Nuit #1 (2011)

This account of a one-night stand and the subsequent night is very realistic portrayal that seemed very authentic, unlike other similar themed movies that inject a ton of comedy and humor. Made in France, it is relatable to people (especially young singles) from across the world. Clara, a teacher, and Nikolai meet at a club, then go back to Nikoai's flat to fuck. When Clara tries to leave unnoticed, Nik stops her and pulls her back to the apartment. I didn't like how pushy he was and its a bit disturbing. She goes back to the apartment and pretty much bares her soul to him, opening up about her innermost feelings of regret, shame, and despair. And they end up sleeping together on the roof, where Clara looks down at the street and we're unsure what she is going to do. The film was written and directed by a woman (Anne Émond), not a man, important to emphasize that the film is from a woman's perspective, so many films with characters like these are directed by a man.  

At the end of the film, we see Clara's students, but we're unsure if this takes place the next day, the next year, or prior to Nuit 1 (the first night). I liked how the film left me wondering about that. 

Lady Bird (2017), Francis Ha (2012), and Mistress America (2014)

Francis Ha is an independent comedy that's filmed in black-and-white--I'm not sure why exactly the director chose black and white, but I like it, and generally I find any modern-day black and white film to be interesting. If I had to guess, I'd say that director Noah Baumbauch wanted to go for a classic movie look, which is OK by me. It's also considered Greta Gerwig's breakthrough role and perhaps the one that got her the most attention, maybe at least from independent film fans. The director had previously worked with her on the film "Greenberg" which I haven't seen yet. Francis Ha puts Greta in the lead, in a comedic role, and it's a simple film, basically just following her character around as she spends time with her friends and romantic interest (Adam Driver) and finding work as a dancer in New York. She also manages to get away and fly to Paris on vacation for two days. Who does that? Francis does. I actually knew someone who did that---go on some overseas trip for a weekend and come back, so I guess it's not entirely implausible. Francis is an interesting character, and funny because Greta is really funny. "Modern Love" by David Bowie is this movie's theme song. A blogger (can't remember who) wrote that they hated this movie, but I don't know why. I liked it alot.

Mistress America is the next film by Baumbach, and also stars Greta in the lead. Her character is almost the same as Frances, and when I watch this movie I think of this as the sequel. I really love this movie and liked it even better than Francis. We first meet the character of Tracy, played by Lola Kirke, who is starting her first year of college. She wants to be a writer. She doesn't know a soul, but she has a relative in New York played by Greta whom she befriends; Greta shows her New York. I love her character because she wants to do so much with her life; teach exercise/spinning classes, open her own restaurant. She has lots of dreams. I love her character because even though she's about 10 years older than Zoe, she's still looking to find her place in the world. The movie has a great soundtrack (You Could’ve Been A Lady by Hot Chocolate is this movie's theme song) and I love the writing. Greta is really kooky but likeable. Another review of this film from the blog Cinema Scope here.

Lady Bird is Greta's first directorial film, and she wrote it is as well (but doesn't star in it). It's semi-autobiographical, though. The lead role is played by Siaorse Ronan, who plays a teenager in high school who is coming of age, and the film focuses in on her last year of high school, climaxing in the senior prom. She has a best friend - I don't know the name of the actress - who decides not to go to the prom and feels like an outcast. I really liked this character, but I liked Siaorse's character too, as she deals with her family, her mom (Laurie Metcalf) and religious/Catholic traditions, and her romance with someone who may not be right for her. The film has a light comedic tone throughout, and reminded me of a John Hughes film of the 1980s like Pretty in Pink or Sixteen Candles; it just seemed to have a similar tone. Also, I imagined this character to be a younger "Frances Ha".

Even though all three of these films are not officially connected with each other, I like to think of them as a trilogy, with Lady Bird being the first movie. Francis Ha would be the second, and Mistress America the third.

If you've seen all 3, what do you think? Do you also see a connection with the three in a similar way?

