15 Monday May 2017
Posted in Rest In Peace
Tags
I was saddened to read of the passing of Powers Boothe at the age of 68 today. For me, he was the essence of a character actor. He was the guy who would pop up in movies and with usually a short amount of time, make his presence felt. He was a dab hand at villain roles and I always enjoyed seeing him in a movie. Thanks for all the great movies and roles you had Powers Boothe. This post is a tribute to his greatness that will be missed.
15 Monday May 2017
Posted in Television Reviews
Tags
1990's, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jeremy London, Lacey Chabert, Matthew Fox, Michael Goorjian, Neve Campbell, Party of Five, Party of Five Season 2, Paula Devicq, Scott Grimes, Scott Wolf
We return to the journey and lives of the Salinger clan in Season 2 of Party of Five. Building on the set up from Season 1, this sophomore installment is just as good in how it deals with tough themes and explores relatable events. Be warned, spoilers will follow.
Charlie(Matthew Fox) and Kirsten(Paula Devicq) are now engaged after many hiccups in their relationship and thinks seem to be improving. 
Yet more upheaval and chaos throws a spanner in the works and a multitude of things stand in their way. It culminates in Charlie getting cold feet and callings off the wedding, despite the fact that they love each other. Bailey(Scott Wolf) is still struggling to come to terms with the death of Jill, despite the best efforts of buddy Will(Scott Grimes) to bring him out of his shell. At first he largely doesn’t notice sweet Sarah Reeves(Jennifer Love Hewitt), who has an obvious crush on him. But even when he begins to date her, it becomes clear that Bailey is wanting to escape his life that he sees as hopeless. Sarah also has her own struggles, but thankfully brings out some happiness in Bailey. Julia(Neve Campbell) experiences a crisis of the heart regarding her nice boyfriend Justin( Michael Goorjian)and the bad boy Griffin(Jeremy London). Justin breaks up with her after finding out about her tryst with Griffin, then things become more complex for her and Griffin. Julia doesn’t know how to deal with her emotions that are tangled to say the least. It appears that she finally gets a grip on her love life once and for all by reuniting with Justin. Then something really drastic happens and Julia is thrown into a massive tailspin. 
Claudia(Lacey Chabert), who has now entered junior high school, finds it difficult to adjust to being older and the pressures of puberty. Hanging out with a troublemaker at school, Claudia begins to rebel a lot. And baby Owen is finally starting nursery, while still needing the mature caring of his siblings in the place of parents. It’s another eventful journey for the Salinger’s as life poses a lot on them, but hopefully through unity they can survive.
Just like I predicted, Season 2 expands on what the debut season set up, finding firm footing in giving more attention to the individual characters, as well as the whole thing of family. The arcs of the characters have depth and honesty to them, tapping into themes of change, lying, love and even the return of their long lost grandfather. And issues faced with honest rendering and impactful force are sexual harassment, teenage pregnancy and commitment, showing the show dealing with complexity and intimacy in a way it knows already in this early stage to manage. 
Balanced among this is healthy doses of humour that enliven events, yet never get too over the top and take away from the moving stories at its heart. While I don’t think there is anyone who has gone through all of the issues mentioned in such a short space of time, Party of Five boasts a gravity and slices of realism to ground it in the most effective way. You do give a damn about these people and it isn’t a chore to watch the tribulations they must do battle with. Even if some of the stories don’t work as well as others, the overall impact and high quality rise it above just common teen drama into something more moving.
The episode of the wedding is a pretty effective one of highs and lows as Charlie and Kirsten attempt to salvage something but are ultimately at different ends of the spectrum. 
It’s a real heartbreaking episode as you know the two are meant to be together but are both unsure of what the future holds. Reconciliation could be on the cards, but if so it’s not going to be an easy ride for either party. Equally as wrenching is the episode of Julia discovering she’s pregnant and faced with a very difficult decision. We get to see how everyone reacts to this news and how it impacts on young Julia. Eventually settling on having an abortion, Julia then experiences a miscarriage that devastates her. As she has no female role model to confide in, she finds unlikely support in the form of the usually not so helpful Charlie. An honest and authentic atmosphere is present throughout this episode, highlighting the issues of teen pregnancy and abortion sensitively.
Scott Wolf rocks it playing the frustration and pain of Bailey, while imbuing a charm and energy that could be the characters saving grace. Once more, Wolf allows Bailey to be troubled, but not so much as we can’t relate to him on a personal level. Matthew Fox impresses again as Charlie; whose coping mechanism of pushing those he loves away makes for drama. scared that his while life has been planned our for him already and wanting escape is rendered excellently by Fox. Neve Campbell hits the right notes with an emotion driven performance as mixed up Julia. You genuinely buy into her turmoil and gamut of unfortunately difficult events she encounters. Campbell nails the intelligence of Julia, but like most people, the pangs of confusion, guilt and unfortunate turbulence are all evoked in her more than capable hands for us to see. 
Lacey Chabert mixes childlike innocence with playful maturity as Claudia, whose finding out that growing up and all it entails is rough business. Jennifer Love Hewitt joins the cast as the sensitive Sarah, who provides a love interest for Bailey. Possessing an adorable smile and a gentleness, Hewitt is touching and charming in equal measure. She immediately gels with the other members of the cast and slots in nicely as a kind-hearted girl. The main chemistry between the main cast is as splendid as the first season, boasting a deep believability that these people are related. Paula Devicq steps up as Kirsten. I mentioned in my last review that she was a tad wooden last season, but she really shakes at off here with a very good performance. She’s got a sensitive depth and emotive ability that is on full display and shows Kirsten becoming more conflicted over her feelings with Charlie that are frequently challenged and come to a dramatic head. Good support and humour is glimpsed with Scott Grimes returning as loyal best friend Will. Michael Goorjian and Jeremy London provide the two very different love interests for Julia; the sarcastic Justin and rebellious Griffin.
