Category: Reviews: Q-S

Incredibly violent, sexually abusive sci-fi/rogue cop mash-up written by James Cameron. Despite Bigelow’s directorial skill, this future world is way too ugly for us & inadvertently obsolete (everytime characters said “2K” instead of “Y2K,” we groaned). Fiennes & Lewis are OK, but acting by everyone else is way over the top. Click HERE for FF2… Continue reading STRANGE DAYS

Act One: Tikrit. Superb! Act Two: Texas. Very Good! Act Three: Road Trip. Um, unfocused & meandering. We both wanted this heart-felt, well-intentioned film to be better, but still applaud Peirce”s direction & all the acting. No matter what you think about Iraq, we should all realize that sacrifices have not been equally shared. We… Continue reading STOP-LOSS

Not seen by Rich. May NEVER been seen by Rich. Definitely “a chick flick,” & definitely recommended by Jan, even tho PANTS #2 isn”t quite as strong as PANTS #1. Click HERE for FF2 haiku.

Too much of a good thing: Nesher locates his excellent cast in a school for young Orthodox women, where they’re surrounded by the ghosts of prior generations of Kaballah scholars who also walked up & down these same stone steps of Sfat. Add in a murder mystery, fine. But then he went one step too… Continue reading THE SECRETS

Thirtysomething Manhattanite (Linney) puts her own life on hold when her estranged father (Bosco) succumbs to dementia. Caring for him with a brother she knows only slightly better (Hoffman) becomes life-changing for both of them. Jan”s agog, but while Rich loved performances, he found frequent “shifts-of-tone” between comedy & tragedy disorienting. Click HERE for FF2… Continue reading THE SAVAGES

Nair’s first film (made with frequent collaborator screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala) achieved instant acclaim, winning multiple awards worldwide & receiving a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nomination. Bombay street kids survive amidst the squalor and danger of the adult world around them. Click HERE for FF2 haiku.

Sincere drama about a withdrawn man (Bacon) nursing his cancer-striken wife (Hardin). When a kid appears in the life of this childless couples, they take him in, but the story unfolds naturally with strong character development & a well-earned tear-filled ending. Click HERE for FF2 haiku.

Druggie (Hathaway) gets a weekend pass from rehab so she can attend her sister”s wedding. Jan: Film went on & on forever, & 2nd screening added NO new insights. Who ARE these people??? Vague Jewish references never explained amid all the saris, Brazilian Carnival costumes, etc, etc. Rich: OK, it”s not a great film, but… Continue reading RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

Click here to download my JUF News review as a pdf.           FF2 Haiku: “Tru-ish” story of director Weiland’s Bar Mitzvah, ironically scheduled on the same day that Britain became “World Cup” soccer champs in 1966. Jan loved the “Velt mit Veltelekh” (“World within Worlds”) peek into Jewish London circa mid-60s, but Rich thought it… Continue reading Film Review: SIXTY SIX

Romantic tale based on a minor Joseph Conrad novella. Smoldering chemistry between two relatively unknown leads, stalwart support from veterans Kathy Bates & Ian McKellan, & an gorgeous score by John Barry all suffice for the home viewer denied access to the full beautify of the Cornwall coast on wide-screen. More on SWEPT FROM THE… Continue reading Film Review: SWEPT FROM THE SEA

After losing their son to Algerian terrorists, Frank & Madelaine move their daughter Sabine back to France. Years pass, but the bombing still haunts them, especially when Sabine brings home a new Algerian boyfriend. Then Mado dies, and after a period of depression, Frank meets Suzanne. Somehow 2 lyrical halves don”t quite make a whole.… Continue reading Film Review: SUZANNE

Very pregnant forensic psychologist (Swinton) has to decide if a shy teenager (Tamblyn) knowingly murdered her newborn baby while dealing with her own marital issues & worries about a miscarriage. Great acting but plot parallels are a bit too forced. More on STEPHANIE DALEY.

Amsterdam couple meets in 1943 & marries in 1946. In between they’re “sent East” (first the Westerbork Transit Camp, then the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp), thereby, like many Dutch Jews, taking the same path as Anne Frank’s family into the horrors of the Holocaust. Extraordinary doc marvels at human survival strategies. More on STEAL A PENCIL… Continue reading Film Review: STEAL A PENCIL FOR ME

Lots of talent went into this film, but midway thru it loses its nerve & turns too predictable. Cultures clash as a turn-of-the-century musicologist stumbles on the rich folk traditions of the North Carolina mountains. Despite initial hostility, she succeeds in winning the trust of the residents. More on SONGCATCHER.

