Sophie Scholl: The Final Days

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (2005) starring Julia Jentsch, Fabian Hinrichs, Gerald Alexander Held. In 1943, Sophie Scholl (Jentsch), a member of the White Rose resistance group in Nazi Germany, is caught after distributing anti-Hitler leaflets. The movie shows her interrogation by a Nazi official (amazingly, she is not beaten or otherwise physically abused), her show trial and inevitable execution. Other members of the White Rose are executed and otherwise punished, but this movie focuses on Sophie. Although it is somewhat static with relatively little action, I found it spellbinding. It is really well written in the way it presents the ravings of Nazi officials who can't see that they are losing the war. The film is in German with English subtitles. Grade: A-

Shutter Island

Shutter Island (2010) starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Max von Sydow. Two U.S. marshals (DiCaprio, Ruffalo) arrive on an island in 1954 to investigate the disappearance of a patient from the hospital for the criminally insane. Gradually, reality shifts, as one of the marshals (DiCaprio) is haunted by memories of past events in World War II and the death of his wife (Williams). By the end of the movie, the big build-up pays off in a wicked twist that, in retrospect, makes perfect sense. I found DiCaprio less than convincing in the lead role, and all the switch-backs in the plot were rather wearying. (Subtitles in English are available, as well as closed captions.) Grade: B-

The Artist

The Artist (2011) starring Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell. In 1927, aging silent film star George Valentin (Dujardin) happens to meet rising starlet Peppy Miller (Bejo). His career craters in 1929 when talking pictures make their debut, while she becomes the darling of the talkies and a big star. But she remains a true and faithful fan of Valentin, even as he spirals downward. This is a silent film (for the most part), and there's a lot more to it than the bare-bones description would suggest. The movie won the Oscar for Best Picture, and Dujardin won for Best Actor. It's a French production, but it's all in English. Grand fun to watch. No subtitles are needed. Grade: A-

War Horse

War Horse (2011) starring Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, David Thewlis. Directed by Steven Spielberg. A British man buys a horse, paying far too much. His son, Albert (Irvine), takes on the training of the horse, which he names Joey. But World War I intervenes, and Albert's father sells Joey to a cavalry officer. Will Joey survive the war? Will Albert and Joey be reunited? I can't help but describe this movie as "Spielberg Lite." Compared to his other wartime dramas, like "Saving Private Ryan" and "Schindler's List," he really plays down the violence and the horror of war. Based on a children's book, I would venture to say that this is a children's movie. Maybe not for young children, but for those tweens who love horses, this would be a great movie. For adults, it is somewhat lacking in depth and realism. (The supplied subtitles are good, and closed captions are also available.) Grade: B

The Tin Drum

The Tin Drum (1979) starring David Bennent. At three years of age, disgusted with adults, young Oskar (Bennent) decides not to grow anymore. He lives in Danzig, and his decision coincides with the beginning of the rise of Nazism. He is inseperable from his tin drum, and when someone tries to take it away, he screams, breaking things made of glass. As Oskar grows older, Nazi influence becomes ever more pervasive, until he is caught in a battle between Germans and Poles, reckoned to be the first battle of World War II. This remarkable motion picture, part history, part fantasy, won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. (In German, with English subtitles.) Grade: B+

A Time to Kill

A Time to Kill (1996) starring Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Spacey. When his ten-year-old daughter is raped by two rednecks, a black man (Jackson) takes the law into his own hands, killing the two rapists and injuring a sheriff's deputy. He hires a lawyer (McConaughey) to defend him from the murder charges, but the deck is stacked against him in the Mississippi town where the trial takes place. At two hours, thirty minutes, this movie is a bit long, but it is stuffed full of action and never drags. Based on a John Grisham novel, it suffers all the flaws of Grisham's writing. It tends toward the melodramatic and oversimplified -- but its heart is in the right place. It's stuffed full of actors who already were or would become big names. (English subtitles for the hearing impaired are available on the disc, as well as closed captions.) Grade: B

