Never Look Away

"Never Look Away" is a film written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. He also directed two previous and notable German films, one entitled "Black Book" and the second "The Lives of Others". The latter film won an Academy Award as the Best Foreign Language film in 2006 and both films received 4 stars from this reviewer because of their clarity. power and the wonderful theatrical experiences they created. One of the common threads in each of the two prior films and in this one as well is the presence of Sebastian Koch, a dominating figure on the screen. Here Mr. Koch co-stars with Tom Schilling and Paula Beer in this saga that begins in1940 under the reign of Adolph Hitler, moves forward through the era of the German Democratic Republic in the eastern part of Germany and then finally concludes its story in the west.

Loosely resembling the life of artist Gerhard Rickter, the film is filled with coincidences and drama that keep the viewer deeply involved as the young artist, portrayed by Mr. Schilling, looks for and attempts to find his own  reality amidst the politics and autocratic regimes of the Third Reich and the GDR. The film is 188 minutes in length but never has a 3 hour plus film been so easy to watch and that is due mainly to the superb writing, directing and acting of those in it and responsible for it. Kudos, too, to Caleb Deschanel whose camera work has earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinemaphotography. I give this film 4 stars and can easily understand why Germany made it its entry for Best Foreign Language film of 2018.

Velvet Buzzsaw

“Velvet Buzzsaw” stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo. Written and directed by Dan

Gilroy, this is a film that just can’t make up its mind nor can some of the characters in

it.  Mr. Gyllenhaal’s character struts throughout the film as a homosexual art dealer

but all of the sex scenes are between him and other women. Likewise, the film itself purports

to be a satire on the art scene yet it also tries to be a horror film never fully or committing

under either label.  Currently being exhibited on both Netflix and in local theaters,

the film doesn’t deserve to be seen in either venue. I give the film one star and suggest

that a blank tv or movie screen will be more entertaining than this poor attempt at

entertainment

Who Will Write Our History

"Who Will Write Our History" is a docudrama directed by Roberta Grossman

who co-wrote the film with Samuel Kassow based on his novel of the same

name.

The film tells the story of Emanuel Ringelblum and a group called the Oyneg Shabes, 

the secret archive he created and directed in the Warsaw Ghetto. With 30,000 pages of writing,

photographs, posters, and more, the Oyneg Shabes Archive contains eyewitness accounts

documenting not only how the Jews of the ghetto died, but how they

were forced to live. Most interesting is the fact that the actual films shown (obtained

through the British archives)  were taken by German soldiers so the audience sees

the torture and inhumane acts thrust upon these vulnerable and defenseless individuals

through the camera lenses of their captors.

This is a review of a film that will contain no rating for it is not entertainment in any

sense but, instead, a history of man's inhumanity to man and how those, faced

with almost certain death, attempted to guarantee that the outside world (from which

they were excluded) would some day learn the horrors they faced and the evils they

encountered. As with all such acts of intolerance and terror, one must ask "why", and

sadly it is a question that still remains unanswered even as of today.

“On the Basis of Sex” is the story of one notable period in the life of Justice Ruth

Bader Ginsburg and how she successfully argued in Federal Court that statutory bias and discrimination based  on a subject’s gender was unconstitutional.

Directed by Mimi Leder with a screenplay written by Justice Ginsburg’s  nephew,

Daniel Stiepelman, the film portrays this dynamic lady as a

crusader for the rights of persons of both sexes and lets the viewer know and understand the tenacity and perseverance of this legal giant. Aptly portrayed by Felicity Jones in the leading role, Ms. Jones  is supported by by Armie Hammer, Sam Waterston and Justin Theroux. Having attended the same law school when Justice Ginsburg studied there, I can personally attest to the very few female law students in attendance  and how extraordinary they had to be in order to gain admission to this restricted legal club .Clearly, Justice Ginsburg is the embodiment of the best of the best of all of them. I give this film 3 stars for its interesting story and the entertaining manner in which it was able to relate the historical significance of all that Justice Ginsburg achieved.

“Vice” is a biodrama and history of the life and career of Dick Cheney, Congressman from Wyoming, and more notably the Vice-President under President George W. Bush.

The film was written and directed by Adam McKay and stars Christian Bale in the title role with Amy Adams as his wife, Lynne Vincent Cheney. Also appearing in the film

is Steve Carell (as Donald Rumsfeld) and Sam Rockwell (as George W). This is the story of a partnership between an iron willed wife and an ambitious husband who, together, forged their way from average beginnings to the inner workings of their nation’s decision making process. Those interested more in our country’s recent history than pure film making will get more from this experience than the average viewer. That being said, one must acknowledge the “Meryl Streep” ability of Mr. Bale to transform himself, both physically and professionally,into the essence of the character he portrays. He succeeds so well that in what are obvious recreations of real events, the moviegoer could well believe that the real Mr. Cheney was actually in the scene. There is no question that the writer/director has a definite point of view but, in spite of that, he is able to portray his lead subject with a mixed sense of loyalty to his country and a fierce dedication to his wife and family, indeed the complex traits of a very complicated public servant. I give the film 3 and ½ stars for, despite its 2 hour and 25 minute running time, the audience is never bored or without interest with what it is appearing on the screen and, after all, isn’t that what filmmaking is all about.

Roma

“Roma” is a film written and directed by Alfonso Cuaron and is his attempt to pay homage and acknowledge his childhood in the Roma section of Mexico City as well as the housekeepers that cared for him and his siblings. Filmed in black and white this film has become the choice of so many critics and award entities so I find myself again at odds with the so called pros for this film, as good as it is, is not great, nor in my opinion is it worthy of the accolades being heaped upon it. This is the story of a family, a marriage and those who kept house for them…..and that is where it all really begins and ends.

So, like a fly on a wall, we watch the residents and servants interact in a really not too exciting series of mundane events as they go about their assigned chores and fulfill their designated roles. I give the film 2 and ½ stars as I continue to wonder what the excitement regarding it is all about..Perhaps the highest award should go to the distributor’s PR firm for being able to generate such unwarranted hype and activity..

The Mule

“”The Mule” is a film written by Nick Schenk inspired by Sam Dolnick’s piece in the New York Times Magazine entitled “The Sinola Cartel’s 90 Year Old Drug Mule”. The film stars Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Michael Pena, Laurence Fishburne, Andy Garcia and Diane Wiest so, one would think with a stellar cast like that, the film just had to be good. It is not.

Mr. Eastwood plays the 90 year old subject  too well for he’s lost the core of his image and one feels more sadness than respect for this aging icon who looks more like the grandfather of the star we once knew than the presence we were hoping to experience. Perhaps it’s the penalty of being too dynamic and great in the who we once were than the person we are now.

The script and story lack depth and, although never bored, the viewer is mindful that nothing significant is going on as the picture, like the mule’s truck, just travels forward without meaning or destination. I give the film 2 and ½ stars proving that an aging star with support from many cameo players cannot necessarily guarantee a positive theatrical experience.