Tag: Drama

Doctor Strange (NOW PLAYING)

Emma3 Comments

NOTES: This is a SPOILER-FREE review.  If you go see this film, wait to see the mid credits scene (which I caught), as well as the end credits scene (which I missed). 

doctor-strange-empire-cover

One of the first things I learned re: this film (via social media outlets) was re: the casting controversy of Tilda Swinton, which drew accusations of whitewashing, as the character is portrayed as a Tibetan man in the source material.  Director/writer Scott Derrickson wanted the Ancient One to be an Asian woman, but felt that it would be perceived as exploiting Asian fetish and “a fanboy’s dream girl.”  He decided to cast a non-Asian actor in the role, but to still take the opportunity to cast “an amazing actress in a male role.”  He thus wrote the role of the Ancient One especially for Swinton, feeling that she was the obvious choice for such a mystical and mysterious role. One proposed reason for the change is that a movie featuring a Tibetan character will not be acceptable in China (a very important foreign market). Hmmm… What do YOU think about this?

doctor-strange-1

I’m very excited about that spiritual dimension. It’s something that’s been a huge part of my life. I meditate a lot, that’s a huge tool in trying to calm myself, get away from the crazy circus of it all, have a focused mind as well as be a kinder, considerate person in the world.  –Benedict Cumberbatch

The Batch was the MAIN draw for me (as well as  other non-comic book or regular Marvel fans)!  I was VERY interested when I found out he was cast.  It was cool to see Chiwetel Ejiofor (Mordo), as well as Benjamin Bratt (Jonathan Pangborn) from Law & Order.  Cumberbatch has an American accent for this role (which is quite good); his voice is deeper and his physicality is different (from what we’re used to seeing in previous roles).  He embarked on a strict training regimen by working w/ a personal trainer, drinking protein shakes and eating double his usual amount of calories.  Yes, there is a shirtless scene where we see the result.  On Jimmy Kimmell Live, Cumberbatch exclaimed: “I worked out for seven months!” 

doctor-strange-beard

…the humour comes from the fact Strange thinks he can crack one liners but can’t.  It was meant to be awkward.  The audience I saw it with got that and were laughing away.  -IMDB reviewer

He tries to make a joke that almost intentionally falls flat, and the comedy is in the awkwardness (the non-reaction that he gets from people).  -Charlie, Emergency Awesome

mordo-strange

It has a very psychedelic grounding, and most of the work is about other dimensions. –Ben Davis, cinematographer, re: Disney’s Fantasia (1940)- one of the visual influences for this film

In a time when special effects usually cover up for weak screenwriting, I think this is a film where the SFX are another character and actually help tell the story. -IMDB reviewer

Doctor Strange is “a solo origin story” (as Charlie, host of YouTube’s Emergency Awesome channel says in his review.)  I agree w/ him that there is “an underdeveloped villain” (Kaecilius, played by Mads Mikkelson), but “a great set-up.”  If you’re NOT a comic book fan, do go see it anyway, b/c ALL the actor’s performances are great!  Even though Rachel McAdams doesn’t have a BIG role, she does a good job here as Dr. Christine Palmer (who has a complicated relationship w/ Dr. Stephen Strange). As for Asian representation, that comes mainly in the form of British-Chinese actor Benedict Wong (recently seen in The Martian).  He is a librarian/warrior who is NOT amused by Strange’s jokes. 

The Escape Artist (2013) starring David Tennant

EmmaLeave a comment

NOTES: This is a SPOILER-FREE review.  The original BBC version was shown in three parts (an hour each). The version shown in the US on PBS was edited to two parts (90 minutes each), which is the one I saw.

tv-escapeartist-650

You do not know how you will react to the law, until the law happens to YOU.

The premise is VERY interesting, yet as the tale goes on, it becomes less and less believable.  The tension created and acting are the main reasons to check it out.  You will find parallels to Cape Fear.  Game of Thrones fans will be pleased to see Anton Lesser (Maester Qyburn) and Kate Dickie (Lysa Arryn).

tea_1_4

David Tennant (who gets to use his own Scottish accent) is in the lead role of Will Burton, a  successful 38 y.o. barrister (lawyer who can go to trial) and devoted family man (w/ a wife, played by Ashley Jensen, and young son).  Tennant’s face is very expressive, esp. the eyes, and he makes the legal talk sound like second nature.  I esp. liked the interactions w/ the child actor who played his son.  Tennant and Jensen have great chemistry as marrieds, too. 

