Category: Movie Reviews

The Little Foxes (1941) starring Bette Davis

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Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. -Chapter 2, Verse 15, Song of Solomon, King James Bible

This film’s screenplay was adapted from Lillian Hellman’s stage play by herself. A few others, including Dorothy Parker, worked on it also.  The film was helmed by William Wyler- a director that needs NO introduction. 

In turn of the 20th century, small town Southern aristocrat, Regina Hubbard Giddons (Bette Davis- NEVER one to shy away from unsympathetic roles), wants more freedom (travel to Chicago) and access to money (her older brothers inherited ALL their businessman father’s money).  Regina’s brothers (bachelor Ben and abusive husband Oscar) are ALMOST as ruthless as her!  Oscar’s wife, Birdie, comes from a former wealthy planter family, but she is disrespected by almost everyone (aside from her black servants and niece).

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You can flout society’s rule and be Regina, or you can ‘toe the line’ and be Birdie, who is blissfully ignorant of the political meaning of anything happening around her. She requires the charity of men to even survive.  -IMDB commentator 

Regina also wants her sweet/clueless teen daughter, Alexandra (Teresa Wright), to meet more eligible men in high social circles.  However, the girl already has a steady presence in her life- David, the local newspaperman.  (This character was created for the movie to provide a caring ally for Alexandra.)  Oscar’s son,  Leo (Dan Duryea), has had his eyes on his cousin for a LONG time.   

You can’t make a picture without a villain . . . it pays well and you last.  -Dan Duryea, actor

One day, Regina decides that her daughter is the BEST person to go and fetch her father, Horace (Herbert Marshall) from Baltimore where he has been recuperating for SOME time. 

What To Watch Now

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On Netflix:

Broadchurch – Veteran Brit powerhouse actresses (Charlotte Rampling; Marianne Jean Baptiste) join the strong ensemble cast as dueling barristers (lawyers) in S2 of the crime drama set in the quiet, beautiful, close-knit town. It’s time for the trial, BUT there is still suspense. We learn more re: another crime from the past of DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant). I’ve seen the first 3 eps so far.

Orange is the New Black – This show continues to grow (new guards and inmates come in, incl. a young/hijabi/black/Muslim woman and a celeb akin to Martha Stewart, played by Blair Brown). How will Sophia deal w/ being in isolation?  What will Piper do next now that she has the rep of being a badass?  Will Crazy Eyes ever find real love?  The jail is overcrowded now, w/ a large pop. of  Latinas bused in.  I have only seen 3 eps- need to get back into it soon!  

In Theaters:

Finding Dory – My mom (big fan of Finding Nemo) & I saw this yesterday afternoon (TOO hot to be out)- we LOVED it! The short film (Piper) was SO cute/well-made/touching!  The octopus, Hank (Ed Oneill) was my fave; it was esp. cool how he blended into the environment around him (like a chameleon).  Gorgeous Brits Idris Elba & Dominic West play two seals. Veteran comedy actors (Eugene Levy & Diane Keaton) voice Dory’s kind/encouraging parents.

Free State of Jones – The McConaughssaince  continues w/ this (based on a true story) historical drama set during the Civil War. But I must admit that the first 5 mins are tough to watch (bloody/gory/realistic); the diverse audience I saw it w/ gasped and cringed at some scenes. There is absolutely NOTHING glam re: war, and boy does this film show us that! The pitch-perfect Matthew is joined by luminous Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle) and Mahershala Ali (who MANY will know from House of Cards on Netflix). In his role as Moses, an escaped field slave separated from his wife and young son, Ali gets to show us a LOT more of his talent. Even in the quiet moments, he is a strong screen presence.

