"The Big Short" (movie critique)

THE BIG SHORT
movie poster

The Friday Movie Mavens and The Travelling Toe went to the local multiplex to see "The Big Short".  The movie is based on the book of the same name by Michael Lewis.  And the book is based on actual events. The book stayed on "The New York Times" bestseller non-fiction list for 28 weeks.

Michael Lewis
author

The Big Short
book cover

Do you remember the stock market crash in 2007?  This movie shows how the stock market took such a drastic drive and why.  

It begins with the housing market.  Home construction was booming all across the country, and many people were investing in the real estate market.  After all you never lose money on a real estate deal, do you?  But what most investors and even some brokers did not know or understand was that the big banks and brokerage firms were bundling AAA type mortgage loans with sub-prime loans. such as B, BB,BBB.  Mortgage loans were being made to people with no or bad credit history, other credit issues and no job. So when the lower end of the economy could not make their mortgage payments, the dominoes began to fall and a ripple effect was felt across the whole economic system.  But there were a few traders who bet against the bubble and saw the bust coming.  These were the short sellers.  And when the bubble did burst, these groups of contrarians make beau-coup of money. 

Now that is a simplified overview of the book and the movie.  You will have to read the book or see the movie to find out all the juicy details.  But you will remember when all the trading companies were laying off stockbrokers and houses were being foreclosed in the hundreds each month and unemployment was high.  The sad side of this whole ordeal is that none of the big CEO's who knew what was happening went to jail.  "Gordon Gekko" would have been proud of them - as yes they were all greedy.

Adam McKay
director

One interesting technique that the director, Adam McKay, used was for an actor in the middle of a scene to turn toward the camera and give audience members an aside about what was really happening or about to happen or that if this is the truth of the situation. There are many funny bits in this movie which were unexpected considering the story-line.

CAST

Ryan Gosling
Jared Vennett

Brad Pitt
Ben Ricket

Christian Bale
Michael Burry



Side Note:  this movie has been nominated for an Oscar.

Steve Carell
Mark Baum

Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes only.

"Hamlet" presented by National Theatre Live

Recently, The Travelling Toe enjoyed an exciting performance of "Hamlet" presented by National Theatre Live.  A local theater group Amphibian Stage Productions sponsors National Theatre Live programs at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in the Magnolia Theater.  We have seen several of them and have never been disappointed in the quality and acting of the productions.  This is an inexpensive way to see English theater right in your own home town. It is way cheaper than purchasing a plane ticket to London (thought that would be fun..right???).  Additionally sometimes they are shown at the local movie theaters so check the listings online.

The production we saw recently was "Hamlet" and stared Benedict Cumberbatch.  Before the play started, the "host" interviewed Benedict who shared that he had to eat a lot each day in preparation for the role as he lost about 10 pounds during each performance .  We found out later why.  

Benedict Cumberbatch

As you must know Dear Readers, "Hamlet" was written by Williams Shakespeare.  Scholars think it was written sometime between 1599 and 1602.  There are different versions of the play, but each one follows the main story line of a son in distress over the sudden death of this father, the King.  Additionally within a very short time, (a month) his mother has married his uncle who is now the new King.  Ah, the plot does thicken from there.  Is revenge best served cold? Hamlet might not agree with that!

One of American's most famous early Shakespearean actors was Edwin Booth.

Edwin Booth
as Hamlet

The production was so intense and emotional.  Benedict was excellent in this role as were all the other actors.  The staging was inventive and often the actors on stage had to move tables and other things around to set up for the next scene.  Benedict was part of the stage crew along with everyone else.

If National Theatre Live comes your way, do go see a production, you just might like it.


Amphibian Stage

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Symphonic Series with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

The Travelling Toe and 2 friends enjoyed a recent trip to Bass Hall to attend a concert presented by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.  Music Director, Miguel Harth-Bedoya conducted the program.

Miguel Harth-Bedoya

The first two selections on the program featured contemporary composer, Mason Bates, who was in attendance for all 3 performances of his compositions.  

Mason Bates

Mason Bates

The first piece, titled "Mothership"utilized a large variety of percussion instruments and even a laptop.  The piece is 9 minutes in length and expresses techno rhythms.  As noted in the program by Mason, he provides a brief overview of the piece:

                                  .....imagines the orchestra as a mothership that is "docked" by several
                                   vising soloists who offer brief but virtuosic riffs on the work's 
                                   thematic material over action-packed electro-acoustic orchestral
                                   figuration

We found the piece to be very interesting and enjoyable,

During a brief pause to re-set the stage, Miguel introduced Mason to the audience and they had a wonderful conversation about his compositions.

