**

Higher Ground-sp  Vera Farmiga for her directing debut chose a movie in which she also starred and one that had a background with which she apparently was quite familiar. Having grown up in a fundamentalist community herself, she knew exactly what she was doing when she took on the story written by Carolyn Briggs and Tim Metcalf. It shows two generations of a family steeped in a Christian congregation led by Pastor Bill (Norbet Leo Butz) that prayed and sang to Jesus and all seemed happy and content no matter what happened to them. There certainly was lot of singing and praying on screen. Corrine Walker  (Farmiga) is swept along with this unbending faith as she marries her teenage sweetheart (John Hawkes) whose happy religious contentment is even greater than hers. All the lovely children in the family seem angelic as they are brought along in the fold. Being a believer in this community means more than just praying to God and Jesus. It also means that women have s subservient role and even in their declarations of faith that should never even suggest that they are lecturing or teaching the men.  Subtle doubts in Corrine are exacerbated as her friend develops a brain tumor but she obviously tries to keep her faith. When she begins to doubt, she has to encounter what erupts in her husband.  She can understand the faith that others maintain but will she be able to keep her own? Part of any success of an Independent film such as this one is the propensity of the audience to identify with characters in the film. That will be a stretch for many of modern day Americans even those with a religious tilt. In the end, the theme of doubt may not be even palatable with the hardcore religious groups to bring them into the movie theatres for this one.  (2011)

***

Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness-rm – If you only knew that Solomon Rabinowitz alias Sholem Aleichem had originated the story of Fiddler on the Roof, “that would have been enough.” However this documentary attempts to show how this creative Jewish writer born in Russia in 1860 singularly chose to use Yiddish, which was basically a spoken language of the shtetl and make it a literary form to educate and entertain thousands if not millions of people in Europe and the new world during most of his life time (and beyond). Yiddish was the special language of the Jews consisting of mixture of German, Russian, Hebrew and probably a lot more. It allowed more expression of feelings, especially humor and it was experienced as the language of the people. This fact plus the insight into the struggles and emotions of the people about whom Shloem Aleichem chose to write in a very prolific manner, made his writing very popular. This was the period of time when people living in their small enclaves began to migrate to the cities as well as across the ocean to America. When he died in 1916 there were more than 100,000 people at his funeral in New York which not only was viewed as a tribute to him but as a demonstration of the emerging Jewish culture in the new world.  This documentary while emphasizing his place as a writer and as a Jewish icon also provides some insight into the ups and downs of his life style, which included being a stock market speculator who ultimately failed in his financial dealings. It shows somewhat of a picture of his family life as a dedicated parent although it doesn’t say much about his wife and his marriage.  The visual story is made mostly with archived photos of the people of his time including what seemed to be a repetitive photo of him along with a few video clips- the most riveting being the one from Fiddler. This is an enlightening view of a person about whom so many of us have heard, but don’t really know. If it has not been done yet, a fictionalized version of this story with the details flushed out even more with some imagination, if necessary, will make a fantastic feature film. You can start speculating on who should play the lead. (2011)  

