Secret in Their Eyes

"Secret in Their Eyes" stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman in this ill conceived story written and directed by Billy Ray.
A murder that took place 13 years ago has the viewing audience bouncing back and forth from scenes in the present to scenes which took place at the time of the crime. The only possible way to distinguish between the two time periods are the hairstyles of Ms. Kidman and Ms. Roberts and the buttoned and unbuttoned collar of Mr. Ejiofor. This is a task that the most attentive and dedicated viewer will find hard to accomplish  Watching the film is an effort and, when you add to that,  a concocted plot in a film poorly written, edited and directed, it becomes obvious that quality players are being asked to perform in a less than adequate vehicle which, for this viewer, gets and deserves only 1 and ½ stars.

Spotlight

"Spotlight" was co-written by Josh Singer and Thomas McCarthy who also directed the film.  It stars Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, John Slattery, Rachel McAdams and Leiv Schrieber (who looks like he should have taken 2 No-Doze pills before his parts were shot).. The film tells the story of the investigative team of  reporters on The Boston Globe (called "Spotlight") and how they uncovered the scandal in the Catholic Church involving the molestation and abuse of children by priests and the efforts made to cover up those transgressions by the Church hierarchy. The real "star" of the film is this most interesting story of how an institution so beloved and respected by its community could be made to be held accountable for these unconscionable acts engaged in by its representatives.. With all due respect to the performances of Messrs. Keaton and Ruffalo and Ms. McAdams,, the film takes too long to tell its story and is definitely a "look at my watch" experience. Nevertheless, the importance of the subject matter and the tenacity of those investigating and ultimately writing the story that won their paper a Pulitzer Prize makes it a film worth seeing. I give the film 3 stars because, even after acknowledging its importance, it still remains an entertainment vehicle that should have left at least 20 minutes of it on the editing room floor.

Trumbo

"Trumbo" is a bio-pic depicting the life and travails of Dalton Trumbo, one of the blacklisted Hollywood writers in the post war cold war era where the members of the House Unamerican Activities Committee and the infamous Senator from Wisconsin, Joseph McCarthy, heaped their venom on the constitutional  rights of this nation’s citizens. Based on the book by Bruce Cook with a screenplay written by John McNamara, the film was directed by Jay Roach. Bryan Cranston plays the title role and Diane Lane, his wife, Cleo, with Michael Stuhlberg portraying noted actor, Edward G. Robinson. Helen Mirren is a convincing Hedda Hopper and Louis C.K ably assists in the film thus proving once again that a good comedy actor can play any serious role (although the converse is not always true). Mr. Trumbo’s story, a successful writer who, because of the blacklist, was forced to write using "fronts" (i.e. fictitious names instead of those of the real author). This is a film that teaches how to overcome obstacles and the economic and emotional stresses imposed upon those whose only crime it would appear was to attempt to preserve their respective rights of privacy and independence. Intermixed in the film are clips from newsreels and the hearings that took place at the time giving added credibility and  relevance to the events that I’m sure so many involved would like to forget Mr. Trumbo, noted for screenplays ranging from "Kitty Foyle", "Roman Holiday" and "Spartacus" perhaps said s it best when he recalled this difficult era in a speech to the Writers Guild of America and noted that "there were no heroes or villains in this troubling time, only victims". Although many of us lived through this era and time and can remember the incredulous abuses heaped upon artists, teachers and so many others, there are those of later generations who do not. It is for them as well as for us to be made aware and to be reminded of what took place.  I give the film 3 and ½ stars and urge that it be seen by all who cherish freedom,  justice and the indomitable spirit to survive.

