A Movie Review: Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler. Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhall) is near rock bottom. In order to survive, he steals various metal parts such as manhole covers and fences, selling these items at discount rates to unscrupulous construction managers.  There is also just something off in his personality.  He comes across in a controlled frenzied manner.  This is just someone you know will explode at any moment and you don't want to be around him when he does.  Unfortunately, some people just can't see that.

Louis drives pass a horrible accident and decides to stop.  An independent video crew (nightcrawler crew) arrives on the scene and starts to shoot video of the rescue.  Louis asks what they are doing.  Hoping for a job, he asks for one and is denied.  This doesn't stop him.  He pawns off a bike that he steals at the beach and buys himself a hand-held video camera and a police scanner.  He shoots video of a shooting victim and is able to sell it to a local news producer, Nina Romina (Rene Russo).  He soon makes a name for himself by taking aggressive, unethical and many times criminal actions to capture the gruesome violence that Nina wants to air.

What soon turns into a blackmail-like relationship between Louis and Nina really drives this movie.  Jake Gyllenhall plays his role perfectly as the near psychotic individual.  He also takes actions that you know will eventually land him in front of a judge and jury (be it during the movie or if this was representative of real life and was allowed to play out).  There is no desire to cheer on his character.  One can only have disdain for Louis.  One might think that Rene Russo's character would get some sympathy.  And in may ways she deserves some.  Here is an individual who used to be a newscaster and then as she aged she went into producing; however, she doesn't have the talent to succeed and finds herself drifting down the producer totem pole.  In order to stop her career slide, she swings for gruesome news porn.  This results in allowing Louis to manipulate their relationship.  She is the victim of a sinister individual.  Yet, on the other hand, she also deserves some disdain as we see an individual who purposely debases her journalistic standards for higher television ratings and to save her job.  Wasn't there another way? one has to ask.

Is this a feel good movie?  Not at all.  You may actual leave the movie feeling dirty, but I think that's the point:  you've spent close to 2 hours watching an individual doing wrong.        



 

A Movie Review: The Theory of Everything

The Theory of Everything. This movie is based on the relationship/marriage between physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Remayne) and Jane Hawking (Felicity Jones).  The two meet at a university party.  Jane's friend doesn't think much of Stephen, but Jane is enamored.  Though Jane has at least one other suitor, the two soon become a steady couple.  Then disaster hits.  Stephen is diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).  They decide they will get married, knowing that Stephen likely has only 2 years left to live.  Stephen's father, Frank (Simon McBurney), warns Jane that she is making a decision that will have ramifications that she doesn't fully appreciate.  His warning sets the tone for the movie.

Their marriage starts out wonderfully, but after a second child and Stephen's continued declining health the stresses start to show.  Stephen doesn't want assistance, but Jane insists that it is necessary.  Seeing Jane's growing stress levels, her mother encourages her to head off to church (perhaps even knowing/planning that an individual at the church has the time and desire to assist the family).  At the church, Jane meets Jonathan Hellyer Jones (Charlie Cox) who has been struck with a family tragedy.  He soon joins the family as a friend/assistant.  Stephen soon picks up that there is an emotional bond that is growing between Jane and Jonathan, but he also understands that his wife needs emotional support and that his family needs Jonathan.  This bond between Jane and Jonathan; however, causes tensions between Jane and her in-laws and so Jonathan is asked to step aside.  The stress of marriage grows further as Stephen starts to develop an emotional bond with a nurse the family eventually has to hire, Elaine Mason (Maxine Peake).

The movie does dwell on the various scientific breakthroughs made by Stephen Hawking, but its main focus is on relationships.  Yes, Stephen and Jane had to deal with a rather more difficult circumstance than most relationships, but the movie still gives an over-view of many relationships that fall apart.  ALS is the driving force that damages their relationship, but there is also the underlying threads of religious differences, affairs of the heart and plain old stubbornness.  One can see how their relationship may still be strong today if certain adjustments were made along the way.  Stephen should have understood that even though he has a brilliant mind, he was still causing undo physical burdens on his wife that should have been addressed earlier in the marriage.  Also, (maybe not true in reality) perhaps hiring/using really attractive people as an assistant and nurse wasn't such a good idea.

The two main leads do a wonderful job in the movie.  Eddie Remayne does a brilliant job showing the gradual growing ALS symptoms.  And I just loved seeing Felicity Jones on the screen again.  I know she's being in a number of films, but the last time I saw her on the screen was also the first time I saw her on the screen in the movie Like Crazy.  So it has been awhile.

There are a couple funny jokes regarding America in this film.  The first is when Stephen Hawking tells his friend the bad news about his disease, which he labels as ALS as well as Lou Gehrig's disease.  His friend is totally unaware of who this Lou Gehrig is.  A second joke comes around when Stephen Hawking has to finally depend on a computer to talk for him.  The joke is that the computer sounds American.  The look on everyone's faces is hysterical.      

Now for my final opinion.  Is this a must see movie in the movie theater?  I have to say no.  This is movie that can probably wait until it hits HBO, Redbox, Netflix or whatever other non-theater method one uses to watch movies.  In no way is this an awful movie.  It just doesn't have that must see vibe.

Note:  As with most biographical movies, some liberties are taken.  If you want a breakdown of some of the facts and fictions, click on this Time link.

A Movie Review: Whiplash

Whiplash.  Andrew (Miles Teller) is a drumming protégé on the path to greatness. He’s 19, attending the number one music school in the nation, Shaffer Conservatory of Music. It doesn’t take long for Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), the top educator at Shaffer, to notice Andrew. Fletcher quickly places Andrew into his band.

