The Wolf of Wall Street 2013

      This film is adapted from a memoir written by a Long Island penny stockbroker who was involved in a massive 1990’s securities scam.  In the 1980’s, Jordan Belfort knew he wanted to make money.  He started working at a blue chip firm, he met Mark Hanna and he gave him some tips on how to make money.  Jordan met Donnie Azoff and they started a business with their friends to sell stocks.  The business was called Stratton Oakmont and they also managed IPO’s but as the business grew they let success and affluence take over.  They had huge parties in the office and spent money like water.  The firm employed over 1000 brokers and was involved in issues worth more than $1 billion.  They inflated the value of worthless stock, sold it for a big profit and let the investors lose their money. 

      An hour of this film was left on the cutting room floor but it’s still three hours long!  More concise editing needed to be done because there are a lot of repetitive scenes showing their excess.  Watching this film we are appalled by what they are doing but isn’t this happening in America all the time?  Aren’t we fracking until we can’t frack anymore because of earthquakes and now two firms are allowed to send the rewards of the fracking overseas for a higher profit.  Isn’t this the depletion of our natural resources for profit and don’t worry about needing the ground water later too!!  A lot of language, parties, sex and drugs.  3* (This movie is OK)

180 min, Bio directed by Martin Scorsese with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, Joanna Lumley, Cristin Milioti.

Note:  Imdb 8.3 out of 10, 76% critic 83% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3 ½*.

Homeland Season One 2011

     US Marine Sergeant Nicolas Brody returns home from eight years of captivity by al-Qaeda in Iraq.   He is hailed as a hero but he’s having a difficult time returning to family and Marine life.  Carrie Mathison is a CIA agent and she was in Iraq before Brody returned home.  A jailed informant told her that an American service man had been turned.  She is sure this must be Brody.  She has surveillance cameras set up in his home and her partner Saul obtains an order allowing this action for one month.  There is a problem from the beginning, they don’t have a camera in the garage and Brody spends time there mornings and evenings.  Carrie wants to continue the surveillance but Saul warns her they have not obtained any valuable information and the order has expired.  Brody denies he ever had contact with al-Qaeda member Abu Nazir but he is seen with this man in flashbacks.

     This is very tense and there are times you don’t know where it’s going.  It’s hard to stop with one episode and that can stretch to watching three instead.  There are 11 episodes in this DVD plus the initial pilot episode.  There are two more seasons, season three has not been released on DVD yet and season four of 2014 will be showing soon on Showtime.  4* (I really liked this series)

Each episode 60 min, Drama with Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, Morenad Baccarin, Jackson Pace, Morgan Saylor, Mandy Patinkin, Diego Klattenhoff, David Harewood, David Marciano, Navid Neghban, Jamey Sheridan, Sarita Choudhury.

Note:  Imdb 8.6 out of 10, 100% critic 94% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.6 out of 5* with 2,468 reviews.

Fight for Your Lady 1937

       Robert Densmore is a wealthy American singer and he has proposed marriage to Marcia Trent.  They go to a wrestling match, Marcia meets one of the wrestlers and begins cheating on Densmore.  Pro-wrestling manager Honest Hamilton takes a coat and hat that he “borrowed” to escape his creditors back to Densmore.  He starts training Densmore when he finds him sick with a cold.  Hamilton learns Marcia is only after Densmore’s money and he convinces Marcia that Densmore is broke.  Marcia calls off the wedding and returns her gifts.  Densmore starts seeing Marietta at a Budapest nightclub.  Anton is Marietta very jealous boyfriend and he has killed over 40 men in duels.  Densmore is hoping Anton will kill him in a duel as a way to commit suicide because of his heartbreak.

       I thought this was funny and even hilarious in some scenes.  After you have watched for a little bit, you forget this is from 1937 with the hairstyles and clothing of that time.  I didn’t know Marietta is played by Ida Lupino, I pictured her entirely differently.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

66 min, Comedy directed by Benjamin Stoloff with John Boles, Jack Oakie, Ida Lupino, Margot Grahame, Gordon Jones, Erik Rhodes.

Note:  Imdb 6.2 out of 10, Letterboxd 1 ½*, Turner Classic Movies 2.5* out of 4*, viewers 4* out of 5.