4561317-high-the-escape-artist

Will has been voted as the #1 junior barrister under 40 in London; he is congratulated by clerks and fellow barristers at the (private) firm where he works.  In the #2 position is Maggie Gardner (Sophie Okonedo), a woman who respects Will but has a long-time professional rivalry with him.  Okonedo is an actress that should REALLY be more known; she has the ability to be whip smart, strong, and also vulnerable (like Tennant).  Maggie is a BIT surprised when Will decides to take on the case of suspected murderer, Liam Foyle (Toby Kebbell- most recently in the Ben-Hur reboot).

tea-e2-01

We learn that Foyle asked his solicitor to request Will, who has never lost a case. As he tells his son’s class at career day, Will believes that “everyone deserves a defense.” However, the details of this particular killing turn his stomach and keep him up late at night.  Also, Foyle is NOT the most pleasant defendant (Kebbell makes a creepy villain), which may turn off the jury.  Check out Season 1, Episode 3 of Black Mirror (Netflix)to see Kebbell’s acting range.

 

The Crown (Netflix): Coming NOV 4th

EmmaLeave a comment
ClaireFoy_TheCrown_coronation.png
Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy) wearing her famous coronation jewels , sash, and gown.

The Crown focuses on Queen Elizabeth II as a 25-year-old newlywed faced with the daunting prospect of leading the world’s most famous monarchy while forging a relationship with legendary Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill. The British Empire is in decline, the political world is in disarray, and a young woman takes the throne….a new era is dawning. Peter Morgan’s masterfully researched scripts reveal the Queen’s private journey behind the public facade with daring frankness. Prepare to be welcomed into the coveted world of power and privilege and behind locked doors in Westminster and Buckingham Palace….the leaders of an empire await. -Netflix Summary

the-crown-cast-779x400
Matt Smith, Claire Foy, and John Lithgow

Lead Actors: Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth II), Matt Smith (Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh), & John Lithgow (Sir Winston Churchill)

Supporting Actors: Jeremy Northam, Eileen Atkins, Victoria Hamilton, Harriet Walter, Ben Miles & Alex Jennings

Director: Stephen Daldry

Writer/Producer: Peter Morgan

queen-elizabeth-the-crown
Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II and the real queen in wedding clothes.

This highly-anticipated series will be available on November 4th. Two seasons with a total of 20 episodes are planned (so far), as noted in Variety.  Daldry was the director of Billy Elliott and The Hours.  In 2006, Peter Morgan wrote The Queen (starring Helen Mirren).

Rather than finding this woman and this predicament less and less interesting it becomes more and more interesting.  The Queen’s story is a good way to examine the modern history of England because she is so intertwined with the British constitution and the British soul. -Peter Morgan

I’m excited to see Foy in a starring role; she was great in the miniseries Little Dorritt.  Matt Smith (best known for Dr. Who) can handle both comedy and drama.  Maybe he will get a chance to do both? And it’s so cool to see the film/stage veteran, Lithgow, in good shape and working regularly!  The official trailer (below) gives us some hint, BUT not too much, re: the crux of the series- how a young woman manages different roles (daughter, queen, wife, and mother).       

 

In This Our Life (1942) starring Bette Davis & Olivia de Havilland

EmmaLeave a comment
inthisourlife_poster
Poster for the film “In This Our Life”

In the 2012 biography “Barack Obama: The Story” by Davis Maraniss, the author reports that Obama’s mother, Stanley Ann Dunham Obama Soetoro, was named “Stanley” not after her own father, Stanley Dunham, but after Bette Davis’ character in this film. Maraniss says that Obama’s maternal grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, saw the movie while pregnant with Obama’s mother, and she thought the name sounded sophisticated for a girl.

inthisourlife_ernestanderson
Roy (Olivia de Havilland) speaks with Parry (Ernest Anderson)- a clerk at her family’s store.

