Brooklyn

Brooklyn – a movie review by Tony Baksa 12/21/2015

                                               

Rating – 4 Suns

It’s like a cozy and engrossing curl-up-in-a-big chair novel. “Brooklyn” is a marvel. Director John Crowley has delivered a richly sentimental tale full of nostalgia. The story involves a young ambitious Irish immigrant, Eilis (Saoirse Ronam), looking for a life she can call her own in 1952. She is blessed with a wonderful array of characters who whether they know it or not support her expectations.  

We first encounter Eilis every bit the young Irish lassie preparing to immigrate to Brooklyn, NY. Her uncle has financed her transition also setting up lodging for her at a boarding house for young ladies in Brooklyn. Eilis is very much the fish out of water. She lands a job at a department store. After an initial period of shyness and homesickness, Eilis warms to Brooklyn and Brooklyn warms to Eilis. She begins to assimilate making friends and eventually falling in love with a charming young Italian, Tony.

What seems like stereotypical situations and characters soon revert to an original and very specific story. Eilis’s new life is put to the test by conflict. She returns to Ireland under sad circumstances. Meant to be a short visit, Eilis is drawn back into the comfort of familiarity in her Irish town. To complicate matters, she seems to be falling for a local Irish lad. Is Tony becoming a distant memory? She prolongs her stay unable to decide if she should return to America. An incident involving an infamous local merchant is the catalyst that propels our young heroine into action.

I’ve left out many plot details because “Brooklyn” is best viewed knowing as little as possible. For me, it was a delightful surprise. It reminded me of the Merchant/ Ivory films of the 1970’s and ‘80’s with a dash or two of Masterpiece Theatre thrown in for good measure. 

The film looks good. The actors are all great especially Emory Cohen as Tony and Saoirse Ronan as Eilis. The superlative script by Nick Hornby (About A Boy, High Fidelity) plus the set, great art direction and costumes bring 1952 Brooklyn to authentic life with a bit of a glossy glow. This film is one big valentine to its enthusiastic immigrants wholeheartedly adding positive diversity to their perceived utopia – America.

 I loved this movie and plan on seeing it again once it goes out to wide release. It will be coming to local theaters soon. See it!

Steve Jobs

‘Steve Jobs’ a satisfying drama

                                                   

Thursday November 5, 2015 | By:Tony Baksa |

If you like a movie chock full of great performances, brimming over with dramatic conflict and relevancy, you will love “Steve Jobs”. Director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) delivers a tremendous wallop of a movie involving genius techy, Steve Jobs, creator of Macintosh and the beloved IPod.

Boyle structures the movie like a three act play. Each act serves as a prelude to the launch of a new product engineered by Jobs for Apple. The behind the sc enes drama and hijinks that leads up to each presentation to the world is unbelievably thrilling. This is a brilliant device by superstar screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin that shows Jobs in all his suits – innovator, entrepreneur, corporate team player, friend and especially interesting and touching, father.

Steve Jobs who passed away in 2011 was a driven man. It follows that like most driven men he was difficult. I guess when you’re smarter than anyone else and almost always right, it can rub people the wrong way. What Boyle and Sorkin do is show Jobs in all his faults and all his glory. With wit, humor and deep understanding, Steve Jobs emerges as complex and very human.

Michael Fassbender portrays Jobs with fire and astounding charisma. He is the pied piper of Silicon Valley. Who wouldn’t follow such a man? Fassbender is currently one of our finest actors. I would say he is a great actor building an astounding resume of outstanding performances in recent years (12 Years a Slave, The Counselor, Shame). His performance alone is reason enough to see this movie.

Before each product launch, Jobs deals with a multitude of conflicts that would make an ordinary person crumble. Yet, he forges on at top speed dealing with each confrontation and the residue and scars that result from the encounters. Scenes with his partner Steve Wozniak, Apple CEO John Sculley, and computer scientist and Mac designer, Andy Hertzfeld bristle. Especially enthralling are the scenes between Jobs and his “work wife” Apple marketing director, Joanna Hoffman. Their relationship is the thread that runs through the movie with an enormous emotional pull.

Fans of television’s “West Wing” are familiar with the full gallop that Aaron Sorkin’s scripts provide. You can expect the same speed with this film. Pared with Danny Boyle’s astute direction, “Steve Jobs” moves like a high speed train bent on reaching its destination on time.

Every performance is a gem with Oscar worthy turns by Seth Rogen (Wozniak), Jeff Daniels (Sculley) and Michael Stuhlbarg (Hertzfeld). Kate Winslet (Hoffman) is simply amazing. She is so authentic that I did not recognize her only to discover her name in the end credits.

