TraVerus Travel Time » Film Reviews

“Milk”, a film review by Jo Anne Fogarty

Jo Anne — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:36:48 +0000

Make no mistake about it, “Milk” is a political statement. It is largely based on an actual incident that took place in San Francisco in 1978. Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) is a homosexual activist, who, along with his boyfriend from Chicago, heads for the City By The Bay. They settle in the Castro District, a sort of homosexual ghetto, open a small business and do all right for while.Eventually, prejudicial elements of the area try to reclaim the district from the homosexual community. Milk is determined to fight back. He becomes an angry, disruptive leader – then realizes that politics could be a more effective battleground. He gets himself elected to a city office, gets a new lover and carries on programs to strengthen and seek political approval for homosexual causes.

Milk develops a basic strategy: whenever a homosexual issue is voted down, the homosexual activist community takes to the streets in protest. The strategy is still used today, as is clear from the Proposition 8 marches after a majority of California voters passed a constitutional law keeping marriage between one man and one woman.

The true, tragic end – a fellow city politician, Dan White (Josh Brolin) claims Milk has reneged on promises and ruined his career, and he shoots and kills Milk along with the Mayor of San Francisco.

Written by Dustin Lance Black
Produced by Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen
Directed by Gus Van Sant

Cast:
Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, James Franco

“Slumdog Millionaire”, a film review by Jo Anne Fogarty

Jo Anne — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:33:41 +0000

This film made me so grateful to be born and raised in the United States. The scenes of India’s slums are tragic – filthy – bathing and doing laundry in the rivers. The begging of the children – sponsored by their parents and other evil adults.

Especially evil, is the premier villain, who actually has the eyes scooped out of young boys so they can work for him as ‘real’ blind beggars.

The box office receipts and critical acceptance of this film are a surprise to me. It has the production quality of an expensive home movie. The story has no surprises beyond the sad truth that this inhuman tragedy is still ongoing in India – a nation so populous that life is painfully cheap, even regarded as worthless.

The playing of a foreign version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” against this foul backdrop pits the dreamworld of American TV against the brutal and unforgiving reality of existence in third world countries. The truth is, the film plays like a budget conscious production that somehow accidentally came together – to the surprise of its makers – and caught the fancy of a wide audience.

Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
Based upon the Novel “Q&A” by Vikas Swarup
Produced by Christian Colson
Directed by Danny Boyle

Cast:

Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan

Rated R, 121 minutes

Who Votes for the Oscars?

Jo Anne — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 02:36:56 +0000

My husband Jack votes. So do thousands in the film industry. In order to vote, you need a sponsor to join the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

You or the production company nominate for the various categories. When the initial ballot is ready, only those in the peer group vote to get down to the final 5. Writers vote on writers, actors vote for actors, costumers for costumers. But once there are the final 5 – everyone votes for all categories.

Actors make up the majority of the Academy members. So often the votes are scewed to actors – i.e. Clint Eastwood receiving the most votes for his directing. (Not to say that he didn’t deserve the awards – but it is a fact.) There are certain favorites among actors, and certain that are out of favor. This plays a big role when voting.

The selection method is reversed for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Emmys. Once again, the studio and/or producers make the initial nomination. But all the Academy vote to get down to the final five. Then – only peer groups vote on the final five. For some of the categories the peer groups actually go to a hotel, view all five nominations, and cast their vote right there.

Either way, it’s a fun guessing game for all of us. Maybe this information can help you in your office Oscar Pool.

“The Wrestler”

Jo Anne — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 02:21:42 +0000

It’s clear to see why Mickey Rourke is being considered for Outstanding Actor. He gives himself up completely to the character. A winning and touching performance. You can’t help but like the “Ram” and care for him.Just as clearly, the film is not for everyone. The brutal “hardcore” wrestling – though infrequent – is quite gruesome at times.

An aging, once world champion wrestler, Rourke is now relegated to barnstorming small venue matches. Struggling to eke out a living at his sport, he is forced to work part time at a big box outlet to keep the landlord’s padlock off his trailer.

