Now You See Me (1:57) 2013

Now You See Me is an excellent movie about the ultimate con. Four illusionists team up to rob banks in this Robin Hood theme movie as they battle to stay one step ahead of the FBI. The cast of young actors are all excellent - Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson as two of the illusionists and Mark Ruffalo as the befuddled FBI agent. There are many twists and turns in this fact paced action packed movie. My friend and I saw the Now You See Me at the beginning of the summer and it was the perfect way to start the summer movie going season.  I don't want to reveal too much of the movie because it is like being on a thrilling roller coaster ride. Take time to see this highly recommended film for the ride of your life!

The Lone Ranger (2:29) 2013

The Lone Ranger is getting terrible reviews, and while I  agree with some of the criticisms, it really is an entertaining movie. Johnny Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer as The Lone Ranger are good as the crime fighting duo. Johnny Depp is an excellent Tonto as the story unfolds through his eyes. The main drawback was the gory violence that Cavendish commits. The movie is long - two and a half hours - but covers a lot of ground including how John Reid became the Lone Ranger and Tonto's previous unknown boyhood story. I wasn't crazy with the opening scene which takes place in 1936. I was absolutely thrilled with the ending when William Tell's Overture was played - it took me back to my childhood watching Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels on the 1950s weekly television show. Hi Ho Silver, and Away.

The Great Gatsby (2:23) 2013

I was anxious to see  Luhrmann's  version of a Fitzgerald's book which I had read in college many years ago. I had seen the Robert Redford - Mia Farrow version in the 1970s and just loved it - especially Redford in the famous pink suit. My friend and I went to the movies knowing that  Luhrmann's version had mixed reviews. Ten minutes into the film I understood the mixed reviews but the end of the movie, I really enjoyed

the movie going experience. The costumes, the set, and the party scenes were just excellent, The music was performed by modern day and popular performers Jay-Z and Kanye West.  The music was good but took a little bit to get use to. Carey Mulligan was excellent as Daisy and so was DeCaprio. My preference was Redford as a better fit as Jay Gatsby. As much as Joel Edgerton is one of my favorite actors, I wasn't thrilled with his performance as Tom Buchanan but did like Tobey McGuire as the writer Nick Carraway. The film seemed to follow the book closely, as least as I can remember and for that reason, I recommend the movie. It is fun taking a long look at the Roaring 20s. Although the movie is long, two and a half hours, the time does go back very quickly.

The Heat (1:57) 2013

The Heat is a very crude and vulgar movie loaded with f bombs but the jammed packed audience laughed continuously throughout the movie. Sandra Bullock is a straight laced FBI detective assigned to Boston and Melissa McCarthy is a gutter mouthed local detective with the same assignement - apprehend a drug czar. Different as night and day, they do have one thing in common, neither are liked by their colleagues. The detectives start investigating. and after spending a night drinking in a bar, start warming up to each other and begin working  as a team.. I am usually put off by movies containing unnecessary vulgarity but my friends and I were so busy laughing, really laughing that we walked out after the movie having enjoyed the film. The critics really panned The Heat but it is easy to see this is going to be the hit of the summer, all through word of mouth. It is fun!

The Company You Keep (2:05) 2013

There are six good reasons to see this movie: Redford, Christie, LaBeouf, Nolte, Sarandon and Cooper. When Ben Shephard (LaBeouf), a journalist, unearths a long kept secret, Jim Grant (Redford) must start evading the law. Redford enlists his brother (Cooper) to take care of his motherless preteen daughter. Grant, a lawyer, has a previous life as a member of the Weather Underground, a radical group active during the Vietnam War. A cat and mouse chase ensues, with Shepard trying desperately to get ahead of  Grant. There are twists and turns all through the movie causing the viewer to root for Grant, then LaBeouf in a seesaw type action. As a teenager during the Vietnam War, I found this movie enthralling. well written and very believable. A gem of an independent movie - a must see!

Kon Tiki (1:41) 2013

Kon Tiki is a story from my childhood. Students were enthralled with the story of Thor Heyerdahl and his small crew sailing on a balsa wood raft across the Pacific. Heyerdahl wanted to prove his theory that Peruvians were the first to settle Polynesia. After World War II, Heyerdahl raised money and a crew, mostly fellow Norwegians, and set sail for a hundred and one days. The crew was alone, really alone when their radio failed to work. Well, not exactly alone, there were whales and sharks with the sharks getting  up close and personal. The crew spent quiet days and nights at sea, except when hanging on for dear life during storms. This is a movie for the big screen and for the family. My daughter and I really liked this movie for the simplicity of the journey, this was not a hyped up big adventure. Kon Tiki held our interest without being  bogged down with details The characters battled the elements but not each other, for the most part. It was also nice to have the experience of a movie that lacked vulgar, crude language and violent acts. I certainly recommend this movie, I hope it activates young people to continue to  imagine the "what ifs".

Yukon Kings (0:07) 2012

Yukon Kings, a short documentary filmed in the Yukon Delta, opened the Environmental Film Festival at Yale tonight.  A Yup'ik fisherman, Ray,  teaches his grandsons how to fish salmon during the summer run. At one time, the salmon would weigh up to thirty pounds, now the heaviest fish are half the weight. It is Ray's hope, realizing the weather and climate are changing, is that his grandsons will be able to teach their grandchildren. Yukon Kings was a great short to kick off the festival.

Environmental Festival at Yale 2013 Begins Monday!

