Begin Again by John Carney, 2014 (R)

A chance encounter between a disgraced music-business executive and a young singer-songwriter new to Manhattan turns into a promising collaboration between the two talents.

Cute comedy, giving the vibe of New York in a realistic way, and a creative way of making a record, with all the great energy and talent New York is filled of. The cast is great, and I am surprised how Mark Ruffalo always make you believe everything on screen. He is so believable you ride all along with him, even if it might be cheesy or embarrassing. The original turn of the end gives hope there is something else than the music industry to actually achieve recognition as a musician.

with Keira Knightley (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Love Actually, Anna Karenina, A Dangerous Method, Never Let Me Go), Mark Ruffalo (Thanks for Sharing, Now You See Me, Margaret, The Kids Are All Right, Shutter Island, Avengers), Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), Adam Levine (American Horror Story: Asylum), James Corden, Yasiin Bey, Cee Lo Green, Catherine Keener (Enough Said, Captain Phillips, Out of Sight, Please Give, Peace Love and Misunderstanding, Simone)
From the director of Once.

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Hannah Arendt by Margarethe von Trotta, 2012

A look at the life of philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt, who reported for The New Yorker on the war crimes trial of the Nazi Adolf Eichmann.

I was looking forward to watch the movie, after recording and editing a segment for the DVD release in the US, featuring Margarethe von Trotta, Barbara Sukowa and Janet McTeer.
The movie surprised me by creating an internal conflict between what we are politically correctly thinking and what she stood for, in a philosophical way. She was indeed quite a thinker, and in a way, a free woman, free from her origins, free from her upbringing, and freed from her own past. Yes, she might have written all the bitterness and pain the people trialing Eichmann felt, but she detached herself from the personal, and studied the situation as in a world where people would behave in an expected manner, and modeled it to understand what has gone wrong. Her accusations are hard to take, and perhaps her expectation for a entire community to unite and remain organized in a total chaos targeting them are a little high. And on the other hand, her views of the Nazi regime authorities were a little too much about organization and not so much about people's personality. But as hard to believe as it is, it indeed created two complete opposites that in her argument created one of the worse chapters of our history.
I forgot to mention the performance of Sukowa which is very good, on top of it because she is performing in English most of it, and developing complex ideas in an intelligible way. It is a pleasure to attend what could have been one of Arendt classes and lectures. Her husband played by Axel Milberg is amazing in creating that intimacy that helps us see Arendt beyond her lack of sensibility as a philosopher. Janet McTeer is the most unusual character, reflecting on the superficiality and brilliance of the mind of Mary McCarthy.

with Barbara Sukowa, Janet McTeer (Portrait of a Marriage, Albert Nobbs), Julia Jentsch, Axel Milberg, Ulrich Noethen, Michael Degen, Nicholas Woodeson, Victoria Trauttmansdorff, Klaus Pohl

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Blood Ties by Guillaume Canet, 2013 (R)

From the director of Little White Lies - Les Petits Mouchoirs and Tell No One - Ne le dis à personne

When 50-year-old Chris is released from prison, his younger brother Frank, an up-and-coming member of the police force, welcomes him with open arms. But when Chris has trouble staying straight, Frank is trapped between duty and family.

Canet just went by the book for his first American movie. He chose carefully his cast with an interesting combination of great actors from Europe, and the up-and-coming actors from here, as well as one mainstream actors, to wrap up an amazing list. Then, the script is intelligent, and we follow it in a very conventional way, there are no mistake in the directing, the cinematography... Finally, the editing makes the story interesting, no crazy pursuit, no wild special effect, but you can feel there is a budget behind. I believe he made a very new yorker movie, in a very French way of doing it. It's really good, but unfortunately, American channels classified it immediately as indie... Was American Gangster indie? No, and the two movies have a lot in common. So why? Perhaps I should write an article on how European cinema is systematically classified as Indie when coming to the USA, in a way that it kills it in the box-office automatically. It is sad, because somehow, mainstreams most of the time are lacking of what the indie movie have, depth.

with Clive Owen (Shadow Dancer, Duplicity, Killer Elite), Billy Crudup (Eat Pray Love), Marion Cotillard (The Immigrant, Little White Lies, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Contagion, Midnight in Paris), Mila Kunis (Black Swan, Date Night), Zoe Saldana (Out of the Furnace, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Words, Avatar), Matthias Schoenaerts (Rust and Bones, Bullhead), James Caan, Noah Emmerich (Warrior), Lili Taylor 