The Times of Harvey Milk

The Times of Harvey Milk (1984), documentary. Moving documentary about Harvey Milk, the first gay supervisor elected in San Francisco, and his assassination (along with mayor George Moscone) by clean-cut, respectable supervisor Dan White. In the aftermath of the killings, the documentary follows White's trial; he was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and served only five and a half years in prison. Although this bare-bones DVD has no subtitles and no closed captions, I was able to hear everything clearly. This movie won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 1984. Grade: B+

Time Out

Time Out (2001). The cast is all French. French movie about a man who becomes suddenly unemployed and tries to hide the fact from his family and friends by pretending he has a new, prestigious job. He sets up his own little Ponzi scheme, borrowing money from family and friends to keep up the illusion that he is employed. Pretty good movie, but I found the ending a bit confusing and disappointing. (In French, with English subtitles.) Grade: B-

Tomboy

Tomboy (2011) starring Zoe Heran, Sophie Cattani, Mathieu Demy, Malonn Levana. When her family moves to a new town, ten-year-old Laure (Heran) takes the opportunity to rename herself Mikael -- a boy's name. She lives the summer as a boy. But when she gets found out, first by her sister and then by her mother, the excrement hits the fan. Her mother reacts violently to learning that her daughter has been passing herself off as a boy. She really overreacts, in my opinion. But in any case, Laure is forced to own up to being a girl, and her "friends" react predictably, as kids will, by turning against her. It's not really some big melodrama, however, just a passage in a young girl's life. The movie is no great shakes either, just a small drama to keep you entertained for 80 minutes. It's ... adequate -- not destined for greatness. (In French, with English subtitles.) Grade: B

Throne of Blood

Throne of Blood (1957) starring Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada. Directed by Akira Kurosawa. Shakespeare's Macbeth in a samurai setting. In medieval Japan, two generals are traveling through a forest by horseback when a spirit appears to them and prophesies their futures. The prophesy comes true, but of course there's a catch. This is a well mounted movie, with good production values and atmospherics. The acting at times is a bit over the top, and it has the feel of a filmed stage play, but in a Japanese film these things seem par for the course. The movie is in Japanese, with English subtitles. Grade: B+

Time Bandits

Time Bandits (1981) starring John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Michael Palin. Directed by Terry Gilliam. Six dwarves appear one night in the bedroom of a boy named Kevin, and take him on an odyssey through time courtesy of a special map they have in their possession, which shows all the time portals left when the universe was created. In his travels, Kevin encounters Napoleon (Holm), Robin Hood (Cleese), and King Agamemnon (Connery). The movie veers off in some crazy directions, and some are amusing, but ultimately it's not as funny or as entertaining as it should be. The script, by Gilliam and Palin, gives it a nice Monty Python-esque feel, but too many of the jokes fall flat. (Subtitles in English are provided, but not closed captions.) Grade: B

3 Women

3 Women (1977) starring Sissy Spacek, Shelley Duvall, Janice Rule. Directed by Robert Altman. Two kooky gals named Pinky (Spacek) and Millie (Duvall) become roommates after they meet on the job. After she konks her head while attempting suicide, Pinky undergoes a weird personality change. Then, in the last 10 minutes, the movie veers off in a totally new and strange direction. What a terrible movie. (Subtitles, provided, are OK.) Grade: C-

Three Violent People

Three Violent People (1956) starring Charlton Heston, Anne Baxter, Gilbert Roland, Tom Tryon. Heston returns to Texas after the Civil War and impulsively marries a woman (Baxter) he meets in town. Soon he must do battle with carpetbaggers, while dealing with the facts about his wife's shady past. Muddled plot seems to be all over the map, with no clear resolution at the end. (To its credit, the disc offers subtitles in English, as well as closed captions.) Grade: C+