Fletcher is the drill sergeant of music school educators. He only wants to teach the most talented and determined students in the school. And if a student isn’t living up to Fletcher’s initial assessment, Fletcher won’t hesitate to remedy the situation by kicking the student out of his band. The problem with Fletcher’s teaching style is that not only is he a drill sergeant (which I’m sure many of us have come across teachers/professors who make heavy demands on their students), but he doesn’t hesitate in conducting psychologically warfare on his students. On Andrew’s first day with Fletcher’s band, Fletcher comes over and inquires in an inquisitive way about Andrew’s parents. He learns that Andrew’s mother left when he was just a young child. Well, within moments when Andrew doesn’t keep precise tempo, Fletcher goes on the attack with that information.

Of course, Fletcher might have hand selected a young student who is a mirror image of himself. 
Andrew also isn’t above demeaning people. When at an extended family gathering, the focus goes to his cousins. One of them is playing Division III football (I believe this was high school, I could be wrong). Andrew quickly goes for the throat, making the justifiable argument that he’s on the path to success while his cousin will never get the opportunity to play in the NFL. A brutally honest assessment, but lacking in humility. He also breaks-up with his girlfriend, Nicole (Melissa Benoist), in a harsh way by telling her that she’s consuming his time, time that he needs to dedicate to his drums.

This movie is about the drive for success. You’d think that sure there will be drama associated with reaching for success, but you probably don’t understand the intensity that this movie brings to that subject. At times, you’re on the edge of your seat. Some of the most engaging moments come at the most unexpected scenes: no dialogue, musician practicing alone, seriously? Yes, actually.

This movie is also about psychological abuse. Yes, the movie focuses on Andrew, but I see Fletcher as the focal point. Fletcher’s style of teaching works on a handful, but it also sends most up the wall, diminishing their sense of self-worth. In one scene, Fletcher sets up a competition between 3 drummers: Andrew and two others. It is clear throughout the movie that Andrew is the most talented drummer in the school. It is obviously to the audience that Fletcher is trying to drive Andrew, but I think on a more subtle note there is cruelty towards the other two drummers. The other two drummers are just pawns in this game. It isn’t like Fletcher is bringing in another talented drummer who actually might compete for the position. In a way, it is a cruel passive aggressive way to indicate to the other drummers that they should find new careers.

There have been two really wonderfully movies about music this year: Whiplash and Begin Again. Begin Again is about the joy of creating music. Whiplash is about the potential toll to reach such creative genius. I really hope both receive Oscar considerations in various categories.

Here’s my one problem with the movie and potential spoiler alert: Andrew puts aside the drums for the summer. He later runs into Fletcher who invites him to join a JVC Jazz band. Somehow Andrew is in near top form after taking a few months away from the drums. I don’t care if you’re a top athlete, musician, politician, lawyer, doctor: I really don’t think that one can immediately return to top form and that is my one complaint about this movie. Yes, a nitpicking complaint.

A Movie Review: Birdman

Birdman. Riggan (Michael Keaton) was once one of the top Hollywood actors, starring in three Birdman superhero movies. That success eventually faded and he is left with the real life ruins. His daughter, Sam (Emma Stone), is a recovering drug addict. His marriage to Sylvia (Amy Ryan) ended in divorce due to at least one, if not more, infidelities -- he actually slept with another woman in their house during a party.


He is now attempting to gain back his relevancy.  He has written a Broadway play and is directing and acting in it.  He is trying to rebuild his relationship with his daughter and has hired her as his assistant.  He also appears to be on good terms with his ex-wife.  He even has a much younger girlfriend/actress, Laura (Andrea Risborough) -- 30 years if you just go by the age of the two real life actors.  He also has a great friend/lawyer, Jake (Zach Galifianakis).

But what appears to be a rejuvenation just hides the chaos that is underneath it all.  He has poured his life savings into the play and if it flops he is in financial ruin.  What might be a lucky break, actually turns into a potential negative.  One of the actors in the play, who isn't very good, has an onstage accident.  One of the actresses, Lesley (Naomi Watts), happens to be sleeping with a top Broadway actor, Mike (Edward Norton).  Mike has helped Lesley prepare for her role and has fallen in love with the play and wants to be in it.  What a break for Riggan, except for the fact that Mike attempts to steal the spotlight both in the press and on the stage.  Riggan, himself, may also be having severe mental delusions that could potentially cause him to take actions that would harm him.

This movie focuses on the self-doubt, self loathing and low self-esteem that perhaps pervades many of those who act in Hollywood and Broadway.  Riggan.  Lesley.  Laura.  They all have crises of confidence.  Even Mike has doubts and finds refuge onstage via his method acting.  And honestly, all that emotional chaos slowly just got on my nerves.  Add onto that the delusions that Riggan is suffering and I found myself just waiting out the movie.  The movie has great scenes and I felt within myself the desire to want to love this movie, but as it progressed I knew I wasn't going to emotionally connect with these characters.

Also, in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but think, "Is this just Broadway's ripoff of Black Swan?"  Riggan and Nina (Natalie Portman) both had delusions.  You even get a sexy make out scene between Naomi Watts and Andrea Riseborough.  Of course, the make out scene isn't as explicit as Black Swan, which maybe sums it all up:  this just doesn't grab you like a great movie should.      

Santa Cruz, CA: random thoughts

I spent a number of weeks hanging out in Santa Cruz due to work.

