Disney’s “MALEFICENT” Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) Photo Credit: Film Frame Disney 2014
If you liked Disney’s Sleeping Beauty (1959), then this may or may NOT be up your alley. In that animated movie, I liked the different personalities and caring displayed by the 3 good fairies (Flora, Fauna, and Meriweather). BUT in this tale, they are portrayed as clueless (esp. re taking care of a baby) and bickering among themselves- I didn’t enjoy that. These fairies are Flittle (Leslie Manville from BBC’s North & South), Knotgrass (veteran actress Imelda Staunton), and Thisletwit (Juno Temple, all grown-up from Atonement). These actresses are underused and in certain scenes- just annoying!
The first third of the story, which focuses on the child, then teenaged Maleficent, is VERY well-done. We see the fairy as happy, flying (she was born w/ wings), and becoming friends w/ Stefan, a human boy (who accidentally strays into her forest kingdom). Maleficent falls deeply in love w/ Stefan, and we think that he feels the same way. However, he betrays her trust in order to fulfill his ambition one night.
Angelina Jolie (who I haven’t seen in MANY things) does a really good job w/ the main role. And I can definitely see how little girls would think her costume was a cool choice for Halloween. Diaval (Sam Riley) is a refreshing new twist on the sidekick. However, Maleficent is NOT a black and white villain in this story.
Ghostbusters (2016)
I FINALLY saw this film, which was much talked about this Spring/Summer, last week On Demand! I esp. liked the special effects, as well as Melissa McCarthy and Kate McKinnon (BOTH ladies are SO naturally funny). The hate that was thrown toward the all-female lead cast is even addressed in one scene (clever move).
The cameos by the earlier Ghostbusters were pretty cool; wait for the end credits to see Sigourney Weaver. This is an alternate universe film, so it exists in a world of its own (NOT a sequel). Yet another reason that some fanboys were pissed off!
As MANY critics noted, Kristen Wiig’s outfits seem like out of another era (and NOT in a cool, retro way). Chris Hemsworth plays it straight as a Kevin, the himbo secretary. This actually makes him seem VERY natural and funny! Overall, it was an enjoyable film, and there is a sequel planned.
NOTE: This review contains MILD SPOILERS for the series.
Pops (Frankie Faison) talks with Luke Cage (Mike Colter)
Intro
Do YOU need a hero? You may have seen Luke Cage (Mike Colter, in a breakout role) as the V strong FWB of the title character in Marvel’s Jessica Jones last year. The events of this series occur about a year afterwards. Luke has been working in Pop’s Barbershop in West Harlem and generally keeping a low profile. When a pretty single mom/law student takes an interest in him, Luke thinks he’s NOT good enough. Pop (Frankie Faison) says that Luke is “hiding” from relationships and has so much potential. He could be “out there helping people.”
Show creator Cheo Hodari Coker with Colter
Characters
It turns out that Luke is NO ordinary man, striving to make rent. He has bulletproof skin (thanks to an experiment which we learn about later in the series). Luke is a man of FEW words, BUT we get to know some verbose (and well-developed) villains is this show. There is owner of The Paradise club, Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes (Mahershala Ali from House of Cards), a man who speaks well, dresses impeccably, yet is prone to violent outbursts. He is a noted gangster who has stayed clear of the law. His older cousin, Mariah Dillard (veteran actress Alfre Woodard), is a calculating councilwoman who is trying to stay clear of her grandmother’s criminal legacy. However, she is NOT against using the manpower/money which Cottonmouth can provide.
Detective Misty Knight (Simone Missick)
Aside from Mariah, there are several other capable, single, professional black women in the story. (HOW rare/refreshing is that!?) Det. Misty Knight (Simone Missick) flirts w/ Luke at The Paradise when we first meet her, BUT she’s not looking only for fun. She has been staking out the club to get some concrete evidence against Cottonmouth. Later in the series, I was esp. glad to see nurse Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson- also guest star in Daredevil). Inspector Priscilla Ridley (Karen Pittman) plays a smaller (yet pivotal role).
Luke walking with Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson)
There are several characters w/ different jobs and backgrounds (white, latino, black) who operate in shades of gray. They are trying to make money easily, protect themselves, etc. Go see the show (don’t want to reveal TOO much here)!
Diversity in MANY forms is built-in on this show. Luke’s landlady (Connie) and her hubby are Chinese immigrants operating a restaurant. Claire’s (Latina) mother is played by Sonia Braga, an internationally-renown veteran actress originally from Brazil. (HOW cool is that!?) Braga co-starred in Kiss of the Spider Woman (w/ William Hurt and Raul Julia) in the ’80s; younger viewers may know her as Samantha’s gf in SATC.
