Remember Me (2010)

 “You once told me, our fingerprints don't fade from the lives we touch. Is that true for everybody, or is it just poetic bullshit?”

            Remember Me is a movie I have been wanting to see for the past few years. I had it downloaded at one point but I had no room on my hard drive so it had was one of those movies I figured I would find again. Now Remember Me is on Netflix so no downloading it for me this time! My brother and his girlfriend just watched the movie which in turn finally put fire under my ass to watch it after having wanted to for so many years.

            In 1991 Ally and her mother were waiting on the subway platform to head home. It was late at night and they were the only ones there when two guys dressed all in black started looking at them. Ally’s mother noticed that the two guys were eyeing her up. They came up to her and told them just to take her bag and leave them alone. The train comes, the mother stares them down, the guys realize she can ID them, and one of them shoots her from the train killing her. Ally’s father is called to the scene. He is a police detective.

            A few years later, the story goes to a guy named Tyler Hawkins (Robert Pattinson). His older brother Michael killed himself a few years before and every year his family gathers at his grave. Tyler’s parents are divorced. His father (Pierce Brosnan) is a big lawyer at his own law firm and never has the time for him and his younger sister Caroline. Tyler has not been the same since Michael killed himself. He acts out and gets into trouble. One night after him and his friend left a bar they witness a fight. Tyler immediately gets in the middle of the fight to get all his frustration and emotion out. The police come and the detective is Ally’s father. He lets Tyler and the friend go but for some stupid reason Tyler aggravates the detective and gets himself thrown in jail.

            The friend is outside the school talking with a teacher when he sees the detective from the fight pull up with Ally to drop her off at school. She goes to the same college as Tyler and they are even in the same class. His friend has him go up to Ally (Emilie de Ravine) and ask her to a party to mess with her father. Ally and Tyler wind up really liking each other. She gets drunk and passes out and stays the night. Her father is not happy he hits her and she goes back to Tyler’s apartment.

            Ally winds up basically living with Tyler and his friend. Neither of them feels as lost as they once felt. Their anger and resentment and emotions from their loses are still there but they are not as prominent.

            Other things happen that would be all jumbled if I tried to explain them so I will stop here with the summary. And the ending… honestly it belongs with one of the best/saddest twists in a movie ever. You will never ever guess what happens.

            I liked the acting a lot. Robert Pattinson needs more credit than those dumb ass Twilight movies the guy has a good range as an actor. Emilie de Ravine was great. It was nice seeing her outside a sci-fi/fantasy story. Pierce Brosnan’s character was a dick but in the end he realizes what is important. Lena Olin plays Tyler’s mother. I have not seen her in anything since Alias went off the air almost ten years ago! Kate Burton played Brosnan’s secretary. Gotta give her a shout out because she will always be Ellis Grey from Grey’s Anatomy to me.

            Was Remember Me worth seeing having wanted to for so many years? Yes, it was. I really liked it. The story was well written, the acting was great, and the direction really helped you feel all the emotions of all the characters. I liked with the story how it showed the worst in people be them family members or just random people that make others suffer. Yet this suffering is balanced with love. I have no idea if that made any sense but just know that all the characters are suffering from something tragic and they all want some kind of love in their lives.  Remember Me is a movie I highly recommend watching.

 

Mansfield Park (2007)

“No on meant to be unkind, but I was the poor relation and I was often made to feel it. Only Edmund put himself out to secure my happiness. He became my one true friend. And as the years passed, I came to love him as more than a cousin.”

            Mansfield Park is one of those movies I just watched because of the actors in it. It is otherwise a movie and a story I probably would have stayed far away from. I do not mind English literature one of my all time favorite novels is Jane Eyre that at the time of this writing I have read twice and plan to read again in the future. The reason I would have stayed away from Mansfield Park had it not been for the cast is because stories about the rich versus the poor in English society at the time the book was written drive me crazy. I cannot stand injustice or when people are looked down upon as unworthy or stupid because of their class. So as not to be bored out of my misery or bore you to death I will try to keep my summary write up short.

            At ten years old Fanny Price (Billie Piper) is sent to live with her wealthy relations since her own family is having trouble keeping her. Her relations, the Bertrams, are stuffy upper class people. Another relation, her mother’s other sister Aunt Norris, lives in the home as well. She has always seen Fanny as a nuisance unworthy of anything pleasurable. The only family member to give Fanny love and attention is the youngest son Edmund. Because Edmund is nice to her Fanny develops a deep love for her cousin.

            Years later, Fanny is still looked down upon, Edmund wants to become a clergyman, Tom (James D’Arcy) the oldest son is a gambler, and the two daughters Maria (Michelle Ryan) and Julie are snobbish and pretty. Trouble comes one summer in the form of the Crawford siblings. Mary (Hayley Atwell) and her brother Henry have moved in next door. They know the Bertrams are rich and they plan their attack of marrying into money. Mary has her eye set on Tom since he is the oldest and the heir but he is too much of a partier and not around as much so she next sets her sites on Edmund. Mary’s plan works she is irresistible to Edmund. Fanny is the only one in the family who can see what Mary and Henry are planning. She hates seeing Mary flirt with Edmund when she is the one who has loved Edmund for the longest time but she does not say anything.

