Netflix and Beyond

Even as a child I did not care for animation, but with a few recent films my conversion has been accelerating: “Wall -E” is one of my favorite movies of all time; and earlier this summer “Brave” struck and ignited my imagination: I decided with little trepidation to see “ParaNorman”. “Norman” , reminiscent of “The Sixth Sense” sees dead people; ... Read More »

The major conundrum is why this film was made. Are there childless couples who conjure their flawless progeny; write all desired attributes, place them in a box, and bury it in the back yard?  Possibly, being a city- dweller, complacent in my concrete cocoon; (it was challenging finding a soft slice of earth to bury my daughter’s deceased hamster, “Chipper”), ... Read More »

This remarkable, magical documentary featuring a musician/composer who unbeknownst to him nurtured a revolution. Sixto Rodriguez, son of Mexican immigrants; masked by sunglasses and long black hair, playing guitar, singing in drab, dingy bars in dark and depressed corners of Detroit, Michigan; his lyrics redolent of the late 60’s and early 70’s, scintillate with the ache of the common man, ... Read More »

At times, a poignantly realistic portrait of a marriage that  lost its carbonation at the twenty-fifth anniversary bench mark; two individuals, strangers, who have built fortresses around their inadequacies, insecurities, sleeping in separate bedrooms, barely acknowledging each other’s existence. “Kay” (another fine performance by Meryl Streep) recognizes the size of the crater separating her from the man she married and ... Read More »

The first half- hour is thrilling, especially if you have never seen or cannot “recall” the original 1990 version with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone. Not for lack of supreme effort Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel were unable to generate enough interest to illicit a modicum of empathy from the audience. Possibly, it was the condensed script (at ... Read More »

A friend of mine states “money does not care who owns it”; Jackie Siegel (“Queen”) and husband David Siegel, (“King”) reign over the mammoth time-share company, Westgate Resorts. They are the subjects of director Lauren Greenfield’s riches to rags scenario; propitious, that Ms. Greenfield in 2007, focuses on the Siegel’s because they are constructing the largest private residence in the ... Read More »

Tuesday July 31st, Gore Vidal, one of the world’s most prolific and at times, most controversial writers, died at the age of eighty-six; his iconic quotes have been bantered in newspapers, talk shows over the last few days. As I watched this stupendous documentary (made by first time filmmaker Alison Klayman) about Chinese artist and activist, Ai Weiwei, one of ... Read More »

Based on the play by Tracy Letts,  director William Friedkin has remained religiously faithful to this ragingly, raunchy, raw rendition of a family pushed to the edge; options dead, every action a reaction; trailer park trash painfully vitalized and depicted by compelling acting. Matthew McCaughey is brilliant as “Killer Joe”, an amoral lawman for murderous hire. Emile Hirsch is smarmy, ... Read More »

A misleading title. This is a “revolution” of immensely talented contemporary dancers, struggling to make their skills  known to the world, Miami in particular. Under the sobriquet “The Mob” they stage and film their performances on the streets of Miami, Art Museums, City Hall. They are competing for a grand YouTube prize; they have to garnish the “hits”. The silly, ... Read More »

Slick, sophisticated  beginning, quickly sinks into mediocrity, partially because director Rodrigo Cortes’s ambitious mission and script are too erudite; his preoccupation and ardour of science and the cloudy, empirical world of the paranormal becomes detrimental, confusing;  looses its path and the audience. Sigourney Weaver plays “ Dr. Margaret Matheson” a psychologist specializing in debunking, exposing sensational, charlatan psychics. The part ... Read More »