The Whistleblower (1:52) 2010

This is one tough movie to watch. Based on true events, Rachel Weisz portrays  a former Nebraska policewoman turned Bosnian peacekeeper. Kathy applies for a job overseas in order to make good money so she can move nearer to her teenage daughter. Once she arrives in Bosnia, Kathy job is to stop the exploitation of young women who are trafficked for sex. As Kathy encounters the women, who have been brutalized physically and emotionally, she encounters an even  darker side of the underbelly of sex trafficking - private contractors and diplomats are involved in the sex trade. A very lucrative business, many are invested in supressing information Kathy has uncovered. The Whistleblower is a good movie but one that made me a little sick to my stomach. There are several scenes where the women are being beaten and raped and it is extremely hard to watch. Kudos to the filmmakers for bringing attention to this international injustice.

The Hunger Games (2:22) 2012

Just like millions of Americans, my daughter and I were in the theater this weekend watching the newly released The Hunger Games. Box office numbers for the The Hunger Games have topped more than $150 million and for a good reason. It really is a good movie, full of action, highly imaginative and good acting. Katniss and Peeta are the two teenagers chosen to represent their district in the annual hunger games. They face twenty-two other teenagers in this televised survival game where the winner is the last person standing. Katniss and Peeta are attracted to each other but there can only be champion. Will they turn against each other so one will survive? I certainly can understand why this is such a popular movie with teenagers. The two stars are good actors and have chemistry. The action moves at a good pace, with just one slow down towards the end. The costumes, hairstyles and sets in the Capitol will probably lead to some Oscar nominations. The Hunger Games is an highly original story and deserves to be seen!

A Painted House (1:38) 2003

A Painted House, set in rural 1952 Arkansas, is based on the famous author John Grishom's early life. The story is told by Luke, a ten year old boy, who lives with parents and grandparents, struggling cotton farmers. Life cotton farming is difficult, crops fail, and excessive rain causes floods. Prejudice is a way of life, a migrant Mexican worker falls in love with a daughter of one of the white farmers and when the secret relationship is discovered, his life is in danger. Luke has a very close relationship with his grandfather but as the flooded crops endanger their livelihood, Luke faces the possibility of having to move north with his parents. An original CBS Hall of Fame movie, A Painted House is a look at the poor Southern farming culture.

Thunder Soul (1:23) 2011

Nominated for an 2011 American Spirit Award nomination for Best Documentary, Thunder Soul is a lively and upbeat film about the Houston's Kashmere High School Stage Band in the mid seventies.  "Prof" Conrad O Johnson was the band teacher of an all African American funk band and a father figure to many of the students. Thirty-five years after graduation, students in his award winning band travel from far and wide to reunite for a concert at their alma mater. Prof is in his eighties and his thrill with this tribute concert.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (1:52) 2012

Quiet and quirky are the two movie descriptors that immediately come to mind. Dr. Fred Jones (Ewan McGregor) is one of Britain's leading fish experts. Harriet (Emily Blount) is a financial consultant for a extremely wealthy Yemeni sheik. These two sweet characters are brought together when the sheik, a humble man of faith, decides to build a dam in his homeland and stock the river with salmon. Jones, a man of science, believes the project to be foolhardy and impractical. Salmon need cold water and Yemen is a desert country. Jones and Harriet, with the prodding of the Prime Minister's press secretary (Kristin Scott Thomas), fly off to Yemen to make the improbable possible just as the salmon swim upstream every year. Will something more than eggs be spawned? Will friendships, love and faith develop? Being the opening day of The Hunger Games, the lines at the theater were not for Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. My daughter and I were part of a small audience that really seem to enjoy this movie. Jones being a man with Aspberger's Syndrome so he can be socially awkward and inept. Having little humor, Jones provides some witty lines that produced audience laughter. Don't know about anyone else, but I fell for the sheik hook, line and sinker. His quiet charm is just so very endearing. The movie does have a touch of a travelogue feel and that is not meant to be a criticism. Filming takes place in two locations - a Scottish castle which I assume is in the highlands and in the desert of Morocco. Both settings, vastly different terrain, are beautifully filmed. As you can probably tell, this British film is definitely my cup of tea.

