Today I saw Pain and Glory, starring Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz.
Salvador (Banderas) is an aging film director who is suffering a rapid decline in health. Through a series of events, he looks back on his life—both with fondness and regret—over many of the choices he's made.
I seldom look at the time during Pedro Almodovar films, but I'm sad to say that I did during this one.
Though Banderas is wonderful in the role, it feels like we're watching a dreary loop of his past, which is both easy to anticipate and anticlimactic to experience.
It's easy to see that Almodovar wanted to cover big themes (as he usually tends to do), addressing desire, betrayal, death, etc. but he approaches it with a frustratingly slow pace, which does no favors for the audience's attention span.
The pockets of humor were well-executed, but too far and few between to keep the overall vibe light enough.
A disappointing result from such a talented team of filmmakers.
~~~
Showing posts with label gay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gay. Show all posts
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Love, Simon
Today I saw Love, Simon, starring Nick Robinson and Logan Miller.
Simon (Robinson) is a closeted gay high school student, scared to come out to his friends and family. He begins a secret correspondence with another closeted gay student and all is well until their emails become intercepted.
Without knowing each other's identity, they can't meet in person—at least not yet—and it's a race to keep the one person in-the-know from spilling the beans on both of them.
Simon is incredibly likable—he's a sweet older brother to his only sister, respectful to his parents and teachers, and genuine with his close-knit group of friends. He's someone everyone wants to be around, which is why it's so painful to watch him grapple with this dilemma alone.
In fact, what's very refreshing about the film is that nearly everyone (save for the "interceptor" and a few childish a-holes at school) is likable. We aren't hit over the head with hate, though there are prominent race and LGBTQ themes throughout the movie. As a viewer, I very much appreciated that.
Also refreshing are lighthearted scenes (one involving a Whitney Houston song is especially lovely) that are peppered throughout to keep it from feeling like an After School Special™or heavy drama.
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll cheer—you'll very much enjoy this movie if you go see it!
~~~
Simon (Robinson) is a closeted gay high school student, scared to come out to his friends and family. He begins a secret correspondence with another closeted gay student and all is well until their emails become intercepted.
Without knowing each other's identity, they can't meet in person—at least not yet—and it's a race to keep the one person in-the-know from spilling the beans on both of them.
Simon is incredibly likable—he's a sweet older brother to his only sister, respectful to his parents and teachers, and genuine with his close-knit group of friends. He's someone everyone wants to be around, which is why it's so painful to watch him grapple with this dilemma alone.
In fact, what's very refreshing about the film is that nearly everyone (save for the "interceptor" and a few childish a-holes at school) is likable. We aren't hit over the head with hate, though there are prominent race and LGBTQ themes throughout the movie. As a viewer, I very much appreciated that.
Also refreshing are lighthearted scenes (one involving a Whitney Houston song is especially lovely) that are peppered throughout to keep it from feeling like an After School Special™or heavy drama.
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll cheer—you'll very much enjoy this movie if you go see it!
~~~
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Love is Strange
Tonight I saw Love is Strange, starring John Lithgow and Marisa Tomei.
Ben (Lithgow) has loved George (Alfred Molina) for nearly 40 years. When we meet them, it's their wedding day; a joyous occasion celebrated intimately with close friends and family. A short time later, we see them gathered with the same group of people for a more somber reason: George has lost his job.
As a longtime music teacher in a faith-based school, the higher-ups can no longer ignore his homosexuality and let him go. As a result he and Ben have to find someplace to live, but the only one of their loved ones that has a spare room lives over two hours away, so they must split up.
George remains close to their prior home with friends, sleeping on their living room couch; Ben moves in with his nephew and his family, bunking with his grandnephew, teenage Joey. It's not an ideal situation, but they appreciate the kindness they are shown and do their best to be good houseguests.
Life goes on, but the strain is hard on everyone including Kate (Tomei) who can't focus on her writing with her houseguest always around. And poor George, who can't sleep because his hosts like to perpetually party.
At first, it feels like the film isn't really going anywhere, it's slow pace begging to be accelerated, but when it nears the end, your heart is undeniably full.
The touching performance by Lithgow, complemented by the conflict reflected in Tomei's eyes make you ache for a better solution for all of them. It's a cast of likeable, humble characters just trying to get through life's injustices without feeling sorry for themselves.
They're doing the best they can with the bad hand they've been dealt and that's a feeling I suspect all of us have had at one time or another.
It's also a lesson to keep love close to your heart if you're lucky enough to find it.
~~~
Ben (Lithgow) has loved George (Alfred Molina) for nearly 40 years. When we meet them, it's their wedding day; a joyous occasion celebrated intimately with close friends and family. A short time later, we see them gathered with the same group of people for a more somber reason: George has lost his job.
