Sarah's Key

Movies are capable of many great things. They are a portal into the human condition and can offer us insight and perspective about our fears, desires, and needs. They provide inspiration and enlightenment. And, of course, they entertain us. One recent film that does this and more is Sarah’s Key. The film takes place in contemporary times, with flashbacks to events that occurred during World War II. Much of it is based on real events.

We think we know the face of evil. But do we really? It would be comforting if we could identify and categorize evil. Sarah’s Key is a film about moral issues that, hopefully, we will never have to face. The film makes a point that anyone may be capable of participating in some of the worst atrocities imaginable?

We’d like to think that it was just the Nazi’s who were the monsters, but they had a lot of help. Some stood on the sidelines and did nothing while others actively participated and aided in helping to carry out their plans.

Sarah’s Key is about what the French call “the Vel`d´Hiv Roundup”, an event that took place July 16 and 17 in 1942 when 13,152 Jews were rounded up and sent to Auschwitz where were eventually exterminated. What makes the story unbelievable and frightening to today’s audiences is that the French actively participated and aided the Nazi’s.

The French participated at every level—from the bureaucracy and the secret service to the army and police. So do we really think we know the face of evil? Are we all capable of doing things beyond our imagination? These are the type of issues that Sarah’s Key explores.

The film is seen through the eyes of Julia Jarmond (Kristin Scott Thomas), an American journalist living in Paris, France in present day. Julia writes a piece for her magazine about the tragedy that took place at “the Vel`d´Hiv” (commonly known as The Roundup). Her investigation of past events uncovers a connection between her husband’s family who are French and their possible participation in the atrocities.

It seems that a young Jewish girl, Sarah, along with her family lived in the apartment that Julie and her husband are renovating and planning to move into. Julie tries to discover what happened to Sarah and her little brother. Julie’s journey will unlock buried secrets and forever change her life. Sarah’s Key spans several decades and takes multiple twists and turns which will keep you on the edge of your seats.

Although there are unpleasant events that take place in the film, Sarah’s Key ultimately sets a redemptive tone that’s sure to uplift our spirits. Not everybody in France participated in these horrible events. Many put their lives at risk to save complete strangers. Why? Because it was the right thing to do.

Sarah’s Key is one of those films worth investing your time in. It’s exceptional storytelling that will engage your mind and emotions. Brilliantly shot and with exceptional acting, Sarah’s Key never misses a beat. If there’s one thing we can take away from this film it will be to embolden us to never let anything like this to happen again. The sad truth is that, unfortunately, these types of things haven’t completely disappeared. Hopefully, we will have the courage to stand up against evil

The Mighty Macs

What do you get when you cross Hoosiers with Rudy? You get The Mighty Macs, the latest in a long line of inspirational sports stories. This film is certainly in the tradition of such classics as Remember the Titans, The Blind Side, We are Marshall, Miracle, and Glory Road. This is the kind of movie that Disney loves to make. It’s reported that Disney actually offered Tim Chambers, who is the film’s producer, director and writer, a distribution deal. The only stipulation was the film needed to be rated PG. Chambers stuck to his guns and refused to budge on the eventual G-rated film.

That may very well have been a tactical mistake. Make no doubt about it, The Mighty Macs is a solid movie and deserved a much larger audience. The film, which is about the 1972 Immaculata College women’s basketball team, was shot in 2007, and Chambers struggled for years to bring it to the big screen. Disney could have made a real difference. Chambers finally got his distribution deal last year through Freestyle Releasing. However due to a lack of advertising and promotion, the film earned only $1.8 million. As I said, The Mighty Macs is a solid movie with an inspirational and uplifting story and should have been a hit.

Some people may argue that The Mighty Macs is nothing more than the same old tired formula film that we’ve seen a million times over. Yes, you can make a case that it fits nicely into the mode that made Bad News Bears a success. Yes, it’s a feel-good, faces adversities and obstacles, and in the end our heros triumphs against all odds- type of movie. Like all good sports movies, the women’s basketball team at Immaculata College, comes out of nowhere to win the championship.

Following the tried and true sports formula, the players usually start out without a clue. Nobody knows which basket to but the ball in much less on how to dribble the ball. Inept would be an understatement. But everything changes with the arrival of a new coach, Cathy Rush (Carla Gugino), who painfully whips the girls into shape through her unique style of training and coaching in one season. Did I say miracle?

With little resources, tiny Immaculata College has to go up against much larger schools such as Penn State. Against all odds, Cathy starts to build a winning team. But, along the way, she faces resistance from Mother Superior St. John, played skillfully by Ellen Burnstyn, who is more concerned about whether the school can continue to operate due to financial issues than winning basketball games.