            Henry is unable to sway Maria away from her fiancé. He tells Mary he plans to flirt it up with Fanny since she has become a pretty young lady. Sir Thomas would like Fanny to marry Henry but she refuses since she knows what Henry is truly like. Sometime later the family is given news that Maria has left her husband and run away with Henry. Edmund has a talk with Mary. She is not mad at her brother she is just upset that Maria and Henry got caught. She goes on to say that she does not believe that Tom, who has been sick, will survive which will make Edmund the heir. Edmund finally sees through Mary’s BS and finally takes his drunk goggles of and realizes it is Fanny whom he has always truly loved.  

            So four of the cast members come from two shows I am currently massively obsessed with: Doctor Who and Agent Carter. Billie Piper played the wonderfully amazing Rose Tyler on DW and Michelle Ryan played Lady Christina in the episode Planet of the Dead (although I knew her from the very short lived reboot of Bionic Woman a few years ago. I liked it and was probably the only one who did). Hayley Atwell is queen of the universe Agent Peggy Carter and James D’Arcy plays Jarvis in Agent Carter. Atwell and Piper were fantastic. Ryan and D’Arcy were not in the movie too much so I cannot really comment on their acting. It was just cool to see them all together especially Atwell and D’Arcy since this was obviously before Agent Carter. It is interesting to see how much of a range Billie Piper has as an actress. I am so used to seeing her as Rose in Doctor Who and now I am watching her in Penny Dreadful and Secret Diary of a Call Girl. She is not bad in any of them.

            Masfield Park was quite a bore. As I said I hate this type of story but in movie version the story did not drive as nuts as it would have if I had read it. I am only going to tell you to watch Mansfield Park if you like Billie Piper, Hayley Atwell, James D’Arcy, Michelle Ryan or if you are weird and really love Jane Austen and the novel of Mansfield Park. Otherwise, this is a movie that does not need to be seen.

            Did I watch Mansfield Park and want to write it up so I can fan girl over and confess my undying girl crush on both Billie Piper and Hayley Atwell… ABSOLUTELY!

The Debt (2010)

“Maybe it's not always a blessing to survive.”

            Movies claiming to be suspenseful rely too much on quick editing, blowing things up, and messy dialogue. This makes me question if anyone in Hollywood today has ever seen a Hitchcock movie or a Film Noir? In Hitchcock movies and Film Noirs the suspense came from the lack of dialogue, the acting by the actors or actresses and what they were able to convey without much dialogue and their body language, and the direction. There are probably quite a few films that have been made within the past five years that come to those Hitchcock and Film Noir style but most likely have not come as close as The Debt. Every line, every movement and facial expression from the actors, and every movement from the camera is filled with suspense.

            Rachel Singer (Helen Mirren), her husband Stephan, and another man named David Peretz are venerated heroes in their home country of Israel. All three are former Mossad secret agents who, in 1965, captured and killed a man known as The Surgeon of Birkenau. Rachel’s daughter has just written a book about their story as agents and their assignment. The daughter is beyond proud of her mother who was the one who reportedly killed the Dieter Vogel, The Surgeon of Birkenau, after he had tried to escape. Rachel had struggled with Vogel before he got away. He slashed her face with a knife leaving what would be a permanent scar. The two fought but he overpowered her. Rachel was able to get up and go to a window where she aimed at a running Vogel and shot him dead.

            Stephan with his bodyguards and minders go to pick up David to bring him to a party for the book. David is clearly agitated from the moment he opens the door. All the way to the car he is anxious. When he sees Stephan in the backseat of the car David jumps in front of a truck killing himself. The reason for David’s suicide becomes clear when Stephan gives Rachel an assignment. Word has gotten out that there is a man in a Ukrainian hospital claiming to be The Surgeon of Birkenau and a reporter wants to write his story. David, Stephan, and Rachel’s reputations as heroes will crumble if the truth of their failure and their lie is ever revealed.

            In 1965 Rachel (Jessica Chastain in the younger role) was twenty-five years old. She is highly trained in marksmanship and krav maga.  For her mission she has been sent with David Peretz (Sam Worthington in the younger role) and Stephan Gold to East Berlin to capture Dieter Vogel and bring him back to Israel to stand trial for his war crimes. Dieter is a doctor with his own practice. Rachel and David pretend to be a couple who are having trouble conceiving a child. This will allow Rachel to keep returning to Vogel before she is to drug him to take him away. The rest of the plan involves putting Vogel on a train that will smuggle him out of the country. The plan unfortunately does not go smoothly. Rachel was unable to give Vogel the full dose and at the train station Vogel wakes up in the back of a truck and honks the horn bringing attention to all of them.