Here's some random thoughts about my time up there:

Southwest

I spent time last year in San Francisco.  This year, it was Santa Cruz.  I don't know if there was a recent policy change, but the flight attendants that worked the LAX to San Francisco route were pretty funny while those doing the Burbank to San Jose route were by the book.

When I went to San Francisco one Sunday, I was on a plane that was running low on fuel due to air traffic control.  We almost diverted to San Jose.  Well, on a Friday flight from San Jose to Burbank, the plane did a sudden fly-by driven by the fact that the plane before us blew out a tire.  That was interesting.

There was definitely a small crowd that was on each Burbank to San Jose route who would immediately run to the Jamba Juice after getting off the plane.  I was one of those individuals.

Santa Cruz:  Best Pizza

I wrote a review regarding Bantam.  My favorite pizza; however, Woodstock's Pizza.  I have to admit it is largely driven by my memories of eating Woodstock's Pizza while going to school in San Luis Obispo.  But let's just also say that their pizza rocks.

Santa Cruz:  Best Vegetarian Restaurant

Saturn Cafe.  Perfect comfort food.  Admittedly, Cafe Gratitude is far more healthy, but that's perhaps part of the problem.  It is too healthy.  Hey, I like my fries and Saturn Cafe hits the spot.  Also a hat tip to the vegetarian dish at the Greek Authentic Cuisine.

Santa Cruz itself

I didn't get to hang out in Santa Cruz as a tourist, but I will say that it is a lovely small town to spend a week.  And if I was a wealthy person, I'd even consider buying a house there and when the annual September heatwaves hit SoCal, I'd be off to Santa Cruz.

You have the beach.  And then not to far away, you have hills populated by pine trees.  It is a lovely place to spent time at the beach and then head off for a nice hike in nature (or vice versa).  And one can do this all on the same day and do so by spending less than 30 minutes driving from point A to point B (well, it might take longer during vacation season).

Downtown Santa Cruz also provides some nice stores -- though I once again have to be loyal and say that Downtown San Luis Obispo ranks a little higher up the scale.

A handful of photos

 

Wake Up Lucid/Rainbow Jackson/Dorothy at Bootleg HiFi

Wake Up Lucid. They put that guitar through a workout.  And then on more than a few occasions the drummer explodes into a violent tantrum.  Their music will make you lucid quickly upon waking up from a deep slumber.  Put their music on and you'll be getting ready for the day in record time, speeding along with their sound.

Rainbow Jackson.  I couldn't help but think that this is a band that Daryl Dixon of the Walking Dead probably fronted before the zombies took over the world -- well, okay, maybe not the pre-zombie Daryl, but the S5 Daryl.  A band too cool to define and one willing to bang it up a little on stage.

Dorothy.  This was my third time seeing this Sunset Strip-style goddess.  She stripped down in this set, going acoustic. Going acoustic lets the emotions ring.  I really loved "After Midnight."  The "Nothing Good Comes After Midnight" chorus just dripped with reflection, perhaps even a touch of regret.

Sunset Strip goddess.  There was great collection of liquids up on stage though not all included alcohol.  There was one coffee cup.

There is that gentle soul.  She was careful not to destroy the stage.  Being acoustic, she had a stool that she was sitting on.  She got tired of sitting and decided to move it off stage.  Sure, she flipped it over, but in a rather careful manner.  And at the end, she carefully put down the microphone, instead of just dropping it with a thump.

Comment of the set:  It's starting to look like a kitchen up here.

Movie Reviews: Broken City and Gangster Squad

I recently saw a couple movies that I DVR'd that are tangentially in the same genre:  Gangster Squad and Broken City.

Gangster Squad.  This story tells the true life story of how LAPD Sgt. John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) brought together a group of fellow police to bring down gangster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn).  Though the movie is based on a true story, it takes a lot of liberties as can be read in the following link.

Mickey Cohen rules Los Angeles.  He has all the top city officials in his back pocket -- well, most of them.  Sgt. O'Mara wants to protect and serve his community.  A young woman arrives in Los Angeles via train.  A man posing as a Hollywood agent approaches her and convinces this young woman to come with him.  The intent is to gang rape her.  Sgt. O'Mara is also at the train station and follows the two all the way to an apartment tower (which if I know my Los Angeles is the apartment tower at Franklin Ave and N. Bronson Ave).  This is Mickey Cohen territory.  Sgt. O'Mara's partner refuses to go in to save the young woman, but Sgt. O'Mara feels it is his duty and into the apartment tower he goes.

Sgt. O'Mara does save the young woman and is soon given the authority to bring down Mickey Cohen.

This is a fun popcorn movie.  If you happened to click on the link that I mention above, you know that a lot more bullets flew in this movie than did in real life.  So one has to realize that you're really just seeing a movie that was inspired by real events and has decided to take a significant amount of liberties.  I did get a kick out of seeing an Officer Darryl Gates (Josh Pence) make a couple appearances.

Broken City.  I tend to enjoy watching movies and television shows that have complex plot lines, but for Broken City I soon found myself lost in the real estate dealings that were flying around as the back story.  Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) murders a known rapist of a 16 year-old girl.  The rapist happened to go free and Taggart took things too far.  Mayor Nicholas Hostetler (Russell Crowe) decides to ignore the evidence, but forces Taggart to resign.
  

Seven years later (Biblical number, no doubt), Mayor Hostetler employs Taggart as a private detective.  His job is to determine if the Mayor's wife, Cathleen Hostetler (Catherine Zeta-Jones), is having an affair.

