SHAME

I MUST ADMIT - THE MAIN REASON I WANTED TO SEE THIS MOVIE WAS BECAUSE IT IS RATED NC-17. THE SUBJECT MATTER DIDN'T REALLY APPEAL TO ME.  THE APPEAL WAS TWOFOLD:  (1)TO SEE WHAT AN NC-17-RATED MOVIE LOOKS LIKE THESE DAYS; AND (2) TO FINALLY SIT IN A THEATER WITH NO CHILDREN.  I THINK THE LAST NC-17 FILM I SAW WAS "THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE, AND HER LOVER" IN 1989.
I WOULD SAY THAT THIS FILM IS FILLED WITH GRATUITOUS SEX, BUT THAT WOULD BE WRONG.  THE FILM DOES HAVE A LOT OF SEX IN IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE FILM IS ABOUT, SO THAT MAKES IT NON-GRATUITOUS (I GUESS).  ACTUALLY, THERE WEREN'T REALLY THAT MANY SEX SCENES, BUT THE ONES THAT WERE THERE WERE PRETTY GRAPHIC.  AND THERE'S LOTS OF FULL NUDITY, BOTH MALE AND FEMALE.
OTHER THAN THE NUDITY, THERE'S PRETTY MUCH NOTHING MUCH MORE TO AN NC-17 MOVIE THAN YOU CAN SEE EVERY NIGHT ON CABLE TV (ANYONE SEEN "AMERICAN HORROR STORY?").
THAT BEING SAID, "SHAME" IS ABOUT A YOUNG, PROFESSIONAL GUY (BRANDON) WHO SEEMS TO HAVE A LOT GOING FOR HIM.  HE HAS A GOOD JOB IN NEW YORK, LIVES IN A SMALL, BUT ADEQUATE APARTMENT, DRINKS THE BEST TEQUILA, EATS IN THE BEST RESTAURANTS. . . . 
HE SPENDS HIS DAYS AT WORK, AND HIS NIGHTS AT BARS WITH HIS BUDDIES, INCLUDING HIS BOSS, LOOKING FOR THE NEXT ANONYMOUS HOOK UP, SOMETIMES MULTIPLE HOOK-UPS IN THE SAME NIGHT.  HE BRINGS THEM HOME TO HIS APARTMENT (SOMETIMES HOOKERS, SOMETIMES NOT), THEN BOOTS THEM OUT WHEN HE'S DONE.  IT'S A ROUTINE HE'S GOTTEN INTO, WHICH SUITS HIM JUST FINE.  
EVERY RELATIONSHIP IN THIS MOVIE IS DYSFUNCTIONAL.  FROM THE MANY WOMEN BRANDON IS WITH, TO HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH HIS CO-WORKER, AND EVEN HIS BOSS.  BRANDON'S BOSS THINKS BRANDON IS THE GREATEST.  (WHY?  BRANDON ISN'T A VERY LIKEABLE GUY). 
THEN, BRANDON'S SISTER (SISSY) ENTERS THE PICTURE.  YOU GET THE IMPRESSION FROM THE START THAT SISSY IS A LOSER OF A CHICK.  SHE HAS BEEN CALLING AND CALLING BRENDON, BUT HE NEVER TAKES HER CALLS.  WELL, SHE JUST SHOWS UP ONE DAY AT HIS PLACE AND WANTS TO MOVE IN. THEIR FIRST MEETING, WHEN HE SURPRISES HER IN THE SHOWER, IS ON OF THE MORE UNCOMFORTABLE SCENES IN THE FILM.  YOU JUST DON'T STAND THERE TALKING TO YOUR SISTER, HAVE A FULL ON CONVERSATION WHILE SHE'S STANDING THERE COMPLETELY NUDE.  THERE IS A KIND OF PSEUDO-INCESTUOUS THING ON THE VERGE OF HAPPENING, AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN THE MOVIE THAT MADE ME UNCOMFORTABLE, THIS IS IT.  
WELL,SISSY THROWS BRANDON'S WORLD OUT OF KILTER  AND CRAMPS HIS STYLE.  SHE'S A SLOB, HE'S IMPECCABLY NEAT, AND SHE'S ALWAYS AROUND, SO HE CAN'T BRING CHICKS BACK TO HIS COMFORT ZONE.  NOT TO SHE MENTION, SLEPT WITH BRANDON'S BOSS AFTER A NIGHT OUT, AND IS OBSESSING ON HIM (A MARRIED MAN).
HIS FRAGILE PSYCHE CAN'T HANDLE ALL THIS BREAK FROM FAMILIARITY, AND BRANDON'S WORLD STARTS UNRAVELLING.  UNABLE TO SUSTAIN A REAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ANYONE, OBSESSED WITH ANONYMOUS SEX, HE BEGINS SPIRILING DOWN INTO A PSYCHOLOGICAL HELL, DIVING EVEN DEEPER INTO HIS SEX-OBSESSED UNIVERSE.  
OBVIOUSLY HE AND SISSY ARE FROM A SEVERELY DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY.  SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THEIR PAST TO SCREW THEM UP SO BADLY THAT NEITHER ONE IS CAPABLE SHARING ANYTHING ABOUT THEMSELVES.  BUT WE NEVER FIND OUT WHAT THAT WAS.  THERE IS NO BACK STORY TO THEIR SORDID LIVES.
ONE THING I FOUND INTERESTING WAS THE EXTREMELY LONG TAKES IN THE MOVIE.  THE DIRECTOR, STEVE MCQUEEN, DID TAKE AFTER TAKE WITH ONLY ONE CAMERA, OFTEN LASTING THE ENTIRE SCENE.  WITH THE RAPID FIRE STYLE OF A.D.H.D.-INDUCING DIRECTION AND EDITING IN USE TODAY, THIS WAS A STARK CONTRAST.  IT WAS DIFFERENT, BUT I LIKED IT.  
I CAN'T REALLY RECOMMEND THIS FILM, THOUGH.   OTHER THAN SEEING WHAT AN NC-17 MOVIE LOOKS LIKE TODAY, THERE'S NOTHING THAT GOOD ABOUT  "SHAME."  I WAS CURIOUS.  NOW I KNOW. 

