Recent Flicks
Ocean's 12. I liked the remake of Ocean's 11; the sequel got bad reviews but recently I saw that Mr. Ebert liked it do I got it and kept my expectations low. It was fun and had some great cameos.

Harvest Time. (M-SPIFF) Russian film about a family in the years after WWII. The father lost his legs in battle. The mother is the best tractor driver in the collective and goes nuts trying to win each year and thus keep the Red Banner of honor which the mice nibble on and she keeps repairing. One of two brothers (the younger one) is the narrator and it turns out that he died in the war in Afghanistan. (Mental note: research that war as to how it affected the people of the Soviet Union. How many people served and how does the number compare to our current Iraqi involvement?) The film was slow.

Smoke and Mirrors: A Geisha Story. Director Artemis Willis present. Kiharu Nakamura is 80 and lives in Queens (New York City). She is a former Geisha. The film tells her story sort of. It's really more about the relationship between Ms. Willis and Ms. Nakamura. It's a very nice documentary of a relationship and also about the life of a Japanese woman living in New York. There are also some surprises. (Mary didn't like this one as much as I did.)

The Big Bounce. Based on a novel by Elmore Leonard. This is the original from 1969 which I believe is much darker than the current Owen Wilson treatment. Good script and some good performances. The big problem is Ryan O'Neal as the protagonist, Jack Ryan. I'm sorry but he just doesn't fit this part which is sort of a James Dean type (but someone not quite as dynamic).

movies
- posted by Peter Fleck @ Permalink 4:15 PM [to Del.icio.us]