Maestro Gaxiola "Cowboy Fast Cut" Film Reviews

J. Edgar (2011)

2012-01-20T18:12:00.000-08:00

When the film started I thought, here we go again, another chopped up film going back and forth, in and out, up and down, and all the rest. I guess its the new Hollywood way of doing films, and it looks like even independent minded Clint Eastwood has jumped on the band wagon. However, in spite of my dislike for this new style of storytelling Leonardo DiCaprio did such a fine job of acting in this film that I liked it. Not just liked it but really liked it. DiCaprio showed J. Edgar in all his complexities and he made it all very believable - and that‘s not easy to do. This is a really good film. I totally recommend it.

The Iron Lady (2011)

2012-01-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

Who doesn’t like to see Meryl Streep act….its worth the ticket price anytime she is in a movie. But I’m sorry to say the film itself left something to be desired. The story was chopped up so much that it bounced up and down, back and forth so much you couldn’t relax and watch the story flow. You’re here, then you’re there, its now, then its then, and on and on and on. Still, I don’t want to discourage anyone from seeing this film, I’m sure it will be picking up some awards come award time.

The Descendants (2011)

2012-01-13T23:16:00.001-08:00

George Clooney is always fun to watch so your money is not wasted if you buy a ticket but the movie is not exactly academy award material. One thing I enjoyed a lot was the background music…and if you love Hawaiian music like I do you’ll be happy to know there is lots of Gabby Pahinui in the soundtrack.

Buck (documentary) 2011

2012-01-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

Buck Brannaman was the main inspiration for the film, The Horse Whisperer. In this documentary we see his ultra sensitive approach to training horses as well as his inspiring message to horse owners: “Your horse is a window to your soul. Sometimes you might not like what you see. Sometimes you will.” I recommend this film as a “must see.” Whether you like cowboys and horses or not, you will like the message of this film. You get more from sweets than you do from bitters.

If A Tree Falls (documentary) 2011

2012-01-02T09:02:00.001-08:00

A Story Of The Earth Liberation Front

This is a very good and interesting documentary. It focuses on the motivation, the deeds, and the consequences of Eco-terrorism. Most of us only heard about Eco-terrorism on the six o’clock news. This documentary takes us behind the scenes with interviews and perspectives of some of the perpetrators and some of the men who brought them to Justice.

The Artist (2011)

2011-12-31T21:48:00.001-08:00

Most Excellent! A truly delightful film!

The Tree Of Life (2011)

2011-12-29T08:45:00.001-08:00

Bmamdn anns ew mfkmzo kkks knmd fkf kasjb wkuc mcnwf jcdc wjcszm…

Did that make any sense to you? No? Well chances are this film won’t make any sense either. This is not exactly the kind of film you want to see if you are going out for an evening of fun and entertainment. You’ll need to have your brain on full power if you want to enjoy this film. Before you see it I suggest you look it up on Wikipedia so you will have some idea about what’s going on. As for the acting, Brad Pitt is solid - and so are all the other actors. One thing is for sure, we haven’t heard the last of this film by a long shot.

Hugo (2011)

2011-12-24T14:03:00.000-08:00

To say you don’t like a Martin Scorsese film is probably considered blasphemy, but one can dislike a Picasso painting and still like Picasso can they not. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood but I did not like this film one bit. I never did care for films seen from a child’s point of view - like Harry Potter for example. Be that as it may, I see where this film has gotten rave reviews, so don’t listen to me, go see it - you will probably like it.

Young Adult (2011)

2011-12-16T21:50:00.001-08:00

I suppose if you are around age 37 you might see something in this film. Myself, I didn’t find it the least bit funny or entertaining. The character is so flawed and predictable and the story so stupid that I wonder who is running Hollywood these days, the Marx Brothers? Charlize Theron is the wrong person to be playing this role. She overplayed her part and was not credible at all, but if she was following the script she can’t be blamed. And the crippled guy is such an irritation that I wanted to run out of the theater at just the sight of him. The story gets more ridiculous by the minute. I can’t believe that the guy who pitched this film didn’t get a,...."don’t call me , I’ll call you” as he was escorted out of the building.

Ed Hardy: Tattoo The World (documentary) 2011

2011-12-02T10:47:00.000-08:00

Ed Hardy is probably the best known living American artist since Andy Warhol. As a matter of fact he might be even more popular than Andy Warhol was in his prime. For sure they have a lot in common. They are both talented artists and they both find commerce an acceptable venue for their work. You probably have seen Ed Hardy’s name and images of his work on everything from designer clothes at fine boutiques to cheap tin boxes at Ross or Marshall’s. The Ed Hardy logo is everywhere. So if you would like to know more about the man behind it all you should see this film. It covers his life in the arts from age eight to the present. I found it very interesting. I can totally recommend this film without hesitation. (sorry about the Zazzle Tee Shirt post....it was meant to go on to my, www. MaestroMuscleMarathon.blog.com site)

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2011-12-02T10:40:00.000-08:00

http://www.zazzle.com/take_responsibility_for_your_health_tshirt-235166919059984790?gl=Muscleman

My Week With Marilyn (2011)

2011-11-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

This British film was based on two books by Colin Clark about the making of the 1957 English film, The Prince and the Showgirl, which Marilyn stared in. Supposedly during the filming this Colin guy became very close, almost intimate, with Marilyn. For me that closeness seems more than a little ego-enhanced. I don’t buy it. I find it hard to believe that some fresh faced kid who was just a go-fer on the set managed to spend time in Marilyn‘s bed. It just doesn’t play. And even if it were true it doesn’t make for a very appealing film. We Americans like the Marilyn story just the way it was without this English embellishment. She was our Marilyn and we Americans don’t like anyone tampering with her image. I didn’t like the film and I don’t recommend it. If you have your ticket money in hand go spend it on something worth while like a good old hamburger, shake and fries at In-N-Out Burgers. It's the American thing to do.

The Way (2011)

2011-11-26T11:06:00.000-08:00

Martin Sheen stars in this father/son drama written and directed by his son Emilio Estevez. Having been abandoned by my father at age three it is hard for me to identify with any father/son relationship. That aside, the film itself was kind of predictable with a dialog that …..well, was stupid, silly, and downright irritating at times. This is one of those movies where if you need to go take a pee or you feel hungry for some popcorn you can leave your seat and you won’t have to worry about missing anything important. From the start you know where this film is going and how its going to get there. For me the Way was no way at all….but I’ll give Emilio an “A” for effort…nice try son.

Women’s Work (documentary) 2011

2011-11-12T21:30:00.000-08:00

You won’t find this wonderful film by Courtney Stephens in your local mega-screen theater because its just a short documentary. But it may be playing at your local independent theater, and if it is, be sure and check it out. It is a delightful look at the Oakland Museum of California’s annual White Elephant sale. The women who volunteer have a special bond and working relationship that you seldom see anywhere. They love what they do and they love doing it. This two day sale isn’t small potatoes either, last year they raised over 1.6 million dollars for the OMCA.

Dying to do Letterman (documentary) 2011

2011-11-05T18:26:00.000-07:00

Steve Mazan is a small time comic who has been diagnosed with cancer. With an expectation of only five years left to live he decides to spend those five years trying to get a gig on The Late Show with David Letterman. His blatant self promotion schemes include having people e-mail Letterman with the sad story of a comedian with cancer who has a last wish to be on his show. At first the gatekeepers at The Late Show weren’t budging. Apparently they get a lot of such requests so they kept the rejections flowing. But as the years went by he finally wore them down and he did in fact get the gig. Myself I didn’t think he was all that funny, but then I’m old school - Lenny Bruce, Jonathan Winters, that sort of stuff. If he’s not funny, having been on the Letterman show isn’t going to change anything. In the end with his dying breadth he will probably ask, “Is that all there is?” and wish he had set his sights a little higher.

Moneyball (2011)

2011-11-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

Moneyball is one of those Moneymovies. You know, a movie made just to make a lot of money. Story? editing? directing? Fa-get-about-it. Put Brad Pitt in it, keep the camera on him, and “ka-ching,” the money flows in. This could have been an interesting film had they cast someone else in the part of Billy Beane, the Oakland A’s general manager. Brad Pitt not only wasn’t credible as a baseball manager he was overacting most of the time. He looked and acted to, to …to Brad Pittish. Obviously I didn’t care for the movie all that much….I’m out of the Brad Pitt loop…however, I’m sure you Pitt people will enjoy this film a lot. Oh yes, and by the way, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who plays the team manager, has become way overweight and has also forgotten how to act…too bad, I used to like him. The only bright spot in the film was the girl that played Billy Beane’s daughter, she dominated every scene she was in - what a cutie!

Into The Abyss - A Tale of Death, a Tale of Life (Documentary) 2011

2011-11-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

This is a documentary by Werner Herzog. I love the feel of his documentaries. I love his style, his editing, his scene and music selection, and most of all I love to hear what he has to say and the way he says it. In this documentary he talks to a condemned prisoner who is about to be executed in Texas. He talks to his relatives and friends and even to a prison captain who was once in charge of putting the condemned prisoners on a gurney and wheeling them into the death chamber and strapping them down. Its all very interesting and thought provoking. Herzog asks questions and makes comments in a soft spoken way that is probing yet respectful. I liked that a lot. I totally recommend this film.