            David, Stephan, and Rachel manage to get away with Vogel but they are all now holed up in their apartment with the killer. Vogel is a smart man he talks to them and plays on their insecurities that he has witnessed. He looks for little cues in their body language when he says something to them that strikes a nerve. Eventually he gets the three agents to argue about certain things pitting them against each other.

            One night Rachel is left alone with Vogel. He somehow manages to get out of his restraints and goes after her. From behind, he slices her face. The two fight but in the situation Vogel is able to overpower Rachel. He eventually gets away and is never seen or heard from again. When all is said and done Stephan proposes that they do not reveal the truth hat Vogel escaped because it would damage their reputation and their careers. Rachel does not like the idea but she goes along with it. David, from that day forward, struggles with the lie.

            Thirty years later, when David returned to Israel after having been away for so many years, he wants to tell the truth. Rachel will not hear of it because of her daughter’s book. When she looks back on that conversation with him and their lie she now knows why David killed himself.

            Rachel goes to the Ukrainian hospital. When she gets to the room to the man who is supposedly Vogel, she sees it is not Vogel just some old man telling stories. Before she leaves the room she writes a note for the reporter explain her story and the truth and for him to publish it. As she is leaving the hospital she sees a man notice her and then run up the stairs. She follows the man and sees it is the real Vogel. He confesses he should never have told the old man anything. The two have one last fight. Vogel stabs Rachel twice knocking her to the floor. She manages to stab Vogel in the back with a syringe which kills him as he walks down the hallway. The last scene is Rachel walking away bleeding.

            The cast was fantastic. Helen Mirren and Jessica Chastain are incredible actresses. They are able to take the material they are given and just make their characters so much more. You can see every ounce of guilt and pain and torment on their faces. No matter what Mirren or Chastain are in their acting is just so top notch I am in constant awe of them whenever I watch their movies. Sam Worthington was the same way you can see all his guilt and pain and torment on his face. Vogel was meant to be an evil, creepy, manipulative character and the actor played that to perfection. Every actor in this movie was perfection in their roles.

            John Madden’s direction was great. His direction captured the characters emotions, movements, and even thoughts brilliantly. Madden, to me, really did not use quick shots or edits to capture the suspense of certain situations in the movie but he did not linger on any of them too long. Madden’s direction along with the acting really kept my attention and focus.

            The Debt is a great movie. There are some moments that are a bit slower than others but for the most part the movie keeps a good pace. The story was a great mix of suspense, thriller, and drama much like Hitchcock and Noir movies are. The Debt is an excellent movie that I highly suggest watching. 

The Saturday Night Kid (1929)

In real life and in films I absolutely hate when people start drama between two other people. That one person who starts the drama is usually jealous and wants something or someone for themselves. That is pretty much the entire hour and three minute story of The Saturday Night Kid.

            Mayme (Clara Bow) and her sister Janie (Jean Arthur) live and work together at a department store. Also working at the department store and living in the same apartment building is Bill Taylor. Mayme really likes Bill and he likes her as well. Janie is jealous of her sister going out with Bill. The sisters do not really get along that well. Janie is always wearing Mayme’s things without asking and doing other mischievous things with Mayme’s belongings.

            Mayme is usually late for work. Janie on the other hand is always on time even though she leaves after her sister by hitching rides with strangers which Mayme does not like at all. The department store is putting on a show for a charity with the employees as the actors. Mayme and Jane are chosen for two of the characters and Janie is also chosen as treasurer for the charity money since she is always on time for work. That same day a female customer comes in and flirts with Bill. Mayme does not that like that all so when the customer is on an exercise machine she cranks it up and the customer is all in a fit about it. Bill gets mad at Mayme for driving away a sale and for her behavior. Mayme does not go home with Bill or her sister that night. Bill comes back to the apartment to find only Janie home. Janie decides to start her nasty wedge between Bill her sister right then and there.

            Janie’s plan works for a while and then fantastically back fires when she gambles the money from the charity away on a horse race and she blames Mayme as the one who gambled the money. Mayme slaps the ever living hell out of her sister for the crap she pulled. Bill forgives her in a very cheesy ending. She had nothing to forgive him about why the hell was she apologizing?! Damn classic films in moments like this!

            The Saturday Night Kid was disappointing. I have read and heard that it is a classic Pre-Code that was good. I will say it was great to finally hear Clara Bow talk after seeing her in so many silent films. I liked hearing her voice to go along with that attitude she had. Jean Arthur as much as I love the woman was not good in this film. It could have been her character that I could not get into or it could have been that this one of her early speaking roles. I will only say to watch The Saturday Night Kid if you are a fan of either Clara Bow, Jean Arthur, or Pre-Code films otherwise skip it.