The Irishman (I Heard You Paint Houses)

First Hit: An in-depth introspective and a sliver of a story into the mob world’s connection to Jimmy Hoffa.

This was a historical storytelling film of the life of “The Irishman” Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro). Accordingly, the movie begins and ends with Frank sitting in an old folks home telling the story of his life.

The young Frank starts his tale when he has just returned from his WWII stint in Italy, and is now a truck driver delivering meat. He finds that he can skim some of the carcasses off and sell them for extra side money. In doing so, he slowly begins to sell to mobsters who appreciate a good deal. A chance meeting, followed by a more formal introduction with rising mobster Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) begins a lifelong friendship. Russell gets Frank odd jobs including painting houses (which is a mob euphemism for murder) as needed by the mob.

When the trucking company catches Frank as he arrives at a store that purchased the meat with an empty truck, wants to convict him for theft. What happened to the meat? Frank sold it to gangsters but acts as if he’s no idea what happened to the beef in the truck. It is one of the few amusing scenes in the film.

Frank knows the value of keeping his mouth shut, and this trait along with his support of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters run by Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) gets him a new job as Hoffa’s chief bodyguard.

The movie generously uses CGI to move these characters back and forth through at least 50 years of life, from young men in their 20s and 30s to old men in their 70s and 80s. For the most part, it works well.

We follow these three gentlemen through their lives, including mob family wars for power.

We watch them fight with the government about expanding to Cuba and the Castro regime. We watch them struggle with John F. Kennedy’s election and subsequent assassination. We see how Bobby Kennedy tried to bust up the unions and Hoffa in particular because of how Jimmy loaned the mob millions of dollars, interest-free, in union pension funds. In fact, the film makes a point of indicating that mob-controlled union pension funds built Las Vegas.

There are softer moments in the film like how Frank’s daughter Peggy (Anna Paquin as the older Peggy) visibly disliked Russell but liked Hoffa. The story also has a few tender scenes with Frank and his second wife, Irene (Stephanie Kurtzuba).

The scenes are shot with an authentic and matter of fact feel to them, not splashy. One-shot that stuck with me was when Russell takes Frank to a small airport to get on a plane to meet Hoffa in Detroit; the camera looks out the tiny private plane window to see Bufalino sitting in the Lincoln. Russell will wait in the car until Sheeran returns after meeting Hoffa. There was something about this shot that brought the craft of making even the small things to the forefront.

De Niro was excellent as the Irishman turned mob strong arm and Bufalino confidant. The scenes with the priest towards the end were powerful. De Niro skillfully expressed his character's refusal to deeply go into making amends. Pesci is terrific as mobster Bufalino. The scene which he and Frank are just getting to know each other, speaking Italian with Russell, and asking him how he learned to speak Italian is very engaging. Pacino as Hoffa was convincing. I’ve no idea who Hoffa is privately, but the way Pacino portrayed him here made it feel real. Paquin as Peggy is perfect. She knew deep inside who her father was and what he did, and her way of keeping her distance and her looks of disapproval are excellent. Harvey Keitel is sublime in his brief scenes as mobster kingpin, Angelo Bruno. Steven Zaillian wrote a strong and in-depth screenplay from the book “I Heard You Paint Houses.” Martin Scorsese showed his strength in using actors he knows and trusts to bring another compelling Italian mob film story to the screen.

Overall: Although very informational, it was a long film.

Rolling Thunder: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese

First Hit: Little insight into Dylan, a lot of insight to the surrounding people and how they made music together.

Bob Dylan has always been an enigma to most of his audience. His music does his talking for him.

Watching this film about the 1975 tour, I was hoping to learn more about Bob, having grown up with much of his music being available to me. I was never a big Dylan fan, but there were songs I’d listened to that I loved and spoke to me, those were my Dylan songs. For many people, all of Bob’s songs were their songs. For others, when Bob went electric, they shuttered and thought him a traitor to the folk movement of the early 1960s.

What I admired most about Dylan was that he sang his own tunes his way, and for that, he deserves all the respect in the world.

This film talks with James Gianopulos the concert promoter of this concert tour, a number of the musicians including Joan Baez, Roger McGuinn, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Ronnie Hawkins, and Scarlet Rivera. Additionally, there was a dialogue with others including Allen Ginsberg, filmmaker Martin von Haselberg, reporter Larry “Ratso” Sloman, Patti Smith, and Sam Shepard.