Another impressive season of Party of Five, this second part is an emotionally invested and finely tuned triumph, benefiting from the fine cast and writing.
15 Monday May 2017
Posted in Movie Reviews
Tags
1990's, Alfre Woodard, Anne Bancroft, Dermot Mulroney, Drama, Ellen Burstyn, How to Make an American Quilt, Jean Simmons, Jocelyn Moorhouse, Johnathon Schaech, Kate Capshaw, Kate Nelligan, Lois Smith, Maya Angelou, Winona Ryder
Film Title
How to Make an American Quilt
Director
Jocelyn Moorhouse
Starring
A heartwarming tribute to female friendship and the shaping of life’s experiences, How to Make an American Quilt is a very sweet and enjoyable movie. It’s nothing revolutionary or startlingly original, but it’s story of looking to the past in order to unlock the future is beautifully directed and acted.
Finn Dodd is a 26-year-old graduate student, who is working on a thesis over the summer. She can’t quite settle on a topic and always changes her mind when she thinks she’s got the right parts. This confusion and inability to come to a decision extends to her boyfriend Sam, who has just proposed. Finn obviously cares about him, but is deeply unsure of whether marriage is a good idea for her. 
While mulling things over, she goes to visit her Great Aunt Glady Joe and Grandmother Hy, who themselves are sisters usually at each other’s throats. They are both part of a quilting group that includes wise leader Anna; her free-spirited daughter Marianna; stern Sophia; grieving Constance and quiet Em. They are currently in the process of making a wedding quilt for Finn and in their own ways, they each inspire her and give her support in her time of indecision. Over the summer, conflicted Finn is regaled with stories of love from their pasts; some tragic and some inspiring. We glimpse the lessons these older women have learned; from how Glady Joe and Hy became more than a little strained, why Sophia turned into such a battle-axe and in general how love is what you make of it. Also present is a hunky guy named Leon, who takes a shine to Finn and potentially throws a spanner in the works. It all comes down to whether she is ready to make a commitment or live her life in freedom.
Jocelyn Moorhouse beautifully conjures up the loving and touching lessons of life in a straightforward but effective way. We become like Finn, learning about the women who came before her and their experiences with love. 
Moorhouse aims for the emotions and heart with How to Make an American Quilt, and succeeds in getting you invested in the brief flashes of events that these women now speak of. As sentimental as some of it is, the gentleness and often low-key approach keeps the film on a pleasing level without slipping into overly histrionic content. the pleasures in are listening to the various experiences of these women and how young Finn reacts to them. From heartbreak and upheavals to the starts of companionship, all the stories have some weight on her and impact. Like with any film that weaves together an ensemble story line however, some of the arcs come off better than others that are patchy. This is only to be expected really as it would be impossible to craft something that gave every strand, without it turning into a marathon of a movie. 
The stories that make the most emotive impression are the ones of Hy and Glady Joe and the flashbacks to Sophia’s early life; where she had some promise but never got the chance to enjoy it due to the inevitability of timing. They are played out in organic and poignant fashion that knows how to get your care. The other stories all have currency, though more than a couple may have been better if expanded upon. If I was to compare this movie to something, the equivalent would be a quilt itself. It’s got some rough edges and is well-worn, but has that cosy and snug feeling that lifts your spirits. The luscious cinematography renders everything with a distinct glow. Thomas Newman’s stirring score is a big plus in this feel good movie.
If there is anyone who can play indecision and curiosity convincingly, it’s Winona Ryder. With her naturally inquisitive and youthful face, she’s excellent casting for Finn. All the confusion and searching questions are there, as she listens to the stories of the past in hopes of unlocking her future. 
Anne Bancroft and Ellen Burstyn provide gentle humour, classy depth and consummate professionalism as the feuding sisters, whose grievances are plain to see but whose love for the other more than combats anything completely severing them. Alfre Woodard has the right bohemian air and fun for her role of effervescent Marianna. The wisdom and dignified grace of Maya Angelou stunningly embodies the passionate leader of the quilting group Anna. Angelou possesses a nuanced voice of experience and clarity that is impossible to ignore. I could listen to her voice all day it is that soothing and imbued with sage. Kate Nelligan and Jean Simmons are both moving as two of the women, realising they are linked through one of their husbands philandering. Lois Smith captures the well of sadness arising from someone whose ambitions were cut short, resulting in a hostility and bitterness of character. Kate Capshaw is a breath of fresh air in her small but important appearance as Finn’s flighty mother. She seems very irresponsible but what she ends up saying is quite beneficial and unexpected. Whether big or small in size of parts, all of the ladies here do good work. Dermot Mulroney does well with his limited part of Finn’s boyfriend, letting the female cast members take the lion’s share. Johnathon Schaech is largely there to provide the temptation for Finn, complete with the fact that he never seems to be wearing a shirt.
it isn’t going to win prizes for innovation, but the beating heart and gentleness of How to Make an American Quilt is effervescent that you won’t be able to resist its charms. Just cuddle up and enjoy this nice fable on life and sisterhood.
