Written and directed by Woody Allen

With Alec Baldwin, Woody Allen, Judy Davis, Roberto Begnini, Penelope Cruz,

Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig, Ellen Page, Alison Pill, Flavio Parenti, Alessandro
Tiberi, Flavio Armilato

Fortunately, some things never change. Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love” is undeniably old school Woody Allen. Sillier than last year’s “Midnight in Paris” and lighter than a feather this film has his requisite neurotics, fantasy fulfillments, and existential angst. And Rome never looked more gorgeous and sun kissed.

There are four stories that are unconnected to one another. They even occur in different time frames. But everything hangs together.

Antonio (Alessandro Tiberi) and Milly (Alessandra Mastroandi) are attractive but slightly boring

newlyweds having just arrived to enjoy the pleasures of the Eternal City. They become involved in a tangle of farcical situations when Milly loses her cell phone and are forced to become unfaithful to one another..  Anna (Penelope Cruz), a high/low class hooker, adds hilarity and spice to their scenario.

Jack (Jesse Eisenberg channeling Woody Allen), is an anxious New York architecture student. His girlfriend Sally (Greta Gerwig) is a pleasant but unexciting woman. Her young actress friend Monica (Ellen Page) appears on the scene and Sally invites her to stay with them. 

Monica is a self absorbed, pretentious, narcissist woman who is catnip to Jack. Jack is followed by John (Alec Baldwin), an architect reliving his own time as an architecture student in Rome. He is a cynical voice of reason, popping up to give his opinion to Jack whenever Jack is tempted by Monica.

Then there are New Yorkers Jerry (Woody Allen) and Phyllis (Judy Davis), who have come to meet their daughter Hayle’s (Alison Pill) Italian fiancé, Michelangelo (Flavio Paretti), and his parents.  Crazy stuff happens. Jerry is a retired opera director who happens to hear Michelangelo’s mortician father, Giancarlo (Fabio Armilato) singing in the shower. He decides the man has an extraordinary operatic voice and decides he wants to promote him. However, Giancarlo can only sing while showering.Jerry comes up with a madcap solution to this problem.

The other story involves Leopoldo (Roberto Begnini), an everyman who becomes a celebrity overnight. Literally. Instantly he is hounded by paparazzi, appears on talk shows, is pursued by gorgeous women, is asked what he eats for breakfast (toast and jam). Everyone is awestruck and hangs on his every  mundane word.

The acting in this romp could not be better. Everyone is a bit of a caricature, which is intended. Fabio Armilato is a true Italian opera star. His singing is glorious. No one is as funny as the loose-limbed and bewildered Roberto Begnini as he tries to evade legions of fans and photographers. Alec Baldwin is great as the solid, avuncular voice of reason as he makes his remarks to Jesse Eisenberg. The cast are all very fine comic actors.

Woody Allen’s work often borders on the ridiculous. His witty situations in film are legend by now. It is all pretty frivolous; it is lots of fun with picturesque escapism galore. If Rome is not in your travel plans, “To Rome with Love” will whisk you there. Cappuccino, anybody?

Moonrise Kingdom

Directed by Wes Anderson

Written by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola

With Jared Gillman, Kara Howard, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Bruce Willis, Harvey Keitel, and Tilda Swinton

“Moonrise Kingdom” is an enchanted love story about a pair of offbeat 12-year-olds who attempt to create their own paradise of purity and goodness, away from the pettiness of the adults in their lives.

Director Wes Anderson, known for his films about people who don’t fit in, is a film industry cult figure who takes huge risks and delivers films unlike any others.  His films have detailed sets, quirky costumes, and are loaded with wit and irony. He is a darling of movie critics.

Sam Shakusky (Jared Gillman) is an orphaned overachieving pre-teen who is bullied and taunted in his Khaki Scout Troop at Camp Ivanhoe, which is located off the Coast of New England. The Khaki Troop is led by the ineffectual, knee-sock wearing Scoutmaster Ward (Ed Norton). Sam wears a coonskin hat and thick glasses. It is 1965.

Suzy Bishop (Kara Howard) lives with her always-feuding lawyer parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bishop (Frances McDormand and Bill Murray), and three hyperactive little brothers. Her parents communicate through the use of bullhorns and sleep in separate beds. Her mother is having an affair with the woebegone local cop, Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis).

Bookworm Suzy lives in an fantasy world far away from her boring but chaotic surroundings. She and Sam have had enough and set off on their own to run away together. She brings a record player, binoculars, a pink suitcase and a striped kitten. Sam brings every imaginable piece of hiking gear, including an air gun. They meet at an uninhabited end of the island and set up camp, creating their own miniature world. They aim to create a happy-ever-after place.