Warner Bros. was named to the Honor Roll of Race Relations of 1942 because of its dignified portrayal of African-Americans in this film. However, scenes in which Ernest Anderson’s character was treated in a friendly fashion were cut for showings in the strictly segregated American South to avoid offending those viewers.

inthisourlife_sisters
Impetuous Stanley (Bette Davis) is a stark contrast to her calm older sister Roy (Olivia de Havilland)

This (ahead of its time in MANY regards) film focuses on the Timberlakes, a prominent family based in Richmond, Virginia.  The laid-back patriarch, Asa (Frank Craven), is not as clever or ambitious as his gregarious brother-in-law, William (Charles Coburn).  Asa’s wife, Lavinia (Billie Burke), is in a fragile state, so she keeps to her room most of the time.  However, we’re not told what exactly is the physical issue.  William is head of the Fitzroy lumber business, while Asa is the manager and owner of some shares.  Best Supporting Actress winner for Gone with the Wind, Hattie McDaniel, plays their long-time housekeeper- Minerva. 

inthisourlife_hug
Peter (Dennis Morgan) and Roy (Olivia de Havilland) embrace before he leaves home… for good!

The Timberlake girls (Roy and Stanley) are front and center in this tale; Davis plays the younger sister though she was 8 years older than de Havilland.  Asa complains that Stanley drives too fast.  Minerva is sure that THIS time, Stanley will finally go through w/ her planned marriage, though Roy doesn’t look too hopeful.  Uncle William doesn’t fully approve of her fiancé, who gives legal aid to the poor. 

inthisourlife_stairs
Craig (George Brent) gets a polite little kiss goodbye from Stanley (Bette Davis).

Without any warning, Stanley and Roy’s handsome surgeon husband, Peter (Dennis Morgan) run away together.  Roy and Stanley’s lawyer fiance, Craig (George Brent) are left behind to deal w/ the shock and scandal.  (Brent and Davis made MANY movies together over the years.)   However, the honeymoon is VERY short for Stanley and Peter; we see that they are ill-suited to live together.   

Stanley considers herself to be beautiful, though the way Davis is dressed and made-up give off a different image. While live tweeting (@TCMParty) last week w/ some viewers, many noticed that Davis’ mouth was drawn differently than usual and a few of her dresses had loud patterns.  But de Havilland looks lovely and is dressed in demure (yet graceful) styles.  I’m sure this was done purposefully by director John Huston, who was having an affair with de Havilland during this time.  Jack Warner (head of Warner Bros) said: “Anyone could see that . . . it was Valentine’s Day on the set . . . When I saw the rushes I said to myself, ‘Oh-oh, Bette has the lines, but Livvy is getting the best camera shots’.”  Seriously, Davis DOES have the best lines!

The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Emma3 Comments
the-magnificent-seven-boothill
Chris Larabee Adams (Yul Brynner) drives the hearse while Vin Tanner (Steve McQueen) provides cover.

I’m not of the can-kicking, shovel-carrying, ear-scratching, torn T-shirt school of acting. There are very few real men in the movies these days. Yet being a real man is the most important quality an actor can offer on the screen.  -Yul Brynner

I saw this movie for the second time a few days ago; the first time, I didn’t pay much close attention.  The large ensemble cast is lead by Yul Brynner, undoubtedly one of the first leading men in Hollywood to transcend race.  Though his famed bald head is covered here, his unflinching gaze and deep authoritative voice (w/ its hard-to-place accent) are on full display.  In The Magnificent Seven, Chris is referred to as a “Cajun” by his old friend, Harry Luck (Brad Dexter).  It turns out that Yul’s paternal grandfather was of Swiss-German origin; his paternal grandmother was Russian, and was said to be of part Mongolian/Buryat ancestry.

eliwallach_mag7
Calvera (Eli Wallach, one of Hollywood’s most respected character actors) is the ruthless Mexican bandit leader.

I’ve never lost my appetite for acting; it’s innovative and challenging.  -Eli Wallach

Speaking of “exotic” men, the main villain in this story is played by Eli Wallach, the Brooklyn-born son of Jewish immigrants from Poland.  He grew up in an Italian neighborhood; he would go on to play Italian and Mexican characters in his six-decade career. 

eliwallach_2006_theholiday
Eli Wallach is the main reason you should watch “The Holiday” (2006).

