The Music Never Stopped

Movie: The Music Never Stopped

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: Henry Sawyer (J.K. Simmons) is a 65 year old engineer who learns that his son Gabriel (whom he has not seen in almost 20 years) is hospitalized with a brain tumor.  Although the tumor is successfully removed, parts of the brain are damaged – affecting Gabriel’s memory.  Not only are major portions of his memory wiped out, he is unable to form new permanent memories.  If he is introduced to you, 10 minutes later he will have no idea who you are.  Henry gets a music therapist to examine Gabriel.  The therapist discovers that when music and songs that he grew up with are played to Gabriel, it is as if he awakens and is normal.  Music becomes the bridge that allows Henry to reach his son.

My two cents: The write-up I read about this movie did little to catch my interest.  The reason I took the time to see it was J.K. Simmons.  He has never disappointed me and did not let me down here.  This was a fabulous movie.  The further into the movie you get, the more you learn about how deep the estrangement was between father and son and how little Henry understood his son.  It is quite moving to see Henry come to terms with his failures as a father and strives to reach his son.  The scenes where the therapist first discovers how music affects Gabriel gave me goose bumps, as did the climactic concert scene near the end.  Also quite movie are the scenes between Henry and his wife where we get to see the devastating effect the estrangement had on her.

This is a definite “don’t miss it” movie.  I average well over 200 movies a year.  A fair number of the limited release art-house films are disappointing.  "The Music Never Stopped" is the kind of movie that makes it worth sitting through all those disappointments.  It is truly a gem.

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Sucker Punch in IMAX

Movie: Sucker Punch in IMAX

Genre: fantasy/horror

Synopsis: Baby Doll (Emily Browning) is committed to an insane asylum by her evil father.  To combat the horrendous condition of the asylum, Baby Doll mentally retreats into a fantasy world.  In this world, she is joined by four fellow inmates (played by Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgins and Jamie Chung).  The five join forces to go on missions to obtain mystical items needed to accomplish an escape from the asylum.

My two cents: The story line was pretty confusing.  I was never quite sure what was real and what was imagined.  I was not even sure about the timeline.  That said, the great special effects more than made up for my confusion.  I saw this in an IMAX theater – the sound was fabulous.  I could feel the battle scenes.  I am not a frequent fan of 3D.  Few of the movies I have seen in 3D really had anything added to them by the 3D.  This was one movie that I think would have been really great in 3D.

Bottom line: if you can just accept the story line, the action sequences and special effects make it worth your while.

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Certified Copy

Movie: Certified Copy

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: James Miller (William Shimell) is an award winning author.  He is visiting Tuscany to promote his book and do a book signing.  Elle (Juliette Binoche) attends the signing and leaves a note for the author expressing her wish to meet him.  The next day, Elle and James go for a drive.   When they stop for coffee, the waitress mistakes them for a married couple.  Elle does not correct her.  For the rest of the movie, the two pretend to be married . . . but after a while you start to wonder if it really is an act, or if there is more to therse two than we have been allowed to see.

My two cents: This movie really had me scratching my head trying to figure out what was “pretend” and what was real between the couple.  I am still not sure.  Some of the discussions they have on art and what it means and the difference between original and copies pretty much bored me.  What kept me going is tgrying to figure out the relationship between the two.

Something I got a kick out of is the way the director used reflective surfaces.  In at least two scenes,  the camera is in the position of a mirror as one or the other stares into it.  I also got used to checking out what was going on in the reflections in mirrors and windows. 

Although I found this film to be interesting, I don’t know that I can say that I really enjoyed it.

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Of God and Men

Movie: Of God and Men

Genre: historical drama

Synopsis: This movie is “loosely based” on actual events.  It takes place in the 1990’s in a Christian monastery located in the mountains of Algeria in North Africa.  It is staffed by eight French monks.  The monastery is a vital part of the local Muslim community.  They have all lived in harmony for decades.  When Islamic extremists become militant, the lives of the monks are in danger.  The government wants to evacuate them for their own safety.  The monks have to decide whether to flee to safety or to put their fate in the hands of God and remain in their monastery.  We get to watch as they struggle with making their decision through prayer and through discussions with each other.

My two cents: This was an interesting movie.  I had to admire the courage and faith of these eight monks.  My big gripe is that, at two hours, I found that the movie dragged on a bit.  I think 90 minutes would have been easier to handle.

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The Lincoln Lawyer

Movie: The Lincoln Lawyer

Genre: mystery-thriller

Synopsis: Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey) is a criminal defense attorney who works out of the back seat of his 1980’s Lincoln Town Car. His ex-wife (Marisa Tomei) is an attorney in the DA’s office.  His investigator is Frank (William H. Macy).  Mick has a bit of a sleazy reputation as an attorney.  His specialty is getting his clients to plead out without actually going to trial.  When Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe) is arrested on assault charges, he wants Mick to be his lawyer.  Mick is in his early 20’s and has a filthy-rich family to pay his legal bills.  He does not want a plea bargain - he insists he is innocent.  As Mick and his investigator start digging, some discrepancies come to light. Then things get really complicated.  By the end of the movie Mick’s life is threatened – as is the life of his ex-wife and daughter.

My two cents: A very good movie.  If is nice to see Matthew McConaughey not relying on going shirtless to keep the audience entertained.  William H. Macy and Marissa Tomei were both great in their rolls.  The plot was well done with some great legal twists.  You don’t fully know who did what to whom until the very end.  This movie is well worth seeing.  I really hope to see some sequels.

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