Mahler (1974) - 3 stars out of 10

Mahler (1974) - 3 stars out of 10

Ken Russell's "Mahler" is a trip.  The visual imagery of a woman emerging from a cocoon and and extensive battle where the conversion of a Jew to Christianity forces him to destroy a Star of David and eat the head of a pig are amongst the things to look forward to; and yet, Russell manages to make some big statements about Gustav Mahler's life through this bizarre interpretation of his life.  My favorite part of the film comes about 5 minutes in, when Gustav watches a scene from "Death in Venice" unfold before his eyes with the beautiful "Adagietto" playing.  This image of a composer watching the future legacy of his music is fantastic, particularly as his music was not well received in his time and he always believed that people would "get it" 50 years after his death.  And they did.  The film's downfall is that you have to be an expert on Mahler's life to understand most of what Russell is trying to express, giving it a very limited audience appeal.  I am fairly well educated in the life and character of Mahler and yet, many of these things went over my head the first time.  The acting is good and the soundtrack is incredible as we get to enjoy Mahler's music for two hours, but unless you have done significant research about the life of Mahler ahead of time, this will just come off as and extensive display of bizarre imagery.

The Thin Blue Line (1988) - 3 stars out of 10

The Thin Blue Line (1988) - 3 stars out of 10

"The Thin Blue Line" just didn't do it for me.  As a concept, I think that it is incredible that the evidence gathered in this film eventually led to the exoneration of a man incorrectly accused of murder.  That's a truly incredible feat and a one-time deal for filmmakers; however, the documentary does work better as a presentation of evidence than as entertainment and as a result, it tends to drag along.  I feel that this is an important film in the history of documentaries... it just isn't very fun to watch.

The Rainmaker (1997) - 8 stars out of 10

The Rainmaker (1997) - 8 stars out of 10

"The Rainmaker" isn’t the best courtroom drama I’ve ever seen, but Matt Damon’s Tennessee accent is incredible and the plot is as airtight as an open and shut case.  You always know that you are in store for something unique when you see Francis Ford Coppola's name in the credits, and his adaptation of John Grisham's novel is just that!  Unlike most courtroom films that track a successful lawyer on the case that may end their career, this story focuses on a recent law-school graduate who is desperate for work and stumbles onto a case that is much bigger than he is ready for.  The cast is deep with talent, from Mickey Rourke's small role as a ruthless (and likely criminal) lawyer to Danny Glover's great performance as the judge and Danny DeVito's less-than-ethical approach to law.  Jon Voight steals the screen as the bullying Leo Drummond, and I wonder if this character's name is a throwback to Henry Drummond from "Inherit the Wind," one of the greatest lawyer characters in film (and stage) history.  And this all goes without mentioning Virigina Madsen, Roy Scheider, and particularly Claire Danes as the abused wife.  Add on Matt Damon's accent and you have some of the greatest actors of this era portraying Grisham's deep characters.  The story takes unexpected twists, all while engaging our emotions as we watch a young man die of untreated leukemia due to this count case.  It isn't "A Few Good Men" or "Twelve Angry Men," but it is definitely worth watching if you enjoy this genre.

Knuckleball! (2012) - 7 stars out of 10

Knuckleball! (2012) - 7 stars out of 10

"Knuckleball!" is an interesting look inside of a rare breed of pitchers.  The knuckleball requires a sacrifice of normal pitching technique in order to effectively develop this unpredictable pitch.  While the film does not take you through the entire history of the knuckleball, it explores the risk of committing to this method.  When the documentary was released, there were only two knuckleball pitchers in the entire MLB - Tim Wakefield and R.A. Dickey.  The film examines their lives and the unpredictable nature of a career with this pitch, since most ball clubs are not willing to give one of these pitchers a chance.  I was particularly interested because of Tim Wakefield's history as a player cut from the Pittsburgh Pirates, who then became a successful knuckleballer with the Red Sox.  Aside from the feel-good success stories of these two pitchers, I really enjoyed the segment that gave the perspective of the catcher.  It is just as difficult for the catcher to catch this crazy pitch as it is for the hitter to hit it.  I don't really know if a non-baseball fan would enjoy this film but for anybody who is into baseball, it's a film that you need to see.

