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Movie Night: "Selma"

January 13, 2015

selma-movie-poster

We braved the rain the other night (yes, it actually rained in Santa Barbara – for two days, in fact – and hopefully the percip helped the drought conditions) and went to the Arlington Theater to see “Selma.” The night before on his MSNBC show, Lawrence O’Donnell had gone into such a state of rhapsody over the movie that, in addition to many other glowing reviews as well as the timeliness of the subject and my own interest in the civil rights movement, I was eager to see “Selma” – particularly on the eve of the Golden Globes awards.

The good news: David Oyelowo, yet another Brit playing an American icon (lots of them these days), gets Martin Luther King Jr.’s vocal cadences amazingly well. The bad news: I wish there’d been more fiery speeches to show off his talent. “Selma” is a more ruminative movie than one that gets you up on your feet shouting “Amen.” It shows King in quiet, contemplative moments – too many of them for me. We see him strategizing with his close group of advisers. We see him trying to make his point with LBJ (Tim Wilkinson, another Brit playing a legendary American). We see him navigating strained marital waters with his wife Coretta. And all of these contemplative moments move at a very slow pace, many in darkly lit spaces.

It’s when “Selma” opened up and showed us the people of Selma and the consequences of their fight for their right to vote that the movie came alive for me. Their courage, their persistence even in the face of formidable opposition, even in the face of unyielding Alabama Governor George Wallace (another Brit, Tim Roth), was inspirational and riveting. But as for King himself? Let’s put it this way. As I was coming out of the ladies’ room after the movie, I heard several women echo my own thought, which was: “How can a story about such a magnetic man make him seem so un-magnetic?” The film was emotionally flat in places where it needed to soar. I was disappointed.

 

Filed Under: Mainly Jane, Movies, News stories, Politics Tagged With: Arlington Theater, David Oyelowo, Martin Luther King, Oprah Winfrey, Santa Barbara, Selma, Tim Roth, Tom Wilkinson

Movie Afternoon: "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"

May 5, 2012

 

I wasn’t that excited about going to our Cinema Society screening today. I love all the actors in the movie and director John Madden is the genius behind “Shakespeare in Love,” among other achievements, plus the reviews for the film were good (it opened yesterday in several U.S. markets), but the thought of sitting there for two hours to watch a comedy about a group of London sixtysomethings embarking on a new life in India didn’t thrill me.

Was I ever wrong. I adored this movie – seriously loved it.

Not only are the actors – Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy and Dev Patel (from “Slumdog Millionaire”) – a revelation and the India backdrop practically a character of its own, but the script is first rate and I laughed and cried and everything in between.

After the movie, there was a reception for John Madden, who was extremely affable and entertaining. Also with him was the gorgeous young Indian actress,  Tena Desae, whose first English-language film this was. She was thrilled to be in Santa Barbara (it’s been a beautiful sunny day here) and asked, “Is this whole place a resort?” “Sometimes it feels that way,” I said. I asked how she first heard about our little hamlet and she said she used to watch the soap opera “Santa Barbara” in Bombay! So funny.

Anyhow, I recommend the movie highly. I defy anyone – young or old – to walk out of the theater without smiling.

 

Filed Under: Mainly Jane, Movies Tagged With: Cinema Society, John Madden, Judi Dench, Santa Barbara, Shakespeare in Love, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Tom Wilkinson

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About Jane Heller

Jane Heller is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her fourteen breezy, witty novels of romantic comedy and suspense are now entertaining millions of readers around the world, along with her two books of nonfiction.

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