Hands of Stone

First Hit:  Having watched a few of Roberto Duran’s bouts, it was interesting to know more about the man who had “Hands of Stone”.

If you don’t like boxing, you probably won’t like this film as there are a fair number of boxing sequences in this film and it is not easy to watch people getting punched.

Duran (Edgar Ramirez) is first shown as a boy attempting to keep himself and his family fed. He runs the streets and steals from the Americans by taking guava's from the trees in the canal zone. Like most other Panamanians, he is resentful of U.S. presence in the canal zone.

Although the Panamanian and U.S. governments’ agreed to U.S. ownership of the canal zone, there is widespread resentment. This is important because when he fights in the U.S. he’s battling both the U.S. government's oppressive nature to Panamanians and his opponent.

In the case of the flamboyant USA Gold Medalist Sugar Ray Leonard (Usher Raymond) he created a massive dislike and even insulted his wife Juanita (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) as a part of his strategy to get under Leonard’s skin. Teaching him how to be a great boxer and to fully use his given talents is Ray Arcel (Robert De Niro). Because of previous entanglements with the mob who had a lot of control over boxing, he trained Duran for free.

This film explores Duran’s relationship with Felicidad Iglesias (Ana de Armas) who ended up marrying him. The film also explores his hunger to fight and what happens when he wins more than he ever thought he would. This film tells a story.

Ramirez was very good as Duran and made his journey believable. De Niro was fantastic as Roberto’s father figure as well as trainer. Raymond was strong as Ray Leonard. His movement around the ring and engaging personality were mirrors of the very public character he was playing.   Armas was wonderful as Duran’s tested wife. How she continued to show up to him was great. Smollett-Bell was good as Leonard's wife. John Turturro was good in a small role as the mob heavy putting pressure on Arcel. Ellen Barkin was very good as Stephanie Arcel, Ray’s wife. Pedro Perez did a wonderful job as Duran’s lifelong trainer. Ruben Blades is perfectly pushy as the money man behind Duran. Jonathan Jakubowicz wrote and directed this film. I thought that the script was very good and brought out an interesting story. The direction of the scenes was especially strong in the ring.

Overall:  If you like or interested in boxing in the late 1970s and early 1980s this is definitely worth seeing.

Southside with You

First Hit:  This was a very sweet story about how Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson’s first date might have gone.

Based on publicly available facts, Richard Tanne developed a wonderful script and directed this film creating a space for two amazing actors Tika Sumpter (Michelle) and Parker Sawyers (Barack) to reflect our current first family’s initial date.

I liked the feel of this very uplifting story and how it transferred to film. It showed the intelligence of both our President and First Lady. Their personal charm, goals, aspirations, and willingness to cautiously open up to each other about their upbringing and future ambitions were nicely presented.

The film follows the couple from when he first picks Michelle up in a car that has part of the floorboard missing; then they trek to a museum, take a walk in a park, go to a community meeting where Barack speaks, see a Spike Lee film, and have ice cream together.

Throughout these events, their dialogue is wonderfully scripted and brings out information that gives the audience a peek at the how and why they are together.

Sumpter is very strong at showing an intelligent strong Michelle while being cautious about starting a relationship with someone who works in her firm. Sawyers was very good as showing us the articulate well-spoken President we’ve come to know. Tanne did a wonderful job of creating a script and directing his two actors.

Overall:  I found this story and film to very sweet and enjoyable.

Anthropoid

First Hit:  This was a strong, well-presented, and interesting film about the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich the architect of the holocaust.

The story follows a small group of men who parachute into Czechoslovakia with the goal of assassinating Reinhard Heydrich who had been sent to Czechoslovakia to ensure that the country supplies Germany with the war materials they expect.

There is a resistance movement in Prague which has been decimated by German soldiers publicly killing people who do not fall in line with German leader wishes. Heydrich had come up with the plan and process for killing all European Jews and was Hitler’s number 3 guy so he was Hitler's guy to get Czechoslovakia in line.

The film mainly follows two of the men, Jan Kubis and Josef Gabcik (Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy respectively) who parachuted into the republic, and find themselves in Prague being helped by the resistance led by Uncle Hajsky (Toby Jones). Both Jan and Josef are coupled with two women Marie Kovarnikova and Lenka Fafkova (Charlotte Le Bon and Anna Geislerova respectively) as a way to help them blend into Prague city life while they plan the assassination.

The film is graphic about the struggle and occasionally uses actual footage. The scene of the actual assassination was well staged in that it felt risky and real. The suspense was palpable.

