LynneK100 Reviews

Airport (1970)

Grab the popcorn!

[10/10 · 18 April 2024]

The difference between a disastrous disaster movie and a wildly entertaining one can be summed up in one word - writing! "Airport" stands apart from other movies of this genre because the script holds closely to Arthur Hailey's best selling novel of the same title. I remember reading the book when it came out - I couldn't put it down. Not surprisingly, Hailey co-wrote the screenplay which was nominated for an Academy Award. The characters were interesting, all the story lines engrossing. The film earned 10 Academy Award nominations, winning one for Helen Hayes as Best Supporting Actress. Maureen Stapleton won a Golden Globe in the supporting category. The all-star cast led by the great Burt Lancaster brings Hailey's colorful characters to life. George Kennedy immortalized the Patroni character. Marvelous production values, costumes, and location shooting also create a sense of realism. The score, oh the score - wonderful.

I purchased this DVD as part of a 4- movie set, the "complete collection". After watching "Airport 75", I remembered why I never went to see that one. "77" and "79" are unwatchable.

As much as I adore Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, "The Towering Inferno" is no match for "Airport". Although it was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning three, it was not nominated for writing.

" Airport" is my go-to Popcorn Movie. It's perfect time capsule.

One Life (2023)

HELENA BONHAM CARTER IS A DYNAMO

[10/10 · 16 April 2024]

Thanks to the daughter of the modest hero, Nicholas Winton, we are treated to an inspiring true story of a WWII rescue effort, this time in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. The elder reflective Winton of the 1980's is superbly portrayed by the inimitable Anthony Hopkins. Johnny Flynn plays 1940's Winton, the young, successful London stockbroker who puts his career on hold to rescue (mostly) Jewish children while their parents are hauled off to camps. Flynn's performance is understated and elegant.

The standout performance for me, however, is Helena Bonham Carter, one of the most versatile actors of her generation. Carter plays Babi Winton, Nicky's mother, whose strong moral convictions inspire her son to take action. In a single scene with a British bureaucrat, Carter/Babi demonstrates the sheer power of the human voice. Calm and commanding, she forces the bureaucrat to sit and listen. Bravo, Babi and bravo, Helena.

Carter revealed on a PBS special that her maternal grandfather, Eduardo Proper de Callejon forged Spanish exit visas, saving many Jews from the Holocaust. Could this have informed her decision to take on this role?

In the end, Nicky/Hopkins is haunted by the children he didn't save, the ones he left behind. Like Oskar Schindler, he thinks he could have done MORE. Imagine what Nicholas Winton, his mother and handful of friends could have done if the British and US governments had helped.

The Teachers' Lounge (2023)

What, No Lawyers?

[9/10 · 17 March 2024]

Riveting morality tale of a dedicated, idealistic teacher who tries to protect her students from a school system established to protect itself from harm at any cost. While the institution is willing to subject the students to interrogations, searches, and humiliations in its relentless search for a serial thief, the young teacher advocates for the students.

When the teacher sets up a trap for the thief in the teachers' lounge, using her laptop's camera to capture the perpetrator stealing money from her wallet, an administrator wearing an distinctive blouse is caught in the act. Up to this point I would give this film a 10 but what happens next is too implausible. Rather than turn the laptop evidence over to the head school administrators, the teacher confronts the accused herself. The suspect denies the allegation and together they go to the top level administrator who suspends the accused. It must be noted that the act of surreptitiously videotaping in the teachers' lounge is illegal. So, where are the lawyers? I count three lawyers MIA- one for the accused, one for the school, and one for the teacher. I also think that an immediate search would have been conducted to see if another person in the building might have been wearing an identical blouse. Because of these implausibles, I deducted a point from my rating. Otherwise, the writing, acting and directing are at a very high level.

Poor Things (2023)

Creativity Abounds

[8/10 · 10 March 2024]

We almost gave up on on this film thirty minutes in. When Mark Ruffalo's character enters the scene, interacting with Bella, the fun begins. We were hooked. Bella's unique manner of speech is intoxicating. The sets are gorgeous with the stylized architecture and rich color schemes. I think all award nominations are deserved with the exception of the music. Stone and Ruffalo play beautifully together. Defoe was also deserving of a supporting actor nomination. I would have rated this film even higher if it was twenty to thirty minutes shorter. It is Emma Stone, however, that keeps you glued to the screen. If not for Sandra Huller's performance in Anatomy of a Fall, I would give the Best Actress Oscar to Emma. Like Huller, she carries the film. Lily Gladstone gives a fine performance but hers is a supporting role.

