Vicky Christina Barcelona
by Eddie Applefeld
Believe it or not, Woody Allen is 72 years old. In my opinion he is still making great movies. I will admit my definition of great may be a bit different from yours in this context. First of all, in his case it might depend on what you think of him as a person.
His latest film is Vicky Christina Barcelona, which he wrote and directed. This film is about two best girlfriends (Scarlett Johannson and Rebecca Hall) who go to Barcelona Spain on holiday. They expect to enjoy the scenery and wine. They never expected to get involved with the same bohemian painter, played by oscar winner Javier Bardem. For Miss Johannson this is her third Woody Allen film. The other main characters are played by Patricia Clarkson and Penelope Cruz.
The scenery is indeed lovely. Woody gives us many shots of the land and museums, the script is well written, as his generally are and the acting is superb. Combine them, together and you have the potential for a very good film. Some people however have found it slow. My biggest problem was with the narrator. Are they necessary at all in any film? But even that wasn't a big deal for me.
As I said, I liked the film and will recommend it. It is not for kids; you know, those who think a good film consists of as many special effects as you can cram into two hours. The rating is PG-13.
Bottle Shock
by Eddie Applefeld
If you don't have a craving for a glass of wine after seeing the film Bottle Shock, then you obviously must have missed something while watching. Go back and see it again. The title comes from a term in the wine industry having to do with wine that can be damaged in transit, get it, bottle shock. If this film reminds you a bit of Sideways, another wine themed film, that's okay, it will only help the film at the box office.
Bottle Shock is set in Napa Valley California in 1976, the year a major blind wine tasting competition was held in Paris. By the way, by blind I mean the judges have no idea what they're tasting. It was assumed the French wines would win it all. No plot leaks from me.
The way the film is shot it is indeed a postcard for Napa, with many beautiful shots of the vineyards and the landscapes. I have never been to this region, but those who have come back with marvelous tales of its beauty.
The story is actually based, loosely I might add, on a true story. But in Hollywood-speak that means only the very rudimentary details are left in tack. The writers aren't making a documentary. Hopefully they're writing a script people will want to see on the screen.
The featured actors are Alan Rickman, who gained fame from the first Die Hard film. He plays a snooty Parisian wine merchant. He puts the competition together. Also featured are Bill Pullman (as the vineyards' owner), Dennis Farina and Chris Penn (Bill's hippie-like son).
I don't think the film will make a lot of money. For one thing it's being distributed by a small studio, and for another, the subject matter may not attract that huge audience that will go see The Dark Knight three times. This word of advice before you go to see it, be sure to pick a place to go after the film for a glass of wine. It's rated PG-13.
The Dark Knight
by Eddie Applefeld
Okay movie fans, it's finally here and it is making a bloody fortune. What was that box office receipt number for the opening weekend, something like 122 million. The film is The Dark Knight, the first in the Batman series without his name in the title, and indeed it is dark. Made dark by the performance of Heath Ledger, who as you probably know, died of an accidental drug overdose in January. His performance has been receiving raves, and after seeing the film I can see why. He puts the menace into menacing. I think it is too early to talk about an oscar, as some critics have already mentioned that possibility.
If truth be known, when he is on the screen the film really pops to life. Not that it is lethargic in anyway, but his interpretation of the role of The Joker drives the action. This is the rare case of an audience being happy to see a certain character. His performance reminded me, in a way, of Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs.
To combat this threat to Gotham, our caped hero Batman, played again by Christian Bale (who by the way was just recently arrested, and later released, for abuse charges) joins forces with the District Attorney, played by Aaron Eckhart, and with the Assistant Police Commissioner, played by Gary Oldham. At first the Joker is too much even for all of them. But how long can that last? In the end, justice will prevail.
The cast consists of some big Hollywood names. There's Morgan Freeman, who seems to be in every third film I see, Michael Caine, another actor who loves to work and Maggie Gyllenhaal, who plays Batman's love interest. The director is Christopher Dolan who directed Batman Begins.
The film offers plenty of action. The opening scene for example begins with a bank heist. There are also plenty of those ever present special effects which populate most summer movies. The rating is PG-13 and I can recommend the film.
