Small Apartments 2012

     Franklin Franklin lives in a seedy and run down apartment complex.  He dreams of moving to Switzerland and he blows his alphorn to bring forth these memories.  This does not please the other tenants plus they complain about the smell of his apartment every time he opens the door.  The smell comes from the dead landlord on the floor?  He also goes to the mailboxes every day wearing only a wig and white underwear.  The other tenants don’t have much going for them either, the pothead next door, the nosy one on the other side, oddball mother and daughter across the courtyard.

     This movie is a strange and wild ride from the beginning to the end.  Sometimes can be dark and horrifying but a lot of times funny.  Filmed in only 20 days!  3* (This movie is OK)

96 min, Comedy directed by Jonas Akerlund with Matt Lucas, James Caan, Johnny Knoxville, Juno Temple, James Marsden, Dolph Lundgren, Rebel Wilson, Billy Crystal, Rosie Perez.

Note:  Blockbuster 2 ½*, imdb 5.9 out of 10, 14% critic 38% audience on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Hitler's Children 2011

     Adolph Hitler did not have any children, this documentary looks at the descendents of five of the top Nazi officials working for Hitler.  None of these relatives have any Nazi leanings and they talk individually about carrying a name associated with the Nazi Party.  Even just being a German has been associated with Nazi history but their family names have been written in history.

     This is very interesting, many movies have been made about this period but this film has a different viewpoint.  It’s about the burden passed on to the future generation.  Each of the five people have handled their legacy in a different manner.  There are discussions of evil, guilt, memory, denial, heredity and repentance.  What they drew on to form their own identities and how they have chosen to live their lives with this heritage.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

59 min Doc directed by Chanoch Zeevi with Bettina Goering, Katrin Himmler, Rainer Hoess, Eldad Beck, Niklas Frank, Monika Goeth.

Note:  imdb 7.3 out of 10, 80% critic 64% audience on Rotten Tomatoes. 

All Together 2011

      A group of friends of over 40 years meet for dinner, one of the men, Jean, casually mentions that they are all getting older and maybe they should live together?  Soon after this dinner, Claude has a heart attack going up a stairway and his son places him in a retirement home.  The others go to visit him with bread and champagne.  They plan to meet with him every weekend but they are appalled by the home.  Claude is smuggled out and everyone moves into the home of Jean and Annie.  Claude has never been married and is in pretty good shape except for his heart.  Annie wants to put in a swimming pool so the grandchildren will come to visit but Jean is opposed, their health is good.  Jeanne is suffering from a terminal illness and her husband Albert is losing his memory. 

      This is very good, all the characters are interesting and well acted.  I was surprised to hear Jane Fonda speaking French, I don’t know if she is fluent in this language but she did very well.  A positive solution to getting old!!  4* (I really liked this movie)

96 min, Comedy directed by Stephane Robelin with Guy Bedos, Daniel Bruhl, Geraldine Chaplin, Jane Fonda, Claude Rich, Pierre Richard, Bernard Malaka.

Note:  Imdb 6.4 out of 10, 65% critic 51% audience on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Auto Focus 2002

     Bob Crane’s career really took off when he was signed to play Colonel Hogan in Hogan’s Heroes.  Prior to this television hit, Bob was a morning DJ on radio in the 60’s.  He lives in Southern California with his wife and three children.  Everything begins to change once he becomes a celebrity.  Bob strikes up a friendship with John Carpenter, a Sony sales rep who sets up home entertainment systems for Hollywood customers.  He invites Bob to join him for an evening of cruising strip clubs.  Bob likes to play the drums and he likes playing with the bands in these clubs.  His life begins to slide down a slippery slope.

     I did not know what I was getting into with this film.  Extremely dark, unexpected and disturbing, Crane and Carpenter both seem to be disconnected from reality and they don’t think there is anything wrong with their behavior?  Good in keeping to the period with the cars, décor, clothing, music, language and values.  3* (This movie is OK)

106 min, Bio directed by Paul Schrader with Greg Kinnear, Willem Dafoe, Rita Wilson, Maria Bello. Ron Leibman, Kurt Fuller, Ed Begley, Jr., Michael McKeen.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 6.6 out of 10, 72% critic 57% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Cold Light of Day 2012

     Will Shaw is a Wall Street trader who is really worried his business has gone down the tubes.  It doesn’t help that he’s left to meet his family for a vacation in Spain and his luggage is still in San Francisco.  He joins them on a large sailboat and his father gets so irritated with him not paying attention on the boat and using his phone all the time that he throws the phone into the water.  Will swims ashore but when he gets back the boat is not there.  He locates the boat in a cove but everyone is gone.  This leads to disclosure of dark family secrets and a government conspiracy.

     There are so many problems with this film it’s hard to begin to list them but “cold” is a good start!  Cavill is a newbie at international intrigue but he plays his character with a wild-eyed innocence throughout even though he is gaining experience.  People get severely beaten and they look just about normal after the beating?  Weaver doesn’t mind killing everyone in her path and the chase scene in cars is good but too little too late for this film. 2* (I didn't like this movie) 

93 min, Action directed by Mabrouk El Mechri with Bruce Willis, Sigourney Weaver, Henry Cavill, Veronica Echegui, Joseph Mawie, Caroline Goodall, Rafi Gavron.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 4.8 out of 10, 5% critic 29% audience on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Numb 2007

     Hudson is a Hollywood screenwriter with some success but suddenly after smoking a joint, he sinks into a strange vibe where he can’t physically or emotionally feel his surroundings.  His writing partner, Tom, is disturbed by the sudden changes in Hudson and he advises him to see a psychiatrist.  He is diagnosed with depersonalization, this starts him on the path of one medication after another until he’s on a first name basis with his pharmacist.  He meets Sarah at a sales pitch, she is a beautiful, she actually likes him, believes in him and tries to help him as much as she can. 

     Sometimes you want to hit Hudson and shake him as well.  Could some of his problems be due to thinking a lot about only himself and also a call for attention?  Not very deep with one nutty doctor after another with stereotypical results. 3* (This movie is OK)

92 min, Comedy directed by Harris Goldberg with Matthew Perry, Bob Gunton, Monique Ganderton, Ben Ayres, Helen Shaver, Mary Steenburgen, Lynn Collins.

Note:  Blockbuster 2 ½*, imdb 6.6 out of 10, 54% audience on Rotten Tomatoes. 

California Solo 2012

     In the 1990’s, Lachlan MacAldonich was on top of the world.  He was in a pop band from Britain and he had a lot of hit songs on the radio.  Now he maintains a low profile working on an organic farm in Los Angeles.  He also works on a podcast, Flame-Outs, about the untimely deaths of his favorite musicians including his brother.   Lachlan is pulled over for drunken driving and a previous drug offense in his past are used against him for deportation.

     Robert Carlyle was in The Full Monty and Trainsposting, he does a good job as Lachlan but this lead character is not very likeable once the charm of his nice accent wears off.  How can I care about whether or not he’s deported if I’m not sure he belongs here?  Not enough substance, I keep wondering why I am watching?  2 1/2* (This movie is just so-so)

95 min, Drama directed by Marshall Lewy with Robert Carlyle, Danny Masterson, Sean McCraken, Kathleen Wilhoite, William Russ, A Martinez, Michael Des Barres.

Note:  Blockbuster 2 ½*, imdb 5.0 out of 10, 67% critic 61% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.