As an underdog tale of courage and risk-taking, Moneyball succeeds very well. Even more, it succeeds as an exploration of loyalty and self-interest. Being set in the “national pastime” world of baseball lends the film some popular intrigue, and being loosely based on …more »»
Film Talks: Most Recent
Hugo (2011)
February 2, 2012 by Randy Heffner Quick talkHave you thought of the world as a machine? For me, the question carries connotations of a cold, heartless world of isolation and exploitation. Embedded within Hugo’s exploration of other matters of the heart, the film uniquely explores “machine nature” from …more »»
Midnight in Paris (2011)
January 31, 2012 by Randy Heffner Quick talkAs is Woody Allen’s tendency with his films, the delightful Midnight in Paris is definitely about something. This time it’s nostalgia. Also like many of his films, which lean heavily toward having characters tell you what the film is about, so does this one — but somehow, it doesn’t come off as overbearing as usual. And that is …more »»
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
January 29, 2012 by Randy Heffner Quick talkA father’s unique and creative care for his son, which is at the center of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, carries profound power of hope and healing — even when the father can’t be there. The film embodies this power strongly in its …more »»
War Horse (2011)
January 28, 2012 by Randy Heffner Quick talk
About the story in War Horse, a strict realist would say, “Yeah, right. How likely is that?” I hold to the old adage “truth is stranger than fiction” — or even Jack Johnson’s “fact and fiction work as a team.” But, I do have reservations about the …more »»
Godspell (1973)
January 6, 2012 by Randy Heffner Before viewing talk // After viewing talk // Backstory talkPlayfully serious, musically excellent, and rich in spirit, Godspell romps through New York City exploring and embodying wisdom for life and relationships from the Bible’s Gospel According to Matthew. Set in 1973, Jesus …more »»
The Artist (2011)
January 1, 2012 by Randy Heffner Quick talkThe Artist is a silent film like few others — perhaps unlike any other. Simultaneously staying true to the genre and playing with it, director Michel Hazanavicius creatively employs silent film as one element of great storytelling and filmcraft — and manages to do so without falling into …more »»
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
December 28, 2011 by Randy Heffner Quick talkTinker Tailor Soldier Spy comes off with an intriguing mix of the slow and unemotional pace of the main character, Smiley, who is driving the action, countered by an emotionally charged, rapid-paced plot, while having little rapid or suspenseful onscreen action. Multiple subplots, as well as the film itself, are built around …more »»
The Ides of March (2011)
December 18, 2011 by Randy Heffner Quick talkOf all the interest The Ides of March has to offer, the title is among the most interesting of them. The reference to political leaders and assassinations is the knee-jerk and most obvious reference, yet the film turns out to be much more …more »»
The Descendants (2011)
December 16, 2011 by Randy Heffner Quick talkWitty and gentle, unfolding at a closely measured pace, The Descendants moves through a chaotic but in the end lovely cohort of relationships wrestling with misdeeds, transgressions, wounds, and flaws, mixing tenderness and aggravation to explore how we might find heart in the middle …more »»
Goodbye Solo (2009)
December 15, 2011 by Randy Heffner Before viewing talk // After viewing talkA momentary acquaintance is most times just that: momentary. The beauty in Goodbye Solo arises from a quick, sharp moment of insight leads one character, driven by his depth of concern for other people, to relentlessly …more »»
Melancholia (2011)
December 4, 2011 by Randy Heffner Quick talkIn Melancholia, Lars von Trier gives us a film that is simultaneously enigmatic yet concrete, multilayered yet with a simple-enough central story, immediately accessible yet with endless elements that beg for deeper consideration. By juxtaposing …more »»
J. Edgar (2011)
December 1, 2011 by Randy Heffner Quick talkThe single most notable characteristic of J. Edgar is its even-handedness. It could have gone liberal, centering on abuse of power and civil rights violations, or conservative, centering on our dangerous world and the need for certain protections. Instead, …more »»
Sympathy for Delicious (2010)
November 22, 2011 by Randy Heffner Quick talkSympathy for Delicious takes us on an unusual journey of the collision between a faithless faith-healer and a priest who has big visions for his work. From both sides, it explores how we can miss the gifts we’ve been given …more »»
Drive (2011)
October 1, 2011 by Randy Heffner Quick talkThe trailers for Drive promise an action flick full of intensity and fast driving. There is indeed plenty of intensity and also some very good driving. There are some very bad bad guys, and great peril of life and limb. If that’s all one wants in a film, …more »»
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