For me, this movie had too much going on.  This might have made a great HBO television series where a deeper dive could take place, but I think this less than 2 hour movie throws too much at the screen.  There is political corruption.  There is a mayoral race.  Two relationships are falling apart.  This is a movie that you probably need to watch three times to understand all the different story plots, but why would anyone want to do that.

A Restaurant Review: Saturn Cafe (Santa Cruz)

Saturn Cafe. This is a 1950s decor inspired diner with a vegetarian spin in Santa Cruz.

The menu highlights are mainly burgers and sandwiches though they do have some entrees.

I've tried 3 items on the menu:  Cowgirl Blues Burger, California Burger and Veggie Fajita Bowl.

The Cowgirl Blues Burger, which is a vegetarian chicken burger rocks.  The Veggie Fajita Bowl is adequate.  I wasn't thrilled with the California Burger.

Of the three times I've been there, there has been a decent size crowd so it is a place for vegetarians in Santa Cruz.

Endless Bummer and Feels at The Smell

I headed over to The Smell to catch one of my favorite bands, Feels.  Along the way, I was able to catch Endless Bummer.  This band plays punk with screaming abandon.  Add in some flying hair mixed in with their sound and the output drove The Smell crowd into mosh pit heaven.

Feels.  If Endless Bummer caused a mosh pit heaven to form, I think it is appropriate to say that Feels created meditative bliss.  The new member, Amy Allen, on bass fits in quite nicely with the remaining members of Raw Geronimo.  She strikes a pose in the middle, making a statement that she's there to set the beat to your thoughts.

Restaurant Review: Malabar Restaurant (Santa Cruz, CA)

Malabar Restaurant is a Sri Lankan vegetarian restaurant.  I went here two times and tried the Mee Goreng (a noodle dish) and Sri Lankan Curry plates.  The restaurant has a wonderful Asian setting.  I found it a pleasant atmosphere.  I read reviews that pointed negatively to the service, but I was fine with it.  The waiter treated me well.  Now as for the food:  nothing to write home about.  I found the Mee Goreng noodles too slimy (not sure if that is the proper word to use) for me.  I guess I like my noodles a little bit more dry like pad thai noodles.  The curry had me wishing for Indian curry.  I don't know if this review is written more because I enjoy Thai noodle dishes and Indian curry dishes over Sri Lankan dishes or the food just isn't top notch.  I'd give this restaurant's food 3 stars out of 5.

A Restaurant Review: The Greek Authentic Cuisine (Santa Cruz)

Admittedly, there isn't much here to eat for a vegetarian.  However, I'm hooked on their imam bayaldi, which is a baked eggplant stuffed with tomatoes, bell peppers, pine nuts, feta cheese and other ingredients.  I also love their faki soup (lentil soup).

I read some reviews that questioned the staff.  I don't think I agree . . . of course, waiters come and go.  When I went, the place was busy.  The waitress was slammed, but was very cheerful.

Magnolia Memoir and Dreaming Bull at Silverlake Lounge

Magnolia Memoir.  Mela Lee, the lead singer, at times sings with tender care and at other times turns on the dynamic vocals.  Add in the theatrics of the pianist and the coolness of the occasionally inserted stand-up bass, and you get one enjoyable 30 minute set.

Dreaming Bull. They have that Southern Rock down solid.  One really doesn't know if you're supposed to be dancing in New Orleans' French Quarters or at a gospel revival tent series.  The two dancers on the stage were surely possessed by the music.  

A Dream: I'm Jennifer Lopez's personal assistant

For some reason, entertainers have invaded my dreams recently.  My last dream blog post discussed the arrival of Modern Family into my dream.

This time around Jennifer Lopez made a brief appearance.  In my dream, I found myself backstage to one of Lopez's concerts.  I wasn't one of her employees, but someone who had just been given a backstage pass.  I walked into a costume room and was approached by someone.  This individual handed me a beautiful sheer dress.  "I need your help.  Jennifer Lopez needs this dress.  Don't let it touch the ground.  Keep it on the hanger.  Keep it perfect."  I took the hanger and the dress.  I held it at arms length and up high to make sure it didn't touch the ground.  I walked down a hallway and into Jennifer Lopez's dressing room.  Out from behind a wall divider, she approached me and thanked me for bringing her dress.  She didn't seem like a diva what so ever.

And then I woke up.

Movie Reviews: We're the Millers and Grudge Match

We're the Millers.  David Clark (Jason Sudeikis) is a small time pot dealer.  Unfortunately for him, he is robbed of his pot stash and cash.  He owes his supplier for the pot.  To cover his debts, David is told he has to go to Mexico to transport pot back into America.  He decides that it might make it easier to cross back into America if he could act like he was returning from a family vacation.  The problem:  he doesn't have a family.  And so he goes about trying to put together a family.  His wife, a stripper named Rose O'Reilly (Jennifer Aniston).  His daughter, a runway named Casey Mathis (Emma Roberts).  His son, a rather strange young man named Kenny Rossmore (Will Poulter).

I found this movie to be surprisingly entertaining.  I'm not really into drug comedies.  How High?  Harold and Kumar?  These movies generally don't do it for me.  But this movie's comedy doesn't really revolve around folks getting high.  It is really about four nearly randomly selected individuals slowly coming together as a real family and the random fun that results from all of that.

Does this movie rank up there with some of the better comedies of recent years such as This Is the End?  No way, but if you're looking for a few laughs, why not spend time with this made-up family.


