OK film fans, it's Sunday night and my sinuses have been killing me all day. Perhaps that a little too much information, but it's also the reason I have been laying in a semi-comatose state today, preventing my much anticipated viewing of some Oscar contenders. So instead I was treated to a glimpse of an old friend, someone whose career has blossomed even though he has not one iota of acting talent in his near unbreakable bones. I first discovered Chuck Norris when I was about 13, his martial arts movies running non-stop on cable. In honor of his film career (please stop laughing) I give you my Top 5 Chuck Norris Films. By the way, there will be none of that Delta Force crap here, there's just no excuse for those films. I've also excluded The Way of the Dragon since it's a Bruce Lee film and he's not the star.
5. Forced Vengeance If you're wondering where the creators of Walker, Texas Ranger got the brilliant idea to cast Chuck, look no further (and it has Mandy Pepperidge from Animal House!).
4. Good Guys Wear Black I actually watched the last 40 minutes or so minutes of this today. I can't tell which is worse, the 70s clothing or the acting! I think the saddest part is when we get the iconic kick through a windshield scene and you can tell they used a stuntman. Nice wig.
3. Silent Rage This came out the same year as Forced Vengeance, adding to my belief that Chuck was Walker, Texas Ranger long before they offered him the part. In this film he is "Sheriff Dan Stevens". Chuck stops a homicidal maniac but the doctors in the hospital decide the maniac is the perfect candidate for a new regenerative serum. The serum works a little too well creating an unstoppable killing machine. I saw this film in its natural habitat, the drive-in. It should have been titled Chuck Norris vs Michael Myers.
2. The Octagon This film stars Chuck Norris, Lee Van Cleef and Ninjas. I've heard that doctors in the Far East use clips from it to treat impotency in men and infertility in women. I saw this film on late night cable when I was a kid and was fascinated by a film with a bad guy who has no lines but actually hisses like a snake at his opponents. It's mostly crap, but the scenes in the actual Octagon are almost as sweet as this kick to the nuts. Man, it's gotta suck for these guys to lose to a blond dude with a bowl cut and a porn-stache.
1. Lone Wolf McQuade Is it just me or are most of Chuck's films just training for Walker, Texas Ranger? In this film he is J. J. McQuade, a motherf*#$ing Texas Ranger. As the title clearly states, he's a Lone Wolf, and does things his own way. That doesn't go so well for him, but it does lead to the single most awesomely stupid scene in Chuck Norris film history. That was so good you ladies may need a cigarette and you gents can now take a nap.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
day 57 - Entry Level
OK film fans, the day is Saturday, the hour is late, and I am your host for Procrastination Theater. For the last couple of weeks I've been in a funk, something just isn't quite right in my life and changes need to be made. But change is hard, whether it's in a relationship, your work or personal. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to take a first step into darkness, into the unknown and believe in yourself and trust your instincts.
Entry Level is another small indie film with production quality that teeters on the "Lifetime Network" edge. But while the film making is pedestrian the story is apropos of our times of economic woe. It's sort of like the flip side of Oscar nominee Up in the Air; we get a look at the lives of the unemployed as they maneuver through the dread of searching for a new job. Clay (D.B. Sweeney from the "where are they now" files) is a talented chef who's 2nd restaurant has just gone under. To compound matters his girlfriend decides their relationship isn't "the one" and bails on him as he sits on the couch mocking Giada's cooking show. Clay decides that since he's pushing 40 he's had his fill of working in the food biz; he hated working for others and is depressed about the loss of chairs, tables and dishes that took him weeks to pick out and the foreclosure movers 30 minutes to take away. He decides it's time to find something more stable and get a corporate job.
However, with nearly 20 years spent working in a restaurants Clay has no "corporate" skill-set to speak of, meaning he is barely a candidate for even entry level work. After meeting with his unemployment counselor, who all but tells Clay he is wasting his time and should stick to the field he knows, Clay hits the circuit looking for a job with several other regulars who refer to themselves as the Unemployable Interviewees of America. Liz (Missi Pyle) spent her 20s and then some traveling the globe in the Peace Corp and has discovered her experience digging wells Bangladesh isn't a marketable skill stateside. Bob is a 64 year old former manufacturing engineer whose company went under taking his pension with it. He makes the rounds waiting to reach retirement age, too young for a Wal-Mart greeter and too old for an administrative assistant. Charlie (the epically sardonic actor/comedian Taylor Negron) was a corporate hiring manager who so hated his previous job he only hired interviewees he hated since he felt working for the company should be a form of punishment. Clay is also spurred along by the conspicuous wisdom of his homeless buddy Nick (the omnipresent Kurtwood Smith), who seems to understand the position Clay is in better than he does himself.
Clay and his fellow job seekers strive for some dignity and hope for success while suffering through interviews that are both pointless and humiliating. Before joining the ranks of the unemployed, Charlie, in the funniest scene in the film, interviews Clay for a job. Once they both agree to dismiss with the banalities we get the following exchange.
Charlie: You're about 40 years old, why would you ever want to get a job where you will have to take orders from a 28 year old ass wipe?
Clay: Cause it beats having no job at all.
Charlie: What do you base that on?
Now I realize this may not read as an earth-shakingly funny line, but if you knew me and my current situation you would understand why I not only found this line hilarious, but was able to identify with the core theme of this film. While not laugh out loud funny (no, I'm not using LOL), with the exception of some of the lines from Charlie (like this gem: "Each company is like a little suicide cult and their looking for the man who's already drinking their particular brand of kool aid"), it's a humorous and insightful look at finding a job in a culture that's instilled the ideology that you are your job. Ultimately, Clay's detour into the world of the Unemployable Interviewees of America is self-inflicted punishment. He has a gift, honed over the years through education, training and practice, which is evident to all who come in contact with it. In the end the best thing I can say is to quote Buddha, "Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not achieve peace of mind." Tonight, my mind will be restless.
Entry Level is another small indie film with production quality that teeters on the "Lifetime Network" edge. But while the film making is pedestrian the story is apropos of our times of economic woe. It's sort of like the flip side of Oscar nominee Up in the Air; we get a look at the lives of the unemployed as they maneuver through the dread of searching for a new job. Clay (D.B. Sweeney from the "where are they now" files) is a talented chef who's 2nd restaurant has just gone under. To compound matters his girlfriend decides their relationship isn't "the one" and bails on him as he sits on the couch mocking Giada's cooking show. Clay decides that since he's pushing 40 he's had his fill of working in the food biz; he hated working for others and is depressed about the loss of chairs, tables and dishes that took him weeks to pick out and the foreclosure movers 30 minutes to take away. He decides it's time to find something more stable and get a corporate job.
However, with nearly 20 years spent working in a restaurants Clay has no "corporate" skill-set to speak of, meaning he is barely a candidate for even entry level work. After meeting with his unemployment counselor, who all but tells Clay he is wasting his time and should stick to the field he knows, Clay hits the circuit looking for a job with several other regulars who refer to themselves as the Unemployable Interviewees of America. Liz (Missi Pyle) spent her 20s and then some traveling the globe in the Peace Corp and has discovered her experience digging wells Bangladesh isn't a marketable skill stateside. Bob is a 64 year old former manufacturing engineer whose company went under taking his pension with it. He makes the rounds waiting to reach retirement age, too young for a Wal-Mart greeter and too old for an administrative assistant. Charlie (the epically sardonic actor/comedian Taylor Negron) was a corporate hiring manager who so hated his previous job he only hired interviewees he hated since he felt working for the company should be a form of punishment. Clay is also spurred along by the conspicuous wisdom of his homeless buddy Nick (the omnipresent Kurtwood Smith), who seems to understand the position Clay is in better than he does himself.
Clay and his fellow job seekers strive for some dignity and hope for success while suffering through interviews that are both pointless and humiliating. Before joining the ranks of the unemployed, Charlie, in the funniest scene in the film, interviews Clay for a job. Once they both agree to dismiss with the banalities we get the following exchange.
Charlie: You're about 40 years old, why would you ever want to get a job where you will have to take orders from a 28 year old ass wipe?
Clay: Cause it beats having no job at all.
Charlie: What do you base that on?
Now I realize this may not read as an earth-shakingly funny line, but if you knew me and my current situation you would understand why I not only found this line hilarious, but was able to identify with the core theme of this film. While not laugh out loud funny (no, I'm not using LOL), with the exception of some of the lines from Charlie (like this gem: "Each company is like a little suicide cult and their looking for the man who's already drinking their particular brand of kool aid"), it's a humorous and insightful look at finding a job in a culture that's instilled the ideology that you are your job. Ultimately, Clay's detour into the world of the Unemployable Interviewees of America is self-inflicted punishment. He has a gift, honed over the years through education, training and practice, which is evident to all who come in contact with it. In the end the best thing I can say is to quote Buddha, "Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not achieve peace of mind." Tonight, my mind will be restless.
Friday, February 26, 2010
day 56 - The Secret
OK film fans, it's a Friday night and I'm feeling kind of drained. As such, I'm not really up for lengthy dissections of plot structure and subtext analysis. Actually, for the first time since I've started this little project I'm not really in the mood to talk about film at all. But that's part of the experiment as well I guess, so let's see if I can suck it up.
The Secret is a bizarre drama/psychological/supernatural thriller made with all the skill of an afternoon special. For some reason French hack actor/director Vincent Perez decided to remake the Japanese film Himitsu, a small film taking a unique look at the "Freaky Friday" effect, aka the parent/child switcheroo. Of course, as with most Japanese films, nothing is every that sweet.
Dr. Benjamin Harris (David Duchovny) and his wife Hannah (Lili Taylor) are a deeply in love middle-aged couple with a rebellious 16 year old daughter who dotes on her father and fights incessantly with her mother. Samantha (Olivia Thirlby, the best friend in Juno) has pulled away from her parents since they moved from Boston to a small town whose name I didn't care enough to remember, enveloping herself in the rebellious cocoon of film cliches, dark clothes, a hoodie, her iPod and some nefarious duchebaggy friends. While Hannah is driving with Samantha she tries to engage her daughter in attempt to find out how she is doing since they never talk anymore, mid conversation the two are side swiped by a passing vehicle.
Benjamin arrives at the hospital to find both his wife and daughter unconscious. Now, I'm normally a fan of Duchovny's understated acting and while it hasn't always been good (the X-files films) he seemed to really hit his stride with the wonderful Showtime series Californication (Season 1 is a revelation). But for the life of me I can't understand why he took part in this film, especially since it has one of his most wooden performances. The same can be said for Lili Taylor, for an indie icon this is a bizarre choice. I can only imagine the screenplay must have intrigued them because it sure as hell wasn't the opportunity to work with Perez. This hack couldn't direct his own head out of his ass let alone a film with the potential given here.
And there is a great deal of potential within this script. Hannah regains consciousness shortly after Benjamin arrives only to witness her daughter flatline. In a supernatural twist, we get a new variation on the body swap theme. Hannah somehow finds herself in Sam's body, but Sam has not leapt to Hannah's body, in fact she seems to be gone entirely. Hannah's body is buried but she is able to convince her husband that his wife is alive, trapped in their daughter's body. Once Benjamin realizes the truth, he makes a library trip so we can get a montage and some exposition on what might have happened. He explains to Hannah that Sam may be lying dormant within her own body and they should keep her life intact, preserving it as best they can for her return. Of course when that happens, its curtains for Hannah.
As you may have guessed I was underwhelmed by this film. l will give the film kudos for two decisions. The first is the casting of Thirlby. This film came out the same year she appeared in Juno and while it's a much smaller film, here she's the star. Easily giving the best performance in the film, she portrays convincingly a 36 year old woman trapped in a 16 year old body, unsure of how to act in her place and hurt by the discovery of who her daughter was behind the locked bedroom door. There's a surprising depth to her performance and to the examination of what is normally treated as comedic fodder.
The second is the way the script handles what it would mean to be in the body of your child, dealing with the emotional nightmare of adolescence while uncovering the secret teenager no parent is ever really aware of, either by choice or deceit. It's handled realistically, albeit without much flair, but it's more than can be said for the rest of the script. Film is a director's medium, the actors, lighting, wardrobe and the rest are his paints and the film his canvas. With small films, indie and the like, you don't always get everything your film needs to thrive. Unfortunately with this film instead of a getting a Picasso, a Matisse or even Max Beckmann we get dogs playing poker on black velvet.
The Secret is a bizarre drama/psychological/supernatural thriller made with all the skill of an afternoon special. For some reason French hack actor/director Vincent Perez decided to remake the Japanese film Himitsu, a small film taking a unique look at the "Freaky Friday" effect, aka the parent/child switcheroo. Of course, as with most Japanese films, nothing is every that sweet.
Dr. Benjamin Harris (David Duchovny) and his wife Hannah (Lili Taylor) are a deeply in love middle-aged couple with a rebellious 16 year old daughter who dotes on her father and fights incessantly with her mother. Samantha (Olivia Thirlby, the best friend in Juno) has pulled away from her parents since they moved from Boston to a small town whose name I didn't care enough to remember, enveloping herself in the rebellious cocoon of film cliches, dark clothes, a hoodie, her iPod and some nefarious duchebaggy friends. While Hannah is driving with Samantha she tries to engage her daughter in attempt to find out how she is doing since they never talk anymore, mid conversation the two are side swiped by a passing vehicle.
Benjamin arrives at the hospital to find both his wife and daughter unconscious. Now, I'm normally a fan of Duchovny's understated acting and while it hasn't always been good (the X-files films) he seemed to really hit his stride with the wonderful Showtime series Californication (Season 1 is a revelation). But for the life of me I can't understand why he took part in this film, especially since it has one of his most wooden performances. The same can be said for Lili Taylor, for an indie icon this is a bizarre choice. I can only imagine the screenplay must have intrigued them because it sure as hell wasn't the opportunity to work with Perez. This hack couldn't direct his own head out of his ass let alone a film with the potential given here.
And there is a great deal of potential within this script. Hannah regains consciousness shortly after Benjamin arrives only to witness her daughter flatline. In a supernatural twist, we get a new variation on the body swap theme. Hannah somehow finds herself in Sam's body, but Sam has not leapt to Hannah's body, in fact she seems to be gone entirely. Hannah's body is buried but she is able to convince her husband that his wife is alive, trapped in their daughter's body. Once Benjamin realizes the truth, he makes a library trip so we can get a montage and some exposition on what might have happened. He explains to Hannah that Sam may be lying dormant within her own body and they should keep her life intact, preserving it as best they can for her return. Of course when that happens, its curtains for Hannah.
