alohahome Reviews

American Beauty (1999)

By any other name

[10/10 · 25 February 2012]

American BEAUTY (1999) Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Chris Cooper Rated R. 5 Academy awards. Tagline: "...look closer."

If this film bothers you, you're not alone. It does push buttons. The suburban middle class dream sometimes is not exactly what it appears to be on the picture perfect surface, and it gets taken to the wood shed here. The white picket fence can only hide so much from view before the dark secrets are finally uncovered. The Thomas Newman musical score is evocative with a hovering sense of sweet melancholy, yet it has a thoroughly haunting, icy-edged poignancy that cannot be resisted; it reflectively explores the hollow rewards of the death trap known as the rat race with all of its inherent disillusionment. More than a musical underscore, this is a sublimely eloquent work of art by Newman, perhaps his signature best, so very beautiful that when I hear it, it overflows and I don't know how I can possibly hold it all inside. This is a film that is funny, sad, disturbing and strangely beautiful. This movie is new every time I watch it. I never seem to remember everything that it contains, yet at times it's somehow impossible to forget a single moment. For cinema lovers especially, this motion picture is a masterfully crafted experience. Warning: This movie is not for those who are looking for simple escapist entertainment or for those who tend to hide their head in the sand. It's far from simple and it's uncompromisingly blunt. This is as sly as a film can possibly be, where your soul is given the opportunity to connect all the dots, and you're left to discover the true nature of beauty that's always there in front of us. By any other name...

The Dog Problem (2006)

Puppy's are forever

[7/10 · 23 August 2010]

"When a man's best friend is a dog, that dog has a problem."

(from the opening credits)

This basically unknown oddball Independent film is an entertaining dark comedy. It's rated R mainly because of off color language and some sexual situations, which are hardly graphic. Underneath, this film is ultimately good natured at its core. A shrink tells a young writer named Solo, who's troubled and lonely, to try owning a pet to aid his therapy, so he hesitantly gets a "so ugly it's cute" puppy from the pet shop at the local mall. He's totally clueless on how to care for it. However, from that day forward he is never the same again. Suddenly and unaccountably, everyone he encounters becomes smitten by his puppy, who's the real star in this feature. The themes hinge on lost hope and looking for love and connection in a confusing world. Solo happens to meet a pretty woman who, unexpectedly, is also troubled and lonely. Aside from the language, this is a surprisingly charming and quirky little film involving lost souls who meet a dog that inadvertently leads him to some answers about their plight in life. This is lighthearted fun but not exactly a family or children's movie. The ending is touching and sweet. Dog owners in particular will get a real kick out of this film.

Legends of the Fall (1994)

Spellbinding

[9/10 · 12 August 2010]

This is not a sappy chick flick whatsoever like the poster seems to indicate. Its viewpoint is decidedly masculine. A family saga with many dimensions and profound themes. Love, death, jealousy, revenge and redemption. Filled with melodrama and tragedy, this sweeping epic set in early 1900's Montana is at it's core a soap opera for guys, a tremendously dark journey both beautiful and brutal. Big sky country meets father/ son issues. A bold and masterful James Horner score wrenches your senses throughout. There is no doubt that we are all splintered souls. Herein lies the haunting echoes of Cain and Abel and a brother's broken bond. And what exactly is behind a father favoring his wayward son? Warning: this motion picture is too strong for children. How quickly life passes us, almost unnoticed, and how things taken for granted disappear before we even have a chance to glimpse their presence as they melt away. A strong Native American theme underscores this film, hinting at our inner mystical voice. This movie is nothing less than a spellbinding feast for the soul. There's something very special here. Be prepared for unforgettable buttons to be pushed.

The Spitfire Grill (1996)

Bittersweet

[7/10 · 12 August 2010]

This is a very touching but bittersweet independent film. Slow and gentle. It concerns a young woman named Percy who wishes to reconcile her unsavory past in the small town of Giliad Maine but she is haunted by the very past that she wishes to overcome. Many people would like a chance to start over but life does not always afford then that opportunity. Nonetheless, we all still do affect others in ways that are not always seen. And therein lies the tale of redemption. A redemption that is sometimes too late in coming. Yet there is still hope in the unfairness all around us. And compassion to be found. Don't expect a Hollywood ending here. But who really wants one in this context? It's been said that Hollyweood films depict life as we would like to see it. But independent films depict life as it is. Small towns are hesitant enough about welcoming newcomers, yet Percy's arrival and her spirit is sensed as being something altogether different and the town finds itself changed forever. The inviting musical score by James Horner renders a sweet ambiance, consoling with a subdued drifty quality that lulls the soul in its wake.