Grudge Match.  Henry 'Razor' Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy 'The Kid' McDonnen (Robert De Niro) were once boxing rivals equivalent to Dempsey vs. Tunney.  Thirty years have passed since their famous bout.  McDonnen lives a successful life as a restaurant owner (hey, that sort of sounds like Dempsey).  Sharp meanwhile has just found out that he is getting laid-off from his manufacturing job (this doesn't exactly sound like Tunney, oh well).

In comes wannabe boxing promoter, Dante Slate, Jr (Kevin Hart), who wants to put on a rematch between Sharp and McDonnen.  Sharp wants nothing to do with this idea, but a confrontation with McDonnen results in a fight date being set.

This movie has the occasional Rocky joke to make it amusing, but it really isn't worth one's time.  Yes, Alan Arkin, Kim Basinger, Jon Bernthal, and LL Cool J provide this movie with a great supporting cast, but it just isn't enough.  The problem isn't the actors, it's the script which just doesn't hit us with enough amusing moments.

Note:  Stallone is in much better shape than De Niro so the fight and the tension regarding who will win the fight makes no sense.  Yes, this movie is a comedy and so realism (see We're the Millers) isn't a requirement, but seriously.

A Movie Review: Interstellar

Interstellar.  This movie provides the viewer with an engrossing story line and stunning visuals.  At 169 minutes, I didn't even feel the time pass though a person to my left did as he moaned and groaned more than a handful of times.  Part of me thinks that guy was a physicist who just couldn't deal with the creative license that movies are given.

The movie starts with our world in obvious demise.  Though not featured on a global scale, we are able to see on a local scale that traumatic environmental disaster has hit the earth.  The disaster is so great that the world is forced to make certain decisions dictated by government.  Here are a couple examples:

On the good side, nations have dismantled their armies.  There is world peace.

On the bad side, freedoms are limited.  Individuals can no longer decide their own destinies.  The government dictates careers.  Since farmers are needed, individuals are forced into farming.

Also, in order to encourage cooperation between nations, text books are cleansed of subject matters that might offend other nations.

Cooper (Matthew McConaughhey) is a farmer (though it would appear he chose that career versus it being forced onto him).  Prior to this, he was a test pilot/NASA astronaut.  He has two children Murph (Mackenzie Foy/Jessica Chastain/Ellen Burstyn) and Tom (Timothée Chalamet/Casey Affleck).  His father-in-law also lives with them, Donald (John Lithgow).  His wife died a few years back.  They head off one day to catch the equivalent of a bush league baseball game.  A massive dust storm starts to approach so folks hurry off to get back home.  There isn't any panic as this is just normal life.

Once home, Murph realizes that she left her bedroom window open.  Cooper and Murph rush up to her bedroom, which is covered in dust.  Interestingly, there is a gravitational anomaly that has happened.  The dust leaves a distinct design on the bedroom floor.  Cooper studies this for hours and realizes that there is something there, coordinates.  He uses this to discover the all to conveniently close black budget NASA facility.  NASA is attempting to save mankind.  "They" (unexplained beings) have opened up a worm hole that provides passage to a new Earth.  Humanity just needs to find this new planet(s).  

Matthew McConaughey does a brilliant acting job in this movie.  The emotions he displays when he catches up with years worth of videos sent to him from Tom is gripping.  And as we hit the final minutes of the movie, his acting becomes intense.

Though I don't think this is a Best Picture quality movie, I do think it is well worth the price of admission.

Now I'm not saying this movie doesn't have flaws and so (along with potential spoilers) . . .

As a note, the reason for the global environmental disaster isn't placed on over-dependency on fossil fuel, but on over-population.  The movie mentioned via Professor Brand (Michael Caine) that NASA refused to use the space technology to destroy a large segment of the global population.  A very noble refusal and yet (SPOILER) Professor Brand purposely sets things up so that Plan B is really the default and only option (Plan B being that humanity is left behind and frozen human embryos are used to re-start the human race on another planet), which brings up a degree of hypocrisy that is perhaps unrealized by Professor Brand.  On the other hand, if I understood correctly, one reason for NASA's refusal to destroy a large segment of the world's population was that it wouldn't have reversed the cycle of disappearing oxygen supplies, which I guess if you follow that path Professor Brand is a genocidal maniac anyways.  Instead of immediately having blood on his hands, he decided to just focus on the species and let the rest of humanity suffocate to death.

I am not an Anne Hathaway hater.  Well, okay, initially I was when she was doing The Princess Diaries movies, but then she turned me into a lover.  So I love that Anne Hathaway is in the movie; however, what was a touch annoying about this movie was the feeling that Christopher Nolan was bringing back the old gang:  Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, William Devane and perhaps one or two others.  Even Topher Grace sort of reminded me of a placeholder actor for Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Cooper doesn't appear to have had any rust after a number of years away from flying space ships.  Mercy, if I'm away from something for more than 3 months, I quickly start to forget procedures and such.

That scene where Cooper has to separate from Brand:  ah, too much like Gravity, maybe?!?  I understand the need, maybe just write the script differently.

"They" end up being the future us.  My problem:  humanity is supposed to suffocate in the not to distant future so how can there be an us?  Of course, I suppose, the idea of all humanity eventually suffocating was a dire prediction and not the actually outcome.  I understand the Terminator movies use the same SciFi technique, but in the Terminator movies there is a future us whereas in Interstellar there isn't supposed to be a future us.

And technically, when the new planet was found, how many of the billions in human population actually were able to travel to this new planet?  How many spacecraft needed to be built?  Hundreds of thousands?  How is that even possible?  How many were left behind on Earth?

