May 23, 2013
Cinema Therapy
Photo courtesy of ITV Studios
CINEMA THERAPY ‘56 Up’ shows the importance of parenting
“56 Up” is the latest installment in a series that has chronicled the lives of 14 children from England during the course of 42 years. Every seven years, a new documentary is made and distributed by film director Michael Apted. What a shock to see these children/young people become oldsters, now at 56. On the whole, “56 Up” is very interesting because it uniquely chronicles the entire lives of these 14 children. However, the accumulative, las...
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Photo courtesy of Aggregate Films
CINEMA THERAPY ‘Identity Thief’ perfect movie to lose yourself in
In “Identity Thief,” director Seth Gordon has created another comedic look at “Horrible Bosses.” Gordon takes this opportunity to poke a moral finger at the decadent bonuses executives pay themselves while the workers of the corporation make do with mediocre pay. Harold Cornish, the egopathic boss, is played by Jon Favreau, who starred in the unforgettable gem from 1996, “Swingers” (with Vince Vaughn). However, “Identity Thief” is not about ...
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Photos courtesy of Di Bonaventura Pictures
CINEMA THERAPY ‘Side Effects’ a taut, engaging movie
In “Side Effects” Jude Law plays an English-New York psychiatrist, Dr. Jonathan Banks, who is blind-sided by a client, Emily Taylor (Rooney Mara). In this case, it seems the patient is not in control of her behavior because she is on a medication that causes her to commit a crime. Since the strength of the movie depends on the element of mystery, I am not able to comment on the second half of the movie, so will stick to the first half. “Side ...
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Photo courtesy of Headline Pictures
CINEMA THERAPY Hoffman's ‘Quartet’ doesn't hit right note
Dustin Hoffman became famous as “The Graduate,” and now he is graduating from acting into directing with his first movie, “Quartet.” Aging performers, mostly singers, have retired to this lovely old mansion in England that is now a retirement home for performers. How lovely and fortunate to be amongst your peers in your declining years – that is until the love of your life shows up, and it breaks your heart. For Reginald Paget (Tom Courtenay)...
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Photo courtesy of Disarming Films
CINEMA THERAPY ‘West of Memphis’ not worth the long trip
“West of Memphis” is a documentary about three young men who were wrongfully (evidently) convicted of a heinous crime in which three 8-year-old boys were murdered. There seems to be a recurring theme in this movie having to do with ego. The ego is the psychodynamic part of us that decides how we behave. Our ego directs us to be self-defending and self-aggrandizing. You see both in “West of Memphis.” The first area of ego concerns the length o...
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Photo of “Amour” courtesy of Wega Film
CINEMA THERAPY ‘Amour’ not a movie to fall in love with
Well, I guess I can’t complain. After being blown away by “Skyfall” and “The Last Stand” and mesmerized by “The Sessions,” “The Impossible” and “Life of Pi,” I can’t expect to see a great movie every week. I’ve looked forward to seeing “Amour,” since it is being lauded by the press, the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards as being exceptional. “Amour” starts out with a bang as men break through a door to find a deceased woman lying in a bed....
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Photo courtesy of Lionsgate
CINEMA THERAPY ‘The Last Stand’ loaded with action
Arnold Schwarzenegger goes from governor to sheriff in “The Last Stand,” a super-charged, gun and fun, good cop against bad guy movie. “The Last Stand” presents a plot, which can now be called a “genre.” The lone wolf lawman has been a staple of American cinema, including “Shane,” “Billy Jack” and “Walking Tall,” but seldom more spectacularly than in “The Last Stand.” Ray Owens (Schwarzenegger) was in L.A. drug enforcement for five years, but...
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Photo of “The Impossible” courtesy of Apaches Entertainment
CINEMA THERAPY ‘The Impossible’ a moving tragedy
“The Impossible” is the moving story of the survival of one family in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and “Promised Land” is a story that tempts us with heroism but doesn’t deliver. Starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts, “The Impossible” takes us into the moment-by-moment terror of being hit by a tsunami. The day after Christmas in 2004, we wondered what it would be like to be forced into a life survival situation in a foreign land. “What wa...
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Photo of “Parental Guidance” courtesy of Chernin Entertainment
CINEMA THERAPY ‘Parental Guidance’ a great way to learn
“Children do not come with instruction booklets” some cynical parents say, but after you see “Parental Guidance,” you will have the basics on good parenting. Billy Crystal and Bette Midler star in this uproarious family movie. Artie Decker (Crystal) loves being a baseball announcer for a minor league team, but dreams of announcing for the New York Yankees. He and his wife Diane, (Midler) haven’t been the best of grandparents to their daughter...
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Photo courtesy of Working Title Films
‘Les Miserables’ will satisfy music lovers
“Les Miserables” will be opening on Christmas Day, a dream of a Christmas gift many people have anticipated. “Les Mis,” as it has become to be known, contains numerous moving and stirring scenes. The actors, especially Hugh Jackman, bring grandness to the roles that befit a stellar production such as “Les Miserables.” Jean Valjean (Jackman) is a criminal who stole a loaf of bread for his sister’s starving son. He was sentenced to five years ha...
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