The two women in his life are his estranged daughter – Evan Rachel Wood – and stripper who is also a working mom, Marisa Tomei (exhibiting a body any 20 year old would be proud to have).

The original story by Robert Siegel is not very original, but is nonetheless a sensitive piece. Siegel and Rourke somehow manage to paint the utterly sweet and kind portrait of a man whose entire life has been deeply entrenched in a brutal sport. As a matter of fact, all the wrestlers portrayed in this film respect and care about each other. They may be a little “basic-caveman”, but they’re a bunch of guys you’d like to know.

Written by Robert Siegel
Produced by Scott Franklin, Darren Aronofsky
Directed by Darren Aronofsky

Cast:
Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood

Rated R, 105 minutes

“Seven Pounds”, a film review by Jo Anne Fogarty

Jo Anne — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 02:17:14 +0000

Will Smith’s performance is mixed. While always good, he often is just … Will Smith. When the story calls for it, he can be as tender, emotional, or angry in a most convincing way. It is for those moments that he will probably get a nomination for Best Actor.Rosario Dawson is sexy as ever in her part. And Woody Harrelson shows us a tender side also.

Being a Christian, this type of secular movie is always troubling. Noone in the film expresses any interest in any religion. A film with this subject matter it’s odd that no one expresses any religious message.

Written by Grant Nieporte
Produced by Todd Black, James Lassiter, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch, Will Smith
Directed by Gabriele Muccino

Cast:
Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Michael Ealy, Barry Pepper, Woody Harrelson

*Rated PG-13, 123 minutes

“Secret Life of Bees”, a film review by Jo Anne Fogarty

Jo Anne — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 02:13:05 +0000

Adapted from the novel by Sue Monk Kidd, this heartfelt film brings together a unique cast. Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning) is a young white girl haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother’s past.The one memento she has of her mother is a label for a bee farm – in Southern Carolina. When she finds the home, she is taken in by August Boatwright (Queen Latifa) who remembers her mother. But is she safe – even with the bees – from her angry, physically violent father, who is searching for her?

Sisters June and May Boatwright, portrayed by Alicia Keys and Sophie Okonedo, add dimension to the story. And the bee keeping scenes are really quite absorbing.

A great chick flick.

Written for the Screen and Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood
Based upon the Novel by Sue Monk Kidd
Produced by Lauren Shuler Donner, James Lassiter, Will Smith, Joe Pichirallo

Cast:
Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys,
Sophie Okonedo, Paul Bettany

*Rated PG-13, 110 minutes

“Revolutionary Road”, a film review by Jo Anne fogarty

Jo Anne — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 02:10:02 +0000

Based on a novel by Richard Yates and set in the 1950’s, the story suggests that within post WWII American society there was a segment of people determined to pursue a somewhat narcisistic lifestyle in order to follow their dreams at the expense of their growing families and future security.Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet) are such a couple when they meet and marry. As time passes they settle in a very charming and expensive neighborhood. Frank hates his job but is successful. April is a stay at home mom who suffers from the loss of her dreams and is almost schizophrenic in her actions – one moment hostile and angry and the next moment sweet and submissive, nevertheless, her performance is top drawer.

Frank loves her and is wiling to go along with a wild scheme she has concocted that will reopen their youthful dreams. The plan is thwarted when Frank’s business life suddenly blooms,

Bottom line – feeling sympathy for April is asking a lot, especially in light of Frank’s recognizing his responsibility to make a safe and nurturing home for her and their children. It is much easier to see her as a tragic, lost figure, out of step with the life she has bought in to. Yet that is not the view Mendes (Winslet’s husband off-screen) has espoused in interviews.

Screenplay by Justin Haythe
Based on the Novel by Richard Yates
Produced by John N. Hart, Scott Rudin, Sam Mendes, Bobby Cohen
Directed by Sam Mendes

Cast:
Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Michael Shannon, Kathryn Hahn,
David Harbour, Kathy Bates