However, the course of true love never did run smooth. The heavily armed Khaki Scouts, Scoutmaster Ward, Suzy’s parents and Captain Sharp set out to find the youngsters. A tight-lipped Social Services officer (Tilda Swinton) is ready to put Sam in an orphanage where Sam may or may not have electroshock treatments. The resentments and jealousies among the adults overwhelm the search. The Khaki Scouts are no better. 

As they search, a terrifying apocalyptic storm of  Biblical proportions scatters the pursuers. Mythic floods wash away the Khaki camps.

A cavalcade of Hollywood stardom is represented by the cast of Moonrise Kingdom. Frances McDormand, Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Harvey Keitel, Ed Norton, Tilda Swinton and Bob Balaban appear in this beguiling film. But what really holds “oonrise Kingdom together is the performances of the two young stars. Both Kara Howard and Jared Gillman exhibit purity, determination and the power of young love. They act like adults and the adults act like kids.

The sets, carefully manipulated by director Anderson, are perfect dioramas. The light has a faded quality, as you might find in photographs in your old albums.   The acting couldn’t possibly be better. The soundtrack is beautiful. A nostalgic aura of times gone by suffuses the film.

Wes Anderson clearly understands adolescence and what it is to be a troubled teen who doesn’t fit in. He shows us that some wounds of that period cannot be healed, but can be lived with. This odd and lovely film has elements of a whimsical fairy tale, as well as some Biblical references. But mostly. it is a tender tribute to the power of young love.

The Very Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Directed by John Madden

With Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkenson, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Sonny Kapoor, Celia Imrie

                For those viewers who enjoyed “Slumdog Millionaire,” here’s a movie you likely will enjoy. “The Very Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” is loaded with equivalent pleasures. Not only will you experience India’s assault on the senses: the riot of colors, the cacophony of sounds, the endless procession of life, but you will also witness a Who’s Who of British screen and stage greats. This sweetheart of a film has been called “comfort food” for people of a certain age. 

                The story begins as a varied group British retirees arrive in Jaipur, India. They have been enticed by an advertisement that claims that The Very Best Exotic Marigold Hotel will offer a life of luxury and leisure for those in their golden years for a fraction of the cost of what they would pay at home. To their dismay, they arrive to find a musty and dilapidated palace with drippy faucets, rooms without doors, a fine layer of dust over everything, and food that is far too spicy.The eager-to-please manager Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) assures them everything will be OK, but that doesn’t appear likely to happen.

                Recently widowed Evelyn (Judi Dench) has come because her husband in London left her a mountain of debt. Doug (Bill Nighy) and Jean (Penelope Wilton) have come to rekindle their marriage. Fussbudget and racist Muriel (Maggie Smith) has come to get a hip replacement. The closeted gay Grahmn (Tom Wilkenson) has come to find someone from his past. They and the others in this film have their own reasons for coming. All of these travelers face the challenges of India’s exotic culture and, by the end of the film, each has been transformed by the experience.

                What unfolds during “The Very Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” is predictable and contrived. Each traveler tries to deal with his new environment in his own way. Slowly but surely, each of them, except for one, succumbs to the charm of India. You knew they would.

                But director John Madden has kept the pace brisk and the actors are a total pleasure to watch. Maggie Smith steals scenes with her stuffy and bigoted unpleasantness. Judi Dench is engaging and sensible as the narrator of the story. Tom Wilkenson is marvelous in a most unusual role for him. Dev Patel’s youthful enthusiasm is boundless.

“The Very Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” is most assuredly a crowd pleaser, especially if you are over the age of 50 (60?). It is sentimental story with an ending that may be a bit too tidy. But the scenes of India street life are absolutely ravishing; the ensemble acting is simply captivating, and the story is eminently satisfying. You will probably walk out of “The Very Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” with a smile on your face.

Bernie

BERNIE

Directed and written by Richard Linklater

With Jack Black, Shirley McLaine and Matthew McConaughy

In 1997 a well-liked small-town Texas undertaker was accused of murdering his companion, a much-reviled elderly wealthy widow. “Bernie,” a unique dark comedy, tells this real-life story, a bizarre crime tale if ever there was one.

And it is a charming story.

Richard Linklater directed and wrote “Bernie” and it is clear that nobody understands the everyday lives of common folk as he does. The film is interspersed with interviews with some of the real residents of Carthage, Texas, where the story unfolds. The accents alone are enough to keep you smiling.

Bernie Tiede (Jack Black) is an assistant undertaker in his 30s, a church-going Methodist who is probably the biggest-hearted and kindest fellow you could meet. He is beloved by his community, especially the older ladies. He is proud of his work and always has a smile and genuine concern for the townspeople.  

The most-hated woman in Carthage is the unpleasant Marjorie Nugent (Shirley McLaine), who is also the wealthiest person in town. Her husband dies and Bernie is the undertaker. Bernie feels sorry for her and befriends her, and eventually they become companions. 