As you may have guessed I was underwhelmed by this film. l will give the film kudos for two decisions. The first is the casting of Thirlby. This film came out the same year she appeared in Juno and while it's a much smaller film, here she's the star. Easily giving the best performance in the film, she portrays convincingly a 36 year old woman trapped in a 16 year old body, unsure of how to act in her place and hurt by the discovery of who her daughter was behind the locked bedroom door. There's a surprising depth to her performance and to the examination of what is normally treated as comedic fodder.
The second is the way the script handles what it would mean to be in the body of your child, dealing with the emotional nightmare of adolescence while uncovering the secret teenager no parent is ever really aware of, either by choice or deceit. It's handled realistically, albeit without much flair, but it's more than can be said for the rest of the script. Film is a director's medium, the actors, lighting, wardrobe and the rest are his paints and the film his canvas. With small films, indie and the like, you don't always get everything your film needs to thrive. Unfortunately with this film instead of a getting a Picasso, a Matisse or even Max Beckmann we get dogs playing poker on black velvet.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
day 55 - Up in The Air
OK film fans, I realized today that we are rapidly approaching the Oscars and I am behind in checking out the cream of the crop for this year's nominations. I have one for you tonight, but how I got to it is a little unusual. This morning at work I was putting my lunch in the refrigerator and had a "polite conversation" with a woman from another department, the kind you have in the workplace with someone you see but don't know. As I hunted for a spot to put my lunch she mentioned that another department had 4 refrigerators to our measly 3. Then she wondered out loud if they really had that many more people in their department, especially after the "change" in staffing we had gone through. I made an offhanded remark about it always being an adventure and she replied, as if it was her personal mantra, "At least I still have a job." The way she said it stuck with me all day. The pain in her voice and the sigh afterward, it was like the worst thing she could imagine was not cancer or blindness or whatever, but actually losing her job. To be honest it kind of freaked me out. I could almost understand that kind of consumption if you were a Doctor or a Priest, a career that takes a special calling, but an office worker? I just couldn't make the connection. I understand needing a paycheck and I'm sure she had a mortgage, kids and the rest of The American Dream Luggage Set to contend with. Ultimately it speaks of a growing desperation in America, the kind you sense when The Dream is in danger of spinning out of control.
Up in the Air is the story of a man, Ryan Bingham (The Man, George Clooney) and his job. Because this is a comedy/drama for grownups, he is not a spy or a cop, a singer or an athlete, a CEO or a mogul. He is also not a mercenary, at least not the kind that kills people with a gun. He is a Termination Facilitator. When your company is "right-sizing" but doesn't have the balls to tell you face to face, they hire his employer, he flies in, he calmly tells you your presence is no longer needed, he handles your tantrum with grace and then flies off to the next city where he washes, rinses and repeats. With the economy in the shape it is now his business is booming. (And given the time it takes to green light, shoot and edit a film, this is an extraordinarily prescient film.) With his precious spare time Ryan speaks at self-help seminars about how and why to unpack the excess baggage of your life. He is not a swan, as he likes to state in his seminars, he is a shark. If he has a motto, and he seems to have a few, the best is this: the slower we move, the faster we die. Ryan Bingham moves so fast that nothing, not family, friends or lovers, can weigh him down.
George Clooney plays Ryan as a person who, like a spy, exists directly in front of you without you ever really knowing him. He's polite and friendly, he values his job and the service it provides (which is brutal but in his hands performed with dignity) but you would never know who he is. And this is exactly as Ryan has planned it; he has organized and compartmentalized his life down to a single suitcase and an empty apartment that he dreads spending 30 odd days a year in. This carefully crafted lifestyle comes into jeopardy in the form of two women.
The first is a fellow road warrior, Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga, an actress we need to see more of in big films), who shares not only his lifestyle but his attitude as well. They crisscross America, connecting whenever their flights land them in the same vicinity. Despite their casual relationship something about her starts to give Ryan thoughts he's not accustomed too. He even asks her to accompany him to his sister's wedding, visiting a family he's barely a part of. The second, Natalie Keener, is a recent Ivy League grad who has plans to bring the company into our high-tech modern era, firing people via video conferencing, thus ending Ryan's life in the clouds. The fact that Ryan might be grounded is a thought he cannot bear and he convinces his boss (Jason Bateman, continuing his career resurgence playing complete assholes) that she doesn't know the business. Unfortunately for Ryan his solution is for him to show her the ropes.
One of my favorite themes in the film is in how wunderkind Director Jason Reitman (son of the Legendary comedy Producer Ivan Reitman), in the words of my film shaman, "starts with the way corporations justify immoral behavior and then applies their rationalizations with perfect logic." In his last three films Reitman has successfully made intelligent satires about cigarettes companies, teenage pregnancy and now corporate layoffs. In each film these McGuffins are but pretext to the actual story of human convictions.
Up in the Air is about a common version of the modern man, a Peter Pan who has replaced human connection with a career. Ryan's life is spent in the clouds so he can soar over the entanglements that come with human connection. He has built his armor thick and created superb defense mechanisms. But life has a way of finding your weak spots, testing your limits and breaking you down to make you stronger. What Ryan isn't prepared for in life is exactly what life gives him. As Ryan repeatedly tells the inconsolable "right-sized" people sitting across from him, "Anybody who ever built an empire, or changed the world, sat where you are now. And it's because they sat there they were able to do it."
Up in the Air is the story of a man, Ryan Bingham (The Man, George Clooney) and his job. Because this is a comedy/drama for grownups, he is not a spy or a cop, a singer or an athlete, a CEO or a mogul. He is also not a mercenary, at least not the kind that kills people with a gun. He is a Termination Facilitator. When your company is "right-sizing" but doesn't have the balls to tell you face to face, they hire his employer, he flies in, he calmly tells you your presence is no longer needed, he handles your tantrum with grace and then flies off to the next city where he washes, rinses and repeats. With the economy in the shape it is now his business is booming. (And given the time it takes to green light, shoot and edit a film, this is an extraordinarily prescient film.) With his precious spare time Ryan speaks at self-help seminars about how and why to unpack the excess baggage of your life. He is not a swan, as he likes to state in his seminars, he is a shark. If he has a motto, and he seems to have a few, the best is this: the slower we move, the faster we die. Ryan Bingham moves so fast that nothing, not family, friends or lovers, can weigh him down.
George Clooney plays Ryan as a person who, like a spy, exists directly in front of you without you ever really knowing him. He's polite and friendly, he values his job and the service it provides (which is brutal but in his hands performed with dignity) but you would never know who he is. And this is exactly as Ryan has planned it; he has organized and compartmentalized his life down to a single suitcase and an empty apartment that he dreads spending 30 odd days a year in. This carefully crafted lifestyle comes into jeopardy in the form of two women.
The first is a fellow road warrior, Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga, an actress we need to see more of in big films), who shares not only his lifestyle but his attitude as well. They crisscross America, connecting whenever their flights land them in the same vicinity. Despite their casual relationship something about her starts to give Ryan thoughts he's not accustomed too. He even asks her to accompany him to his sister's wedding, visiting a family he's barely a part of. The second, Natalie Keener, is a recent Ivy League grad who has plans to bring the company into our high-tech modern era, firing people via video conferencing, thus ending Ryan's life in the clouds. The fact that Ryan might be grounded is a thought he cannot bear and he convinces his boss (Jason Bateman, continuing his career resurgence playing complete assholes) that she doesn't know the business. Unfortunately for Ryan his solution is for him to show her the ropes.
One of my favorite themes in the film is in how wunderkind Director Jason Reitman (son of the Legendary comedy Producer Ivan Reitman), in the words of my film shaman, "starts with the way corporations justify immoral behavior and then applies their rationalizations with perfect logic." In his last three films Reitman has successfully made intelligent satires about cigarettes companies, teenage pregnancy and now corporate layoffs. In each film these McGuffins are but pretext to the actual story of human convictions.
Up in the Air is about a common version of the modern man, a Peter Pan who has replaced human connection with a career. Ryan's life is spent in the clouds so he can soar over the entanglements that come with human connection. He has built his armor thick and created superb defense mechanisms. But life has a way of finding your weak spots, testing your limits and breaking you down to make you stronger. What Ryan isn't prepared for in life is exactly what life gives him. As Ryan repeatedly tells the inconsolable "right-sized" people sitting across from him, "Anybody who ever built an empire, or changed the world, sat where you are now. And it's because they sat there they were able to do it."
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
day 54 - Leaving Las Vegas
OK film fans, some days you're the bull and some days you get the horns; today felt like a horns kind of day. On days like this I always think of one of my favorite lines from the classic Office Space where the main character talks about what kind of day he's having. I can't say I'm in quite as bad a place as Peter is, but some days I get where he's coming from. But since that was a comedy and I'm not in a laughing mood, let's go a little darker.
Leaving Las Vegas is a brutally frank, depressing and amazing look at a man's decision to drink himself to death. This intention is made fairly early in the film and it never waivers from its stated goal. Ben Sanderson (Nicolas Cage in a Best Actor Oscar winning performance) is a washed up movie executive who has lost his wife and child. No explanation is given as to how or why as we watch him empty his house and set fire to his belongings. He goes to Vegas where time will no longer stand in the way of his goal. On the strip he meets a prostitute named Sera (Elizabeth Shue in her finest performance) who, for reasons unclear at the beginning, takes him in and cares for him.
Sera is a very pretty and bright woman, who also has an abusive relationship with her pimp Yuri (Julian Sands). When Yuri gets taken out of the picture Sera searches for something else to cling to in her life. Or maybe she just feels pity for him in the way someone who has been abused her whole life would. Regardless, they accept each other for what they are, honestly and without a hidden agenda of change. In some sense they come to feel love for each other, but given their choices the only kind of relationship that would fit is the one they share. Much of the heartbreak comes from Sera's realization that no amount of caring, love or selflessness will change Ben's heart.
This is less a love story than it is a sad love song about desperate people taking intimacy wherever they can find it. Director and composer Mike Figgis is no stranger to tales of unusual relationships. He wisely shot this film guerrilla style, on the sly without permits and using a handheld Super 16 camera, giving the film a more authentic feel. John O'Brien, the writer of the novel on which the film is based, provided authenticity for his story from his core. Two weeks after selling the book rights he took his own life.
There is a yearning, wistful truth about the loss of hope in Leaving Las Vegas. Ben has given up entirely, his past overwhelming any sense he has of recovery. The name of the hotel Ben first stays in is called The Whole Year Inn, but Ben sees it as The Hole Your In. If you were hopeful and unsure if Ben was going to follow through with his intentions I think that removes all doubt. Sera is seen throughout the film talking about her life and her relationships with a therapist. She has given up control (or had it taken from her) of much of her life, but she has not given up hope. And sometimes that's enough to keep you moving forward.
Leaving Las Vegas is a brutally frank, depressing and amazing look at a man's decision to drink himself to death. This intention is made fairly early in the film and it never waivers from its stated goal. Ben Sanderson (Nicolas Cage in a Best Actor Oscar winning performance) is a washed up movie executive who has lost his wife and child. No explanation is given as to how or why as we watch him empty his house and set fire to his belongings. He goes to Vegas where time will no longer stand in the way of his goal. On the strip he meets a prostitute named Sera (Elizabeth Shue in her finest performance) who, for reasons unclear at the beginning, takes him in and cares for him.
Sera is a very pretty and bright woman, who also has an abusive relationship with her pimp Yuri (Julian Sands). When Yuri gets taken out of the picture Sera searches for something else to cling to in her life. Or maybe she just feels pity for him in the way someone who has been abused her whole life would. Regardless, they accept each other for what they are, honestly and without a hidden agenda of change. In some sense they come to feel love for each other, but given their choices the only kind of relationship that would fit is the one they share. Much of the heartbreak comes from Sera's realization that no amount of caring, love or selflessness will change Ben's heart.
This is less a love story than it is a sad love song about desperate people taking intimacy wherever they can find it. Director and composer Mike Figgis is no stranger to tales of unusual relationships. He wisely shot this film guerrilla style, on the sly without permits and using a handheld Super 16 camera, giving the film a more authentic feel. John O'Brien, the writer of the novel on which the film is based, provided authenticity for his story from his core. Two weeks after selling the book rights he took his own life.
There is a yearning, wistful truth about the loss of hope in Leaving Las Vegas. Ben has given up entirely, his past overwhelming any sense he has of recovery. The name of the hotel Ben first stays in is called The Whole Year Inn, but Ben sees it as The Hole Your In. If you were hopeful and unsure if Ben was going to follow through with his intentions I think that removes all doubt. Sera is seen throughout the film talking about her life and her relationships with a therapist. She has given up control (or had it taken from her) of much of her life, but she has not given up hope. And sometimes that's enough to keep you moving forward.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
day 53 - Jesus' Son
OK film fans, I'm feeling pretty tired and kind of low after another day on the front lines of commerce. I was trying to think of what to write about, near comatose on my couch, and in my groggy state I began to run through some of my favorite films about people on the edge, people marginalized and forgotten but unwilling to give in or give up. And tonight I have one of my favorites although, as my sage would say, "Like all good films, it is not for everybody (only bad films are for everybody)."
Jesus' Son is not a perfect film but at the same time a shining example of the value of independent filmmaking. With its thorny subject matter, shifting narrative devices and ambiguous characters it simply would never be produced in Hollywood. The film, with a title that's not literal but a line from the Lou Reed song "Heroin", is a nonlinear and disjointed batch of recollections from a clueless, good-hearted man referred to as FH (Billy Crudup a year before Almost Famous threatened to make his a "star"). FH is a moniker for something less than polite, but befitting his mind altered existence.
It begins with a voice over and promptly acknowledges having jumped the gun and needing to start over. As we get rolling the film follows FH as he floats through his existence, going where circumstance takes him. He seems to live outside of his world, rather than in it; observing, but not always participating. As such, the film has the feel of random pages read out of someone's diary. A glimpse at a stranger's most intimate feelings without truly understanding who they are or why they do the things they do. Along the way we meet an eclectic group of fellow sufferers on life's journey, most leaving FH with something of themselves, a few others take something from him.
The story begins in Iowa City during the fall of 1971. FH is a college town cast off, not part of the school but part of the scene around it. Despite the main character's involvement with drugs, this is not a drug film like you normally see in Hollywood. It does not glorify or damn drug use and the users; it simply is part of the recollections of a survivor. Near the beginning of the film FH meets Michelle (Samantha Morton in top form), they talk a little and later become inseparable. This is partly because she has introduced him to heroin and it begins to control both of their lives. The sad part here is we can tell how much they love each other, but with drugs it's an either/or life and you don't get both. The intimate scenes between them do not feel like what you see in typical Hollywood films, it is not forced or erotic. It is direct, needy and urgent. They feed off of each other as if they know there may not be anything else.