Also, Cathy’s husband, Ed (David Boreanaz), is not thrilled about his wife’s new career choice. He would rather have a stay-at-home wife who is more interested in domestic chores. However, Cathy does find an ally in assistant coach Sister Sunday (Marley Shelton), who is struggling with her calling as a nun. Will the girls win the national championship? Well, obviously there is no surprise to the outcome. The Mighty Macs is based on a true story. In 1972, Immaculata College won the First Women’s Basketball National Championship.

Cathy Rush is a well-known figure in women’s athletics and was elected to the National Hall of Fame in 2008.

Does The Mighty Macs break any new ground? As I have pointed out, there are plenty of sports movies; however, a film about women’s basketball is a rarity. Set in the early 1970s, the Might Macs explores the changing role of women in American society. It is certainly a film about equality and believing in yourself. Many of the girls in this film were told all of their lives what role they were to fulfill in society. It’s as if their lives had already been planned out. Cathy represented a new way of thinking. Or to put it in a different way, she represented female empowerment.

It’s a great message that you can succeed as a woman in life and be the person you were meant to be. I thoroughly enjoyed The Mighty Macs.

Working with a modest budget, Director Tim Chambers has created a film that’s just as good as any big budget studio movie. As for the acting, I found it to be honest and sincere. There’s no question, everyone was putting their best foot forward. The filmmakers have done a solid job of creating what Immaculata College must have looked like in the 1970s. That’s no small task. But what really makes this film work is the authentic re-creation of  games that took place during the first women’s national championship. It looks as good as any action I have ever seen in a sports movie.

I hope you take the time to find this film. It really is that good. The truth is. There’s nothing wrong with a formula movie as long as it’s a good formula. What’s wrong with something being inspiration and uplifting? We can all use a feel-good movie once in a while and especially something with heart and a message about hope and overcoming against all odds

Broken Hill

Each week, approximately 15 movies are released in the Home Video Market in the United States. Most of us would be hard pressed if we recognized two or three of the titles. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about provided you still get your movies at the video store. So what about those other titles? Are they any good?

To be honest with you, most of them are a complete waste of time. You’ll find a lot of horror films with a trail of blood and gore or mindless action films with no plot or character development. But occasionally one or two will emerge from the pack that demands your attention.

Broken Hill is one of those films. This Australian production was released last year and, for the most part, was overlooked. Billed as a coming-of-age romance, Broken Hill is a little movie with a big heart. It may not necessarily be Oscar material, but it does remind us of what we really like about movies in the first place. Sometimes, all we want is an entertaining feel-good tale.

Broken Hill takes place in the Australian outback. A big part of the charm of this film is unquestionably the setting and the beauty of the landscape. Tommy McAlpine (Luke Arnold) is a gifted teenage composer who dreams of being accepted into the prestigious Sydney Conservatorium of Music. But that seems unlikely because Tommy is stuck on his father’s sheep ranch in the middle of nowhere.

His father George (Timothy Hutton) doesn’t see or recognize his son’s gifts and talents. Complicating matters is Kate Rogers (Alexa Vega), a rebellious American teen, who pulls Tommy into a night of vandalism that lands both of them in trouble with the law. Tommy and Kate are sentenced to community service. This is where the story really gets interesting. Tommy has a chance at an audition with the Sydney Conservatorium of Music; however, he needs a band to back him up. Unfortunately, finding musicians in the middle of the Australian outback is a problem.

Hearing about the prospects of a local prison band propels him on his quest. Kate’s not exactly happy about working with hardened inmates. All she wants to do is put in her time for community service and get back to her life. Making Tommy’s job even more difficult is the fact that the prisoners have their own agenda.

Can Tommy whip the band into shape in time and get his shot at the Conservatory or will he be forever stuck on his father’s sheep ranch? And what about Tommy’s father? Why is he so opposed to his son becoming a composer? And can their relationship be restored?

Writer/Director Dagen Merrill introduces a number of subplots. There is a potential love relationship between Tommy and Kate which serves as a coming-of-age story. There is the troubled father/son relationship as well as Kate’s rebellion and the back story concerning her parents.

Broken Hill has won a number of awards, including the top prize from the 2010 International Family Film Festival. The bottom line is this is a solid film. I personally like Australian films. Why? Because there’s just something different and compelling about them. Perhaps it’s the exotic location, the accents, or just because it’s different from the typical Hollywood movie.

These days there’s a lot of talk about family-friendly entertainment. The truth is it’s hard to find a movie that the entire family can sit down and watch together. The good news is Broken Hill contains no offensive or questionable material.