April Showers (2009) - 6 stars out of 10

April Showers (2009) - 6 stars out of 10

"April Showers" is a chilling recreation of the Columbine High School shooting.  Andrew Robinson, a senior at Columbine during the shootings, writes and directs this film to create a once-in-a-lifetime perspective of these events from the inside.  I appreciate that the names and some of the details were changed out of respect for those who were killed during this tragedy.  DISCLAIMER: This film is really difficult to watch, particularly if you are a teacher, student, or parent with a child in school (so basically everybody).  They are tasteful in not directly showing people being killed, but the panic is enough to send chills down your spine.  The film reenacts the shooting several times from the perspectives of students in different areas of the school.  Following the tragedy, each student copes with their experience in a different way.  The main emotion the the students struggle with is guilt, questioning why their life was spared, feeling responsible for the death of another, or never telling someone that they loved them.  Every scene is important, from the shootings to the tearful funeral.  The most chilling part of the film occurs at the very end as the names of every innocent person killed in a school shooting scrolls by on the screen, from the University of Texas in 1966 to Dillard High School in 2008.  This film is dedicated in loving memory to all of those who we lost, and to those who survived.  I think that tears are inevitable at the end of "April Showers.  This film isn't designed for entertainment; it is a tribute to those who lost their lives and a necessary empathetic device to help us avoid another tragedy like this happening again.

American Pie - 5 stars out of 10

American Pie - 5 stars out of 10

"American Pie" is as classic of a summertime comedy movie as, well, apple pie!  That being said, this film travels to the extremes of sexuality, getting to the point that it can be tough to watch.  It's the type of film that will make you blush if you're watching it with someone that you don't know very well.  I could appreciate some of the humor as an adult but it disturbs me that it is often a rite-of-passage film for young teens.  Regardless, I can't completely criticize this film because the characters are so great.  Whether it is Kevin, Finch, Oz, Vicky, Heather, Nadia, Jim, or Jim's dad (Eugene Levy, best part of the film), there is always someone entertaining on-screen.  I find Seann William Scott to be pretty annoying so I didn't really enjoy Stifler, but a character like that is a necessity in a story like this.  Outside of the main characters, the band and choir stereotypes are well-played.  Michelle's band camp stories are incredible, all leading up to the most famous line of the script.  The story actually captures several of the big topics of late 90's culture, such as the webcam sequence.  You could almost call it the "American Graffiti" of the next generation.  Music is cleverly used throughout the film, particularly when "Mrs. Robinson" begins to play during Finch's encounter with Stifler's mom (not to mention the perfect use of the famous "The Graduate" camera angle).  If I were rating this film on my "recommendation to watch it unedited," it would certainly be a 1.  But I have to acknowledge the success of the film to accomplish what it sets out to do.  Even though the content is incredibly offensive, this has become one of those movies that is so famous that you have to see it.  I don't know if it is possible to edit this enough to screen on tv, but it's worth holding out to see if they can manage it.

Undefeated (2011) - 10 stars out of 10

Undefeated (2011) - 10 stars out of 10

"Undefeated" is the story of a group of high school football players whose means and situation should have led to failure.   This Oscar-winning documentary chronicles the on- and off-the-field experiences of the Manassas Tigers, a Tennessee football team striving to win their first playoff game in the school's 110-year history.  Coach Bill Courtney takes this rough crew and teaches them to succeed through hard work, respect, and self-discipline.  It has the makings of an inspirational summertime sports film but this true story inspires without a script or paid actors.  The film is so poignant because these are real people.  I will be a huge O.C. Brown fan if he makes it into an NFL jersey someday!  I compare this film to a documentary like "Hoop Dreams" and I actually prefer this one.  Rather than focusing on a few individual players, the film is driven by an entire team that must work together to succeed.  The film never feels long-winded and the progress of the featured players creates an emotional attachment and sense of pride as these boys grow into men.  You  will cry.  Maybe even twice.  You just can't script things like this.  "Undefeated" is a real-life "Gridiron Gang" and proves that you don't have to score a game-winning touchdown to succeed.