A Scary True Story

I know superhero movies are all the rage now. But for me, it’s more enjoyable viewing films about real-life heroes like Rob Bilott, a corporate defense attorney who took on a powerful chemical company with a record of environmental pollution. That's what Dark Waters is all about. 

As luck would have it, Bilott is played by Mark Ruffalo, an actor known for portraying The Hulk in recent movies. Unlike that superhero, Bilott doesn’t rely on physical force to deal with the bad guys. Instead, he uses brains, persistence and compassion. Ruffalo projects all that in this informative legal thriller directed by Todd Haynes.

Because Bilott’s job involves defending corporations, he can’t imagine himself taking on a case involving pollution by a big company. However, his grandmother asks him to help a friend who can’t get anyone to listen about what’s happening to his farm since a landfill next to him became a DuPont dumping ground. Chemicals from that dump are leaking into a body of water his cattle drink from, and his animals are dying.

As Bilott finds out more about this situation, he can’t say no. But little did he realize his battle would go on for years, and that it would involve much more than cattle as well as serious problems of his own.        

      

Watch “Dark Waters,” but be prepared

to get angry while being scared.

A true story, it tells the tale

of poisonings without a jail.

Stopping these deaths a lawyer tries.

His research reveals many lies

told by DuPont about their work.

Dangers in their chemicals lurk.

He takes on this case and the fight.

It’s not easy to do what’s right.

He and his wife face problems too.

If you were him, what would you do?

Courage and strength are required here.

Persistence helps to conquer fear.

Mark Ruffalo always comes through.

This role offers him something new.

He feels the part and does his best.

The Hulk in him gets needed rest.

Director Haynes moves the film along rather slowly, but there’s lots of complicated scientific information to cover – and it can’t be understood if presented in a hurry. Although Ruffalo carries the major acting burden, he’s helped by Anne Hathaway as his worried wife plus Tim Robbins and Bill Pullman as two sympathetic lawyers.

Dark Waters reveals how greed, corruption and indifference can devastate the environment, cause fatal illnesses,  and ruin people’s lives. It’s a very scary story.     

(Released by Focus Features and rated “PG-13” by MPAA.)

Timeless Sisterhood

Universal truths are as important today as they were back in the 1800s. That’s why Louisa May Alcott’s family-oriented classic novel Little Women has maintained its wide appeal for 150 years. This endearing story has been filmed many times before. But this new Little Women, directed and co-written (with Kristi Shimek) by Claire Niederpruem, is a modern retelling for a new generation.

Although I have enjoyed all the previous movie versions -- partially because the old-fashioned costumes and sets take me back in time -- I realize the most important element is the story of the March sisters. Happily, filmmaker Niederpruem has brought them into the 21st century, and I'm happy to report they are still as fascinating as ever!.             

Little Women brings laughs and tears.

A tale of old that’s switched its gears.

The time is now – not in the past.

Four sisters modernized at last.

But Jo is still the forceful one.

Writing’s her life, not just for fun.

Meg, the beauty. Beth, the dreamer.

Youngest Amy, once a schemer.

And Marmee, a dear mom again.

The gang’s all here. Another win.

No period costumes to see.

But look for new technology.

Time means nothing for sisterhood.

No matter when, it’s always good!

This movie helps us understand

why sisterhood is something grand.

(Released by Pinnacle Peak Productions/Pure Fix Entertainment and rated “PG-13” by MPAA.)            

A Night To Remember

Talk about a stroll down memory lane. No, I take that back. Watching Brave New Jersey was more like a time travel trip to a special 1938 October night when my cousins and I were enjoying our weekly ride in the backseat of Uncle Frank’s car. After about fifteen minutes, we got a bit rowdy so Aunt Elizabeth said, “Turn on the radio, Frank. Maybe that will calm these kids down.”

But instead of calming us down, the program we heard just happened to be the infamous Orson Welles’ dramatization of Martian attacks. Unfortunately we got in after the announcement at the beginning of the show. And, of course, like many other listeners who tuned in late  -- we thought this was a news broadcast. Well, you can imagine how frightened we were!

Uncle Frank decided that we would head to the hills and hide from the monsters. By the time we arrived in the small mountain community near our town, we heard the announcer explain about this dramatization – and we couldn’t stop laughing all the way home.     