Interstellar (2014), Solaris (1972), and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

This past summer I was able to catch up with two science fiction films that played here in Chicago in 35 MM at the Music Box Theater. The first was Andrei Tarkovsky's Solaris a very slow paced and mysterious film set on a space station where members of the crew succumb to the planet Solaris' control of their minds. It was a visually beautiful film to watch, but felt long; I may need to watch it again a second time to fully comprehend its meaning. Christopher Nolan's Interstellar, also set in the future, left me with a bleak feeling at the end, as most of the characters in the film fell prey to a great deception. I also felt a bit exhausted at the end of it as well. Visually, the film was also beautiful to watch, with stunning visuals. It's another film that I may need to watch again to pay more attention to details, as I feel much went over my head, but I feel I caught the main ideas throughout. In, both films, the comic relief was limited.

Which brings us to one of the year's most anticipated films, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. "Part 8" in the Star Wars saga, this film has its share of suspense and surprises, but perhaps what surprised me the most was the amount of comedy in the film; this film contains probably the most comic relief of all of the Star Wars films put together, which seems unusual since this film was meant to answer some serious questions about the fates of some of the best-known characters in the series such as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. Whenever an actual Star Wars film's comedic tone would fit well in Mel Brooks' Spaceballs (1987), something seems a little out-of-place.

I can only imagine what Interstellar and Solaris would be like with the amount of comedy that was in The Last Jedi.

Locke (2014)

This year, Tom Hardy made a big impression on the big screen as the new Mad Max in Mad Max Fury Road (I have not yet seen it). And last year he gave another impressive performance in a smaller film, one that hasn't been seen by too many people, I don't think. I was interested in checking it out after hearing good reviews of the film and his performance; the entire film takes place with Hardy's character - Locke (his last name...can't remember his first name) - talking on the phone! It is never dull or boring, even with Hardy being the only character we see for 90 minutes. The cinematography and editing are impressive...I was convinced I was in the car with him the whole time. We do hear the voices of the people he talks to on the speakers - every character is somehow connected. For example, there are Locke's sons who want their dad home to watch a game on TV.  Then his wife calls him several times, upset. Locke has to call his boss several times to patch up something at work. His co-worker is furious with him for reasons I won't mention here. Then there's the woman Locke had an affair with - she's in the hospital and scared; Hardy tries to calm her down. It's a really compelling "race against the clock" type of film, and I would recommend it. Can't think of any other film I could compare it with.

Read a blog post by Bobby Rivers about this movie here.

Read a blog post review by Surrender to the Void:

Surrender to the Void: Locke (thevoid99.blogspot.com)

Force Mejeur (2014)

Force Mejeur is one of the most unforgettable films I've seen in recent years, and its ending kept me thinking about it well after I left the theater. In the film, a family - mom, dad, and two young children - go on a skiing trip in the French Alps, hoping to enjoy a few days of fun. After a fear-inducing avalanche occurs, we begin to see what may or not be the beginning of the end of the couple's marriage. The couple's arguments are often fused with dark comedic elements, and at times I was reminded me at times of George & Martha from Virginia Woof.  In one of the film's best sequences, another couple comes stops by their hotel room to intervene and help provide an objective ear. There are also more scenes of people brushing their teeth and peeing than in any other movie I can remember. This is a movie that could be set anywhere - in any setting, any country. Even in the Jurassic World park. But the ski slope setting is perfect, though. On one hand, it adds to the film's literal and figurative "coldness". Also, I only went skiing once in my life (I fell down a hill and never went again!), so I never enjoyed the kind of skiing this family does. Skiing for this family is like going to the beach or the pool for other families. I loved looking at all of the beautiful snow-covered landscapes. I hope you are able to have the chance to view this though-provoking film, one of the best in recent years.

Magic in the Moonlight (2015), The Help (2011) and Birdman (2014)

The first movie I ever saw with Emma Stone was in an OK 2009 Matthew McCaunaughy comedy called Ghosts of Girlfriends past where she plays a "ghost" version of Matthew's first girlfriend - a nerdy 90s teen.  Her character was funny and one of the best things about the movie. Easy A (2010) was her next film which I enjoyed too, and found some of the gags to be hilarious.