Many of the interviews were with this group of people in current time and back then, while other discussions were just from the 1975 tour.

Haselberg’s footage is used for the historical sequences, including the performances. While Scorsese shot additional interview footage, including with Bob. Haselberg did an excellent job of getting shots of the band before, after, and during the performances.

What this film did point out was that Bob Dylan does what he wants. Watching his critical eye while on stage, looking at his band, guiding them with slight gestures from his eyes or a head nod was mesmerizing. The tangent discussions that resulted in how people were added and removed from performances were interesting. “How do we fit Ginsberg in?” Will Joni get enough stage time? What about Joan?

The performances were held in small venues which allowed the film to reflect the closeness Dylan had with his audience. I was enchanted by the stage presence and violin playing of Scarlet Rivera, a highlight as was watching McGuinn playing the twelve string.

However, what was truly amazing was the during the credits, Scorsese listed all of Dylan’s concerts from 1976 on by year through 2018. This man never stops working.

Scorsese did a fantastic job of creating a drop-in, slice-of-life feeling, of what it was to be on this tour. An amusing touch was seeing Bob behind the steering wheel multiple times, driving the motor home to each of the locations – he was an engaged man.

Overall: Although I didn’t learn much about Dylan, I learned how he liked to make music.

The Wolf of Wall Street

First Hit:  Although 3 hours long, it was entertaining and intense.

I happened to watch “Goodfellas” the morning before I saw Wolf. The similarities are that Martin Scorsese used a group of wild characters and shows them acting the same way when confronted with diverse situations. Drugs and illegal actions are also key elements in both films.

From a visual perspective, both films use family situations, groups, couples and single moments to build the story visually. What I didn’t like about Wolf was the illegal actions of the characters actions. Yes in "Goodfellas" they did illegal things, and they were expected to. The focus on selling unsuspecting people on making a quick buck (their own greed) because you are good at selling people, just didn’t sit well with me.

The film uses a number of voice overs which I don't normally like but it did add to the story as time got a bit mixed up. Because it is based on a true story, the pervasive use of drugs and alcohol as fuel to their lifestyle and trading was disconcerting.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jordan Belfort who just wanted to be rich, real rich. He discovers that drugs, womanizing, and money mix well delivering what he wanted. I’m not sure whether the film reflected the shallowness of the person and people in his firm or if the film was just shallow. Regardless, the scene of him on his boat speaking with the FBI was excellent while the scene of him discussing how to throw midgets at targets in the office, wasn’t.

DiCaprio was strong and made the script work and believable. Jonah Hill as Belfort’s sidekick was, at times over the top and not interesting, while at other times good. Matthew McConaughey in a small role as Mark Hanna was very good. Rob Reiner as Jordan’s dad Max was very good and I enjoyed his presence in the film. Margot Robbie (playing Naomi Lapaglia) as Belfort’s second wife was very good. Not only very attractive to look at, she created a sense of reality in the film. Terence Winter wrote an extensive script from Belfort’s book. Scorsese was able to reign in Belfort’s lifestyle and present it on film.

Overall:  This is a very good film, maybe in the same category as Goodfellas, but is it great and inventive  like Goodfellas was of its time? I don't think so.

Hugo (3D)

First Hit: Although interesting from a historical perspective and good acting made it entertaining, it isn't a great film.

This film is a tribute and gives homage to George Melies a pioneer filmmaker who directed 531 films between 1896 and 1914.

He was extremely creative and made “magic” appear on film. He pioneered special effects, multiple exposures, and other editing effects.

Unfortunately WWI created a vacuum of people interested in seeing his films and then the French government took all his celluloid films and melted them down into shoe heels. He ended up being a toy vendor in Montparnasse Train Station.

To create this homage film Director Martin Scorsese creates the character of a recently orphaned boy named Hugo (played by Asa Butterfield) who lives “in the walls” of the Montparnasse Train Station in Paris. Hugo takes care of the station clocks and survives by stealing food from unsuspecting (or maybe willing) station food vendors. The boy, the son of a watchmaker, likes fixing things and he is working on an animatronic human his father found all rusty in an old museum. Hugo hopes that if he fixes this figure that a message will come to him from his deceased father.

To fix this figure, Hugo is always looking for parts and occasionally steals toys from a vendor in the station (Melies). Caught by Melies (played by Ben Kingsley) while trying to steal a small mechanical mouse (for parts); he takes the boy’s notebook which details his father’s drawings about gears and things.

