Glenn-31 Reviews

Bagdad Cafe (1987)

The magic of this film is the joy and love that a strange Bavarian woman brings to the lives of the disparate souls that convene at a Nevada desert cafe.

[20 January 1999]

A German couple vacationing in the U.S. get sick of each other somewhere in the Nevada desert and the wife (Marianne Sägebrecht) takes her bags and walks off on her own. Sägebrecht ends up at a seedy motel/cafe where she takes a room. The owner of the motel/cafe (C.C.H. Pounder) is a single mother of two teenagers. The daughter is a free-spirited "valley girl" type and the son is an unmarried teenage father who has a penchant for playing Bach on the piano. Jack Palance has an atypical role as a sensitive artist in the midst of an array of truckers who all hang out at the cafe. Sägebrecht's peculiarities -- including her attempt to clean up Pounder's dusty, disheveled office and storage room -- initially rub Pounder the wrong way. In the meantime, however, Sägebrecht has a magic kit and spends hours in her motel room teaching herself magic tricks. Sägebrecht eventually starts working at the cafe and everyone, including Pounder, take a liking to her -- especially when she starts performing her magic act.

Betty Blue (1986)

A kind, loving handyman and aspiring writer falls for a beautiful manic depressive and -- despite his gargantuan efforts -- can't help the love of his life exist in his world.

[20 January 1999]

Zorg, a shy, happy-go-lucky handyman and aspiring writer (Jean-Hughes Anglade) falls in love with Betty, a beautiful, free-spirited young woman (Beatrice Dalle). Betty has trouble with authority and tends to get reckless and sometimes violent when provoked. Zorg finds her manic behavior and cavalier demeanor refreshing as she brings him out of his shell. After Zorg's slum lord boss voices too many demands Betty tosses everything out of the house and then torches it. Even this exhibition of arson doesn't phase Zorg as they take off to seek a better life. As the story progresses, Zorg falls deeper in love with Betty and dismisses her increasingly bizarre behavior as quirky. Eventually, an event sets off a time bomb in Betty, and any doubts about her insanity are laid to rest.

37.2 le matin (Betty Blue) is simultaneously an entertaining "slice-of-life" romp, and a sad tragedy. This visually enticing film is perhaps the finest from Jean-Jacques Beineix.

Awakenings (1990)

Another trenchant Steve Zaillian script, and understated but solid performance by Robin Williams, make for true-to-life drama.

[19 January 1999]

In one of his finest and most understated performances, Robin Williams portrays real-life doctor/author Oliver Sacks (changed the name for the script to Martin Strayer), who used the drug L-dopa to bring patients in a virus-induced vegetative state back to consciousness. Prior to taking the job at a Bronx hospital for incurables, the shy, recluse Dr. Strayer worked only as a research physician in laboratories. Unsatisfied with the status quo at the hospital, Strayer manages to uncover a common cause for the condition of a group of unresponsive patients, and finds a drug that brings them out of their state. Robert DeNiro superbly plays Strayer's first patient, a victim of this condition since childhood, who is the first to be "awakened." As the patients regain consciousness, the introverted doctor Strayer also manages to come out the world of plants and opera he is trapped in.

The Accidental Tourist (1988)

The author of travel books for people who hate to travel could use a book on relationships for people who hate relationships.

[19 January 1999]

Macon Leary (William Hurt) writes travel guides for people who hate to travel. His books give advice on avoiding human contact, finding American food abroad, and generally making the "accidental tourist" feel comfortable traveling -- like never leaving your comfortable home armchair. Leary and his wife (Kathleen Turner) are still grief-stricken over the loss of their young son; and the loss has taken a toll on the marriage. Leary suppresses his grief by keeping his feelings locked up in a sort of safe living room armchair for emotions -- much like his travel guide advice. Leary meets the oddball owner of a pet store (Geena Davis) and entrusts her with the care of his troublesome dog while he travels. She offers to train the dog; however, it's not until the dog causes Leary to break his leg that he seeks her expertise.

While recuperating Leary stays at his sister's (Amy Wright) house where his two brothers (David Ogden Stiers and Ed Begley, Jr.) also live. This cooky, quirky family live totally sheltered lives; they never have guests, seldom answer the phone, and tend to get lost when they go out. Leary's sister has complete control of the home, taking care of her near helpless brothers. Dog trainer Geena Davis makes regular training visits and she and Hurt eventually fall in love. Hurt moves in with Davis and her seven year old son. Their relationship is complicated when Hurt's wife wishes to give their marriage another try. Hurt must decide if he wants to remain in that "Leary groove" in the safe "armchair" or get out of the predictable emotionless rut he's carved for himself.

It's possible that Jake Kasdan -- director Lawrence Kasdan's son -- may have concocted a composite of the neurotic Leary family and called it Daryl Zero -- from his "Zero Effect" film. Zero also could not handle relationships or deal with messy "interpersonal gratuities."

Goodbye, Children (1987)

Malle has created an extremely realistic portrayal of the relentless spirit of youth, the naive cruelties children inflict on each other, and the difficult, austere times that children -- even from wealthy f

[19 January 1999]

Louis Malle wrote, directed, and produced this powerful recollection of his own personal experiences at a Catholic boarding school in Nazi-occupied France where the school's headmaster had chosen to admit and withhold the identities of several Jewish boys. The film primarily focuses on the relationship that develops between protagonist Francois Quentin and a new student Jean Bonnet (actually a Jewish boy whose real name is Kippelstein). Previous to Bonnet's arrival, Quentin was the class leader, both academically and influentially outside of class; now the new upstart Bonnet appears to be Quentin's academic and artistic superior. Quentin, although respectful of his new classmate's abilities, is nevertheless envious. The envy turns into healthy competition and eventually, with growing mutual respect as a result, they become friends.