God is the Bigger Elvis (Documentary) 2011

2011-10-31T09:53:00.001-07:00

Here we have a Hollywood starlet with a promising career (having costarred with Elvis) throw it all away to join a monastery and become a nun. From a Hollywood beauty to a penguin look-a-like. It wasn’t that she was unhappy with her life.. she was successful and even engaged to be married when she ran off to the cloisters. I know what you are thinking….what’s that all about? Who knows. Who knows what’s within the human mind that can cause someone to throw away logic and become obsessed with the irrational. What is it that can cause people to become so completely devoted to something so intangible? What is it in the mind that can cause people to have such strong beliefs about religion that they are willing to give their lives and in some cases even die and kill others for it? Why? What for? When you think about it in practical terms, religion is really about nothing. It’s reality is in the mind not in the physical world. In reality it is totally illogical. God is not there, you can’t see him, feel him, smell him, touch him, or hear him, because he is not there, he is all in the mind. Logically it is hard to understand. Harder still when you have this beautiful woman trading Elvis for God. Elvis who was real for God who was not real…..I don’t get it, but hey, it’s a free country, ……….you go girl!

Gloria: In Her Own Words (documentary) 2011

2011-07-31T15:33:00.001-07:00

This is a film about Gloria Stienem and the Women’s Movement she founded in 1969. When the movement got started I had just quit my job along with art college to devote my life to art. At that time I had enough on my plate to deal with so I wasn’t paying much attention to all the things that were going on around me. Certainly I knew about the Women’s Movement, the Viet Nam war protests, and the other political turmoil that was hitting our country like a tsunami, washing away the established way of thinking about things, but I didn’t know the details. This film fills in that one part of history for me. So if you are like me, missing all the details of the Women’s Movement, this is the film for you. You can here about it from someone who was there, you can hear about it from Gloria herself; in her own words. One thing that shocked me was to learn that Gloria Stienem is 77 years old…I had no idea she was older than me. In photos she always looked so young.

His Way (documentary) 2011

2011-07-31T15:32:00.000-07:00

We’ve all heard it, when someone like Brad Pitt, George Cloony or Frank Sinatra wins some award at some award show they run down a litany of people they would like to thank. Did you ever wonder who those “thanked” people are and what they did to get thanked? Most of them are agents; people that have no talent of their own who make a living off people that do. They are money people, people in it for the money. (no one needs an agent if there is no money involved) This documentary is about one of these money people. He talks about money; how much he made, how he made it, and who he made it off of. If this interests you you should see this documentary. It won’t disappoint.

Make Believe (documentary) 2011

2011-07-25T22:55:00.000-07:00

I must tell you my praise for this film is a bit biased. I’ve met Krystyn Lambert who is one of the teen magicians in this film. My neighbor and friend Elisabeth Pickrel brought Krystyn over to my studio one day for a visit and Krystyn did a card trick for me that was so good my jaw dropped with astonishment. ( I still can’t figure out how she did it!) Up until then I had no idea the world of magic was so popular with young people. This film profiles six teen magicians as they prepare and compete for the title of World Champion Teen Magician. Take my word for it, this is an excellent film, and before its over you will come to love each and every one of these dedicated young people. I totally recommend this film

How To Live Forever (documentary) 2011

2011-07-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

www.maestromusclemarathon.blogspot.com
This film was of particular interest to me because of my interest in the ageing process. Two years ago, at 72, I started a body rebuilding regimen I call the Muscle Marathon, (click on link above) so I was interested to know what other people do in their old age to stay fit and live a long life. Because of its title I thought this film would be, shall we say, a primer on aging - but that’s not what it is about. Rather it is more or less a collection of old people who have lived passed their nineties, and some into their hundreds.

It shows a variety of old people with lifestyles ranging from an English beer drinking chain smoker to America’s weight training juice drinking fitness guru Jack Lalanne. (Jack died at 96 not long after his interview was filmed) None of the old people seemed to have anything in common accept for their advanced age - I noticed that none of them were tall and none were fat so that could be a factor in living beyond 90. I did however see a wide disparity in the quality of life of these old people. For the most part it wasn’t pretty.

The changes in attitude and viewpoints of each new generation are often too great for old people to comprehend and digest, this coupled with a lack of interest in the latest trends or fads isolates them. It seems to me living a long time means little if you are half deaf, you can’t walk, you’re almost blind and you don’t know (or care) what day it is or what’s going on in the world. For me that’s not living.

I believe that it’s the quality of life that matters not how long you live. To me living 100 + years, with twenty of those years living in a wheelchair at a senior center or rest home seems like no life at all. I much prefer Jack Lalanne’s approach to aging: weight resistant training and a diet of healthy natural foods. He was vibrant, lively, and enthusiastic about life until the day he died, and that set him apart from the rest. To live a long life with enough strength and energy to be engaged, to be aware of yourself and your surroundings - and not be a burden to others - that sounds like what we should all strive for, not trying to live forever.

Midnight In Paris (2011)

2011-06-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

I liked this film but probably not for the reason you suppose. For me it was very personal. I’ll tell you why. In the late sixties I got caught up in the romance of Paris like the character in this film. The bohemian attitude, the charm and mystique of Picasso, the café and salon gatherings with all the artists and intellectuals discussing art - it is an extremely attractive, tempting, and glamorous lifestyle. For me it aroused a strong desire to become that kind of a painter. I wanted to live that life, the Parisian artist life, and I spent many years embracing what I thought to be the essence of that lifestyle. I went to Paris, I painted on the streets of Paris, I went to café gatherings, I discussed art, I championed the Paris art scene and its artists for years. I’ve done it all and I‘ve done it with sincerity.

However, eventually I discovered that it wasn’t art I was buying into but a false version of it. A contrived version of art that, through smoke, mirrors, and enhanced theatrics, was designed to glorify the bohemian artist lifestyle and make it seem essential if one wanted to be taken seriously as an artist.

This distorted version of art started in Paris then came to America’s shores after WW II, brought in by an influx of people from Europe. Through books, movies, and other media, gullible Americans were bamboozled into believing that Paris was the center of the art universe.

Soon it was proclaimed that Paris had been the breeding ground for a new form of art; abstract art. The insecure Americans bought that proposition too. These newcomers took advantage of America’s cultural insecurity and hijacked America’s art establishment (what there was of it) and built themselves a contemporary art scene in New York City based on this so called modern abstract art using a special form of “art speak” to get it done.

It wasn’t long before they began to market art as if it were a commodity - something to be sold at auction like hogs or used cars. The American elite, not wanting to appear uncultured, poured their prestige and money into this new business enterprise, buying art, building museum wings and filling them up with their new purchases.

It soon came to pass that anyone who didn’t follow New York’s lead was considered shallow and unsophisticated. This canvas and paint dog and pony show continues to this day. And those painters, poets, and writers who were duped into thinking art is somehow connected to all this razzmatazz - the discussions, arguments, café gatherings, eccentric attitudes, and bohemian lifestyles - they are living in a fantasy world of art dreams that is leading them down a path to nowhere. Instead of seeing art through the bright sunlight of reality they see it through the dark distortions of a midnight in Paris.

Of Gods And Men (2011)

2011-03-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

This film is about the events leading up to the murder, in 1966, of seven Roman Catholic Trappist monks who were kidnapped from their monastery during the Algerian civil war and later found beheaded. Be aware, this is a French film so there are subtitles - but seeing how the Trappist’s take a vow of silence there is a minimal amount of dialog. I suppose if you are Catholic and/or French you will like this film about dedicated monks who, in spite of the danger, put their trust in God and refuse to leave their monastery when they had the chance. As for me, well the film was OK and a nice break from some of the nonsense Hollywood has been putting out lately, however, all the religious rituals left me yawning a time or two. What I found most interesting though was this: I was struck by how many elderly women there were in attendance, 36 mostly elderly women and only 5 men. (my wife and I saw this film in a small theater so I could observe the people as they came in) Women outnumbered men seven to one. Doesn’t that seem strange? What is it about this film that attracts AARP women?

83rd Academy Awards

2011-03-01T13:45:00.000-08:00

If pretentiousness was oil Hollywood would be the world largest producer, and the Academy Awards would be its biggest and deepest well. My God, what a bunch of phony people. From the red carpet talking dummies to the presenters, to backstage banter to the recipients - phony, phony, phony! It gets worse every year. The one and the only dignified moment of the entire night belonged to Oprah Winfrey.

