Repost: Neruda (March 11th and 12th at the Cleveland Cinematheque)

[NERUDA screens Saturday March 11th at 9:15 pm and Sunday March 12th at 4:00 pm at the Cleveland Cinematheque.]

Review by Bob Ignizio

How much of Pablo Larrain's film NERUDA is fact and how much is fiction? That's the wrong question to ask. Written by Guillermo Calderón, NERUDA is loosely based on a period in the life of Chilean poet and politician Pablo Neruda (Luis Gnecco) when he was forced into exile. The film is fittingly poetic, and less concerned with literal truths than emotional ones. And while the basic details of who Neruda was and what he did are sketched out herein, NERUDA plays more like a fantastical detective thriller than a traditional biopic.

The plot is set in motion when, 3 years after the end of World War II. Neruda is a senator, and although he originally supported Chile's President, he is now one of his most outspoken critics. When the President begins cracking down on communists, Neruda realizes it won't be long before they come to throw him in jail. He knows he'll have to run but says, ""I'm not going to hide under a bed. This has to become a wild hunt."

Neruda (now playing in Akron at The Nightlight Cinema)

[NERUDA opens in Akron on Friday February 17th exclusively at The Nightlight Cinema.]

Review by Bob Ignizio

How much of Pablo Larrain's film NERUDA is fact and how much is fiction? That's the wrong question to ask. Written by Guillermo Calderón, NERUDA is loosely based on a period in the life of Chilean poet and politician Pablo Neruda (Luis Gnecco) when he was forced into exile. The film is fittingly poetic, and less concerned with literal truths than emotional ones. And while the basic details of who Neruda was and what he did are sketched out herein, NERUDA plays more like a fantastical detective thriller than a traditional biopic.

The plot is set in motion when, 3 years after the end of World War II. Neruda is a senator, and although he originally supported Chile's President, he is now one of his most outspoken critics. When the President begins cracking down on communists, Neruda realizes it won't be long before they come to throw him in jail. He knows he'll have to run but says, ""I'm not going to hide under a bed. This has to become a wild hunt."

Experimenter: The Stanley Milgrim Story (now on video)

As of this writing a guy is going around the trash-tabloid media (which is pretty much the media in general) claiming to be the illegitimate son of iconic actor William Shatner. This dauphin wants something like $170 million in damages.

Damages?! KHAAAAAAN! Hey, if I could raise the funds, I would pay millions to go around claiming to be the illegitimate son of William Shatner. I was born in the right time frame, too. Do not get me wrong, I love both my parents. But if could finesse Shatner and my mother into agreeing that they shared a night of forbidden passion in Cleveland sometime around 1963, then I could go around being "Charles William Shatner Louis Cassady." I think that would really open doors for me, even in this deathbed-economy Cleveland job marketplace.

Imagine, I could let "dad" Shatner relax and take it easy on his ranch while I did all those Holiday Inn weekend fan conventions and TV guest appearances for him. I could sign my name to countless toy phasers, copies of Tekwar and old TV Guide issues with T.J. Hooker on the cover, as Mr. Shatners authorized heir/representative. I am even willing to maintain a long-running feud with anyone claiming to the illegitimate son of George Takei. It would be a great next generation thing, we can all agree.

Right now all I can offer you is this: if you see the new meta-biopic EXPERIMENTER, you will get to see the uncommon sight of actor Kellan Lutz playing William Shatner playing the late psychological researcher Stanley Milgrim. And where else can you get that?

The Theory of Everything

Review by Pamela Zoslov

At the Toronto International Film Festival screening of THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING, about the relationship between the famous physicist Stephen Hawking and his first wife, Jane, Hawking's nurse could be seen wiping a tear from Hawking's cheek. That is an eloquent endorsement of this rich and moving film, directed by James Marsh from an excellent screenplay by Anthony McCarten. It is a very traditional film, very well made, and quite worthy of its subject.

Other actors have portrayed Hawking, including Benedict Cumberbatch in a well-regarded BBC film, but Eddie Redmayne captures something of Hawking's mischievous character; even when largely paralyzed, confined to a wheelchair and unable to communicate except through his now-famous voice simulator, Redmayne's Hawking has a glint in his eye and a child's sense of play. Redmayne brilliantly captures the ambitious young genius in his school days, and also realistically inhabits Hawking's physical deterioration — no small feat — after the scientist's diagnosis, at age 21, of motor neurone disease during his last year at Oxford. At the time, Hawking was given two years to live. He is now 72, his survival due in no small part to Jane's support..

Cesar Chavez (now on video)

Review by Charles Cassady, Jr.


This is, of course, the time of year when the so-called grownup movies come out in wider release, intending to raise Oscar buzz and ticket sales. The moment that someone proves that Oscar buzz no longer has anything to do with film ticket sales, then forget it; cinema from now on will be superhero comics adaptations and maybe horror sequel/reboots. Nothing else. Filmic photoplays had a hundred years and ten to be relevant, then they were done. Oh well, could be worse. Soviet Communism failed earlier.

The Last of Robin Hood (opens in Cleveland September 5th at the Cedar Lee and Capitol Theatres)

[THE LAST OF ROBIN HOOD opens in Cleveland on Friday September 5th at the Cedar Lee Theatre and the Capitol Theatre.]

Review by Bob Ignizio

It's doubtful there was a need for a film about Errol Flynn's late in life fling with teenage aspiring actress Beverly Aadland, but nonetheless we have just that in THE LAST OF ROBIN HOOD. As the film starts, Flynn (Kevin Kline) is already dead and Beverly (Dakota Fanning) is being bombarded with questions from reporters. The pressure proves to much, and the young girl faints. Or is it all a staged performance orchestrated by Beverly's mother, Florence (Susan Sarandon)? Perhaps flashing back in time will shed some light.

Get On Up

Review by Joseph Anthony

GET ON UP tells the life story of James Brown, Mr. Dynamite, the Godfather of Soul. The film covers a large span of Brown's life, giving us the man's greatest hits both in life and in song in a non-chronological manner.

The film stars Chadwick Boseman who last played Jackie Robinson quite nicely in 42. Boseman again seems comfortable in the skin of an icon, but Brown couldn’t be more different than Robinson. Both were showman and both defiant, yes, but James Brown has an almost uncontrollable energy that Boseman helps bring to life with great ease. 42 was Boseman’s vehicle, and GET ON UP is no different, resting comfortably upon the actor's shoulders.

The Look of Love (November 2nd and 3rd at the Cleveland Cinematheque)

[THE LOOK OF LOVE screens Saturday November 2nd at 9:35 pm and Sunday November 3rd at 4:00 pm at the Cleveland Cinematheque.]


Review by Bob Ignizio

While there's no doubt Britain has its share of blue noses and moral guardians tirelessly working to keep Britons safe from smut, to a large degree the U.K. has found a degree of acceptance for “naughtiness” so long as it stays within certain boundaries. That's why THE LOOK OF LOVE, a biopic of British burlesque impresario and magazine publisher Paul Raymond (played by Steve Coogan) doesn't follow the same, “is he a hero of free speech or a destroyer of morality” through-line found in films about his American counterparts like Hugh Hefner and Larry Flynt. Occasionally Raymond would push up against and even cross his culture's boundaries and wind up in minor trouble, but generally it all worked out according to his belief than any publicity is good publicity. Raymond's most formidable enemy, it seems, was himself.