It’s also hard to make everybody happy because although Mom and Dad may like the movie, the kids are probably bored out of their heads. But Broken Hill is one of those rare movies that is engaging, entertaining, speaks to the entire family and, more importantly, is a movie everybody will enjoy and want to watch together. Broken Hill will capture your heart and leave you feeling uplifted and encouraged

The Way

The Way is perhaps one of the most spiritual movies I have seen in some time. The filmmakers describe their film as a powerful and inspirational story about family, friends, and the challenges we face while negotiating this ever-changing and complicated world. I would say they hit those themes straight on the head.

The Way is most certainly a “message” film. But don’t let that scare you or deter you from seeing it. It’s a message we are all living one way or another. This film is about a journey and finding meaning and purpose in life. We are all trying to do that. The Way is a family affair featuring father and son: Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez. Sheen holds down the main acting role while Estevez serves as actor, director, producer and writer.

The premise or idea for the film was inspired when Estevez’s son, Taylor, began a pilgrimage on the Carmino De Santiago. Some call it the “Way of St. James” in which pilgrims began a walk which starts in France and continues for several hundred miles to a massive cathedral ending in Galicia, Spain. The reasons for the pilgrimage is as diverse as the people who take the journey.

Estevez says the movie is meant to be a film that is pro people, pro life and not against anything. The story starts with Thomas Avery (Martin Sheen) an ophthalmologist who lives the good life in California. He learns about the death of his son, Daniel (Emilio Estevez), who dies in the Pyrenees Mountains while he is attempting the walk of Carmino De Santiago. Thomas and Daniel have not seen eye-to-eye over the years. Nor have they spoken in some time. Daniel decided against finishing his doctorate and wanted to see the world. His father obviously objected and couldn’t understand why he wanted to throw a potentially brilliant career away.

After arriving in France, Thomas makes the decision to cremate his son’s body and decided to finish the pilgrimage for his son. Walking the way, he plans to spread Daniel’s ashes along the road. Perhaps, it’s a way for Thomas to reconnect with his son in a way he couldn’t do in life.

On the road, Thomas meets an assortment of characters that are on their pilgrimage’s for one reason or another. Sarah (Deborah Kara Unger) is a Canadian who wants to give up smoking. Joosh (Yorick Van Wageningen ) is from The Netherlands. His reason to walk The Way is to lose weight. Jack (James Nesbitt) is an Irishman who suffers from writer’s block.

At first, Thomas isn’t exactly looking for company. But soon, the four form a community and begin their quest. As the journey continues, it requires each pilgrim to examine his/her motivation and the real reason they are on this walk. Each of our characters may have a stated reason, but the truth is something altogether different. They all are looking for meaning and to make sense of life. The way of Carmino De Santiago is a personal journey, but our characters cannot do it alone. Perhaps, that’s one of the most interesting themes of this film. Our healing is tied to the journey and to community.

As the pilgrims are forced to walk for what amounts to two to three months, they have to come to terms with themselves and with what they really need from this pilgrimage. As I said, this is a spiritual movie. It’s not a religious movie as some of those who participate in the walk do not do it for religious purposes.

People have been making this pilgrimage for nearly a thousand years. The film as well as the walk is about loss, community, faith, and restoration. It’s a powerful film, beautifully shot and photographed. No question, it was a labor of love for both Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez. The crew and the actors had to walk several kilometers to make this film.

If there is one line in the film that would sum up the entire journey, it would be this: “We don’t choose a life. We have to live a life.” Perhaps that’s the real secret behind the entire purpose of the Way of St. Thomas. Maybe the journey teaches us how to embrace and live life to its fullest while at the same time we connect with God in a more meaningful way.

Hugo

Hugo is the type of film that the Academy Awards loves to honor. The Oscars are attracted to epic movies, period pieces, nostalgic stories and movies with a heavy dose of international flavor. And Hugo scores high marks in all of these categories. The film received 11 nominations and won five Academy Awards, including Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography. If you love cinema, especially if you are a film student, you will absolutely love the artistry in Hugo. And I don’t think I have ever seen a movie with better lighting. The cinematography is stunning. Robert Richardson, the Director of Photography, is one of the best in the business and most certainly deserved the Oscar for his work. From a technical perspective, Hugo is a classic example of filmmaking at its best.

Let’s face it, Martin Scorsese, who directed Hugo, is not known as a filmmaker who makes family-friendly entertainment. Scorsese’s movies are usually filled with violence, blood, action and a few gangsters for good measure. You will not find any of that in Hugo. In fact, Hugo is an example of how good a family movie can be. It’s entertaining, uplifting, encouraging, and restores our hope in the human spirit.