American Fiction (2023)

FRESH & FUNNY

[10/10 · 23 February 2024]

2023 has been a great year for films. We have seen most of the AA nominated movies and can't recall a year when the writing has been as good. This is especially true of "American Fiction" which we streamed last night. Coming off the mesmerizing, Holocaust masterpiece, "The Zone of Interest" which we saw the night before, and the remarkable "Oppenheimer", which we saw for the second time two nights ago, AF provided a respite from the devastating reality of the darkest side of humanity. While ostensibly making a social commentary on the White perspective of Black culture, Cord Jefferson writes a funny, satirical piece brought to life with a perfectly cast troupe of professionals equally adept at comedy and drama. I can't remember the last time we laughed so hard watching a film. "The Holdovers" was bittersweet and had its humorous moments, but the undertones were more somber. It was great seeing Leslie Uggums in a supporting role. The entire cast was superb. I frankly don't have enough superlatives for Wright and Brown. I hope they make many more movies together. Who knew that Jeffrey Wright is so brilliant at comedy. I am glad they were both nominated in their respective categories. But I think they will have to wait for another time. I believe those Oppenheimer boys have it in the bag and deservedly so.

The Zone of Interest (2023)

THE DOG TELLS THE STORY

[10/10 · 21 February 2024]

In light of two BAFTAs, four Cannes, and dozens of worldwide critics' awards having already been won, five Academy Award nominations garnered, including Best International Film and Best Motion Picture Feature, and scores of glowing reviews eloquently written by moviegoers on this site and elsewhere, I will focus my remarks on a seldom mentioned aspect of this remarkable film: the DOG.

Ironically, the family dog has played a crucial role in two of the year's outstanding films, "Anatomy of a Fall" and "The Zone of Interest". In the latter, the dog is filmed in many scenes in a constant state of agitation. The dog is never seen at rest. The persistent eerie sounds of the camp are amplified twofold to the dog as compared to humans. The pervasive stench of fire and burning flesh is fifty times greater to the dog than humans. The dog perceives the humans' stress and responds by moving about in an erratic manner. He enters a room only to leave it.

I appreciate the Mica Levi score used to create the unsettling sounds of machinery and human suffering. But even with the sound turned off, the viewer could experience the same feelings of horror and dread by focusing on the dog's erratic movements. The dog puts us in the moment. The dog is us. While the Hoss family is perfectly capable of willfully ignoring the horrific events surrounding them, the dog cannot drown out the sounds and odors with a lust for power and property. And neither can we once we view this film.

Messi deservedly won the Palm Dog at the Cannes Film Festival last year for his performance in "Anatomy of a Fall". The dog in "The Zone of Interest" should win a prize. 2023 was The Year of the Dog in the movies. And the year of Sandra Huller.

Finally, I think it would have been a travesty if Jonathan Glazer was not nominated in the Director category.

So Much Tenderness (2022)

Inane Dialog, Poor Character Development

[1/10 · 16 January 2024]

We streamed this film on Criterion Channel based on a New York Times recommendation. The Times recently "spotlighted" So Much Tenderness so we thought we'd give it a watch. It took three attempts to finish watching as my husband kept falling asleep. In addition to the most insipid dialog, we had to endure the disjointed plot, mediocre acting, and poor character development. In recent weeks, we have seen three foreign language films that were mesmerizing. Past Lives, Anatomy of a Fall, and The Society of Snow are films that stay with you long past the viewing. So Much Tenderness is So Much Ado About Nothing. Avoid it.

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

ANATOMY OF A FALL: THE ONE I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT

[10/10 · 10 January 2024]

Thanks to streaming, we managed to see most of the films (but not Barbie) that were Globe, SAG, and DAG nominated. We have been very pleased with this year's crop of award contenders. But of all the films we saw, Anatomy is the ONE that stays with me. I have watched it several times now and I fnd that it gets more interesting with each viewing.

