Bridge of Spies

When Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks get together, good things happen.  When you throw in the Coen Brothers, well, you can guess that it amps it up a bit.

Tom Hanks plays Jim Donovan, a New York lawyer drafted by his firm and bar association (Alan Alda!) to defend Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance)  a Soviet spy accused of espionage.  When he defends him properly, Jim receives much approbation from those close and nearby to him - the public's lament to the lawyer, "How can you defend someone like that?"

Based on his good representation of the spy, Jim is thereafter recruited by the CIA to negotiate the return of Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Pilot shot down on a spy flight over Russia.  The bait- the Soviet spy that Jim defended.

The Coen goofiness (Hudsucker Proxy, O Brother Where Art Thou) ensues as Jim tries to figure out who he represents, who to talk to, will they or won't they.  They were co-writers.     And the thrilling end comes together on the Gliessinger Bridge in Berlin, the Bridge of Spies.  Very evocative of another Spielberg classic, Schindler's List.

A well done movie - an old style mystery and thriller - and no shooting, cussing, tourture.

* * * * *

99 Homes

Slumdog Millionaire meets Up in the Air in this multi-viewpoint look at the foreclosure world.  When Dennis (Andrew Garfield) is foreclosed on and forcibly evicted from his home along with his mother and son, he make a deal with "the devil" Rick Carver (Michael Shannon) to go work for him foreclosing on other people and generally milking the system.  The final job is a 100 house deal and the ethical quandry that the Tourtured Young Man must make for one home leaves...  99 Homes.

Some good and some bad things:  the lack of a mother/woman perspective was pretty ridiculous to have Laura Dern be his mother.  She plays a very weak character.  Of course the cute son was a prop.  Good cinematography with the Orlando suburbs landscape.  Good not great.


* * * of 5

The Martian

Adapted from Andy Weir's book, this was already in the development mix when Interstellar (with an uncredited Matt Damon) came out last year.  That must have been the break he needed.  Matt Damon stars as Mark Watney, astronaut on a crew of 5 in mission to Mars.  While Mars-walking a storm rolls in and the team bails after thinking that Mark was swept away.

The crew leaves Mark and Mars in the dust, but Mark comes to, and manages to communicate with Mission Control that he is alive.  Mark resourcefully stays alive by interesting means (a la Bear Grylls) while Mission Control alerts the crew on the way back to Earth.

No Man Left Behind!  With the help of an oddball mix of scientists (think Big Bang Theory), the crew circles back for a daring rescue mission, at great personal odds and sacrifice.

It's hard to dislike the FX of a space movie.  But dialogue was a bit trite, lots of attempts at witty banter, and it comes out like a text message movie.  [typing].... "He said...." [laughter]  Well tell him.... [typing] Mark reads it [laughter]  [repeat] [repeat]....

A good cast with Kate Mara, Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels,  helps this good show but it turns out a bit manufactured.  The end of these movies can only be all bad (2001 - A Space Odyssey) or the opposite.  Spoiler.... this one does have a happy ending.

* * * of 5

Wild Things (1998)

As I gave my new book preview to Professor John, his response was "It reminded me of Wild Things".  So off to Netflix DVD I went to see if they "stole my idea" 15 years before I had the idea.

Zero degrees of separation here:  Kevin Bacon is the lead role as a detective in South Florida.  The lead seems more Matt Dillon, who plays a popular teacher.  Too popular with the ladies, as he has a Lothario reputation.  When Kelly (Denise Richards) comes on to Sam, we are left with a cut of her running down the street.  When she cries to her mother, she exclaims "I was raped!"

We have a trial with Bill Murray as Sam's lawyer.  You know you're in trouble when Bill Murray is your lawyer.  But, in a strange twist, the lead witness Suzie (Neve Campbell) who had also claimed that Sam raped her, recants her testimony.

Thereafter Detective Ray (Kevin Bacon) spends the rest of the movie to try and show that something is amiss.  Many plot turns abound.  Reminded me a lot of Body Heat (1981).  Including the sex.  If you mention this movie, you'll probably get a giggle from the fact that it is pretty steamy.  Certainly made before the time when a teacher having sex with a student, much less two, was as taboo as today.

* * * of 5