My wife says that stage acting is like being on a tightrope with no net, and being in the movies, there is a net – because you stop and go over it again. It’s very technical and mechanical. On stage you’re on your own.  -Eli Wallach on film vs. theater acting

Wallach (who died in 2014 at age 98) studied “The Method” alongside Marlon Brando at The Actor’s Studio; this style would’ve differentiated him from several of his co-stars in The Magnificent Seven.  He learned to ride a horse for this role, w/ help from the Mexican stuntmen. 

the-magnificent-seven-bronson
Bernardo O’Reilly (Charles Bronson) is a Mexican/Irish gunfighter becomes a hero to 3 young boys of the village.

Acting is the easiest thing I’ve done, I guess that’s why I’m stuck with it.  -Charles Bronson

Speaking of 1st gen Americans, Charles Bronson (best known for his tough guy roles in Westerns) was the son of Lithuanian parents who settled in Pennsylvania.  You probably don’t recall seeing him as a young man, since he was a latecomer to Hollywood.  Bronson worked in the coal mines at age 16 to help support his family, then served in the Army as a young adult, then used the GI bill to study art- VERY cool! 

the-magnificent-seven-bronson-kids

In this film, Bronson has a rare good guy role.  Three boys in the village grow close to him, much to his surprise and bemusement. These kids admire his skills, but (in one pivotal scene) Bernardo explains that gunfighting is NOT what makes a man “brave.” 

james-coburn-3
Britt (James Coburn) is skilled w/ a knife AND gun.  Catch him in “The Great Escape” (also w/ McQueen & Bronson).

I came from dust bowl folk — ordinary people who were stultified by the American Dream. 

I’m a jazz kind of actor, not rock’n’roll.

-James Coburn

Tall and lanky character actor, James Coburn (who hailed from Nebraska), is here more for his presence.  He has only a FEW lines on dialogue, and his usual big grin doesn’t come out (NOT apropos for his quiet, no-nonsense character).

robert-vaughn-3
Lee (Robert Vaughn) suffers from PTSD as a runaway from the Civil War.

With a modest amount of looks and talent and more than a modicum of serendipity, I’ve managed to stretch my 15 minutes of fame into more than half a century of good fortune.  -Robert Vaughn

The relatively-unknown Vaughn was suggested for his role thanks to college buddy, Coburn.  There was an actors’ strike going on also, so director (James Sturges) was open to the idea.  He’s more known for TV than film; you’ve probably seen him in commercials for law firms (all over the US).

the-magnificent-seven-8
They youngest of the bunch- Chico (Horst Buchholz)- attempts to motivate the frightened farmers.
the_magnificen_seven_1960_10
Chico discovers that the young unmarried women of the village are hiding in the woods.
magnificent-seven-horst-buchholz
Chico watches for Calvera’s gang while Petra (Rosenda Monteros) admires him.

The one member of the seven that provides some humor (as well as romance) is Chico, a young/inexperienced Mexican man who has something to prove.  Chris recognizes this, as well as his fast reflexes, and he joins in protecting the village.  Horst Buchholz is the German actor who was sought after to play this role.  The film was a hit, first in Europe, then was re-distributed in the US (earning high profits).  His accent does NOT match w/ that of the Mexican-origin actors, BUT that’s just something you have to ignore to enjoy this film.

stevemcqueen_mag7

Hmmm… what to say re: Vin (Steve McQueen)?  He’s got that trademark tan, gorgeous blue-gray eyes, and GREAT skills on a horse.  The way he gets on and off his horse is even cool!  I liked this role for him, as it has hints of humor.  However, I think he shines even more in The Great Escape (which I saw a few weeks ago for the first time).  You can’t deny that this actor has screen presence!    

07-1
The Mexican farmers await the arrival of Calvera’s gang.

Donald Trump (ugh) would NOT like this film!  Why is that?  The Mexican villagers in it are portrayed like REAL people- they venture out to another town to hire gunmen, show kindness and hospitality, and (eventually) take up arms to stand up for themselves.  Being border people, they speak English VERY well, too (gasp)!  The three leaders of the village decide that they won’t be victims anymore, then convince everyone else to join in the effort to get rid of the bandits.