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Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit by Kenneth Branagh, 2014 (PG-13)

with Chris Pine (Star Trek Into Darkness, Unstoppable, This Means War, People Like Us), Kevin Costner (The Company Men, Man of Steel, The Bodyguard), Kenneth Branagh, Keira Knightley (Seeking a Friend for the End of the world, Anna Karenina, A Dangerous Method, Never Let Me Go, Love Actually)
From the director of Thor and Sleuth

CIA analyst Jack Ryan tries to thwart a terrorist plot to bring down the U.S. economy in this action-thriller helmed by Kenneth Branagh. Chris Pine plays the title character alongside an all-star cast that includes Kevin Costner and Keira Knightley.

For some reason, the enemy being is Russia is back in fashion in Hollywood, but anyway, the actors are so good you get into the story, it flows well, the story is catchy, and that makes up for a good spy movie of the good old days (of course Tom Clancy's book is probably helping the script to be solid). And even if Kenneth Branagh evolved from Hamlet to Thor (!?!), this one at least doesn't feel like a joke.

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The Immigrant by James Gray, 2013 (R)

with Jeremy Renner (The Bourne Legacy, Avengers, The Hurt Locker, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol), Marion Cotillard (Little White Lies, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Contagion, Midnight in Paris), Joaquin Phoenix (Her, The Master), Dagmara Dominczyk, Angela Sarafyan, Antoni Corone (I Love You Phillip Morris), Ilia Volok, Dylan Hartigan

After arriving in New York, Polish immigrant Ewa must provide for her ill sister -- and soon falls under the thumb of charming thug Bruno, who forces her into a life of prostitution. But when she falls for a magician, her fortunes may turn.

Consider it a romantic drama with pieces of American history, and you will be served... Nothing of a masterpiece, the characters are very obvious, the roles are very define, and even Marion Cotillard who tries hard to play the role of a woman with major ethical contradictions is simplified to a victim determined only for the sake of her sister. The discontinuity of her behavior makes it quite unbelievable, and the story becomes irrelevant, sad.

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The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Premiere impromptu in New York City - April 24, 2014

Sorry for posting the pictures so late, a little impromptu encounter, on our way out of the MoMA heading to the subway.


Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man / Peter Parker


Jamie Foxx as Electro / Max Dillon


Sally Field as Aunt May


Chris Cooper as Norman Osborn


Louis Cancelmi as the Man in Black Suit


Pharrell Williams scores the movie with Johnny Marr (The Smiths) and Hans Zimmer


and last but not least, Marc Webb - funny name for the director of Spider-Man...

We've always known that Spider-Man's most important battle has been within himself: the struggle between the ordinary obligations of Peter Parker and the extraordinary responsibilities of Spider-Man. But in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker finds that a greater conflict lies ahead. It's great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there's no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp.

with Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Colm Feore, Felicity Jones, Paul Giamatti, Sally Field, Embeth Davidtz, Campbell Scott, Marton Csokas, B.J. Novak, Louis Cancelmi, Chris Cooper

Frances Ha by Noah Baumbach, 2012 (R)

with Greta Gerwig (To Rome With Love), Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver, Michael Esper (All Good Things), Patrick Heusinger, Charlotte d'Amboise, Hannah Dunne, Grace Gummer, Josh Hamilton, Cindy Katz, Maya Kazan, Justine Lupe, Britta Phillips, Juliet Rylance, Dean Wareham, Michael Zegen

Determined to make it as a modern dancer in New York, Frances pursues her unlikely goal with more enthusiasm than natural talent. The rest of the time, she and her sardonic best friend, Sophie, put off growing up for as long as they can.

This is one of the cutest movie I have seen in a long while, although also the one where I felt the most uncomfortable, thanks to the awkwardness of the main character. Strangely, you still admire her and her wise spirit, her freedom. All of her is a perfect contradiction. The other characters are interesting, but Greta Gerwig steals the movie in her beautiful and realistic portrayal of a dancer surviving New York. Also, this is one of the only movie I have ever seen that reflects New York as an artist can experience it.

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Hair by Milos Forman, 1079 (PG)

With John Savage, Treat Williams (Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, 127 Hours, Hollywood Ending, Deadfall, Reaching for the Moon - Flores Raras), Beverly D'Angelo, Annie Golden (Orange is the New Black, I Love You Phillip Morris), Cheryl Barnes, Don Dacus, Ronnie Dyson, Melba Moore, Dorsey Wright, Charlotte Rae

This movie, based on the cult Broadway musical of the 60s, tells a story about Claude, a young man from Oklahoma who comes to New York City. There he strikes up a friendship with a group of hippies, led by Berger, and falls in love with Sheila, a girl from a rich family. However, their happiness is short because Claude must go to the Vietnam war.

