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Moonlight (2016)
Great Performances by The Cast, But...
...there was hardly any emphasis placed on Chiron's love life - only the consequences of it - being bullied and teased for being gay. There are only one or two scenes involving sex - furtive and hurried. I did, however, enjoy the strong and honest performances by everyone involved in the film. Mahershala Ali deserved his Oscar and I am glad that the film won Best Picture. I hope that the next LGBT film with a primarily African-American casts focuses more on romance and sexuality of the characters and not place it on the sidelines.
Holding the Man (2015)
Impressive Adaptation of a Great Book
I saw the movie before I read the book, but I must say I am equally impressed by both. I loved the blunt honesty of the book, but what impressed me most about the film were the performances by Ryan Corr and Craig Matthew Stott. As Tim and John, their chemistry is spot on. There is heft, believability and passion in all of their scenes together. The supporting cast, which features some well known faces from Australian TV and cinema are fine, but they are basically relegated to the background. I loved Corr and Stott in their scenes together and wanted it to go on forever; knowing how tragically it all ends made it even sadder. I would put this film in the same category as BRIEF ENCOUNTER in terms of its romantic content. The fact that it is a true story makes it even better - and more poignant.
Prisoner of Paradise (2002)
Powerful Documentary
The film's subject alone - the Holocaust - makes for an automatically compelling story. But the director allows some nuance in the film - giving Kurt Gerron some dimension as a human being, flaws and all - that make this film worth watching. Like too many stories about his ghastly time in world history, it doesn't have a happy ending, but you find yourself going along with the narrative. The anecdotes about Mr. Gerron from friends and relatives paint him as a lovable, if somewhat egotistical artist who lived for applause. One grows heartsick and frustrated learning about his refusal to come to America because he wasn't offered first class accommodations on the ship - blowing a chance that many European Jews would have given their eyeteeth for. And how instead of finding other ways to get out of Nazi Europe, putting his blinders on and focusing on the main thing that mattered to him - work. Had he been allowed to live, he doubtless would have made even more of an impression in the film world.
Out of Africa (1985)
HER Kukiyu...REALLY?
Visually, the film is stunning - the camera truly takes advantage of Kenya's breathtaking natural beauty and wildlife. But as has been said here too many times, this is a movie for white people interested in Africa. Isak's well-meaning but ultimately patronizing bio about her life in colonial Africa has made an equally patronizing and condescending film about her life in colonial Africa. And while Streep is technically competent in the role, she lacks true emotion, unlike her bravura turn in Sophie's Choice. Her performance seems more like Accent 101. If only Redford had taken the class. His refusal to learn (and for Pollack to not let it matter)an English accent is one of the most offensive parts of the film. Call it laziness or ego, it's distracting from the film. He gets by on charm - may have worked in Hollywood's Golden Age, but not in modern film. OOA's main Oscar rival, The Color Purple was also an uneven film, but had more emotional ambition regarding its black characters and stronger leading performances. No way should it have lost anything to this ponderously middlebrow elitist film. But it is pretty at least.
The Last Voyage (1960)
Interesting, watchable nail-biter
Only at the very end, where it is quite obvious that the sinking ship is a low-rent Hollywood set piece (as well as some cheesy stock footage of an anonymous ship), does the film let the viewers down. I Up until that point, The Last Voyage is a compelling nail-biter, with a strong cast ( marred only by child actress Tammi Marihugh's performance - she overacted in several scenes but didn't take away from the film), great performances and perhaps one of the best locales of any film ever made in Hollywood - a real ocean liner! I even liked the dummies used during the explosion scenes - they always give me a chuckle. This film will not disappoint. The backstory of the making of this film is as interesting as the film itself - the final humiliation of a beloved ocean liner, the wheelings and dealings of the producers to get the film made at all (including alleged tussles with some shady mobsters) make this grandaddy of contemporary disaster flicks one of my favorites.
Titanic (1953)
Great Script with Performances to Match
The special effects are lacking compared to the superior, more finely detailed A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, but it's the snappy dialogue and superb performances by Stanwyck, Webb and Thelma Ritter that keep this soap- opera-at-sea afloat. Story-wise, it's superior to James Cameron's version. Stanwyck is Julia Sturges, a socialite wife on the lam from her controlling husband Richard, played to prissy perfection by Clifton Webb. She has decided to take their children, Annette and Norman (the Liz Taylor clone Audrey Dalton and an uncredited Harper Carter) back to America, as she has grown weary of the international social circuit she has married into. Richard follows her, but can only get a third class ticket (one of the films many inaccuracies), and sneaks into first class to force Julia's hand and bring his family back to Europe, where he can hopefully marry his daughter off to a titled nobleman. He manages to convince his daughter to return with him once the ship docks in New York, but before he can do the same with his son, Julia has a "high trump" that she plays to chilling effect, that will change all of their lives forever. Of course, the ship sinks before the chips can fall, but I like how the tension builds toward that moment in their cabin before they head down to the captain's table for dinner. Stanwyck plays it for all that its worth as only she can – bitter, world-weary and sad. Thelma Ritter is Maud Young, a character clearly based on the real-life Molly Brown who sailed onboard the real ship. She's a loud, brassy, slightly vulgar delight as she challenges the male passengers to a marathon poker game that only ends when the ship makes that infamous rendezvous with a certain iceberg. Also sailing with them is Robert Wagner as Giff Rogers, a healthy corn-fed All-American college student who falls for Annette. Brian Aherne is a rather dapper Captain Smith, Edmund Purdom (a Fox contract player best known for THE Egyptian) is the Second Officer Lightoller. Director Jean Negulesco maintains a proper amount of drama, humor and tension, but the screenplay by Frances Hackett and Albert Goodrich, despite its snarky dialogue, plays fast and loose with the facts of the disaster in the name of those aforementioned elements.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Fun, But Flawed
This is the film that put Hepburn's career back on the map after being labeled "box office poison". It really is a nice film, with strong performances throughout, especially Hepburn as the aristocratic but uptight Tracy Lord. And she has seldom looked more beautiful than she does here; dressed to the nines in elegant dresses by Adrian and her famous red hair coiffed by Sydney Guilaroff. I did think that Ruth Hussey's character has too many smart-alecky lines; it makes her come across as if she is trying too hard. And I also take issue with the premise that Tracy Lord's father blames his daughter's attitude and disrespect toward him as reason for his infidelities to his wife – even when I saw this as a child, I didn't understand why an independent- minded (if a little uptight and controlling) woman would have to account for her dad's cheating. Such a load of BS. I know that we are supposed to take delight in these types of Hepburn films, where her high and mighty characters get humbled by those closest to them, and suddenly she becomes a "female". It makes for some good laughs, but it can also be really condescending and more than a bit sexist. I got the same impression in Woman of the Year as well. And finally, I still shake my head in disbelief that Jimmy Stewart was awarded a Best Actor Oscar for what essentially is a supporting role, and not really of Oscar caliber. I'll always believe that the Best Actor statue should have gone to Henry Fonda. Flaws aside, The Philadelphia Story has some great moments