Environmental Film Festival at Yale 2012

Check out the EFFY web site. The line up of the full length films, including short films, have just been posted. There is quite a variety within the environment theme. I have already viewed and reviewed The Tsunami and The Cherry Blossoms, a short documentary which had been nominated for a Oscar Short Film - Documentary. For animal lovers, there will be several films including Disney's Chimpanzee, The Whale, and an interactive documentary Bear 71. Please follow the link for further information about about the festival, movie days and times. The web site includes a brief synopsis of each movie, full length or short. Trailers are also included for some of the films. I have thoroughly enjoyed attending the EFFY each year. This year's line up looks absolutely wonderful! If you live in the Greater New Haven area, hopefully you will be attend most or some of the free festival. Please follow the following link to read more about the EFFY: http://environment.yale.edu/film/films.

The Tale of Desperaux (1:34) 2008

Desperaux is a big eared, adorable mouse who believes in chivalry. However, the mice in the kingdom of Dor are displeased with Desperaux's ways as he doesn't conform to the kingdom's rigid rules. Desperaux is banished to the palace's sewers to live with the rats. He makes friends with Roscuro, a rat. Desperaux is on a quest to save Princess Pea but Roscuro also has a quest which is not noble. Although they are on different paths, they need to stand together to fight off the sewer rats. Will Desperaux fulfill his destiny and become a hero? I just love Desperaux and the wonderful ending message. Based on a Newberry winning children's book, this animation is wonderful old style creation. Although he received lukewarm reviews when it was originally released, the hub channel is broadcasting it tonight. It is a wonderful movie to watch as a family.

We Need to Talk About Kevin (1:52) 2012

Wow! What a movie! We Need to Talk About Kevin is a tough but riveting movie. Tilda Swinton is the mother of Kevin, who just shy of sixteen, commits a massacre at his high school. Through flashbacks, we view Kevin as a constantly crying baby, a difficult child who is very late in toilet training, and a sullen teenager. His mother, Eva, has difficulty bonding with Kevin. Kevin prefers his father and is much more responsive to his attention. Franklin doesn't experience how difficult Kevin can be and seems to be generally in denial about  his son. Not wanting to give any more details, this is a very taut movie. Tilda Swinton is excellent, she deserved an Oscar nomination for her performance. The very beginning of the movie is confusing due to all the flashbacks but it soon settles down to the unfolding story of family living with a stranger, the first born son. This film has been accurately described as having a nature vs nurture theme. It certainly gives food for thought, a banquet of thought. See it!

The Big Year (1:40) 2011

Three men, Jack Black, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, are avid birders who devote a year to zigzagging the country as they race to see the most birds in a one year period. Based on the book, The Big Year, the three birders are in competition with each other to see or hear more than 700 birds in very interesting locations. The travel to the Brownsville, Texas dump, Attu Island in Alaska and many national parks. In order to see pelagic birds, they take boats trips which is very trying when seasickness strikes. Yes, this is a rich man's hobby when taken to this height. As the men race across the country, chasing rare bird alerts and storms which bring stragglers and exotic birds, each man realizes their is additional costs to a Big Year. They are leaving family and careers to go off at the drop of a hat. The film is told in chronological order starting with New Year's Eve, and ends on December 31. Who will be the top birder of the year? This is a cute movie, more of a travelogue with the birds as the focus. I missed it in the theaters and would have liked to see Attu scenery on the big screen. I enjoyed The Big Year as an audio book immensely, seeing it as a movie was a light and fluffy experience. True birders will enjoy the movie.

The Lorax (1:34) 2012

The Lorax is an animation based on Dr. Seuss's book The Lorax, a cautionary tale of the dangers of mistreating and misusing our precious natural resources. The release of The Lorax was timed to coincide with Read Across America, a national celebration by public schools of Dr. Seuss's birthday.
Danny DeVito is the voice of the Lorax, Zac Efron is Ted, the boy who cares enough to plant the last tree seed . The animation is lively and colorful with a variety of animal characters including a trio of singing fish. We spent the money to see The Lorax in 3D and it was well worth the extra cost. It was great to see all the families with their children of varying ages at today's matinee. It was apparent on the walk out of the theater that everyone seemed to really enjoy the movie.  This is a wonderful family movie with a positive environmental message that is highly recommended.

The Godfather (2:55) 1972

The Godfather is celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the first of the highly regarded trilogy's release. The Corleones, one of New York's  crime family is headed by Vito played by Marlon Brando. His son Santino is machine gunned to death, leaving one of other sons, Michael (Al Pacino) as heir apparent. Michael originally desires a life to be a honest, law abiding citizen but is drawn into the family business after Vito narrowly escapes an assassination attempt. Michael builds up the family business by expanding to Nevada.  The Godfather is one of America's most highly regarded and popular films having earned an Oscar for Best Picture and Best Actor. Every once in awhile, one of the networks will have a weekend special and broadcast the trio. And I invariably will sit down and watch some, most or all of this classic.