A series of events creates trouble for the boy in the station which is lorded over by a Station Inspector (played by Sasha Cohen). Isabelle (played by Chloe Grace Moretz) who is being looked after by her uncle (Melies) and Aunt “mama” Jeanne (played by Helen McCrory), befriends Hugo and together they figure out that the Melies was the creator of the animatronic human figure Hugo is working on.

The film shifts direction here and focuses on the history of Melies. Here in lies one of three problems for me with this film. First, the shift of the film from Hugo to Melies was not very subtle but it worked and I accepted it.

Second, Scorsese’s use of 3D (the film can also be viewed in 2D) was sometimes excessive (the close up of the Station Agent's Doberman Pinscher is an example) and felt as though the shot with a 3D effect was more important than the content of the shot.

And third, all the main characters where speaking proper English while the scene is Paris, this seemed odd. However, aside of these issues, the cinematography, at times, was extraordinary.

The characters were interesting, especially Mama Jeanne and Melies and I really liked the inter-play between the main characters.

Lastly, knowing little about Melies before the film, this film has driven me to learn more about a man who created magic in a genre I love.

Butterfield is excellent as the driven orphan who is focused on living life on his terms and becomes friends with Melies. Kingsley does an excellent job of being a sad curmudgeon only to have his heart and spirit lifted by the young boy’s efforts. Cohen is funny and effective as the mean Station Inspector whose own physical limitations keep him small minded. Moretz is grand as the little girl who bridges the gap between Hugo and Melies. McCrory is effortless and charming in her role as Melies wife and former lead actress in his films. John Logan wrote effective dialogue. Scorsese did a good job of directing this film although it seemed to be two different films; one about the kid and the other about a tribute to Melies. His use of 3-D was over worked at some point. It almost seemed as though he was using it to excess to honor Melies. I was and am still struck that such a mood piece, taking place in Paris, would be in all proper English - not a French line in it. It just seemed out of sorts (or maybe done so that there is a US audience and a way to make money).

Overall: I really enjoyed learning about Melies and this was an effective way of doing it.

Shine A Light

First Hit: Amazing film about one of the most storied rock and roll groups of our time.

I loved the first 15 minutes of the film because Martin Scorsese (the Director) is trying to get The Rolling Stones, more specifically Mick Jagger, to provide the song list for the concert. Martin even sends Mick his list as a way to prompt him.

Mick doesn’t totally ignore Martin’s request but isn’t ready to finalize it yet. In between these little flashes are some facts and interviews of The Stones.

There is meeting Former President Clinton and family, there are some old newsreel clips. All the while we keep going back to Martin getting more panicky about the set list. In his homework Martin has camera shots laid out for many of the songs and you see these piles of paper of this preparation.

Finally Martin gives up and says fine, all I need is the name of the first song so that I know where to start; either Keith on guitar, Charlie on drums, Ronnie on guitar, or Mick singing.

However, Mick tells him nothing. Martin is fit to be tied. As former President Clinton finishes his opening remarks to introduce The Rolling Stones, a man rushes into the control room and hands Martin a piece of paper indicating the opening song.

Martin yells out the camera and opening shot of the concert and from that point on we (the audience) are on our way.

The Rolling Stones came out when I was in my mid-teens, so I’ve grown up with them. I’ve listened to them through all the different genres of music they have tried. But in the end The Stones are about Rock and Roll. Their catalogue is immense and they could have done 10 of these concerts, played different songs in each of them and all of the music would all have been recognizable and a classic. On IMAX Mick (and The Stones) is big, way big. But it doesn’t really capture how much and how big of an influence they’ve been to rock and roll music. They are a working band. They play music in front of people and with all of them in their mid to mid-late 60’s, it continues to fascinate me how tightly knit and yet so independent their personalities are. The Stones brought in three others to do a song each with them. Jack White was forgettable and truly out classed, he didn’t belong. Christina Aguilera held her own and actually added to the performance and had some fun. Buddy Guy, however, was right there with them and when Buddy looked straight at the camera silent for about 30 seconds, he sent a message – I am here.

Overall: Besides being deeply touched how these four men stayed together, played together, and supported each other through a lot of ups and downs; the love and respect they have for each other is humbling. Martin did an outstanding job of bringing you The Rolling Stones. And even if you don’t really like their music, if you see the film you will experience an amazing event of togetherness with Mick having more energy than any man I’ve met that is under 70 years of age. It is simply amazing.