As we follow FH through his episodic memories of life we meet other longing and lost characters, each in search of some meaning in a single day or an event in their life. One memory finds FH with a barroom buddy named Wayne (Dennis Leary), who takes him to a job stripping copper from a house (which turns out to have been his when he was married) so they can get enough cash to go to bed drunk. For men without jobs and direction, it's as close as they come to feeling dignity at the end of a day. Later while working as an orderly in a hospital he meets Georgie (Jack Black), a pill popper who is a man of action.
FH seems a variant of the "wise fool" character, bringing about change in the lives of those he meets, yet seemingly unable to evaluate any of the events or relationships in his own life. In essence the film is of a man, not a hero or anti-hero, who is guided by a higher power, of which he himself is unaware. I think that could be said of any of us at any given time and it only serves to beatify our lives when we are in our darkest moments.
Jesus' Son is not a perfect film but at the same time a shining example of the value of independent filmmaking. With its thorny subject matter, shifting narrative devices and ambiguous characters it simply would never be produced in Hollywood. The film, with a title that's not literal but a line from the Lou Reed song "Heroin", is a nonlinear and disjointed batch of recollections from a clueless, good-hearted man referred to as FH (Billy Crudup a year before Almost Famous threatened to make his a "star"). FH is a moniker for something less than polite, but befitting his mind altered existence.
It begins with a voice over and promptly acknowledges having jumped the gun and needing to start over. As we get rolling the film follows FH as he floats through his existence, going where circumstance takes him. He seems to live outside of his world, rather than in it; observing, but not always participating. As such, the film has the feel of random pages read out of someone's diary. A glimpse at a stranger's most intimate feelings without truly understanding who they are or why they do the things they do. Along the way we meet an eclectic group of fellow sufferers on life's journey, most leaving FH with something of themselves, a few others take something from him.
The story begins in Iowa City during the fall of 1971. FH is a college town cast off, not part of the school but part of the scene around it. Despite the main character's involvement with drugs, this is not a drug film like you normally see in Hollywood. It does not glorify or damn drug use and the users; it simply is part of the recollections of a survivor. Near the beginning of the film FH meets Michelle (Samantha Morton in top form), they talk a little and later become inseparable. This is partly because she has introduced him to heroin and it begins to control both of their lives. The sad part here is we can tell how much they love each other, but with drugs it's an either/or life and you don't get both. The intimate scenes between them do not feel like what you see in typical Hollywood films, it is not forced or erotic. It is direct, needy and urgent. They feed off of each other as if they know there may not be anything else.
As we follow FH through his episodic memories of life we meet other longing and lost characters, each in search of some meaning in a single day or an event in their life. One memory finds FH with a barroom buddy named Wayne (Dennis Leary), who takes him to a job stripping copper from a house (which turns out to have been his when he was married) so they can get enough cash to go to bed drunk. For men without jobs and direction, it's as close as they come to feeling dignity at the end of a day. Later while working as an orderly in a hospital he meets Georgie (Jack Black), a pill popper who is a man of action.
FH seems a variant of the "wise fool" character, bringing about change in the lives of those he meets, yet seemingly unable to evaluate any of the events or relationships in his own life. In essence the film is of a man, not a hero or anti-hero, who is guided by a higher power, of which he himself is unaware. I think that could be said of any of us at any given time and it only serves to beatify our lives when we are in our darkest moments.
Monday, February 22, 2010
day 52 - Top 5 Underrated Films of 2009
OK film fans, it's Monday night and I'm pretty wiped out. The weekend was fun but not very relaxing and I could have used another couple of days to refill the tank. As such I think it might be time to whip out another top 5 list. And, just a reminder, this is kind of like a piano bar. I'm open to requests, even if I can't get to them all. With the Oscar hype building (the British version was last night and The Hurt Locker cleaned up) it's a good time to look back at 2009 and give you my Top 5 Underrated Films of 2009. An explanation of the rules for the list can be found here.
I have to admit this list was considerably longer and tougher to pare down than I thought it would be. To give you an idea, here's a few of the films I left out for various reasons. Drag Me to Hell, I Love You Man and The Men Who Stare at Goats are probably too well known and successful for this list. Whip it, World's Greatest Dad and Zombieland I've already gushed about so I thought we'd go with a few new films. Let get this thing rolling.
5. Antichrist The latest exploration of film limitations from gifted and controversial Danish director Lars von Trier. Released at the Cannes film festival to decidedly mixed reviews, this art-house horror film begins with a personal tragedy between the films two characters, He (Willem Dafoe) and She (the wonderfully unique Charlotte Gainsbourg), and devolves into a diatribe about the dark history of women persecuted for Pagan and Wiccan beliefs. There are so many themes occurring and interpretations thereof that you'd be hard pressed to find two reviewers with similar takes on this film. Gorgeous cinematography and meaningful conversations abound, but there is also an explicit sex scene (or rather one shot), genital mutilation and talking animals. If you're feeling brave, get your beret, some wine and be prepared for some (pseudo) lofty concepts.
4. The Girlfriend Experience Let's be honest, haven't you ever wondered about the types of people who become high priced escorts? What kind of person gravitates towards that job? What about their personal relationships, do they even have them? And what about the clients, who drops that kind of dough on a pretense they know exists solely due to the exchanged cash? How do they suspend disbelief? Yeah... me either. But talented director Steven Soderbergh made a film about it just in case you're wondering. And despite the fact it stars a real porn star (Sasha Grey) it's a rather cold look at one woman's struggle with the biz. Throw in some timely commentary on the 2008/2009 market collapse, a contrasting look at men selling their bodies as fitness trainers and you've got an interesting experiment that serves as a nice conversation starter.
3. The Invention of Lying OK, this time be really honest. Haven't you ever wondered what kind of world would this be without lying? To be frank, it would really suck. Conversations would be almost stream of consciousness and devoid of any filter to restrict hurtful thoughts from being spoken aloud. The very funny and talented Ricky Gervais co-wrote and directed this film about a man who makes the leap to become the first person, in an alternate reality version of Earth, to say something that wasn't true. And because no one else has ever even thought of lying everyone takes everything he says as absolute truth. This would have been a huge hit, only problem is its primary target for ridicule is religion, specifically Christianity. That's a big no-no in America, home of the free, land of the brave and one nation under God. And don't forget his Americanized son, the light brown-haired, blue-eyed and light-skinned Jesus.
2. Adventureland If you've been paying attention you knew there was going to be an indie film in here, so here you go. It's 1987 and James Brennan (Zombieland's Jesse Eisenberg) was going to travel Europe before he started grad school at Columbia, but his dad's "setback" at work means he gets to find a summer job instead. In just one summer at a crappy amusement park he learns the truth about work, obligation, and love. And of course all of it is set to a great, 80's inspired soundtrack.
1. Observe and Report If you were like me you saw the commercials for this Seth Green vehicle and thought, "Gee, that looks like a hot mess of crap. If I'm not going to see Paul Blart: Mall Cop I'm sure the hell not going to see this." But I've got news for you, we were wrong. This weird, subversive and dark comedy seems bland at the beginning and then about a third of the way in you realize just how disturbed Green's mall security guard/wanna-be police officer, Ronnie Barnhardt, truly is. If you're lucky and your sense of humor is warped (like mine), you'll laugh as it becomes a film that embraces Ronnie's dark side and takes us on a strange journey of redemption you don't see in studio comedies. This is a comedy told through a Taxi Driver filter; nihilistic, violent and funny as hell.
I have to admit this list was considerably longer and tougher to pare down than I thought it would be. To give you an idea, here's a few of the films I left out for various reasons. Drag Me to Hell, I Love You Man and The Men Who Stare at Goats are probably too well known and successful for this list. Whip it, World's Greatest Dad and Zombieland I've already gushed about so I thought we'd go with a few new films. Let get this thing rolling.
5. Antichrist The latest exploration of film limitations from gifted and controversial Danish director Lars von Trier. Released at the Cannes film festival to decidedly mixed reviews, this art-house horror film begins with a personal tragedy between the films two characters, He (Willem Dafoe) and She (the wonderfully unique Charlotte Gainsbourg), and devolves into a diatribe about the dark history of women persecuted for Pagan and Wiccan beliefs. There are so many themes occurring and interpretations thereof that you'd be hard pressed to find two reviewers with similar takes on this film. Gorgeous cinematography and meaningful conversations abound, but there is also an explicit sex scene (or rather one shot), genital mutilation and talking animals. If you're feeling brave, get your beret, some wine and be prepared for some (pseudo) lofty concepts.
4. The Girlfriend Experience Let's be honest, haven't you ever wondered about the types of people who become high priced escorts? What kind of person gravitates towards that job? What about their personal relationships, do they even have them? And what about the clients, who drops that kind of dough on a pretense they know exists solely due to the exchanged cash? How do they suspend disbelief? Yeah... me either. But talented director Steven Soderbergh made a film about it just in case you're wondering. And despite the fact it stars a real porn star (Sasha Grey) it's a rather cold look at one woman's struggle with the biz. Throw in some timely commentary on the 2008/2009 market collapse, a contrasting look at men selling their bodies as fitness trainers and you've got an interesting experiment that serves as a nice conversation starter.
3. The Invention of Lying OK, this time be really honest. Haven't you ever wondered what kind of world would this be without lying? To be frank, it would really suck. Conversations would be almost stream of consciousness and devoid of any filter to restrict hurtful thoughts from being spoken aloud. The very funny and talented Ricky Gervais co-wrote and directed this film about a man who makes the leap to become the first person, in an alternate reality version of Earth, to say something that wasn't true. And because no one else has ever even thought of lying everyone takes everything he says as absolute truth. This would have been a huge hit, only problem is its primary target for ridicule is religion, specifically Christianity. That's a big no-no in America, home of the free, land of the brave and one nation under God. And don't forget his Americanized son, the light brown-haired, blue-eyed and light-skinned Jesus.
2. Adventureland If you've been paying attention you knew there was going to be an indie film in here, so here you go. It's 1987 and James Brennan (Zombieland's Jesse Eisenberg) was going to travel Europe before he started grad school at Columbia, but his dad's "setback" at work means he gets to find a summer job instead. In just one summer at a crappy amusement park he learns the truth about work, obligation, and love. And of course all of it is set to a great, 80's inspired soundtrack.
1. Observe and Report If you were like me you saw the commercials for this Seth Green vehicle and thought, "Gee, that looks like a hot mess of crap. If I'm not going to see Paul Blart: Mall Cop I'm sure the hell not going to see this." But I've got news for you, we were wrong. This weird, subversive and dark comedy seems bland at the beginning and then about a third of the way in you realize just how disturbed Green's mall security guard/wanna-be police officer, Ronnie Barnhardt, truly is. If you're lucky and your sense of humor is warped (like mine), you'll laugh as it becomes a film that embraces Ronnie's dark side and takes us on a strange journey of redemption you don't see in studio comedies. This is a comedy told through a Taxi Driver filter; nihilistic, violent and funny as hell.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
day 51 - Shutter Island
OK film fans, tonight I'd like to talk about a new film from an American master, director Martin Scorsese. Scorsese's career is phenomenal and has placed him in the pantheon of directors, standing shoulder to shoulder with greats like John Ford, Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Akira Kurosawa, Ingmar Bergman and Francois Truffaut. All of the masters have films for which they are famous, a film that best represents their skills. But even the best film directors do not make a masterpiece on every outing. The Departed, the film for which Scorsese won an Oscar, is a very good film but I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who considers it his best work. But the thing about great film directors that's most intriguing is their ability to visually tell a story, regardless of the genre, theme or era.
Shutter Island is the latest gift to film lovers from Scorsese. It is an ominous, brooding film noir inspired tale of fear and grief, less horror film than it is an unrelenting examination of suspense through mystery. This is Marty in Vertigo mode and as such we explore the fact that there are worse things awaiting in the dark than the bogeyman or a masked stalker with a machete. Sometimes the worst thing in the shadows and darkness is what lies hidden in our own mind.
It is 1954 and U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels (Scorsese's current muse Leonardo DiCaprio) and his new partner Chuck Aule (the engaging Mark Ruffalo) are on a ferry heading towards a remote and foreboding island off Boston where a Civil War-era fort has been converted into a prison/hospital for the criminally insane. It takes only the worst patients, those no other site can handle, and one such patient, a woman who killed her own children, is missing. Scorsese sets the tone immediately with the first notes of the haunting soundtrack. Our first glimpse of the island is from the ferry carrying the Marshals, emerging from sea level fog with a single small dock before us, all other entry points of the island precluded by sheer cliffs and jagged rocks in the waters below. The island itself screams a warning to all approaching.
The numerous guards Teddy and Chuck meet upon arrival are not exactly courteous and there is something off about Deputy Warden McPherson (John Carroll Lynch). The staff they meet follow suit, seemingly taking their cues from suspiciously cordial Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley). The disappearance of Rachel Solando, our aforementioned murderer, is even more odd. She has gone missing from a locked room with bars on the window. In a locked building surrounded by an electrified barbed wire fence. On an island. And, as Chuck points out, without any shoes. Oh yeah, there's also a near hurricane level storm approaching as well. It seems unusual the Marshals would be assigned to this case, but since everything else on the island seems unusual, we barely notice.
As their search continues the Marshals meet the calm but menacing Dr. Naehring (Max von Sydow), a man whose intentions appear anything but forthright. In the verbal sparring between he and Teddy we learn of Teddy's service in WW II, were he was part of the liberation of a Nazi death camp. We also learn that Dr. Naehring is not an American but a recent immigrant of Germany. It is here that Scorsese the master begins to reveal the layers within Teddy and the film noir influences our hero imparts. Teddy is a flawed hero (as all film noir heroes are), subject to the post traumatic influences of his war experiences and, as we also learn, the death of his wife in a suspicious fire. Teddy is struggling with demons before he ever sets foot on the island and it seems he is destined to uncover more as his search for the truth continues. Another distinction arises during the scene; the Marshals are not violent men, but rather men of violence. It's an important distinction that lies at the heart of the film.
I won't say anymore about the story, it is after all a mystery film. Shutter Island is the work of a true master and Scorsese fills the screen with thrilling visuals and menacing sounds. I have to take a moment and discuss the use of music in this film. It is a soundtrack which bears the distinction of evoking a sinister tone without becoming memorable. Scorsese uses source music as important tool, Gustav Mahler's Quartet for Strings and Piano in A minor is quite disturbing, from the first time we hear it to the moments when Scorsese chooses to repeat it for emphasis. But despite its overall success as an integral part of creating suspense, it is sublime and no more memorable than its adjoining parts. I find it unusual and perplexing for a soundtrack to work so successfully onscreen that you don't recall its presence. I can't recall of another soundtrack having this effect, but it is brilliant nonetheless.