****

The Help-rm   The weekend that we saw this move,  the book on which it is based after 43 weeks reached #1 on the NY Times Best Seller List. Over the past two decades there have only been four books that spent 20 or more weeks on this list before reaching #1. This indicates that there are a good number of the people sitting in movie theatres seeing this picture have probably first read Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel. In our case one of us read it and one didn’t although we both easily agreed on the rating of the film. However, when you have read the book, the characters are more richly developed in your mind and you can more easily follow the storyline. This was especially true such as in this case when the movie, which was written and directed by Tate Taylor, does closely follow the book. Therefore at times important points were briefly made or alluded to, therefore a tad confusing or requiring the imagination of the viewer or the memory of the person who read the book. The story takes place in Jackson, Mississippi circa 1961 and shows that life for the black housekeeper-nanny-maid-cook employed by the gentry white families was certainly separate and definitely not equal in any way. Aibileen (magnificently played by Viola Davis) is one such person who raised a number of the white children in the families of the people that she worked for as did her mother and grandmother but yet is not allowed to use the same bathroom. Her best friend Minnie (Octavia Spencer) is treated like dirt by Hilly, the lady of her house ( played by Bryce Dallas Howard who must have done a great job because we detested her) . It is Skeeter (Emma Stone ) fresh out of college at Old Miss and a budding journalist who loved her own nanny/housekeeper  who raised her and is now mysteriously out of the house but seen in flashbacks (CicelyTyson). Skeeter ultimately has to convince a group of black housekeepers to tells their story so she can write “ The Help.” Her own mother (Allsion Janny) fills in the details for one of the most moving vignettes that reveals the fate of Skeeter’s black nanny. The movie is true to the book in providing insight into the underbelly of genteel living in the deep south of this past generation. It keeps it alive through the depiction of believable characters involved in complex relationships within the context of the times. It is a film well worth seeing. The acting could not be better and the story will be etched in your mind. (2011)

***

Thunder Soul – sp- This is a true story destined to be an American legend. An all black 1970’s Texas High School stage band with a music director, who could have been a professional musician but chose to teach and use music to change young people’s lives, becomes the “best band in the land.” They introduce the rhythms of funk music along with great body movements by the band as they present their powerful sound. They win all kinds of competitions and trophies including the coveted band competition in Alabama. They get invited to play in Europe and Japan where they received acclaim on a par with professional musicians. 30 plus years later filmmaker Mark Landsman is listening to NPR and hears the story of this band and decides he might want to make a documentary about them. He visits the now retired leader Conrad O. Johnson, known as Prof, in Houston and convinces him to tell his story as he constructs a documentary about that historical time in the history of of Kashmere High School and this band. Much to his surprise, he then learns that some of the old band members are planning a surprise reunion concert for old Prof who has had failing health. The film becomes about these now older band members who return to prepare for this get together all with heartfelt stories about how the Prof and the band had been so meaningful to them. There are film clips of the 1970s with many of the band members in full Afros and the band with its full rich sound. These mostly guys and some gals are older, wiser, larger but still remember how to play as they are whipped into musical shape by one of the members who has taken on the leadership role for the reunion concert. The views of the musicians now in their 50s along with the wonderful sound which they can still make is captured quite well. In fact the background soundtrack throughout, even when the band is not seen playing, sets the mood and the joy of the film. There are some wonderful clips of Prof as a younger man and now as his once young charges have returned to pay tribute to him. Jamie Foxx loved the film idea and took on the role of Executive Producer. We only wish that Landsman had chosen to tell us a little more about how the returnees had been impacted by their experience, which they all agreed, had changed their lives. Had any of them become professional musicians? Had they passed on this great musical experience to their children? While we suggested to Landsman that it would be great to see a little of this info in the credits, he felt that it was mainly about the music and the personal stories were secondary. He did drop the tidbit that he is working on a fictional version for a feature film, which I am sure, will be a great opportunity to fill in the blanks in this great story. (2011) 

**

Babette’s Feast- nf-  Somebody mentioned to us that we should catch this 1987 Oscar winner for the best foreign that year. While there was a great scene of the preparation of a French meal , this was not a great feast  for us.  Two sisters live in a remote Danish town. They are the daughter of a minister who has captivated the small group of people who live there and follow his religious teachings even  after he has passed on. The sisters Phillippa   (Hanna Stesgaard) and Marina (Viveke Hastrup) each pass up the opportunity to fall in love with a dashing military officer and opera singer respectively and continue to live in their cloistered community.  A persecuted French women comes to live with them as their cook for 14 years until circumstances lead her to prepare them all a wonderful French meal with wine and all the trimmings. The underlying theme is the spirituality or religiosity that allows them to all  hold on to their values and believe they ultimately will be rewarded.  To us it is ultimately a sad commentary on missed opportunities for relationships, love and realizing your full potential as a person. We didn’t find it moving , although the characters were mildly interesting and the acting and direction under Gabriel Axel was top notch. We obviously have missed something here. As we noted it was chosen best foreign film and we usually find that there are some great films made outside the US. (1987)