She co-stars in Woody Allen's last film Magic in the Moonlight, which came out last year (2014). I enjoyed this movie, especially  all the period sets and costumes. Stone really impressed me in this movie as the clairvoyant who may or may not be a fraud; I thought she was very appealing and likable. I liked Colin Firth in it too, and though he and Stone were sort of cute together, even though he is about 25 years older. Still, it reminded me of the Cary Grant movies of the 1960s.

Then I watched The Help (2011) for the first time early this year, and also enjoyed that film. Stone is the glue that holds the film together - she is as a young writer documenting the life of maids in the American South of 1963. Octavia Spencer is great and so is Bryce Dallas Howard, even though her character is so racist. But the glue holding all of the stories together is Emma Stone, and she has some heartbreaking emotional moments when she learns more about the maid who raised her (Cicely Tyson).

The next movie I watched with Emma was Birdman, which won a bunch of awards earlier this year. Her big scene in the movie comes when she has a verbal fight with her dad (Michael Keaton),

but later is shown bringing him flowers when he's in the hospital, and then looking out the window to what--I have no idea. I suppose people will be talking about that for ever.

The latest movie to feature Emma is Aloha (2015), which was released a few weeks ago but I have still not seen it; she has a supporting role in it.

Her next film is Irrational Man (Woody Allen's new film), and she co-stars with Joaquin Phoenix (I don't care for him too much).

The Past / Le Passe (2013)

The Past (2013) is one of the best films I have seen in the past 5 years. It is a compelling domestic drama from the same writer-director of A Separation (Asghar Farhadi), another superior film from 2011.

It stars Berenice Bejo who was so good playing the silent film star "Peppy Miller" in The Artist. Here, she is a modern woman - a pharmacist - living in a Paris suburb with two young daughters from a previous marriage. Her oldest teen daughter is moody and temperamental, critical of her mother and her boyfriend - his and Bejo's relationship is complicated because he has a wife in a coma and a young son. More of his story is revealed as the movie progresses.

Entering the picture (and complicating matters further) is Bejo's 2nd husband; in town to finalize their divorce, he still has feelings for her and the step-daughters.

Bejo is excellent in this part, so believable as a working mom caught in a web of deception. She won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013. The cinematography is outstanding, too.

All of the performances are excellent, especially those by the young actors. The DVD features a  making-of film showing how the actors rehearsed intensely with each other. The film also shows how the interior set of the house was built, and is fascinating to watch.

In French with subtitles.

Read more about this movie from:

Leonard Maltin blog
Surrender the Void

American Sniper (2014) directed by Clint Eastwood

American Sniper stars Bradley Cooper as the real life Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle. It was recently released on DVD/Blu-Ray and I was able to catch up with the film, which has been both acclaimed and criticized. The main criticisms seem to stem from objections to the original memoir by Kyle and the US's involvement in Iraq in general. A few months ago, Cooper was a guest on the NPR program Fresh Air with Terry Gross  and he talked about how the film is meant to be a character study about Kyle and the toll it takes on him and his wife played by Sienna Miller. It sounded sort of like The Hurt Locker, but with Clint Eastwood directing, I didn't know what to expect.

I have heard people say they won't see it; some say it goes against their values (one person I know got into an argument with someone supporting the film), and another person said they won't see it because they are not Republican and not pro-American. So I'm wondering, is this film so one-sided? Eastwood's films are usually thought-provoking and politically neutral (Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, etc).

After seeing, I'd probably give the movie two stars out of four. Average to me. I didn't think it was a terribly made film but something about it didn't fully satisfy me; something was missing. I liked the idea of exploring the soldier's inner plight and life at home after his deployments (four of them are depicted). And I was impressed with the combat scenes, very intense and realistic, on par with Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers and Letters to Iwo Jima (I only saw parts of those).

Not so convincing (or interesting) to me were the scenes with Cooper and Miller, who I thought was miscast in the role. Her character has many emotional scenes and plays an important part of the film - the film is almost as much about her as it is about Kyle. But I didn't think she had chemistry with Cooper. In the early scenes where they are dating Miller says she doesn't want to marry a soldier. Then later, Cooper asks Miller if she likes country music, and she says no and it made me wonder what they really had in common.