Brave New Jersey is so much fun.

You’ll chuckle lots before it’s done.

It’s based on facts about a prank

that we have Orson Welles to thank.

His hoax fooled folks in days gone by.

It made them fear and scream and cry.

This comedy shows a small town

in panic searching space men down.

Though not one creature can be found,

these folks still try to hold their ground.

Some lives are changed by this big night.

For the better? Yes, that is right.

The film excels production-wise.

Period look should win a prize.

The actors fit their roles with ease.

Their funny actions aim to please!

Director/writer Jody Lambert uses the impact of the Welles radio broadcast as the backdrop for his amusing movie. He deserves kudos for putting together a wonderful, diverse cast and crew to create a film that looks as real as possible. The sets, costumes, autos, and hair/makeup made me feel like I was back in 1938. (Full disclosure: I’m one of the few folks still living who remember what things were like during that time period.)       

Brave New Jersey proves that nostalgia can be exciting as well as fun.        

20th Century Women

A single parent raising a family faces many challenges. After my grandfather died in a horrible industrial accident, my grandmother was left with two sons and two daughters to bring up on her own. I continue to admire how she managed to do this. And that probably has a lot to do with my strong feelings about 20th Century Women. This movie takes place in Southern California during the late 1970s. It focuses on a single mom who asks for help from two other women because she worries about her own communication with her teenage son. Besides dealing with the mother/son relationship, the film also shows these very different women exploring issues of love and freedom.   

The movie is a wonderful character-driven offering with first-rate acting by a very strong cast. Annette Bening brings her drama/comedy “A game” to the lead role, and she’s ably supported by Lucas Jade Zumann, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, and Billy Crudup.

Written and directed by Mike Mills, this motion picture demonstrates how skillful writing and outstanding performances can transform a simple bittersweet story into something very special indeed.           

A single mom and her young son

are very close. But he’s not done

with growing up, so here’s mom’s plan.

She will get some help, if she can.

A father figure might be great.

Still, that thought seems way, way too late.

Two younger gals try in their style –

spending time with the son a while.

But will this work and help the boy?

Could they share too much or be coy?

Annette Bening is at her best

as mother hen in this snug nest.

The younger women are portrayed

by actresses who don’t evade

reaching down deep to make us feel

their characters are really real.

Elle Fanning and Greta Gerwig

earn kudos for doing this gig.

Lucas Jade Zumann as the son

gets a cheer for acting he’s done.

And Billy Crudup steals his scenes --

a handyman for stairs and things.

Helping out is an easy plot.

I like this movie quite a lot!

Men are what their mothers made them. --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

It’s not our job to toughen our children up to face the world. It’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless. --- K.R. Knost

Happy is the son whose faith in his mother remains unchallenged. --- Louisa May Alcott

(Released by A24 and rated “R” for sexual material, some nudity and brief drug use.)

   

A Remarkable Film Starring Antonio Banderas

Through the magic of brilliant cinematography and gorgeous location shots, Finding Altamira takes us back to the 1800s in Spain during a time of conflict between religion and science. It tells the story of Marcelino Sautuola (Antonio Banderas), an amateur archeologist who owns the land where mysterious paintings are found in one of the caves on his property. Marcelino and his colleague Juan Vilanova (Nicholas Farrell) believe the art was created by humans much earlier than anyone ever suspected. Unfortunately, this belief does not meet with approval from the church or from other scientists. Plus, Marcelino’s wife (Golshifteh Farahani) cannot fully support his theory because of her religious beliefs, which causes family problems. But his darling little daughter (Allegra Allen), who first sees the cave art, stands by him. I hope this remarkable film will be remembered during the 2016 awards season.

Altamira hides works of art.

And finding them is where things start.

A little girl falls in a cave.

Then looking up, she’d like to rave.

Her father sees the pictures too.

He wants the world to know they’re true.

But forces stand against this man

and plot to wreck his earnest plan.

Banderas nails his crucial role.

We cheer the man’s most worthy goal.

The film itself pleases the eye

with lovely sights that make us sigh.

Don’t miss this one if you like art

or movies filled with lots of heart.

(Released by Samuel Goldwyn Films; not rated by MPAA.)