‘Arts’ Archives
The Descendants
“ The Descendants”(2011) *****     An Hominem Enterprises Drama/Comedy Cast: George Clooney (Matt or Matthew King), Shailene Woodley (Alexandra or Alexis King), Amara Miller (Scottie King), Patricia Hastie (Elizabeth King),Beau Bridges (Cousin Hugh), Matthew Lillard (Brian Speer), Judy Greer (Julie Speer).Running time: 115 minutes. Director:Alexander Payne. Heartfelt film that presses the drama pushing what”'s deemed a comedy too, to the back burner. As such, it”'s just as well the drama takes center stage because in my view--in this film--it”'s a better movie. All of the breathtaking cinematography by Phedon Papamichael takes place in Honolulu, O”'ahu, Hawaii or nearby islands. Standing on what is one of the world”'s stunning paradises is George Clooney, as Matthew King in an unfortunate dilemma: a wife Liz (Patricia Hastie) in a coma from a water-skiing accident and either selling or keeping a [...]
Drive & Fright Night
“Drive”(2011) ****1/2 Cast: Ryan Gosling (Driver), Carey Mulligan (Irene), Bryan Cranston (Shannon), Albert Brooks (Bernie Ross), Christina Hendricks (Blance), Ron Perlman (Nino). (R) Running time: 100 minutes. Director: Nicolas Winding Refn. Ryan Gosling is just known as ”˜Driver”', a stunt driver on Hollywood movie sites. At night, he”'s a getaway expert for robbers. Gosling”'s double life reminds me of Andreas Lust”'s double life as marathon runner-bank robber in the German film “The Robber”(2010). Driver works with Shannon (Bryan Cranston), a mechanic and convinces a gangster, Bernie Ross (Albert Brooks), to back Driver with a race car. Meanwhile, Bernie”'s crime buddy Nino (Ron Perlman) isn”'t convinced though about buying driver the race car. After all, it”'s usually the case in crime movies when one or more guys are suspicious of another criminal on the other side of the [...]
Warrior & Point Blank
Warrior (2011) Lionsgate PG-13 rated Running time: 139 minutes Director: Gavin O”' Connor Drama/Sports ****1/2 Cast: Joel Edgerton (Bredan Conlon),Tom Hardy (Tommy Conlon), Nick Nolte (Paddy Conlon), Jennifer Morrison (Tess Conlon), Kevin Dunn (Principal Zito), Denzil Whitaker (Stephon). Three men--two brothers and their father--battle amongst themselves over past wrongs, misgivings and dysphoria over present and future encounters, individually and collectively. Paddy Conlon (played by Nick Nolte in what”'s worthy of a best supporting actor nomination), the father of two sons: the older, Brendan Colon (Joel Edgerton), married to Tess (Jennifer Morrison), with twoa children; and the younger, Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy), both were mixed martial artists. Brendan is a high school physics teacher in debt up to his ears and about to lose the house. Without telling his wife, he”'s secretly training at a shady, underground club called Tender Club for [...]