Shutter Island is a very good film by a modern master using the full measure of his talents. The screenplay, an adaptation of a novel by Dennis Lehane, provides Scorsese an opportunity to push himself outside of his comfort zone (gangsters and lowlifes) and play with film technique in way not seen since the underappreciated The Age of Innocence. While this may not be a masterpiece and to be sure it feels like there are some false notes, primarily in the length of scenes that add to the layers but if removed may not have been noticed, but it is a glorious piece of film which I imagine will only improve with additional viewings. I can say tonight that I am already planning on another trip to Shutter Island, both for another glimpse of a master's brushstrokes and because of Teddy's haunting question. "Is is better to live as a monster or die as a good man?"
Shutter Island is the latest gift to film lovers from Scorsese. It is an ominous, brooding film noir inspired tale of fear and grief, less horror film than it is an unrelenting examination of suspense through mystery. This is Marty in Vertigo mode and as such we explore the fact that there are worse things awaiting in the dark than the bogeyman or a masked stalker with a machete. Sometimes the worst thing in the shadows and darkness is what lies hidden in our own mind.
It is 1954 and U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels (Scorsese's current muse Leonardo DiCaprio) and his new partner Chuck Aule (the engaging Mark Ruffalo) are on a ferry heading towards a remote and foreboding island off Boston where a Civil War-era fort has been converted into a prison/hospital for the criminally insane. It takes only the worst patients, those no other site can handle, and one such patient, a woman who killed her own children, is missing. Scorsese sets the tone immediately with the first notes of the haunting soundtrack. Our first glimpse of the island is from the ferry carrying the Marshals, emerging from sea level fog with a single small dock before us, all other entry points of the island precluded by sheer cliffs and jagged rocks in the waters below. The island itself screams a warning to all approaching.
The numerous guards Teddy and Chuck meet upon arrival are not exactly courteous and there is something off about Deputy Warden McPherson (John Carroll Lynch). The staff they meet follow suit, seemingly taking their cues from suspiciously cordial Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley). The disappearance of Rachel Solando, our aforementioned murderer, is even more odd. She has gone missing from a locked room with bars on the window. In a locked building surrounded by an electrified barbed wire fence. On an island. And, as Chuck points out, without any shoes. Oh yeah, there's also a near hurricane level storm approaching as well. It seems unusual the Marshals would be assigned to this case, but since everything else on the island seems unusual, we barely notice.
As their search continues the Marshals meet the calm but menacing Dr. Naehring (Max von Sydow), a man whose intentions appear anything but forthright. In the verbal sparring between he and Teddy we learn of Teddy's service in WW II, were he was part of the liberation of a Nazi death camp. We also learn that Dr. Naehring is not an American but a recent immigrant of Germany. It is here that Scorsese the master begins to reveal the layers within Teddy and the film noir influences our hero imparts. Teddy is a flawed hero (as all film noir heroes are), subject to the post traumatic influences of his war experiences and, as we also learn, the death of his wife in a suspicious fire. Teddy is struggling with demons before he ever sets foot on the island and it seems he is destined to uncover more as his search for the truth continues. Another distinction arises during the scene; the Marshals are not violent men, but rather men of violence. It's an important distinction that lies at the heart of the film.
I won't say anymore about the story, it is after all a mystery film. Shutter Island is the work of a true master and Scorsese fills the screen with thrilling visuals and menacing sounds. I have to take a moment and discuss the use of music in this film. It is a soundtrack which bears the distinction of evoking a sinister tone without becoming memorable. Scorsese uses source music as important tool, Gustav Mahler's Quartet for Strings and Piano in A minor is quite disturbing, from the first time we hear it to the moments when Scorsese chooses to repeat it for emphasis. But despite its overall success as an integral part of creating suspense, it is sublime and no more memorable than its adjoining parts. I find it unusual and perplexing for a soundtrack to work so successfully onscreen that you don't recall its presence. I can't recall of another soundtrack having this effect, but it is brilliant nonetheless.
Shutter Island is a very good film by a modern master using the full measure of his talents. The screenplay, an adaptation of a novel by Dennis Lehane, provides Scorsese an opportunity to push himself outside of his comfort zone (gangsters and lowlifes) and play with film technique in way not seen since the underappreciated The Age of Innocence. While this may not be a masterpiece and to be sure it feels like there are some false notes, primarily in the length of scenes that add to the layers but if removed may not have been noticed, but it is a glorious piece of film which I imagine will only improve with additional viewings. I can say tonight that I am already planning on another trip to Shutter Island, both for another glimpse of a master's brushstrokes and because of Teddy's haunting question. "Is is better to live as a monster or die as a good man?"
Saturday, February 20, 2010
day 50 - Rounders
OK film fans, tonight may be my shortest post yet, but don't despair we have the Oscar's approaching rapidly and gloriously worded diatribes are soon to follow. The reason for the short post tonight is also our subject, so without further fanfare...
Rounders is a simple tale of the world of gambling, complete with all the stereotypes. Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) is the preternaturally talented gambler who has turned his back on the game, going straight and attending law school. The aptly named Lester "Worm" Murphy is his obsessive, self involved low life buddy from back in the day. He's just gotten out of jail and manages to remind Mike of his former life just enough for him to start down the path again. Along the way we meet Jo (Gretchen Mol), the girlfriend with a heart of gold, Knish (John Turturro), a lifelong grinder of the game, Petra (the always lovely Famke Janssen), a gambling club errand girl who has the hots for Mike, an enforcer named Grama and his Russian pseudo mafioso boss Teddy KGB (John motherfing Malkovich), who turns the screws on Mike over Worms debt and mocks him regarding a previous hold 'em beat down.
There is nothing too flashy here, some good performances and a paint by numbers plot. Even the final scene is a wildly improbable set up, but thanks to Malkovich and Damon it's also one of the best poker scenes ever filmed. Wish me luck tonight because, unlike Mike, I need it.
Rounders is a simple tale of the world of gambling, complete with all the stereotypes. Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) is the preternaturally talented gambler who has turned his back on the game, going straight and attending law school. The aptly named Lester "Worm" Murphy is his obsessive, self involved low life buddy from back in the day. He's just gotten out of jail and manages to remind Mike of his former life just enough for him to start down the path again. Along the way we meet Jo (Gretchen Mol), the girlfriend with a heart of gold, Knish (John Turturro), a lifelong grinder of the game, Petra (the always lovely Famke Janssen), a gambling club errand girl who has the hots for Mike, an enforcer named Grama and his Russian pseudo mafioso boss Teddy KGB (John motherfing Malkovich), who turns the screws on Mike over Worms debt and mocks him regarding a previous hold 'em beat down.
There is nothing too flashy here, some good performances and a paint by numbers plot. Even the final scene is a wildly improbable set up, but thanks to Malkovich and Damon it's also one of the best poker scenes ever filmed. Wish me luck tonight because, unlike Mike, I need it.
Friday, February 19, 2010
day 49 - Star Wars
OK film fans, I was hoping to be able to settle in tonight and watch a new classic or perhaps one of the old guard, but I'm going to my nephew's tomorrow for his birthday party and having the energy to deal with a bunch of 9 year olds pretty much dictates I get as much sleep as possible tonight. So in honor of my nephew's birthday, and the little kid inside of all of us, I'd like to talk about a film that I saw when I was about his age.
Star Wars was released on May 25, 1977, two months before I turned 9. The first time I saw it I got into the theater a few minutes late. Struggling in the darkness to see anything, I found my seat, and amazing new worlds, as the first Star Destroyer crossed the screen in what seemed like an eternity. By the end of that summer I had seen Star Wars in the theaters exactly 9 times. I remember this number vividly because it was an important topic that summer. To the boys in my neighborhood it was a number thrown out like the number of baseball cards or comic books you had. It was a badge of honor, proudly displayed or, if the number was too low, quietly avoided. My best friends and next door neighbors, Eric and Olaf Solheim, two ridiculously competitive brothers, saw it 14 and 11 times respectively. Danny Goshorn, the tall skinny kid down the block, saw it 7 times and Dennis Crabb, the chubby kid who lived across the street from him, saw it only 5 times.
We all know the story. Simple farm boy Luke Skywalker meets Obi-Wan Kenobi while saving droids R2D2 and C3PO. In an effort to get to the bottom of a cryptic message found in R2D2's memory, they hire superpimp bad ass Han Solo (don't even get me started) and his first mate Chewbacca (in the classic cantina scene) to pilot them to find the source of the message, Princess Leia. Along the way we learn about the force, its power and its dark side. Our heroes fight as members of the Rebels against the Empire, its Emperor and the ominous enforcer Darth Vader. All paths collide in an epic battle against a moon sized Death Star.
There's a ton of topics that have been discussed to death regarding Star Wars. It's origins as a modern answer to the serialized popcorn movies of director George Lucas' youth, the subtexts of philosophy and religion that run rampant through the film and the cult of followers that built up over the years. There's the stunning fact that George Lucas, as a struggling writer/director, barely got Star Wars made by a major studio. And of course now there's the new trilogy, loved by the younger crowd (like my nephew) and hated by many of us older fans.
To be honest I could care less about all of that. The first Star Wars has always been a sentimental favorite for the way it sparked my imagination as a kid. Every light saber fight, strange alien and x-wing attack lived in my memory for years. My friends and I, as guinea pigs in a new level of film marketing, collected every possible action figure, model kit and board game (it was a few years before video games even hit the market!) we could get our hands on. Believe me when I tell you I was the big man on the block when I got the Death Star Space Station for Christmas in 1978.
But what really stirs the imagination and grabs the little kid in all of us is what George Lucas understood when he first began, all the best stories you remember as a kid are tales of a journey. In fact, many of the greatest works of literature, from The Odyssey to Huckleberry Finn are tales of a journey into the unknown. It's a big world out there and when you're a kid it's all new, the possibilities are endless and the sirens call of freedom is strong. Star Wars reminds us that with your imagination as your guide, even as a grown up, there are always new worlds to explore.
My wish for my nephew on his birthday is that he never forgets the power of the "force" called imagination. Because regardless of what it is you want out of life if you can't imagine it, you can't hope for it, plan for it or achieve it.
Star Wars was released on May 25, 1977, two months before I turned 9. The first time I saw it I got into the theater a few minutes late. Struggling in the darkness to see anything, I found my seat, and amazing new worlds, as the first Star Destroyer crossed the screen in what seemed like an eternity. By the end of that summer I had seen Star Wars in the theaters exactly 9 times. I remember this number vividly because it was an important topic that summer. To the boys in my neighborhood it was a number thrown out like the number of baseball cards or comic books you had. It was a badge of honor, proudly displayed or, if the number was too low, quietly avoided. My best friends and next door neighbors, Eric and Olaf Solheim, two ridiculously competitive brothers, saw it 14 and 11 times respectively. Danny Goshorn, the tall skinny kid down the block, saw it 7 times and Dennis Crabb, the chubby kid who lived across the street from him, saw it only 5 times.
We all know the story. Simple farm boy Luke Skywalker meets Obi-Wan Kenobi while saving droids R2D2 and C3PO. In an effort to get to the bottom of a cryptic message found in R2D2's memory, they hire superpimp bad ass Han Solo (don't even get me started) and his first mate Chewbacca (in the classic cantina scene) to pilot them to find the source of the message, Princess Leia. Along the way we learn about the force, its power and its dark side. Our heroes fight as members of the Rebels against the Empire, its Emperor and the ominous enforcer Darth Vader. All paths collide in an epic battle against a moon sized Death Star.
There's a ton of topics that have been discussed to death regarding Star Wars. It's origins as a modern answer to the serialized popcorn movies of director George Lucas' youth, the subtexts of philosophy and religion that run rampant through the film and the cult of followers that built up over the years. There's the stunning fact that George Lucas, as a struggling writer/director, barely got Star Wars made by a major studio. And of course now there's the new trilogy, loved by the younger crowd (like my nephew) and hated by many of us older fans.
To be honest I could care less about all of that. The first Star Wars has always been a sentimental favorite for the way it sparked my imagination as a kid. Every light saber fight, strange alien and x-wing attack lived in my memory for years. My friends and I, as guinea pigs in a new level of film marketing, collected every possible action figure, model kit and board game (it was a few years before video games even hit the market!) we could get our hands on. Believe me when I tell you I was the big man on the block when I got the Death Star Space Station for Christmas in 1978.
But what really stirs the imagination and grabs the little kid in all of us is what George Lucas understood when he first began, all the best stories you remember as a kid are tales of a journey. In fact, many of the greatest works of literature, from The Odyssey to Huckleberry Finn are tales of a journey into the unknown. It's a big world out there and when you're a kid it's all new, the possibilities are endless and the sirens call of freedom is strong. Star Wars reminds us that with your imagination as your guide, even as a grown up, there are always new worlds to explore.
My wish for my nephew on his birthday is that he never forgets the power of the "force" called imagination. Because regardless of what it is you want out of life if you can't imagine it, you can't hope for it, plan for it or achieve it.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
day 48 - Top 5 Indie Romance Films
OK film fans, after gushing over Cherish last night and getting to re-watching my favorite scenes for the umpteenth time, it got me thinking about all of the other indie films I love and re-watch whenever I can. Since tonight is a snowy mess and the weekend looks to be cold throughout, I thought tonight might be a good time for my Top 5 Indie Romance Films. So first listen to the guys at Championship vinyl and then grab some popcorn and a sweetie, it's on.
First things first, this is a huge category so we need some guidelines. I'm ruling out anything with a big name star in the mix. This automatically kills High Fidelity (John Cusack, Jack Black), Lost in Translation (Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson), Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet), and Garden State (Natalie Portman), which I wouldn't have included regardless of the rules. But we can get into that on another night.
5. Wristcutters: A Love Story If indie films are supposed to tell unique stories the studios wouldn't have the balls to make then this film definitely fits the bill. Zia (Patrick Fugit from Almost Famous all grown up) has lost the love of his life Desiree (Leslie Bibb) and decides to take his life (hence the title). Unfortunately for him he ends up in a crappy purgatory-like world filled with all the other unhappy folk who have offed themselves as well. When he finds out his ex took her life and is there (wherever he is) he grabs his friend Eugene and goes looking for her. Along the way they pick up the hitchhiking Mikal (Shannyn Sossamon) who's looking for the "people in charge". There are a ton of cool moments in this film that hint at deeper meaning. It also has a great song, the kind you would only hear in an indie film soundtrack.