They travel the world together, going first class all the way. But Marjorie becomes impossible, making Bernie her servant, her prisoner. She fires her help, and he does everything for her. He is always good natured and positive—until one day when she nags once too often. Marjorie disappears, but nobody really misses her.

She is finally found nine months later. Slick District attorney Danny Buck Davidson (Mathew McConaughy),who is after fame and fortune, is on a crusade to prosecute Bernie for her murder. The townspeople are convinced Bernie could not have murdered Marjorie. Even though he confesses, he is just too kind and too good a guy. She had it coming.

“Bernie” really can’t be pigeonholed. Is it a comedy or a docudrama or a true crime story? It’s all three.

Director/writer Linklater has blurred the line between real life and dramatization. It is film about small town life with a murderous twist. 

Bernie’s homosexuality is hinted at, but no one is town is bothered by his sexual orientation. Jack Black does Academy Award-level work here. He is simply brilliant, giving a very strong, very distinctive performance.

You would want him as your friend.

Shirley McLaine, who hasn’t been working much of late, does a great job as the nasty widow who looks like she just ate a sour lemon. You would not want her as your friend. In fact, Marjory Nugent had no friends; even her relatives avoided her. The give and take between Ms. McLaine and Mr. Black is terrific.

“Bernie” is a juicy story, perfectly told by outtakes of the people in Carthage, some real, some actors. 

It is a whimsical tale about a murder, but it is more about life in a small town in Texas; a story about ordinary people. It is the sweetest true crime story you could ever see. And I hope you do.

The Deep Blue Sea

The Deep Blue Sea

Directed by Terence Davies

Adapted from the play by Terence Rattigan

With Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston, Simon Russel Beale

The powerful “Deep Blue Sea” tells a simple enough story.  A married woman has a love affair that throws her into romantic despair, destroying her well being and endangering her life.  What makes this story so haunting is the towering performance of Rachel Weisz as well as co stars Tom Hiddleston and Simon Russell Beale.   

It comes to life in 1950 in a London still rubble strewn from World War Two. “Deep Blue Sea” was written by British playwright Terence Rattigan, one of the most popular playwrights of the 20th Century and directed for the screen by Terence Davies. This hypnotic film communicates what it feels like to be swept up by emotion and lost in passion.

The story begins as Hester Collyer (Rachel Weisz) attempts suicide by inhaling gas from a stove.  The rest of the film chronicles in flashbacks what led to this effort. Hester is married to a wealthy older magistrate (Simon Russell Beale).  The marriage is stable and predictable, but totally lacking in passion, and Hester, who is a free spirit, takes up with Freddy Page (Tom Hiddleston), a good looking, but unemployed self-involved playboy, an RAF pilot during the war.

Her husband discovers the relationship and leaves her.  Hester and Freddy move into a quaint, but somewhat shabby walk-up apartment.  There are problems.  Hester loves Freddy above all else; Freddy just wants to have fun.  Freddy is all that matters.

A lot of “Deep Blue Sea” is filmed in murky shadows that capture the aura of that time and the trapped feeling that Hester has.  England has barely recovered from the war.  There is a flashback to the subways being used for Bomb shelters.  It is not a happy time, least of all for Hester who loves more than she is loved.  And she knows it, allowing herself to be humiliated and used by Freddy—but she can’t help herself.

Rachel Weisz gives a mesmerizing and vulnerable performance of a woman in romantic hopelessness.  Her search for joy is palpably painful.  You wish she could leave Freddy but you are made to understand why she cannot.  Tom Hiddleston’s Freddy is totally on target as the callow and fun loving cad who can never give her what she needs.  Simon Russell Beale is solid and staunch as the uncolorful boring Judge.  He still loves Hester and your heart breaks for him as he tries to win her back.

“Deep Blue Sea” is beautifully photographed.  There is attention to small details, such as wallpaper patterns, cobbled streets, dial-up telephones, the formality of the clothing of the time, the ubiquitous cigarette smoking.  Fervent violin music accompanies some of the film as well as post war pop music of the times such as Jo Stafford’s “You Belong to Me.”

Deep Blue Sea captures what it might be like to be “crazy in love.”

You can’t help but be swept away by this spellbinding story of lust

and passionate despair

The Hunger Games

THE HUNGER GAMES

Directed by Gary Ross

Based on novel written by Suzanne Collins

With Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, Elizabeth

Banks, Toby Jones Lenny Kravitz, and Donald Sutherland

     “The Hunger Games” may have just opened but it is bound to be a cult classic.  With breakneck pacing, it tells an absolutely riveting story of violence, slaughter and survival.  “The Hunger Games” is based on a popular teen trilogy written by Suzanne Collins who also collaborated on the script.  The film is loaded with references to, among other things,

gladiator battles, chariot races, the Weimer Republic, even American Idol.

