Byron Yankey's blog

Gran Torino

Gran Torino is a must see!

Yesterday we stood in line with about 150 people in the lobby of a local multiplex waiting to see Eastwood's newest movie.  Maybe because it was the last show before the full price movies begin or maybe because everyone knew they would get home before it got too late, nearly everyone standing in line was in the same age group as me!!  Not a young person in sight, wow what did that mean?

The theater continued to filled as we all watched the endless commercials and previews.  Finally,the show began just as I heard a woman several rows behind be say, "Wake up honey, it's starting."

Clint Eastwood is at his best in this movie.  The character development is superb.  He is an amalgam of Dirty Harry and everyone's worse neighbor. He raises "crotchety"  to the highest possible art form.  This is an engaging drama representing real life in a number of urban areas.  Declining jobs and increasing unemployment,neighborhoods changing, young people finding esteem by joining gangs and rejecting their ethnic culture; a recipe for conflict and discontent. 

The movie has a slight "documentary" feel to it.  The scenes are raw and not contrived, complete with street sounds and no special lighting or effects.  The actors, except for Eastwood, are unknown or first time performers found in casting calls.  This compliments the total  feel of the movie. 

Just as the you are lulled into thinking they can predict the ending of the movie, everything changes. This is a movie about families and friendships, and regrets and promises.  You will talk about this movie long after you have left the theater.

See Slumdog Millionaire

Last weekend we saw Slumdog Millionaire at the Flicks.  I don't know how long it will be showing, but make a point to see this movie. This is a fast moving,never predictable tale that reveals the worst and the hopeful parts of Indian society. But really, it is a parity of America's "get rich quick" fantasy that plays out on television channels every night.

The story is told through a series of flashbacks, a film style I generally dislike. What  makes this movie and the style engaging is that the flashbacks make sense.  They help you put everything together.  They bring you to a conclusion that is bound to stir the emotions of even the cranky guy sitting next to me who talked about the popcorn throughout the entire movie. 

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Recently we saw the movie, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.This incredible movie will never make it to the big multiplex theaters and will only be seen at movie theaters like the Flicks.  It is a shame that so often the best movies made never achieve the commercial appeal that gets them shown to a wider population. 

The previews we had seen several weeks before were enticing.  I love a historical story line and I was drawn by curiosity to the title.  We arrived just as the previews had begun and there are few things I dislike more than trying to find movie seats in a totally dark theater. (It reminds me of an old I Love Lucy show where she ends up sitting on a stranger's lap.) We successfully found two seats and settled in.

From the moment the movie began, viewers were taken on a remarkable journey by a story line that alternated between the innocent point of view of a little boy and the complex,complicated, ever darkening perspective of adults. An unlikely friendship develops between a Jewish boy prisoner in a work camp and the son of the camp's commander. The innocence of the two boys seems to grows ever greater as the true nature of the camp and the cruelty of the adults is revealed.

Every frame of this picture, every measure of the musical score, every line of the script builds to a never to be forgotten conclusion.   SEE THIS MOVIE!

"Tell No One"

See this movie!  Tell No One is a French movie complete with subtitles.  This murder mystery is fast paced with lots of twists and turns.  It is visually stunning and includes what I believe to be the best chase scene in recent film history. (I'm a sucker for people running through crowds and racing through traffic.)

This movie does not give your mind a moment to rest as new characters, new events,and new subplots are introduced in rapid fire succession.  As a matter of fact, if you look away from the screen to locate your popcorn, you may miss something important.

I predict you will be discussing this movie long after the theater goes dark.  

Mamma Mia

True confession: I was the one that wanted to see the movie Mamma Mia. We had seen the musical when it played at the Morrison Center several years ago.  We took one of our sons to the performance and frankly he was underwhelmed.  I, on the other hand, enjoyed it.  Let's face it the saccharine sweet songs combined with the fact you can hear every word plus the big and bold orchestral sounds, really how can you miss with a combination like that?

The music of ABBA was the big thing when my wife and I were teaching in Australia.(long ago) Every young person became crazed when the music began. Teenagers went wild and everyone knew the words.

In a movie theater that was 90% groups of women of all ages, I found myself smiling and laughing.  I loved the movie.  The scenery was incredible, the dancing was so so, but the energy was great.  Not for everyone, but if you want to see a slice of the 70's think about seeing it.  Mamma Mia 

Get Smart The Movie

Okay, if you have never seen an original Get Smart episode, add that to your list of things to do before you die.   Don Adams and Barbara Feldon were an incredible duo delivering some of the best lines in tv history. The wry delivery,physical comedy and biting satire were funny in a satisfying way.  I wonder if the creators of the show had cellphones in mind when the dreamed up the famous shoe phone.  The cone of silence always sent me into a fit of laughter sometimes producing a snorting sound my younger brother loved. ( A few from my age group might also remember Don Adams was the voice of Tennessee Tuxedo and Inspector Gadget...those were the days.)

Well, so much for nostalgia, I liked the movie.  It contained tribute moments from the original such as, "missed it by that much" and the operative in the tree  while weaving current events into the plot. This time of the year I like a good comedy. Steve Carell delivered a great Maxwell Smart.