4. The Tao of Steve The story here isn't that far from a Hollywood script, Dex (Donal Logue) meets Syd (Greer Goodman, the co-writer as well) whom he knew in college but doesn't remember and decides to woo her. The big difference here is the stars and the treatment of the story. Logue gained 60 lbs to play the role of Dex, who he portrays an overweight Lothario Buddha who has taken the lessons of history's great Steve's (Steve McGarrett of Hawaii 5-0, Steve Austin of The 6 Million Dollar Man and the legend himself, Steve McQueen) and created a Zen philosophy to picking up women. He tries to tutor a young friend who's having trouble landing girls while pursuing Syd, realizing along the way just how empty his philosophy is.
3. Sid and Nancy If you aren't familiar with this legendary (and yes that is Courtney Love on the left) couple, you and I might need to have a private conversation. In an alley. I'll be the one with the bat. Directed by Alex Cox, who also directed the awesome Repo Man, this indie classic does star Gary Oldman, but at the time he was new on the scene and not the star he is now some 25 years later. It's a beautiful, disturbing and haunting love story that had a horribly inevitable end. If you've already seen it, aren't up for a walk on the dark side or really liked 500 Days of Summer then you might like this homage.
2. All the Real Girls This one can't come as a surprise dear readers. I've already written about both my crush on Zooey Deschanel and how much I loved this film. I could have thrown 500 Days of Summer on this list, but I thought it might be a little excessive. This film is the closest thing to normal on the list; it's also the most heartfelt.
1. Wishful Thinking I'm going to go out on a limb here and bet you weren't expecting this. I'm also betting you probably haven't heard of it either. Indie from the get go, it tells the story of four people, 1 couple and their entanglements, Rashomon style. This lighthearted romantic comedy never fails to make me laugh and reflect on the moments when long lost loves might have gone another direction. Max (James LeGros) and Elizabeth (Jennifer Beals) are at a crossroads in their relationship. Elizabeth wants to see it move to the next level, marriage, and Max isn't sure what he wants. Lena (Drew Barrymore, when she was a main character in indie movies and only had bit parts in studio films) who works with Max at a theater, wants to steal him away and comes up with a plan to drive a wedge between them. Henry (Jon Stewart in his best acting performance) runs into Elizabeth several times and charms her with his offbeat humor. As all the stories and points of view unfold we get a funny yet insightful look at how we try to control relationships and how easily it can all change based on the simplest decisions.
First things first, this is a huge category so we need some guidelines. I'm ruling out anything with a big name star in the mix. This automatically kills High Fidelity (John Cusack, Jack Black), Lost in Translation (Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson), Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet), and Garden State (Natalie Portman), which I wouldn't have included regardless of the rules. But we can get into that on another night.
5. Wristcutters: A Love Story If indie films are supposed to tell unique stories the studios wouldn't have the balls to make then this film definitely fits the bill. Zia (Patrick Fugit from Almost Famous all grown up) has lost the love of his life Desiree (Leslie Bibb) and decides to take his life (hence the title). Unfortunately for him he ends up in a crappy purgatory-like world filled with all the other unhappy folk who have offed themselves as well. When he finds out his ex took her life and is there (wherever he is) he grabs his friend Eugene and goes looking for her. Along the way they pick up the hitchhiking Mikal (Shannyn Sossamon) who's looking for the "people in charge". There are a ton of cool moments in this film that hint at deeper meaning. It also has a great song, the kind you would only hear in an indie film soundtrack.
4. The Tao of Steve The story here isn't that far from a Hollywood script, Dex (Donal Logue) meets Syd (Greer Goodman, the co-writer as well) whom he knew in college but doesn't remember and decides to woo her. The big difference here is the stars and the treatment of the story. Logue gained 60 lbs to play the role of Dex, who he portrays an overweight Lothario Buddha who has taken the lessons of history's great Steve's (Steve McGarrett of Hawaii 5-0, Steve Austin of The 6 Million Dollar Man and the legend himself, Steve McQueen) and created a Zen philosophy to picking up women. He tries to tutor a young friend who's having trouble landing girls while pursuing Syd, realizing along the way just how empty his philosophy is.
3. Sid and Nancy If you aren't familiar with this legendary (and yes that is Courtney Love on the left) couple, you and I might need to have a private conversation. In an alley. I'll be the one with the bat. Directed by Alex Cox, who also directed the awesome Repo Man, this indie classic does star Gary Oldman, but at the time he was new on the scene and not the star he is now some 25 years later. It's a beautiful, disturbing and haunting love story that had a horribly inevitable end. If you've already seen it, aren't up for a walk on the dark side or really liked 500 Days of Summer then you might like this homage.
2. All the Real Girls This one can't come as a surprise dear readers. I've already written about both my crush on Zooey Deschanel and how much I loved this film. I could have thrown 500 Days of Summer on this list, but I thought it might be a little excessive. This film is the closest thing to normal on the list; it's also the most heartfelt.
1. Wishful Thinking I'm going to go out on a limb here and bet you weren't expecting this. I'm also betting you probably haven't heard of it either. Indie from the get go, it tells the story of four people, 1 couple and their entanglements, Rashomon style. This lighthearted romantic comedy never fails to make me laugh and reflect on the moments when long lost loves might have gone another direction. Max (James LeGros) and Elizabeth (Jennifer Beals) are at a crossroads in their relationship. Elizabeth wants to see it move to the next level, marriage, and Max isn't sure what he wants. Lena (Drew Barrymore, when she was a main character in indie movies and only had bit parts in studio films) who works with Max at a theater, wants to steal him away and comes up with a plan to drive a wedge between them. Henry (Jon Stewart in his best acting performance) runs into Elizabeth several times and charms her with his offbeat humor. As all the stories and points of view unfold we get a funny yet insightful look at how we try to control relationships and how easily it can all change based on the simplest decisions.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
day 47 - Cherish
OK film fans, hump day has come and gone, I've vegged out and watched the Olympics for a couple of hours and now I have a simple, breezy post for you, a little something from me to you to help lighten your spirits. There are all sorts of reasons to love a film. Sometimes it's the story or the clever script, sometimes it's an emotion you connect with or a character you can relate to. Other times it's much harder to put your finger on because all the little things the film does well seems to make it better than the sum of its parts.
Cherish is one of those quirky little Sundance films that comes out of nowhere, makes you smile or laugh, and just seems to disappear into thin air. Zoe (the always cool Robin Tunney) is kind of an outsider at her office; she doesn't really fit in with the cool crowd of the advertising firm where she works as animator. We know it's cool because one of her co-workers is played by indie music goddess Liz Phair. She has a crush on smarmy co-worker Andrew (Jason Priestly) and when the office heads out to a bar Mr. Smarmy makes his move. Unfortunately for Zoe someone has a crush on her as well and she ends up getting carjacked/abducted at the end of the night. When the car slams into and kills a cop the abductor flees on foot and Zoe finds herself under house arrest with an ankle bracelet monitoring her every move.
Once she's locked up the little movie truly begins to shine and Tunney's performance takes over. The confines of the room create opportunities for Tunney to display her skills without any distractions. It's just her and the camera. We see her face boredom, anger and even sexual frustration with a charming inventiveness. Locked up, facing 25 to life and being represented by a lawyer who believes she's guilty; Zoe begins to search for clues to help prove her innocence. Over time an odd but caring relationship builds between Zoe and Daly (Tim Blake Nelson), the technician in charge of her bracelet. She also starts a friendship with Max, the gay dwarf who lives on the first floor. When Zoe thinks she has a lead on tracking the man who was responsible for the crime, she goes after it in Run Lola Run style.
All of these elements are funny and cool in an indie film kind of way. But unlike other indie films the main character is someone we can relate to. The way Tunney alternates Zoe's personality from quirky nerd to hipster vamp helps create a more fully formed character than what probably appeared in the script. And by the way, I do realize that Tunney and Zooey Deschanel share some strikingly similar features, but I doubt that has anything to do with why I like the film (yes, that was sarcasm). The co-star here that deserves some serious recognition is the soundtrack to the film. As you can hear in the clips I've scattered throughout the post, the soundtrack hits Top 40 classics from the 70s and 80s. Each song that gets some limelight here reminds you just how much fun the music was and pinpoints a feeling in a way that makes Garden State seem amateurish.
In the end Cherish gives us a film that succeeds almost in spite of itself. I think if you were in a old video store (do they still even have those?) and just read the synopsis of the film on the back of the box cover, you would probably put it back on the shelf. But trust me, pick it up, give it a chance and you'll be wearing a smile by the end.
Cherish is one of those quirky little Sundance films that comes out of nowhere, makes you smile or laugh, and just seems to disappear into thin air. Zoe (the always cool Robin Tunney) is kind of an outsider at her office; she doesn't really fit in with the cool crowd of the advertising firm where she works as animator. We know it's cool because one of her co-workers is played by indie music goddess Liz Phair. She has a crush on smarmy co-worker Andrew (Jason Priestly) and when the office heads out to a bar Mr. Smarmy makes his move. Unfortunately for Zoe someone has a crush on her as well and she ends up getting carjacked/abducted at the end of the night. When the car slams into and kills a cop the abductor flees on foot and Zoe finds herself under house arrest with an ankle bracelet monitoring her every move.
Once she's locked up the little movie truly begins to shine and Tunney's performance takes over. The confines of the room create opportunities for Tunney to display her skills without any distractions. It's just her and the camera. We see her face boredom, anger and even sexual frustration with a charming inventiveness. Locked up, facing 25 to life and being represented by a lawyer who believes she's guilty; Zoe begins to search for clues to help prove her innocence. Over time an odd but caring relationship builds between Zoe and Daly (Tim Blake Nelson), the technician in charge of her bracelet. She also starts a friendship with Max, the gay dwarf who lives on the first floor. When Zoe thinks she has a lead on tracking the man who was responsible for the crime, she goes after it in Run Lola Run style.
All of these elements are funny and cool in an indie film kind of way. But unlike other indie films the main character is someone we can relate to. The way Tunney alternates Zoe's personality from quirky nerd to hipster vamp helps create a more fully formed character than what probably appeared in the script. And by the way, I do realize that Tunney and Zooey Deschanel share some strikingly similar features, but I doubt that has anything to do with why I like the film (yes, that was sarcasm). The co-star here that deserves some serious recognition is the soundtrack to the film. As you can hear in the clips I've scattered throughout the post, the soundtrack hits Top 40 classics from the 70s and 80s. Each song that gets some limelight here reminds you just how much fun the music was and pinpoints a feeling in a way that makes Garden State seem amateurish.
In the end Cherish gives us a film that succeeds almost in spite of itself. I think if you were in a old video store (do they still even have those?) and just read the synopsis of the film on the back of the box cover, you would probably put it back on the shelf. But trust me, pick it up, give it a chance and you'll be wearing a smile by the end.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
day 46 - Big Night
OK film fans, I'd love to post a happy new review for you tonight. I'd love to sit here and spin tales of enthusiasm, hope and joy. But I'm not feeling it. As for what I am feeling tonight, well there's a little self pity mixed in with some disillusionment but the rest is pure anger; mind warping, speech nullifying and soul numbing anger. I'd like to say the anger is aimed outwards, towards a person or problem, and to be sure there is some of that, but most of it is self castigation. As usual I hope the anger will force enlightenment and create resolve to act, but I can't say I think that works anymore. I used to believe in becoming "fighting mad" as a way to motivate yourself, whether it was in a game, the pursuit of a woman or in your career.
But after 20 plus years I'm not really seeing any results here. I seem to be stuck in a cycle of hope, action, disappointment and apathy. I don't think I'm the only one, but sometimes it feels like it. Or at the very least I'm the only one who's consistently angry about it. I've posted a couple of times before about nostalgia and how I feel it's been severely misconstrued in our culture. But our culture, along with most others, seems to have an arcane ability to reduce things to their lowest common denominator, separate the wheat from the chaff and proclaim the chaff delicious. Perhaps it's just me, perhaps I'm the odd man out and I just need to get over it. But I can't help but think sometimes the reason we as a society champion mediocrity is because we fear the truth; the vast majority of us are mediocre and all the aspirations in the world won't change the outcome.
Big Night is a great overlooked little film about a great overlooked little Italian restaurant named Paradise. The Paradise is going under despite the love and talent of the two immigrant brothers who run it, Primo (Tony Shalhoub), who's a master chef, and Secondo (Stanley Tucci), his younger brother who realizes his brother's genius but fears his inflexibility will cost them their dream. Primo creates only the finest dishes, served in a manner befitting their elegance. But the customers of the late 50s know nothing of classic Italian dishes; they only want spaghetti and meatballs with lots of red sauce. And down the road at a very successful Italian restaurant, run by the brothers' friendly competitor Pascal (Ian Holm), the customers get exactly what they want. Pascal has learned the lesson taught in America, the average man wants a meal and not a sumptuous feast. He is too tired from work to be enlightened by his food.
Even Pascal recognizes the genius of Primo, but when Secondo goes behind his brothers back to get a loan in hopes of keeping the Paradise afloat, Pascal refuses. Instead he makes a grand offer; he happens to be friends with the great Italian-American singer Louis Prima and will arrange for the singer and his band to stop by the restaurant. The visit will be reported in all the papers and create a boost in their business. The offer accepted, the brothers prepare a feast of epic proportions with all of their closest friends, secret lovers and prospective investors in attendance.
I'll not give away the ending, but in this little film about a small restaurant are lessons about many important things, the American dream, family obligations and love; but also about how much we lose as a society when we champion the mediocre. We lose the magnificent gifts of the geniuses amongst us and sometimes, without ever knowing it, we lose sight of the spark of genius in us all. I am by no means a genius, but I rightly fear losing my spark to the cycle of mediocrity burgeoning within the confines of my three walled servitude. And the fear, buoyed by anger, is rising.
But after 20 plus years I'm not really seeing any results here. I seem to be stuck in a cycle of hope, action, disappointment and apathy. I don't think I'm the only one, but sometimes it feels like it. Or at the very least I'm the only one who's consistently angry about it. I've posted a couple of times before about nostalgia and how I feel it's been severely misconstrued in our culture. But our culture, along with most others, seems to have an arcane ability to reduce things to their lowest common denominator, separate the wheat from the chaff and proclaim the chaff delicious. Perhaps it's just me, perhaps I'm the odd man out and I just need to get over it. But I can't help but think sometimes the reason we as a society champion mediocrity is because we fear the truth; the vast majority of us are mediocre and all the aspirations in the world won't change the outcome.
