Change Your Image
kellycpp
Reviews
The Ceremony (2008)
This could be spoiler information but it would seem that the movie itself was spoiler enough (sigh).
I would be hard pressed to categorize this product as perhaps the participants would have liked.
I was completely unperturbed by the activity in The Ceremony. It seemed like something interesting could develop in several scenes and the narrative did seem to be construed to add interesting elements but nothing significant ever seemed to take place.
Nothing was unnerving unless a quick flash of a disappearing human form, the sudden turning on of lights/stereo, the movement of a glass off the end of a table (Woo! Hoo!), a sitting human form from time to time augmented by non-English commentary supplanted by subtitles or the piling up of room contents through no fault of the main character qualifies.
The main gist of the artistic dimension of this piece did seem to be the stash of stock shots which were admittedly well done almost to the point of trying to demonstrate competency on some semester-ending project.
Even the main character several times was caught taking little naps (perhaps waiting for something substantial to happen) much like I was often tempted to follow in kind throughout most of the movie.
My only sense of angst was worrying about this guy not getting his term paper done to qualify for the job offer or wondering how he would get the place cleaned up to get his deposit back (horrors!). Since I was totally placid throughout most of the movie, it would be hard to categorize this as "horror" and, as I have attempted to convey, this mostly seemed like cinematic school work for some unspecified instructor.
The only twist was the "capture" of the main character's family at the end for which he seemed unable to sufficiently react given the severe implied outcome. This was like a punch line on a joke taking way too long to unfold.
So I christen this as homework. Give 'em a B ... graded on a curve.
Valerie Flake (1999)
Valerie Flake is my kinda gal
I find this character really compelling with the caste of mind that would make even a brief conversation with her a rare treat. She is shooting from the hip kind of thinking on her feet interesting. Of course a good deal of credit to the writer of the dialog but delivered in a remarkable fashion by Susan Traylor, who I had never heard of before. I expect great things from her in the future (the future of at least my cinema experience since this is 7 years old).
Now VF is no model of stability and her central core is that of a "damaged" persona, apt to roil in the curious activity of guilt and self loathing. Even her name gives away a bit of what her inclinations are in relating to a variety of life's testing situations. There is fearfulness and courage, intelligence and wit mixed with a sense of the foreboding of just-not-good-enough to make such a character develop in the viewer an interest in what happens to her as well as pulling for her decisions even if you might think them self defeating.
Valerie is a flake of sorts; a characterization I would think she would embrace even though it obviously doesn't fully define her. But you admire the courage and willingness not to settle for some offering of white-picket-fence illusion in place of the certainty of what it may take to ground her.
Kudos to the supporting cast, who provide a framework where VF is able to reveal as much of her as she is willing to expose. The in-laws were terrific in their obvious affection for VF and even the difficult tolerance for her heartfelt revelations of life with their son and the flaws in her capability of not being able to resist self-destructive actions. The boyfriend-fiancé is perfect to develop the anatomy of the velvet trap tempting VF to capitulate. What she decides to do may jar some viewers but how she does it is always delicious.
Birth (2004)
Not what it could have been
I have no idea if this contains a spoiler or not but some might think so. The spoiler tends to be the movie itself.
Time after time, this movie approaches aspects of beautifully portrayed nuance and believable narrative. Then somehow it lets it all slip away as if it had forgotten where it was heading. I watched intently as it unfolded yet was often disappointed with what it did with what it had. Motives appeared out of nowhere. Follow through was unrealistic unless the moneyed class reacts to stunning situations so differently than regular folk.
The motive behind Anna's quiet yet maniacal acceptance of young Sean's story was indistinguishable from vapor. The sell wasn't made yet the product moved. You could see that the fascination of that potential was always compelling yet little of the plot turned around the development of this mania. It seemed that Anna was far more neurotic than displaying any organically developed intuition or insight. She was therefore perceived as tragic and pathetic rather than understandably motivated.
A small tape recording and a few throw away remarks defined the basis of "evidence". They were certainly interesting and fascinating. The motivation of young Sean to alter his perception of his situation after his conversation with Clara implied that the infusion of grown Sean was only partial. Yet why say "Don't tell Anna" during the bathroom scene if he had no memory of the affair?
Sometimes I watch movies or continue to do so after being dashed on the rocks because the individual performances are compelling or the development still holds interest even though the storyline is debased through imputed sophisticated treatments that don't pan out.
The cinematography, the music and the performances were all first rate. Danny Huston's breakdown over handling Anna's obvious attachment to the boy and her former husband as well as his own insecurities in the relationship was stunning. I just did not see enough motivation for Nicole Kidman's character to flaunt her family and risk prosecution unless we agree that she was damaged freight from the beginning. And if so, that deserved far more treatment than it received. I could see where she might have been fascinated with the detail of young Sean's revelations, misting over at these stirring memories and regrets. But let's run away together? No sale.
Spanglish (2004)
This is a treasure
A remarkable ensemble of performances by virtually the whole cast, delivering a rare movie jewel. I had no expectations and was completely blown away. This production lauds adults acting responsibly when their human tendencies might threaten other people's fragile wellbeing for relatively little gain. It wasn't that the affection between Flor and John wasn't genuine or portrayed with great care. It was what they chose to do when they desperately wanted to do otherwise. Character is forged when no one is looking. And these folks had character. I liked them.
I have to say that I was astounded at the unexpected performance of Adam Sandler. When did he grow up? I want to be the man he portrays, both as family member and as an individual of integrity as he tries to maintain in the face of great immediate professional success. The obvious affection without judgment he had for his daughter was crafted exquisitely. But then he was counter-balanced perfectly by Paz Vega, as a person of integrity and hard nosed realism. And, I agree with Tea - gorgeous! Tea Leoni played the frantic neurotic to perfection; damaged and yet someone you could care about (at least I did). And I love everything Cloris Leachman does. Period.
All I can say about the performances as a whole are that I experienced a sense of voyeuristic realism and ... I believed.