EFFY 2013 begins Monday. Follow the link for the complete list of films. http://environment.yale.edu/film/films

This is the fifth year for the film festival. I have seen great documentaries and short films  all dealing with environmental concerns. The fun part of the festival is the panel discussions with the directors, producers, writers and Yale professors. The festival is free and open to the public. On street parking is available.

Zero Dark Thirty (2:37) 2012

Jessica Chastain won a well earned Golden Globe last night for her portrayal of Maya, a hot shot CIA operative who works for seven years to track down the mastermind of 911, Osama Bin Laden. This is a high quality film with an excellent cast. There are some tough scenes,  the bombing of the Mariott in Islamabad, the London bus bombing and the scenes of interrogation and torture. Although the audience knows the outcome of Maya's seven year journey, the ending is taut and has viewers on the edge of their seats. Zero Dark Thirty is highly recommended.

Silver Linings Playbook (2:00) 2012

Pat Jr (Bradley Cooper) is released from a psychiatric hospital and returns home to his parents in Philadelphia. Pat is in therapy with Dr. Clifford but refusing to take his medications. His dad (Robert DeNiro) has lost job and is bookmaking to earn enough money to open a restaurant. Pat Jr meets Tiffany, a woman who lost her policeman husband in a car accident. Tiffany has her own emotional problems and is attracted to Pat. Tiffany is a dancer and wants Pat to be in partner in a dance competition. Pat Sr wants to be closer to Pat and hopes to spend more time together. As Pat Jr is balancing the demands on his time, his hope is to win back his estranged wife. Silver Linings Playbook is a touching, humorous and sad look at a family dealing with a family member with serious mental health issues. Bradley Cooper is marvelous as the bipolar son with mood swings. Robert DeNiro is excellent as the dad who wants to be closer to his son.  Full of witty dialogue and funny one liners, the film is balanced with scenes of disagreement and fighting, sometimes physical. Silver Linings Playbook has received both Golden Globe and Oscar nominations, nominations richly deserved.

Lincoln (2:29) 2012

When Daniel Day-Lewis stars in a movie, the overwhelming odds are that it is a film of the highest quality. When Day-Lewis is starring in a Steven Spielberg movie, it is a guaranteed multi-Oscar nominated hit. Day-Lewis portrays our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln in the last four months of his life. The Civil War is coming to close as Lincoln is gathering the votes to end slavery. The behind the scenes of garnering support for the Amendment is very much like watching cable television of ending the fiscal cliff jump of today. Day-Lewis is Lincoln as he struggles to do what is right knowing that a faction is trying to end his life. We see his being at odds with his son Robert, his doting on Tad, and the grief of losing his young son, Will. Sally Fields well deserves a nomination for her portrayal of  his wife, Mary. Mary, having lost a son, is fearful that she will lose another to the war. She also lives with the fear that her husband will have her committed for depression and other mental health issues. Lincoln is a long movie but keeps moving. The supporting cast, costumes, and attention to detail make this film a sure fire hit. This is a must see. I predict that Lincoln will win Best Picture and Day-Lewis for Best Actor at tonight's Golden Globes.

Les Miserables (2:38) 2012

Les Mis is a mixed bag. It is very well done movie - costumes, scenery, sound and most of all acting. Based on Victor Hugo's book of the same name, the story is well known. Jean Valjean, Hugh Jackman, is imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread for 19 years. Valjean breaks parole after release and eventually becomes a successful businessman. Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) is driven to bring Valjean to justice for breaking parole. Valjean's life changes when he takes an orphan girl, Cosette, to live with him. Cosette grows up and falls in love with a young revolutionist. The reason that I am saying that Les Mis is a mixed bag is that as a musical, the songs are not my favorite. The actors were all great but it was a long movie about abject poverty. I'm not a fan of Hugo or Dickens as they describe life in the mid 1800s and absolutely detest sewer scenes. My favorite part of the movie was towards the end with the scenes of young revolutionaries barricading the streets in protest. I predict Les Miserables will take home many Oscars but predict that Les Mis will be passed over for Best Picture.

EFFY 2013

Just announced: The 5th annual Environmental Film Festival at Yale 2013 will be held from April 8-14. Check out their website for further details. http://www.environment.yale.edu/film/.

The Guilt Trip (1:36) 2012

Whether you have an adult son or a doting mother, The Guilt Trip is a fun ride. Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen team up for a cross country road trip. Andy is an organic chemist who has invented an  environment friendly household cleaner. He has appointments with companies across the country as he tries to sell ten thousand bottles. He asks his mother Joyce to accompany him for the week. Joyce, a long time widow, is thrilled. Off they go as they meet bad weather, people and potential clients. I have to admit that I thought The Guilt Trip might be a silly and somewhat crude movie. It was a delightful surprise that it was a movie with real mother son dialogue. Streisand was so effortless and delightful. There is one scene where Andy and Joyce clear the air and Streisand nails it. Andy's reaction to his mother, in many cases, was so true to life. My son Patrick was home for the holidays and wanted to see it with me. I was sidelined with a bad cold and cough and did nothing for a solid week. He had to go back to work so I went with a friend on New Year's Day. My recurring thought was that I wished I was seeing it with Patrick. We did speak about the movie later that day, I suggested that he go see it because it was a fun movie. Before I hung up, I asked him where we were going on a road trip this summer. I'll wait for his answer until he's seen the movie!