Jan Wahl Movie Review: A Timely And Well-Acted "Wall Street"

"Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps"

As the global economy seems on the brink of disaster, Gordon Gekko is released from prison. Finding himself in a world he once dominated, is he down for the count or just reinventing himself to take over again? Is he finished, or trying to reconcile with his only daughter as a loving father? His daughter has a boyfriend as driven and ambitious as Gekko himself.

Jan Wahl Movie Review:

One of the many strengths in this film is these three characters are played by good actors: Michael Douglas, Carey Mulligan and a surprisingly effective Shia LaBeouf. They are always put in context of their times and director Oliver Stone never lets us forget what is at stake for each one. The stock market and deregulation abuses may be baffling to some of us at times in this long film, but the characters are so compelling and the storylines smart, we stay invested in this epic adventure. New York City architecture and gorgeous cinematography costar. This is a stunning looking film that needs to be seen on the big screen. With the price of movie tickets always going up, this movie gives you something back for your time and money. Four hats.

"Howl"
"Howl" is written and directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, who directed one of my all time favorite films: "The Celluloid Closet." The film illuminates the 1957 San Francisco trial to ban Allen Ginsberg's seminal poem Howl as obscene material. Imaginatively interwoven is not only the trial itself, based on actual transcripts, but also the story of the young Ginsberg (James Franco) finding his own artistic voice. Jon Hamm as San Francisco lawyer Jake Erlich is powerful in the courtroom scenes, going up against David Straithern. It almost feels like William Jennings Bryant and Clarence Darrow in "Inherit the Wind." This is not a traditional narrative, nor a straight documentary. It's compelling, creative, and a reminder of the fight for freedom of expression in America. Three hats.

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