Meet Joe Black - 1998

Universal Pictures, City Light Films

Directed by Martin Brest

Cast:

• Joe Black – Brad Pitt
• William Parish – Anthony Hopkins
• Drew – Jake Webber
• Susan Parrish – Claire Forlani
• Allison – Marcia Gay Harden
• Quince – Jeffrey Tambor

Story: A wealthy and successful man, William Parrish is about to turn sixty five years old. But about a week before, he wakes suddenly in the middle of the night and feels a pain in his left arm. He rises to go to his bathroom to splash some water on his face, and he hears a voice whisper “yes”, but in spite of being startled, he returns to his bed. The next day in the office he feels a deep pain in his chest, and once again hears the voice whispering “yes”. That evening he hears it again, and the voice continues this time, saying he is standing at the front door to his penthouse and would someone please let him in. When he finally confronts the man whose voice he has been hearing, the man says he has been giving Bill the answer to his question. The question is “Am I going to die?”, and the voice providing the answer is Death's, who has come to offer Bill a deal. Death would like a tour of the living, and in exchange, he will grant Bill more time.

Review: Inspired by Death Takes A Holiday, a classic stage play that many of my generation read as teens for either English or Drama class in high school, this film marks, for me, the coming of age of Brad Pitt as an actor with depth. I know some people will point to A River Runs Through It, or even Seven Years In Tibet as the films where Brad showed true ability, but Death Takes a Holiday is a pivotal film where he has to reach into the unknown and his past to portray a “stranger in a strange land.” and he does it with a remarkable freshness and style. As an amateur actor, I know the importance of any production is to give the audience the illusion of the first time. Brad does that beautifully in this film.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that he is surrounded by an incredible cast, lead by the incomparable Anthony Hopkins. Jake Webber demonstrates his range as well, as do both Marcia Gay Harden and Jeffrey Tambor. Somewhere beyond perfect is Claire Forlani's portrayal of Susan Parrish, the younger daughter and medical resident who is attracted to Pitt's character, first in his portrayal of the young attorney freshly arrived in the big city, and then as Death personified in Joe Black.

The plot is straightforward, the photography exceptional (try filming a sex scene without revealing any body parts that shouldn't be seen), and the sets are exquisite examples of architecture. While certainly not an action film, the film moves forward briskly, without needless exposition or character development beyond what is needed. Rated PG-13, thanks to that incredible photography, this is a film for contemplation and reflection, and offers no religious allegories to good or evil. I own a copy, and I think it will be regarded as collectible.

Moneyball - 2011

Columbia Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, Michael De Luca Productions

Directed by Bennett Miller

Cast:

• Billy Beane – Brad Pitt
• Peter Brand – Jonah Hill
• Art Howe – Phillip Seymour Hoffman
• Sharon – Robin Wright
• Casey Beane – Kerris Dorsey

Story: Based on the book “Moneyball, the Art of Winning an Unfair Game”, this film gives us insight into the predicament of Billy Beane, General Manager of the Oakland “A's”. In 2002, the A's are the lowest funded ball team in professional baseball, and they are about to lose their top three players to free agency. Billy Beane is at wits end, and is meeting with various ball clubs to arrange player trades when he runs into Peter Brand in a meeting with the Cleveland Indians. Brand is a young, rotund man just out of Yale with a degree in economics who has developed a system for analyzing player stats that goes against everything in use at the time. When Billy questions him on his methods, he sees a way to build a championship team without the huge contracts that are awarded to star players. Brand's method is simple, he looks at the probability that a player can get on base, and by doing so, increase the odds he will score. While Beane fails to get the Championship with the team he builds, they do succeed in winning 20 games in a row, a record never before achieved in professional baseball.

Review: Here is a sports film that talks about more than just the players. Brad Pitt gives us a stellar performance as Billy Beane, a General Manager who started out as a player who never reached his potential. He gives us not only insight into the professional life of Billy Beane, but the man himself. We learn he is divorced, involved in his daughter's life, and trying to remain civil with his ex's new partner. He has ideas that he can't support in the accepted method, but with his reputation, he has a lot of leeway with the owner, and when he discovers Phillip Brand (Jonah Hill), he sees a way to make the kind of team that has the potential to win a championship. Jonah Hill is excellent as Brand, developing his character from the fresh out of college statistician with little self confidence to the man who learns to accept the responsibilities of management. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is strong as Manager Art Howe, but I get the feeling there are missing scenes because we just don't get enough of him in the film. Kerris Dorsey is impressive in the role of Casey Beane, and also co-wrote the song “The Show” and performs it for us in a touching scene where Billy is buying his daughter a guitar. For baseball fans, this is a movie about a pivotal moment in baseball history. For Brad Pitt fans, this is a chance to see Brad in a role that doesn't involve spies, cons, wars, and explosions. For the rest of us, this is a film to watch and enjoy. Rated PG-13 for a few scenes with harsh language, I'd recommend it for the entire family. Collectible for sports fans and lovers of good “slice of life” films.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith - 2005

Mr. And Mrs. Smith - 2005

Regency Entertainment, Monarchy Entertainment, 20th Century Fox

Directed by Doug Liman

Cast:

• John Smith – Brad Pitt
• Jane Smith – Angelina Jolie
• Eddie – Vince Vaughn
• Benjamin Danz – Adam Brody
• Jasmine – Kerry Washington
• Father – Keith David
• Martin Coleman – Chris Weitz
• Suzy Coleman – Rachael Huntley
• Gwen – Michelle Monaghan
• Julie – Stephanie March
• Jade – Jennifer Morrison

Story:Two attractive, young, middle class adults are talking to a marriage counselor after five (or six) years of marriage. They sound pretty normal, until you hear how they met in Bogota, Columbia, providing each other with an alibi for their actions. Unbeknownst to one another, they are both professional assassins working for competing agencies. As fate would have it, they are assigned to the same hit and interfere with one another, and each assassin is given an assignment....kill the competing assassin within 48 hours or face termination. This film gives an entire new meaning to Couples Therapy.

Review: Now I am sure there has to be at least a thousand people living middle class suburbia lives who are really high tech assassins. And with all of them out there, it stands to reason two of them might actually meet, fall in love, and continue to do what they do without ever telling the other. Not buying it? Me either, but who says a movie has to have a plot to be entertaining? Jurrasic Park pulled it off three times. I think the appeal here lies in pretty people (Bradjolina) and marriage counseling taken to the extreme. Vince Vaughn, a tremendous talent, provides the perfect foil for Brad, and adds tremendously to the film. Angelina's staff of beauties looks like something out of early Bond or In Like Flint, but they add to the artistic merit of the film (okay, they are great looking women worth looking at), and the special effects and photography is wonderful. PG-13 is about right, language is pretty restrained, so its the violence you have to watch out for. Not particularly collectible, but highly entertaining, especially if you and your spouse have been married for about five (or six) years.