Truth

"Truth" is a film detailing the events that led up to and succeeded the September 8, 2004 episode of 60 Minutes II hosted by Dan Rather (played by Robert Redford) and which was produced by Mary Mapes (played by Kate Blanchett). The film was written and directed by James Vanderbilt and also stars Topher Grace, Elizabeth Moss, Bruce Greenwood and Dennis Quaid.
Based upon the book written by Ms. Mapes (i.e. "Truth and Duty…." ) it paints a picture of news journalism at one of the nations leading networks (CBS) and the inner conflicts that can arise when stories which may or may not be true are aired based on the best information available to the network, its newscaster and its staff. Although the movie takes no definitive position as to the veracity of the charges made in the infamous episode, it obviously gives a kind nod to those who produced the segment, especially since the screenplay relies for the most part on the memoirs of Ms. Mapes and her book. Regardless of the substance of the allegations, the airing of the episode led to the termination of Mr. Rather as CBS News  Anchor (after 24 years in that role), the firing of his producer, Ms. Mapes, and the forced resignations of her staff. The quest for determining the authenticity of the sources and documents relied on by Ms. Mapes and her staff give us not only an insight into the inner workings of the newsroom but, more than that, an intereesting detective mystery with many unanswered questions. Add to that the subdued but powerful performance of Mr. Redford and the extraordinary acting of Ms. Blanchett and you have a worthwhle and informative viewing experience. I give the film 3 and ½ stars with a recommendation that tt be seen by all who can remember the Dan Rather of old and, also, by anyone who is interested in the place broadcast news has in our society today.

Bridge of Spies

"Bridge of Spies" was directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Matt Charman and Ethan and Joel Coen and stars Tom Hanks in the role of a Brooklyn attorney called upon to seek the release of Francis Gary Powerr, the U-2 pilot whose surveillance plane was shot down by the Russians and who then became their prisoner. The film not only tells of the  personal mission of Mr. Hanks’ character  but, in addition, shows in great detail, the circumstances many of us can recall in the late 1050’s, the cold war that existed in those years and the tensions that could have easily accelerated and ignited a nuclear third world war.. I give the film 3 and 1//2 stars and urge all who enjoy a good bio history drama to see it as soon as possible

Steve Jobs

"Steve Jobs" was directed by Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire") and stars Michael Fassbender in the title role ably supported by Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels,, Kate Winslet, Michael Stuhlberg and Katherine Waterston. Written by Aaron Sorkin, the film attempts to tell the story of this genius at helping people communicate with each other through the digital age while himself never quite coming to grips with his own personal demons. The vehicle for the film is the backstage goings on for the 3 launches of Jobs’ products, i.e. the Mac, the NEXT and the iMac. The same drama that precedes the hour or half hour before each launch allows Mr. Sorkin to elicit dialogue from the same five  protagonists  as the audience tries to follow and understand the complexities and inconsistencies of this self acclaimed icon. Similar to last year’s film, "Birdman" (though notably better), the viewer is brought backstage to the inner workings of the presentation process and, through it, the man himself. Based loosely on the Walter Isaacson biography, the film never quite captures the true essence of the man and unfortunately gives us a cleverly written but rather thin  two dimensional look at the lead character. We know as little or less about Mr. Jobs after the film as we did before except that he is or can be arrogrant and callous while himself searching for the humanity that seems to always elude him. Fleeting bits of dialogue thrown in by Mr. Sorkin are apparently intended to give us some insight into the Jobs’ psyche but, unfortunately, they fail to satisfy the viewer’s intellect and curiosity. Nevertheless, the film does give a behind the scenes glimpse at the PR involved in the launching of a new product and the kind of excitement it can generate. This, together with the superb acting by this terrific cast, allows me to give this film a 3 star rating. It’s a good film but one that, mindful of the skills and reputation of the writer and director and the subject matter they had to work with, never reaches the potential I would have hoped for and expected.

Meet the Patels

"<"Meet the Patels" is a US produced film which is basically a documentary starring Ravi Patel and his sister, Geeta, the children of Champa and Vasant Patel.  Having emigrated to America from India, the Patel parents are anxious for their two American born children to marry and want them to select their respective mates as the two parents did in India many years ago. Intermixed with cartoon characters and running commentary from the brother. as his sister ardently films the family’s interactions, this is, on the surface, a film about Indian parents seeking to preserve their cultural line and identity. However, the film goes beyond the Indian experience and one sees in these parents any first generation couple seeking to preserve their heritage via their offspring. Champa, the mother, could be the Italian or Jewish mother and Vasant, the father, could be any concerned father wanting his children to stay in their ethnic arena. In its own amateurish way, the film holds the viewer’s interest and  gives us a "fly on the wall " feeling as we watch caring parents and children respect each other while not necessarily accepting their generational differences. The universality of the film cannot be denied and the warmth and charm of each of the family members helps make this a really nice viewing experience. I give the film 3 stars and suggest that, if given the chance you meet the Patels, You will like them..