A well crafted, complex story about fathers and sons; police corruption; blurring lines between right and wrong, guilt and innocence; and the interplay between determinism and human will.  The story begins with a sexy daring motorcyclist for the circus.  With tattoos lining his body, pulsing muscles, and a cigarette continuously hanging out of his mouth, Luke (Ryan Gosling in all his glory) does not strike you as someone who would be so obsessed with a son he just discovered.  The son is the product of a one-night stand with Romina (Eva Mendes), who has noticed that he is back in town and is waiting for him after a performance.  He is intrigued, but she lets him know she is with someone else, and it is only later that he learns of the son, Jason; whereupon, he suddenly wants to be the father he never had.
          So Luke tries to insinuate himself in his son’s life, but this causes problems with Romina’s man, in whose house she and Jason reside.  Luke manages to get a lot of money illegally, purely to support his son, but has no clue about how his intrusion is regarded.  When he goes way over the line with Romina, she lets him know she doesn’t want to see him ever again.  Luke is hurt/enraged, and wants to act out his anger by unwisely continuing the illegal activity, which does not end up well for him.  “If you ride like lightnin’, you crash like thunder”, his friend tells him, prophetically.
          A parallel story is told about a police officer Avery (Bradley Cooper) who becomes a hero when he shoots a criminal and is injured in the process.  Much of the story in the film is about how these two families (Luke and son and Avery and son) are connected, some of which is through conscious planning and conscientious behavior and some is coincidental.  The coincidental part gives a strong sense of determinism about life.  The motivation for compassion likely stems from guilt as much as wanting to do the right thing.
          Cianfrance is masterful in weaving all the elements of the story together into a comprehensive whole, and the 2½ hours fly by with the audience on the edge of their seats.  The ending is surprising in some respects, but sagely does not tie everything up into neat ribbons.  There is relief, but also wonder about what happens to these individuals we have come to know so well.
          The actors are well cast and do the fine story justice.  Other aspects such as the music (Mike Patton) and cinematography (Sean Bobbitt) likewise help make this a must-see film.   Grade:  A

Shin Bet is Israel’s secret service particularly charged with anti-terrorism responsibilities.  It functions alongside two other intelligence services, the Aman (military) and Mossad (foreign), and its head answers directly to Israel’s Prime Minister.  In this documentary, six former heads of the service report on their tenures in Shin Bet and their current views, which take into account insights they gained along the way, and are based upon their experiences in encounters with terrorists, their families, politicians, peacemakers, and government and military officials.  Their spans of service extended from 1981 to 2005, during which time, significant events occurred, such as the Kav Affair, the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and the al-Aqsa Intifada.  The Kav Affair involved terrorists hi-jacking a bus.  The perpetrators were captured, but were tortured and killed without a trial, giving Shin Bet a black mark.  The al-Aqsa Intifada was the second Palestinian uprising against the Israelis, lasting five years and resulting in the deaths of over 4,000 on both sides, as well as some foreigners.
          In 2003, four of the six men in the documentary called upon the Israeli government to enter into talks with the Palestinians and come up with a peace agreement.  One related how he was taken aback when a Palestinian friend pointed out to him that the Palestinians had achieved a victory because “we have made you suffer” [just as we have].  Another observed that “Peace must be built on a system of trust”, not through military confrontations.  He notes that after they bombed the house of a terrorist, the collateral damage from killing innocent people, as well as the backlash that ensued, simply gained them more terrorists to deal with.  Much of their emphasis is on the critical need for enemies to talk together and see their commonalities, as opposed to simply getting riled up and taking military action.  The film ends with the observation that the Israelis could possibly win every battle, but lose the war, unless they pursue a peace treaty.
          The Gatekeepers sheds some light on the recent history of Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, and is especially remarkable in airing second thoughts and regrets of the former Shin Bet heads about their terms of service.  This documentary would be instructive for all, but especially for young people who are political activists, to hear their perspectives.  The film well deserves its nomination for an Academy Award for Best Documentary.
Grade:  A 