I don't if I fell more in love with the soundtrack or the movie. I thought it was a happy hippie movie, turned out to be quite a controversial drama, with a real story behind, and a strong message of equality. The music of course is awesome, and I don't mean it in a light way. In other words, one of the best musical ever.

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Filming of The Other Woman by Nick Cassavetes (2014)

with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Oblivion, The Baker, Game of Thrones), Cameron Diaz (The Mask, Knight and Day, Bad Teacher), Leslie Mann (I Love You Phillip Morris)

After realizing she is not her boyfriend's primary lover, a woman teams up with his wife and plots mutual revenge.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Cameron Diaz driving on Hudson Street to 8th Avenue, going uptown, Manhattan, and crew.

The Visitor by Thomas McCarthy, 2007 (PG-13)

with Richard Jenkins (Eat Pray Love, The Rum Diary), Haaz Sleiman (Nurse Jackie), Danai Jekesai Gurira, Hiam Abbass, Marian Seldes, Maggie Moore, Amir Arison, Michael Cumpsty, Bill McHenry, Laith Nakli, Waleed Zuaiter, Tzahi Moskovitz, Richard Kind, Neal Lerner, Frank Pando

Widowed professor Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins, in an Oscar-nominated role) finds himself drawn to a different rhythm when he discovers an immigrant couple, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danai Gurira), squatting in his Manhattan flat and becomes wrapped up in their lives. Hiam Abbass co-stars as Tarek's mother, who forges an unlikely connection with Walter when Tarek is thrown into a detention center.

This is one of the most beautiful tales about new york, the man who played djembe in the Subway, coming from a long, painful, unusual and beautiful journey from being that guy, suburban American living with no joy, a boring life, being transformed by the lively life of illegal immigrant, with a strong friendship opening his mind to the outside world. Richard Jenkins is so good, actually, no, everyone in this cast make the movie such a real piece of life, with the richness and texture that New York has and that is never ever shown in movies. Awakening.

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Keep the Lights On by Ira Sachs, 2012 (NR)

with Thure Lindhardt (The Borgias), Zachary Booth (The Beaver), Julianne Nicholson, Souleymane Sy Savane, Paprika Steen, Maria Dizzia (Orange is the New Black, Love and Other Impossible Pursuits The Other Woman), Sebastian La Cause, Justin Reinsilber, David Anzuelo

In Manhattan, filmmaker Erik bonds with closeted lawyer Paul after a fling. As their relationship becomes one fueled by highs, lows, and dysfunctional patterns, Erik struggles to negotiate his own boundaries while being true to himself.

This is no ordinary movie. It is a small production, with relevant actors, such as Paprika Steen, one of the giants of Danish cinema, amazing acting, a story that is not common, an elaborate cinematography, nearing the thin line of raw, naturalist intentionally. The story is quite long, over the course of ten years, it is about relationship, responsibility, what is easy to give up and at the same time, the importance of letting go, very mature. What I also found amazing is the masculine perspective on the topic, which I am not very knowledgeable about, this movie is about a relationship from a man's perspective, with the complexity of a man's mind.

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Love in the Time of Money by Peter Mattei, 2002 (R)

with Vera Farmiga (Up in The Air, Source Code, Breaking and Entering), Domenick Lombardozzi, Jill Hennessy, Malcolm Gets, Steve Buscemi (The Messenger), Rosario Dawson (Unstoppable, Men In Black 2), Adrian Grenier, Carol Kane, Michael Imperioli, Nahanni Johnstone, Tamara Jenkins

Love is a battlefield for several New York City dwellers: a prostitute and her trick; an artist and a receptionist he meets; a woman married to an unhappy art dealer with a secret; and a psychic out to save a man's life.

Cast was appealing, the fact that they got a grant from the Sundance to develop the movie upon the originality of the script as well, but... the production of it got it all fading into a terrible movie. The acting is good, but the situations are so staged, the quality of the shots so unequal, the cinematography imperfect that it felt like a tv movie, which actually is not even a relevant criticism, since they are making amazing tv movies, such as "Game Change". The problem is that everything feels like a chain of events, which could look pretty engaging if you look at "Babel", and not as good if you are kind of waiting for the next encounter to save the previous one. Perhaps in a very twisted way, I have never seen Steve Buscemi as handsome, and Rosario Dawson as terrible. Perhaps, the only interesting moments are the beginning and the end held by Vera Farmiga, amazing as a prostitute disconnected from the world.