Before writing this review, I read many of the reviews on this site. One significant point s overlooked. Prior to his upcoming testimony, Daniel is clearly torn as to the cause of his father's death. The weekend he was sequestered with the court-appointed guardian, her sought her advice. She suggested that when you have two choices to discern the truth, absent proof either way, pick the one that makes you feel better. You know at that moment, Daniel will give testimony to exonerate his only living parent. The alternative would be unthinkable for Daniel.

When Justine Triet was accepting one of the two Golden Globe awards (deservedly)garnered by Anatomy, she revealed the intentional ambiguity in the film's ending. Brilliant!

By the way, Sandra Hüller was shortchanged. Lily Gladstone gave a great performance in Killers of the Flower Moon, but Huller's was mesmerizing. And the Oscars should add a new category: The Platinum Paw Award for outstanding performance by a canine. Jesse would be the first winner.

Wait Until Dark (1967)

SUSPENSE ON STEROIDS

[10/10 · 7 November 2023]

Saw this thriller in the theater in '67 when it opened. This is one of three films that had me literally jumping out of my seat, the others being Jaws and L. A. Confidential. Good directors do this. A fine ensemble cast, led by Audrey Hepburn, gives life to a fascinating bunch of characters. Alan Arkin demonstrates his versatility in portraying a cruel, sadistic man, Roat, who relishes in terrorizing Hepburn's Suzy, a lovely, gentle blind woman. Richard Crenna, a member of the Roat gang, is quite credible and convincing as a sympathetic figure. Jack Weston, one of the great character actors of his time, was as weasly as ever. The scene stealer, however, is a young actor named Julie Herrod, playing an awkward, angry neighbor girl who ultimately uses her wits to help Susy. The McGuffin is a doll unwittingly accepted by Susy's husband at the airport. When he arrives home, he hands the doll over to Susy. The doll contains a substantial quantity of narcotics. Roat and his gang are in search of the doll; Roat seems to enjoy torturing Susy. Mike, Crenna's character had no stomach for it. It seems he has fallen in love with her. Mancini's score is filled with terror and adds to the suspense. After several recent viewings, I award this film a 10/10..

All the Light We Cannot See (2023)

THE DIAMOND IS THE McGUFFIN

[8/10 · 7 November 2023]

The story of Marie, a blind girl with incredible survival skills, and Werner, a young man/boy genius unwillingly recruited by Nazis due to his unique ability to assemble a radio in 57 seconds, and their eventual coming together. As if fighting off random Nazis terrorizing them throughout isn't enough to qualify this series as a bona fide thriller, the author gratuitously inserts an over-the-top psycho-Nazi character on a personal mission to obtain a diamond that he believes to hold special powers of eternal life, a.k.a. The McGuffin.

Hugh Laurie is excellent in the role of Marie's Uncle Etienne, as is Marion Bailey as her Aunt. Mark Ruffalo, a favorite of mine, was sadly miscast as Marie's father. Luckily, he had a small part.

If not for the diamond/McGUFFIN, which tends to trivialize the plight of Marie and Werner's meeting and escape from Nazis, this series was on a trajectory to get a 10 rating from me.

Fair Play (2023)

We Wasted an Evening

[1/10 · 8 October 2023]

SPOILER ALERT . No one to root for. Two entirely unlikable characters, working for the same Wall Street firm, get secretly engaged despite company anti- fraternization policy. Other than work, sex, and heavy drinking, the pair don't seem to share any common interests. We never see them share a meal, watch a movie, or take a walk together. She gets a promotion to a job he expected to get himself. The best part of the relationship, the sex, goes away as he becomes bitter, humiliated, and depressed . The relationship turns violent in the workplace as he tries to embarrass her In front of her boss and important clients. The violence carries over to an engagement party hosted by the parents. I have never know anyone like these people, and hope I never do. Wall Street took a hit, and NY never looked worse.

Unforgotten (2015– )

BRILLIANT WRITING, INTERESTING TWIST ON CRIME/MYSTERY GENRE

[10/10 · 28 August 2023]

I have yet to watch a British show that does not have an amazingly talented cast. "Unforgotten" is no exception. Admittedly, I will continue to follow Nicola Walker from series to series, but today, I just want to talk about the writing, which I deem exceptional.

