Film Friday

Howl 

It's a movie about a poem, so it's a bit different.  Part courtroom drama (Lawrence Ferlinghetti on trial for publishing it), part poetry reading, part animated scenes that represent the content of the poem, part Allen Ginsberg talking, and part scenes of Ginsberg  with Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady.  It moves well; the 84 minutes goes by quickly.  Eric Drooker came up with some cool animated scenes.  James Franco does a decent job as Ginsberg.  With Jon Hamm as Ferlinghetti's defense attorney and David Strathairn as the prosecuting attorney.      

Dune 

Based on the novel by Frank Herbert.  Sci-fi that features two powerful families fighting over the only planet that produces a spice that allows prescience and is vital to space travel.  It's a mix of interesting ideas and silliness.  I wonder how faithful it is to the novel.  The movie was not received well by critics and director David Lynch distanced himself from it.  The cast includes Kyle MacLachlan (as the main character), Sean Young, Patrick Stewart, Sting (the musician, not the wrestler), Jose Ferrer, and Alicia Witt in her film debut. Narration by Virginia Madsen, who also has a minor on-screen role.       

Silver Linings Playbook 

Dude gets released from a psych hospital, several months after catching his wife cheating on him and going ballistic on the other guy.  He moves back in with his parents in South Philly and commences a plan to get his wife back.  A young woman, whose husband was killed, agrees to help the dude, but at a price.  Katniss Everdeen is the young woman, and she's much better here than in American Hustle, which I reviewed in a previous Film Friday.  The sass is strong with her. A decent amount of feist as well.  There are a few holes in the writing, but there are a lot of funny moments.  I'll give this one a casual thumb up.  With Robert De Niro (dudes' dad), Bradley Cooper (dude), and Chris Tucker (dude's friend).       

Silkwood 

Based on Karen Silkwood's activism at a nuclear plant in Oklahoma.  Merryl Streep as the title character, Cher as friend / roommate / co-worker Dolly Pelliker, and Kurt Russell as boyfriend / co-worker Drew Something. With Craig T. Nelson and Ron Silver.  It's a sad film, but I expected it to be, because it's based on some messed-up stuff.