No man outta tell another man what he’s gotta live for or what he’s gotta die for!  –Newton Knight declares to his small band of followers- runaway Confederate soldiers, poor white farmers (including widows w/ children), & runaway slaves

I can’t believe that history like this is NOT taught in schools!  I’m SO glad that I got to see it for free at a pre-screening. Unlike what Col. Robert Gould Shaw (played by Matthew Broderick in Glory) said in one his letters to his mother (“I do not know these men, their jokes, their songs”)- Knight can relate to the blacks around him. He lived in the swamps w/ them, foraged for food/fished w/ the men, etc.  Check this film out if you can!

On TV:

The Night Of – This is an HBO limited series starring British-Pakistani actor, Riz Ahmed, and veteran actor, John Turturro (who had to take over after the death of James Gandolfini). The story centers on a Pakistani-American college kid from Queens, Nas Khan, who is questioned, then arrested, for the murder of a young woman he picked up in his father’s cab one night while on the way to a party.  The original story comes from across the pond (England), where the accused suspect was played by boyish/waifish Ben Whishaw; that story was focused on class from what I’ve heard.  This version doesn’t shy away from the fact that the suspect is a Muslim male, or the inherent suspicions that come w/ that in post-9/11 era. 


Recent Hits: TV, Film, & Theater

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All the Way (now showing on HBO)

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Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad; Malcolm in the Middle) TOTALLY transformed himself into LBJ- vocally and physically!  It was also a treat to see Melissa Leo (who plays Lady Bird) after a LONG time; I’ve been a fan of hers since her days on Homicide: Life on the Street.  I saw the play (Arena stage production) about 2 mos. ago; the film is V true to that, though there are changes made (as you can do more w/ cinema).  Anthony Mackie (who has NOT aged by much) has a meaty role as MLK, Jr.  Wingnuts (fans of The West Wing) will be happy to see Bradley Whitford (who portrays liberal Democratic senator- Hubert Humphrey).    

 

The Man Who Knew Infinity (now in select theaters)

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I went to go to a free screening about 3 wks ago; I had no expectations.  Well, I really liked it- and NOT just b/c of Jeremy Irons, the music, or cinematography!  Toby Jones (who often plays baddies) is just SO sweet/delightful as G. H. Hardy’s (Irons’) BFF/fellow mathematician.  Jeremy Northam has a side role as charming philospher Bertrand Russell; it was a nice surprise to me.   This is in the time just before WWI- that conflict also affects the lives of the Oxford community.

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British-Indian actor, Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionnaire; The Newsroom), does a FINE job as S. Ramanujan, a devout Brahmin Hindu math whiz who went from Southern India to Oxford U. at the age of 26.  Patel, who is still in his 20s, has a penchant for wide-eyed/innocent/eager characters; it works well here.  Ramanujan left behind his strong-willed widowed mother and lovely new wife, Janaki (Indian-American actress Devika Bhise). It’s been a LONG time since I’ve seen a modern/Western young woman portray a traditional/demure Indian housewife in SUCH a convincing manner! 

 

The Taming of the Shrew (STC: MAY 17-JUNE 26)

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I just saw this last SAT (preview matinee) w/ a gal pal (who luckily got free tickets online)- it was FABULOUS!  This production, directed by Chinese-Indonesian Brit, Ed Sylvanus Iskander, has a beautiful/intricate set and songs (by Duncan Sheik) which are performed by characters (who were NOT given monologues in Shakespeare’s original play).  

Yes, ALL the actors are male, BUT diversity is built into the show!  Indian- American actor Maulik Pancholy (Weeds) plays Kate, Sri Lankan-American veteran actor Bernard White (Silicon Valley) plays Baptista and Dutch/Mexican-Brit, Peter Gadiot (Tut), plays Petruchio.  Chinese-American actor, Telly Leung, has the best singing voice in the cast; he recently appeared as one of the leads in Allegiance (opposite George Takei). 

Get more info here!      

 

 

2016 New African Film Festival (March 11-18)

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AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center  (8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910) will be hosting the 12th annual New African Film Festival, showcasing African films from ALL corners of the continent. Below is info re: the 2 films that I’m MOST interested in seeing.  (FYI: Opening Night films usually sell out quickly, so try to get tickets early!)  I may have to go see it SUN.

