparts at the end as it only serves as a reminder to how far disconnected from reality the film had become.

The saving grace that makes sitting through "Pain & Gain" well worth the time is the very fine performances of the leads. As he displayed in the dirty-talking teddy-bear comedy, "Ted", Mr. Wahlberg has the amazing ability to still come across as likable and somewhat sympathetic regardless of how many despicable and appalling deeds he commits. He makes Lugo even funnier by playing him far from the sinister psychopath he probably was but as a sweet but highly deluded nice guy who only wants his fair share, regardless of whether he has to steal or kill to get it. Mr. Johnson has proven to also be a fine comedian as he humorously zips from a God-fearing con seeking redemption to a high-wired, cocaine-addled mess.With these two taking up a large chunk of screen time, that leaves very little for Mr.Mackie to do but he still manages to briefly shine, most especially with Aussie comic, Rebel Wilson who is currently taking Hollywood by storm as she plays a nurse with jungle fever.

An upcoming film due out later this summer, "The Bling Ring" deals with another real-life crime-spree but this involves L.A. teenagers robbing from the young and famous starlets that they admire and want to emulate. This independent feature could make an interesting companion piece to "Pain and Gain" although I think the Sofia Coppola directed project (who is very used to working small and low-budget) will be much better modulated.

On the surface, "Pain & Gain" feels like a unexpected change of pace from the director's usual fare. A small-scaled comedy paired with overly exuberant visual bombast but as the film manically races to it's conclusion, it appears that Mr. Bay lost faith in the fact-based material with the truth not being satisfactory. It seems he believed that "Pain & Gain" needed to be bigger, louder and dumber.

2013 SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW

The time has come to once again see what's in store for movie fans this upcoming summer season. Having scanned what's on the horizon, much of what's on this slate feels particularly underwhelming as it's filled with even more sequels, superheroes and obscenely-expensive action flicks. Nothing wrong with any of these types of films I might add but this leaves fewer alternatives than ever as Hollywood throws most of it's money at a tiny number of overly familiar movies while completely ignoring the possibility of spending a smaller amount of cash on creating something fresh and innovative that audiences could discover. Sure, it may be a potentially risky gamble but no more of a risk than investing over two hundred million dollars on one film.

This year has already gotten off to a rough start with many pricy releases turning out to be major disappointments. I have a strong feeling that not nearly enough of these films of summer are going to be strong enough to be able to adequately turn things around. Despite my grumblings, I have still managed to find a few things of interest that I'm looking forward in checking out:

"STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS"

Release date: May 17, 2103

"Star Trek" was another franchise that was successfully revived back in 2009 by director, J.J. Abrams and is finally back with a follow-up. "Star Trek Into Darkness" brings the crew of the USS Enterprise, headed by Chris Pine as Capt. Kirk, back out on a mission to track down a mysterious dark figure (Benedict Cumberbatch) who has wrecked havoc on Earth and are out to bring him to justice. Zachary Quinto (Spock), Karl Urban (Dr. McCoy), Simon Pegg ("Scotty"), John Cho (Sulu) and Zoe Saldana (Uhura)are all back on board.



"FRANCES HA"

Release date: May 17. 2013

Noah Baumbach, the director of one of my favorite films, "The Squid and The Whale" and actress, Greta Gerwig who had her first major role in his comedy, "Greenberg" have teamed up to write the screenplay for their new film together, "Frances Ha". This black & white comedy about a young modern dancer(Gerwig) living in New York who begins to feel as if she is relying too much on her best friend (Mickey Sumner, daughter of rock star, Sting) as she struggles to find her own way in life. The comparisons to Woody Allen and his "Manhattan" is inevitable (and slightly intentional) but "Frances" seems to offer it's own quirky outlook on life in the Big Apple.




"BEFORE MIDNIGHT"

Release date: May 24, 2013

Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy return in "Before Midnight", the third film in the series that explores a couple's relationship as they don't do much more than talk to each other but manage to make it endlessly fascinating. This time, the two have been married for nine years and have a couple of kids but have now reached the point where they are beginning to feel restless and searching for meaning in their lives while vacationing in the Greek isles. Director, Richard Linklater has co-written the screenplay once again with Hawke and Delpy.