3:10 to Yuma

3:10 to Yuma (1957) starring Van Heflin, Glenn Ford, Felicia Farr. Suspenseful Western based on an Elmore Leonard story. Heflin plays rancher Dan Evans who, desperate for money (and his sons' respect), takes on the job of guarding killer Ben Wade (Ford). The plan is to put Wade on the 3:10 train to Yuma before his gang shows up to free him. When seven of his gang ride into town, the tension mounts. I'm partial to Westerns, and this one is nearly perfect. Grade: A-

Three Sisters

Three Sisters (1970) starring Who Cares. Filmization of Chekhov play is marred by the fact that it has no subtitles for the hearing impaired and no closed captions. It's a total waste. Grade: F

The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers (1974) starring Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch, Richard Chamberlain, Michael York, Charlton Heston, Faye Dunaway, Christopher Lee. Part swashbuckling and part slapstick, this movie is a fresh take on the musketeers' legend. Curiously enough, they always use swords, never muskets. The plot is of little significance, but suffice it to say that there are lots of sword fights, lots of romance and lots of intrigue. A fun film. (Subtitles are not offered, but closed captions save the day.) Grade: A-

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) starring Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Pepper, January Jones, Melissa Leo. Mike (Pepper), a gung-ho border security agent, accidentally kills a friend of Pete (Jones), a bilingual ranch boss. Pete forces Mike to help him take the body of Melquiades back to Mexico for burial. This is a fairly entertaining, colorful Western set in modern times, but the pace lags at times. (English subtitles are offered on the disc, as well as closed captions.) Grade: B

This Man Must Die

This Man Must Die (1970) starring Michel Duchaussoy, Jean Yanne, Caroline Cellier. French film about a man whose young son is killed by a hit-and-run driver. The man swears vengeance, and sets out to find the driver responsible. When he finds him, the situation proves more complicated than he might have anticipated. In French, with English subtitles. Grade: B+

This is Spinal Tap

This is Spinal Tap (1984) starring Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner. Directed by Rob Reiner. Rock "mockumentary" makes fun of the declining fortunes of a formerly popular metal band called Spinal Tap. There are some funny moments, but the movie is surprisingly depressing as the band breaks up when Nigel (Guest) walks off stage. Still, it's a landmark film, with some famous bits in it (the amplifier that's better because it goes up to "11"). (The disc doesn't offer English subtitles, but closed captions save the day.) Grade: B

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) starring Van Johnson, Robert Walker, Spencer Tracy, Phyllis Thaxter. Unfortunately, the title is almost literally true. About 30 seconds of this movie is devoted to the actual raid on Tokyo during World War II. The rest of the movie consists of the lead-up to the attack and the aftermath. Still, it's an engaging story which has the virtue of being based on true events. There's a rising sense of excitement as the film builds to the bombing raid on Japan. Then, afterwards, there's something of an anticlimactic feeling to the rest of the movie. We never do find out just how much actual damage the attack achieved. (The disc offers English subtitles, as well as closed captions.) Grade: B+

The Iron Lady

The Iron Lady (2011) starring Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent. This film makes the unfortunate choice to start with Maggie Thatcher in her dotage and show her life in too-brief flashbacks. We spend more time with her in her senility than in the rest off her life combined. Although Streep won an Oscar for her portrayal of the British Prime Minister, I wasn't entirely convinced by her performance. To top it off, I don't like Thatcher's politics. (The disc offers English subtitles, but not closed captions.) Grade: B-

This Island Earth

This Island Earth (1955) starring Jeff Morrow, Rex Reason, Faith Domergue. Human-looking aliens "recruit" Earth scientists to help in the development of sources of atomic power. It turns out the aliens need help fighting an interplanetary war in a solar system far away. There's no getting around it -- this is a hoakey movie. The plot is silly and the special effects are primitive. Yet still I found myself watching compulsively. It's definitely not for sci-fi purists, but for campy entertainment it would be hard to beat. (Subtitles are available; closed captions are not.) Grade: B