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American Gangster by Ridley Scott, 2007 (UR)

with Denzel Washington (Unstoppable, Déjà Vu), Russell Crowe (Robin Hood), Cuba Gooding Jr., Ruby Dee, Josh Brolin (True Grit, Milk, Men In Black 3), RZA, John Ortiz, John Hawkes (Winter's Bone), Yul Vazquez, Carla Gugino, Norman Reedus (The Conspirator), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Dirty Pretty Things), Kadee Strickland, Roger Bart, Common, Ted Levine

From director Ridley Scott comes this tense crime thriller starring Denzel Washington as true-life Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas and Russell Crowe as the dogged outcast NYPD cop charged with bringing him down. Ruby Dee (in an Oscar-nominated role), Cuba Gooding Jr., Josh Brolin and Chiwetel Ejiofor lead the supporting cast in this powerhouse tale penned by Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List) and based on actual events.

This movie was incredible in transporting us into the Harlem of the 70's, with its fashionable shops, the sex drug rock n roll, the war America never managed to win, the police that got a lot of self-interest in mind, and the opportunists that came along. Denzel Washington is amazing is the portrayal of this man who had the respect of the social class and ruled the drug trafficking in a smart way, all the way to the top, with something ethical and untouchable. Russell Crowe is perfect in playing the good cop, the one that follows the rules, even to the most stupid extend, just because it is the right thing to do, loosing along the way respect, and not even classy to start with. This couple together is the perfect combination of opposite, till the day they get together and finally crush everyone else. All this looks very contemporary, it is a big production portrayal of a society, and at the same time, the story in a way is very character driven, it has a very human aspect (Frank Lucas' grandmother is unique), you get to love the good ones as much as the bad ones. Very interesting. When I read "The Heart of a Woman" by Maya Angelou, I was reminding myself of the only thing I could, the first footage which I remember in black and white of Harlem, at the beginning of the movie.

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Margaret by Kenneth Lonergan, 2011 (R)

with Anna Paquin (X-Men, True Blood), Matt Damon (Invictus, Hereafter, True Grit, We Brought a Zoo, The Informant!), Matthew Broderick, Mark Ruffalo (The Avengers, The Kids Are All Right, Shutter Island), Kieran Culkin, Matt Bush, Jean Reno (Léon), Allison Janney (The Help, The Hours), Olivia Thirlby, Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married)

After witnessing a fatal bus crash, teenager Lisa believes she inadvertently played a part in the tragedy. As she tries to deal with her feelings, Lisa becomes emotionally abusive to those around her — and to herself.

How to start. First the positives, this movie is an original portrait of adolescence entering the adulthood. Lisa is opiniated, thinks she gets the world in a better way than anyone, smart-ass with all what comes with it. When something real happens to her, the emptiness of her world becomes striking, she needs to connect with the people that were affected by the accident, realizing they did not care as much, they didn't relate in the same way, and in a way, they reacted with what their situation was at their present time, while she didn't have anything else than a strong responsibility and tons of feeling she cannot canalize. In her search of justice, it becomes clearer than her action are driven by innocence, except that everything not related to the case becomes a way for her to get attention, to shape her life into something more dramatic, existential, shocking, involving others in a journey that she doesn't understand herself, except that instead of being constructive, it destroy her self, her identity she thought was uninteresting.
The dialogues are amazing, the contrast between this movie and the vast majority of movies made today is the quality of the vocabulary, the choice of words, the literate way of communicating and misunderstanding which is such a big part of our life and conflict, which in most movies doesn't have any place. The adult characters are shown quite all evolved, or think they are until they break, facing the innocent voice or contact of adolescence, showing how adulthood is perhaps as complex as adolescence, except with more tragic experience that lead the way to more complex reactions. There are amazing dialogues and monologues, most often lead by Jeannie Berlin, the cast is actually impeccable and Lisa (Anna Paquin) is perfectly irritable, perhaps a bit predictable.
Finally, what was an interesting point, which was for Lisa to have reached a truth and an ability to fight a real cause that no one sees because she fights everything else in the same manner looking like she created her own drama and discrediting her to the eyes of adults, this point becomes a caricature that is so obvious to the eyes of the viewer that it makes the movie fall a little bit flat. Too bad for a movie that has such a nuance and sensitivity.

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