Hugo takes place in Paris during the 1930s. The film is based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret, a novel written by Bryan Selznick. Hugo (Asa Butterfield) is a 12 year old boy living within the walls of a Paris railway station. His father is killed in a fire, and he is forced to live with his alcoholic uncle. After his uncle disappears, Hugo continues to maintain the intricate workings of the clocks that run the train station. No one is aware his uncle is missing and that Hugo is taking care of the clocks. He is forced to fend for himself and steals food when the opportunity arrives. As a result, Hugo is terrified by the possibility of being discovered and sent to an orphanage. Gustave (Sacha Baron Cohen), the station inspector, is on a constant lookout for runaway orphans. Gustave also suspects something is not quite right with the station.

Hugo’s only connection to his deceased father is an automaton (a mechanical man) found by his father at the Museum where he worked. Unfortunately, the automaton was damaged in the fire that killed his father. Hugo must steal spare parts in hopes of restoring the mechanical man because he believes the automaton contains a message from his father.

Hugo eventually gets caught stealing by Georges Melies (Ben Kingsley), who operates a toy store at the station. He is forced to work for Melies in order to pay off his debt. Hugo eventually finds an ally in Melies’ granddaughter, Isabella (Chloé Grace Moretz), who becomes his friend and kindred spirit. Together they must unlock the secrets that lie behind the automaton and the possible connection to Georges Melies past.

As I said, Hugo is a delightful film on so many levels. The film pays tribute to the early origins of filmmaking. Although Hugo is a fictional tale, the movie depicts the story of Georges Melies, a pioneer filmmaker who made dozens of films around the turn of the century. Melies’ movie, Voyage to the Moon, considered a groundbreaking movie by many film historians, is featured prominently in Hugo.

I love the way Hugo flows from one scene to another. An easy movie to get swept up in, Hugo is like poetry in motion. Hugo captivates you from the very first frame and transports you to a different place and time. It’s first-class entertainment done on a grand scale.

The themes and message are timeless and connect on a real emotional level. This is positive, family entertainment at its best. Hugo comes highly recommended and is worth every minute of your time.

The Big Year

What passes for comedy in movies these days usually can fit into two categories? They’re either mean-spirited or crude and vulgar. You can find tons of crude sexual humor and a multitude of bathroom jokes in today’s media choices.

Let’s face it. Good comedy is hard to write. Maybe that’s why writers turn to the easy way out and offer up the same ole tired clichés and sexual humor. Good writers understand that audiences want more than insults and demoralizing, hate-filled remarks that are usually directed at body parts. Can we find a movie that goes a different direction ?

One film that deserves a second look is The Big Year. It was released in 2011 and, for the most part, went completely unnoticed. It made only $7 million at the box office. How is that possible with a cast that includes Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson? And here’s the thing. It was actually hilariously funny without being crude and mean-spirited. Yes, we can do better. And The Big Year is a classic example of comedy done right.

The film was based on Howard Franklin’s book, A Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession. Perhaps audiences were confused and thought this was an “Animal Planet” special. Yes, the movie is about bird watching, but, like all good movies, it’s about something more than its subject material.

I know what you’re thinking. How can bird watching be funny and interesting? Director David Frankel of “The Devil Wears Prada” fame offers an interesting story of three men who are at a crossroads in their lives. One is having a mid-life crisis, one a late-life crisis, and the other is pursuing a life-time dream.

Owen Wilson plays Kenny Bostwick, who is the ultimate birder. He holds the world record for observing 732 different bird species in North America in one calendar year. Birders call it “A Big Year” where they follow the bird migrations throughout North America in an attempt to set the record for the most sightings. It’s a scramble to get from one place to another sometimes without any notice. Weather patterns create havoc and keep the birders on their toes. It amounts to a year on the road in hot pursuit of getting there first.

Kenny set the record several years ago but has caught the itch to once again reclaim his fame; however, he has serious competition from amateurs Brad Harris played by Jack Black and Stu Preissler played by Steve Martin. Brad is a thirty-something dreamer wanting to put his mark on the bird-watching community. His father, Raymond Harris, played by the veteran actor Brian Dennehy, thinks his son lacks focus and purpose in life. Their relationship is a source of conflict and frustration for Brad.

Stu, on the other hand, is a successful businessman, who has always dreamed of A Big Year. He has finally decided to retire and pursue his dream; however, his company is determined to pull him back into the corporate world that he’s trying to escape.

