“Beasts of the Southern Wild” is a drama/fantasy as seen through the eyes of a 6 year old who lives with her father and others in this Southern Louisiana community amidst and after the fury of Hurricane Katrina. First director Benh Zeitlin who co-wrote the film with Lucy Alibar seeks to capture life in this G-d forsaken life style in which Hush Puppy, the name of the 6 year old’s character in the film, attempts to cope with life in the swamp and Delta. Extraordinary is the performance of  Quvenzhane Wallis, who plays Hush Puppy, and that is probably the only reason to view the film. Intermittent drama, fantasy, prehistoric animals and melting ice packs make this a very uncomfortable movie to watch and for this reviewer, earns it 1 and ½ stars, most of which go to Ms. Wallis. I went to this film anticipating really great artistry and good craft (the reviews were so good). Unfortunately the film was not good and, as I squirmed in my seat and watched it, I thought I would endure it since it was only 91 minutes in length. I was wrong. I looked at my watch almost as many times as I looked at the screen. Whether it was something I ate previous to attending the theater, the handheld camera jumping up and down,  or both, I got ‘”see-sick” as the flood waters filled the screen. One Pepto Bismol and three Tums tablets later, I still couldn’t lay the blame to either so I’ll blame both causes for my visual and stomach upset and my mistake in following the recommendations of the so-called “film gurus”.

The Matchmaker

“The Matchmaker” is an Israeli film written and directed by Avi Nesher who tells this story of Holocaust survivors living in Haifa and how they cope and adapt to the life they found in Israel. Deceptive as it is, the title of the film tells the story of a very serious and professional matchmaker who influences and plays a part in the lives of so many people in his city and, especially, one 16 year old boy.. It is a “coming of age” film where the son of a survivor learns so much about the things that happened over “there” (as the film’s characters refer to the camps and terror of Europe under the Nazi regime). The cloud over the entire film or the “elephant in the room”, if you will, is the Holocaust yet this novel and unique way of relating how these survivors cope with their past and its horrors makes for an interesting and informative movie experience. It is also, without a doubt, a clear view of life as it existed in Haifa, Israel in 1968. Notwithstanding a running time of 112 minutes and English titles translating the Hebrew dialogue, this is a film well worth seeing. I give it 3 and ½ stars with special accolades to Adir Miller (who plays the title role). Mr. Miller is a noted Israeli screenwriter and comedian who once again confirms that although serious actors may not be able to play comic roles well,  comic actors can usually excel in serious parts... He, together with Maya Dagan and Tuval Shafir  help make the viewing of this film so meaningful and rewarding and explain its many nominations for Israeli film awards.

To Rome With Love

“To Rome With Love”  was written and directed  by Woody Allen and, with him, stars Judy Davis, Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Robert Benigni and Penelope Cruz. This will not be recognized as one of Mr. Allen’s better films and certainly in no competition to “Midnight In Paris”. In his obvious love affair with the Italian capitol, Mr. Allen helps the movie by making the romance and beauty of the city come alive amidst the escapades of its stars in various and unrelated stories but the thread, thin as it is, is Rome. Though the film’s dialogue and direction are a tribute to the creative talents of Mr. Allen, there are elements in the film that are not. Funny story twists that are humorous when first seen become annoying when repeated unnecessarily. One other factor should be noted and that is the performance of Mr. Allen himself. Were he not the infamous writer/director, no casting person would have placed him in the film.   Allen’s reputation precedes each sequence in which he appears and when he does nothing notable or even mediocre, disappointment sets in as he “steals the scene” in that he robs the audience of all the other fine elements in it. Having written all of this, the film stands a cut above those presently playing and, as someone said, an “OK”  Woody Allen film is still better than another’s good one. Yes, individually, the film has some problems, i.e. Allen’s acting, a disjointed series of stories, unnecessarily repetitive humor, etc. but, added together,  the sum is much greater and more worthwile than its individual parts. I give the film 2 and ¾  stars. You may be somewhat disappointed but you definitely will be entertained.