The hosts get more irrelevant, the presenters get more idiotic and the winners, my God the winners….if I hear one more winner thank his or her wife or husband, kids, grandmother, nieces, aunts, cousins, brothers, sisters, half-brothers, half sisters, neighbors, their simply amazing cast and crew, all the incredible writers, their fantastic supporters without whom they would be waiting on tables at the local diner, the caterers who brought such amazing sandwiches to eat while they were on the set, the catering truck, the catering truck driver (Juan, you are amazing), the Mc Donald’s drive through order guy, The Burger King hamburger flipper, the dress designers and the immigrant child workers who sewed all these beautiful gowns you see here tonight, Nordstrom’s shoe department and the guy that had to restock all the shoes,(fantastic job!) those great street cleaners who pick up all the discarded Starbuck‘s Latté cups, the Costco sample servers who don‘t get enough recognition, (you guys are amazing) the Highway Patrol, all 7-11 store owners, garbage collectors, Wal Mart for all the great bargains, the airline pilot’s association, the cruse ship captains of America and everyone who works at the phone company, the coffee growers in Columbia, the chemical companies and all the great prescription drugs you make (they are simply amazing), ping pong balls, the tire manufactures, the Ford Motor Company and all their employees, the city of Chicago (thanks for inspiring that great song, Chicago), tennis racket manufactures and all the amazing sport shops that sell them, the state of Washington for growing such fantastically delicious apples, the White house for being so amazingly white, Taco Bell for their amazing and fabulous Taco Salad, the golden Gate bridge and the amazing men and women who work tirelessly to keep it maintained and painted that beautiful orange color,(thank you guys, you do a fantastic job) the city of Westwood for keeping out the riff raff so we can shop in peace, the Eiffel Tower for being so tall, Napa wineries for being so amazingly elitist, avocado growers, farm workers, Highway 99 for all its fruit stands, the hospital workers union, PG&E, long haul truck drivers, banjo players, mouse trap inventors, Starbucks baristas, bridge builders, train engineers, cable car operators, football players, track stars, orange growers, seasonal avocado pickers, insurance salesman, Tupperware salesman and saleswomen, Gays, Lesbians, Transvestites and all those kind of people, (you’re fantastic), oil well drillers, Building Inspectors, servants of all kinds, grave robbers, Alaska ice road builders, thieves, stadium light bulb changers, golf course ground keepers, bouncers, horsemen, horsewomen, lama breeders, cats, dogs, rats and mice, bingo parlors, train depots, airports, the Paris underground, flight attendants, coffee mugs, crossing guards, skyscrapers, auto mechanics, gardeners, the French, the Italians, the Chinese, the Japanese, the Arabs, the Mongolians, the Eskimos, the Navajo jewelry makers, the butchers, the bakers and the candlestick makers, ….and of course, God! If I hear it one more time….I’ll scream!

And pleeeeease, lock up that stage-a-holic Billy Kristol in some prison cell in Pakistan next Oscar night. That guy is so stuck on himself he walks backwards so he can see himself coming. He should donate his ego to science when he dies. I am sure there has never been, nor will there ever be, another one as big as his in all of human history. And Kirk Douglas. For Christ sake man, you are 94 years old. A man your age hitting on young beautiful women is not only discussing it is down right vomit inducing. Even Woody Allen has seen the light on that one. He said about himself, "Nobody wants to see a guy who's 74 hitting on a woman of any age," No one likes to see a reasonably good film career being washed away by a self induced dirty old man tsunami. Do like Elvis and leave the building…please.

And there you have it my friends, that was the Academy Awards for 2011.

Until next year then, its, Hooray for Hollywood!

Barney’s Version (2010)

2011-02-27T11:18:00.000-08:00

Since the demise of the studio system in Hollywood there has been a change in approach to making movies. Movies used to be stories told in proper sequence. A movie would start at the beginning and follow through to the end - like a small creek that gathers strength as tributaries flow into it until it becomes a river that flows into the sea. But since Hollywood studios now combine film and television production a lot of movies are made like TV programs with no logical sequence at all. They are like water in seas, lakes, ponds, and puddles, scattered here and there leaving the viewer to connect them together to form a river in the mind..

They are done this way of course because TV requires commercial breaks. In order to keep the viewers interested they throw a bunch of stuff at them in the beginning of the program hoping they will stick around during the commercial break to see what happens next. It works for television but it makes for bad movie making in my mind. Barney’s Version starts out with a TV producer in his sixties, who is obviously well off, harassing his ex-wife’s husband by telephone at three in the morning. Besides being divorced we find out he has a grown daughter. Then at a bar another man accuses him of getting away with murdering someone.

Suddenly the story jumps to the same man in his twenties living a hippie life with his friends in Italy, where he gets married to some woman who he as gotten pregnant. The story jumps around through various stages of this man’s life, through another marriage and divorce neither of which are the same wife and daughter in the first scene….confused? Well you get the picture. Its not a bad movie, I just didn’t like the way it was put together. It was too much work trying to figure out who was what, who was where, and who was who - when.

However, if you have a mind that is well conditioned by television, this film will probably work for you. Myself, I think I’ll watch a football game. There you have a beginning, a middle and an end ….all in proper sequence. I like that.

Fair Game (2010)

2011-02-26T10:34:00.000-08:00

This film is about Valerie Plame (Naomi Watts) and Joe Wilson (Sean Penn) two people who got caught up in the Bush Administration’s lie about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction debacle. By accident they became part of the seemingly never ending Middle East conflict.

Over all this is a pretty good film. However, the current events in the Middle East have now changed the game completely and it makes the story about these two people rather irrelevant. To understand why this is we have to ask this question - why did the Bush Administration have to lie about the nuclear weapons in the first place if they knew Saddam didn’t have any? Even if he did America had no reason to fear. Iraq is a small country of 31 million people thousands of miles away with no missiles to deliver them. What were they going to do, ship them over by FedEx? No, Saddam had no reason or desire to pick a fight with the most powerful country on the face of the earth. He knew America has enough nuclear weapons to make the entire country of Iraq one giant bomb crater with the flip of a switch.

So if Saddam wasn’t going to attack us why then the big lie? The lie was to cover up the real reason we were going to war. We went to war for Israel. The Israelis were afraid of Saddam and wanted the U.S. to take him out. (like they want us to take out Iran) Of coarse it didn’t hurt to have two oil-a-holics, Bush and Cheney, in the White House. They were always looking for a way to secure Iraq’s oil fields for their oil company friends. When they saw their chance they jumped on it. The only problem was that the America people would never put up with their sons and daughters dying in Iraq just to make oil companies richer or to make Israel feel safer. So the Bush people had to make up some lies to justify attacking Iraq. “Oh My God! Saddam’s Got Nuclear Weapons! He’s gonna kill us all!! We have to attack him - quick!”

Fast forward to 2011. The U.S. is pulling out of Iraq and most of he Arab dictators are going or gone. From now on the Arab people will be in charge of things in the Middle East not us. As for Israel, with its population of about 7 million, it is now surrounded by an Arab population of over 325 million - a population that has no love at all for the Jewish people. I’m afraid Israel will never feel safe again, ever- nukes or no nukes. The party’s over.

I remember the 1960 film, Exodus, with Paul Newman where a huge boatload of Jewish people were taken to the newly established state of Israel. It wouldn’t surprise me, given Jewish and Arab history, that there will be a sequel, Exodus 2, where a huge boatload of Jewish people are taken from the newly established state of Palestine.

Hereafter (2010)

2011-02-23T12:46:00.000-08:00

This film was produced and directed by 80 year old Clint Eastwood.

Did you by any chance see the Grammy’s on TV where 67 year old Mick Jagger did one of his old Rolling Stones songs while jumping around on stage? Well if you did you know that Mick made a complete fool out of himself. The party’s over Mick, turn out the lights and go home! Like an old prizefighter who has to have one more fight or an old sport star who has to play one more game, some old people just don’t know when its time to get off the playing field. They insist on hanging around for one more small crumb of glory. It is a sad sight to see really.

Clint baby, you’ve had a great run in Hollywood but the time has come for you to clean out your desk. Its time for you to retire - its time to play golf and relax. If you persist on making films you will end up like that perpetual bad joke 89 year old Betty White - making an ass out of yourself doing TV commercials and bad sex jokes on that irrelevant worn out comedy show Saturday Night Live. You deserve better than that. We’ll forgive you this time for this horrible excuse for a film, but please, promise us it will be your last.

Inception (2010)

2011-02-19T10:10:00.000-08:00

The basic idea of this film is to enter someone’s dream and steal secrets, a concept that might make a good film if it was played straight up with some seriousness. But no, to get our young people to buy tickets Hollywood has to jazz it up by making it an “Ocean’s Eleven assembled gang of misfits” formula film with the worn-out hero’s “one last job” theme. Naturally they had to throw in the typical men running around with automatic weapons blasting and killing everything in sight, buildings exploding, never ending car chases, rollovers and crashes, people dying by the truckload, karate type kicking fights and all the rest of the mayhem and destruction scenarios they could think of. What in the hell is wrong with the people running Hollywood these days? Have they gone insane? Do they think a film depicting such total destruction and disregard for human life and property is in anyway good for our young people to be watching? Have they no sense of responsibility for the common good? Is taking every last dollar from every single person on the face of the earth the only thing they think about? What the hell is the matter with them. Hollywood is sick I tell you, very very sick.

Love And Other Drugs (2010)

2011-02-11T20:49:00.001-08:00

…total garbage…what a piece of crap. Its so bad that Wal-Mart should be warned not to put this film in their dollar DVD bargain bin because of the possibility that it might contaminate the rest of the crappy films that are in there. Yes, it is that bad.

Waiting For Superman (2010)

2011-02-09T10:16:00.000-08:00

You probably already know from programs like, 60 Minutes and Frontline, that the school system in this country is screwed up royally. Well here is a film that gives us the facts about the problems and the people who are responsible, along with the solutions and the people who are trying to implement them. If you don’t have school age children you might think it doesn’t matter. But it does. We won’t be able to keep up with the rest of the world if we don’t educate our children. Right now we are doing a terrible job with it and things need to change.