I think there are some good scenes where Cooper deals with his emotions when he's back at home, such as the scene in the bar where he needs some time alone, which I think is one of the best scenes in the movie. I also enjoyed the scenes where he volunteers his time with the wounded vets. I was reminded a little of Hurt Locker and Born on the Fourth of July (1989); both films are better in my opinion.

I wish there were more scenes with Cooper interacting with more people at home - perhaps with other family members, or with an older veteran, say from Vietnam or WWII. There was one or two quick moments with his brother, but I would have liked to have seen more because the Sienna Miller scenes were rather dull to me.

Also I'd like to have seen some explorations of Kyle's faith; his character seems hot-tempered and less than reverent in the beginning of the film. Later he declares his faith in a higher power a few times but it's not explored enough where I understood. Sergeant York (1941) was a better film that explored this theme with more insight I feel.

Selma (2014) + 50 years

Today - March 7, 2015 - marks the 50th anniversary of the "boody Sunday" protest march in Selma Alabama, USA of March 7, 1965.

On that day, hundreds of black marchers set out to walk all the way to  Montgomery (Alabama's capitol) to protest their inability to vote. After they crossed the Pettus bridge in Selma they were stopped by Alabama state troopers who beat them and sprayed them with tear gas. And history records that Martin Luther King Jr eventually led the successful march, which included people from all over the United States, white and black.

Selma (2014) is all about how these events took place, with a special focus on Dr. King's crucial leadership role. David Oyellowo, who was very good in The Help (2011), embodies Dr. King and is exceptional. The actress who plays his wife Corretta is also really good.

I think the best kinds of movies entertain and educate at the same time. Selma is such a movie for me, one I want to experience again. It not only impresses me visually with the period sets/costumes and striking cinematography, but it also inspires me to read more and learn more about this part of America's history, and the many people that are portrayed in the film, such as the character Oprah Winfrey plays, a woman who is denied the right to vote in a humiliating way.

Selma was only nominated for two Oscars, but I thought it should have earned at least two more for its lead actor and for its director (Ava DuVernay) who does a commendable job of bringing these events to life.

Though it wasn't showered with Oscars, I do think this film will be viewed again in the years and decades to come and will be remembered as not only one of one of the best films of 2014, but one of the best films about the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

Plastic Galaxy: The Story of Star Wars Toys (2014)

I heard about this new documentary about Star Wars toys from the Now Playing podcast [details here], and immediately wanted to check it out. Like many of the people intereviewed for the documentary, I had a bunch of Star Wars action figures in the early 80s and spent hours playing with them and with my friends' collections. With those toys, I encountered my first experiences being envious and jealous: "how I wish I had that Ewok Village playset!", I remember thinking.  "The Millenium Falcon was so COOL!"  It seemed like an ENORMOUS toy - and my friend Aaron (who I envied) had it! I loved going over to my friend Aaron's -- he had almost every figure. And seeing many of those figures again in the film brought back lots of memories. I loved learning about the history of Kenner and their factories and the stories from the Kenner employees and toy designers. They show lots of early sketches and prototypes of toys that never were made. This is a really cool documentary to watch. The guys on the podcast talked about who they thought the target audience for the documentary is. In my opinion, I think you'll enjoy this film if:

1) You're a Star Wars fan

2) You had and played with the toys /action figures

3) You are a toy collector interested in learning more about the history of these collectibles.


Everyone else might be bored!

Mockingjay, Part 1 (2014)

This new installment could be my new favorite of the series, reminding me of the some of the best war stories about resistance fighters.   Jennifer Lawrence, as Katniss, really impressed me in this one. I liked how she struggles with her new identity as the voice of the revolution, and how she has to accept that her life as she used to know is over. There were so many good parts; my favorite might be was when Katniss sings her blues song "Hanging Tree" and the rebels take it on as their anthem. Philip Seymour Hoffman was good in it too. The music by James Newton Howard is good.

Ida (2013)

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Ida - a critically acclaimed 2013 Polish film recently released in the United States - is the story of a young nun who is granted time away from her convent before she takes her vows. While away, she discovers some secrets bout her family's past that she never knew.