The second piece on the program that Mr. Bates composed is simply called "Cello Concert".  It featured Joshua Roman on cello.

 


Joshua Roman

This piece also had a very contemporary feel but was interesting to hear how all the pieces of the orchestra supported and inter-played with the soloist.  It was enjoyable watching Joshua play this piece and even at one time in the performance he used a guitar pick on the cello.  He interacted with the players around him making the music even more enjoyable.  Here is hoping that Joshua (who is originally from Oklahoma) will return soon to Bass Hall for another performance.

At intermission, The Travelling Toe was not feeling well and was unable to stay to hear the final selection on the program, Beethoven's "Eroica".However, reports are that was excellent.

"Life Is Better With Music"


Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

Bass Hall

"Spotlight" (movie critique)

SPOTLIGHT
movie poster

Recently The Travelling Toe and the Friday Movie Mavens, saw the award winning movie "Spotlight'.   The film, based on actual facts, showcases the investigative journalist at the Boston Globe newspaper magazine,"Spotlight".  The reporters have been assigned the task of investigating a major cover-up concerning Catholic Priests. The focus of the investigation is the pattern of on-going child sexual abuse by Catholic Priests and the continuous cover-up by the Boston Archdiocese of these Priests actions .  The reporters discovered that Priests were often moved from parish to parish even after their pedophile abuse was reported.  Law suites were settled out of court, pay offs were made and public records were sealed.  Often the reporters hit brick walls even within the judicial system as the Boston Archdiocese wielded a lot of power through the city of Boston.  They even ensured that certain public records would be unavailable and sealed from being reviewed.  

The movie follows the 3 reporters and their editor as they try to uncover the lies, the pay-offs and obfuscation in order to get justice for the victims.  

The Boston Globe won the 2003 Public Service Pulitzer Prize for the series of stories that the team wrote on the abuse, the cover-up and the scandal.

We found the movie to be an interesting and riveting film concerning an uncomfortable subject.  All the actors did an excellent job trying to get around brick walls, talking to victims, and having to still live and work in Boston.  There are a few twists and turns along the way.  How does it end?  The Travelling Toe will not provide a spoiler alert.

Since this movie has no car chases, gun play, fight scenes, or sex scenes, not many will see it. But for those who do they will be rewarded with excellent acting and an engrossing plot line. Mark was awesome in his role and it was great to see Michael in such a meaty role too.  And Rachel as always was super.

CAST

Mark Ruffalo
Michael Rezendes

Michael Keaton
Walter "Robby" Robinson

Brian d'Arcy James
Matt Carroll

Rachel McAdams
Sacha Pfeiffer

The Travelling Toe gives this film 2 big toes up with a side order of Boston Baked Beans.

Boston Baked Beans

Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes only.

"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2" (movie critique)

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2
movie poster

The Travelling Toe having read all 3 books by Suzanne Collins, that make up the Hunger Games trilogy and having seen the previous 3 movies, was determined to see           Mockingjay Part 2.  However since it has been a year since Part 1 was premiered it was hard to remember what actually happened in the last movie and where it left the story line when it ended.  

Suzanne Collins
author

At the beginning of the movie we do find out that Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), Katniss' Hunger Games partner and friend, was captured and tortured by the Capitol military.  He was programmed to kill Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence).  She survives the attack and is determined to kill President Snow (Donald Sutherland) for revenge.  

Fighters from all the districts have rallied under President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) as they formulate a plan to take the Capitol.  Katniss volunteers to be on the first mission to the Capitol so she can find Snow and kill him.  However President Coin tells Katniss she is not to go. Katniss never-the-less sneaks aboard an aircraft headed to the Capitol. While evading Capitol soldiers, she learns that Coin plans to have Katniss killed and to make her into a martyr in order to keep the rebel cause alive.

The movie progresses at a brisk pace with lots of battles, booby traps and weird creatures along the way. There is a lot of intrigue about who is after who and who can Katniss really trust. Also due to the previous film and using other techniques, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman is once again featured as Plutarch.  

If you have seen the film or read the books then you know how this story ends.  And if not, then The Travelling Toe will not spoil the adventure for you. 