Catch a Fire 2006

     This film is based on the true story of Patrick Chamusso starting in the 1980’s.  He became a hero in South Africa’s journey to freedom.  Patrick is an oil refinery foreman and he’s worked hard to get to this position.  His wife and his two daughters have a nice home owned by the refinery and they are able to afford a car.  There is an explosion and many of the men are brought in for harsh and brutal questioning.  Patrick was away at the time of the explosion, he coaches a soccer team and the team was at an out-of-town game which they won.  The interrogators go as far as to jail his wife and torture her too.  Patrick has never been political until this experience and since he was treated like a terrorist, he becomes one.

     There are times you really wonder what is going to happen to Patrick and his family with the constant suppression in their lives.  You can see why Patrick would turn against trying to live a normal life and try the opposite side of the coin to make a difference no matter the cost.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

101 min, Bio directed by Phillip Noyce with Derek Luke, Tim Robbins, Bonnie Henna, Mncedisi Shabangu, Turnisho Masha, Sithembiso Khumalo, Terry Pheto, Michele Burgers, Mpho Lovinga, Mxo, Jay Anstey.

Note:  Imdb 6.8 out of 10, 75% critic 71% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Metrocritic 62 based on 32 critics 6.8 user score based on 16 ratings.

The Contender 2000

     This film is based on a book by Robert Lipsyte.  President Jackson Evans has had his vice president die in office and he needs to get a new candidate confirmed as soon as possible.  He nominates Laine Hanson, a female senator and the first woman to be nominated.  He wants to end his presidency with a bang.  Shelly Runyon heads the committee to vet her candidacy.  He goes on a witch-hunt and digs up information on her past during her college years but his main objection is that she is a woman.  He also slams her on her view that a woman has a right to choose.  Laine sticks to her principles and she refuses to even address their outrageous claims.

     There are some twists at the end that you don’t see coming.  This is a very taunt thriller and you are really glad you are not Laine Hanson.  Allen, Bridges and Oldman do a good job in their roles.  I don’t doubt there is a lot of this political hard ball.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie. 

  

126 min, Drama directed by Rod Lurie with Joan Allen, Gary Oldman, Jeff Bridges, Christian Slater, Sam Elliott, William Petersen, Saul Rubinek.

Note:  Imdb 7.0 out of 10, 76% critic 73% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 4*.

Muscle Shoals 2013

     Located beside the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals is in Alabama.  The music recorded in the studio in Muscle Shoals changed the world and sold millions of records.  Rick Hall founded Fame Studios, which brought a different sound to the music industry.  Rick was raised in poverty in a home with a dirt floor and no running water.  He survived tragedies in his life and these adversities made him stronger.  During the time of civil rights and Martin Luther King, both races worked along side of each other in creativity. 

     This film is interesting but slightly repetitive and overlong.  There isn’t an answer as to why an unlikely rural town could draw so many talented musicians and produce hit after hit.  Some of the artists interviewed never recorded at the studio?  Also, there was a split and the rhythm section players known as the Swampers broke off and created their own studio.  3* (This movie is OK)

 

111 min, Doc directed by Greg ‘Freddy’ Camalier with Rick Hall, Aretha Franklin, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Jerry Carrigan, Alicia Keys, Jerry Phillips, Barry Beckett, Jerry Wexler, Bono, Jesse Boyce, Bryan Owings.

Note: Imdb 7.6 out of 10, 96% critic 86% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3*.

August: Osage County 2013

     This film is based on a Pulitzer and Tony winning play by Tracy Letts.  The Weston family consists of Violet, her youngest daughter Ivy, middle daughter Karen, eldest daughter Barbara and Violet’s sister Mattie Fae and Violet’s husband Beverly.  Violet has mouth cancer, she likes to take a lot of pills and she’s difficult to get along with.  Karen is very happy to be with her new wealthy fiancé.  Barbara visits with her teenage daughter and the husband she is separated from.  Mattie Fae is with her husband and son.  Beverly is missing and the family arrives to be with Violet.  Osage County is in Oklahoma with sweltering heat in August.

     I would also be missing if I was a member of this family!!  This is filled with unkind accusations, cruel fun making of others and intentionally hurtful disclosures revealed.  Loud shouting, throwing plates and slamming doors.  Personally, I would not want to be involved in this mess and I don’t find it entertaining to watch.  There is a high-powered cast but Streep, Roberts, McGregor and Cumberbatch don’t even look like themselves?  Many times a play doesn't successfully translate to the screen.  2* (I didn’t like this movie)

121 min, Drama directed by John Wells with Meryl Streep, Dermot Multroney, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor, Margo Martindale, Sam Shepard, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Abigail Breslin.

Note:  Imdb 7.3 out of 10, 64% critic 67% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3*.