You can read my review of one of the films from last year’s festival here: https://knightleyemma.com/2015/03/22/2015-new-african-film-fest-triangle/

Lamb

Friday, March 11 – Opening Night/Reception (7:15 PM) & Sunday, March 13 (4:45 PM)

Yared Zeleke’s remarkable feature debut tells the story of young Ephraim, a half-Jewish Ethiopian boy who is sent by his father to live among distant relatives after his mother’s death. Ephraim uses his cooking skills to carve out a place among his cousins, but when his uncle decides that his beloved sheep must be sacrificed for the next religious feast, he will do anything to save the animal and return home.

The Price of Love

Saturday, March 12 (7:15 PM) & Wednesday, March 16 (7:15 PM)

A recovering addict, Teddy drives his cab across the sprawling Addis Ababa, in the hopes of making an honest living. But when Teddy picks up the beautiful prostitute Fere, just as she’s escaping an abusive john, he’s thrust back into the world of trouble he tried to escape. After an act of retribution, which leaves Teddy’s cab stolen, he joins forces with Fere in the hopes of saving both their lives. As romance blossoms between the two outsiders, they learn the hard way that love comes with a price.

http://silver.afi.com/Browsing/Movies/Details/m-0100000548

Thoughts on 3 Oscar Nominated Films

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Bridge of Spies (6 Oscar noms)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Actors: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Amy Ryan, & Alan Alda

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I watched this w/ my mom (On Demand); my dad lost interest after a few scenes, but saw it the next day.  It’s a more slower film than I expected, but it DOES have it’s moments (patience gets you the payoffs).  Tom Hanks is VERY good (in a low key manner), BUT it’s Mark Rylance (known across the pond for his work in theater) who captures the viewers’ curiosity.  His character is lean, mostly still, and deeply haunted.  I really liked the music (by Thomas Newman) and cinematography (by Janusz Kaminski, a frequent collaborator of Spielberg).

 

Room (4 Oscar noms)

Director: Lenny Abrahamson

Actors: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen, & William H. Macy

'Room' is a journey out of darkness, director says
Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay star in “Room.” (Ruth Hurl/Element Pictures)

I’d heard a LOT of praise about this film on various podcasts, and finally went to see it last weekend w/ two of my gal pals.  We ALL liked it (even given the VERY difficult subject matter); the small audience seemed to agree.  You will be in tears, or close to it (like I was), several times during the story.  Jacob Tremblay is in a league of his own among child actors!  The director said that he didn’t need much directing to do his scenes.  And the lovely/relatable Brie Larson is NO slouch either- hope to see more of her in the near future.

 

Spotlight (6 Oscar noms)

Director: Tom McCarthy (also dir. of  the MUST-SEE film- The Visitor)

Actors: Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci, Billy Crudup, John Slattery, Brian d’Arcy James, Jamey Sheridan, & Paul Guilfoyle

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Some of you may know of  dir. Tom McCarthy from his work as a character actor; he really hit it out of the park w/ The Visitor in 2007 (starring Richard Jenkins- the voice of the former priest turned psychologist here).  With this (fact-based) film, he reaches an even higher level of acclaim- MUCH deserved!  The people are NOT glammed up or overacting- they are simply telling a VERY important story.  I esp. enjoyed Michael Keaton (Robby Robinson, editor of the Spotlight investigative team) and Stanley Tucci (hardworking Armenian-American plaintiffs’ lawyer- Mitchell Garabedian).  I wanted to see MORE of Tucci, but who doesn’t!?  Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber) was the newbie managing editor of The Boston Globe in 2001; unlike most of the (Catholic) staff under him, he was Jewish.  Mark Ruffalo (lead writer Michael Rezendes, of Portuguese heritage) was going through a separation; he loved his work and threw himself into it (esp. after meeting Garabedian).