As a longtime music teacher in a faith-based school, the higher-ups can no longer ignore his homosexuality and let him go. As a result he and Ben have to find someplace to live, but the only one of their loved ones that has a spare room lives over two hours away, so they must split up.
George remains close to their prior home with friends, sleeping on their living room couch; Ben moves in with his nephew and his family, bunking with his grandnephew, teenage Joey. It's not an ideal situation, but they appreciate the kindness they are shown and do their best to be good houseguests.
Life goes on, but the strain is hard on everyone including Kate (Tomei) who can't focus on her writing with her houseguest always around. And poor George, who can't sleep because his hosts like to perpetually party.
At first, it feels like the film isn't really going anywhere, it's slow pace begging to be accelerated, but when it nears the end, your heart is undeniably full.
The touching performance by Lithgow, complemented by the conflict reflected in Tomei's eyes make you ache for a better solution for all of them. It's a cast of likeable, humble characters just trying to get through life's injustices without feeling sorry for themselves.
They're doing the best they can with the bad hand they've been dealt and that's a feeling I suspect all of us have had at one time or another.
It's also a lesson to keep love close to your heart if you're lucky enough to find it.
~~~
Monday, October 15, 2012
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This morning I saw The Perks of Being a Wallflower, starring Logan Lerman and Emma Watson.
Charlie (Lerman) longs for companionship because something in his past caused him to shut down socially.
Sam (Watson) made many mistakes in her past, but has found solace in her friends and her bestie stepbrother Patrick (Ezra Miller).
When Patrick befriends Charlie, Sam is the one who brings him out of his shell, which causes Charlie to fall in love with her. Of course, as in any teenage story, Sam already has her eyes on another guy, so they just remain friends.
Charlie loves his new life, though his past never stops fully haunting him. The remainder of the film lets the audience navigate this brave new world with him—and its inevitable road bumps.
What's so refreshing about the wonderful script that Stephen Chbosky (who also wrote the novel) has created is that it's painfully realistic.
There are major themes explored in this film—virginity, bullying, homophobia, child abuse, accident trauma and promiscuity, just to name a few. But none of these overwhelming topics ever cloud the story or its progress. The lives of these characters just keep moving along as they would if they were living, breathing souls.
It doesn't hurt that the cast is phenomenal.
Logan Lerman has eyes so sweet, you'll ache for his every setback
Charlie (Lerman) longs for companionship because something in his past caused him to shut down socially.
Sam (Watson) made many mistakes in her past, but has found solace in her friends and her bestie stepbrother Patrick (Ezra Miller).
When Patrick befriends Charlie, Sam is the one who brings him out of his shell, which causes Charlie to fall in love with her. Of course, as in any teenage story, Sam already has her eyes on another guy, so they just remain friends.
Charlie loves his new life, though his past never stops fully haunting him. The remainder of the film lets the audience navigate this brave new world with him—and its inevitable road bumps.
What's so refreshing about the wonderful script that Stephen Chbosky (who also wrote the novel) has created is that it's painfully realistic.
There are major themes explored in this film—virginity, bullying, homophobia, child abuse, accident trauma and promiscuity, just to name a few. But none of these overwhelming topics ever cloud the story or its progress. The lives of these characters just keep moving along as they would if they were living, breathing souls.
It doesn't hurt that the cast is phenomenal.
Logan Lerman has eyes so sweet, you'll ache for his every setback
Saturday, September 03, 2011
Beginners
Today I saw Beginners, starring Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer.
Oliver (McGregor) is pushing 40 when his father, Hal (Plummer), tells him that he's gay, and he's known he was gay since he was 13 despite his marriage to Oliver's mother, which lasted until her passing.
Instead of freaking out or distancing himself from his dad, Oliver embraces this new knowledge and accepts his father's new lifestyle, along with his much younger boyfriend.
Unfortunately, he also has to deal with the news that his father is ill—so the limited time they have together makes his questions rise to the surface probably faster than they would have otherwise.
Depressing? Uh-huh. Stories about loss usually are sad, and this one definitely qualifies despite its attempts at momentary lapses of light.
The film jumps around between present day, flashbacks, voiceover and dog subtitles. Yes, dog subtitles. And instead of finding the high maintenance Jack Russell "Arthur" adorable (like many surely did), I found him to be terribly annoying.
The quirky bits don't really have a place in this melancholy drama, which at the heart of the script is really only about loss. Loss of family, loss of love, loss of innocence.
And despite the actors' phenomenal performances, the slow pace and the tragic topics at every turn made this film a somewhat unpleasant experience to witness.
Just one of the story arcs would've been enough to keep me interested, and I wish the writer (who based this on his own life experience) had chosen to approach it that way instead.
~~~
Oliver (McGregor) is pushing 40 when his father, Hal (Plummer), tells him that he's gay, and he's known he was gay since he was 13 despite his marriage to Oliver's mother, which lasted until her passing.
