Life is Beautiful (la vita e bella)

Life Is Beautiful

La Vita e Bella

Actor-director, Robert Benigni, captivates a movie genre unlike anyone else I have ever witnessed.  He is not only charged with delivering a fresh cinematic take on WWII, but also has the added pressure of being the main character.  Benigni is joined in his quest to differentiate his film with such names as:  Giustino Durano, Nicoletta Braschi (Benigni’s real-life wife), Sergio Bini Bustric, and last but not least Giorgio Cantarini.  Benigni’s classic was nominated for seven Academy Awards and walked away with an astonishing three victories, which included:  Best Actor, Best Music Score, and Best Foreign Film.  As impressive as this was, the big screen success also got a nod from the Academy for Best Motion Picture.  For a foreign film to be nominated for Best Motion Picture is quite an amazing feet, unfortunately Benigni couldn’t quite get the Academy to award the top honor to his masterpiece.

This dramedy begins with a chance meeting between Guido (Benigni) and his soon to be love interest Dora (Braschi).  Instant infatuation results as Dora captivates our happy-go-lucky traveler, who decides to give her the nickname of princess.  As the film progresses, Guido has several more “chance” meetings with Dora and tries to win her heart.  Unfortunately, Dora is engaged and about ready to announce her marriage to another man.  Guido continues his uphill battle in order to win the heart of the woman he loves.  To say he does it the traditional way is a horse of a different color (quite literally…I believe it was green), he crashes the wedding announcement party and carries her off to live happily ever after! 

The two meet up with Guido’s Uncle (Durano), who happens to be Jewish, which is not a bad thing unless you are in Italy waiting for Hitler to invade your country.  With a jump ahead of about five years, we catch a glimpse of Giosue (pronounced Joshua – I believe) (Cantarini) running and playing with his mother and father.  Guido is always playing games with the boy and frequently takes him to work at the bookstore, which he owns.  For me, the movie transitions from comedy/romance to drama right at this time.  As Guido leaves his shop and closes the gate, a spray-painted message indicates it belongs to a Jewish business owner.  Obviously, this is not a business endorsement during a pre-World War II environment.  Even with the hateful message, Guido continues to show his son the brighter side of the world.  He always has a glass half full mentality, which makes the rest of the film so believable.

As history has reported, those with Jewish background were rounded up and taken away via trains, busses, trucks, etc.  In an apparent show of support, Dora shows up just before the train is to depart with her husband and son.  She demands to be let on the train and the officer-in-charge grants her request.  Our family travels for many hours and finally arrives at their destination, which is a concentration camp.  The primary objective at this point is merely to survive what is sure to be the most trying time of their lives.

Guido quickly tells his son that they are playing a game with a tank as the grand prize (his son loves tanks).  He lets Joshua know that if they play the best game possible then they will get to take the tank home.  However, in order to win the tank he must be able to score points every day by managing to stay hidden and not ask for food.  His son believes his father and does as he says; which in many cases turns into quite the comedy routine featuring the antics of Benigni.  Even the men in the barracks with Guido play along to keep the child safe and believing that he one day will win his tank.

The only part of the movie that renders any kind of war-like imagery is when Guido accidentally stumbles across a mass burial site littered with hundreds of bodies.  Even with this, the imagery is ghostly and not ghastly as all that can be seen are the outlines of the bodies and not the guts and gore that ultimately permeates our subconscious.  This was a moving scene without a body exploding or blood oozing from an open wound.  The message was clear and it was eerily painful to see as we witness the atrocity seemingly standing right beside the main character.

The time comes for the war to end and Guido kicks into high gear to make sure his family is able to get out alive.  Do they make it?  Well, let’s just say that Joshua gets his tank, but as with all prizes it comes with a cost.

This may be my all-time favorite movie.  I have to say that the subtitles are a little tough to follow as they fly by in a hurry.  However, as the movie goes along the pacing slows down.  I would highly suggest seeing this picture with the subtitles as opposed to the dubbed version because I don’t believe they would do justice to the outstanding acting that Benigni brings to his character.  This foreign film gets a solid 5 stars and is well worth your time to see.

The acting is sublime from each and every character.  It seems at times that Benigni is over the top, but that’s what makes his character and persona so lovable.  The cinematography, special effects, and music score simply add to the ambiance that is Life is Beautiful. The use of comedy and drama are wonderfully balanced and you begin your journey, with this film, laughing and end with an understandable sadness.  If you haven’t had a chance to see this movie and I’m guessing most of you haven’t, pick it up and I’m sure you won’t regret it!

 That’s How Matt Sees It!