The end scene with the battle in the church was very well done and very heroic in nature. Watching this film was like watching an important piece of history, which means the filmmakers did an excellent job of bringing this story to life.

Dornan was wonderful as the guy who struggled to pull the trigger but when the chips were down he was a reliable member of the team. His romance and connection with Marie was palpable. Murphy was fantastic and the driver of the mission. His ability to be strong, yet apologize for his focus, was truly heartfelt. Jones was really good as the main contact and leader of the underground. Le Bon was really good in the way she was supportive of the mission and her love for Kubis. Geislerova was truly amazing. Her strength of character shone through in this role. Sean Ellis and Anthony Frewin wrote a very strong script and Ellis’ direction was spot on.

Overall:  This was a truly interesting and well-acted film about a historical event.

The Infiltrator

First Hit:  Tension begins early and stays through to the end of the film – well done.

The setting is the 1980’s. Columbian cocaine is pouring into the United States through Florida.

The US Government is doing what it can to stop the flow of drugs. Nancy Reagan’s “Just say no” campaign was in full bloom and most of the U.S. Customs department’s war on drugs was to follow the flow of the drugs.

One of Customs’ best agents Robert Mazur (Bryan Cranston) thinks that a better way to get to the top of the cartel was to “follow the money”. He and his partner Emir Abreu (John Leguizamo) set themselves up as a company with bank money laundering connections. Mazur takes the alias of Bob Musella. The way these two find their way to the right banking and cartel connections is filled with tense scenes made only better by the acting, especially by Cranston.

One thing that struck me was the complicated way things came together. There were a lot of characters and plot elements, however, I felt like it how a real life setup might unfold.

For instance, during a conversation with a cartel member in a strip club, Musella said he was engaged. He did this because he didn’t want to partake in a sexual encounter and he was fully committed to his wife Evelyn (Juliet Aubrey). Stating he was engaged required the U. S. Customs agency to set him up with a finance. His hard line boss Bonnie Tischler (Amy Ryan), selects a newly minted agent Kathy Ertz (Diane Kruger) which created its own level of tension and concern because she had no experience.

The film and scenes we’re not done in a highly slick manner, which worked for me because otherwise would have made the film appear too staged. Where Ertz and Musella worked best was during the scenes to develop a relationship with cartel member Roberto Alcaino (Benjamin Bratt) and his wife Gloria (Elena Anaya).

Cranston was really strong in this role based on a true story. His ability to create tension for his life and his family’s life was palpable. Leguizamo was perfect as his partner that seemed the on edge of being a really smart and partially unhinged. Ryan was perfect as the hard-line female Customs boss. Kruger was wonderful as the undercover fiancé. Bratt and Anaya were very strong as major components of the cartel. Ellen Sue Brown wrote a very strong script. Brad Furman did a wonderful job of making the film work by not making it too slick.

Overall:  This true story from the Eighties was well represented 30 years later.

Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words

First Hit:  Riveting documentary about a music man who followed his own path and beliefs.

At the beginning of the film, Frank makes a statement that went something like this:  There are so many people who only know me from my first few records and concerts. The fact is they don’t know me or my music at all. I’m one of those people who are in this category although I have never claimed I knew much about him.

I saw Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention at two locations in 1967, the Anaheim Convention Center and the LA Sports Arena. I was both shocked and engaged by the music and the show that was part of his performance.

It was the original rock performance art and show. It was truly a unique show. Although, I'd occasionally check in by buying an album or listening to a track from a record, but to his point I never saw him perform again and he was never a "must listen". However, I knew that he was a genius and this film confirms it.

The movie consists of interviews and clips of Frank and his band. Chronologically this film shows how Frank walked his own path and never compromised on what he wanted to develop and deliver.

There is one point in the film we see him sitting and listening to an English philharmonic orchestra and conductor he hired to play one of his classical compositions. An interviewer asks him if this is the best use of this high level orchestra? He responds by saying, I saved my money, I’m the one that is paying for all this because I want to hear what I wrote. No one else has any money invested in this except me. Therefore it is my right to have this orchestra play what I want them to play because I'm paying for it.

With this statement, I began to better understand his path and his love for music as he defined it. He loved creating music and because he worked at it 16 hours a day, he had a right to hear it in any way he wanted. It was his life.

Zappa was his enigmatic intelligent self. Thorsten Schutte did a brilliant job of stringing together previous interviews, film clips, and music segments.

Overall:  This was a wonderful film about a brilliant man.