I found it to be very thought-provoking. The characters do things that you don't expect and makes you think about what you would do in their circumstances.

The film is beautifully shot in black-and-white; after a few minutes I was convinced I was watching a documentary made in the early 1960s (when the film is set).

Read more reviews at the blogs Black Maria | Cinema Romantico |  City Upon A Hill  |  Cinema Viewfinder  |  Wide Screen World | Surrender to the Void | Roger Ebert | Sheila O'Malley

Nebraska (2013) and I Never Sang for My Father (1970)

I recently watched two intriguing films about complicated father-son relationships.  I would recommend both films; I think they'd be especially enjoyed by anyone who has had experience caring for an elderly parent.

The first is 1970's I Never Sang for My Father, which recently aired on Turner Classic Movies.  It's a serious drama that explores the themes of aging and death. Gene Hackman plays a widower who wants to move out of state and remarry. He's torn between moving and staying to care for his elderly father played by Melvyn Douglas.

Melvyn Douglas' character is a stubborn and proud man. We learn he used to be a politician and was very well-known at one time. He's the kind of man that will talk your ear off. Now in his 80s and a widower, he has very few friends, and often falls asleep watching westerns on TV.  He's not entirely sympathetic - we learn he and his daughter (Estelle Parsons) are estranged because of his disapproval of her husband.  And he treats Hackman like a child, and keeps making him feel guilty by saying, "I don't know what I'd do without you".

The movie has two sequences that I've rarely seen in the movies. One scene shows Hackman and Douglas shopping for funeral caskets (for Hackman's mother who just died). Another scene shows Hackman visiting different nursing homes to see if they would be right for his dad. He sees many lonely people by themselves, and he's filled with so much guilt.

It's a very quiet film, and really makes you think about these people, particularly Hackman's character, and how he handles the cards he's been dealt.

The other film is a bit more lighthearted: last year's Nebraska (2013), which is a quirky - and occasionally raunchy - comedy starring Bruce Dern as an elderly man suffering from early stages of dementia. His character is very different from Melvyn Douglas'; Dern is much more of an "average guy", and is much more of a quiet man who doesn't talk much.

But Dern is stubborn nonetheless - and is determined to claim a winning sweepstakes prize in Nebraska. His son is played by Will Forte and the two men go on a road trip to claim the prize. I really enjoyed these scenes of the two men bonding. At one point they visit Mount Rushmore and Dern is unimpressed. Then the best part of the film has the two pass through Dern's old hometown in Nebraska, where they meet many of his old friends including Stacy Keach, who teases him about the prize. There's even an old flame of Dern's that Forte meets, which makes him see a different side of his father.

The movie kept me in suspense to find out what happens at the end when they try to claim the prize. I was very pleased with the outcome of the movie, and I felt uplifted and inspired at the end.

Both movies have elements that reminded me of people in my own family and real life situations.

Read another blog post about Nebraska here from Avvaganda.com

Chef (2014)

Chef is a new independent comedy-drama starring, written and directed by Jon Favreau, taking a break from directing blockbuster superhero movies with Robert Downey Jr (Downey Jr. has a cameo in this film, incidentally).

In a nutshell: a divorced LA chef quits his job in a restaurant and starts a food truck, all the while teaching his young son some lessons along the way. The kid also teaches his dad a thing or two.

Now, if you're think you'll like a movie with LOTS of cooking and eating, go see this movie. I was very glad I ate before the movie!

Favreau as the lead took me some getting used to. He's played an obnoxious guy  in everything I've seen him in (Swingers, Four Christmases) and he plays a similar character in this, hot tempered and all. But when he made that grilled cheese sandwich for his son, I was charmed.

I was surprised to see some big name stars in the cast. Dustin Hoffman plays the restaurant boss. Scar-Jo (Scarlett Johansson) is in it, too as the restaurant host.  The ex-wife is played by Sofia Veranga, who is good in her part. And I haven't seen John Leguizamo so good in a film since the mid '90s.

The father-son relationship is a big part of the movie. They have some some quality bonding time in a cross-country trek, as the truck makes stops in Miami, New Orleans, and Austin. The soundtrack is great, and moves the film along nicely.