Moonrise KIngdom

“Moonrise Kingdom” is a 94 minute film that is about 94 minutes too long. It stars, believe it or not, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand Harvey Keitel and Bob Balaban with 2 teenage actors, Kara Hayward and Jared Gilman. How could such a cast not produce a winning or at least a mediocre film is a question only director Wes Anderson  who co-wrote the film with Roman Coppola, can answer, if indeed there is one. The film is more like a cartoon with live actors and like most cartoons, is two dimensional and without substance. Paraphrasing the old Smucker commercial, with a name like Coppola, ti doesn’t have to be good. Roman is Francis Ford Coppola’s son and the difference between the two shoots the gene theory full of holes. More than that, the film, rated PG, contains scenes between the two young teenage stars that, to put in the kindest phraseology, are most inappropriate. I must confess that my view of the film is totally out of sync with some pretty reputable and respected publications including the Wall St. Journal, the New York Timss, et. al. who really loved it.. There is no middle ground for this movie. You will either love ir or dislike it. My guess is the latter. I give the film 2 stars and regret not having stayed at home to watch whatever was on the TV schedule that night.

What to Expect When You're Expecting

“What to Expect When You’re Expecting” is a film based on the successful best seller of the same name by author Helen Murkoff. Not content with letting the accolades remain in the literary property area, some producers (e.g. Mike Medavoy et.al) had the idea of casting Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, Mathew Morrison, Elizabeth Banks  and others in a film supposedly sharing the trials and tribulations of expectant Moms and reluctant and anxious Dads. Directed by Kirk Jones and written by Shauna Cross and Heather Hoch, the movie simply doesn’t work. The 110 minutes of actual screen time seemed longer than the 9 months each of these ladies had to carry their respective offspring. Discombobulated and awkward in its editing, acting and plot, this film gets just one star and, even then, I feel overly generous in awarding it.  I guess the answer to what to expect from “What to Expect…….”is a loss of time, money and the inconvenience of having to travel to the theater to suffer them.. No pregnancy could ever seem longer or more uncomfortable than watching this cinematic nightmare…  .and thinking about the film the next day will almost certainly guarantee you “morning sickness”.

Bernie

“Bernie” stars Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine and Mathew McConaughey in this-black comedy which plays more like a documentary, especially since it utilizes many of the actual townspeople in Carthage, Texas where the true life occurrences took place. Directed by Richard Linklater and co-written by Mr. Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth, this movie is based on an article that Mr. Hollandsworth wrote for the  Texas Monthly magazine in 1998. Although Jack Black is not my favorite leading man, he does exhibit a wide and interesting range of acting in his portrayal of the main character in the film. Perhaps the defect in the movie is not so much the acting or the presentation but the lack of any depth or substance. This explains why what occurred in this small Texas town of 6500 people was only  described and written about in a magazine article…there just isn’t enough here for a full length theatrical feature. I give the film 2 and ½ stars for its effort and uniqueness. It’s a film that could have explored the complexity of the character played by Mr. Black instead of just reciting events as they took place and for that reason I found it, like the magazine article, short on substance.

Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

“Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” was written by O.L. Parker and is based on the novel “These Foolish Things” by Deborah Moggach. The cast is a ‘who’s who” of seasoned British talent starring Tom Wilkinson, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Bill Nighby and needs the full 2 hours and 20 minutes of time it takes to merge these fine thespians into the plots and subplots that Director Madden so nicely paces. The story of senior citizens relocating to a hopefully better and more meaningful life transcends the location although Jaipur, India is where this all takes place. Predictable in many respects and adorning its “feel good” halo, the film nevertheless holds our interest and involvement despite its length. Putting aside the rehashed jokes that make their way into the film every so often, there are moments of profundity that those of us eligible for AARP membership will appreciate and understand. Perhaps that is why the film works. I give the film 3 stars. Hopefully its commercial success will bring about the production of more such films where those in our demographic category will have better fare to choose from when we decide to go to the movies. After all, time is running out and as Ms. Smith’s character recites: “I don’t even buy green bananas”.