Stuck On Repeat
"Man in a Suitcase" - The Police
"Underneath the Tree" - Kelly Clarkson
Cinema
Black Nativity - While this film means well, it's less of a film and more of some random scenes featuring the same cast of characters that have been stitched together with some songs. From the trailer, I was expecting a much more engaging film with some rousing gospel numbers. As it was, I didn't feel particularly touched by the holiday spirit when I left the cinema.
Homefront - I am a fan of neither Jason Statham or James Franco, but once I read that Sly Stallone had written the screenplay for this film, I had a strange urge to see it. Homefront is certainly more suitable for home viewing than seeing in the cinema, but it was an entertaining enough way to pass an evening. It has more brawn than brains going for it, but there were some good moments here an there, like Statham sabotaging a meth lab, Statham bonding with a kitten, and Kate Bosworth coming to the defense of a child she had previously antagonized. The simplicity and straightforwardness of the story makes this a more successful film than other Statham vehicles like Parker that end up drowning in flash and over-production.
Out of the Furnace - The one reason to see this film is Christian Bale's excellent performance. I was disappointed that Woody Harrelson wasn't quite pushing the limits of his crazy abilities and that Sam Shepard seemed to be there just to add the gravitas that comes along with having Sam Shepard in your film. Overall, I got the feeling that the film itself had aspirations greater than what it was actually able to express on screen. Killer Joe did working-class brutality in a much better and more convincing way.
Tim's Vermeer - OMG, this movie! Obviously I was going to see it because of the Vermeer subject matter, especially since it was the perfect way to close out the year in which I completed my viewing of all the Vermeers. However, even with all that I know about Vermeer and art history in general, Tim's Vermeer ended up blowing my mind in ways that I never expected. First, Tim Jenison's dedication to this project and the time he devotes to it are just incredible. His Vermeer project is a truly admirable and inspiring labor of love. Second, the technique he develops is ingenious and so clever in its simplicity. Third, it was really cool for me on a personal level that David Hockney was consulted as an expert on optical techniques historically used in art because Hockney is one of my favorite painters of the modern era and I own a lithograph of one of his works. I know that I wouldn't have the patience to do what Tim did or find work-arounds for all the setbacks that he faced. My mouth was hanging open in genuine awe for much of the time I was watching this film. Even if you aren't particularly into Vermeer or even art, this film is still a must-see!
American Hustle - I can't wait to see this movie again. The more time I've had to think about it, the more I like it. I can't get all the powerhouse performances and killer one liners ("Don't put metal in the science oven"!) out of my head. Bradley Cooper and Christian Bale both give such open, ballsy, and highly nuanced performances. Each gesture, tic, and line delivery really resonates. Of course Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence aren't slouches either, and without them, the men wouldn't have the sparring partners that help make their performances stronger. The way the whole cast feeds off one another makes this film a joy to watch. It doesn't hurt that there's a killer soundtrack and that all the costumes are gorgeous and glam. Yes, the film is a bit over-the-top, but it totally works.
Inside Llewyn Davis - Since Cohen Brothers films rarely resonate with me, I'm not even sure why I went to see Inside Llewyn Davis. It's an okay movie with solid performances, but the music made me want to take a nap, and I just couldn't get invested in Llewyn's story. Even the cat couldn't make this one work for me.
Her - This film totally captivated me. I am a fidgeter by nature, but there was just something about this film that grabbed me right away and then held my attention until the very end. Everything about the film -- from the story to the aesthetics to the music -- allowed me to get lost in the world of this film for its duration. I especially loved the red/pink/orange accent color palette that infused the film with a very modern aesthetic with just a hint of warmth. The film as a whole is very pleasant to look at, and the depth of feeling communicated by and between Theodore, Samantha, Catherine, and Amy is completely captivating and engaging. The way Her depicts relationships seems more astute and realistic than most other films, which is really saying something considering that the primary relationship is between a human and an operating system. Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Theodore grounds the film and gives it its heart. He embodies the character so fully that he gives the film a wonderful fluidity, allowing the viewer to move seamlessly between his material world, his present world-of-the-mind, and flash-backs to his life with Catherine. Her is simply a truly lovely film.
The Past - Perhaps I was expecting too much from this film based on its director and cast, or perhaps there was just no way it could seem great since I saw it right after I saw Her. The Past isn't a bad film, I just found it very hard to get into. Berenice Bejo's character was completely unsympathetic and Tahar Rahim isn't given enough screen time to properly develop his character or dimensionalize his feelings. However, Ali Mosaffa gives a strong performance that really holds the film together. I did like how the story started out as a traditional love triangle and turned into a mystery about a suicide attempt. Despite the mystery element, the film failed to hold my interest between plot points.
Saving Mr. Banks - P.L. Travers was apparently a real pip. Or at least that's the way Emma Thompson played her, and I just wasn't sure if I'd be able to endure two hours of British bitching. At least Travers was kind of sweet as a child and we have Colin Farrell to gaze upon as her father in flashbacks. I would have liked to see a lot more behind-the-scenes Disney magic and less grumpy British woman in this movie. While the flashbacks try to add dimension and make the film seem substantive, it is really quite superficial and flat -- a lack of depth which I suppose is to be expected when Disney itself is making a film about the Disney myth-making machine.