"THE MAN OF STEEL"

Release date: June 14, 2013

Although the 2006 film, "Superman Returns" failed to generate much excitement, that doesn't mean that our hero from Krypton is down and out. Inspired by the successful re-boots of Batman and Spider-Man, director Zack Snyder and writer, David S. Goyer have attempted to revive the franchise once again but this time have decided to slightly alter the Superman we're all familiar with. While most of the basic origin story in "The Man of Steel" remains intact, much has been re-imagined all the way down to his red and blue costume. The relatively unknown British actor, Henry Cavill has been cast as Superman but the rest of the supporting cast has been filled with familiar faces; Kevin Costner (Johnathan Kent), Diane Lane (Martha Kent), Laurence Fishburne (Perry White), Amy Adams (Lois Lane) and Russell Crowe as the man of steel's father, Jor-El. Of course, there has to be a villain and Michael Shannon fills that role as General Zod.



"I'M SO EXCITED"

Release date: June 28, 2013

After venturing in a more serious, dramatic vein with his last few films, Pedro Almodovar has seemed to have returned to the outrageous campy fare that helped put him on the map. "I'm So Excited" is a farce set in the friendly skies involving a flight to Mexico City and what happens to everyone on board when faced with a life-changing event. Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz appear along with the director's cast of regulars.



"BYZANTIUM"

Release date: June 28, 2013

In "Byzantium", the residents of a small British coastal town become suspicious of a mother and daughter (Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan) when people are found with the blood drained from their bodies. The films by director Neil Jordan can either be very good ("Mona Lisa", "The Crying Game") or very bad ("High Spirits", "In Dreams"), so the jury is still out on this one.



"LAURENCE ANYWAYS"

Release date: June TBA

One of my favorite new filmmakers is Xavier Dolan. At only twenty-four, this French-Canadian has confidently created thoughtful and mature dramas earning him several awards for his first two films. His latest, "Laurence Anyways" tells the story of a successful author and scholar (Melvil Poupaud) who makes the difficult descion to begin living life as a female. His girlfriend (Suzanne Clément) is certainly shocked by this revelation but tries to be understanding which proves to be more difficult than she imagined. "Laurence" was featured in the Un Certain Regard section at last year's Cannes Film Festival and won Ms.Clément the Best Actress Award.



"BLUE JASMINE"

Release date: July 26, 2013

To say I was disappointed with Woody Allen's last film, "To Rome With Love" would be a gross understatement but I'm not one to hold grudges. I'm still anticipating the writer/director's latest effort, "Blue Jasmine". He has once again returned to American shores after many recent films set overseas with the story of a New York housewife (Cate Blancett) who, after a marriage crisis with her husband (Alec Baldwin), heads to San Francisco to start a new life. This drama also stars Bobby Cannavale, Sally Hawkins along with performers better known as stand-up comedians, Louis C.K. and Andrew "Dice" Clay.


"ELYSIUM"

Release date: August 9, 2013

Set in the distant future, "Elysium" tells the tale of an Earth now separated by two classes; one that lives high-above in a space station in comfort and wealth while the majority remain to suffer on an overpopulated planet in decay and despair. Matt Damon plays an ill man determined to get in to Elysium no matter what the cost but the head of security (Jodie Foster) is just as determined to stop him. Writer/director, Neill Blomkamp has returned with his latest sci-fi thriller following, "District 9" which received four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture in 2009.




"LOVELACE"

Release date: August 9, 2013

A young Linda Boreman is transformed in to Linda Lovelace and stars in the notorious 1972 porn film, "Deep Throat". Later, she becomes a major celebrity but behind the scenes, her life was a nightmare of drugs, abuse and intimidation by her husband, Chuck Traynor (Peter Sarsgaard). Amanda Seyfried plays the title role in "Lovelace" the second feature film by documentary filmmakers, Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. James Franco, Chloë Sevigny, Adam Brody (as co-star, Harry Reems) and Sharon Stone also star.

42 (2013)

Written & Directed by Brian Helgeland


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA.  April 15, 2013  5:00PM


It would seem unimaginable that a person today would be allowed to loudly scream racial epithets at someone in public without no one even raising an eyebrow. The fact is that not so long ago, that type of behavior was widely accepted and most likely, others would begin to spit out their own additional ugly insults.