“Steve Jobs” is that rare film that portrays genius in human terms. It is intelligent and revelatory, stylish and witty. But, above all else, it is high drama delivered with an exciting rat-a-tat rhythm and emotional fireworks resulting in a satisfying and exhilarating experience.

http://www.thesunnews.net/index.php

The Walk

‘The Walk’ a visceral experience

Thursday October 22, 2015 | By:Tony Baksa |

“The Walk” is much like a procedural. Usually procedurals are associated with the solving of a crime. No real crime, here, but the commonality is the utter focus on an event. The path to this event is almost as exciting as the event – the walk.

What is “The Walk”? It is a true story of an extraordinary wire walk across the twin towers of The World Trade Center high above lower Manhattan in 1974. High-wire artist Phillipe Petit becomes obsessed with attempting this death defying act after he sees a picture of the towers in a magazine. So he recruits a support team to realize his dream. The method to his madness is portrayed in a most exciting way as Phillipe and company travel to America from France to work out their scheme. Two-thirds of the film is devoted to this richly detailed plan. It is highly interesting and weirdly comical. In fact, the entire movie is weirdly comical – from the situations of danger in the planning right up until the walk across the massive void form tower to tower.

The film moves along with a momentum that keeps us interested. We are treated to key moments in Phillipe’s maturing as an artist in Paris. He is reluctantly mentored by the stern but funny Papa Rudy played deliciously by Ben Kingsley. A task master, Papa Rudy, ultimately is won over by Phillipe and funds his project to take on the towers. Also available for support is Annie, a Parisian street artist who is charmed by the charismatic Phillipe. Played by Charlotte le Bon, Annie is equally as charming as our hero.

The remaining third of the movie is riveting and edge of the seat enthralling. Petit wire-walking with only the clouds and an occasional bird for company will have you reeling. Why would anyone want to do this? As played by the whimsical Joseph Gordon-Levitt, you can believe his passion. Gordon-Levitt turns in a funny performance – charming and heroic. His motely support crew is as idiosyncratic as a grunge band – entertaining and likeable. But, it’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt that, like the wire-walk, is the main attraction.

Much of the credit goes to veteran film maker, Robert Zemeckis (Forest Gump, Polar Express). Zemeckis specializes in subtle whimsy. He is the reason “The Walk” is such an original piece. His screenplay is based on Petit’s book “To Reach The Clouds”. Directed with an emotional pull, Zemeckis manages to give the audience an amazing experience. Watching “The Walk” in 3D is the next best thing to walking the walk – or not. I was thrilled by the feeling but some may not enjoy the visceral high-wire experience. It may make you squeamish but it’s a fun kind of squeamish akin to the thrills one gets from a really scary horror flick.

Evoking 1970’s New York City and Paris, I appreciated the subtle nods to this era. We get gut wrenching shots of the former World Trade Center that serve as homage to these tragic monoliths. It is quite moving. With astonishing cinematography by Dariusz Wolski, “The Walk” is unlike any movie I have seen in years. To evoke old time Variety movie critics, “Run, don’t walk to “The Walk”. It is great fun!

http://www.thesunnews.net/around_town/611-'The_Walk_a_visceral_experience.html

Grandma

‘Grandma’ makes for a good road movie

                                     

Thursday October 8, 2015 | By:Tony Baksa |

It is rare for a movie to deal with hot button issues and not politicize. “Grandma” starring the irrepressible Lily Tomlin in the title role is such a movie. A no-nonsense type, grandma Elle is faced with the predicament of helping her teenage granddaughter, Sage, come to terms with an unwanted pregnancy. Although a well-known author, Elle is temporarily broke and unable to offer financial assistance to Sage. So, they embark on a mission to get $600 dollars from grandma’s friends and acquaintances. Somewhere in that mix is grandma’s ex-husband who she hasn’t seen in thirty years.

What we have here is that old staple – a road movie – a really good road movie. Tomlin is front and center in a funny and touching performance. She portrays a woman who has battled her whole life for a logical and relevant existence – neither of which she has achieved. Her life is in constant turmoil what with financial worries and most especially the loss of her life partner, Vi. Known as grandma Vi to Sage, it seems Vi would have been Sage’s logical choice for guidance at this difficult time. But Vi has passed away, recently. Grandma Elle seems a bad choice for Sage to seek help. But her spirit and resilience is charismatic and offers a strange kind of comfort to her granddaughter. You know all will work out in the end. Getting there is what the movie is all about.

So Grandma and granddaughter go on this journey to raise the cash. We meet a wide variety of Elle’s friends and so-called friends as well. It is these encounters that show Elle in survivor mode – a glorious sight to behold. The episodic nature of this movie is what makes it so satisfying.