***

the Freedom- sp– This is a very important film but it is not yet ready for prime time. The version we were shown is not the final cut as the filmmakers Josh and Rebecca Harrell Tickell are still tweaking this film. We hope it will be pared down a little and the message focused and sharpened.  The premise of this documentary is that there need not be a. hopeless dependency on oil in the United States. The answer is that with determination and fortitude, as was shown by our forefathers in the founding of our country and in dealing with so many other crises, we can free ourselves from the ever increasing obligation and desperate need for foreign oil. Furthermore, that we can do this without doing the “drill baby drill “ thing in our own land and water nor do we have to utilize the ever dangerous nuclear power . The film proclaims that we can  solve our energy problems by primarily using ethanol and other biodegradable energy sources. They attack the arguments that experts have made that say that ethanol takes food away from human, emits more greenhouse gases than gasoline. They show that it can even be made from waste and compared to gasoline is cleaner burning and reduces every single tailpipe emission. They make these type of arguments over and over again and use numerous people such as former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich, as well as US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack and many others.  They make their case that we can do this and that we must do it. So this is an attempt at a strong educational documentary, which basically says we have been misled in this country by the right, the left and mainly by the ever present, ever powerful oil industry. They show how the oil industry argument can be taken apart whether it is made by their expert spokesperson or by a Professor at Cornell who doesn’t really think that Ethanol is the answer. So this is also a call for change, a call for banding together and a call for action. Unfortunately, this is the frustrating part of this movie. Assuming that you buy their argument or most of it, what are we to do? It is fine that we see the filmmakers driving around in their Ethanol burning vehicle. We are briefly told that for $80 we can buy a device for our car that will allow us to use various grades of Ethanol that are now available at some gas stations. This will “probably” be less expensive than regular gas. OK, I want to do it and try it but please tell me more about it and reassure me that it is safe for my car. Let’s start a movement so everyone who sees the film will do this and give us a sticker for our car that says we are part of the new movement (and publicize your film). There is no such energy coming from the film and I couldn’t even find more information about how to do this on their website which at the end of the film said if you want more information go to www.thefreedomfilm.com. The website  has some educational things but is mainly there to  publicize the film . We are also told in the film that we need to grow our own food, use solar energy and this will complement our new use of Ethanol. Jump to their web site – there is no data on joining the new “ Victory Garden Club” movement and no data and charts about costs and savings if we climb aboard with alternate energy. I know this is just a documentary film. It is really one voice against a very strong and persistent voice of the oil industry. However, I feel for the film to be successful it has to fully identify with the movement and try to jump-start the flow to Ethanol, which they claim is essential. For every one person who is moved to action by this movie, they will talk to at least ten people about what they are doing and that is how you get a buzz on the energy front and for this movie.

*****

The Debt-sp – When you start with a plot that has the Israeli mossad tracking down the “Surgeon of Birkenau”  who is in East Berlin working as a fertility gynecologist, you can be pretty sure that you are going to have an exciting movie. Then when you have veteran Academy Award winning actress Helen Mirren  playing the lead along with Jessica Chastain,  an engaging new  actress who has starred in several movies which are coming out over a six month period, it becomes obvious that this is a movie which also deserves your attention. These two outstanding actresses are complimented by Tom Wilkinson, Marton Csokas, Ciaran Hinds and Sam Worthngton  This is a film that will not disappoint. It is thriller with fast action, great tension along with a story that you may think you understand but it will take you for ride and challenge you in an  ethical dilemma which the characters eventually face. Director John Madden expects the audience to be alert and you may miss a few fine points of the plot but in the end you come away still thinking about the story and the repercussions of it. What else can you ask for? (2011)