The Way Back (2010)

2011-02-06T10:51:00.000-08:00

This is one of those “surviving in the wild” films. Four men escape a Russian prison in Siberia and walk 4000 miles, over the Himalayas, to freedom in India. It gets kind of tiring after about an hour. There was a survivor film back in 1966 titled, The Naked Prey, with Cornel Wilde. Now that was a good survivor film. To this day I can still remember scenes from that movie. On the other hand I have already forgotten most of the scenes in The Way Back.

Frankie & Alice (2010)

2011-02-03T09:49:00.000-08:00

This is a true story based on a woman with multiple personalities - yea, right. I’m not buying any of it. Jonathan Winters or Rich Little can come up with twenty convincing personalities, all of them manufactured. If you don’t want to take responsibility for your actions invent another personality to do it for you. Its all B.S. All it does is give those mind doctors a nice source of income. Don’t waste your money on this film, use it for something important - like a burger, fries, and milkshake at In-n-Out Burger.

Another Year (2010)

2011-02-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

For the first hour of this film it looks like one of the most boring films ever made....the story seems to be about nothing. What is good about this film is not obvious at first but you will be rewarded if you stay with it. If you follow Mary, (played brilliantly by Lesley Manville) it turns out to be a very moving and deeply felt portrait of a hopelessly inept woman who is unable to find any kind of meaning, purpose, or love in her life. It is such a sad and deeply moving depiction that it needs the boring part to frame it properly to give it such depth of feeling.

The Company Men (2010)

2011-01-28T09:50:00.000-08:00

An arrogant, Porsche driving, golf playing, six-figure salaried sales executive suddenly, and without warning, loses his job when his company downsizes. When he can’t find work his ego won’t let him accept the fact that he isn’t such an exceptional hot property after all. Even though he must take a job as a construction worker, a job at which he is very inept, he still has an ego problem.
It has been my experience that when a middle aged man loses his job, any job, unexpectedly, his ego is the first thing to crash and burn. This film doesn’t do justice to the loneliness and lost feeling one gets when a man has lost his self-worth. That feeling of worthlessness paralyzes him to the point where just getting up in the morning is very difficult. That’s the reality - but Hollywood has to put a fantasy ending to the story. His old boss starts a new business and hires him back. His arrogance blooms once again. Hooray for Hollywood! In reality a job at Wal-Mart would more likely be his fate.

Casino Jack (2010)

2011-01-21T09:31:00.001-08:00

Kevin Spacey portrays Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff as he roams the halls of congress passing out money and favors in order to influence legislation favorable to his clients. Its hard to tell if it is an accurate depiction of Abramoff’s personality or a souped-up Hollywood version designed to make the film more dramatic. If indeed it is an accurate portrayal, his arrogance, greed and lack of morality as depicted would make him a disgusting animal, a pariah feeding his personal exalted view of himself with absolutely no regard for anything other than making money. For Christ sake, why is making money the only thing that matters to some people. Its really disgusting.

The Kids Are Alright (2011)

2011-01-20T14:08:00.000-08:00

….a female Brokeback Mountain film... If you liked that one, ..you'll like this one.

Rabbit Hole (2010)

2011-01-18T10:19:00.000-08:00

We read an article in the morning paper about a child who chases his dog into the street and is killed by a passing car. We read the story eat our breakfast and move on never thinking of how the people involved in this tragedy are going to have to deal with the consequences for the rest of their lives. How a tragedy like this affects the parents and their relationship with relatives, friends and the community, and how they try to cope with the loss is at the core of this film. The story, if told graphically and quickly, could in itself give your emotions a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, however, much to the film’s credit, the story unfolds slowly so we are able to grasp and internalize the pain, depression and the despair of all involved. I found the story captivating and engaging to the end.

Blue Valentine (2010)

2011-01-15T10:45:00.000-08:00

One story told in two alternating parts: A young couple courting, back then - the same couple married with child, now. The story goes - then…..now, then…now…then.. ..now then..now. At the end the two stories converge in a divorce. Not a very uplifting film, but probably very timely. It is estimated that of all the marriages in the U.S. this year 50% will end in a divorce.

127 Hours (2010)

2011-01-14T10:33:00.000-08:00

This is the true story of a lone hiker who gets his arm pinned between a bolder and a sheer rock cliff. Without food and water and unable to free himself, he cuts his arm off in order to survive. The film is well done and keeps you on the edge of your seat as you watch him struggle, hallucinate, and dehydrate. The scene where he cuts his arm off is brief so if you’re squeamish you can turn your head while he rips at it with a dull knife.

Somewhere (2010)

2011-01-13T10:26:00.000-08:00

I don’t know what Sophia Coppola was thinking when she wrote and directed this very boring film about a very boring man who is very bored with his fame and fortune. But then she should know Hollywood so maybe there are movie stars who have everything but still live empty, unfulfilled, boring lives. Why it is worthy of a film is beyond me.

Conviction (2010)

2011-01-11T09:58:00.000-08:00

A man convicted of murder has his conviction overturned because of DNA testing. (it was not available at the time of his trial) This is a true story of how his sister persevered against overwhelming odds, even putting herself through law school, to make it happen. The problem with this film is the casting. Hilary Swank is wrong for this part. Her demeanor and abrasive attitude is annoying, I found myself pulling for the prosecution. Sissy Spacek or even Sally Field would have been a much better choice. Sam Rockwell as the accused murdered was also a bad choice. He was such a jerk I was hoping the DNA test would prove he was in fact guilty. As for Peter Gallagher who plays Barry Scheck, totally wrong. It was like casting Don Knotts to play John Wayne. I don’t know why the casting directors (Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee) didn’t ask Barry Scheck to play himself. He was only in a few scenes and had very little dialogue. He could have pulled it off and given the film some credibility.

Black Swan (2010)

2011-01-09T09:51:00.000-08:00

My daughter recently posted a video on Youtube of my two year old granddaughter’s first dance recital….so cute, so innocent. I hope neither of them ever see this film.

Touching Home (2010)

2011-01-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

Touching Home is based on a true story about a pair of baseball playing twins who are trying to make it into the big leagues. Their father, played by Ed Harris, is a homeless drunken gambler who lives in his truck. He is no help at all and his gambling causes money problems for the twins. It was filmed near San Francisco in Marin County. I’m not sure if these people actually were from there or that it was just a convenient location to do the film. At any rate, if the film is playing nearby you might want to check it out…but if you have to drive fifteen miles through heavy traffic to see it, don’t bother, its not worth that much trouble. Just wait for the DVD to come out then get it from Netfilx

Precious Life (documentary) 2010

2011-01-06T09:45:00.001-08:00

Oh look, an Israeli doctor is saving a Palestinian baby! Gee, how sweet, life is so precious! Yea sure…so precious that while this is going on the Palestinians are launching rockets into Israel and Israel is bombing the hell out of Gaza. One Palestinian baby saved - hundreds of Palestinian men, women and children slaughtered. What a mess.

All Good Things (2010)

2011-01-05T09:58:00.000-08:00

Here is a bit of typical Dateline NBC/48 Hours Mystery TV style drivel. This should have been a TV program not a film, - its not worth reviewing. Who pays for this kind of crap to be made? Somebody has too much money at their disposal.

Stone (2010)

2011-01-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

What we have here is one of those low overhead studio films. You know the kind - all scenes shot pretty much in one or two rooms with an occasional scene of a car driving down a road and a house exterior shot to glue it all together. There isn’t much here to recommend this film. Edward Norton does a good enough job as Stone, a prisoner being evaluated for possible parole. But the interviewing evaluator is co-star Robert DeNero. I can no longer take Robert DeNero seriously after his work in the Focker franchise. He has lost all credibility in my mind. I’m assuming he did it for the money, but that’s a lame excuse. It would be like the Dalai Lama started doing commercials for McDonald's because he was short of cash. There are certain things certain people shouldn't do.

The Ghost Writer (2010)

2011-01-02T09:48:00.000-08:00

This is one of those CIA plot twister films. I’m tired of them because its always the same old story: some dark shadowy figures are tracking and trying to kill our unsuspecting hero - and there’s always a mysterious looking car parked up the road with its headlights turned off. Could the CIA be involved? You betcha!

The man responsible for this crap is non other than that child rapist Roman Polanski. He should be in prison but he’s not. In 2009 the Swiss turned the fugitive loose so he could go out and waste some film.

Gasland (documentary) 2010

2011-01-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

Apparently the US has more natural gas reserves than the rest of the world has oil, so the new “gold rush” is on. Big companies like Halliburton are buying up gas rights all over the country and drilling new wells using a technique called hydraulic fracturing. The problem is that the people living next to these gas wells soon find out that the water coming out of their faucets can be set afire. That’s right, flames from the water tap. But that isn’t slowing down the gas drilling juggernaut. It steamrolls forward with a flag waving Dick Cheney up there in the cab. I suppose when there are tons of money to be scooped up sacrifices will have to be made…it’s the American way, right Dick? Right!

Biutiful (2010)

2010-12-31T09:29:00.000-08:00

This is the most depressing film I’ve ever seen. A total bummer. I wish I hadn’t seen it.