We started with Season 4 on PBS and, when we ran out of episodes, discovered that we could pick up episodes S4.3-6 on Prime. We were so thrilled with the Series, we binged Season 1 this weekend. Tonight we start binging Season 2.

What sets this Series apart from many others, is the writing. Creator Chris Lange is the writer, and he has a unique ability -- he manages to give us five backstories on the Seasons' "persons of interest" in addition to the backstory of Cassie and Sunny. That's a lot of information in less than an hour. This is what makes the show so interesting.

Vera Drake (2004)

THIS ONE WILL STAY WITH YOU FOR A LONG TIME

[10/10 · 28 August 2023]

The incredible ensemble cast, led by Imelda Staunton, has deservedly received much praise from many folks submitting comments on this site. I have nothing much to add to these comments, other than to say how grateful I am to Leigh's stock players, many of whom are willing to take tiny supporting roles in a Leigh production. Two such superb examples are Jim Broadbent and Leslie Manville.

What sets Mike Leigh films apart from others is the employment of Leigh's unique process in holding back story elements from cast members to elicit spontaneous dramatic reactions to events as they unfold. This technique works particularly well in "Vera Drake", especially the scene where the police arrive at the Drake home interrupting a celebration of Ethel's engagement to Reg and the announcement of Frank's impending fatherhood. The formidable exterior shot of the police pulling up to the house in a heavy snowstorm juxtaposed with the festive atmosphere inside the home is brilliant.

We know, before the family does, that they have come to arrest Vera, and we know why. But as the story unfolds, the actors are hearing this for the first time and their spontaneous reactions are mesmerizing.

This is filmmaking at its finest and most creative. Mike Leigh is a genius.

Law & Order (1990– )

ORDER & LAW

[10/10 · 27 April 2023]

I rate this series a 10 strictly for the "order" side of the show. Jeffrey Donovan, Mehcad Brooks, and Camryn Manheim are a dynamic trio. They convey intelligence, vitality, and competence. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the "law" team. Hugh Dancy is a lightweight, Delya Halevi is a one-note player, and Sam Waterston, a fine actor, is wasted in his brief appearances in the second half of the show. I would like to see an episode in which the DA terminates the ever-whining Price and the always-pouting Maroun for gross incompetence. Every time one of them promises a reluctant witness "protection" if they testify, my husband and I look at each other and say, "uh oh". Inevitably their witnesses are killed. Unload Dancy and Halevi and replace with actors of equal caliber as Donovan and Brooks.

She Said (2022)

SPOTLIGHT WANNABE

[7/10 · 27 February 2023]

Films about investigative journalism are my favorite genre. I was immediately drawn to "She Said" for this reason. I am a big fan of Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan, Samantha Morton, Jennifer Ehle, Andre Braugher, and Patricia Clarkson. A finer cast could not have been assembled. On first viewing, I liked the film. In fact, I rated it a "10". However, subsequent viewings revealed a lot of flaws. First and foremost, the format was aped off of "Spotlight", the finest investigative journalism film since "All the President's Men".

I wonder how accurate the portrayal of the reporters' tactics is in "She Said". It appears that both journalists crossed some journalistic ethical lines. Kantor revealed to a victim's husband that his wife, unbeknownst to him, that his wife received a settlement. Twohey aggressively questioned a potential witness in front of his wife rather than ask him for a moment in private. However, the filmmakers cannot be blamed for this unethical behavior.

I think I need to investigate the investigators. I am glad they were able to get many witnesses to go on record. But their tactics in obtaining information is abhorrent.

I re-rated the film - 5 stars, for the great cast.

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Would it Help?

[10/10 · 22 February 2023]

Hanks, Spielberg, the Coen Brothers. Magic. Add Mark Rylance. Dynamite.

Fascinating slice of history brought to life by a stellar cast.

Fact checking has established that the film is mostly accurate, which makes it that much more likable.