J EDGAR

 This Clint Eastwood-directed movie is a pretty simple biopic that explores the personal and professional life of the man who started and led the US Federal Bureau of Investigation from the Hoover administration (no relation), all the way into the Nixon years. 
Hoover built the Bureau based on a hard line approach to communists and radicals he felt were bent on overthrowing the government, as well his my-way-or-the-highway regulations he set for his "G Men." they all had to be physically fit, no facial hair, immaculately dressed, etc. 
He ruled the Bureau with an iron fist, was a pioneer in developing the use of forensic science, and accumulated files on just about every political figure in America, making sure they all stayed under his thumb. 
Then there's Hoover's personal side. Everyone has heard the rumors of him being gay. In an interview, Leonardo DiCaprio (who plays Hoover) said the movie doesn't get into that aspect of his life, but it does. It also paints Hoover as a liar who takes credit for banner accomplishments that his agents should have gotten. And even goes into his mommas boy relationship with his domineering homophobic mother. 
A good, well done movie with nice production value. A pleasant period piece that is engaging to watch. 
If I had a problem with it, it is this: The old man make-up was inconsistent. Sometimes it looked great, but other times, it made the actors look like mummies. Also, DiCaprio's weird accent was distracting. I couldn't tell what it was supposed to be. Sometimes it was there, and sometimes not. 
Eastwood spent a lot of time on one particular incident, while just glazing over others, such as the assassinations of both Kennedys, and the Martin Luther King era. 
I realize, though, that there is an awful lot of subject matter that took place in Hoover's life to give it all equal time, and at at two hours and fifteen minutes, Eastwood crammed in as much as he could without making it a 10 hour mini series, which it could have easily been. 
Overall: Good flick.

THE TREE OF LIFE

I guess I'm one of the ones who doesn't get it.  Well, at least I managed to stay awake for the whole thing.

LIMITLESS

Finally!  A movie that didn't have me checking my watch every fifteen minutes!  I loved this movie.  

Eddie Morra is a "writer" always on the verge of a book deal.  He lives in a dumpy little apartment in NYC, and has no real job.  He never has any money, which is why his girlfriend is breaking up with him.  He was married for a minute or two about ten years ago.  Nothing is going right for Eddie.  

Then he happens to run into his ex-wife's brother on the streets, and he offers Eddie the chance of a lifetime:  Take a pill which will unlock the full capacity of his brain.  OK. . .   Why not?  He's got nothing to lose. . .right?

The problem here is that this "drug" wears off and must be re-taken to maintain its effect, therefore making it as addictive a heroin.  So he takes the drug, and his life takes an immediate u-turn.  Suddenly, he can do things like speak any language fluently after just hearing it spoken. . .  He can play the piano as if he has been studying it for years.  . . .  He know everything about everything.   And he is in demand for his expertise in the corporate world.  He's reconnecting with his girlfriend.  Now everything is going great for Eddie.  Nobody knows his secret.  Or do they?  People around him know something is up, and Eddie has to keep up his facade, keep popping the pills, and make sure his supply never runs out.

I can't really say anything more about the film without giving it away, so I won't.    This movie has everything -- Action, suspense, intrigue, and the perfect balance of humor to keep it moving at a rapid pace.  Never boring and lots of surprises and "ah ha" moments.  Not to mention the eye candy.

So refreshing to see a movie like this after all the duds that have been out lately.

BATTLE: LOS ANGELES

Well this one could have been called BATTLE: FRESNO. There is absolutely nothing about Los Angeles in it except an obvious matte shot of the LA skyline ablaze far away in the distance. No Capitol Records building being demolished. . . . No Tar Pits bubbling with poisonous gas. . . . No crumbling US Bank tower. . . . Nothing. And I will admit, that's probably the only reason I went to see this film. This is the kind of movie I usually avoid.

