‘Arts’ Archives
The Sessions
by Howard McQuitter II The Sessions (2012) Cast: John Hawke (Mark O' Brien), Helen Hunt (Cheryl Cohen Greene), William H. Macy (Father Brendan), Moon Bloodgood (Vera), Annika Marks (Amanda), Blake Lindsley (Laura White), Adam Arkin (Josh), Robin Weigert (Susan). (R) Running time: 98 minutes. Director: Ben Levin. Twenty-years ago I worked for a lady in an iron lung in St. Paul for three years. In part, that's one reason I wanted to see "The Sessions", the other major reason John Hawke (from Alexander, Minnesota) who is from my home state. I had taken notice of him in "Winter's Bone"(2009) playing the weary uncle of Jennifer Lawrence. Mark (John Hawke), a man in his thirties, is in an iron lung, fires a middle-age attendant he doesn't much care for. He fires her for a pretty attendant. Mark has no movement from the neck down because he had polio in boyhood. That disease doesn't prevent him from attaining a degree in journalism from the University of [...]
Argo & The Watch
By Howard McQuitter Argo (2012) **** Warner Bros.  Mystery/Suspense/Drama/History Cast: Ben Affleck (Tony Mendez), Alan Arkin (Lester Siegel), John Goodman (John Chambers), Clea Du Vall (Cora Lijek), Taylor Schilling (Christine Mendez) Victor   Garber (Ken Taylor), Bryan Cranston (Jack O”' Donnell).Running time:120 minutes. Director: Ben Affleck. An international crisis sparks on November 4, 1979 in Tehran, Iran, at the U.S. embassy when hundreds of militant Iranians take 52 Americans hostage. The C.I.A. backed dictator Shah has to flee Iran for his safety. During the chaos, the Americans in the embassy desperately try to destroy any and all documents that implicate American secrets. Six American diplomats manage to flee to the home of the Canadian ambassador. While the world is focusing on the hostage crisis (“Nightline” with Ted Koppel emerges as a nightly television news show continuing today long after Koppel retires), few, if [...]
ParaNorman
ParaNorman (2012) **** Focus Features. Animation Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee voice of Norman Babcock), Tucker Albrizzi (voice of Neil), Anna Kendrick (voice of Courtney), Casey Affleck (voice of Mitch), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (voice of Alvin), Leslie Mann (voice of Sandra Babcock), Jeff Garlin (voice of Perry Babcock), Elaine Stritch (voice of Grandma), Bernard Hill (voice of the Judge), Jodelle Ferland (voice of Aggie), Tempestt Bledsoe) (voice of Sheriff Hooper), Alex Borstein (voice of Mrs. Henscher) and John Goodman (voice of Mr. Prenderghast). (PG) Running time: 92 minutes. Directors: Sam Fell and Chris Butler. Great looking animation in 3D (I saw “Para Norman “in 2D) and if you didn”'t know is not by Tim Burton. (Tim Burton is coming out with his own animation “Frankenweenie” this fall.) Sam Fell and Chris Butler could have easilyentitled their animation “A Boy and his Ghouls”, especially when Norman, 11, is surrounded by [...]