Cottonmouth (Mahershala Ali) is one of the fascinating villains on the show
Setting
Yes, this show is set in West Harlem, which serves as a character in itself. We also get to learn about some of its history (MOST of which I didn’t know about). This info is passed on via the characters in the story, so (in MOST cases) it seems organic.
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).
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?
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!”
…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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.”
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).
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).
They youngest of the bunch- Chico (Horst Buchholz)- attempts to motivate the frightened farmers.Chico discovers that the young unmarried women of the village are hiding in the woods.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.
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!
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.
On the moors: Bramwell (Arthur Kennedy), Emily (Ida Lupino), and Charlotte (Olivia de Havilland) Bronte
I’m certainly relishing the idea of living a century. Can you imagine that? What an achievement!-Olivia de Havilland
Devotion, filmed in 1943, but released in 1946, has some real-life drama behind it. Olivia de Havilland is an actress w/ a goody-goody public image, BUT she waged a 2 yr. legal battle against Warner Bros. over extending her contract for time she spent on suspension (for refusing a handful roles that she felt were too small and unsuitable to her talents). She won the case in California’s Supreme Court and went on to freelance, making two films for Paramount.
MOST of you know de Havilland as Melanie Wilkes, the cousin/wife of Scarlett O’Hara’s first love, Ashley Wilkes, in Gone with the Wind. Others may know her as the lady love of MANY different characters played by the swash-buckling Errol Flynn in 8 films (early in her career). Olivia and her sister, actress Joan Fontaine, had a VERY combative relationship for most of their life.
Ida Lupino (who is simply fabulous in Devotion w/ real-life close friend, Paul Henreid) was ALSO a trailblazer in Hollywood. She was one of the first women to be inducted into the Director’s Guild of America. Her paternal ancestors came from Bologna, Italy to England, from where she sailed to the US at age 15 to begin her own career.
Emily wants to stay at home; Charlotte yearns for travel.
This film showed some of the biographical background that would shape Charlotte’s (Olivia de Haviland’s) and Emily’s (Ida Lupino’s) fiction. Emily’s loved the wild moors, which would translate into her imagery for Heathcliff and Cathy Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights. Charlotte had an infatuation with a foreign tutor she knew in Belgium (played by Belgian actor Victor Francen) which is used in creating the character of Paul in Villette. Anne (Nancy Coleman), who wrote The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, doesn’t have much to do in this film.
The Bronte sisters with Rev. Arthur Nicholls (Paul Henreid) at a ball.
I’ve seen this film several times in my life. Each time I saw it, my heart broke anew for Emily Bronte. Miss Lupino’s performance was nothing short of wonderful. She truly conveyed the feelings of unrequited love. -IMDB comment
The fiction is tied to a ruthless streak in Charlotte at her (perhaps more talented sister’s expense), especially over Reverend Nicholls (Austrian actor Paul Henreid from Casablanca). In reality, Emily never yearned for Nicholls, or any man Charlotte liked. Branwell (a young Arthur Kennedy, noted character actor in Westerns) is closest to Emily of all the siblings. He tries to support her, but he becomes a drunk after failing to get a foothold in London b/c he doesn’t have any connections or much money. (The Bronte’s father was a minister in a small/secluded town in Yorkshire.)
Many literary critics consider Branwell as part of the inspiration behind Catherine’s older brother, Hindley Earnshaw, who becomes a drunk and gambler while away at college in Wuthering Heights.
Branwell was talented and educated, and had high hopes of success in the arts. In fact, he planned to travel to London (and may have done so) to apply for the Royal Academy in 1834/1835. His high hopes disappeared as he moved from job to job and scandal to scandal. He wasted his life in drinking and drug-taking and was going through some of his worst situations when Emily was writing her novel. It is likely that she based much of the degradation of Hindley on observations and experiences with the decline of her brother.–The Reader’s Guide to Wuthering Heights
Nancy Coleman (right), who played Anne Bronte, was model for Disney’s Snow White.
Disney’s Snow White with her forest friends.
In the last act of the film, Vanity Fair novelist, William Makepeace Thackeray (Sidney Greenstreet) escorts Charlotte around London, lending her his social prestige. However, he is more impressed by Emily’s writing (which is more imaginative and powerful) while Charlotte’s work is more polite. Thackeray’s social snobbery comes out when he sneers at street kids in the East End (Not my public!), and when he warns Charlotte against Charles Dickens.
Knightleyemma 