Keaton & Nicholson play amusing versions of their public selves in this romantic comedy about an aging Peter Pan who finally finds his Wendy. They handle their close-ups with aplomb, inviting the camera to cherish every line & wrinkle. They’re wonderful! Unfortunately, they’re surrounded by name actors playing stock characters… More on SOMETHING’S GOT TO… Continue reading Film Review: SOMETHING’S GOT TO GIVE

Lyonne is the daughter of a divorced father raising 3 kids. Dad (Arkin) is “between jobs” & Aunt Rita (Tomei) is “between fiances,” but Vivian still has to deal with her first bra, her first boyfriend & her 2 teenage brothers. The bittersweet moments are balanced by a deft comic touch. More on THE SLUMS.

Entertaining romantic comedy about a widower whose young son tricks him into pouring his heart out on a nationally broadcast radio talk show. Letters pour in from far & wide, but his true soul-mate is about to marry someone else in Baltimore. Best of several Hanks/Ryan pairings. More on SLEEPLESS.

Slice-of-life drama set in Tbilisi, Georgia, where the characters struggle to adjust to the post-Soviet capitalist economy. A widow who lost her husband in Afghanistan shares an apartment with her mother & her daughter. The grandmother pines for her son Otar who left them to seek his fortune in Paris. More on SINCE OTAR LEFT.

Brilliantly-executed doc digs deep into the dynamics of the 03/04 Broadway season leading up to be one of the most dramatic TONY races in recent memory. TONY-winning producer Berinstein has incredible “insider” access & captures the stress & sweat behind-the-scenes as well as audiences & eye-opening “Greek chorus” of critics. More on SHOWBUSINESS.

Gyllenhaal’s powerhouse performance anchors this grim drama about a drug addict trying to get her life back on track after she’s paroled. Tiny Simpkins plays her daughter, wary of the embrace of an over-eager woman who’s almost a stranger. Gyllenhaal manages to push every button: we weep for her, but also still fear her. More… Continue reading Film Review: SHERRYBABY

Delightful surprise: Screenwriter Audrey Wells took a Japanese charmer & transformed it into an American paean to married love. Gere’s a successful attorney living a “perfect life” with wife Sarandon, but a chance encounter with Lopez leads him to reach out for more. Terrific ensemble cast pulls it all together. More on SHALL WE DANCE?… Continue reading Film Review: SHALL WE DANCE? (2004)

Breillant is known for her intense & provocative psychological dramas in which the sex act is depicted as a power game between warring parties. In this playfully self-referential exercise, Parillaud plays a director manipulating both cast & crew to capture one such moment. Fascinating but also creepy – & appropriately so.  More on SEX IS… Continue reading Film Review: SEX IS COMEDY (SE NES INTIMES)

Charming adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel about 2 sisters adapting to strained circumstances after their father dies. Emma Thompson received an Oscar for her screenplay & also plays the lead. Kate Winslett received her first nomination as the younger sister. Ang Lee’s sensitive direction was completely overlooked by the Academy. More on SENSE & SENSIBILITY.… Continue reading Film Review: SENSE & SENSIBILITY

Lee’s family hides its demons behind a perfect surface. Then she (Gyllenhaal) meets a man (Spader) who not only sees but comments on her every flaw. Exposure exhilarates her. Meanwhile, of course, he’s got problems of his own. Beautifully stylized, highly erotic, psychologically acute “romantic comedy.” NOTE: Adults only! More on SECRETARY.

Another triumphant performance by Polley as a withdrawn woman slow to reveal the trauma buried away in her past. Writer/director Coixet develops characters who are deeply engaging: we want to know their secrets & we’re shocked & sad when the answers eventually pour forth. Patience well rewarded! More on THE SECRET LIFE OF WORDS.

“Ma” (Chen) is a Chinese-speaking widow locked in her Flushing enclave. “Wil” (Krusiec), her American-born daughter, is a doctor (great!) & a lesbian (oops!). Then Ma gets pregnant, her patriarchal father expels her, & she moves into Wil’s Manhattan apartment. Charming film: feminist/humanist messages artfully placed with warmth & humor. More on SAVING FACE.