Harper's Review

There are many films out there, so when I am deciding what to watch I am quite selective (much to the chagrin of those who are in my company for my search).  My process of selection begins with checking the reviews on  The International Movie Database , followed immediately by evaluating the length of the movies.  Make no mistake, so of movies regarded most highly by myself, and fellow critics are much longer than a standard 90 minute flick.  Pretty much anything by Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott and often Steven Spielberg will push their films to double that!  But these masters of direction have earned my respect to grant them my attention for that period of time without much hesitation.  Everybody else has to get in line. Boyhood was an exceptional movie.  In saying that I do not mean that I found it exceptionally good per se, but that I found it stands out as rare film.  After doing my due diligence, I decided that I would risk the 165-m...

The Disaster Artist   is a film that follows the making of one of the best, worst movies ever made, The Room. I took a risk and watched The Disaster Artist  without having seen the film that it is based on, The Room,  and that risk did not pay off.  Admittedly I have read reviews and am familiar with many details of The Room , which is what led me to think it would be a worthwhile watch.  It has an all-star cast, production value and I went into it with an understanding of the fundamental premise.  Unfortunately that was not enough to capture and keep my attention.  This is a film that is definitely for the fans on The Room,  as well as for people who live life in, on and around film-making. Having not seen  The Room,  it distanced me from the humor of the majority of  The Disaster Artist .  It was mildly amusing to watch James Franco with a ridiculous accent, in a ridiculous wig doing ridiculous things, but that's...

                    Without a doubt one of the best films I've seen in years.  Set in modern Japan  Your Name  tells the story of a girl from rural Japan and a boy from Tokyo who are destined to know each other.       This romantic comedy follows Taki, a young boy who lives and works in Tokyo, and Mitsuha, a young girl from rural Japan.  The film introduces us first to Mitsuha, who is unhappy with her life as the daughter of the mayor of her town.  She is bored with her town and the Shinto rituals she is forced to do with family that leave her embarrassed.  One day she makes a  wish upon a star that she would be born as a boy in Tokyo in her next life.         Taki is introduced to us as a good-looking, artistic. high school boy from Tokyo who works at an Italian restaurant part-time.  His life is very average until one day when he goes to sleep he dreams ...