by Joseph Rossi
Summer is almost over and we’ve had our fill of effects and loud explosions. Here is a look at a few films out right now that will please mature moviegoers.
Get On Up is a by the numbers biography of the late musical legend James Brown. It follows his rise from growing up in rural South Carolina to his glory days as the Godfather of Soul.
The film itself is nothing we haven’t seen before. We’ve had Walk the Line, Beyond the Sea, and Ray in recent years. They follow a formula and it works. Get on Up follows that same formula but it still has it charms. Tate Taylor, the director of The Help, has a keen eye for southern faces and populates this film with some real good ones. Viola Davis, Dan Aykroyd and Octavia Spencer fit the bill wonderfuly in minor roles but it’s Chadwick Boseman who stunned me in last years underrated Jackie Robinson flick 42, who brings the singer to actual life. This is more then acting. This is an embodiment. He is an Oscar contender in my book.
The Hundred Foot Journey is a pleasant diversion that will leave you craving Indian Food by the end. Really two movies in one, the first, a clash of cultures and the other, the story of regaining one’s passion, it’s an old fashioned affair that is well acted and beautifully shot. The scenery of the French countryside has never looked better on film. The story is about an Indian family led by Papa (the amazing Om Puri) who opens an Indian restaurant across the street from the snooty Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren) and her upscale dining experience. This leads Papa’s gifted cook, his eldest son Hassan, to become curious about French cuisine.
This film was directed by Lasse Halsrtom, who directed Chocolat. I don’t know about you but this guy knows how to shoot food. This movie can take it’s place along side food films such as Big Night, Babette’s Feast and Like Water for Chocolate.