However If the portrayal of James Donovan's wife is even partially accurate, he had my deepest sympathy. Her husband is a dedicated lawyer, who strives to do his job, serving the US government and then his client with the utmost integrity, maintaining the highest ethics of the legal profession, and what does she do? She undermines him at every turn, even going so far as to collude with his boss to reign in his representation of a Russian spy. Because it is an unpopular cause, the wife and the top partner in the firm, want him to throw in the towel. It's very sad.

Little Women (1933)

Hepburn is insufferable

[3/10 · 7 February 2023]

Katherine Hepburn was insufferable in the role of Jo. The rest of the cast gave credible, understated performances but even the charming, talented ensemble could not overcome Hepburn's overacting in the lead. If Hepburn's Jo was my sister, I'd slit my throat. Shame on you George Cukor for not reeling Hepburn in.

In the 40's version, June Allison was equally overbearing, Again, the supporting cast was superb, especially Mary Astor as Marmee.

Not until the 1990's did we get a wonderful Jo in Winona Ryder. Ryder conveyed the spirit, intelligence, and sensitivity of Alcott's Jo. The supporting cast was outstanding. Christian Bale was a revelation as Lawrie. Now we see him as Alcott intended him to be - not a simpering, obsessive, suitor but a charismatic, charming man.

I reviewed the Greta Garwig adaptation in detail on the site of that version. Bad. Even the talented Saoirise Ronan could not rescue the poorly imagined screenplay. Gerwig butchered Alcott's story. Then she cast Timothy Calamet in the Lawrie part. Awful.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020– )

I JUST WANT TO A PLACE AT THEIR TABLE

[10/10 · 16 January 2023]

The best films and TV series are those that you are so drawn to the characters and settings that you imagine yourself sitting down at the kitchen table for meal with the family. "Moonstruck", " How Green Was My Valley" , and "National Velvet" are three such films that readily come to mind. On Sunday nights, when Mrs. Hall, Siegfried, Tristan, and the Herriots gather around the table in their warm, colorful kitchen, I just want to be there to join them. The writing, acting, and production design are at such a high level, I can almost smell the sausages.

In a world where there is such ugliness and strife, it is reassuring to be able to immerse myself in a setting with lovely, caring people who look after animals and each other - even if it is only for one hour.

Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943)

A GREATER APPRECIATION OF BETTE & WARNERS

[10/10 · 11 January 2023]

I should say at the outset, I am partial to the 1930-1940s Warner. Bros. Films. The contract players: Lupino, Bogart, Flynn, Cagney, Sheridan, Davis, are among my favorites. Before I discovered the greatness of Stanwyck, Bette Davis was my absolute top actress of that era.

Having recently revisited "Thank Your Lucky Stars", I have a renewed admiration for Bette Davis. Unlike De Havilland, she was not dubbed and sang a charming rendition of "They're Either Too Young or Too Old." It was HER VOICE that really puts the song over.

And when I learned (on IMBD) that Bette was a co-founder (with John Garfield) of The Hollywood Canteen and that she promoted the idea that the studio donates all profits to the war effort, well, that really makes me a fan. I understand the Bette was behind the idea that all the players donate their salaries as well ($50-$75K apiece).

I give this movie a 10/10 for the sleeper score by A. Schwarts and F. Loesser. Listen for those hidden gems.

A Hero (I) (2021)

1992's HERO Meets 1948's BICYCLE THIEVES

[10/10 · 13 June 2022]

Asgar Farhadi is a master storyteller. Much like 1992's HERO with Dustin Hoffman and Andy Garcia, an imposter pretends to be a HERO for his own good reasons. In A HERO, Rham Soltani is desperate to discharge a debt so that he can get out of debtors' prison and find employment. As in 1948's BICYCLE THIEVES, Soltani and his son go on a quest to find a solution to his employment problem. In THIEVES, the father and son were searching for a stolen bicycle. In A HERO, they were looking for a woman who would verify the return of her gold coins, allegedly found by Soltani...or someone close to Soltani.

The genius of Farhadi's story is in the telling. In the beginning, we are 100% rooting for the soft-spoken, gentlemanly Soltani as he goes on a two-day leave from prison. As the film progresses, we slowly see more and more of Soltani's duplicitousness. He lies to everyone. He lies when he doesn't even need to lie. By the film's end we see a violent side to the man.