In the uplifting and inspirational film, "42", which tells the controversial story of an African-American, Jackie Robinson (portrayed in a star-making turn by Chadwick Boseman) and his difficult struggle to simply play professional baseball along side Caucasian men. This moment occurs when the Philadelphia Phillies manager (bravely played by Alan Tudyk) repeatedly shouts out every derogatory name he can think of at the player. The purpose is not so much to rattle Robinson but to remind him that he's not at all welcome in white baseball.

It all began when Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford), a former ballplayer and now the GM of the Brooklyn Dodgers decided it was time to have a black player on the team. First, the ideal candidate had to be found who is not only a great player but has the inner strength to withstand and not react to the verbal abuse that will most certainly be directed at him. Jackie Robinson, a promising player in the Negro league, is selected. The plan is to first have Robinson join the Montreal Royals which was part of Brooklyn's International league in 1946. Living in Pasadena, California, Robinson heads out to spring training with his new bride, Rachel (Nicole Beharie) for support. Rickey also arranges for Wendell Smith (Andre Holland), an African-American sports writer to not only cover this ground-breaking moment but help keep a watchful eye over the player.

Motivated not only by monetary gain but a lifelong desire to do the right thing,  Rickey knew that the integration of baseball would be highly complicated nor easily accepted but still he underestimated the extreme hostility and resistance to the very idea. Even before Robinson had set foot in the locker room, many of his future teammates signed a petition against him joining the Dodgers but Rickey informs them that he would be more than willing to trade any unhappy player to another team.

Now a member of the famed ball team and given the number "42", Robinson was fully aware of what he was getting in to but failed to take in to account the personal toil it would take, leaving him feeling isolated and highly frustrated. But he manages to find the inner strength to endure as he realizes the hardships he faces are a means to an end.

"42" is set in the early stages before the civil rights movement when change was in the air as some began to seriously question the injustices placed upon minorities, regardless of whether society at large was ready or willing to adapt. The film doesn't shy away from the ugliness that comes from that fear and the desperation to hang on to convention . This point is driven home in a scene where a father and son are together to enjoy a baseball game. Shortly after Robinson enters the field, the father begins shouting the N-word as the young boy is shocked and slightly dismayed. However, as soon as the crowd begins to roar louder with additional disturbing taunts directed at the player, the child feels obligated to join the mob.

This isn't the first time Robinson's story has been told on film as the 1950, "The Jackie Robinson Story" has the ballplayer actually playing himself. That film was more of a rush-job to capitalize on the controversy but with "42", writer/director Brian Helgeland has crafted a film with a broader emotional scope and rich visual design. Mr. Helgeland has been best known for many years as a respected writer in Hollywood, responsible for such films as "Mystic River", "Man on Fire" and "L.A. Confidential" (which won him an Oscar in 1997), but this is only the third time he has directed (although technically his fourth as he kept the credit on his first, the 1999 Mel Gibson thriller, "Payback" but the studio did not release his cut of the film). Following the forgettable "A Knight's Tale" and "The Order", "42" is clearly his most impressive, filled with heartfelt performances, majestic camera-work by Don Burgess and, not surprisingly, a thoughtful, well-written screenplay although it doesn't venture far enough out of the traditional "based-on-a-true-story" format.

This may be the first high-profile role for Chadwick Boseman but clearly just the beginning of a long film career ahead. Much like what Daniel Day-Lewis had to do with his performance in "Lincoln", the actor had to dig deep to bring out the humanity of a heroic figure whose character has been shaped by folklore. While not completely successful, Boseman manages to make a compelling impression and displays a promising future. It has been a while since Harrison Ford has had a part where he hasn't coasted on his movie-star charisma but here he seems to relish the opportunity to play a character while delivering a richly nuanced performance

"42" suffers the same fate as many of the bio-pics that receives the blessing of the estate; you no longer have an accurate portrait of a flesh & blood individual but the glorified idea of who that person was. No matter. The film remains a powerful and moving tribute to one brave man who stood up to the difficult challenge of being the first, so that many would be given the opportunity to follow behind him.