Paul Weitz, producer and writer of such hits as “About A Boy” and “American Pie”, takes a stab at directing - apparently for the first time. His straight forward no gimmicks approach serves the movie well. He has assembled a sturdy cast of veterans and a few newbies to lay before us a heartfelt scenario.

Tomlin is simply wonderful as grandma Elle. Julie Garner is perfect as the naïve Sage. Outstanding is Sam Elliot in two riveting scenes that reunite him with his former wife, Elle. Marcia Gay Harden as Sage’s over bearing mother brings humanity to a role that could have easily come off as mean.

“Grandma” is funny, sad and slightly disturbing. It is also extremely entertaining. With a wise and knowing screenplay by Weitz, we are looking in on real people facing life’s challenges as we all do. It isn’t about happy or sad endings. Like life, it’s about keeping on and moving on and - as the song says - people needing people.

http://www.thesunnews.net/

The Visit

‘The Visit’ is scary, but not entertaining

                           

                   

Thursday September 24, 2015 | By:Tony Baksa |

M. Night Shyamalan has to be admired for his sheer perseverance. As writer and director of 14 films and several TV series spanning 23 years, Shyamalan manages to get movies produced based on his 1999 blockbuster success “The Sixth Sense”. He has never matched the quality of “Sixth Sense” and it looks like he never will. His newest offering, “The Visit”, has so much wrong with it that it is difficult to know where to begin with my criticism.

The set-up is enticing. Siblings Becca and Tyler are sent off by their single mom for a week’s visit with their grandparents at their Pennsylvania farm. The kids have never met their mother’s parents due to a 15 year estrangement. Secrets abound and the fun of the movie should be uncovering these secrets. No fun here as predictable events follow each other to a sordid and most unpleasant conclusion. The unpleasantness comes from watching a 15 year old girl and a 13 year old boy being terrorized by, frankly, disgusting methods.

A horror film should be scary but fun and above all else entertaining. None of the above applies. From the moment the kids set foot on the remote farm, the anticipation is stolen from us by obvious signs of trouble. We are then taken through the week as the screen‘s graphics announce the passing of each day leading up to the inevitable Saturday showdown. And you see it all coming from the first reel. There is one major plot twist that is fantastic and may have been the selling point to the movie’s producers. Would that it had inspired a better backstory.

“The Visit” is scary but not in a compelling way. It is atrocious and repulsive in the way it forces you to avert your eyes! It fails to set up rules for us to believe in. It is more than anything else – annoying. The script is pretentious. There are so many holes in its logic. I wish I could point them all out to you but for this genre that wouldn’t be fair. I am opposed to spoiler alerts. Just to say, the only spoiler here is M. Night Shyamalan. How could this movie come from the same person who gave us the hauntingly beautiful “The Sixth Sense”? How does he get money to make films? His track record is abysmal. What is especially pathetic is that Shyamalan steals unashamedly from low budget movies like the “Paranormal” franchise and can’t even up the ante.

On a positive note, the unfamiliar cast is appealing given the circumstances. I’d like to see Olivia DeJonge (Becca) in future projects. She has a natural quality that makes you care what happens to her.

Directed with no wit or vision, the movie avoids much needed special effects. The same can be said of the script. Rod Serling would have had a field day with this story.

At the risk of being obvious, don’t visit “The Visit”. It is a trip you will regret.

http://www.thesunnews.net/scene/780-'The_Visit_is_scary,_but_not_entertaining.html

It's never "just a movie" anymore

It’s Just a Movie – a commentary by Tony Baksa 8/27/2015

                                    

People say it all the time. I have said it. “It’s just a movie”. In fact, much of the time movies are more than just flickering images with clever dialogue. We are moved emotionally and intellectually by movies. We gain a social conscience. We learn so much through film. Sometimes a movie can help us come to terms with personal issues. “It’s just a movie” no longer applies if it ever did.

Case in point - two movies I recently watched on DVD and Netflix :

As I age I am acutely aware of death. I hate that word DEATH. It is so final. According to spiritualists as well as many religious teachings, death is not final. There is the other side - the afterlife. I love believing in the afterlife. I am in love with the idea. Yet, I ask myself, what is it I really believe?

I watched a movie two days ago that has thrown me into this age old quandary. It was a beautifully sad movie about true love entitled "Amour". It depicts an old couple in their final days - a long married very accomplished duo with so much to live for. I should say, so much to remember - so much to cherish - but already lived. They are both experiencing serious health issues but they have each other and are surrounded by the many things that mean so much to them. However, in the end aren't they just things? What seems to matter is the present and how they deal with two strokes, bad nurses, an inability to talk, walk and bathe without help. These once strong vibrant people are also dealing with peculiar signs at their door - scratches and marks left by what seems to be a screwdriver - an attempt to break into their home - this home with so much history. To end a wonderful life in such an un-wonderful way is the tragedy and so unfair.