Layer by layer, Farhadi peels away the onion to get to the real Soltani. Because we had such empathy for him at the onset, we are hoping for a turning point. We want Soltani to change and become a better human being. But this is not a Frank Capra film. Despite having a close-knit family and a girlfriend who stand by him through his ordeal, Soltani doesn't act out of character. Soltani acts always and only in his own self-interest. When he winds up back in prison, we are neither surprised or disappointed.

Ocean's Eleven (1960)

JUST FOR FUN!

[10/10 · 8 June 2022]

I saw this move in the Graham Theater in Brooklyn when I was nine years old. I loved it then and I love it now .It's just a fun movie with a lot of very talented people in an ensemble piece. The backstory, the shenanigans going on behind the scenes at the Sands with Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Lawford, and Bishop, is as entertaining as the movie. This was the birth of The Rat Pack.

The Lincoln Lawyer (2022– )

ENTERTAINING, ENTERTAINING, ENTERTAINING!

[9/10 · 16 May 2022]

Gave Episode 1 a watch and we're in! Love the premise, the characters, and the varied L. A. settings.

Most importantly, thus far, no implausible dialog or behavior from judges, attorneys, and/or law enforcement. I am a longtime legal assistant and I have no patience when law shows go astray of realty to achieve a particular story line.

Ok, maybe one little thing -- no cameras in a parking garage? OK, maybe his assistant gets a little too mouthy, too often with law enforcement and security. Reality check - this is never helpful, and an attorney would likely curtail such behavior. For this, I deducted a point.

This series is pure entertainment with enough reality to make it credible. I am optimistically awarding 9/10 and hope the next 9 episodes live up to my rating!

The Comey Rule (2020)

ELECTION POST MORTEM

[8/10 · 9 May 2022]

I find it interesting that every four years, the losing party in the presidential election conducts a post-mortem to determine the reasons their candidate failed to win, and invariably, the findings are flawed. I believe this is due to the fact that parties and candidates find it easier to blame outside forces rather than look within to see their own shortcomings. A great example of this was Gore-Bush 2000, when the outcome came down to "hanging chads" and other glitches in the Florida count that held up the official result for about a month. The media and historians were and are fixated on the Florida count. There was and is no mention or analysis of Gore's failure to win his own state, Tennessee. How is it that the Senator had grown so far apart from the people that elected him to the US Senate?

If I had more time and space, I could provide dozens of reasons Hillary Clinton lost the election. Comey's handling of e-mailgate may be one factor but certainly not the cause of her loss. The series touched on this briefly citing her not campaigning in Michigan, as one example. And that's a whopper. Tarmacgate was a double whopper. Did Bill intentionally sabotage Hillary's election?

I found myself voting for a third party for the first time ever because I live in NYS and knew my vote wouldn't matter. Had I lived in a swing state, I would have held my nose and voted for Hillary. Our choice that year being between cheesy and sleazy, I guess I'd go with cheesy.

Laura (1944)

DANA ANDREWS, UNDERESTIMATED, UNDERAPPRECIATED AS ALWAYS

[10/10 · 28 April 2022]

Every now and then, we cinephiles are treated to a screen pairing that exudes a strong chemistry between two characters. A well written script added to the mix, makes for a most pleasurable viewing experience. The pairing of Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney is one such pairing. With a tight script, gorgeous cinematography, and a A-List supporting cast, "Laura" is a classic film worthy of multiple viewings.

Dana Andrews gives an elegant performance, which as usual, was underappreciated by the Academy. He failed to receive an Oscar nomination -- again. When you see his work in "Best Years of Our Lives", "Where the Sidewalk Ends" and multiple other classics, you wonder how the Oscars maintained credibility all these years.

Lifeboat (1944)

ONLY HITCHCOCK COULD PULL THIS OFF

[10/10 · 27 April 2022]

I think this is one of Alfred Hitchcock's most underrate films. Hitchcock puts the audience in the lifeboat for an hour and 37 minutes and we never get bored. This material was placed in the hands of one of the greatest directors of all times, one of very few directors who could hold the audience's attention in a confined, single location. Hitchcock's mastery of camera angles and psychology combine to create mater work. The ultimate success of "Lifeboat", however, must be attributed to Hitchcock's casting choices. The ensemble cast was brilliant.