CAST:

Jennifer Lawrence
Katniss Everdeen

Josh Hutcherson
Peeta Mellark

Liam Hemsworth
Gale Hawthorne

Julianne Moore
President Alma Coin

Donald Sutherland
President Snow

Elizabeth Banks
Ellie

Woody Harrelson
Haymitch

Philip Seymour Hoffman
Plutarch

The Travelling Toe gives this movie 1 big toe and 1 middle toe up with a white rose.

Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes only.

"Brooklyn" (movie critique)

BROOKLYN
movie poster

The Travelling Toe and the Friday Movie mavens, traveled to the local multiplex to see "Brooklyn".  

This movie is set in the early 1950's, so as Golden Girls we could relate to the the clothes, hairstyles, make-up, cars, music, etc.  

The main character of the movie is Eilis (Saoirse Ronan), an Irish lass who leaves her mother, sister and small town in Ireland and heads to the US for a better life.  Crossing the Atlantic is a bit rough but her room mate shows her the ropes.  After she lands, she checks into a boarding house of young singe Irish girls.  The landlady, played by the marvelous Julie Walters, ensures that "her" girls behave themselves and do right.  Eilis is hired as a sales girl at a large upscale departments store - think Bloomingdale's.  She struggles at first, being home sick and missing her sister, as she tries to figure out her life.  Along the way, the benevolent local priest (Jim Broadbent) has her enroll in night school for bookkeeping classes to further her education.

Saoirse Ronan
Eilis

Julie Walters
Mrs. Kehoe

Jim Broadbent
Father Flood

At a local Irish dance Eilis meets a young man, Tony (Emory Cohen).Yes, he is Italian but as he says he loves Irish girls.  He begins to court her and they do fall in love. Eilis begins to bloom and grown in her new Brooklyn environment even becoming a Brooklyn Dodger fan with Tony..  

Emory Cohen
Tony

Eilis receives bad news from Ireland and has to return to take care of the family crisis.  Before she leaves she and Tony are secretly married.

Back in Ireland, she begins to fall into a familiar routine of taking care of her Mum and working part-time as an bookkeeper.  Along the way, she is set up with a young Irish man Jim, played by the cute Domhnall Gleeson.  They enjoy each others company and rumors begin to fly in the small community that she and Jim are to be married.

Domhnall Gleeson
Jim

So Dear Readers, does Eilis stay in Ireland, the land of the familiar or journey back across the pond to her Italian fellow?  Well, The Travelling Toe will not provide a spoiler alert for you as you will just have to see this lovely movie yourself to find out...did she stay or did she go??????

We all agreed that is was a sweet, lovely, enjoyable film.  

The Travelling Toe gives this movie 2 big toes up with a Claddagh toe ring.

Claddagh

Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes only.

"Sisters" (movie critique)

SISTERS

movie poster

The Travelling Toe has been out of commission due to an ugly virus, but before the bugs took over, The Travelling Toe did see a movie or two.

Here is a short overview of one of the movies the Friday Movie Mavens and The Travelling Toe saw....."Sisters".  The movie stars Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as well, sisters.  

Tina Fey
Kate

Amy Poehler
Maura

Tina plays Kate whose life is a shambles due to her  own irresponsible behavior.  Kate can't hold a job, and can't pay rent so she has to sleep on someone else's couch.  Her daughter, Haley has pretty much given up on her and her behavior.  The other sister Maura, played by Amy, is recently divorced and is always looking for ways to help other people - whether they want the help or not.

Within in all that chaos, comes the call from the girls parents (Diane Wiest and James Brolin) that they have decided to sell their home and move into a senior condo complex.  The girls are told to come home to Orlando and clean out all their stuff that they left at their parent's home when they moved out.  So Maura and Kate make the journey to Orlando and meet at the airport.  When they arrive at their childhood home, they find out that house has already been sold and cleaned out except for their room.  Using less than good judgement, the girls decide to have one last big party for all their childhood friends.  With that decision any movie goer can read the writing on the wall - disaster alert!  (and it probably was written on the wall - along with a lot of other stuff)

The party starts off slow, as most of the party goers are long past the party age, but then with large amounts of liquor and drugs comes impaired judgement and the worst happens.  The house is totally wrecked including the pool.  The parents find out about the disaster and the girls are assigned the task to clean the house and repair all  the damage.

That is the major plot line of the flick with a few others floating around.  We were all so looking forward to seeing this movie as we thought it would be very funny - Tina and Amy together again!!!  Yes, there are a few laughs along the way but not enough to save it.  We all agreed that we liked about 10% of the movie.

The Travelling Toe gives this movie 2 pinkie toes up with a big dose of disappointment.




Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes only.