127 Hours

127 Hours

James Franco stars in director Danny Boyle’s true to life movie, 127 Hours, about Aron Ralston.  As most of us can recall, Aron made national headlines when he went missing and was subsequently found after amputating his own arm while on a hiking expedition in the desert.  I remember thinking that I could not fathom how I could come to that decision or even if I would have been capable of completing the task.  After watching the movie, I certainly can see how the human spirit and the will to survive can drive a person to take extreme measures that would otherwise seem unimaginable.

Aron (Franco) begins by preparing for a day away to enjoy the beauty and wonder that only Mother Nature can provide.  Unfortunately for him, he does not answer his own mother’s call before rushing out the door in seek of his next greatest adventure.  With a great amount of enthusiasm, he drives deep into the desert canyon, hops on his mountain bike and begins the biggest journey of his life.

As our self-aloof thrill-seeker continues on, he runs across two young ladies who have apparently lost their way.  Being the outgoing and helpful guy that he is, not to mention that the ladies are easy on the eyes, Aron volunteers to help them regain their bearings and takes them on a semi-guided tour.  Once the fun has dissipated; Aron says au revoir to the dashing beauties and continues on his merry way.  Once again, he misses the opportunity to reveal his plans to another human being.  Unfazed by being alone, Aron presses on with thoughts of excitement and adrenaline rushes yet to come.

Aron moves nimbly along the earth, crevices, and boulders as though they have been life-long friends that knew each other’s inner-most thoughts.  Perhaps he should have been communicating a little more clearly, because in a split second his world came crashing down around him.  As he is maneuvering his way down a steep incline, a boulder rolls free and speeds up his descent.  As though right out of a Hollywood movie, he is stopped in mid-air almost as though suspended by some magical force.  To his chagrin, he realizes that his hand has become lodged between the canyon wall and the enormous boulder that would soon become his nemesis.

The next several days are nothing short of life altering as Aron deals with death, life, and hallucinations that seem all too real.   He entertains himself with a camcorder that he has with him, which also acted as his last will and testament.  During his entrapment, he reflects on his relationships and how they all seemed to fail because he was too busy worrying about his own happiness.  He comes to realize that life is not all about the things we want, but the relationships that we cultivate over time.  In a moment of weakness (perhaps it was strength), Aron has a premonition/hallucination of his first born son.  Upon this stark revelation that he was to be a father, Aron makes it his priority to get out of his precarious situation by any means possible.  He knew that there was only one way to escape and that would involve some of the most horrendous and excruciating pain known to man. 

Did I like this movie?  Yes, I did like the movie.  The cinematography alone was breathtaking, but the acting was so amazing it goes beyond words.  With all due respect to The King’s Speech, this film should have produced the Best Actor.  This film earns 4 ½ stars for attempting something so difficult yet delivering a solid work of art.  If you have not had a chance to see this movie, I highly recommend you put it on your must see list.  You won’t be disappointed!

That’s How Matt See’s It!

127 Hours

I remember when this true story was in the news; I could never imagine having the strength and courage to survive such a horrible ordeal. While I was mesmerized by the true story, I couldn’t imagine how they could make it into a movie. When I heard the movie was directed by Danny Boyle and got rave reviews I moved it to the top of my Netflix queue. It was a great deicion.

In 127 Hours we meet Aron (James Franco). From what we can tell, he seems to be living a pretty busy and fulfilling life. However, he is so focused on himself that he fails to make time to keep in touch with his family or friends. Since he has some time off, he heads out to do some hiking/climbing in the desert. He is an experienced hiker, and a bit arrogant, so he sees no problem with heading out alone.

While in the hiking, he runs into a couple of cute girls so he takes a detour to show them a couple of cool spots in the desert. After he departs from the girls, he falls into a canyon where he finds his hand trapped between a small boulder and the canyon wall. Since Aron couldn’t find time to talk to his family and friends, no one knows where he is. The girls are long gone and he’s stuck with only his mind to save him.

As the days pass (127 hour worth) he plots, plans, hallucinates, loses hope and then finally comes to a decision that is truly heroic. Knowing there is no other way out, Aron cuts off his hand and crawls, dehydrated and emaciated, to the surface. There he is rescued and flown to safety.

I gave 127 Hours five stars. Even though the main character is trapped in one place throughout the bulk of the movie, there always seems to be action based on the workings of Aron’s mind. The cinematography is phenomenal; you almost feel the heat of the desert in the gorgeous camera work. But the truly remarkable element is James Franco. He’s always been an intriguing young actor, but this role shot him to new heights. Watching 127 Hours is a must for any movie lover.

Michelle D. Kieffaber

Winter's Bone

It is no secret that I prefer dark, moody movies to the sunny, life-affirming type. It is almost as if Winter’s Bone was written with me in mind. This movie is dark from beginning to end but there is no wondering why it was nominated in the Best Picture category of the Academy Awards.

In Winter’s Bone, we meet Ree (Jennifer Lawrence). Ree doesn’t have an easy life. She has grown up dirt poor with a severely depressed and mentally-absent mother and a hard living, physically-absent father. She doesn’t waste time with self-pity because there is just too much to do. Without her, the household (meager though it is) would crumble and she isn’t about to let her family down.

One day the Sheriff stops by to deliver the news that her father used the house as collateral for his bail. His trial is coming up and if he isn’t in court next week, the house will be seized to satisfy the bond. Ree really can’t catch a break, but she’s determined not to lose the house. Ree sets out to find her father before it’s too late.

Finding her father won’t be easy because Ree has no idea where he might be. She does know that he’s involved with the drug trade, so she dives into the underworld. Each time she follows a lead, she is threatened and ordered to stop her search. Ree is terrified, but she refuses to stop her search, she has too much to lose.

At one point she realizes that her father is probably dead, but if she isn’t able to prove it, the house will be gone. Ree pushes on, putting herself in grave danger. At times she needs to rely on her enemies for help so she never truly knows if she will make it home to care for her family. The tension in this movie is palpable, yet delightful.

Winter’s Bone earns four stars. This movie is very well done. Jennifer Lawrence is an incredible young actor, and the supporting cast also shines. The story is very interesting and the cinematography supports the dark theme. This movie isn’t for everyone, but for those, like me, who adore a creepy, psychological movie, Winter’s Bone is a keeper.

Michelle D. Kieffaber

Winter's Bone

Winter’s Bone

Welcome to the world of director Debra Granik and her icy look into the darkness of the human condition.  I have to admit that I really wasn’t going to give this film much of a chance after the first five minutes, which I felt started way too slowly.  However, Granik quickly used her directing abilities and talented cast, which included Jennifer Lawrence, Dale Dickey, John Hawkes, and Lauren Sweetser to regain my attention.  Sadly, the film received a cold shoulder from the Academy and could not cash in on any of its four nominations.

Ree Dolly (Lawrence) opens the movie interacting with her brother and sister amidst the Ozark Mountains.  The Dolly family is obviously dirt poor and relies heavily on the generosity of relatives and neighbors in order to survive.  Although the matriarch of the family appears disabled, she represents the only parental figure to the children.  The other half of the parenting unit is noticeably absent.

The plot quickly develops as we learn that Ree’s drug-dealing, meth-lab cooking, inattentive father has used the family home as bail in order to be released from custody.  Almost immediately, Ree is notified that if her father fails to show up for his court hearing that the home will be repossessed.  Determined to find her father and keep her family together, Ree begins her search in earnest.

She starts by visiting friends and relatives that kept tabs on her father and his whereabouts.  As she begins to ask around, she realizes that his disappearance and location are a secret no one wants to discuss.  Although only 17 years old, Ree continues to show guts, spunk and chutzpah by asking questions, which eventually leads to a serious altercation with Merab (Dale Dickey) a distant relative.  Beaten almost to extinction, Ree realizes that imminent death is upon her.  Luckily for our head-strong hillbilly maiden, her uncle, Teardrop (Hawkes), makes a last minute appearance to rescue her from death’s final call.

Does she prevail and find her father?  You’ll need to watch the movie because if I tell you, I will surely ruin the ending, which had one of the creepiest scenes that I have ever witnessed.  Did I mention creepy…uhm, yes, I believe I did….creepy!

Winter’s Bone gets four stars.  I recommend this movie and would suggest you give it a chance as it starts out a little slow.  The acting is phenomenal, the cinematography was simply outstanding, and the writing was spot on.  If you are looking for a movie that is a little out of the ordinary, I would highly suggest this flick.  Winter’s Bone will leave you frozen to your seat and begging for more!

That’s How Matt Sees It!

True Grit

This probably won’t be a surprise to those who know me well, but I tend to live my life governed by a set of strange, self-imposed rules. One of those rules states that I can’t watch a re-make of a movie without seeing the original first. Even though the Coen brothers don’t define True Grit as a remake of the John Wayne classic, but rather a re-telling of the novel by Charles Portis, I felt I needed to watch the 1969 film first. I’m glad I saw both versions because there were each lovely in their own ways.

In the 2010 version of True Grit, we meet Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), a young girl with a mature mind and well-honed sense of family loyalty. Learning her father was killed by a hired hand, Mattie travels to tend to her father’s body and his business dealings. Naturally, men of the old west gave her no respect and tried to swindle her in their dealings, but Mattie stood strong and proved herself in business.

With the her father’s affairs in order, Mattie turned her attention to seeking justice for his murder. Her goal was to see the scoundrel hanged and she began looking for a man to track him down. She chose to hire a man named Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), who got results through questionable methods. But Rooster had his doubts about working for Mattie and she had to employ her iron will to convince him to take the job.

While preparing to track the scoundrel, Mattie also meets a Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) who is looking for the same man, but for a different crime. He decides to join Cogburn on the hunt, and much to their surprise, Mattie plans to come along. Even though the men fight it, Mattie gets her way and the trio sets off in search of the murderer.

Those of you who saw the original will have a pretty good idea of what happens next. If you haven’t seen it, I don’t want to spoil all the thrills built into the movie. Let’s just say that Mattie is a force of nature, as is Rooster. When the two of them combine, sparks fly and tempers flare.

I give True Grit five stars. The writing is sharp and moves the plot along at a nice pace. You almost feel as if you are trotted along beside the main characters as they ride the trail in search of evil personified. The cinematography is spectacular and the acting is first rate. Both Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld were nominated for Academy Awards, though neither won. I highly recommend True Grit. If you loved the original, you won’t be disappointed in this adaptation. If you are new to the story, hang on tight because you are in for one heck of a ride.

Michelle D. Kieffaber

True Grit

True Grit

This 2011 Oscar nominated film, directed by Ethan and Joel Coen, is a remake of the 1969 classic starring John Wayne.  Unfortunately for me, I have not had the pleasure to see the original or to witness Wayne’s Oscar winning performance.  I will rectify that problem within the foreseeable future.  However, as for the Coen’s version of True Grit, the film gathered 10 Oscar nominations, which regrettably it was unable to tough out even a single victory.  This amateur movie critic finds it mind-numbingly difficult to understand how a film can be nominated in that many categories and not come away with some kind of hardware.  Be that as it may, this film does have its own character and charm.

Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) starts the movie off by narrating how a drifter, Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), cut short the life of her father.  We then get to meet the spunky, intelligent, and extremely well spoken 14-year old as she arrives in the town in which her father was murdered.  Mattie’s first order of business is to identify her father’s body, which rests with the local undertaker.  After her encounter with the mortician, Mattie heads over to the owner of the horse stable where her father boarded his steed.  She holds the man personally liable for the theft of the horse and demands restitution for her family’s loss of property. The exchange between the two is nothing short of comical, but in true Mattie style she persuades the gentleman that settling their dispute would be much easier than allowing a judge or jury to sort out the legalities of the situation.

After receiving her payment in full from the stable owner, Mattie sets out to find the best lawman that money can buy.  Regrettably, she finds Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) who hits the bottle a little too heavily and allows his six-shooter the latitude afforded to Marines in the line of duty.  He initially refuses her offer to find her father’s killer, but then decides to accept and begins his hunt in earnest.

Mattie learns that a Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf (pronounced LeBeef) (Matt Damon), has come to town seeking Chaney as well.  LeBoeuf briefly explains his interest in Chaney and Mattie rebukes him by insisting that the criminal would have to face the charges for her father’s murder before returning to Texas.  Obviously, this does not go over well with the ranger and he strikes up an alliance with Cogburn unbeknownst to our little heroine.  The trio works together in an effort to bring the outlaw to justice.  Do they get him?  Is justice served?  Well, there is only one way to find out!

This film was a little slow for me.  The pacing of this movie could have been a little faster as I tended to lose interest during certain parts.  The comedy portion of the film was enjoyable, but seemed too intermittent for my liking.  The acting was good, but I didn’t feel like they hit a home run.  Although Steinfeld and Bridges had shining moments, it felt like they over embellished at times.  Overall, the cinematography was good, the writing ok and the acting was decent.  True Grit didn’t quite live up to my expectation, but was an interesting viewing experience.  I give this film three and a half stars.  I would recommend putting this on your list of movies to see, but just not at the top of the list.

That’s How Matt Sees It!

Toy Story 3

I have a confession to make. I had never seen any of the Toy Story movies before this. Don’t judge me; I don’t have kids so watching kids’ movies isn’t a top priority. I kept meaning to watch them, but never seemed to work it into my busy, adult schedule. So I carved out a Sunday and watched all three in a row. It was the most enjoyable Sunday I have had in weeks.

In Toy Story 3 we find the incredibly lovable toys bemoaning the fact that Andy, their owner is leaving for college and leaving his childhood, including his toys, behind. Even worse than being abandoned, is the prospect of being thrown away because the toy would no longer have a purpose. Toys, like people need to have a purpose in life.

Andy’s mother demands he clean out his room before leaving for school and asks him to divide his things into piles for trash and storage. Surprising no one, he decides to take Woody with him to college and puts all his other toys in a trash bag to be stored in the attic. Even though he is growing up, he isn’t ready to let go of his friends.

Through a series of misunderstandings, the toys end up being donated to a day care center. They are thrilled at the prospect of being loved and enjoyed by eager children. And they seem to be welcomed into the fraternity of toys at the center, but when they meet the children at the center, they realize that life has not improved. These are LITTLE kids who play a bit too rough. The toys try to transfer to the bigger kids’ room and find the day care center is run like a Nazi stalag by a scented teddy bear named Lotso.

Woody makes his way to the day care and manages to help his beleaguered friends. It’s a surprising dark movie and I wonder how little kids handle it. I won’t give away the ending, in case you haven’t seen it, but it’s exactly what you would expect from Pixar; it’s warm and life fulfilling. Normally, that stuff makes me gag, but I actually choked up at the ending.

I give Toy Story 3 four and a half stars. Even though it’s a kid’s movie, the writing is sharp and the tone is dark enough that it doesn’t seem “cutesy.” I loved the animation and was surprised by the level of character development. Even if you are a grown-up like me, I think will enjoy Toy Story 3.

Michelle D. Kieffaber

Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3

Finally, a film that my family and I can watch together!  Toy Story 3 completes, perhaps, the best animated trilogy in filmmaking history.  This film was nominated for five Oscars and was able to apprehend two of the coveted golden statues.  Albeit unable to capture Best Picture honors, Toy Story 3 did walk away with Best Animated Feature and Best Music Song.  Although this movie was nominated for Best Picture, it is almost unheard of, if not impossible, for an animated child’s film to walk away with the top prize.  However; director, Lee Unkrich, gave it his best shot. 

Toy Story 3 begins with Andy preparing for his transition to college life.  While Andy is busily packing for his upcoming departure, we reconnect with all of our toy friends from the previous years including:  Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie the Cowgirl (Joan Cusack), Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), and my personal favorite, the “inconceivable” (think Princess Bride) Rex the dinosaur (Wallace Shawn).  The toys are discussing their future in the attic as Andy is preparing to store them away before he leaves for school.

In a misfortunate twist of fate, the toys end up in a garbage bag curbside awaiting their crushing fate via an oncoming sanitation vehicle.  As luck may have it, our clever friends are able to escape the claws of the rocking-out garbage man.  However, they are less than impressed that Andy would shepherd them to the roadside without saying goodbye.  As they reach the safety of the garage and reunite with Woody, the toys spot a donation box that says Sunnyside Daycare.  Angered by Andy’s apparent lack of interest, the toys decide to stow away and begin fresh with a new set of children.

All seems well as they first arrive at Sunnyside; however, it only takes a few moments for them to come to the realization that their perceived Shangri-La is actually a life sentence.  The toys hastily attempt to devise a plan of escape only to be thwarted by the evil and sinister Lots-O-Hugs Bear (Ned Beatty).  Lotso rules the daycare toys with the proverbial iron fist or in his case wooden walking stick.  The twisted bear was accidentally left behind by his child one day.  Upon returning home, he found that he had been replaced with an exact replica.  Feeling unloved and jaded, Lotso became a dark and uncaring toy interested in only one thing, himself.

Woody, the only toy to escape Sunnyside, returns to aid in a jail-break.  He puts a plan in motion and the toys set out on an adventure that is sure to rival any Alcatraz story.  I’m not ruining the ending by letting you know that the toys successfully meander away from Sunnyside and find their way back to Andy.  This, of course, is how it has to end as Andy decides to give his coveted possessions to a deserving little girl who will cherish them for many years to come.

As with the previous two Toy Stories, I really enjoyed this film.  I have to say that I believe this may be my favorite of the three.  Toy Story 3 delivers more true to life characters than the previous two with the introduction of Lots-O-Hugs Bear and his dark demeanor.  The animation was top notch, story line is amazing, and entertainment value was through the roof.  As a parent, it’s wonderful to be able to sit down and not watch “another” cartoon.  This was just as entertaining for me as for my kids.  Toy Story 3 gets a solid four stars!  This film has something that will make you smile, laugh and yes, even cry (well maybe tear-up).  Reach for the sky partner or at least for Toy Story 3.  It will take you to infinity and beyond!

That’s How Matt Sees It!