The sound editing/score is so loud that I often had a hard time hearing the dialogue.  I was; however, able to make out the gist of things until the final concluding sentence or two where I didn't catch a single word, which is a real shame as I suspect that it was supposed to provide an over-all philosophical conclusion to the movie.  I have spent time searching the Internet to find what those concluding words were with no luck -- though I did find out that others also had the same issue hearing those words.

A Movie Review: Fury

Fury. This movie tells the World War II tale of a Sherman tank crew led by Sergeant Don Collier (Brad Pitt). His team includes Boyd Swan (Shia LaBeouf), Trini Garcia (Michael Pena) and Grady Travis (Jon Bernthal). Their alternate driver was killed in action and they are assigned a trained typist, Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman).  This doesn't sit well with Collier, but he has to work with what he has.

The crew doesn't have much time to get Ellison up to speed.  The Allies at this point are assured of victory, but this has resulted in a desperate Germany that has its back against the wall and has decided to go out fighting versus surrendering.  Since the war is now in Germany, the Allies supply lines are extended. Making stands that will protect the supply lines are essential.  Having someone who doesn't wish to kill the enemy just won't due, especially when it puts American lives at risk.  Ellison is forced to take an action that ranks as a war crime (technically he didn't commit the war crime).
My one psychological problem with this movie is Ellison.  Could someone who is an office-level army grunt find it within himself to adjust to the battlefield as quickly as he did?  Within what is perhaps two days, he's off killing Germans without qualm.  I don't know.

I did enjoy watching the crew dynamics.  The crew is tight and Ellison is the outsider.  They give him a hard time, melding him in the best way they know how into an effective member of their crew.  There is also jealousy that results when Collier takes Ellison solo up to an apartment where eggs are exchanged for sex.  (I think there is a flaw in this scene.  I believe I saw 6 eggs exchanged; however, seven individuals are eventually eating those eggs.)  The other members of the crew show up to the apartment and are not that pleased with the situation.  Of course, two of the members had found their woman (perhaps three) so it seemed to me that Collier was simply trying to get Ellison some sex.

Part of me suspects that this movie tries to walk a tightrope in one respect.  I think we have a gut feeling that Germans, Japanese and Italians were not the only soldiers who committed war crimes during World War II.  Germans who surrendered are executed.  The one thing the movie won't do is showing potential rapes happening.  Instead, women are treated as temporary prostitutes where food is exchanged for sex.  Did rapes happen, I suspect so, especially by slightly mentally unstable individuals like Travis.

Do I recommend this movie:  yes, definitely worth your time.

A Movie Review: A Clockwork Orange

A Clockwork Orange.  Alex (Malcolm McDowell) is a psychopathic delinquent.  We meet him as he and his gang are off beating up a homeless man, getting into a fight with a rival gang and driving off to a random home where they beat up a Mr. Alexander (Patrick Magee) and rape his wife Mrs. Alexander (Adrienne Corri).  This all happens during one night of violence.

He has a falling out with his gang.  When they are in the middle of a home robbery, the police arrive.  As he runs out of the house, one member of his gang smashes a bottle across his face.  They then take off, leaving him as the scapegoat.

The woman dies and he is sentenced to prison.  There, he volunteers for aversion therapy.  If it works, he is promised his freedom.

This isn't a violent movie in the sense of violent movies we now see in the theaters.  We don't see faces blown apart with rapid gunfire.  It is violent in the sense that the movie deals with a violent society and we see folks being violated physically (including rape).

The movie also deals with the topic of free will.  Even if we are able to "heal" a person from their violent behavior, is it appropriate?  And even if one can take away a person's free will, does free will eventually re-assert itself?  Before being released from prison, Alex is put through a couple of test before an audience.  One test has a beautiful naked woman brought before him.  He becomes ill.  Then in the final scene, Alex's free will has returned and so has his original character.  That character would surely have molested that young woman and then taken the beating he no doubt would have gotten from the jailer.

Also, I think a theme in the movie is that prison is a way to protect society from improper behavior.  When Alex is released he ends up at the house of Mr. Alexander (via an unfortunate encounter with his former gang).  There isn't any initial recognition by Mr. Alexander, but he eventually realizes who Alex is.  He concocts a scheme to torment Alex.  So here we have a model citizen who when given the opportunity turns into a version of Alex driven by a desire for vengence.

Movie Review: The Children's Hour

The Children's Hour (1961).  Karen Wright (Audrey Hepburn) and Martha Dobie (Shirley MacLaine) run an all girls boarding school that caters to the upper-middle class.  The two have a relatively nice life.

They are best friends.  Karen is being wooed by Dr. Joe Cardin (James Garner), which causes some concern with Martha (that she will no longer be an important part of Karen's life).  Perhaps their one major glitch is that Martha's aunt, Mrs. Lily Mortar (Miriam Hopkins), also works at the school.  It is more of a pity hire, a person who must be tolerated.  She is a former actress who would be indigent if not for this position.  She's also a tad unstable or let's just say over-dramatic.

Though Lily might be just a glitch in their life, they do have a major problem.  The major problem is problem child Mary Tilford (Karen Balkin) who ranks right up there with the girl from The Bad Seed as one of the most evil girls in film history.  Mary is constantly disciplined.  In revenge, she puts together a rumor based on two facts:  Lily (being over-dramatic) calls the friendship between Karen and Martha "unnatural" and Karen and Martha often talk with each other in their separate bedrooms.  Though the word lesbian is never spoken, you know that this is the accusation that Mary spreads.  Within hours, all the girls are pulled from the school.