Winter’s Bone (2010)

2010-12-30T09:57:00.000-08:00

This is a very good film, it reminded me of Courtney Hunt’s Frozen River. It had the same feel and pace about it. It was well done and I liked it a lot.

It will help you enjoy the film if you know what its about so here is the plot downloaded from Wikipedia.

17-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) is the sole responsible "adult" in her impoverished Ozark family—with a younger brother and sister and an incapacitated mother. She finds herself forced to track her fugitive father, a longtime crystal meth maker, through the most hardcore of the local criminal network after she learns that he has put their home up as his bail bond. She endures a series of harrowing encounters and experiences, but due to her perseverance, her menaced family survives.

The King’s Speech (2010)

2010-12-28T10:27:00.000-08:00

If you are a tea and crumpet lover and you like all things British I’m sure you will like this film. If however doughnuts and coffee are your cup of tea you will probably find it incredibility boring.

True Grit (2010)

2010-12-26T11:23:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of the Coen brothers so when I heard they had made a western I was anxious to see it. However, when I found out it was a remake of John Wayne’s True Grit I was a little disappointed. I would like to see the Coen brothers do an original western. But, personal preference aside, I was still anxious to see what they would do with a western.
After seeing the film the most I can say about it is that it was nicely done with some really beautiful scenes - but the story itself is old and worn. Jeff Bridges portrayal of Rooster Cogburn was way over the top. The contrast between a grizzled drunk and a man of action was overplayed and hardly believable. And Josh Brolin looked like he was on a commercial shoot for Calvin Kline - as a western bad guy he is a bust. Matt Damon however was so good I didn’t even recognize him! That being said, go see the film anyway, its worth the price of a ticket.

Client-9 (documentary) 2010

2010-12-22T11:42:00.000-08:00

This film is about the rise and fall of Attorney General and former Governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer. It is a well done and very interesting documentary about how he went after the rich and powerful Wall Street men who were corrupting our financial system, and how they retaliated using government agencies to settle their own private grievances. It sickens the heart to see what arrogant, greedy men will do to destroy anyone who threatens their power to make more and more money. My God, how much money do these people need? Is there no limit?

Like Bill Clinton, Spitzer was caught with his pants down and his junk where it didn’t belong. But unlike Clinton, Spitzer was man enough to accept his fate - he made no excuses. He cowboy’d up and said, “I believe correctly– that people take responsibility for their conduct. I can and will ask no less of myself. For this reason, I am resigning from the office of governor.” He took it like a man. I like that. I can forgive him. I’m convinced he learned his lesson. But Clinton, no. I’m still upset that he used the White House as a whore house and then lied abut it, “I never had sex with that woman.” You liar!

Before this happened Eliot Spitzer was on his way to becoming the first Jewish president. I wouldn’t count him out. If the election were held today he would get my vote without hesitation.

The Fighter (2010)

2010-12-20T10:01:00.000-08:00

When I heard about this film and then saw the trailer I thought this was going to be a good film, I couldn’t wait to see it. However, it turned out to be a big disappointment. The acting was flat and insincere, the editing was bad, and the story was just another version of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky. This film is a bum - its down for the count in the first round.

Exit Through The Gift Shop (documentary)2010

2010-12-18T11:00:00.001-08:00

This film starts off with an interesting story about several well known Graffiti Artists but ends up morphing into a sickening display of art commercialism that demonstrates how easily one can become a “famous artist” and how gullible the art going public really is. Anything is accepted as art if it is promoted as being art. The people in this film who went to this “art show” are not true art aficionados but art tourists looking for an evening out. I talked about this and more in my Book of Art series on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4uy6pWUSgM

Burlesque (2010)

2010-12-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

This was a movie/pizza day for me, my wife Alice, and our dear friend Gail Fogerty. And because Gail knows what she likes in a movie I told her she could review this film for me. Here is what she had to say as we ate our Mary’s pizza: “I only wanted to see the movie because of Cher. I love Cher. But this was not my kind of movie…it was very entertaining and very colorful and I loved the dancing, but unfortunately I didn’t like the story.”

We all agreed that Cher’s face looks like a plastic mask and is completely devoid of expression and that Christina Aguilera can really sing and dance. And the pizza?..it was only about a 3. We all agreed that Mary probably would not have eaten it.

Inside Job (documentary) 2010

2010-12-02T10:54:00.000-08:00

This is a documentary about the present financial crises: how it happened, who is responsible, and why nothing has changed. Its done in the “60 Minute” format with squirming interviews and easy to understand data. While these kind of exposé films are important I really don’t think they do any good , except make those who already suspect what’s going on even more upset. We saw this film in a small theater in the afternoon - there were only about ten people in the audience. Right down in front of us was an average looking, middle-aged man who would raise his arms up every so often an give the one finger salute to the person being interviewed up on the screen. It would have been comical if it wasn't so serious. Then, when the film was over and the credits were still rolling, he gets up and as he was leaving the theater he shouts out, “The only way to deal with this is to vote with a bullet!”

I’m afraid he is right. There is no doubt about it, the rich and powerful have hijacked our government and are in complete control. As we have seen, changing presidents or senators does no good at all. Its too late for that. The stage is set for a an armed revolution…(which will only make things worse) Pull your hats down tight boys, its gonna be a rough ride!

You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger

2010-11-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

Here is Woody Allen’s new film and guess what, its the same old story: very old man screws a very young woman. Hey Woody, just because you married your daughter it doesn’t make it cool for old men to screw children. Its disgusting. Your image is already in the tank and this sort of thing only makes it worse.

But that‘s just me, if you like that sort of thing you will probably think this is a, “good film!”

UPDATE: In the November/December 2010 issue of AARP Magazine there is a bit on Woody Allen. It goes as follows: "Woody Allen, the famed director is no longer playing romantic parts - or casting actors his own age (74) in them. "Nobody wants to see a guy who's 74 hitting on a woman of any age," he commented to a British newspaper."

Good for you Woody, I'm looking forward to your next film to see if you follow through on your epiphany.

Social Network (2010)

2010-10-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

As we were walking out of the theater I turned to Alice and said, "Damn, that was one good movie!"

I don't know if it was because we had just visited Harvard and the Crimson office, but I loved this film from start to finish. It was really, really good...and believe me I can't say that about very many films. I totally recommend it.

Wall Street - Money Never Sleeps (2010)

2010-10-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

I think its time Oliver Stone started looking for a new profession...as a filmmaker he is a bust. This film is awful.

The Town (2010)

2010-09-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

The “five o’clock shadow” gang, (Ben Affleck and Jon “Mad Man” Hamm) ride off the TV ranch to team up on a Hollywood film reminiscent of an old William S. Hart classic, Hells Hinges. A bad man turns good then turns on his gang of cutthroat thieves - because of the love of a woman….you know the drill. It’s good to see Jon Hamm in a healthy non-smoking role for a change, but the blazing bullets and abundance of car crashes keep him in harms way all the same. If you pass no moral judgment on it, the film is worth the price of a ticket and a bag of popcorn, …but hold the drink…let‘s not get carried away, its not that good.

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector (Documentrary) 2010

2010-09-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

Before seeing this film I knew very little about Phil Spector. I knew he was a “sort-of” celebrity - not the handsome kind of celebrity that you see on the covers of all those magazines at the supermarket checkout counter, but a homely freaked-out looking loner who lived alone somewhere on the fringes of the celebrity quilt. I knew he was sent to prison for supposedly killing some pretty blonde at one of his drugged out house parties. So I was curious. I wanted to know more about this man and what his life was about.

First of all he definitely believes he is an artist of the highest order. He talked about his success as a songwriter, recording star, and record producer. He implied a certain frustration as if he wondered how anyone could overlook who he was and everything he had accomplished just because some Hollywood bimbo was shot to death in his home- with his gun. He seemed to be saying, “Small detail, who cares, I mean where are your priorities? She’s dead, so what. She was a nobody going nowhere. Doesn’t art - doesn’t one’s genius, trump life’s petty little inconveniences? It was just a party, someone was killed. Go away. You “nothing people” deal with it…leave me alone.”

And I’ll tell you this; twenty some years in prison is not going to change his opinion on the matter. He knows who he is and what he has done as an artist and as far as he is concerned that trumps everything. His greatness is well entrenched in his own mind. It’s kind of like when the artist Gauguin was arrested for not paying for lunch. “I’m Gauguin you idiots, I was hungry.“

And the thing is, history may just prove him right.

Get Low (2010)

2010-08-08T18:36:00.000-07:00

As I watched this film I kept waiting for it to get better…but it never did and I don’t know why. I can’t put my finger on what it was, if it was the story or the way it was filmed, but something about this film just didn’t set well with me. The acting was good enough so that wasn’t it …but something about it left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I left the theater feeling like I should have spent the ticket money on a Happy Meal at McDonalds. And now, after I have had time to reflect on it, I still can’t figure out what’s wrong with the film. Maybe its because the story and dialog were so implausible, so disconnected from any kind of reality or any kind of real life situation….I don‘t know. But I will say this; Get Low can get lost…. it won‘t be on my rental list anytime soon.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work Review 2010 (documentary)

2010-07-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

This film is aptly titled; Joan Rivers truly is a piece of work. She will do anything to get a gig, say anything to get a laugh. Nothing is sacred to her and nothing is ever enough. There is never enough money, never enough laughs, and certainly never enough love. If everybody in the world loved her and she heard of one person who didn’t she would be depressed. She would overlook all those who loved her and focus all her attention on that one person who didn’t. And if she were to succeed so that every single person in the world loved her, she would still feel insecure. She would want it confirmed every hour of every day, “Are you sure you still love me?” She just can’t help herself, its the way she's put together- and its not her ego either, its much bigger than that - its show biz! Joan Rivers is “show biz” personified.
Well Joan dear, I for one love you and I loved this film about you. You can take that to the bank. You are the greatest!!