Big Night is a great overlooked little film about a great overlooked little Italian restaurant named Paradise. The Paradise is going under despite the love and talent of the two immigrant brothers who run it, Primo (Tony Shalhoub), who's a master chef, and Secondo (Stanley Tucci), his younger brother who realizes his brother's genius but fears his inflexibility will cost them their dream. Primo creates only the finest dishes, served in a manner befitting their elegance. But the customers of the late 50s know nothing of classic Italian dishes; they only want spaghetti and meatballs with lots of red sauce. And down the road at a very successful Italian restaurant, run by the brothers' friendly competitor Pascal (Ian Holm), the customers get exactly what they want. Pascal has learned the lesson taught in America, the average man wants a meal and not a sumptuous feast. He is too tired from work to be enlightened by his food.
Even Pascal recognizes the genius of Primo, but when Secondo goes behind his brothers back to get a loan in hopes of keeping the Paradise afloat, Pascal refuses. Instead he makes a grand offer; he happens to be friends with the great Italian-American singer Louis Prima and will arrange for the singer and his band to stop by the restaurant. The visit will be reported in all the papers and create a boost in their business. The offer accepted, the brothers prepare a feast of epic proportions with all of their closest friends, secret lovers and prospective investors in attendance.
I'll not give away the ending, but in this little film about a small restaurant are lessons about many important things, the American dream, family obligations and love; but also about how much we lose as a society when we champion the mediocre. We lose the magnificent gifts of the geniuses amongst us and sometimes, without ever knowing it, we lose sight of the spark of genius in us all. I am by no means a genius, but I rightly fear losing my spark to the cycle of mediocrity burgeoning within the confines of my three walled servitude. And the fear, buoyed by anger, is rising.
Monday, February 15, 2010
day 45 - Superbad
OK film fans, since I actually had the day off for Presidents Day I'm feeling pretty lazy. I did see a new film, one of the Oscar contenders for Best Picture, but I'm going to let it simmer for a while before I post anything. With another work week looming I felt like I could use a late night pick me up, a little comedy to ease the mind and calm the soul. Of course, as the saying goes, "dying is easy, comedy is hard," and many films prove this point (I'm looking at you Valentine's Day - is it just me or does it seem like a requirement for critics to hate a film in order for it open big?). To be honest, the film tonight isn't any more highbrow, it's just more honest about its characters, more true to who they are, which makes the comedy funnier and the characters more appealing. It's also what makes it one of my favorite comedies of the past 10 years.
Superbad is a coming of age film that wears its heart on its sleeve, and its mind in the gutter. It was originally written by actor Seth Rogen and his friend Evan Goldberg when they were 13 years old. Let that sink in for a moment. This film was updated by them as adults and actually filmed. Absolutely amazing. And absolutely brilliant. It captures male adolescence with profound accuracy, recalling the agony of being an outsider and the sheer stupidity of teenagers in pursuit of the perfect Friday night.
Co-dependent best friends Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) are funny, intelligent outsiders in their high school. Nearing the end of their senior year a convergence of mystical forces combines to grant them an invitation to a party being thrown by class hottie Jules (Emma Stone) and the ability to secure booze for said party via their pal Fogell, a.k.a McLovin. Seth has lustful aspirations for Jules, which are clearly not realistic but entertaining none the less. Evan, less foul mouthed but of a like mind, has a thing for Becca, who will also be at the party. With their Friday night mission laid out in front of them they set off to get the booze before heading to the party.
Now, everything up to this point I have personally experienced. And that's what makes this film so good, probably 85% of the bell curve can relate to this story. What makes it funny is how far the writer's and director are willing to go. From the moment Fogell steps into the liquor store and becomes McLovin the wheels come off the short bus sending our protagonists down a rabbit hole of insanity in search of booze to bring to the party. It begins with Fogell getting knocked the F during a holdup at the liquor store. Fogell's journey detours here into a bizarre night spent with the cops who arrive on the scene, Officers Slater (Bill Hader) and Michaels (the aforementioned Rogen). The cops offer to take him to the party he was on his way to, but they get repeatedly interrupted by a slew of improbable but hilarious events.
In the meantime, fate intervenes again for our dynamic duo in the form of a car accident that delivers them to another party, filled with post high school revelers, where they attempt to steal the booze they think will make them heroes in the eyes of the girls. While Seth is single-minded of purpose, Evan's more laid back outlook creates friction between the friends. After escaping the "grown-up" party with detergent bottles filled with beer, in a surprisingly prescient moment, the friends argue about the divergent course of their lives.
As their fight climaxes the story brings McLovin and his cop buddies back into the mix and the three boys escape on foot. McLovin still has the booze from the liquor store and the boys arrive at the party in time to chase the girls of their respective desires. Each of the boys discovers that the night holds more for them than what they envisioned But in true fashion, the party is broken up at the worst possible moment by none other than Officer Slater and Michaels.
While this is clearly a film told from the teenage male perspective, the girls end up being more than just objects of desire. The film treats them as more than just conquests and while not as fleshed out as the boys, we care about their characters far more than the average teen flick. Add in a spectacular display of foul language (at the heart of every teenage boy), dick drawings and a surprisingly effective funk based soundtrack and I find myself back at Arvada High all over again. And this time I know the key to getting the girl.
Superbad is a coming of age film that wears its heart on its sleeve, and its mind in the gutter. It was originally written by actor Seth Rogen and his friend Evan Goldberg when they were 13 years old. Let that sink in for a moment. This film was updated by them as adults and actually filmed. Absolutely amazing. And absolutely brilliant. It captures male adolescence with profound accuracy, recalling the agony of being an outsider and the sheer stupidity of teenagers in pursuit of the perfect Friday night.
Co-dependent best friends Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) are funny, intelligent outsiders in their high school. Nearing the end of their senior year a convergence of mystical forces combines to grant them an invitation to a party being thrown by class hottie Jules (Emma Stone) and the ability to secure booze for said party via their pal Fogell, a.k.a McLovin. Seth has lustful aspirations for Jules, which are clearly not realistic but entertaining none the less. Evan, less foul mouthed but of a like mind, has a thing for Becca, who will also be at the party. With their Friday night mission laid out in front of them they set off to get the booze before heading to the party.
Now, everything up to this point I have personally experienced. And that's what makes this film so good, probably 85% of the bell curve can relate to this story. What makes it funny is how far the writer's and director are willing to go. From the moment Fogell steps into the liquor store and becomes McLovin the wheels come off the short bus sending our protagonists down a rabbit hole of insanity in search of booze to bring to the party. It begins with Fogell getting knocked the F during a holdup at the liquor store. Fogell's journey detours here into a bizarre night spent with the cops who arrive on the scene, Officers Slater (Bill Hader) and Michaels (the aforementioned Rogen). The cops offer to take him to the party he was on his way to, but they get repeatedly interrupted by a slew of improbable but hilarious events.
In the meantime, fate intervenes again for our dynamic duo in the form of a car accident that delivers them to another party, filled with post high school revelers, where they attempt to steal the booze they think will make them heroes in the eyes of the girls. While Seth is single-minded of purpose, Evan's more laid back outlook creates friction between the friends. After escaping the "grown-up" party with detergent bottles filled with beer, in a surprisingly prescient moment, the friends argue about the divergent course of their lives.
As their fight climaxes the story brings McLovin and his cop buddies back into the mix and the three boys escape on foot. McLovin still has the booze from the liquor store and the boys arrive at the party in time to chase the girls of their respective desires. Each of the boys discovers that the night holds more for them than what they envisioned But in true fashion, the party is broken up at the worst possible moment by none other than Officer Slater and Michaels.
While this is clearly a film told from the teenage male perspective, the girls end up being more than just objects of desire. The film treats them as more than just conquests and while not as fleshed out as the boys, we care about their characters far more than the average teen flick. Add in a spectacular display of foul language (at the heart of every teenage boy), dick drawings and a surprisingly effective funk based soundtrack and I find myself back at Arvada High all over again. And this time I know the key to getting the girl.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
day 44 - Top 5 Scenes of Love, Lust and Everything in-between
OK film fans, Valentine's Day has come and almost gone and, as an unencumbered bachelor, it has passed quietly and quickly. My singular status notwithstanding, I am in fact a soft-hearted romantic. I have been known to dabble in poetry, lavish gifts and romance filled getaways in celebration of this particular holiday. While I've never been to see a film on Valentine's Day, I have been known to use film as an icebreaker, as enchantment and as seduction. And of course films, as a mirror to societal beliefs and actions, have always been filled with love, lust and sex. So tonight, on this oddly imposed romantic day, I give you my Top 5 Scenes of Love, Lust and Everything in-between.
Honorable Mention I couldn't resist adding this one since it falls squarely in the "everything in-between" category. In an unflinching look at love outside the norm, Secretary has a remarkably simple and traditional theme; there's a soul mate out there for all of us, no matter who we are and what we need. Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal in her breakout performance) is a bright young girl with serious self-esteem issues culled from a neurotic family. She takes a job with a demanding and obsessive lawyer Mr. Grey (the perfectly cast James Spader) when something unspoken happens between them. She is submissive and he is dominant, they each sense this and the dance begins. This film does not seek to indoctrinate us with the merits of S&M, it simply shows that for some this comes as natural as the missionary position and between consenting adults there's nothing wrong with it. In fact, defining people by their sexual practices is as stupid as defining them by the color of their skin.
5. Frankie and Johnny This 1991 remake is the story of two broken and battered souls who try to find redemption in each other. It's a wonderful romantic film, once you get past two marquee stars playing downtrodden regular folk. When new short order cook Johnny (Al Pacino) starts working in a tiny diner in NYC, waitress Frankie (Michelle Pfeiffer) is wary of his advances. I'm going to cheat here a little and go with two scenes that are part of a larger sequence. First up, Johnny slowly builds the trust between them until she throws caution to the wind. The second clip takes place after they have come down from the heights of romance. They fight and Frankie's insecurities get the better of her. She asks Johnny to leave, hiding in the bathroom, unwilling to confront him. Johnny enlists the help of a late night DJ, whose songs filled the air as they spooned in momentary bliss, to reverse the tide. Take a good look here fellas; never underestimate the power of flowers and Clair de Lune.
4. Shopgirl This filmed adaptation of the same titled Steve Martin novella tells the somewhat melancholy story of Mirabella Buttersfield (Claire Danes), a young struggling artist who works behind a sales counter in Saks Fifth Ave, and the two men in her life. The first, Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman), is a fellow young struggling artist she beds in a moment of despair and loneliness. But he is a young man unaware of both himself and how to treat a woman. The second, Ray Porter (Steve Martin), is a wealthy older man she begins a relationship with, never quite realizing he's not serious about her until the very end. Shortly after this realization Jeremy re-enters her life a more mature, self assured and competent man. He is now ready to become what Mirabella mistakenly searched for in Ray.
As with any well directed film, good scenes explain emotions without words, without having to explicitly tell us what is happening and convey a meaning or subtext which is important to the film. The first time Mirabella sleeps with Ray cleverly foreshadows the nature of their relationship without a word; she is falling in love, he is not. I think we've all been on both sides of the equation and this scene (starting at the 2:50 mark, beware, there is a naked butt!) depicts it beautifully.
3. 9 1/2 Weeks This film explores a lot of fantasies, but there is one in particular that's fairly universal. Ladies, I'm going to be frank here. Your man is obsessed with you. There is not a spot on our lovers, from your toes to your ears, which are not always on our minds. Yes, we all have our favorite extremities, but what we really want is for you to share all of it with us, without reservation. This fascination with women's bodies is one of the reasons strip clubs are filled with men from 18 to near dead, not to mention the 6 billion plus people on the planet.
I saw this film as a freshman in college with my then girlfriend and let's just say we found it very educational. When the initially uptight art gallery assistant Elizabeth (Kim Basinger) puts on a show for her somewhat kinky/sadistic Wall Street boyfriend John (Mickey Rourke), it fulfills the overt fantasy of a large number of men. The important thing, at least for me, is what a strip tease can be in the boundaries of a relationship. There is no pole here, gone is the tacky symbol from depressing strip clubs. What we get is a playful exploration of sex (puritan alert, nudity ahead) and the fun that comes from trusting your partner while being comfortable in your own skin. I just wish they had chosen a better song.
2. Talk to Her The films of Spanish writer/director Pedro Almodovar are some of the most beautiful, wonderful and challenging films being made today. Buried in this story (a Best Original Screenplay Oscar winner) of a strange friendship forged between two men, whose lovers are each lying comatose in the same hospital, is a scene of uncommon soulfulness. Marco flashes back to a time before his bullfighter girlfriend, Lydia, was in a coma, recalling a night at a small outdoor concert when a beautiful song moved him to tears. Combined with his explanation to her of what brought on the sudden flood of emotion, a story involving an ex-lover, she is overcome with a desire to do whatever it takes to make him forget her. I have no complete clip here, just a heartfelt recommendation to expand your film base and see this film, preferably with the one you love.
1. Out of Sight Leave it to stylish director Steven Soderbergh (see The Limey, go, right now!) to combine a crime thriller with romance. Bank thief Jack Foley (George Clooney, at the start of the biggest comeback in Hollywood and in full Cary Grant mode) breaks out of jail and is almost caught by U.S. Marshall Karen Sisco (J-Lo in one of the few times I could actually stand her). Instead, she is taken hostage by him and his fellow escapees and finds herself in a trunk having a surprisingly engaging conversation with the bad guy. Their flirtations continue throughout the film until they meet in an upscale hotel bar where they succumb to desire. The pacing is deliberately slow, shot with warm glowing tones juxtaposed against the cold blue hues of snow falling on the city outside the high rise windows. The seduction is heightened with spectacular editing that shifts us in time between the anticipation and the consummation. Rarely does a scene capture a moment as well as this one has. Fellas once again, look closely here and notice the buildup to the moment is as fun and stimulating as the moment itself.
Honorable Mention I couldn't resist adding this one since it falls squarely in the "everything in-between" category. In an unflinching look at love outside the norm, Secretary has a remarkably simple and traditional theme; there's a soul mate out there for all of us, no matter who we are and what we need. Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal in her breakout performance) is a bright young girl with serious self-esteem issues culled from a neurotic family. She takes a job with a demanding and obsessive lawyer Mr. Grey (the perfectly cast James Spader) when something unspoken happens between them. She is submissive and he is dominant, they each sense this and the dance begins. This film does not seek to indoctrinate us with the merits of S&M, it simply shows that for some this comes as natural as the missionary position and between consenting adults there's nothing wrong with it. In fact, defining people by their sexual practices is as stupid as defining them by the color of their skin.