Instead of freaking out or distancing himself from his dad, Oliver embraces this new knowledge and accepts his father's new lifestyle, along with his much younger boyfriend.
Unfortunately, he also has to deal with the news that his father is ill—so the limited time they have together makes his questions rise to the surface probably faster than they would have otherwise.
Depressing? Uh-huh. Stories about loss usually are sad, and this one definitely qualifies despite its attempts at momentary lapses of light.
The film jumps around between present day, flashbacks, voiceover and dog subtitles. Yes, dog subtitles. And instead of finding the high maintenance Jack Russell "Arthur" adorable (like many surely did), I found him to be terribly annoying.
The quirky bits don't really have a place in this melancholy drama, which at the heart of the script is really only about loss. Loss of family, loss of love, loss of innocence.
And despite the actors' phenomenal performances, the slow pace and the tragic topics at every turn made this film a somewhat unpleasant experience to witness.
Just one of the story arcs would've been enough to keep me interested, and I wish the writer (who based this on his own life experience) had chosen to approach it that way instead.
~~~
Saturday, December 26, 2009
A Single Man
This afternoon I saw A Single Man, starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore.
George (Firth) is a British gay English professor teaching at California's Stanford University. It's the early 60s and he's arrived at a time in his life where he no longer finds it worth living. For eight years he's mourned the loss of his lover Jim (Matthew Goode) whom we meet in flashbacks.
It seems the only people who care for George are his friend Charley (Moore), who has spent their friendship wishing he was straight; and Kenny (Nicholas Hoult), a nosy student who seems genuinely concerned about him. And attracted to him.
We follow George through memories of happier times and through the rituals that one endures when they're preparing to end their life: getting the affairs in order, writing goodbye letters, saying nice things to those around them perhaps to show the compassion they felt they were never given.
He spends one last night with Charley, and then sparked by a warm memory, decides to have a drink at the local bar where he met Jim. Following close behind him is Kenny, who he decides to spend the evening with.
Before I go any further, I have to state that all of these scenes play out in quiet, muted tones until something in the character ignites and the color on the screen pops to illustrate it. This could be annoying if not done well, but Director Tom Ford, fashion phenom, happens to know color. It's a technique that not all could use, but he uses it well.
Also to note is the absolute perfect casting Ford found in Colin Firth. Just as convincingly as he usually plays a handsome heterosexual suitor, here he is most certainly a gay college professor with an appetite for only men. It may just be the role of his career.
Not to be understated is the pitch-perfect performance by Julianne Moore and the mature turn of roles for About a Boy's Nicholas Hoult. He's still a fantastic actor, but now instead of being awkward and pudgy, he's handsome, chiseled and...nude. After getting past the same mannerisms he had as a child, it's not hard to see him as a completely grown-up (hot) young man.
This field trip of pain isn't exactly the most pleasant thing to watch, but it's also not as dark as it could have been. Sometimes it's a comfort to see a film where humans just simply act human.
George (Firth) is a British gay English professor teaching at California's Stanford University. It's the early 60s and he's arrived at a time in his life where he no longer finds it worth living. For eight years he's mourned the loss of his lover Jim (Matthew Goode) whom we meet in flashbacks.
It seems the only people who care for George are his friend Charley (Moore), who has spent their friendship wishing he was straight; and Kenny (Nicholas Hoult), a nosy student who seems genuinely concerned about him. And attracted to him.
We follow George through memories of happier times and through the rituals that one endures when they're preparing to end their life: getting the affairs in order, writing goodbye letters, saying nice things to those around them perhaps to show the compassion they felt they were never given.
He spends one last night with Charley, and then sparked by a warm memory, decides to have a drink at the local bar where he met Jim. Following close behind him is Kenny, who he decides to spend the evening with.
Before I go any further, I have to state that all of these scenes play out in quiet, muted tones until something in the character ignites and the color on the screen pops to illustrate it. This could be annoying if not done well, but Director Tom Ford, fashion phenom, happens to know color. It's a technique that not all could use, but he uses it well.
Also to note is the absolute perfect casting Ford found in Colin Firth. Just as convincingly as he usually plays a handsome heterosexual suitor, here he is most certainly a gay college professor with an appetite for only men. It may just be the role of his career.
Not to be understated is the pitch-perfect performance by Julianne Moore and the mature turn of roles for About a Boy's Nicholas Hoult. He's still a fantastic actor, but now instead of being awkward and pudgy, he's handsome, chiseled and...nude. After getting past the same mannerisms he had as a child, it's not hard to see him as a completely grown-up (hot) young man.