I Am Love (2010)

2010-07-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

Questo è stato un film molto terrible, this was one terrible film. It was a bad attempt at a dramatic/romantic art film - it failed miserably. In the first place it was way too long, and the “artsy” shots were injected way to many times to be effective…cut to flowers and grass blowing in the wind,….cut to bees and bugs crawling on a leaf, …cut to water dripping over statue …it makes you want to scream, enough already! Get on with the story! But to tell you the truth there wasn’t much of a story here to get on with. And as for Tilda Swinton, well, she didn’t have much of a workout in this film….it looks like Luca Guadagnino just asked her to pretend she was auditioning …“Lets do some face shots, - show sadness…show surprise,… now show passion,… now show… “ And as for her speaking Italian…you could see when she had more than one line to say it was dubbed in while they cut to a back shot or a night time pullback where you couldn’t match sound with lip movement.. Now you can say I am being too critical here and I won’t argue, that’s because I expect more from an art film, especially a foreign one. However, you might like it…so don’t let me spoil your fun, go see the film if you have some extra money to burn.

The Secret In Their Eyes (Released 2010)

2010-06-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

This is a Foreign Film out of Argentina. And like most foreign films you have to put up with subtitles. Myself, being a visual person, I am distracted by subtitles because while a watching the visuals I miss some of the text or visa versa. But subtitles aside, this is a good film and I liked it. Its a love story intertwined within a rape and murder case that takes your emotions on a roller coaster ride through a plot that has lots of gentle ups and downs. Just when you think you have it figured out along comes another curve and your emotions are taken on a couple more swoops down the track.
Most foreign films have a take on love that we here in America are in too much of a hurry to contemplate. Foreign love story films generally have to do with the deeper, subtle compilations of love. They usually incorporate an ‘emptiness of love unfulfilled’ theme that can take on many different forms. On the other hand, America’s “love story” films tend to be one dimensional while remaining safely on the surface side of romance, which usually makes them shallow - if not downright corny in comparison.

The 82nd Academy Awards

2010-03-08T09:01:00.000-08:00

Ok, here’s the deal - I have been working on a short story all week and I finally finished and posted it yesterday http://www.maestrogaxiola-theluckyshirt.blogspot.com/ So all day today I felt pretty much drained. I had planed on reviewing the Academy Award show but by the time it came on my heart just wasn’t in it.

Nevertheless I gave it a try. I started taking notes as it began and I had a page full of criticism by mid point - none of it positive. I blasted the entire show, including the banter between those two dreadful hosts - who writes that crap? I was pretty much disgusted with the whole “mutual admiration society” thing. I even booed out loud when Sandra Bullock won for best actress over Meryl Streep. But then something strange happened. When I heard Sandra Bullock’s acceptance speech I changed my tune. I thought her acceptance speech was heartfelt and sincere. I believe she knows she is nowhere near the actress Meryl Streep is and that winning an Academy Award doesn’t change that fact. I like that kind of humility.

I had no problem with Jeff Bridges winning best actor because I thought his authentic portrayal of a country singer was quite good. He deserved to win as much as any of the other nominees. But what really knocked me out of my chair was when The Hurt Locker won best picture over that that money-a-holic film Avatar. In Hollywood - where money is king - that was totally unexpected. The Hurt Locker was the right choice because The Hurt Locker is about filmmaking - Avatar would have been the wrong choice because Avatar is about moneymaking - and I‘m always for art over profit. So let’s chalk up one for the art of filmmaking! Hurray!
Who is Maestro Gaxiola: http://www.artist-link.blogspot.com/

...then somebody had to go and screw thing up....

Me and Orson Welles

2010-03-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

Remember Orson Welles? Yea, the fat guy who used to sell wine on TV, “We sell no wine before its time..” that guy. Well this is a film about when he was producing his 1937 play Julius Caesar in New York City, back before his Hollywood days. What an arrogant S.O.B. he was. The film had a few moments, but not many; at least not many that I could see. Maybe that’s because I am not a theater person. But what the hell, if you have money to burn go buy yourself a ticket and see for yourself…that is if you can find a theater where it is playing. You may have to buy it because it probably went directly to DVD. However, don’t look for it at Costco, Target or Wal-Mart…they aren’t theater people either.

District 9 (2009)

2010-02-02T10:42:00.000-08:00

This is one of those “B”alien movies. Remember those Godzilla films out of Japan? Well they were masterpieces compared to District 9. A real waste of film. To think it has been nominated for best picture this year is beyond my comprehension. But then, what do I know, maybe votes can be bought. Really? money overriding integrity in Hollywood? No way!

The Young Victoria (2009)

2010-01-26T10:07:00.000-08:00

Another pomp and ceremony film about England’s Royal Family and their cohorts. Ho hum..booor..ing. I know some people like all that stuff with the Grand Palaces and all the gold leaf trim, mile long dining tables, fancy dressed people eating properly and bowing all the time, but myself, I’ve seen enough of that stuff on Masterpiece Theater to last me a lifetime.
However, occasionally it’s nice to be reminded of why we Americans revolted.

It's Complicated (2009)

2010-01-23T10:36:00.000-08:00

When millions of people are out of work and our economy is in freefall, and we watch the tragedy in Haiti played out every night on television, the sexapades of a couple of shallow sex obsessed out of touch nouveau riche Santa Barbarians with nothing more to do than remodel kitchens, attend garden parties, eat chocolate croissants and talk about recent trips to Tuscany, seems rather irrelevant and trivial in comparison. This film is billed as a comedy and I guess Steve Martin was supposed to be funny in his seriousness, but he wasn’t. Thank goodness Meryl Streep was her usual professional self, showing class and discretion by not letting us see her 60 year old body during the sex scenes. Thank you Meryl. Alec Baldwin was his SNL/30Rock self doing his one-liners with the usual deadpan smirkiness. However, he wasn’t so discreet with his aged body…he proudly displayed himself in all his fatness…he is looking a lot like the overly plump Marlin Brando these days. Alex, a little less food consumption would be a smart move at your age, your starting to look like a “balloon in a suit.”
　
　

The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

2010-01-20T21:06:00.000-08:00

I don't care much for animated films, but this is a pretty good adult animated film. One problem I had with it was George Clooney’s voice as Mr. Fox. It was rather distracting. I kept thinking George Clooney rather than thinking Mr. Fox throughout the entire film.

Up (2009) (anamation)

2010-01-19T21:05:00.000-08:00

…down with Up…too scary for little kids, too silly for grownups.

Mary & Max (2009)

2010-01-18T21:07:00.000-08:00

....a fine little claymation film

The White Ribbon (2009)

2010-01-17T10:19:00.000-08:00

If you want to get all intellectual about it, and you want some far out interpretation with lots of hidden meanings, you best read some reviews by those professional critics who get paid to use hundred dollar words to describe a movie. They have a vested interest in making a film complicated and high-minded. But if you just want to know if I liked it or not the answer is no I didn‘t like it. It reminded me too much of those old black and white Frankenstein movies. You know, the ones with groups of men with fire torches running around at night looking for some evil monster. I saw too many of those when I was a boy and they scared the hell out of me, so any reminder of them gives me the creeps. I also don’t like it when I have to read subtitles because I can’t follow the visuals very well while I‘m reading.

The Maid (2009)

2010-01-16T09:43:00.000-08:00

This little gem of a film is from Chili. I totally recommend it. Its a nice break from some of the stuff Hollywood has been putting out lately.

The Last Station (2009)

2010-01-15T16:02:00.000-08:00

You probably won’t care to see this film if you are not familiar with Leo Tolstoy. But if you know something about the man its worth the price of a ticket to see some of the things you’ve read about played out on the screen. Tolstoy’s wife, who was a practical no nonsense woman, tries to keep her husband from giving away the copyrights to his famous novels, War and Peace and Anna Kareninia. Some high-minded literary leaches have been flattering him with tall stories about him being some sort of literary, “God sent from heaven,” so that they can get their hands on those copyrights. His wife’s anger and pleading in an attempt to bring him to his senses is to no avail. Believing their flattery he signs over the copyrights to these scoundrels in a new will. Then, at the age of 82, he decides to leave his wife, give up all the rest of his worldly possessions and become a wondering ascetic. His wife is livid. However, the neo-ascetic only “wonders” to a train station a short distance from his home before he falls over dead. It goes to show you, even the most gifted among us are not immune; even they can become old fools when they get old. (His wife eventually got the copyrights back)

Michael Jackson: This Is It (2009)

2010-01-14T18:51:00.000-08:00

I must admit I knew very little about Michael Jackson, notwithstanding his personal life, but after watching this film I can tell you he was an extremely talented human being. There is no doubt that he could sing and dance very well, but his talent extended beyond that. His enormous talent extended from the tips of his fingers to the tips of his toes and everywhere in between. While watching him perform I was amazed to see how every move he made was so precise; he had no random moves. He knew exactly what his body was doing at all times, even when he was just talking to the director. Even though I liked this film, as a social critic I find the size and extravagance of the This Is It tour rather alarming. I thought back to the beginning when Elvis sang to a few teenagers on a small stage in a parking lot, then, to see this explosion of hundreds of dancers and musicians, thousands of lights, intense color streaming from everywhere, fire, flames, fifty foot high movie screens, sky lifts, elaborate costumes and stage props, including a five ton tractor on stage, all this in a huge arena, just for one person to sing a few songs. How did it come to this? In A.D. 62, the stoic philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca wrote:…extravagance in dress and entertaining are indications of a diseased community. It seems to me our society is slowly sinking down to its eventual demise in the quicksand of excessive sensationalism. It is happening without anyone realizing it because everyone is just too dazzled by the spectacle to notice.

