Movie Review: "Oblivion"

This Sci-Fi Action film stars Tom Cruise who plays “Jack,” a veteran assigned to guard over machinery that is extracting Earth’s remaining resources in the near future. The earth has been invaded by aliens. Humans have won the war, but are extracting water for a mass migration to the Saturian moon of Titan. He and his team member remain on earth to prevent sabotage of machinery by remaining aliens hiding on earth. Not unlike Total Recall, Jack’s struggle awakens doubts about who he is and what he is fighting for. The special effects are spectacular. The movie is suspenseful, but not frightfully so. The plot if fairly sophisticated and has an end with closure. Morgan Freeman makes more or less a cameo appearance mid and end movie.

Movie Review: "Quartet"

This British comedic drama takes place in a home for retired opera singers and musicians. The home is on the brink of insolvency and must come up with a financially successful public performance of a Verdi piece to stay open. The harmony of the home is disrupted when Jean, played by Dame Maggie Smith, an eccentric diva, arrives in the home. She was previously married to one of the residents, Reggie, a retired operatic tenor. The bulk of the plot involves the reconciliation of the two. The musical score contains many familiar pieces. The acting, plot and character development are sophisticated and proceed at an interesting pace. Interestingly, almost the entirety of the cast is retired opera performers. Were it not for a couple of obscenities, the movie could have earned a “G” rating.

Movie Review: "Jack Reacher"

This movie is based on a series of books by British author Jim Grant that centers around Jack Reacher, a former US Army Military Police Major. Five people are apparently gunned down in public by a recently discharged Army sniper. The evidence is overwhelming. The local DA’s daughter acts as the suspect’s defense attorney. Jack Reacher, played by Tom Crews, is dispatched at the request of the suspect. The dialogue between the DA and Reacher is quick, intelligent and full of innuendo- not unlike an old Mickey Spillane Who Dunnit. The plot is fairly sophisticated. The fight scenes are of tolerable length. The car chase scene features Crews driving an old fashioned GTO muscle car that was reminiscent of Steve McQueen in Bullitt. If not for a few profanities, the movie could have earned a “G” rating.

Movie Review "Argo"

Ben Affleck both directs stars in this dramatization of the 1980 CIA rescue of five American embassy employees from revolutionary Iran. Five people manage to escape from the US embassy during the take over by Iranian students. They manage to make their way to the home of the Canadian ambassador. Tony Mendez, played by Ben Affleck, is a CIA “exfiltration” expert who is called on by the State Department to secure their rescue. He forms a CIA sponsored Holloywood production company that is to use Iranian sites for a science fiction movie titled “Argo.” The production company is in fact staffed by the five embassy employees. John Goodman and Alan Arkin have small, but well performed roles as Hollywood regulars used in the formation of the production company. The plot, performance and story development are great. Were it not for the salty language, the movie could have earned a PG-13 rating.

Brooks Museum Exhibits October 2012

“The Brilliance of Tiffany: Lamps from the Neustadt Collection” This spectacular new exhibit at The Brooks Museum centers around the Tiffany lamp collection of the late Dr. Neustadt of NYNY. Lamps, silverware, glass objets d’art and windows are in included in this well presented eclectic collection. A nice history of Louis Comfort Tiffany and his company begins the tour. There is also a detailed narrative of the production process and daily work life of the artisans and workers in his factory and studio in New York. Of interest, there are a number of pieces owned by Memphians and some Tiffany stained glass windows from the old Hill Mansion that was demolished on Union Avenue in 1979. “Early Quilts from Southern Collections” This exhibit displays four well preserved, pristine quilts from the 19th century. The display starts with a primer on the construction, design and use of quilts. Most impressive is the beautiful “Whig Rose” pattern quilt from a private collection in Virginia that dates from before 1850.

Movie Review: "Bourne Legacy"

This is the 4th installation of the Bourne cycle based on the Robert Ludlum series. Jeremy Renner, of “The Hurt Locker” fame, plays Blackstone program’s “Agent Number Five.” The program creator, Eric Byer, is played by Ed Norton who is bent on destroying all evidence of the program and its agents. Rachel Weisz plays Blackstone researcher, Dr. Marta Shearing who is accidently spared assassination- only to be paired with Number Five in a globe spanning fight for survival against Byer. Renner more than carries on in his role as mind altered super agent as played in the previous films by Matt Damon. The action scenes are well filmed- and unlike the previous movies, slowed to the point of visual comprehension. Aside from mild profanity, this movie could have almost circumvented its PG-13 rating.

Movie Review "Bernie"

This movie is based on the life of Bernie Tiede of Carthage, Texas. Bernie (Jack Black) is a somewhat effeminate assistant funeral director who quickly becomes woven into the social, business and church fabric of this small East Texas town. He becomes involved with a surly wealthy local widow (Shirley MacLaine) who ends up dominating every aspect of his life. The film is done as a sort of documentary, utilizing many colorful local characters as performers and narrators. Jack Black successfully captures the way of life, attitude, mannerisms and speech of East Texans. This is his best performance to date. There was occasional bad language and no nudity, sex or gore.