HACHI: A DOG'S STORY

Although this is a movie with Richard Gere, it is definitely NOT about Richard Gere. Rather, this is about an Akita, adopted by a kindly professor. This is not an animal tale where the dog "speaks" through creepy animated lips. It is a movie with simple themes: grief, canine loyalty, progression of time and death. I am not spoiling the movie (the trailers show much of the plot) by saying that the dog is "adopted" by Richard Gere"s character. Gere and the dog develop a special relationship, one not shared by Gere's wife (played by Joan Allen).The dog waits outside the train station each night for him to return from work. One day, he does not return, and Haichi just waits.....and waits.

"Hachi" is based on a true story from the 1920's, and this movie is a remake of a 1987 Japanese movie called "Hachiko Monogatari".

I can't say the movie is a blockbuster. In fact, it by-passed the theaters and went straight to DVD. "Hachi" is very sentimental, but not the kind of sentimental one usually sees in these types of films. It is not gushy nor will you hear swelling music or slo-mo scenes of Haichi and his master cavorting on the beach. Gere "shines" during his time on screen, and supporting characters played by Erick Avari and Jason Alexander give solid performances. I found Joan Allen, as Gere's wife, to be somewhat distracting. But, for anyone who loves dogs, and believe animals exhibit the human feelings of loss, this is a three-hankie can't be missed.

Taking Woodstock

I must admit, I had serious doubts about this one. I’m not much into music…especially 70s music. And I am not really interested in the 1970s in general. But, it’s directed by Ang Lee, so I gave it a chance and it turns out to be a very strong film. It’s part comedy/part drama and all heart. The story starts off with a dinky “resort” in upstate New York that has seen better days (or more likely…it never saw a good day). It’s run by a comical, loud Jewish family whose son, Jake, is the only normal member (the mother is maniacal and the father hardly ever speaks). Jake runs a yearly musical festival in the town…which most of the old-timers of the town love…it’s classical or jazzy music mostly…nothing too severe for the townspeople who are VERY set in their ways. When Jake reads that the Woodstock Festival has lost their location, he suggests his town. And, of course, plans work out. This is where the fun begins for Jake. He’s hated by much of the town for bringing these “hippies” in. He’s loved by others for bringing in more cash than they’ve ever seen in their lives. The actor who plays Jake (Henry Goodman) is spot-on as the befuddled, naïve young man. And director Lee sticks to Jake’s story...and point-of-view. Lee never really shows the Woodstock stage to the audience…since Jake never makes it to see the music. And Liev Schreiber is a MUST SEE as a philosophical drag-queen. Over-all, it’s a fun film…about a wild and carefree period in our history.

The September Issue

What I know about Haute Couture, I could fit in a shoebox. Maybe that is why I found this film SO fascinating. If I knew more about the lifestyle these people were talking about, maybe I would have been bored. Instead, I was riveted. Could people really be this focused on clothes and shoes and, most shocking of all, accessories? Well, this film and the real characters in it proves that yes, people can be this focused on all areas of fashion. Anna Wintour is the “star” of the film. A British ex-pat who came to New York and the world-renowned Vogue (American VOGUE, that is) from British Vogue and is now Vogue’s editor-in-chief. Wintour is a fierce woman…who can make or break a designer’s career with just the shake of her head. She’s the character the DEVIL in The Devil Wears Prada is based on. She pretty much is the face of the New York fashion scene – simply put…what she says or wants GOES and if she doesn’t want it, it’s gone. More interesting, I thought, was her creative director at Vogue, Grace Coddington, who clashes often with Wintour and always loses (since Anna always gets her way). How Grace copes with her losses and her set-backs at Vogue and still manages to come to work every morning is beyond me. The dynamic between these two independent, strong and very alike and different (at the same time) women is what made this film work for me.

Everybody's Fine

This movie got panned in the theatrical release reviews. But, it is a good film. Not the best about families and how family situations change as time goes by, but it’s a strong movie that’s worth while seeing…ESPECIALLY if you are a parent or have middle-aged to older parents. One of the reasons this film has a soft spot for me is that the De Niro character reminded me of my father. Approximately the same age, both my dad and the De Niro character are sorts of aimless, lost men. De Niro’s reasoning behind this aimlessness is that he is recently widowed. My father’s is just that he likes to be aimless (my mother is still very much alive). Now back to the movie…the De Niro character, after having all four of his grown children cop out on coming to visit him for a family reunion of sorts, he decides to go to them instead. What lies ahead of him is an odyssey he never anticipated. No, it’s not a GREAT movie. But, over-all, it’s a tender movie with lots of heart.

The Damned United

I am an Anglophile, and I have studied a lot about England and its culture and habits. But, their sports (rugby, cricket, and football (or rather, soccer)) are a mystery to me. This film is about what WE (Americans) call soccer and what THEY (Brits) call football. OK – so I’ve heard of soccer and seen soccer played (well, in movies…) and I know that you cannot touch the ball with your hands – only with your feet. So, when I watched this film, I thought I was prepared for everything I would need to know. Well, I was wrong. The Damned United goes DEEP into the deep recesses of soccer to live and breath the sport. It is a good film. The story is strong. And, not having any idea about the inner-workings of British football did not hinder my enjoyment. The story is based on a real character in British football history…and a real period in their football’s legacy. Brian Clough works his way up the ranks from lowly football manager to a highly successful team manager, finally managing to lead what many in Britain in the 1970s would have considered the finest football team in the country…Leeds United. The problem is, though, that Leeds was always a rival of Brian’s former team…not exactly endearing the Leeds players to him. Can he win them over? Can he gain their trust? I’m assuming most of the population in the UK knew the answers to these questions well before they watched the film. I, on the other hand, did not. So I enjoyed thoroughly finding out what was going to happen next. Part drama, part thriller, all sports film, The Damned United is quite an entertaining flick, whether you’re British, American, a soccer fan, or just enjoy a good movie!