Northfork (2003)

Surreal

[7/10 · 12 August 2010]

A gem to be savored. Tenderly atmospheric. An indie movie that is wordlessly beautiful. Surrealism echos throughout. Few films have the power to unlock a dimension that is beyond our grasp but this movie touches a realm that resides in us all. Change is a most profound thing. Death mirrors life in its own inevitable way. Don't be baffled or bewildered, angels are among us, just not quite where you might imagine. Some are orphans, stranded here through no fault of their own, who yearn for a place called home. There are 31 flavors of symbolism hidden here, and they are all to be found in frostbitten Montana in the year 1955. Quote from the movie: "Depends on how you look at it ...halfway to heaven or halfway to hell." Esoteric, offbeat, meditative. A movie that invites repeated viewings which offers many revelations.

Paradise (I) (1991)

Paradise is finding what we lost

[8/10 · 12 August 2010]

Life is not always pretty. Neither is unresolved grief. But innocence is always beautiful. A couple in a small town lose their only child to a tragic accident. This sensitive motion picture deals with how the human soul reacts to personal loss and how it changes lives. The kind of movie you want to own so you can revisit it from time to time since its theme touches us all deeply. The scenery is gorgeous, the town is small and peaceful. The characters are meaningful and real. Unspoken bonds run deep throughout. A heartfelt film that captures our yearning for a father. This is a soul changing journey for a childless man who never got to be one. At first indifferent and angry, he inadvertently discovers something which he thought he might never experience, through the inescapable and magical innocence of a visiting young boy who seems to somehow understand his plight. Both he and his wife find themselves confronted in a way that changes them forever. This film is a forgotten gem.

The Astronaut Farmer (2006)

Faith and hope

[7/10 · 12 August 2010]

This is a solid family movie about faith and hope and it was a box office dud. For all the complaining out there about the lack of family entertainment, exactly how could a movie like this do so poorly? I certainly hope this was a fluke. No nudity. No real profanity to speak of. This film features a close knit family, a supportive wife and grand father, two little daughters who love their daddy and also his life long dream to launch into orbit with his own privately built rocket constructed on his Texas ranch. By the way, this is basically a fantasy but the director evidently does not think so, as you will happily discover if you get a chance to see it. If you can relate to the concept of unshakable faith in yourself against all odds, and would be willing to let two of the most adorable little daughters this side of Jupiter steal your heart away for 104 minutes, then this movie was made for you. How so very odd it is to be inspired by the unbelievable. Or maybe not so odd after all?

A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004)

Raw reconciliation

[8/10 · 12 August 2010]

A dysfunctional family suffering from broken hopes and broken dreams, reunites after the death of a troubled wife and mother, only to discover long buried secrets are awaiting to destroy their fragile existence. However, the same dark secrets that threaten them are found to be the very connection they need to restore their belief and to reconcile their anger and remorse. This movie takes place in the rotting shanty town section of New Orleans, humid with the ambiance of aimless despair; it reeks with the dank fumes of cheap alcohol and the stale haze of cigarette smoke. A low budget Indy film that deals with the themes of second chances and unforeseen reconciliation. Sometimes, no place left to go can be a good place for troubled souls. Lovely southern cinematography. For mature audiences. An engrossing look at raw life through dirty window streaks. Slow, thoughtful, and ultimately sweet when sweetness is the last thing you expect.

Leaving Barstow (2008)

Bittersweet

[7/10 · 12 August 2010]

I really liked this film. It resonates something special and captures the bittersweet side of the soul as we come of age. The music is fitting and touching. I've been through places like Barstow many times and I can relate to the location. Towns like this reek of quiet despair and hollow resignation. A gray, dishwater existence in the midst of flying diesel fumes and choking dust. Most folks passing through fill up with regular, grab a fast food combo and disappear into the desolate sunset, glad to be leaving. This is a town stuck in endless dusk with little hope for daybreak and the director knew precisely how to capture these sentiments. One viewing on IFC and I had to own a copy. Well worth revisiting those shades of misty gray. Hollywood films gives us escapism. Indy films show us what we are escaping from. This is a movie made on a shoestring budget that has true meaning. It's void of Hollywood trappings. Real life told with a heart. A film for your quiet moments.

Levity (2003)

Redemption can be a long road

[8/10 · 12 August 2010]

How does one make things right? Seek forgiveness? Where does redemption reside and how do you get there? How does a wounded soul reconcile guilt? This is a slow and thoughtful character study set during a grim and dreary winter in an urban town. This is not a Hollywood movie. It's raw with real life. It's apparent ugliness is its sheer inescapable beauty. Morality does exist no matter how we try to hide. Thornton, after spending over 20 years in prison for the murder of a young convenience store clerk during a robbery gone haywire in his youth, is drawn to return to his old neighborhood to visit the older sister of the young man he killed, played by Holly Hunter. She doesn't quite know who he really is since so many years have gone by. Thornton was content to live out his remaining years behind bars but must now face his past because his sentence was suddenly commuted. Bleak with melancholy, this type of film gets shunned by audiences and it's a shame. Morgan Freeman plays a mysterious soup kitchen minister who has his own issues, whom Thornton comes to work for. Freeman is a natural actor and believable in any role. The story unfolds slowly without gimmicks. At times, Thornton happens to find himself visited by the ghostly apparition of the young man whom he killed, while he is in the process of seeking resolution and atonement. His simple desire is to somehow make amends. He wants to be forgiven but, strangely, he is unable and unwilling to forgive himself. Unfortunately, unresolved redemption seems to be too deep a theme for contemporary audiences who are hooked on chills and thrills and pyrotechnics. This is an independent film, the kind that many people just don't get. A movie for your quiet time or a rainy night. Something different and refreshing. And no silly happy ending to mar the proceedings.