The Wolf of Wall Street - You can only watch people take Quaaludes so many times before it gets boring. I am not sure what the actual limit is, but Wolf of Wall Street exceeds it. Sure some of those 'lude scenes are played to great comic effect, but the laughs are cheap. While parts of this film are well made and well acted, it is far too long and far too pointless. There is nothing profound or special about Jordan Belfort; he is no more than a guy with great sales skills who made a lot of money and did a lot of drugs. His only struggle is to keep the money he's made and then make more money (and not die due to the drugs, I suppose). At least Jean Dujardin was on hand as a Swiss banker to take things up a notch in a few scenes. And I do have to say that as weird and annoying as his character is, Jonah Hill probably deserves an Oscar nomination for his work in this film. I hate to contradict Oscar Wilde, but here excess does not succeed. The gaudiness of Belfort's life isn't particularly flashy or classy or trashy -- it just is; excess for it's own sake falls flat. In The Wolf of Wall Street, greed isn't good, it's nearly mediocre.
Anchorman 2 - This film has a few amusing moments, a very few. As a movie, it is not particularly funny or interesting. There isn't anything that stands out about it as either particularly good or particularly bad. As my father observed, the Ron Burgundy Dodge commercials are more entertaining than the movie itself. So I guess the one good thing about Anchorman 2 is the collection of creative advertising campaigns that have surrounded it.
Book Shelf
Reconstructing Amelia, Kimberly McCreight
I greatly enjoyed this very solid mystery/thriller. It has widely been compared to Gone Girl, but is so much better than that more high-profile book. For starters the main character is someone the reader can truly care about, even though nothing around her is as it seems. While I was able to see some of the twists coming long before their reveals, there were plenty of others that took me by surprise. The story is so propulsive that I finished this book in two days.
Always Looking Up, Michael J. Fox
I didn't like this book as much as Fox's first memoir, but it still had some interesting anecdotes and passages. The book, published in 2009, opens with a story about Lance Armstrong, which is particularly thought-provoking given all that we now know about his deceptions. I also enjoyed the sections in which Fox discusses the role of Judaism in his and his family's lives. Lastly, Fox's stories of campaigning for pro-stem-cell-research candidates and his experience with the political system are both informative, entertaining, and inspirational. While the unevenness of this book failed to keep me engaged all the time, the sections that did draw me in were extremely worthwhile.
Up From Liberalism, William F. Buckley, Jr.
As with God and Man at Yale, this book was a bit of a slog to get through, and since it was written in 1959, I didn't understand many of the references made or know of many of the people mentioned. Despite my general confusion, some salient points about government power and the individual's role in democracy did shine through. Also, the section about Social Security and government spending is still pretty spot on and applicable to our current situation.
Sycamore Row, John Grisham
This is a solid Grisham book that shows his ongoing love and care for the fictional town of Clanton. Even though I felt that Sycamore Row is a little longer than it needs to be and noted that there is some repetition going on from time to time, the story is compelling enough that I stayed up until the wee house of the morning to finish the book. I really like and admire how much Grisham is able to bring Clanton and its cast of characters to life; Harry Rex Vonner is a special favorite of mine. I had figured out the big twist early on in the book, but it was still fun going on a journey with Jake Brigance and his crack team as they did their own digging. Also noteworthy is the way in which Grisham tied this book to A Time to Kill, but made it easy to follow if you hadn't read that book for a decade or two or had never read it at all.
Gone Tomorrow, Lee Child
This is not one of the stronger or more believable Reacher books. Reacher's involvement in the story is a stretch from the get-go, and the story itself contains many extremely raw and graphically brutal scenes. While this is way over on the weak side of the Reacher spectrum, its many harrowing scenes mean that I won't be forgetting it any time soon.
All That Is, James Salter
I didn't even know that people wrote books like this anymore. All That Is is literature in the vein of The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit and Revolutionary Road. The story is a simple one, and simply stated in stripped down prose, yet it is written with such depth of feeling and attention to detail. There is nearly as much to be found between the lines as there is in the text itself. It is a quiet book made profound by the evocative, nuanced descriptions of cities and towns, restaurants and bars, houses and apartments. Tracing a man's life through his relationships with women is a wonderful concept by which to lay a character bare. Yes, there are plenty of gaps in the story, but even peripheral characters are followed-up on and accounted for, creating a fully realized world orbiting around the protagonist.
The Fat Lady Sang, Robert Evans
I've been waiting for and anticipating this book for quite some time, and it was worth the wait because Robert Evans does not disappoint. Even though it's a fairly light read with plenty of skirt-chasing anecdotes, The Fat Lady Sang does delve into heavier territory as Evans recalls the three stokes he suffered in 1998, followed by his recovery process, his return to form, and the making of the documentary version of The Kid Stays in the Picture. When it comes right down to it, it's hard to resist a man who can refer to Warren and Jack with no last names necessary and who has partied with everyone from Cary Grant to JFK and all the who's-who in between. As Evans himself has said, "I'm still in the picture--and I am going to stay in the picture." This book is a wonderful reminder that we are lucky enough to still have this bona fide Hollywood legend in our midst.
Post title from: "Mitosis," from The Seven Ages, by Louise Glück
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