     It has been 74 years since some apocalyptic event has leveled almost everything on earth.  In this new totalitarian world called Panem, most people live in squalid “Districts” and must bargain and quarrel for food.  The wealthy elite are decadent hedonists who wear exaggerated hair styles and garish silks and velvets. They spend their time eating, drinking and partying. Theirs is a gleaming and glorious city. Avuncular President Snow (Donald Sutherland) oversees everything.

      To keep the districts in order, there are annual games.  Two adolescents, called ‘Tributes’ are selected by lottery on “Reaping Day” from each of 12 districts to be the contestants.  The object of the game is for them to stone, slice and/or beat each other to death until only one remains alive.  The first prize is a life without starvation.  The story focuses on the Twelfth District’s Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) who belongs to the lowest of classes, coal miners.  She is selected as one of the two Tributes for that district.  The other is Peeta (Josh Hutchinson) .

     Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) and Cinna (Lenny Kravitz) groom the two contestants for display for the elite.  All contestants are dropped into a wilderness arena.  The ensuing chases and killings are captured for display on gigantic flat screen TVs as cheery entertainments for the elite.  Watching is mandatory for all members of the 12 Districts. The ‘game makers’ use computer touch screens to create fireballs, savage beasts, explosions to make the games more fun to watch.. Unctuous bright blue haired Cesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci) is the ringmaster.  Everyone in the privileged class is having fun.

     “The Hunger Games” moves lickitysplit as the teens conspire to kill one another.  There are riveting moments when they run through the forest, tumble down hills, lie in waiting to slay one another.  Kandiss proves to be a steely survivalist.  But she also has a heart,

which makes her vulnerable.

     The Hunger Games is a provocative entertainment.  The parallels between the Games and reality TV are clear.  The timely themes of greed and elitism (the “one Percent”) are here.  Director Gary Ross does not focus on the blood and gruesome killings.  Every now and then he very briefly shows the aftermath of a kill, but the faces of the deceased are almost angelic.  He keeps this film moving, and his casting is impeccable.

     Jennifer Lawrence as Kandiss is the heart of “The Hunger Games.”  She positively shines in this role.  Woody Harrelson is perfect as her drunken mentor.  Stanley Tucci clearly had a ball overacting as the campy commentator. And Donald Sutherland couldn’t be bested as the stodgy President of privilege. 

     The story is not a new one, but the theme of the oppressed vs. the privileged has never been so imaginatively portrayed.  It is much more than a kids’ movie.  “The Hunger Games” is a dazzling, creative and intelligent entertainment.  There is a good reason why it is breaking spring box office records.

In Darkness

In Darkness

Directed by Agnieszka Holland

With Robert Wieckiewicz, Benno Furman, Agieszka Grochowsha, Michal Zuraski and Kinga Preis

There are hundreds of stories about the Jews and the Holocaust, however it remains nearly impossible for us to sense the miseries they suffered. In director Agnieska Holland’s film “In Darkness,” you experience the hellishness and terror of existence of a small a group of Jews in Poland during World War II. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for best foreign film this year.

Imagine living in a noxious sewer infested with rats, filth, stink and unyielding dampness, shrouded in darkness for 14 months. In 1943 in Lvov, Poland, as thousands of Jews were being rounded up to be shot to death or herded into death camps, one small group of 14 escaped to a sewer. This is a chronicle of what happened.

They form an unlikely alliance with Leopold Socha (Robert Wieckiewicz), an anti-Semitic Catholic sewer worker who understands the maze of the sewers like no one else. Socha is a petty thief who steals and hides his loot from his wife, Wanda (Kinga Preis). He discovers the Jews cowering in the sewer and senses a business opportunity. 

They offer to pay him a huge sum each week if he will provide them with food, water and other necessities. The film shows the shift in his sentiments from capitalizing on their misery to genuine and selfless concern for them and their well being.

“In Darkness” shows how this trapped group tries to live a “normal” life. The few children play games and sing, there are religious services, there is sexual activity. They, although horribly filthy and living in sewer sludge, manage to maintain their dignity.

Socha has to keep them hidden one step ahead of the suspicious Germans. The close calls are totally unnerving to watch. “In Darkness” has all the elements of a thriller. You don’t know what will happen next.

Director Agniezska Holland captures the wretchedness of the group’s underground existence. Much of her movie takes place in oppressive darkness.

The film seems all the more authentic because Holland has filmed it in the three languages used: Polish, German and Yiddish. The characters often don’t understand each other, as it would have happened. All actors do convincing work. Robert Wieckiewicz’s Socha illustrates the complexity of human behavior. In very small shifts his sentiments change as he becomes more humane.

“In Darkness” provides an unflinching and honest look at a horrifying event. It is spellbinding to watch, capturing the aura of what these people endured. It can be tough to watch, but it is worth it.