The Most Dangerous Man In America (Documentary) (2009)

2010-01-13T14:23:00.000-08:00

Here are the facts behind Daniel Ellsberg’s leak of top-secret documents, known as the Pentagon Papers, to the New York Times during the Viet Nam war. The Pentagon Papers supposedly exposed all the lies our government had been telling us so that they could escalate the war - even though we were losing it and they knew there was no chance of winning it. The masses read the papers, shrugged their shoulders and let the war continue merrily along its way. The war was escalated, more people were killed and Daniel Ellsberg never spent a day in prison for this breach of security. In the end it was all much ado about nothing. No lessons were learned, because, like not too long ago, when the masses found out Bush’s men lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq…again they heard the news, shrugged their shoulders and let Bush and Cheney continue merrily along their way, going to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wonder if, when a solder feels a bullet going deep into his chest, he thinks about the lies that placed him in front of that bullet.

Valentino: The Last Emperor (Documentary) (2009)

2010-01-12T08:53:00.000-08:00

A behind the scenes look at Valentino Garavani, the 77 year old fashion designer known as Valentino. We ride with Emperor Valentino, along with his entourage, including six pugs and his stadium size ego, as he moves smoothly through the world of haute couture in Rome and Paris, exposing it’s excesses and irrelevance. By watching this film we are able to penetrate an exclusive place where the privileged few gather to air kiss their shallow lives away in self-delusional importance. Trust me, when the disparity between the wealthy and the poor becomes this obvious it is a sign the world social order is about to reset itself. Listen, do you hear that? Stones are being gathered, pitchforks are being sharpened, guns are being loaded.

The Blind Side (2009)

2010-01-11T09:34:00.000-08:00

Big Mike is a poor troubled black boy from the ghetto. He doesn’t talk, he just walks around with a sad forlorn look on his face. He is gentle but oh so strong when he gets mad, sort of like the Lennie Small character in John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men. He gets taken in by a rich, pushy, do-gooder woman with an obnoxious edge and a Clint Eastwood mouth. She treats him like he was a pet chimp. It is supposed to be a true story about the length some people will go to secure a potential football player for their college alma mater. But obviously creative license was liberally used here. Sandra Bullock is obnoxious. When she talks its like fingernails scraping on a blackboard; irritating as hell. And Tim Mcgraw, I guess he is trying to follow in Dwight Yoakam’s footsteps by detouring from his country singing gig to try his hand at acting. Don’t quit your day job Tim. I hear Dwight’s working the Indian Casinos these days. If you saw the film Precious you will find this film to be a very bad version of the same story. Hollywood screenwriters must all be drinking at the same bar.
Taco Bell had several product placements in the film. I would suggest you take your ticket money and go get a couple of burgers at Burger King in protest.

A Single Man (2009)

2010-01-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

A single gay man actually. Here is a “Brokeback Mountain” for the intellectuals. An old gay college professor tries to commit suicide because his lover was killed in a car crash. He hesitates because he keeps running into gay boys who throw themselves at him unashamedly. I suppose if you are gay you will like this film and be able to relate to the main character and everything else. But because I’m not gay I found it rather boring and uninteresting. However, I did find one thing interesting. A young student in one of the professors classes brought up the Nazi/Jew/Holocaust thing - just out of the blue. What’s up with that? It had nothing to do with the story. It added absolutely nothing. It had no reason at all to be in the script. I don’t know about you but for me the Nazi/Jew/Holocaust thing in movies is getting to be monotonous and rather annoying. Is it some unwritten law that every film made in Hollywood has to work the Nazi/Jew/Holocaust thing in somewhere? Its almost becoming a Product Placement. It’s like those annoying pop-ups on your computer screen. “Earth to Hollywood, hello, World War II is over, move on please.”

Two Lovers (2009)

2010-01-06T21:56:00.000-08:00

This is a depressing bit of movie making about a couple of Jewish families in Brighton Beach. There is supposed to be some sort of story here built around a Bar Mitzvah, a couple of attempted suicides and a few Fuk-scenes. If that sounds like your idea of a good time at the movies, go for it. But don’t forget - you’ve been warned.

Broken Embraces (2009)

2010-01-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

An old blind man is sitting in a chair. Across from him is a twenty-something blonde in a tank top. She apparently had helped him cross the street and he asked her to come up to his apartment to read him the newspaper. As she’s reading the paper he reaches over and begins to play with her breasts. - cut to a Fuk-scene on the couch. That’s it. I takes less than two minutes. She gets dressed, leaves and we never see her again. The girl and the couch-Fuking are never mentioned again in the entire film. The scene had absolutely nothing at all to do with the story or plot. It was just a Fuc-scene inserted for those deviates who like to watch a 60 year old man Fuk a 20 year old girl. Was this a Woody Allen Film I wondered? No it wasn’t. It’s just how movies are made these days. Every movie has to have a “Old man/young girl Fuk-scene. It’s Hollywood’s “Woody Allen Law”.
As I watched this scene I couldn’t help but recall what Prussian Crown Princess Vicky wrote in 1870 after the fall of Napoleon III and the Second Empire. She wrote, “It would be well if they (the French) would pause and think that immoderate frivolity and luxury depraves and ruins and ultimately leads to national misfortune.” She was commenting on the sexual and materialistic excesses of the Parisians. Perhaps Americans should pause and reflect on the words of the Crown Princess.

Tyson (2009)

2010-01-03T09:34:00.000-08:00

Amazing, simply amazing. I know that is a well worn phrase but I can’t think of any other word to describe this film. Its amazing. If you’ve always thought Mike Tyson was just some physical brute, on a level with King Kong, I suggest you see this film. Tyson doesn’t have the vocabulary to describe his inner self with fifty dollar words, but when you listen to him talk about his life, his women, his fights, his love for his mentor and trainer Gus D’Amato you know you are listening to a man who has dug down deep inside himself and found his soul . No matter what your opinion of Mike Tyson is now, I guarantee it will be different after you see this film.

Crazy Heart (2009)

2010-01-02T16:50:00.000-08:00

Tender Mercies revisited. Staggering in for a second round of drinks is Crazy Heart, a Tender Mercies clone about an old washed up alcoholic deadbeat country singer/songwriter now working the toilets for chump change drinking and puking his guts out every night. You know the drill, he used to be a “star” but now he is just another disheveled drunk. Yea, as usual, he meets a pretty young single mother half his age who enables him for a bit before she wakes up and realizes she is bedding down with a dirty old unkempt slob of a drunk. Naturally, so that you will leave the theater feeling good, there is a “Hollywood” ending to this fairy tale. If it had a real life ending he would have drowned in his own vomit in some alley. But then you might not tell your friends to go see the film…that would be bad for business, and Hollywood is always about business. So what happens is he finally writes a hit song, makes tons of money and rides off into the sunset. Hi Ho Silver Away!
The cowboy is played expertly by Jeff Bridges who should be in line for some sort of award this year from some award giving institution. The gear was right and the songs were authentic and sung well. The lighting and camera work was first rate setting the right mood throughout the entire film.

The Hurt Locker (2009)

2010-01-01T11:45:00.000-08:00

This is a film about war. I hate wars. Wars are a sham. The rich and powerful people start wars so that they can get even richer and more powerful. If you think the wars started with Iraq and Afghanistan were so we, the other 95% of the population, would be able to have clothes on our backs, a home, and food to eat, you are a fool. Do you really think the rich and powerful in this country started these wars for that reason, to make our lives better? Wake up! Most of us had that stuff before these wars started. Nine years later however a lot fewer people in this country have their homes and the ability to buy food and keep themselves warm in the winter. People are worse off now than they were before these wars started.
And don’t give me that crap about a “just war” or a war to “set people free.” Do you really think these wars were started so that some illiterate tribesman in some far off land could have his “freedom,” a concept he probably doesn’t understand or care about? Do you really think some super rich banker cares about some ignorant tribesman in Afghanistan while he is cruising around in his yacht or flying about in his private jet getting richer by the minute? Come on lets get real here. That’s spin. They spin the war so that the stupid do the fighting and dying while the rich busy themselves counting all the money they make off that fighting and dying. How many rich people are fighting over in Iraq or Afghanistan? How many rich and powerful bankers, the ones who will benefit from all this killing and dying, have themselves died over there? Zero, Zip. How much more evidence do you need?
In this film we have a soldier who comes home to his wife and child after a horrific tour of duty. If this war was about some foreign schmuck’s “freedom” or preserving the homeland he would have found a populous all working on the war effort, - he being the sword in the hands of the people. Instead he finds a total disconnect. His wife knows nothing about war or what he has been through and doesn’t seem to care. And the American people are just, la dee da, going about their business; consuming goods confident in their self centered selves embracing depravity, presumption, puerile, vanity, indiscipline, while living lives that lack seriousness and honesty. The people sleep in blissful stupidness while the rich and powerful flush America down the toilet.
But let me tell you this. When the rich get too rich and the poor get too poor it is a recipe for revolution. The stupid will eventually rise up. "The wrath of the stupid has laid waste the world quite as often as has the craft of the bright" (Time) Spinners eventually run out of spin. When the people wake up and see how they have been duped they will rise up. And right now in 2010 the house is shaking and pots and pans are starting to fall off the stove. Its all there in The Hurt Locker if you care to open your eyes and look for it.
　