All three men are on a journey for the ultimate prize of being the world’s top birder. The challenges are overwhelming. And the mayhem and comedic escapades are just the beginning as these three cross paths. In reality, the film which is billed as a comedy is an allegory for the things that are truly important in life. Some of our characters are going to make choices that will enrich their lives while others will be forced to make sacrifices that could cost them dearly.

It’s a fascinating film. The Big Year was shot mostly on location, and the scenery is breathtaking. So if you love nature, you’re certainly going to appreciate The Big Year. However, you don’t have to be a bird enthusiast or a nature lover to enjoy this film. Who hasn’t wanted to take a year off and purse their dream whatever that may be? And, maybe along the way, you discover a thing or two about yourself. Perhaps, that’s the beauty of this picture. We can all in one way or another put ourselves in the position of Brad, Kenny and Stu. I think we all would like to have A Big Year.

This is a movie you may want to add to your film library. There are plenty of touching moments that will tug at your heart. I love the spirit of The Big Year. Yes it’s funny, delightful, and inspiring. In many ways, it’s an honest reflection of our hopes, dreams, and what we aspire to become as a person.

Take Shelter

I have been accused of loving every movie that plays at the Sundance Film Festival; however, that’s not true. I only review the movies I like, and there are plenty of Sundance films that I don’t review for one reason or another.

Here’s one that definitely is making my list. The film is Take Shelter and it debuted back in January 2011 at the Sundance Film Festival. Take Shelter went on to win high praise not only at Sundance, but it also won the critic’s Grand Prix Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival. It received only a limited release back in the Fall. What a shame.

Take Shelter deserved to be nominated for Best Picture of the Year. If there was any justice at the Academy Awards, it would at least have gotten a nomination. If I had a vote in the Academy, it would have gotten mine. It’s just totally ridiculous that it didn’t make the cut.

Take Shelter is an example of a perfect movie at the perfect time. It provides a commentary on contemporary American life. It absolutely plays on our fears—not necessarily an alien invasion, monsters, or zombies, but the real fear is losing our grip on reality. It also plays on our fear of losing the American Dream or what the movie called losing the “good life”.

We see it in our headlines every day—Global Warming, Economic Meltdown, Talk of War, Iran Obtains Nuclear Weapons, Political Unrest and Potential Terrorist Plots. The reason this film works so well is because on some level most of us believe that some looming disaster is forthcoming, whether it’s economic or environmental. And as a result, the life we now live could be a distant memory. For example, on one recent network, a new show debuted called Doomsday Preppers. The show follows the lives of average Americans who are preparing for some unknown future doomsday event. There’s no doubt that something has changed fundamentally within our society.

Take Shelter explores these themes that have crept into our subconscious that “something bad is going to happen”. The film examines the life of Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon), an average American who is hard-working and loyal, as well as a faithful husband and loving father. Curtis, his wife Samantha (Jessica Chastain) and their deaf daughter Hannah (Tova Stewart) live a quiet life in a small Ohio town.

The family is by no means well off. Curtis has a decent job and lives in a modest home. Family life is good, and his best friend and co-worker, Dewart (Shea Whigham), describes Curtis’s life as “the good life”. Unfortunately, all of that is about to change. Curtis starts to experience apocalyptic visions of a huge storm brewing on the horizon. It produces a brownish type of rain that may very well be toxic in nature. Neither Curtis nor the audience really know whether these visions are projections or premonitions. Is he hallucinating or losing his mind?

To make matters worse, Curtis’ mother started experiencing paranoia in her mid-thirties. He is completely aware of his situation and seeks medical help. He wants to know if the visions are real or if his fears have meaning. As the story develops, Curtis enters into a course of action that could have enormous consequences. He decides to build an expensive bomb shelter in his back yard. His wife and friends are convinced that he is becoming delusional and paranoid. His actions may very well cause him to lose “the good life”.

Take Shelter is a complex film on many levels. First, this film is unusual in its honest look at mental illness and the very things that keep us sane. Second, it plays on our fears of the unknown. In some ways, just like Curtis, we are all trying to hang onto the things that are precious to us.

In the film just as in real life, the loss of a job or the loss of health insurance have serious repercussions, which is a subtle theme running through the film. We are all one or two steps away from utter destruction, and most often we are not in control of our future. After all, isn’t life very fragile? I think each viewer will find something different to take away from this film.

Take Shelter is an utterly frightful film. There’s no blood, no explosions, and no creepy things jumping out at you. When we allow our fears to take control of us, I can think of nothing that is more frightening. Take Shelter is a “must see” film. It will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way to the surprising end. It’s one of those movies that has the ability to spark meaningful conversation.