This movie might appear dated, but perhaps not.  Something like this could happen in 2014 at say a religious school.

Since this is a movie that was made in 1961, I'm not sure this should be considered a spoiler, but it is revealed that Martha does have "unnatural" feelings towards Karen.  And in the end, she commits suicide.  One could say that even though this movie argues against small town morals and gossip, it also takes an anti-homosexual stance in those final scenes.  I don't know the movie statistics, but I do believe that it is standard that individuals considered to have moral/ethical short-comings are the ones more likely to die versus those who live in virtue.  On the other hand, one could argue that the meaning of those final scenes is that Martha just couldn't handle the societal condemnation and this was her attempt to free herself.  The final scene of the movie is focused on Karen as she walks away from the funeral.  She ignores the others that are there, as well, perhaps there out of their own moral shame.  I think this is the key scene to debate.  What exactly does it mean?

Do I recommend seeing this movie?  Yes.

Movie Review: Love in the Afternoon

Love in the Afternoon.  This has to rank as one of Audrey Hepburn's worst movies.  I barely made it through the movie.  The most irritating moments in this movie were the musicians that constantly followed Frank Flannagan (Gary Cooper) around everywhere.  Though it is meant to be amusing, it just gets tiring after awhile.

Ariane Chavasse (Audrey Hepburn) is in college majoring in Music.  Her father, Claude Chavasse (Maurice Chevalier), is a private detective.  He is approached by a Monsieur X (John McGiver) who is convinced that his wife is having an affair with a middle-aged playboy, Frank Flannagan.

Ariane begins to track her father's research and becomes infatuated with Frank Flannagan.  She learns that Frank is having an affair with Monsieur X's wife.  She also learns that Monsieur X plans to take things into his own hands (he has a gun).  So she heads off to the hotel where she warns Frank about the impending danger.

Ariane and Frank then carry on a brief affair.  Then off he goes.  Do they eventually re-connect?

The major problem I had with this movie was the idea that Frank could woe Ariane.  If I did my math right, when this movie was released, Gary Cooper was 56 while Audrey Hepburn was 28.  That's a 28 year difference.  In reality, Frank looks 56 while Ariane looks like she is a 20 year-old college student, which makes the age gap look more like 36.  Of course, these romances do occur in real life, but it is not the norm.

Also, even though Frank is portrayed as a playboy via news clippings, it really never feels that way via his interactions with Ariane and his various other female lovers.  Instead, he appears to just be a well-mannered, wealthy individual who loves women, many that he probably shouldn't be wooing.  That hardly makes him a playboy in my mind (the women, yes; the lifestyle, no).

Unfortunately, for those Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn and Billy Wilder (director) fans out there, I think you can take a pass on this movie.

Down and Outlaws/Great White Buffalo/The Diamond Light at The Satellite

I was out of town for ten weeks due to work.  I did return on the weekends so I got to catch the occasional weekend music festival, but this was essentially my first time at a local music venue in a couple months.  Where did I decide to go?  I decided to head off to The Satellite.

Down and Outlaws.  This San Francisco band reminded me of Amnesia, a music venue up there.  The lead vocalist has a distinct pitched sound that gets the crowd dancing.  Of notice, their second to last song was beautifully improvised.  Pure rock.

Great White Buffalo.  Serious smooth rock beats along with earnest vocals had the gals standing right up next to the stage, singing the words to every song.  There was love in those eyes.  There was just this calm confidence throughout the 30 minute set.

The Diamond Light.  This band reminded me of a favorite band, The Lower 48, in terms of fashion.  The three band members came out in custom made suits.  And much like The Lower 48, they wore those suits with flair and tore into rock and roll.  Their sound blasts out like Marty McFly's head turning prom invasion.

A Book Review. One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson

One Summer:  America, 1927.  This is more of an entertaining read on American history versus an in-depth analysis of the year.  For example, he does spend a significant amount of time in the book discussing Charles Lindbergh.  Of course, if one wants a deeper study of Lindbergh, one should read A. Scott Berg's biography.  Admittedly, one thing that is left out of Berg's biography is the fact that Lindbergh had a number of affairs, which came to light after the book's publishing.

I will say I enjoyed this book for the interesting history lesson that it provided regarding that year.  What did start to grate on me was his apparent joy in destroying the icons of that time:  Charles Lindbergh, Herbert Hoover, Calvin Coolidge, Warren Harding and Henry Ford.  It seems like at times that Bill Bryson is taking on a slightly British snobbishness towards America, even though he is an American.  I think context is sometimes important when looking at the men and women of generations past.  In all fairness, he does point this out.  I guess my biggest complaint was Bryson's take down of Hoover.  Now in 1927, Hoover was not yet president.  There wasn't yet a Great Depression.  Hoover was; however, a member of Calvin Coolidge's cabinet.  At the time, there was a great flood that hit middle America.  Hoover took it onto himself to organize help, his own FEMA-like move.  As Bryson points out, Hoover also did the same thing in Europe after World War I.  Yes, we can argue he was a failed president.  Yes, he was "pompous."  But shouldn't he be given some props for moving on this massive nature disaster?  Bryson doesn't give much and instead criticizes the short-comings.

My one issue with the layout of the book comes with the final chapter, September:  Summer's End.  I do understand there has to be a September, but that chapter spends a significant amount of time highlighting authors and other cultural events.  I feel that maybe it would have been better to sprinkle those highlights throughout the book.