Reflecting our modern day culture, there are many uses of social media in this movie, more than any film I've seen before. Many of the characters "Tweet", "text", "Facebook", and "YouTube", and even "Vine".  At one point Favreau says to his tech-savvy young son "You're the head of our Marketing team!"

All the Tweeting done in the film is integral to the story, and the way it is presented on screen is unique and clever, and will likely be imitated by others in the future.

This movie is getting good word of mouth, and is now among the "Top 10" hits in the United States this weekend.

Blue Jasmine (2013)

Cate Blanchett was really good; I'd be very happy if she won the Oscar this year. The movie is all about her character, a New York socialite who relocates to San Francisco after losing all her wealth. The screenplay by director Woody  Her character is like a fish out of water, and there is some humor in that. When a man falls for her, it made me think of the Vivien Leigh and Karl Malden characters in  A Streetcar Named Desire.  For example, I like how the movie frequently flashes back to her life in New York with her ex husband, played by Alec Baldwin, who's been playing philandering characters going back to 1988's Married to the Mob and Working Girl. The flashbacks slowly reveals what Blanchett's character went through. The supporting cast is excellent as well, especially Sally Hawkins who plays her sister --- she's like the "Stella" character from Streetcar.  And I love all the locations in this movie and scenery. There's a cool view when when Blanchett steps on the terrace of an oceanfront property.

Gravity (2013)

Last weekend I had the pleasure of seeing Gravity, the much talked about adventure/thriller set in space that many have said makes you feel like you are up there. I must say, the film succeeded at that, and exceeded my expectations; I never thought it would be so life-affirming. Modern-day box-office stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney play American astronauts adrift in space trying to make their way back home. At first I was skeptical of the casting, but Sandra turns out an impressive, award-worthy performance, and Clooney (who previously went up "in the air" in 2002's Solaris and 2009's Up in The Air) brings an honest sincerity to the role and the right amount of humor.  The film also gave me a glimpse of what astronauts do when they're up there, as well as the dangers they face (some experts have questioned some of the details). And needless to say it's visually stunning.  If you have not yet had the experience of seeing this movie in theaters, I would highly recommend it.  I think it's a modern-day classic.  Directed by Alfonso Cuarón. 

The Conjuring (2013) and Poltergeist (1983)

Last weekend I went to see The Conjuring, a new thriller now in theaters. I was curious about it because I heard good things from other bloggers and reviewers, and was intrigued that it was inspired by true events surrounding a real haunted house and the ghost hunters (a real-life couple) who investigated it in the 1970s.

This is a well-made motion picture that I'm highly recommending. It's the kind of movie that gets scarier and scarier as it progresses, and might not be everyone's cup of tea. But every now and then some of us are in the mood for a good "haunted house movie", and this film really raises the bar. I'd say it's destined to become something of a memorable classic in years to come. There are terrific performances by Vera Farminga and Lili Taylor, who deserve some sort of recognition come awards time next year. Especially Lili Taylor - what her character has to endure in this film is gut wrenching.

The children in The Conjuring have demanding roles, too. There are 5 young girls and each has a unique "encounter" in the house. Needless to say, there is alot of screaming.

The investigators in The Conjuring are played by Vera Farminga and Patrick Wilson, a husband-and-wife team. At the start of the movie, they are giving a lecture, and we immediately understand that they are always "in demand". As the movie progresses we learn about their history investigating paranormal events, and about their relationship together.  And they make a lovely couple on screen; the movie is just as much about their love and endurance as it is about the family in the house. If you like investigator "couples" like the ones on "The X-Files" or "Bones", then you might like this movie.

I found The Conjuring to be an impressive film and highly recommend it.

I was also in the mood to rewatch Poltergeist on DVD the same weekend. I saw that movie on television when I was about 10 and will never forget how much it scared me, and how much fun it was to talk about with my classmates the next day. I don't remember the scene with the parents smoking marijuana, though - that part must have been edited for television or flown over my head back then.  A couple of take-aways from my rewatch: I really liked how the cemetery fitted in with the whole haunting situation. And I liked how technology was used to record the ghosts - that was very creepy.  (The Conjuring features innovative audio and video recording techniques, too). I forgot how integral Beatrice Staight's character was in the movie; she plays a scientist at a local college who visits the house. I really like the scene she has when she consoles the young boy.  And her campus office looked like the same one that the paranormal investigators played by Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd had in Ghostbusters. 