An Unfinished Life (2005)

Even deep wounds have been known to heal

[10/10 · 12 August 2010]

I like movies that are willing to look into the soul and deal with the process of reconciliation and redemption of bitter and broken people and families. This beautifully filmed movie, shot in the lush Wyoming countryside (actually Canada), starts slow, than sneaks up on you with more meaning than you could possibly have anticipated. Old wounds die hard and unresolved guilt and blame takes its toll. This motion picture was released under the radar due to Miramax being bought by Disney. It was shelved for two years, then given a limited release, It's largely undiscovered but it does have something important to say. Not a perfect movie since there is no such thing, but it does push some deep buttons and it's worth owning a copy. Another keeper. Morgan Freeman plays a ranch hand who is bedridden due to a bear mauling and has his own demons to fight.

Walker Payne (2006)

Sometimes life takes a wrong turn

[8/10 · 12 August 2010]

A dark film in search of a faint glimmer of light. A small town womanizer, Walker Payne, who's out of work, must make some tough choices to save his two daughters who adore him. He is estranged from his bitter wife and in hock up to his ears since the local coal mine has shut down. Harsh reality finally catches up with him. Busted dreams and empty pockets, wrong choices and bad luck, fragile hope and heartbreaking desperation. The theme hinges on ethics and sacrifice. This movie is not for children since it does involve a dog fighting plot and there are other intense moments, including a sex scene or two and rough language. It's rated R. A slick gambling promoter shows up ( Satan in a leisure suit ) and wants Walker's beloved pet, a sweet pit bull, to train to fight other dogs for cash across state lines. This is an Indy film so don't expect a Hollywood ending. It didn't do well with audiences and these are the movies I prefer. They push buttons and some people don't like that.

Monster's Ball (2001)

Tragedy is not the end of hope

[10/10 · 12 August 2010]

This movie was not a favorite with audiences so I knew there had to be something meaningful in it that the shallow public could not see or was not able to see or perhaps refused to see. It has one of the loveliest soundtracks I've ever heard which clings to the soul with a lingering and misty melancholy. A movie for for those who have known suffering. The Monster's Ball is a very bleak film yet it's also quite rare in that it's truly unpredictable. You won't find Hollywood trappings here. This is an Indy film, thoughtful with symbolism and a profound message. This movie caused a knee jerk reaction in parts of the black community, causing calls for boycotting and some racial tension. Simply put, a white racist death row prison guard, through a set of tragic and complex circumstances, begins to fall in love with the black wife of an inmate that he recently executed, of which she is totally unaware. Their anguished bond is the fact that they both have lost young sons. There is some blunt sexual content, however it's mainly queasy and uncomfortably painful rather than erotic. Still, this motion picture is not intended for children. This movie somehow captures the mood of yearning reconciliation between two devastated souls who discover they have absolutely nowhere else left to turn, except to each other. This is a startling "feel bad" movie that is able to say: tragedy will not be permitted to become the end of all hope. Rather it states: When you're at the end of your rope, letting go can be the best thing you can do. Ultimately consoling in a way that seeks to unlock a warm, rainy night in your heart where abandoned innocence is finally given a chance to be regained. Atmospheric and moody with a poetic and mystical resolution that leaves you with a mesmerizing shimmer of hope. In the final scene, Halle Berry unlocked something deep within herself. Her eyes spoke of a suffocated bleeding which magically suspended both time and space. "The title comes from a custom in medieval England where prisoners awaiting execution were called monsters. The night before their execution, their jailers would hold a feast known as a monster's ball as their final farewell." (Wikipedia)

Sling Blade (1996)

A darkly beautiful film

[10/10 · 14 April 2010]

This is a dark but beautiful motion picture. Filled with nuance, both subtle and stark. Layered with a remarkably breathless, bittersweet tone. It's one of those rare, one of a kind movies that will leave you mesmerized. There are some very strong father and son issues dealt with here that will rip at your soul and may leave you bleeding against your will. Few movies are willing to dig this deep. This is an Indy film without the stench of Hollywood influence. Hollywood usually passes on such meaningful projects. There are two types of people in the world. The first type will visit a lake and see...reflections. The second type will visit a lake and wonder... exactly what lies below? This film is for that second type. It's certainly not for children. And definitely not for the shallow. The director's cut is highly recommended for this particular movie. In the ultimate sense, this film gives us a view of an unthinkable sacrifice that some may never fully comprehend. For others, they will be touched in a most unforgettable way.