This film devastated me as much as a movie can. Of course it isn't true devastation. It is simply my response to a great film. It is a great film but I will not see it again. Movies, books, theater are there to entertain, teach sometimes and illuminate our lives. "Amour" made me look at what I know but mostly what I don't know - and that is scary. And that is why I cannot view this masterpiece again. However, I do not regret seeing it. Its lesson was so potent and like any work of art it will not be forgotten.

In "Hannah and Her Sisters" Woody Allen plays a man searching for the meaning of life - actually more so the meaning of death. He is so disturbed in his search that he tries out all the religions known to man for answers. It, of course, is comic. Finally he realizes that no answers are forthcoming. He is deeply frustrated and goes to his elderly father for words of wisdom. He asks his dad why must we die - where do we go - is there life after death - what are the truths? His dad answers, "Why worry - there's nothing you can do about it - so relax - live - forget about it and just live. What will happen will happen."  This releases Woody and as the film winds down, our hero finds a happy way to live without the burden of his personal doomsday fears.

I recall after seeing "Hannah" a great feeling of relief because I, like Woody, lived with the constant search for life's answers.

Here, then, are two films so opposite in tone – one a comedy the other a tragedy – both with lessons to be learned - two movies that seemed to speak directly to me. To be highly entertained and enriched – to laugh and cry and gain profound insight is the gift a good movie provides. Is it “just a movie”? Not always and we are the better for it.

http://www.thesunnews.net/scene/780-Its_never_'just_a_movie_anymore.html

The Gift

“The Gift” – a movie review by Tony Baksa 8/16/2015

Sun Rating – 2 Suns

                                                         

A good mystery is difficult to pull off these days.  As a collective movie going audience, we’ve seen it all. We are all too familiar with the mechanizations that propel a mystery. So, there’s nothing new under the sun. Well, once in a while there is. “Gone Girl” is a recent example of surprise twists and turns.  “The Gift” a new mystery seems to be reaching for this same effect. After all, isn’t that the purpose of a good suspense, to catch us unawares? Hitchcock was a master at this.

Produced, written and directed by Joel Edgerton “The Gift” almost succeeds. Edgerton does a fine job creating truly creepy suspense. The tone is realistic with subtle performances by Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall. Especially good is director Edgerton in a major role. He plays Gordo, a sad loner who runs into an old high school classmate, Simon (Bateman) and his wife, Robyn (Hall) in a home goods store. They have just relocated back to Bateman’s hometown where he has been given a high powered new job with all the trimmings – big money, perks and a glorious new house. It is apparent that Gordo – known as Weirdo back in high school, is Simon’s polar opposite.

Gordo insinuates himself into the couples lives by systematically giving them gifts – leaving them at their door or at work or just showing up unannounced. He especially has this habit of visiting while Simon is at work and Robyn is home alone. We begin to see why Gordo was called Weirdo twenty-seven years ago. This goes on for much of the movie with bits and pieces slowly being revealed about the true nature of the men’s long ago “friendship”.  Raising the bar a bit for this genre are themes of forgiveness, nostalgia and trust.

However, when the big reveal comes, it is such a letdown. It hardly seems worthy enough for what preceded it. Up until this point, “The Gift” – which actually refers to three final gifts, is a taut and riveting thriller. The performances are top notch. But that darn reveal doesn’t live up to all the fuss - plus it’s rather offensive and not in a good horror movie way. Perhaps if it were renamed “Much Ado About Nothing” audiences might feel less let down.

Without giving it away, the villain’s motivation which is really what “The Gift” is all about is weak and illogical. I just didn’t buy it. It’s unfortunate. This could have easily been fixed by a very minor rewrite. That beautifully chilling last shot as Gordo fades out of frame in a blur would have carried such weight. I would wager that with a rewrite, the film’s ending would have reached classic stature in years to come.

It doesn’t help a mystery, when half way through the plotting, too much is telegraphed. The guessing game shouldn’t be this easy.  I also had problems with plot points. There are too many holes in the script. These contrivances get in the way. Edgerton sacrifices believability for plot manipulation. He has a story to tell and he’ll be damned if plausibility hampers his task.

I will say this, however, Joel Edgerton is a good actor and a promising film maker. Maybe he’ll get it right next time out.


http://www.thesunnews.net/scene/201-'The_Gift_is_one_that_deserves_to_be_returned.html