The children in Poltergeist are memorable - who can forget Carol Anne and how she "talks" to the ghosts in the static on the TV. By the way, seeing all that "TV static" made me nostalgic for that again; I guess we'll only see that in old movies now. By the way, there is even a quick shot of television static in The Conjuring, which may or may not be an homage to Poltergiest. (Conjuring is set in the early 1970s, and we also see the children watching Brady Bunch, too).

The clairvoyant in Poltergiest is played by Zelda Rubenstein, who passed away a few years ago. Her character in this film has to be one of the most memorable characters in the history of horror cinema, if not cinema. As soon as she comes on the screen, you know the ghosts are going to get their asses kicked.

I also rewatched Poltergiest II: The Other Side (1986) and Poltergiest III  (1988) for the first time. I don't have much to say about them except that they are both inferior sequels. The last time I saw Part II was in the theaters more than 25 years ago and the only scene I remembered was the part where the boy's braces attack him; that scene is ingrained in my brain for life. Everything else about the film is pretty awful, especially the preacher ghost who's something of a ripoff of the Robert Mitchum character in Night of the Hunter. Part III is even worse; the name "Carol Ann" is screamed or yelled over 100 times and is totally annoying unless you are playing a drinking game.

The Well-Digger's Daughter (2012)

Pascal (Daniel Auteuil) and his six daughters

A charming period film, set in southern France during WWI.

A saintly young 18-year old woman (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey) - the title character - has an affair with a wealthy pilot, just before he is called off to war.

When she has a baby out of wedlock, her widowed father - played by Daniel Auteuil who also directed -  is determined to keep his family's honor.

Wonderful performances by the entire cast, including Ms Bergès-Frisbey, who is perhaps best known as the mermaid in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  

Beautiful music, scenery, and costumes. Highly recommended.

Language: French / Color / 1 hour, 49 minutes / Available on DVD

Critic Roger Ebert gave the film a glowing review (read his review).

The Life of Pi (2012)

Yesterday I went to see The Life of Pi. With the exception of some opening shots in a zoo, just about all of the animals it it are CGI - computer generated imagery. If you know the story that the film is based on, then you'll understand why. Protests would arise if real animals were used during the filming of the  shipwreck. You've heard about the tiger in this movie, right? Like alot of celebrities, he's a complete fake, but looks amazing - the textures, the eyes, the movements, the swimming in the water. It's really incredible. CGI has come a long way.

 Here are some reviews from:

Roger Ebert (4 stars)  |  Leonard Maltin's review  | Peter Travers review

Prometheus (2012)

This is perhaps my favorite movie made in 2012 that I've seen so far this year - Ridley's Scott's Prometheus, brilliantly directed, never boring.  I really think it is a modern-day sci-fi classic. Roger Ebert even gave it 4 stars, his highest rating.

The movie arrives on DVD and BluRay tomorrow, Oct 9, 2012 in the United States. 

It's not a movie for you if you don't like horror or sci-fi-thrillers. I think it's a good selection for Halloween season because there are plenty of thrills and lots of suspense and mystery. 

Much has been written about it; it's been compared to Alien (it's the same director) and there are some connections, but you don't have to see those movies to enjoy this one (I'm not a big fan of that series). 

The movie has the most amazing, eye-popping, and believable special effects I've seen in a long time. Both the FX and the beautiful, haunting score should be nominated for Oscars. There is a great cast, too including Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender, who plays an android. Early on in the film, he watches Lawrence of Arabia as part of his training on human behavior. When I saw that scene I knew I would love this movie. 

The less you know about it, the better. But in a nutshell, it is about a bunch of explorers looking for signs of life on another planet. There are thrills and unexpected twists that are better left unsaid if you haven't seen it. The movie ends with you wanting to see the next installment, like a great sci-fi serial of the past. 

Music from the film Prometheus by Mark Streitenfeld: