Departures
Posted on 23 Nov 2012 by admin
This Japanese film is incredibly poignant and tender. A young man's musical career is cut short, but his unlikely new job performing ceremonies for the deceased ends up giving deeper meaning to his life and marriage.
The Intouchables
Posted on 16 Sep 2012 by admin
Another winning French film. The meeting of two very different men leading troubled lives results in an unlikely, but deeply meaningful friendship.
The Women on the 6th Floor
Posted on 16 Jul 2012 by admin
This is truly one of the most charming films I've seen in years. An upper-class French businessman discovers an entire world of vibrant humanity through his new Spanish maid.
Pat Metheny's "What's It All About"
Posted on 06 Feb 2012 by admin
Pat's newest project is a beautiful collection of popular songs from the 60s and 70s that he reharmonized and arranged. The simplicity is part of the charm of this album - it's just solo guitar, every note carefully chosen and placed.
Rango
Posted on 24 Sep 2011 by admin
Rango is a winner on many levels - entertaining and clever. It's a CGI animated feature that is surprisingly "sophisticated". Really!
The Conspirator
Posted on 24 Sep 2011 by admin
This is a superb film directed by Robert Redford. One of the people hanged for the conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln was Mary Surratt. Was she really innocent? There is no simple answer. In any case there seems to have been great impropriety during the handling of her case. Robin Wright Penn's performance as Surratt is impeccable.
The Musical Instrument Museum
Posted on 12 Apr 2011 by admin
Last month I visited "The MIM" in Phoenix. It's a new museum devoted to the diversity of musical instruments from all around the world. Visitors have the opportunity to see thousands of exotic instruments and hear them in video performances scattered throughout the exhibits. It's a great way to spend an afternoon, strolling from room to room, each specific to different geographic locations.
IMAX: Hubble 3D
Posted on 08 Nov 2010 by admin
This is one film that actually merits the 3D treatment. The footage is absolutely breathtaking - looking down on earth from the Hubble Space Telescope. The repair efforts were no small feat. The film ends with a visual depiction of our place in the universe ... a place so infinitesimally small, it's hard to fathom.
Le Viaduc de Millau
Posted on 27 Oct 2010 by admin
During a recent trip to France, I had the opportunity to see the spectacular Millau bridge. Completed in 2004, it is the tallest cable-stayed bridge in the world, crossing the Tarn river valley in southern France. It's sleek and elegant - truly a sight to behold!
Carole King & James Taylor In Concert
Posted on 04 Aug 2010 by admin
I've been to many concerts this year, but none touched me as much as the Carole King/James Taylor Troubadour tour. Wow!! Such songwriting talent, musicianship, and heartfelt melodies.
The Burning Plain
Posted on 27 Feb 2010 by admin
This powerful film from Guillermo Arriaga is a stunning portrait of human frailty. Vignettes of seemingly unrelated stories collide in space and time to reveal a tapestry of interwoven life stories. Kim Basinger and Charlize Theron give superb performances in this compelling drama.
Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life
Posted on 27 Feb 2009 by admin
PBS's Independent Lens series has created a wonderful film about the life of jazz genius and legend, Billy Strayhorn. This fascinating biography is greatly enhanced by performances of living jazz artists such as Dianne Reeves interpreting his songs throughout.
Click here to view the official film website
Network - a film ahead of its time
Posted on 13 Nov 2008 by admin
Has ever a more prescient film been made? Sublime performances from Faye Dunaway and Peter Finch. More than a commentary on modern society and the media, this is a call to action.
Black Book
Posted on 20 Jun 2008 by admin
A powerful Dutch film by by Paul Verhoeven. Based on the shocking true story of a woman's complex physical and emotional struggle during WWII. Wikipedia entry.