5. Frankie and Johnny This 1991 remake is the story of two broken and battered souls who try to find redemption in each other. It's a wonderful romantic film, once you get past two marquee stars playing downtrodden regular folk. When new short order cook Johnny (Al Pacino) starts working in a tiny diner in NYC, waitress Frankie (Michelle Pfeiffer) is wary of his advances. I'm going to cheat here a little and go with two scenes that are part of a larger sequence. First up, Johnny slowly builds the trust between them until she throws caution to the wind. The second clip takes place after they have come down from the heights of romance. They fight and Frankie's insecurities get the better of her. She asks Johnny to leave, hiding in the bathroom, unwilling to confront him. Johnny enlists the help of a late night DJ, whose songs filled the air as they spooned in momentary bliss, to reverse the tide. Take a good look here fellas; never underestimate the power of flowers and Clair de Lune.
4. Shopgirl This filmed adaptation of the same titled Steve Martin novella tells the somewhat melancholy story of Mirabella Buttersfield (Claire Danes), a young struggling artist who works behind a sales counter in Saks Fifth Ave, and the two men in her life. The first, Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman), is a fellow young struggling artist she beds in a moment of despair and loneliness. But he is a young man unaware of both himself and how to treat a woman. The second, Ray Porter (Steve Martin), is a wealthy older man she begins a relationship with, never quite realizing he's not serious about her until the very end. Shortly after this realization Jeremy re-enters her life a more mature, self assured and competent man. He is now ready to become what Mirabella mistakenly searched for in Ray.
As with any well directed film, good scenes explain emotions without words, without having to explicitly tell us what is happening and convey a meaning or subtext which is important to the film. The first time Mirabella sleeps with Ray cleverly foreshadows the nature of their relationship without a word; she is falling in love, he is not. I think we've all been on both sides of the equation and this scene (starting at the 2:50 mark, beware, there is a naked butt!) depicts it beautifully.
3. 9 1/2 Weeks This film explores a lot of fantasies, but there is one in particular that's fairly universal. Ladies, I'm going to be frank here. Your man is obsessed with you. There is not a spot on our lovers, from your toes to your ears, which are not always on our minds. Yes, we all have our favorite extremities, but what we really want is for you to share all of it with us, without reservation. This fascination with women's bodies is one of the reasons strip clubs are filled with men from 18 to near dead, not to mention the 6 billion plus people on the planet.
I saw this film as a freshman in college with my then girlfriend and let's just say we found it very educational. When the initially uptight art gallery assistant Elizabeth (Kim Basinger) puts on a show for her somewhat kinky/sadistic Wall Street boyfriend John (Mickey Rourke), it fulfills the overt fantasy of a large number of men. The important thing, at least for me, is what a strip tease can be in the boundaries of a relationship. There is no pole here, gone is the tacky symbol from depressing strip clubs. What we get is a playful exploration of sex (puritan alert, nudity ahead) and the fun that comes from trusting your partner while being comfortable in your own skin. I just wish they had chosen a better song.
2. Talk to Her The films of Spanish writer/director Pedro Almodovar are some of the most beautiful, wonderful and challenging films being made today. Buried in this story (a Best Original Screenplay Oscar winner) of a strange friendship forged between two men, whose lovers are each lying comatose in the same hospital, is a scene of uncommon soulfulness. Marco flashes back to a time before his bullfighter girlfriend, Lydia, was in a coma, recalling a night at a small outdoor concert when a beautiful song moved him to tears. Combined with his explanation to her of what brought on the sudden flood of emotion, a story involving an ex-lover, she is overcome with a desire to do whatever it takes to make him forget her. I have no complete clip here, just a heartfelt recommendation to expand your film base and see this film, preferably with the one you love.
1. Out of Sight Leave it to stylish director Steven Soderbergh (see The Limey, go, right now!) to combine a crime thriller with romance. Bank thief Jack Foley (George Clooney, at the start of the biggest comeback in Hollywood and in full Cary Grant mode) breaks out of jail and is almost caught by U.S. Marshall Karen Sisco (J-Lo in one of the few times I could actually stand her). Instead, she is taken hostage by him and his fellow escapees and finds herself in a trunk having a surprisingly engaging conversation with the bad guy. Their flirtations continue throughout the film until they meet in an upscale hotel bar where they succumb to desire. The pacing is deliberately slow, shot with warm glowing tones juxtaposed against the cold blue hues of snow falling on the city outside the high rise windows. The seduction is heightened with spectacular editing that shifts us in time between the anticipation and the consummation. Rarely does a scene capture a moment as well as this one has. Fellas once again, look closely here and notice the buildup to the moment is as fun and stimulating as the moment itself.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
day 43 - Forbidden Planet
OK film fans, posting late on a Saturday night and since Sunday is Valentine's Day we'll leave the mushy stuff until then. For tonight I still have something for the lover's out there... the lovers of all things nerdy. Now, I am not a nerd per se, I'm more on the cusp of nerdiness. I like to read (I come from a whole family of readers where as a kid going to the big public library was a treat second only to Dairy Queen), I like Jazz (preferably before 1972), I am fascinated by all things scientific and least we forget, I like black and white films (don't worry, we'll get to some of them) and those with subtitles (more reading!). So for tonight here's a romantic story hidden in a film you may not be aware of but, if you like a little Shakespeare (no, I'm that nerdy) then you will recognize the narrative.
Forbidden Planet has been one of my favorite films since I first saw it in the 7th grade. You horror buffs may recognize it as one of the films the kids are watching on TV in the original Halloween. It's by far my favorite of the original spaceship-ray gun-alien world films made in the 50s, standing the test of time and still looking good over fifty years later. That's a bold statement, but when you see it you'll understand. This forefather of the genre was the basis not only for TV shows like Star Trek but also for films like Star Wars and, sadly, Avatar.
Forbidden Planet raised the bar on films which at the time were considered basically filler for Saturday Matinee's and Drive-Ins. MGM took what was popular with audiences at the time and gave it a full make over, using not only the top of line special effects of the day but competent writers and quality actors as well. It may not have been an "A" list film, but the cast and crew treated it with a respect that helped it transcend others in its genre, including classics like The Day the Earth Stood Still (the original is still a big favorite of mine as well) and The Thing from Another World.
The plot is a combination of the basic interpretation of Freud's theory of the Id, the primal brute within all of us no matter how evolved our "civilization" becomes, and Shakespeare's The Tempest. Capt. Adams (Leslie Nielsen, yes this one) lands the United Planets star cruiser C-57D (also used in several Twilight Zone episodes) on planet Altair 4. This is easily the most beautiful spaceship landing ever filmed and sets the tone for the new level of visual and sound effects unveiled to the audiences of 1956. They are met upon arrival by Robby the Robot, in his first appearance, and ushered to meet Dr. Edward Morbius (the late great Walter Pidgeon, who also starred in another favorite of mine, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) and his daughter Alta (Anne Francis). Dr. Morbius and his daughter are the only survivors of the scientific mission to explore Altair 4, the rest of the crew decimated by a mysterious malevolent force some twenty years earlier. But this belated rescue mission quickly turns into a nightmare of destruction and murder.
At the center of the mystery is the imperious Dr. Morbius, who desires nothing more than to be left alone on the planet with the suspiciously advanced robot he has created and his beautiful, brilliant and naive daughter. Having never seen another human beyond her father, Alta soon finds herself the center of attention from "eighteen competitively selected super-fit physical specimens with an average age of 24.6." Her rapid maturity in light of the arrival of possible suitors acts as the catalyst for subconscious energies harnessed by the former inhabitants of the planet, the phenomenally advanced Krell (now a very advanced and expensive audio company), a super-race whose miles-wide cavernous machines, still maintaining itself for action, may have annihilated them thousands of centuries ago.
Forbidden Planet was one of 2 nominees for Best Effects, losing to The Ten Commandments (which as an Easter tradition I watched every year on TV for about twenty years straight). It used extensive matte paintings, yesteryear's green screens, (a-la Avatar) to achieve beautiful alien landscapes and spectacular Krell technologies, all filmed in gorgeous CinemaScope. In addition to spectacular special effects it was also the first film to use an all electronic music score, made even more unique since a theramin was not used, a common instrument for electronic sounds in most sci-fi films of the day.
There isn't a thing about this classic sci-fi prototype I don't love. Every time I sit down to watch it I feel like I'm 12 years old again, eating air popped popcorn, drinking a Shasta soda and waiting for my mom to tell me to stop wasting a beautiful day and go outside. Of course, she was right, but every now and then when I feel like wasting some time, even on a gorgeous day, I take out my well used DVD and find myself rocketing back in time to see a long lost future.
Forbidden Planet has been one of my favorite films since I first saw it in the 7th grade. You horror buffs may recognize it as one of the films the kids are watching on TV in the original Halloween. It's by far my favorite of the original spaceship-ray gun-alien world films made in the 50s, standing the test of time and still looking good over fifty years later. That's a bold statement, but when you see it you'll understand. This forefather of the genre was the basis not only for TV shows like Star Trek but also for films like Star Wars and, sadly, Avatar.
Forbidden Planet raised the bar on films which at the time were considered basically filler for Saturday Matinee's and Drive-Ins. MGM took what was popular with audiences at the time and gave it a full make over, using not only the top of line special effects of the day but competent writers and quality actors as well. It may not have been an "A" list film, but the cast and crew treated it with a respect that helped it transcend others in its genre, including classics like The Day the Earth Stood Still (the original is still a big favorite of mine as well) and The Thing from Another World.
The plot is a combination of the basic interpretation of Freud's theory of the Id, the primal brute within all of us no matter how evolved our "civilization" becomes, and Shakespeare's The Tempest. Capt. Adams (Leslie Nielsen, yes this one) lands the United Planets star cruiser C-57D (also used in several Twilight Zone episodes) on planet Altair 4. This is easily the most beautiful spaceship landing ever filmed and sets the tone for the new level of visual and sound effects unveiled to the audiences of 1956. They are met upon arrival by Robby the Robot, in his first appearance, and ushered to meet Dr. Edward Morbius (the late great Walter Pidgeon, who also starred in another favorite of mine, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) and his daughter Alta (Anne Francis). Dr. Morbius and his daughter are the only survivors of the scientific mission to explore Altair 4, the rest of the crew decimated by a mysterious malevolent force some twenty years earlier. But this belated rescue mission quickly turns into a nightmare of destruction and murder.
At the center of the mystery is the imperious Dr. Morbius, who desires nothing more than to be left alone on the planet with the suspiciously advanced robot he has created and his beautiful, brilliant and naive daughter. Having never seen another human beyond her father, Alta soon finds herself the center of attention from "eighteen competitively selected super-fit physical specimens with an average age of 24.6." Her rapid maturity in light of the arrival of possible suitors acts as the catalyst for subconscious energies harnessed by the former inhabitants of the planet, the phenomenally advanced Krell (now a very advanced and expensive audio company), a super-race whose miles-wide cavernous machines, still maintaining itself for action, may have annihilated them thousands of centuries ago.
Forbidden Planet was one of 2 nominees for Best Effects, losing to The Ten Commandments (which as an Easter tradition I watched every year on TV for about twenty years straight). It used extensive matte paintings, yesteryear's green screens, (a-la Avatar) to achieve beautiful alien landscapes and spectacular Krell technologies, all filmed in gorgeous CinemaScope. In addition to spectacular special effects it was also the first film to use an all electronic music score, made even more unique since a theramin was not used, a common instrument for electronic sounds in most sci-fi films of the day.
There isn't a thing about this classic sci-fi prototype I don't love. Every time I sit down to watch it I feel like I'm 12 years old again, eating air popped popcorn, drinking a Shasta soda and waiting for my mom to tell me to stop wasting a beautiful day and go outside. Of course, she was right, but every now and then when I feel like wasting some time, even on a gorgeous day, I take out my well used DVD and find myself rocketing back in time to see a long lost future.
Friday, February 12, 2010
day 42 - All the Real Girls
OK film fans, another Friday night is upon us and I'm not sure what to write about tonight. The Oscars are looming and there are many new films to see and explore. And as usual when Oscar time approaches, TCM runs a month long viewing of past winners. This list always reminds me of the greats I still need to see and those I need to revisit. To be honest I'm not feeling particularly filled with wisdom or deep analytical insight so tonight we'll hold off on tackling Mt. Everest and just settle for a stroll around the block.
Just a few night ago I confessed to a Hollywood crush (one of a few) on actress Zooey Deschanel, and I'm surprised to discover that this seemed odd to more than a few of you. But as they say, the devil is in the details. Her combination of quirky nonconformist style and sensibilities joined with accessible girl next door looks puts her squarely in the category of "girls I chased in High School with limited success." Of course I blame most of that on being a jock/brain/token hybrid that even the "New Wave" kids didn't know what to make of. Throw in spending the 70s in Ames, IA and it explains my appreciation for her 60s clothing and musical influences. While I had already seen Zooey in the instant classics Almost Famous and Elf (not to mention a few other less stellar films like Mumford and The Good Girl), it wasn't until I saw her true acting chops that the crush began.
All the Real Girls, the first big budget film of rising director David Gordon Green, is a small quiet film about love in a small quiet town. Paul (Paul Schneider) is a young man in his physical prime who has been sharing himself with just about every willing young girl in her physical prime. Until his best friends' sister (not cool dude) Noel (Deschanel) comes back to their rural North Carolina town after spending six years at an all girl's boarding school. While he can't deny their mutual attraction, he wants to wait because he senses it's different, that this time it might be special. It's difficult to be on the same wavelength in a relationship, let alone when you're both young. Add in a gap in the ages and experience between the two partners and problems await. In youth emotions can change in instant and there's no experience to rely on to keep you from going astray.
Most films would have the plot revolving around the couple and their sexual syncopation, ignoring or trivializing young love and the overwhelming emotions that are created during those first new experiences. Greens skill here is not only in his loving portrayal of the supporting characters, their friends, family and the town itself, but to realize that sometimes young love is as much about confusion as it is passion. This film has a similar tone as Lost in Translation, it's fleshed out with emotional undertones that provide not only a structure for the story, but its subtext as well.
All the Real Girls is more interested in exploring the occasionally misplaced idealism of youth and the consequences that follow than creating a typical Hollywood romance. The characters are the plot and as such rely on the actors to fill in the intentions of the script. Many in the cast fill their roles so well, so acutely in tune with the repetitiveness and stillness of small town life, that they almost don't seem like actors but rather local stand-ins. Zooey brings an unexpected grace and charm to the character that now seems well within her capabilities but at the time seemed like fascinating transformation. She is natural, endearing and cruel all at once. Ever since this film I have looked forward to her performances and more often than not find the experience uniquely rewarding. The stillness I spoke of, evident in the cinematography, Zooey's performance and the editing of the film, remind us that in the quiet perhaps you are capable of seeing more beauty than you would in fast paced places or people.