The main intent of The Sapphires is to tell the story about four young Aboriginal Australian singers who “make it big” and end up performing for the U.S. troops in Vietnam.  At the forefront is another theme, which is racial discrimination based on color.  I found that aspect of it as moving as the singers’ professional success.   It was shocking to find that at that time, the Aboriginals were considered “flora and fauna”; not human beings.  When they are treated as such in their town, we are pulled back into our own history in the south during that same period, and it reminds us of why the civil rights movement in this country was so essential.  Not that we can rest on our laurels, given that there still remains outrage on the part of some that we have a black President.
          The story of the Sapphire group is an intriguing one to hear; they come from a culture where people do not sugarcoat as much as we do.  The women in this family seem particularly cheeky, and require others to prove themselves first before they’re respected and trusted.  The positive side of this trait is that they are also tough and able to tolerate criticism without withdrawing.  They will even concede a point to the group when they are “voted down.”  For instance, the oldest, Gail (Deborah Mailman), who is something of a mother hen to the others, shows great strength in adapting when she is told that she must give up her position as lead to a younger, better singer.
           One of the strengths of the film, finely executed by the Australian writer-director Wayne Blair, is that the viewer is kept guessing as to how everything is going to turn out.  When Emcee Dave (Chris O’Dowd) rashly offers to be their agent, we do not know whether he is up to his task, whether they can as a group come to agreements, how the women will fare in Vietnam, and so on.  That is, there is enough drama and suspense to make this an entertaining and moving film.  O’Dowd is perfect in the role of Dave with a myriad of qualities, and each of the women has a distinct personality and different life situations.  The actresses (Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, and Miranda Tapsell) are all very fine as well, with beautiful voices.

I recommend this film both for its entertainment value as well as an opportunity for the viewer to be reminded of how irrational and destructive racial prejudice can be.    Grade:  A-

The title of this film is something of a double entendre in that the main character Portia (Tina Fey) works as an admissions officer at Princeton, and the story contains several personal admissions characters make over the course of time.  Portia has worked at Princeton for 16 years, and is vying with another woman, Corinne (Gloria Reuben), to be appointed head after the current chief retires.  Both are hard working, competent women who desperately want the job.
Complications for Portia enter in after John (Paul Rudd) interjects himself into her life, in the interest of seeing that one of his students is accepted.  She is very proper, and tries to maintain objectivity and appropriate boundaries, but he has a special hook that draws her in.  Actually, he has several hooks, and before long, she is emotionally compromised.  As the story plays out, it becomes more and more outrageous, and that is the main problem I had with the movie.  It is too farcical, which detracts from some of the realistic situations and depth of emotions experienced by the characters, devolving into an extended situation comedy.
            Part of the farce involves rather stereotypical portraits of women.  Yes, after a typically rendered cat fight between Portia and Corinne, they do make up and begin to cooperate with one another, which goes against many stereotypes in films.  But Portia is drawn as highly emotional and unable to maintain her professional boundaries—not believable with the way she is portrayed in the beginning.  The story seems to imply that if such a woman is exposed to children and maternal instincts, she will melt every time, setting aside her decision not to have children and compromising her values and professional self.  Portia’s tough mother, played expertly by Lily Tomlin, is another stereotype who melts and suddenly becomes maternal as soon as a man comes into her life. 
            I enjoyed very much two of Director Paul Weitz’ previous films--Being Flynn and About a Boy—and this one is entertaining and even absorbing at times.  There are a number of heartfelt scenes, particularly those involving the two kids, teenager Jeremiah (Nat Wolff) and younger Nelson (Travaris Spears), and the chemistry and skills of Paul Rudd, Tina Fey, and Lily Tomlin are eye-catching.  If the comedic parts had been reined in a bit, I would say the film might have been first-rate.

Grade:  B

Olympus Has Fallen is a rather unbelievable (it better be!) account of the U.S. White House being attacked and the President being held captive by terrorists from North Korea.  They attack from the skies first, then manage to get inside the White House.  That so many airplanes with weapons could get past our security is the first unbelievable part; then, that a single ex-secret serviceman could ward off numerous physical attacks all by himself while generals and other officials are making poor decisions is likewise not credible.  There is enough loud gunfire, soaring music, and tense moments to produce a headache, but somehow the film does maintain a fair amount of suspense.
            Another misfire is the casting, most notably with Aaron Eckhart as the President.  Although he is a good actor, he simply does not come across as presidential.  Nor does Gerard Butler seem much like someone from the secret service.  I would have expected the villain Kang (Rick Yune) to be much more sinister; here, he seems cold, but not particularly ominous and threatening as someone who displays and orders the degree of violence he does.  The brutality shown to the President’s secretary was offensive, and came across more as extended woman bashing than as a serious part of the story.  The rest of the cast is very competent, especially Morgan Freeman in a role that is almost a trademark for him.
            The movie was directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt who have inserted lines that, to me, are absurd.  After the White House has been attacked, who would say to someone involved, “How was your day”?  Or “This has been a rough day, hasn’t it”?  After a kid has been traumatized by murder and mayhem all around him while he is alone, it seems ridiculous to have someone say, “Are you OK?” 
            In my opinion, there is not much to recommend in Olympus Has Fallen.                        Grade:  D

           

