Posts tagged Paul Dano
“Prisoners” Dark and Disturbing
Sep 29th
“Dark and Disturbing”
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
Prisoners is a disturbing movie in more ways than one.
The subject matter is disturbing, the action of the characters is disturbing, but most of all the ending is disturbing.
In fact, this movie is a prime example for one of those movies with alternate endings on the DVD version.
Hugh Jackman stars as Keller Dover, a survivalist who, when the movie opens, is out deer hunting with his teenage son.
On the way home, Keller tells his son the most important thing his own father ever taught him: “Be ready.”
Mario Bello plays Keller’s wife, they also have a daughter, Anna, who is six years old, and on Thanksgiving the whole family goes to dinner at the home of their friends and neighbors, Franklin and Nancy Birch, played by Terrence Howard and Viola Davis.
After dinner, Anna and her best friend, Joy Birch, go off playing, and the next thing the parents know is that they don’t know where their daughters are.
A frantic search throughout the house, outside, and back at the Dovers’ house leads to nothing, except that a suspicious RV that had been parked in the neighborhood is now gone, too.
When the police get involved, the investigation is led by Detective Loki, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who has solved every case he has ever been assigned.
The only suspect is the driver of that RV, Alex Jones, played by Paul Dano, who is mentally challenged and lives with his aunt, played by Melissa Leo, but no evidence is found in the RV or at the aunt’s house.
The hours that Anna and Joy are missing become days, and Keller is so desperate that he begins following Alex, the only suspect the police had in the case, and he does more than just follow Alex.
We see a lot of police work from Detective Loki, there is a lot of rain that makes the story and the events even darker, and a couple of suspicious characters lead to nothing.
In fact, at some point in the movie, you might come to the conclusion that the movie goes on too long and is far more dramatic than it need be.
But what an ending it has, and as I said, it could even have more than one ending.
Prisoners is disturbing from beginning to end.
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”
Prisoners – Movie Trailer
Sep 28th
From Oscar nominated director Denis Villeneuve, stars Oscar nominees Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal in a story that poses the question: How far would you go to protect your child? Keller Dover (Jackman) is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) arrests its driver, Alex Jones (Paul Dano), but a lack of evidence forces the only suspect’s release. Knowing his child’s life is at stake, the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?
“Taking Woodstock” It’s the Dream, Man
Sep 3rd
It’s the Dream, Man
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
TAKING WOODSTOCK is Ang Lee’s latest film and is based on the book, TAKING WOODSTOCK: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a Life, by Elliot Tiber, who was one of the main reasons that the legendary concert happened.
In fact, the film is a comedy and is more about Elliot and his relationship with his parents than it is about the concert itself.
If you are old enough to remember when Woodstock happened or if you were one of the 400,000 who were there, the film brings back strong emotions and even tears. What is more, you cannot take it all in with just one viewing.
On the other hand, if you were born after Woodstock occurred beginning August 15, 1969, you might unreasonably and incorrectly dismiss the film as just another self-indulgence of Baby Boomers instead of the masterpiece it is about the more aptly called Woodstock generation.
Elliot has moved back home in upstate New York to live with his parents in their run-down El Monaco Motel, which is over $5,000 in arrears on their mortgage.
Fortunately, however, Elliot is president of the local Chamber of Commerce, which is in charge of granting permits for concerts, and Elliot is known for the summer “concerts” he puts on at the motel with recorded music, but he says, “This year I’m going to try to have a live quartet.”
When Elliot learns that a nearby town has canceled plans to host a music festival, he gets in touch with the promoters and offers the motel as head-quarters and his own festival permit as all the permission the promoters need.
Sure, there are problems, but Elliot and the promoters, who have already sold 100,000 tickets to the concert, manage to overcome them, and the rest, as they say, is musical, cultural, and revolutionary history.
The film uses the split-screen technique made famous in the 1970 Oscar- winning documentary WOODSTOCK, and even though this film doesn’t concentrate on the music the way the documentary does, it is still an enjoyable experience.
It is truly a creative masterpiece.
As someone said, “It’s the dream, Man. We all could use a little Woodstock in our lives now.”
TAKING WOODSTOCK brings to mind another expression in the news a lot lately:
“And the dream shall never die.”
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”