An Education (2009)

2009-12-26T10:50:00.000-08:00

On the surface this film is about a young 16 year old English girl who is about to enter Oxford when she meets and gets swept off her feet by a dashing charlatan about twice her age. This charlatan, like all charlatans, is a liar and an ass who conceals the fact that not only is he an unprincipled, unscrupulous thief but he is also married. The bigger picture however is whether this young girl wants to spend her life being a boring Oxford graduate working at some unfulfilling boring job or abdicating it all to have a “fun” life. If you define fun as “merry playfulness” anyone over fifty can tell you life is not fun. Fun is a very small part of everyday life. Anyone who tells you different is either a fool or a liar. This film demonstrates how young people can get caught up in the “fun” part of life and make decisions that keep them immature and unfulfilled for their entire lives. I totally recommend this film to all teenage girls.

Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)

2009-12-23T12:09:00.000-08:00

This year Michael Moore goes after Wall Street and the banking industry for their unscrupulous capitalist ways. He makes a pretty good case against capitalism by showing us the greed and corruption that is now overwhelming us in our capitalist society. I think anyone who sees this film will find much truth in what he has to say. However, capitalism is only as successful as the intelligence level of the people involved. An enlightened, intelligent society that pays attention would never let the greed and corruption, perpetrated by one percent of that society, stand. They would take them down by boycotting their businesses. That’s how a capitalist society is supposed to work.
It is the smart people taking advantage of the stupid people that makes capitalism function so poorly, not capitalism itself. You can’t be stupid and then blame capitalism if your life is hard. John Wayne once said, “Life is hard, even harder for the stupid.” He had it right. It has been said, “People get the kind of government they deserve,” likewise, we have the kind of capitalism we deserve.

The Men Who Stare At Goats (2009)

2009-12-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

What we have here a weak attempt at recapturing the irony, sarcasm, and comedy directed at the U.S. Military that was key to the success of Dr. Strangelove. However, the characters in this film are not nearly as developed as they were in Dr. Strangelove so the overall feel of the film is more of a disappointment than anything else. The idea of new age soldiers in a new earth army may have sounded great at a Hollywood hippie party where drugs were flowing and old flower children were in attendance, but by the time it gets to the screen the concept falls flat. Its just not that funny. It will never make it to the cult status Dr. Strangelove enjoys.

Facing Ali (documentary)

2009-12-21T09:19:00.000-08:00

If you ever wondered what it was like to face Mohammad Ali in the ring well here is the film for you. Ten opponents who fought major battles with the champ talk about what it was like to face Ali. Joe Frazier, George Forman, Ken Norton, Ernie Terrell, and Leon Spinks are just some of the boxers who tell the stories of their lives and the events leading up to an eventual face-off with Ali. It’s full of anecdotes and quips, some serious, like George Forman’s “talk with God,” and some funny, like Leon Spinks telling how he “broke wind” when he was picked up in the ring by his handlers after winning the title from Ali. They all tell the Ali story from the other side of the ring. We also get to see film highlights of their fights. I found it absolutely fascinating.

The Private Lives Of Pippa Lee (2009)

2009-12-20T00:25:00.000-08:00

This whole film is based on ugly sex and people living dysfunctional lives. What is going on in Hollywood? Is unbridled, perverted sex ALL you think about? My God, you people need to get lives. As for the actors, Allen Arkin’s best scene was when he was brain dead in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of his mouth. He wasn’t talking and it was his final scene, thank goodness! And Winona Ryder, (who looks anorexic) should go back to shoplifting, which is something she is probably much better at. This is one of the worst films I’ve see this year. I for one wish Pippa Lee would have kept her lives private.
This sewer swill was written and directed by Rebecca Miller, daughter of Arthur Miller. She apparently hasn’t heard the news; being the daughter of an artist means nothing. Pablo Picasso’s daughter Paloma couldn’t paint a lick. Rebecca, you should really think about a career change. I hear Wal-Mart is hiring…

Invictus (2009)

2009-12-17T12:10:00.000-08:00

Invictus is Latin for “unconquered” in case you were wondering. This is a film by Clint Eastwood and it makes me long for the days when Clint played “The man with no name” in all those old Spaghetti Westerns. This film is about the 1995 South African rugby team making it to the world cup playoffs. Its way too long and too boring for those of us who think rugby is not a sport but just a bunch of men running around bumping into one another. It seems so pointless. I know, I know, its a game with rules and scores and such, but it certainly looks like a big waste of energy to most Americans. And I know, it was also about Nelson Mandela and his resolve to never give up while he was in prison. Still, it looks like this movie was based on Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky films” formula, - underdog with no hope wins the “big one.” Oh, how original, how unpredictable, geezzz Clint, get back into your cowboy gear, climb on your horse and give us a real film.

Up In The Air (2009)

2009-12-15T22:59:00.000-08:00

George Clooney at his “Mr. Cool” best. This film starts out with Mr. Cool being cooler than cool with a job that requires him to continually fly around the country firing people who work for companies that don’t have the courage to fire their employees themselves. Then, things begin to heat up for Mr. Cool when he meets and falls in love with a fellow traveler. He starts to become un-cool as he contemplates marriage and a stable “non-flying” life. By the end of the film Mr. Cool has thawed out like a winter snowman on a hot summer day. It’s a fun, sometimes sad story, - but like the story or not, its always a pleasure to watch George Clooney work.

Precious (2009)

2009-12-15T09:56:00.000-08:00

Because of the subject, the timing, and the acting, this film is Academy Award bound. ….whether it deserves it or not is something you will have to decide for yourself. Myself, well, I can’t make up my mind.

The Lovely Bones (2009)

2009-12-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

This is one of those “The person is dead but their ghost is still hanging around” films. I never cared for them myself, but I guess if you believe in some kind of afterlife you may find that notion appealing. In this case a little girl is murdered and she hangs around her family trying to lead them to her killer before she heads off to heaven. The film is an adaptation of Alice Sebold’s 2002 novel, The Lovely Bones, - which I didn’t read. My wife Alice read the book and liked it, and she also liked the film. So there you go, a recommendation. But one things for sure, if you have a young daughter I wouldn’t let her see this film, because even though the afterlife is very colorful and full of wonderful fields of amber grain, the murder part will scare the bejesus out of her.

Brothers (2009)

2009-12-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

Alice and I went to see this film with our dear friend Gail Fogerty. And since she knows what she likes in a movie, I thought I would share with you her thoughts on this film. Here is what she had to say about Brothers as we sat having a pizza at Mary’s Pizza Shack after the show. “I thought the movie was fan -tas-tic! The acting was really, really good, and, I think this is really true to life for a lot of people. Its very very sad.”
There you have it, Gail Fogerty’s review of Brothers.
As for the pizza, well, we knew Mary when she used to bake the pizza’s herself up at the original Boyes Hot Springs location. We all agreed this pizza was defiantly not up to Mary’s standards.

Whatever Works (2009)

2009-12-01T21:29:00.000-08:00

I thought I was going to love this film. It started out with Larry David at his sarcastic best. I settled in for some real good laughs, but after about four minutes this movie started to descend quickly into the gutter. It turns out to be just another one of Woody Allen's, “Old bald Jewish man with a New York size ego seduces young teenage girl” films. I guess he is still trying to justify having an affair and then marrying his teenage step-daughter. If you have any decency at all this film will make you want to vomit, so be sure you have an empty popcorn tub close by. Myself, I'm going to avoid going anywhere near where this film is playing, just thinking about it makes me want to take a shower. Believe me Woody Allen has a sick sick mind. He has a serious mental condition; I think he is a sexual deviate. He needs to have some therapy and some child abuse counseling. If there is anything beyond morally corrupt he‘s there. Seriously.

Talking Woodstock (2009)

2009-11-30T21:56:00.000-08:00

This is a lame story using the Woodstock Festival as a backdrop…yea, that Woodstock, ’cept there ain’t no music, what a bummer,…there’s just a lot of hippies from Central Casting doing the usual exaggerated hippie things around some dysfunctional Jewish family.
Don’t waste your time with this turkey, go have some fun with your money - like maybe get a pizza at Chucky Cheese. Yea, that would be better.