mbraun-1 Reviews

The Music Never Stopped (2011)

Grateful Dead on a shoestring budget wonderful

[10/10 · 28 January 2011]

It's 1987, and when a long-absent son turns up with a brain tumor that robs him of immediate memory, his father (JK Simmons) struggles to deal with the past through the eyes of a son who is frozen in memories.

OK, Dead fans know the title; if you're of a generation that listened to vinyl, here's your homage to the power of records and the 60s.

Small budget written all over this, that is all heart and talented talent that has talent. Did I mention talent? Having seen it at Sundance Chicago, the director explained that he'd been studying neurological science material and THAT is reflected in how uncommonly well the young actor, Gabe, nails his role as a person whose brain injury sometimes clicks on... and off. Director spoke about the editing down of the tale, and I think we'd really like to see it expanded back to a longer film; there's a few lessons here worthy of more screen time.

There's a jaw-dropping "how'd they do that?" in here worthy of cheers and worth the ticket price. Hope they "expand" that for the DVD!!!

This is a great little film without special effects but packed with the true mastery of a small story told very, emotionally, well. Familiar faces deliver for all they're worth and well-done filmmakers techniques bless MUSIC with obvious "extra efforts" that put all of the money up on the screen.

Valentine's Day (I) (2010)

Valentine's Day: 23 actors, zero stars

[1/10 · 15 February 2010]

Ever sat through 120 minutes of Tasters Choice commercials in a row?

WE bought the VIP seating and dinner for this god-awful mess. Started at 7:18 and when I checked my watch at 8:30, my wife asked me how long it was. "2 hours, 23 minutes" I said. She was not amused... and neither were the couple of couples who existed at 9 pm in front of us.

Tepid, shop-worn cuts of lives that criss-cross each other, this worked for Altman much of the time but not here. Titles ran for way, way too long and cardboard direction (i.e. silent people holding conversations behind actors) was too dumb to be believed. The humor was lightweight when it happened at all, and we, the audience always felt like there's got to be a payoff somewhere. Editing was sloppy when not entirely flat. It was as if we'd just missed the direction: "aaaand walk," over and over again.

I have a rule that only a true piece of junk uses gag reels for end titles, and sadly, this did, too. In fact, the best line in the film wasn't really in the film at all, but out of Julia Roberts' mouth as reference to PRETTY WOMAN which was a gem. If anything, this stands as a mess worthy f $1 rental just to see how bad it can get.