Every decade or so, Angelenos flock to theaters to delight in seeing the on-screen demise of our beloved city. We had EARTHQUAKE in the 70's, THE TERMINATOR and MIRACLE MILE in the 80's, VOLCANO in the 90's, and now this.

That being said, as the saying goes, "it is what it is." If you're expecting profound drama -- forget it. If you're looking for non-stop blasts -- this is the one for you.

BATTLE: LOS ANGELES is about a sudden alien invasion all over the world, mainly in big cities along the coast. In fact, BATTLE: SANTA MONICA would be a more apt title, since the whole movie takes place there. Well, the aliens (and, yes, you do get to see what they look like) are taking over the cities so quickly that the only defense against them is to evacuate the cities of civilians, and bomb the S out of the area, taking out all the aliens.

Here's where that oh-so-familiar band of rag-tag marines come into play (including the ever-present bad-ass latina). Isn't her name Santos in every one of these?

So their mission is to evacuate everyone from the area in two hours - bomb drop time. And I'm sure you can figure out the rest on your own. Not my cup of tea, but I'm sure if I had a thirteen-year-old kid, he's love it.

It is what it is.

ANIMAL KINGDOM

(Australian)  Talk about your dysfunctional family!  This story opens with the death of 17-year-old Josh's mother.  But he really doesn't seem to care.  He is sitting on their sofa next to his mother's lifeless body, non-chalantly watching Australia's version of Deal Or No Deal, waiting for the paramedics to show up.  When they do, Josh casually mentions that his mother OD'd on heroin.
So off goes Josh to live with his grandmother.  Also living with granny (Smurf) are Josh's four unusually handsome uncles.  None seem to particularly care that their daughter/sister has left the planet.
Well, this is no ordinary family.  This is a family of professional criminals.  They do bank jobs, and granny (Smurf, remember) is the leader of the pack -- the "moll," if you will, conjuring up memories of old James Cagney gangster movies.
THE GODFATHER comes to mind here, too.  The loyalty of the family, the head of the family (like Vito Corleone in THE GODFATHER) the crazy uncle (like Sonny), the wimpy brother who is doing it only because "that's what they do" (like Fredo), and even the young buck drawn into the fold whether he likes it or not (like Michael).
Things quickly go awry when the local cops kill two of the uncles.  Smurf and the gang set out for revenge, a cop gets killed, and Josh becomes a player.  All Josh wants is to be a normal kid.  He even gets a girlfriend..  But now he's in the family business, and has to conduct himself as so.  He has to keep secrets.  He has to participate in the shenanigans.
Meanwhile, the cops know what went down, but have to gather evidence before they can make any arrests..  One of the cops zeros in on Josh to try to get him to crack and spill the beans.
It's a story of who will remain loyal, who can or can't be trusted, and who can outsmart whom -- even within the family.  It even gets to the point where Smurf is willing to "whack" one of her own flesh and blood if need be.
This movie is quirky to be fun, yet serious enough to be disturbing.  It moves along at a brisk pace and keeps you guessing and surprised at what will happen next.  Good movie.  In limited release, it is definitely worth seeing if it is playing anywhere in your area.

BLUE VALENTINE

Someone answer me this question:  Why, when a porn "actor" or "actress" tries to go mainstream, they are scoffed at, ridiculed, and not taken seriously, but when it is the reverse, it is considered art?
In a nutshell, BLUE VALENTINE is about a couple whose relationship has deteriorated into, well, less than zero.  Their story is told through a series of flashbacks, along with the present-day.  They start out in a loving relationship, with, seemingly, a lot of common interests.  But as the years pass by, and with the birth of their daughter, everything goes to hell.  The husband, mover/housepainter Dean,  is unrefined, verbally abusive, and passively aggressive, but he at least sees their problem and tries to put romance back into their lives, but the wife, nurse Cindy, wants nothing to do with him or it.
I didn't find myself rooting for either character, so I didn't really care about what they were going through.
If you like sex in movies -- there's plenty of it here.  In fact, the film was originally rated "NC-17", but the Weinstein Company appealed (and probably greased a few palms), and the rating was changed to the much more money-making "R".
I wasn't shocked by the sex scenes (is anyone really shocked by anything anymore?  Just one click of the mouse, and you can see whatever you want.).  I just don't really like seeing it taken to this extreme in mainstream movies.  Apparently director Derek Cianfrance does.
Director Ridley Scott, when asked why he never has sex scenes in his films, replied "Because sex is boring unless you're the one having it."
So BV is another one of those films that I hate - about miserable people and their miserable lives.  Depressing as hell.  Oh well -- at least no one puked on camera in this one.  But you DO see (and hear) Cindy sitting on the toilet, peeing on a pregnancy test thingy.  Michelle Williams as Best Actress??  Puh-leez!
I'm starting to think all of Ryan Gosling's movies suck.