      This abstract art-house film is about a man, Dolph Springer (Jack Plotnik), who wakes up one morning to find his beloved dog Paul missing.  He has a nonsensical conversation with his neighbor across the street, who clearly has no understanding of what it means to lose a dog.  The neighbor shows no empathy, and furthermore, denies that he jogs every morning (when he might have seen Paul), even though Dolph has watched him at it time and again.
            The film is about numerous encounters Dolph has in the coming days that make no sense, presumably as a way of indicating how disorienting it is to experience the loss of a pet.  He finds a flyer for pizza delivery on his door, and calls the number—not to order a pizza, but just to talk with the clerk as a way of distracting himself.  The clerk is uncharacteristically sympathetic and sends a complimentary pizza to him.  He is disgusted and throws it in the trash; however, unbeknownst to him is a note inside from the clerk.  When his gardener, who was standing there when the pizza was delivered, sees him throw it away, he retrieves it and reads the note inside, and responds to it as if he were Dolph.  Significant things happen as a result.
           I go through these steps to give an idea of how the story progresses, with seemingly coincidental encounters and mysterious information given.  Gradually, we become aware of an operation behind the scenes, that Dolph’s dog was kidnapped by an organization, Abuse Prevention for Pets, to remind pet owners of how they begin to take for granted important things in their lives, and sometimes only appreciate them after they are gone.  Dolph is told that he will get his dog back; however, a most unfortunate incident occurred, and “Master Chang” (William Fitchner) cannot guarantee results.  He gives Dolph a book he has written, “My Life My Dog My Strength”, which will teach him how to telecommunicate with Paul in his absence.
           The movie continues in the surreal, with an office in which rain is pouring down continuously while workers go about their business, the death and reappearance of Paul’s gardener (Eric Judor), a detective hired by Master Chang collecting strange evidence from Dolph’s home, phone calls from Paul’s neighbor who had vowed to leave and never return, vehicles being painted while the owners are not around, and so on. 
           How much you would enjoy Wrong will be dependent on your capacity to tolerate the surreal and see the humor and truth underlying it.  The director, Quentin Duplieux (Rubber), is impressive in being the director, writer, cinematographer, and editor of the film.

Grade:  C+           

This whimsical tale about aliens from another planet occupying earth and the humans on it is not new, but it is well executed by Andrew Niccol, writer and director, based on Stephanie Meyer’s novel, The Host.   Lead character Melanie (Saoirse Ronan) is a strong young woman who would rather die than give away the ones she loves.  And her strong will keeps her alive enough to have a soul implant, that of ‘Wanderer’, later shortened to ‘Wanda’.  What follows is a sometimes humorous exchange between Melanie and Wanda in the same body, because, unlike most, Melanie is too strong to be erased from the new being.  She is given to a Seeker (Diane Kruger) to keep her on the right path, and this woman follows her every move.
            Melanie and Wanda argue about running away to find Melanie’s brother Jamie (Chandler Canterbury) and boyfriend Jared (Max Irons).  Their dispute ends up in a car accident, whereupon Melanie forces Wanda to strike out across the desert on foot in hopes of locating them.  They do encounter a small band of resistors to the takeover, one of whom is Uncle Jeb (William Hurt).  Some are hostile toward her because, although she looks the same as always, she has the telltale eyes of those who have been treated with soul insertion, so is a liability.  Fortunately, Uncle Jeb still sees her as family, and as head of the clan, he can insist that she stay with them.  Jeb has built an elaborate cave that is hidden from the outside, but large enough to grow fields of wheat inside.
            Conflicts among clan members and between them and the Seekers chasing them keep the excitement going, fueled further by Wanda being attracted to Ian (Jake Abel), while Melanie is still in love with Jared.  In the end, a difficult choice has to be made, and the issue of Melanie/Wanda is resolved.
            Although this is primarily an entertainment film, it does present a philosophical struggle.  The aliens are peaceful and eschew violence (excluding occupying another planet, of course), at least within their own ranks.   They tend to be nice, polite, and follow orders. The film seems to be saying that in order to have that kind of society, people must give up much of their individual identities and submit to external controls.  Having more freedom allows for more conflict—as in Jeb’s clan.  (Although it’s not a democracy, says Jeb to those who think it is; he tells them it’s a benevolent dictatorship).  In the end, Wanda demonstrates that she has learned something from the experience by coming up with a plan that will promote peace.                                                            Grade:  C+

