Posts

The Aftermath

‘The Aftermath’ – a post-war love triangle that falls flat

April 15, 2019, 2:29 pm/0 Comments
Eleanor Ringel

“The Aftermath” is the sort of movie about which somebody will inevitably write, “They don’t make ‘em like this anymore.”“The Aftermath” is a good reason why.Tepid, obvious, uninvolving, “The Aftermath” proves that, yes, in the shadow of World War II, the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans unless, they’re named Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Heinreid and they’re hanging out in Casablanca.

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Never Look Away

‘Never Look Away’ – a character-rich film set in Germany from 1937 to 1966

February 18, 2019, 9:56 am/0 Comments
Eleanor Ringel

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s new movie, “Never Look Away,” has been nominated for a Best Foreign Language Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards. And no wonder. It has the epic incident-laden sweep of something by Tolstoy or Dickens.  

If von Donnersmarck’s name is in the least bit familiar, it’s probably for one of two reasons.

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What They Had

‘What They Had’ – a family comes to terms with Alzheimer’s

November 11, 2018, 6:09 pm/0 Comments
Eleanor Ringel

It’s Christmas and the family has gathered in Chicago. During an otherwise normal holiday dinner, the hostess, Ruth (Blythe Danner), with a sweet smile asks her guests, “And how do you two know each other?”

Given that Nick (Michael Shannon) and Bridget (Hilary Swank) are brother and sister and Ruth is their mom, it’s a bit awkward.  It is also a bittersweet reminder that her Alzheimer’s isn’t getting any better.

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A Star is Born

‘A Star is Born’ – Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga carry the movie

October 8, 2018, 8:58 am/0 Comments
Eleanor Ringel

A star isn’t exactly born in the newest iteration of the well-worn classic. After all, most of us have heard of Lady Gaga somehow, somewhere.

Besides, this isn’t even – technically – her feature film debut. According to IMDB, she’s already appeared on the big screen in “Machete Kills” “Muppets Most Wanted” (as herself) and “Men in Black 3” as “alien on TV monitors.”

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Colette

‘Colette’ – a wobbly #MeToo movie of la Belle Époque stars Keira Knightley

September 30, 2018, 10:11 pm/1 Comment
Eleanor Ringel

Those of us with a particular fondness for the old “Seinfeld” series might recall the episode in which Jerry and the gang consider going to a movie called “Rochelle, Rochelle: A Young Girl’s Strange Erotic Journey from Milan to Minsk.”

Keira Knightley’s utterly silly new movie isn’t called “Colette, Colette,” but it might as well have been.

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"The House with a Clock in its Wall"

‘The House with a Clock in Its Walls’ – amazing-looking movie with quirkiness

September 24, 2018, 3:39 pm/0 Comments
Eleanor Ringel

Taken on purely architectural terms, the titular structure in “The House with a Clock in Its Walls” is a cunning cross between the “Addams Family” manse and Mother Bates’ place in “Psycho.”

Cinematically, however, it’s on far trickier turf. Eli Roth, who took torture-porn to new…heights?…in “Cabin Fever” (which I saw and admired) and the “Hostel” movies (I took a pass), makes a bid for Tim Burton territory.  In many ways, he’s successful.

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