Maybe it seems like I'm giving this book a negative review.  I'm calling it light reading versus academic.  I'm slamming Bryson for being overly harsh on the icons of the era.  I'm complaining about the final chapter.  On the other hand, I do enjoy reading history and sometimes you really don't want to read a thick biography on one individual.  This book provides the perfect 10,000 foot look at America just before the Great Depression.  For that, I'm happy I read it.

  

A Book Review: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe

I am Charlotte Simmons.  Charlotte Simmons is the valedictorian of her high school.  A high school in the backwaters of America, the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.  She gets accepted into Duke University (oh wait, scratch that, Dupont University).  Dupont is Ivy League.  The students there are wealthy.  Her roommate, Beverly, is the daughter of a top corporate executive.  She is, essentially, a fish out of water.

The book deals with these cultural tensions.  Will she keep her identity or get engulfed by it.  The problem:  when you're already part of a culture you already know the rules, but when you don't you can go too far.  It is also easy to get exposed for your lack of knowledge.  

This book was written in 2004 and yet it is so relevant today as it deals with sexual assault, athlete privilege and liberal/conservative thought.

I have not read all of Tom Wolfe's books.  I suspect that this is not one of his best efforts.  And yet, you can't help but think in the last few paragraphs: what has Charlotte Simmons really become? which is exactly the question I suspect Tom Wolfe wants you to ask.  

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens: 43 - 23

Ben Roethlisberger was at it again for the Steelers, tossing 6 touchdowns.  What kind of damage can he do against the one win team New York Jets next weekend?

It didn't appear initially that Big Ben and the Steelers would have back-to-back gigantic offensive games.  The Baltimore Ravens defense came to play.  For the Steelers first three drives, they couldn't even manage a first down.  The first quarter favored Baltimore 0-7.

The two tales of Baltimore's defense.  It started strong by sacking Big Ben 3 straight times.  It left one wondering if the Steelers front line was once again going back to the old ways of recent pass seasons.  Then later in the game, the same defense had three penalties called on them on a single play.

It turned around for the Steelers early in the second quarter when Ravens' running back Lorenzo Taliaferro fumbled and then during the Ravens' next drive QB Joe Flacco threw an interception.  The Steelers took the lead for good up 14-7.  The 2nd quarter ended with the Steelers up 22-10.  How did they get the 22 points?  There was a botched extra point attempt by kicker Shaun Suisham and so punter, the holder, Brad Wing grabbed the ball and tossed it in for the 2 point conversion.

Later in the game during one of the many fights, Brad Wing and Shaun Suisham tag teamed for an amusing scuffle with a Ravens' player.  Though it is hard to tell exactly, NBC did appear to indicate that Big Ben was getting a laugh out of it.

The third quarter didn't see the score board light up, but then the fourth quarter came around and Big Ben started tossing those touchdown passes again to get to six.

The fourth quarter should have been a blow-out, but the Ravens didn't make it easy when they took apart the Steelers' special team for a 108 yard kick-off return.  That made the score 29-17 with more than 13 minutes to play, but then the Steelers responded with a scoring drive (touchdown, of course).  The Ravens tried to make it interesting one more time with another touchdown score, but at that point there was only three minutes left to play.

So a negative for the Steelers:  they weren't able to get their running game going.   The Ravens took both Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount out of the game in terms of running.  Bell did catch 5 passes and had a touchdown so he wasn't totally eliminated from the game.  We'll also have to await news on Troy Polamalu who got injured in the game.  He did come back into the game after being injured and didn't look good on that one play and so sat out the rest of the game.

A Dream: cast of Modern Family

My dream started with me parking my car in a parking lot.  As I got out, I noticed Sarah Hyland walking past my car.  Somehow we started a conversation and realized we were heading in the same direction.  We decided to walk together.  I couldn't help noticing that she was carrying some bags.   I figured she'd just gotten done shopping.  Then I noticed that whenever she saw a plastic bottle, she'd pick it up and put it into a bag.  Ah, she was picking up recyclables.

We came across this grassy area where plastic bottles were strewn all over the place.  She started to pick them up.  I decided to help.  As I was helping, I noticed that there was a sleeping bag.  And then I noticed a ripped open plastic bag.  The plastic bottles all over the place had come from this bag.  It was apparent that all these plastic bottles were the property of a homeless man who was planning to recycle them for cash.

I told Sarah Hyland that we should leave the area.  Then the homeless man arrived on the scene.  He started to approach us in a menacing manner.  Bang.  A gun shot went off.  Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) had come up behind us and noticing that we were under threat and had shot the homeless guy.  So I wasn't talking with "Sarah Hyland," I was talking to Haley Dunphy!!!   I was part of a dark Modern Family episode.

My dream quickly shifted to a confrontation between Phil Dunphy and Jay Pritchett (Ed O'Neill).  Apparently, Phil had to stand trial for the killing of the homeless man.  He had claimed that the homeless man had threatened Haley and me with a knife.  Jay Pritchett was a witness to Phil's actions and personal demeanor (Haley and I couldn't comment on his direct actions as we hadn't see him come over, but Jay had been walking with him).  On the witness stand, Jay refused to state that Phil's reason for firing off his gun was because they had both quickly discussed seeing a knife in the man's hand.  Phil's sentence was four years in prison.  Jay had a nice little twinkle in his eye.  He had finally found a way to get Phil away from his daughter, Claire (Julie Bowen).

Before I woke up from my dream, it shifted.  I left the Modern Family episode.  I was once again out for a walk.  This time, I came across a personal friend.  Our conversation revolved around her childhood horse.

2014 Archive Photos: Eastern Conference Champions (Chinatown Summer Nights)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

Eastern Conference Champions.