GINGER AND ROSA
            This is a very disturbing story about the cataclysmic events a teenage girl will undergo in the space of a short time.  It is the 60’s when the U.S. and the Soviet Union are having a standoff about nuclear war.  Unfortunately, Ginger (Elle Fanning) is about to have another part of her existence completely torn away.  One potential threat is a metaphor for the other.
            Ginger (Elle Fanning) and Rosa (Alice Englert) grow up together, and in their teens become very close, sharing everything.  Ginger’s mother Natalie (Christina Hendricks) does not think Rosa—who is more “worldly”—is an especially good influence, but without the support of her husband Roland (Alessandro Nivola), lets it go.  Roland does not really support her in this, or in much of anything.  He is a professor, and talks and writes about the freedom of the individual and the responsibility to live by one’s own code of conduct. So he encourages Ginger and Rosa to LIVE, and to live by whatever set of morals they have developed.
            Ginger is a serious young woman with aspirations of being a poet.  She keeps up on current affairs in the world, reads, and thinks.  Rosa is not inclined in that direction, but believes that everything is in God’s hands, so it is best not to try to alter life events.  She feels her responsibility is in being there for the one she has chosen.  These two philosophies of life will come to a head-on collision eventually that will separate the two friends.
            Sally Potter, the writer/director seems to be making a point about different philosophies of life, and how they can profoundly affect the individual.  Similarly, global events can have an impact.  In this case, not only do these two forces come together, they coincide with major events in Ginger’s personal life, and her pain in going through it is palpable.  We get the impression she will be OK.  In this respect, the film is brilliant.  What is lacking is a picture of the outcome in terms of Ginger.  What kind of person does she turn out to be?  I would like to think that these were character-building experiences, because she is so thoughtful, and that she becomes more grounded in herself and her place in the world; whereas presumably Rosa is already in for trouble because of the absence of these experiences and qualities.                                    Grade:  B

Elena is an art film expressing the director’s (Petra Costa) experience of losing her older sister, Elena, a significant and exciting caretaker from the time Petra was born until she was four.  Elena danced with her, played imaginative games, and shared with Petra her aspirations for becoming an actress.
            After Elena left Brazil for New York City to fulfill her dreams of being an actress, she sent back pictures, videos, and personal accounts to the family.  Elena died when Petra was seven years old, and when Petra was 18, she found Elena’s diary.  After reading it, she vowed to make a documentary about her and their relationship and what the loss meant to Petra.  When it came time to gather the information for it, not only did she have Elena’s diary and family pictures and videos, she was able to locate a filmmaker in New York who had footage of Elena performing. 
            These materials form the basis of the visuals in the documentary, with Petra narrating.  The cinematography (Janice D’Avila, Will Etchebehere, and Miguel Vassy) contributes to the story about as much as the words, with images of water, streetlights and shadows at night, close-ups of eyes and faces, and moving collages.  The film is like a painting, with music by Ariel Henrique.
            In the Q&A after the screening, Director Petra Costa spoke movingly about what her sister’s death meant to her, and how she has worked through her grief.  She often spoke to Elena after a wise person said to her that she could always talk to Elena, who would be invisible but would always hear her.  A turning point in Petra’s healing came when she was riding a golf cart on some friends’ property and it dawned on her while “going around in the cart, looking up at the trees, I realize you died forever.”           
            An artistic collage of Elena’s life and Petra’s grief in words, pictures, dance, and music.                                Grade:  B+

The Network is a documentary charting the establishment and development of the largest and most popular television network in Afghanistan, Tolo-TV.  It was initially starts as a radio station in 2004 by the Mohseni family whose interest was in the reconstruction of the country following the defeat of the Taliban in 2001.  They have continued to run it, and what started with less than a 100 employees has grown to 800.  They knew nothing about broadcasting when they started it, and to help it grow into television, they hired many expatriates who were knowledgeable about the television and broadcasting business.  The writer/director of this film, Eva Orner (Taxi to the Dark Side), an Australian, reports she is trying to show how the media can effect social change. 
            The process of hiring Afghan employees has involved teaching and modeling for them a different work ethic than they were used to, along with whatever skills they would need for their positions.  Afghans had to develop a sense of responsibility to show up to work every day and to develop timelines with goals of accomplishment.  Now, they are very proud of the crew they have, and the programs they are able to offer including news, entertainment, and education.  They see themselves as helping to change the culture in a positive way.  For instance, they are continually reinforcing the role of women in their endeavors outside the home.  Another part of their task has been to inform people about their own country, so they have a program called “On the Road” which is something like a travelogue, showing people historical landmarks and other important aspects of their country.  They even sent part of the crew on a trip to the U.S. to show the Afghans what America looks like, and to show Afghans who are living in the U.S.  This trip was very successful, except that two cameramen “escaped” while here and did not return to their country.
            One reason is perhaps that it is so dangerous there.  They never know when a bomb will go off; at one point the television station was caught in the crossfire between the U.S. Embassy and terrorists.  One of their aims also is to inform citizens about the security forces and to reinforce their faith in the police, so they frequently report stories about their successes when possible. 
            A major point of the film is the uncertainty of the future in Afghanistan; many fear that a civil war will break out when the Americans and other expatriates leave.  The hope is that young people have a different perspective from their elders and have become a strong enough force to have an impact on Afghanistan’s future.  Grade:  B