I won't give away the emotional plot point that spins the film into its final act, even though I've alluded to it here, but I will end on words from the Master. "The thing about love is, if you lose it, you can also lose your ability to believe in it, and that hurts even more. Especially in a town where real love may be the only world-class thing that ever happens."
Just a few night ago I confessed to a Hollywood crush (one of a few) on actress Zooey Deschanel, and I'm surprised to discover that this seemed odd to more than a few of you. But as they say, the devil is in the details. Her combination of quirky nonconformist style and sensibilities joined with accessible girl next door looks puts her squarely in the category of "girls I chased in High School with limited success." Of course I blame most of that on being a jock/brain/token hybrid that even the "New Wave" kids didn't know what to make of. Throw in spending the 70s in Ames, IA and it explains my appreciation for her 60s clothing and musical influences. While I had already seen Zooey in the instant classics Almost Famous and Elf (not to mention a few other less stellar films like Mumford and The Good Girl), it wasn't until I saw her true acting chops that the crush began.
All the Real Girls, the first big budget film of rising director David Gordon Green, is a small quiet film about love in a small quiet town. Paul (Paul Schneider) is a young man in his physical prime who has been sharing himself with just about every willing young girl in her physical prime. Until his best friends' sister (not cool dude) Noel (Deschanel) comes back to their rural North Carolina town after spending six years at an all girl's boarding school. While he can't deny their mutual attraction, he wants to wait because he senses it's different, that this time it might be special. It's difficult to be on the same wavelength in a relationship, let alone when you're both young. Add in a gap in the ages and experience between the two partners and problems await. In youth emotions can change in instant and there's no experience to rely on to keep you from going astray.
Most films would have the plot revolving around the couple and their sexual syncopation, ignoring or trivializing young love and the overwhelming emotions that are created during those first new experiences. Greens skill here is not only in his loving portrayal of the supporting characters, their friends, family and the town itself, but to realize that sometimes young love is as much about confusion as it is passion. This film has a similar tone as Lost in Translation, it's fleshed out with emotional undertones that provide not only a structure for the story, but its subtext as well.
All the Real Girls is more interested in exploring the occasionally misplaced idealism of youth and the consequences that follow than creating a typical Hollywood romance. The characters are the plot and as such rely on the actors to fill in the intentions of the script. Many in the cast fill their roles so well, so acutely in tune with the repetitiveness and stillness of small town life, that they almost don't seem like actors but rather local stand-ins. Zooey brings an unexpected grace and charm to the character that now seems well within her capabilities but at the time seemed like fascinating transformation. She is natural, endearing and cruel all at once. Ever since this film I have looked forward to her performances and more often than not find the experience uniquely rewarding. The stillness I spoke of, evident in the cinematography, Zooey's performance and the editing of the film, remind us that in the quiet perhaps you are capable of seeing more beauty than you would in fast paced places or people.
I won't give away the emotional plot point that spins the film into its final act, even though I've alluded to it here, but I will end on words from the Master. "The thing about love is, if you lose it, you can also lose your ability to believe in it, and that hurts even more. Especially in a town where real love may be the only world-class thing that ever happens."
Thursday, February 11, 2010
day 41 - Rosemary's Baby
OK film fans, tonight I was feeling a bit tired and by the time I got home, made dinner and plopped down on the couch it was already getting pretty late. On nights like this sometimes I'll go for a new comedy, something light, but tonight I felt like an old favorite, something comfortable, like a visit with old friends. Or, as in this case, friends with a really annoying kid.
Rosemary's Baby is a horror classic, a nexus point where the reinvention of modern horror springs from the restrictive confines of old production codes. It was not a gruesome gory blood fest like those that would come after it, nor was it an old fashioned horror film like those proceding it. Released in 1968, American films were just beginning to show life in more realistic tones. How couples talked, fought and had sex was being explored in ways unheard of in prior decades. Directed in a brooding, creepy and uniquely stylized manner by Roman Polanski (no, I'm not getting into that tonight), the film takes full advantage of the era's cultural changes in telling this story.
Polanski brings the audience into the lives of Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (Nick Cassavetes) Woodhouse, a young couple who move into a large New York loft in a very creepy (and real!) building. Rosemary finds their elderly neighbors are a bit boorish, especially the overbearing Minnie (Ruth Gordon), but Guy seems to take a liking to the husband. The young couple decides to start a family soon after moving in and the mood begins to shift considerably.
Polanski turns our focus on Rosemary, causing us to identify with her during the pregnancy and share in her doubts and fears. Because of this we are not always sure if we can believe what we are seeing. Is it real or just a side effect of the pregnancy going awry? Polanski takes the baton from legendary suspense/horror director Alfred Hitchcock, using his iconic style of creating suspense and fear by giving the audience knowledge of impending catastrophe while the characters are oblivious to what's coming. When the conclusion comes and Rosemary uncovers the frightening truth, it's not a surprise to us but rather horribly inevitable, and this is what ultimately makes it so unnerving.
Hitchcock began directing films in the 20s with most of his best known work coming in the 50s, even his classic Psycho came out in 1960. While less elegant than the master, the advantage Polanski has here is the ability to work with a broader canvas and more realistic brushstrokes that give the film a more humanistic depth. As my Patron saint, Roger Ebert, points out, "The characters and the story transcend the plot. In most horror films, and indeed in most suspense films of the Alfred Hitchcock tradition, the characters are at the mercy of the plot. In this one, they emerge as human beings actually doing these things."
Rosemary's Baby is not a gruesome, shock-fest but rather a sophisticated, masterful and effective display of the suspension of disbelief. It is Polanski's skill as a director that pulls us in and holds us entranced even as the we begin to wonder if what we see is happening or the just in Rosemary's mind. It's truly a classic that paved the road to more graphic 70s classics like The Exorcist and The Omen. I love a good horror movie and I'm not opposed to blood and guts, but the recent trend in Hollywood, with the advent of "torture" horror like the Saw/Hostel films leave me feeling nonplussed. The "based on true events" films aren't much better and I actually fear the crop of imitators that will be spawned by the success of Paranormal Activity. The plot is all that carries these films and we rarely care about the characters let alone find them dynamic enough to transcend the story. Sometime, like this film, progress is good. But sometimes too much progress can be a bad thing.
Rosemary's Baby is a horror classic, a nexus point where the reinvention of modern horror springs from the restrictive confines of old production codes. It was not a gruesome gory blood fest like those that would come after it, nor was it an old fashioned horror film like those proceding it. Released in 1968, American films were just beginning to show life in more realistic tones. How couples talked, fought and had sex was being explored in ways unheard of in prior decades. Directed in a brooding, creepy and uniquely stylized manner by Roman Polanski (no, I'm not getting into that tonight), the film takes full advantage of the era's cultural changes in telling this story.
Polanski brings the audience into the lives of Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (Nick Cassavetes) Woodhouse, a young couple who move into a large New York loft in a very creepy (and real!) building. Rosemary finds their elderly neighbors are a bit boorish, especially the overbearing Minnie (Ruth Gordon), but Guy seems to take a liking to the husband. The young couple decides to start a family soon after moving in and the mood begins to shift considerably.
Polanski turns our focus on Rosemary, causing us to identify with her during the pregnancy and share in her doubts and fears. Because of this we are not always sure if we can believe what we are seeing. Is it real or just a side effect of the pregnancy going awry? Polanski takes the baton from legendary suspense/horror director Alfred Hitchcock, using his iconic style of creating suspense and fear by giving the audience knowledge of impending catastrophe while the characters are oblivious to what's coming. When the conclusion comes and Rosemary uncovers the frightening truth, it's not a surprise to us but rather horribly inevitable, and this is what ultimately makes it so unnerving.
Hitchcock began directing films in the 20s with most of his best known work coming in the 50s, even his classic Psycho came out in 1960. While less elegant than the master, the advantage Polanski has here is the ability to work with a broader canvas and more realistic brushstrokes that give the film a more humanistic depth. As my Patron saint, Roger Ebert, points out, "The characters and the story transcend the plot. In most horror films, and indeed in most suspense films of the Alfred Hitchcock tradition, the characters are at the mercy of the plot. In this one, they emerge as human beings actually doing these things."
Rosemary's Baby is not a gruesome, shock-fest but rather a sophisticated, masterful and effective display of the suspension of disbelief. It is Polanski's skill as a director that pulls us in and holds us entranced even as the we begin to wonder if what we see is happening or the just in Rosemary's mind. It's truly a classic that paved the road to more graphic 70s classics like The Exorcist and The Omen. I love a good horror movie and I'm not opposed to blood and guts, but the recent trend in Hollywood, with the advent of "torture" horror like the Saw/Hostel films leave me feeling nonplussed. The "based on true events" films aren't much better and I actually fear the crop of imitators that will be spawned by the success of Paranormal Activity. The plot is all that carries these films and we rarely care about the characters let alone find them dynamic enough to transcend the story. Sometime, like this film, progress is good. But sometimes too much progress can be a bad thing.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
day 40 - Up
OK film fans, with the Oscars rapidly approaching I realize that I have been woefully derelict in my duties of keeping abreast of the nominated films. Just a few days ago I ranted about the Best Picture category being expanded from five to ten films. I honestly had no intention of reviewing the films I consider as benefiting from the new expansion, but after a lively debate about the merits of animation and its place in this category I decided to see what all the fuss was about.
Up is a spectacular example of the strengths of animated films, a robust exploration of hilarity, cleverness and a sense of purpose not found often in this genre. It tells a vivid, sweeping story that neither panders to children nor tells a story centered on their experiences. Instead it begins with two young children, Carl and Ellie, both followers of a globetrotting explorer. In the common interest of adventure a spark is ignited and, in one of the most adept and beautifully thought out montages I can remember, we see the progression of their lives through marriage, a first house, goals set and altered by life, a heartbreaking discovery and into old age. Rarely has a montage so effortlessly and succinctly summed up the passage of life.
But this is where the story actually begins. In his old age Carl's home, now a shrine to beloved wife, is in danger with "progress" closing in around him. As an old, retired balloon salesman, Carl makes the decision to follow a lifelong dream, a promise made to his wife when they were kids, to visit the land made famous by their explorer hero: Paradise Falls. After rigging his house with balloons Carl does just that. Just after he begins his new journey Carl realizes he has company on his floating house. A naive young wilderness boy named Russell, who has been pestering him in an effort to earn a badge for assisting the elderly, was on the porch as Carl was beginning his adventure.
This sets up one of the oldest formulas in Hollywood, the buddy film. This incarnation has a bit of a twist though, especially for an animated film where characters and storylines are normally directed towards children. Here, Carl is the focus of the film and Russell is not a "wiser than the adults" kid, he is simply a kid along for the ride, occasionally sharing the truths of life seen so clearly through the eyes of children. Without charting the course of the film I'll simply say that it provides a roller coaster ride of thrills in the Indiana Jones vein. It is both touching and funny, lighthearted and heartfelt. Ultimately, it extols the importance remembering that the Spirit of Adventure, which gave your life meaning as a youth, does not extinguish with age.
In my conversation today I argued vehemently against the inclusion of animated films in the Best Picture category. As wonderful, delightful and creative as this film is, I am still unwilling to reverse my stance. This is a great film, but it still feels, first and foremost, like a children's film. It deals with mature topics of life and loss in a manner not seen often in this genre. But these topics are commonplace in truly notable dramas. The film that came to mind shortly after the first act is the tremendous About Schmidt, starring Jack Nicholson, a funny, sad and honest look at a man whose wife passes away just after he's retired. Without his wife or a job he finds himself relearning who he is and what he wants, discovering he has no idea about either one. While lacking the buddy film aspect, it is a more realistic film directed squarely at adult viewers who will understand the emotional depth of the film. If you have seen Up think about the ending of the film and then compare it with the scene, in these two clips (one, two), from About Schmidt. See what I mean?
Up is a glorious example of an animated film breaking from the norm and exploring more complex themes. However, this is where dramas live and breathe. Welcome to the big leagues and may the Best Picture win.
Up is a spectacular example of the strengths of animated films, a robust exploration of hilarity, cleverness and a sense of purpose not found often in this genre. It tells a vivid, sweeping story that neither panders to children nor tells a story centered on their experiences. Instead it begins with two young children, Carl and Ellie, both followers of a globetrotting explorer. In the common interest of adventure a spark is ignited and, in one of the most adept and beautifully thought out montages I can remember, we see the progression of their lives through marriage, a first house, goals set and altered by life, a heartbreaking discovery and into old age. Rarely has a montage so effortlessly and succinctly summed up the passage of life.
But this is where the story actually begins. In his old age Carl's home, now a shrine to beloved wife, is in danger with "progress" closing in around him. As an old, retired balloon salesman, Carl makes the decision to follow a lifelong dream, a promise made to his wife when they were kids, to visit the land made famous by their explorer hero: Paradise Falls. After rigging his house with balloons Carl does just that. Just after he begins his new journey Carl realizes he has company on his floating house. A naive young wilderness boy named Russell, who has been pestering him in an effort to earn a badge for assisting the elderly, was on the porch as Carl was beginning his adventure.
This sets up one of the oldest formulas in Hollywood, the buddy film. This incarnation has a bit of a twist though, especially for an animated film where characters and storylines are normally directed towards children. Here, Carl is the focus of the film and Russell is not a "wiser than the adults" kid, he is simply a kid along for the ride, occasionally sharing the truths of life seen so clearly through the eyes of children. Without charting the course of the film I'll simply say that it provides a roller coaster ride of thrills in the Indiana Jones vein. It is both touching and funny, lighthearted and heartfelt. Ultimately, it extols the importance remembering that the Spirit of Adventure, which gave your life meaning as a youth, does not extinguish with age.
In my conversation today I argued vehemently against the inclusion of animated films in the Best Picture category. As wonderful, delightful and creative as this film is, I am still unwilling to reverse my stance. This is a great film, but it still feels, first and foremost, like a children's film. It deals with mature topics of life and loss in a manner not seen often in this genre. But these topics are commonplace in truly notable dramas. The film that came to mind shortly after the first act is the tremendous About Schmidt, starring Jack Nicholson, a funny, sad and honest look at a man whose wife passes away just after he's retired. Without his wife or a job he finds himself relearning who he is and what he wants, discovering he has no idea about either one. While lacking the buddy film aspect, it is a more realistic film directed squarely at adult viewers who will understand the emotional depth of the film. If you have seen Up think about the ending of the film and then compare it with the scene, in these two clips (one, two), from About Schmidt. See what I mean?
Up is a glorious example of an animated film breaking from the norm and exploring more complex themes. However, this is where dramas live and breathe. Welcome to the big leagues and may the Best Picture win.
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