Will the company having rights to this brilliant film please see that it is remastered in its original aspect ratio on DVD!

Atlantic City (1980)

Screenwriter John Guare and director Louis Malle give tribute to people in transition, set to the back drop of a city in transition.

[19 January 1999]

Set in 1970s Atlantic City in the early days of legalized gambling, we find a young woman (Susan Sarandon) working in the fish section of a casino restaurant while learning to be a card dealer. At the same time, an elderly, small-time hood (Burt Lancaster) is stuck taking care of a gangster's widow (Kate Reid). Sarandon's husband and her younger sister ran off together and unexpectedly reappear looking for a place to stay. Her sister is now pregnant and her low-life husband is trying to sell drugs stolen from a big-time dealer in Philadelphia. Sarandon's husband meets Lancaster in a bar while trying to set up a deal to sell the drugs, and he convinces Lancaster to be his "mule." Lancaster and Sarandon being neighbors -- with her brother in law as the mutual acquaintance -- are brought together and become involved in more trouble than they ever thought imaginable.

The refreshing aspect of this motion picture is that it avoids the typical Hollywood pitfall where character development and dialogue play second fiddle to car chases and stunt scenes. In Atlantic City the odious characters and sticky situations are secondary to the development/relationships of the lead characters. This is the first excellent performance on film of a young Sarandon, and one of the finest performances of Lancaster's distinguished career.

This film has been butchered on cable, VHS, and laserdisc. Please let's have a quality remaster on DVD in widescreen format.

Apartment Zero (1988)

A fastidious, neurotic Argentine repertory cinema owner takes in a likeable roommate who quickly becomes the "friend from hell."

[18 January 1999]

Colin Firth stars in the role of a fastidious, neurotic owner of a theater for repertory cinema in Buenos Aires. Firth is also the landlord of a small apartment building that houses a variety of eccentric characters including himself. Loner Firth -- in a move out of character -- decides to take in a carefree, amiable American roommate (Hart Bochner). Firth and Bochner become good friends; however, Firth eventually uncovers too many discrepancies in Bochner's explanations of his whereabouts and occupation. This quirky, unusual psychodrama is full of social and sexual satire that leads to a startling conclusion. Note the movie game that Firth plays with Bochner in which one must guess the movie title given the names of three well-known actors who had minor roles in the film at question. Apartment Zero is a small, independent film with such quirky characters and adult situations that it could not be recommended for the whole family; however, it is a "must-see" for those who often yearn for a departure from the mainstream.

Babette's Feast (1987)

A French cook/housekeeper is sent to aid a pair of religious Danish sisters who have devoted their lives to the service of God and their small town.

[18 January 1999]

This delicately told and moving story about the two devout daughters of a Danish Lutheran minister and their French servant is one of the finest European films of the 1980s. Set in a small, remote, austere Danish seaside town in the mid-19th century, the daughters devote their lives to continuing the work of their father in service of God, and in care for their needy townspeople. One of the daughters had turned down a promising opera career -- and the love of her French voice coach (a famous opera singer himself) -- to remain with her father and the town. Many years later the French singer sends a woman (Babette) -- who had lost her family in an outbreak of civil war -- to live with the sisters. She turns out to be an excellent cook, housekeeper and a shrewd shopper. The story culminates in a sumptuous feast prepared by Babette coinciding with a memorial to the reverend minister's 100th birthday. This delicious screenplay was adapted from the Isak Denisson (pen name for Karen Blixen) short story originally published in the Ladies Home Journal.

To Our Loves (1983)

This character study about a troubled, confused teenager follows her life into adulthood where she continues to have trouble with her relationships, as well as with her own identity.

[18 January 1999]

"The only time I'm happy is when I'm with a guy," says Suzanne, (Sandrine Bonnaire) a promiscuous and directionless teenager. Suzanne's parents are splitting up; her brother beats her as a disciplinary gesture in her father's absence; and her mother has control over nothing. Suzanne hangs out with her friends; sleeps with anyone she is attracted to (except the boy that loves her); and returns home for knock down, drag out fights with her older brother and mother. The last 30 minutes of the film skips quickly into Suzanne's life after marriage and jumps yet again to her life after divorce. The only person Suzanne loves is her father; perhaps because he is the only person who understands and unconditionally loves her. Fine direction from Maurice Pialat who also plays Suzanne's father. Excellent acting from most of the cast saves a somewhat meandering and overwrought script.

84 Charing Cross Road (1987)

A charming yet bittersweet tale of a 30-year correspondence between writer/book collector Bancroft and rare book dealer Hopkins.

[8 January 1999]

An eccentric New York woman (Ann Bancroft) with a passion for English literature (in their original hard copy editions) discovers a mail order house in London that buys and sells the kind of books she is looking for. Beginning in the early 1950s Bancroft makes her first order to the book store manager (Anthony Hopkins) and, upon receiving each order, she responds with clever, pithy reactions to her previous order while also placing a new one. Hopkins mentions the bad postwar situation with the lack of good food and Bancroft responds with some generous care packages for several years. Hopkins and everyone else at the store are endeared by both her witty letters and generosity. Their loving correspondence transpires for about 30 years and Bancroft never has the time nor money to visit England in person until Hopkins dies. This extremely quaint, bittersweet story was adapted from a stage play by the film's screenwriter Hugh Whitemore. Why has this film never made its way to home video on laserdisc or DVD?