Rebecca Redshaw
Sofa Cinema
Published on Tue, Dec 8, 2009 by Rebecca RedshawRead More Sofa Cinema
Rebecca Redshaw's "SOFA CINEMA: An Easy Guide to DVDs Volume 1" is available at local bookstores, at the Sequim Gazette and online at www.rebeccaredshaw.com.
The movies selected for review are the choice of the reviewer. Suggestions for DVD titles are welcome. Enjoy the movies.
NEW RELEASES
"Julie & Julia," rated PG-13
It would be truly sad if only people old enough to remember the real Julia Child rented "Julie & Julia."
Yes, the film stars Meryl Streep as an uncanny visual and vocal clone of TV's "The French Chef." Yes, the script's humor in dealing with the frustrations of breaking the culinary barriers of the French is fun to watch. And, yes, the film portrays the ongoing romance between Julia and her low-key and charming husband, Paul, played by Stanley Tucci.
But director Nora Ephron rises to the difficult challenge of marrying two time periods, two locations and two casts. She adapted Julie Powell's novel brilliantly capturing the young blogger's frustrations in her life.
Amy Adams is Julie, a near 30-something who is frustrated
in her work and with her life. Adams, and her relationship with her friends and young husband, is why young people should be seeing "Julie & Julia." Yes, the script's humor in dealing with the frustrations of breaking the culinary barriers of an American challenging a French cookbook is fun to watch. And, yes, the film portrays the ongoing romance between Julie and her supportive and charming husband, Eric, played by Chris Messina.
A special nod to the crew that convincingly fools everyone that Streep towers at 6 feet 2 inches when in reality she's all of 5 feet 6 inches and kudos to editor Richard Marks for seamless transitions.
Enjoy "Julie & Julia" or better said - "Bon Appetit!"
HIDDEN GEM
"Paradise Road," rated R
The music score is a major part of most films. In "Paradise Road," released in 1997, music not only supplies emphasis to dramatic scenes, it is the heart and soul of the movie. Based on actual events in a prisoner of war camp for women on the island of Sumatra, music becomes the women's means of survival.
Glenn Close stars as Adrienne Pargiter, who along with missionary prisoner Margaret Drummond (Pauline Collins) forms a "vocal orchestra." For more than three years the POWs survived beatings and near starvation by lifting their spirits through song.
Even though it was forbidden to write notes of any kind, Drummond recreated scores of compositions by famous composers such as Debussy, Beethoven, Chopin and Handel.* The original penciled scores, smuggled out at the time of liberation, still exist.
There is no escape or attempted escape by the women from the isolated camp written in for dramatic purpose. There's no need. Director Bruce Beresford chose instead to let the prisoners' resilience to torture and determination to survive speak to their courage.
"Paradise Road" is justifiably rated R for the violence against the women, but the music, and the power of music, make this story unique among the many war movies from World War II.
* An original arrangement of a piece by Handel that was performed by the vocal orchestra will be presented by the Northwest Women's Chorale at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Sequim.
Rebecca Redshaw can be reached at r2redshaw@hotmail.com.
The movies selected for review are the choice of the reviewer. Suggestions for DVD titles are welcome. Enjoy the movies.
NEW RELEASES
"Julie & Julia," rated PG-13
It would be truly sad if only people old enough to remember the real Julia Child rented "Julie & Julia."
Yes, the film stars Meryl Streep as an uncanny visual and vocal clone of TV's "The French Chef." Yes, the script's humor in dealing with the frustrations of breaking the culinary barriers of the French is fun to watch. And, yes, the film portrays the ongoing romance between Julia and her low-key and charming husband, Paul, played by Stanley Tucci.
But director Nora Ephron rises to the difficult challenge of marrying two time periods, two locations and two casts. She adapted Julie Powell's novel brilliantly capturing the young blogger's frustrations in her life.
Amy Adams is Julie, a near 30-something who is frustrated
in her work and with her life. Adams, and her relationship with her friends and young husband, is why young people should be seeing "Julie & Julia." Yes, the script's humor in dealing with the frustrations of breaking the culinary barriers of an American challenging a French cookbook is fun to watch. And, yes, the film portrays the ongoing romance between Julie and her supportive and charming husband, Eric, played by Chris Messina.
A special nod to the crew that convincingly fools everyone that Streep towers at 6 feet 2 inches when in reality she's all of 5 feet 6 inches and kudos to editor Richard Marks for seamless transitions.
Enjoy "Julie & Julia" or better said - "Bon Appetit!"
HIDDEN GEM
"Paradise Road," rated R
The music score is a major part of most films. In "Paradise Road," released in 1997, music not only supplies emphasis to dramatic scenes, it is the heart and soul of the movie. Based on actual events in a prisoner of war camp for women on the island of Sumatra, music becomes the women's means of survival.
Glenn Close stars as Adrienne Pargiter, who along with missionary prisoner Margaret Drummond (Pauline Collins) forms a "vocal orchestra." For more than three years the POWs survived beatings and near starvation by lifting their spirits through song.
Even though it was forbidden to write notes of any kind, Drummond recreated scores of compositions by famous composers such as Debussy, Beethoven, Chopin and Handel.* The original penciled scores, smuggled out at the time of liberation, still exist.
There is no escape or attempted escape by the women from the isolated camp written in for dramatic purpose. There's no need. Director Bruce Beresford chose instead to let the prisoners' resilience to torture and determination to survive speak to their courage.
"Paradise Road" is justifiably rated R for the violence against the women, but the music, and the power of music, make this story unique among the many war movies from World War II.
* An original arrangement of a piece by Handel that was performed by the vocal orchestra will be presented by the Northwest Women's Chorale at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Sequim.
Rebecca Redshaw can be reached at r2redshaw@hotmail.com.
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