This field trip of pain isn't exactly the most pleasant thing to watch, but it's also not as dark as it could have been. Sometimes it's a comfort to see a film where humans just simply act human.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Monday, September 11, 2006
Saint of 9/11
Tonight I saw Saint of 9/11, a documentary about FDNY Chaplain Mychal Judge.
I attended a special screening made up of movie club members and guests from our own Seattle PD. I'm convinced it was the best possible way I could've spent the 5th anniversary of the attack on our country. 'Anniversary' is the wrong word, but I'm at a loss for a good synonym on this somber night.
The mood was quiet before the movie began. It might have been my imagination, but I'll swear people were more polite as they were searching for seats and settling in. The SIFF representative welcomed the audience, said a few words (folks clapped for our guests from the PD) and the lights went down. Not one peep of noise was heard for the next 95 minutes.
Father Mychal Judge was an Irish boy that grew up in New York. His father died at a young age and he and his two sisters were raised by his mother. He was always a life-loving, kind, sweet soul.
At a young age, he knew his calling was to serve God, so he began religious studies in the Franciscan order. After he became a priest, he struggled with alcoholism and his sexual orientation.
He remained a closeted homosexual out of respect for the church that he so loved, but trusted his close friends and associates with the truth. Over time, he became more open about his sexuality because he realized it humanized him in the eyes of the people.
Anecodotes and stories about his life were provided by friends, churchgoers, firefighters, politicians, priests, nuns and street people. Gay and straight, black and white. All of them mentioned his kind spirit, his sense of humor and his compassion for the poor.
An AIDS activist remembered how sad it was when the virus was still an unknown killer in the early 80s. Victims of it were isolated by friends and family in their final days for fear of spreading or catching it. Father Judge visited all of them, without protective masks or gloves and even kissed them and massaged their feet. He administered the Last Rites to dying homosexuals and spoke at their funerals with tenderness and pride for their accomplishments in life.
He was a loyal member of Alcoholics Anonymous and was 23 years sober when he was laid to rest.
He counseled families for months following the airplane crash of flight 800.
He worshiped with the gay Catholic group 'Dignity.'
He acquired winter coats for the homeless each year by persuading shop owners to give him discounts or not charge him at all, and delivered them in his official FDNY vehicle.
This hero was the first recorded death in New York City on September 11, 2001.
Footage of his September 10, 2001 sermon is played throughout the film and prior readings are told by narrator Ian McKellan.
Father Judge spoke of God's Kingdom of Heaven becoming bright with beautiful souls after devastating tragedies that capture many good lives all at once.
I can think of no one more deserving for the title of Saint than Father Mychal Judge.
I attended a special screening made up of movie club members and guests from our own Seattle PD. I'm convinced it was the best possible way I could've spent the 5th anniversary of the attack on our country. 'Anniversary' is the wrong word, but I'm at a loss for a good synonym on this somber night.
The mood was quiet before the movie began. It might have been my imagination, but I'll swear people were more polite as they were searching for seats and settling in. The SIFF representative welcomed the audience, said a few words (folks clapped for our guests from the PD) and the lights went down. Not one peep of noise was heard for the next 95 minutes.
Father Mychal Judge was an Irish boy that grew up in New York. His father died at a young age and he and his two sisters were raised by his mother. He was always a life-loving, kind, sweet soul.
At a young age, he knew his calling was to serve God, so he began religious studies in the Franciscan order. After he became a priest, he struggled with alcoholism and his sexual orientation.
He remained a closeted homosexual out of respect for the church that he so loved, but trusted his close friends and associates with the truth. Over time, he became more open about his sexuality because he realized it humanized him in the eyes of the people.
Anecodotes and stories about his life were provided by friends, churchgoers, firefighters, politicians, priests, nuns and street people. Gay and straight, black and white. All of them mentioned his kind spirit, his sense of humor and his compassion for the poor.
An AIDS activist remembered how sad it was when the virus was still an unknown killer in the early 80s. Victims of it were isolated by friends and family in their final days for fear of spreading or catching it. Father Judge visited all of them, without protective masks or gloves and even kissed them and massaged their feet. He administered the Last Rites to dying homosexuals and spoke at their funerals with tenderness and pride for their accomplishments in life.
He was a loyal member of Alcoholics Anonymous and was 23 years sober when he was laid to rest.
He counseled families for months following the airplane crash of flight 800.
He worshiped with the gay Catholic group 'Dignity.'
He acquired winter coats for the homeless each year by persuading shop owners to give him discounts or not charge him at all, and delivered them in his official FDNY vehicle.
This hero was the first recorded death in New York City on September 11, 2001.
Footage of his September 10, 2001 sermon is played throughout the film and prior readings are told by narrator Ian McKellan.
Father Judge spoke of God's Kingdom of Heaven becoming bright with beautiful souls after devastating tragedies that capture many good lives all at once.
I can think of no one more deserving for the title of Saint than Father Mychal Judge.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)