Editor's Note: I've been suffering from some web issues but we are back up and running. Here's my post from April 3rd.
Ok film fans March Madness has officially broken my spirit (I hate Duke so much I'm not even going to watch the final game) so I need a comedy to lighten my mood. There are many different types of comedy - slapstick, dark or black, parody and satires - that sometimes matching the comedy to your mood can be difficult. Since tonight I'm just looking for a diversion, I think we'll keep it light.
Super Troopers was the first full length feature film from the comedy troop known as Broken Lizard. To say these gentlemen enjoy their comedy with equal dashes of slapstick and vulgarity is an understatement. It's also really damn funny. There's not a lot of depth here, but they have managed at least to create a plot around the skits, even if it is just a MacGuffin.
A small Vermont State Troopers station is in danger of being axed by budget cuts, which would be a humiliating defeat in its ongoing rivalry with the Spurbury Police. Trooper Captain O'Hagan (Brian Cox! He must honestly say yes to every script offered him) urges his men to limit their endless shenanigans (I can't even use this word anymore without thinking of this film) and get some serious police work done to restore their image. However, their endless hazing of the station's rookie, tormenting of the squad loser and running gags seem to be more important to them than their jobs. Their accidental discovery a corpse and huge amounts of marijuana may save their jobs, but not if the Spurbury police captain has anything to say about it.
Is this a ridiculous, simple-minded film? Absolutely. But that's the charm of the Broken Lizard boys; they understand goofy, vulgar slapstick comedy. They do it well and make no apologies because they're not trying to make any statements or even make you think about the jokes. If you want to mindless, laugh out loud comedy, this should fit the bill nicely.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
day 91 - Y Tu Mama Tambien
Editor's Note: I've been suffering from some web issues but we are back up and running. Here's my post from April 2nd.
Ok film fans since last night was officially my longest post (and I just barely scratched the surface of that topic!) let's make tonight a little shorter.
Y Tu Mamá También is the best road trip film made in the last decade. Seriously. This Oscar nominated screenplay, written and directed by Alfonso Cuaron (who is also responsible for the amazing Children of Men), is a road trip through contemporary Mexico that sends a newly impulsive, beautiful twenty-something woman and two teenage boys in search of an unspoiled bit of paradise. But like all road movies, it’s more about the journey than the destination. It’s about the moments in youthful life before things change, before paradise gets spoiled and adulthood starts to limit the possibilities of youth.
In the middle of a boring summer vacation, Mexico City teenagers Tenoch (Diego Luna) and Julio (the sublime Gael Garcia Bernal) meet the older Luisa (an amazing performance from Maribel Verdu) at a wedding. In a pathetic and transparent attempt to impress/seduce her they tell Luisa they are headed on a road trip to a beautiful, secret beach called Boca del Cielo (Mouth of the Sky). Dealing with more adult issues in her life, like her adulterous husband, Luisa is desperate for an escape and impulsively asks if she can join them on their trip.
Y Tu Mama Tambien was advertised and sold as a Mexican coming of age road trip film, which is essentially true. But that's like saying Moby Dick is a story about a whale. The film deals with themes of sexual discovery, class structure in Mexican society and self discovery. There is a serious film beneath the surface of the comedy here and below that lies a film as serious as any of Ingmar Bergman's works. Cuaron captures this slice of life tale with a playfulness that never works against the grave themes lingering below the film’s beautiful surface. It's an honest and frank look at life we rarely see in American cinema; that it is told through the eyes of people living in Mexico reminds us that no matter who or where we are there is no difference in the things we want, the way we live or the truths of human lives.
Ok film fans since last night was officially my longest post (and I just barely scratched the surface of that topic!) let's make tonight a little shorter.
Y Tu Mamá También is the best road trip film made in the last decade. Seriously. This Oscar nominated screenplay, written and directed by Alfonso Cuaron (who is also responsible for the amazing Children of Men), is a road trip through contemporary Mexico that sends a newly impulsive, beautiful twenty-something woman and two teenage boys in search of an unspoiled bit of paradise. But like all road movies, it’s more about the journey than the destination. It’s about the moments in youthful life before things change, before paradise gets spoiled and adulthood starts to limit the possibilities of youth.
In the middle of a boring summer vacation, Mexico City teenagers Tenoch (Diego Luna) and Julio (the sublime Gael Garcia Bernal) meet the older Luisa (an amazing performance from Maribel Verdu) at a wedding. In a pathetic and transparent attempt to impress/seduce her they tell Luisa they are headed on a road trip to a beautiful, secret beach called Boca del Cielo (Mouth of the Sky). Dealing with more adult issues in her life, like her adulterous husband, Luisa is desperate for an escape and impulsively asks if she can join them on their trip.
Y Tu Mama Tambien was advertised and sold as a Mexican coming of age road trip film, which is essentially true. But that's like saying Moby Dick is a story about a whale. The film deals with themes of sexual discovery, class structure in Mexican society and self discovery. There is a serious film beneath the surface of the comedy here and below that lies a film as serious as any of Ingmar Bergman's works. Cuaron captures this slice of life tale with a playfulness that never works against the grave themes lingering below the film’s beautiful surface. It's an honest and frank look at life we rarely see in American cinema; that it is told through the eyes of people living in Mexico reminds us that no matter who or where we are there is no difference in the things we want, the way we live or the truths of human lives.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
day 90 - Top 5 Alfred Hitchcock Films
OK film fans, tonight is the glorious three month mark of my little experiment! Yea me! As such I feel tonight is the perfect night to discuss one of my all time favorite directors, Alfred Hitchcock. As a kid I used to watch reruns of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and scare myself silly. When I was older I discovered that my Jr. High school's library had copies of similarly titled books and I had the fun of scaring myself all over again.
I have loved the works of The Master of Suspense since I was too young to be anything other than scared. He is synonymous with the genre. AFI's Top 10 Mystery's include 4 of his films. Hitchcock's definition of suspense vs. surprise, the element used in most horror and pseudo suspense films made today, is important in understanding why his films are so effective. As Hitchcock explained, when a bomb under a table goes off, that's surprise. If we know the bomb is under the table but not when it will go off, that's suspense. Modern slasher films depend on danger that leaps unexpectedly out of the shadows. It's a surprise that quickly dissipates, giving us a momentary rush but not satisfaction. In addition to suspense Hitchcock's films always revolve around secrets we try to hide from each other; our intimate desires, obsessions and fears. Enough of the hype, let's get my Top 5 Alfred Hitchcock Films rolling!
Honorable Mention: Rope - 1948 I had to throw one more in here. While not a great film you have to give the master serious kudos for attempting to make a film that appears, much like a play, as if it is one seamless shot. Since the length of one roll of film was 8 minutes there are ingenious transitions designed to mask when the film would run out and he would need to reload. The technical skill it took to make this film, incorporating the lighting, blocking and camera movement, is impressive even if the film about two spoiled high society boys attempting to get away with murder isn't. (I was going to go with The Birds here, but I thought I'd go with something a little less known.)
5. Notorious - 1946 Alicia Huberman (legendary Ingrid Bergman) has become a reputed wanton woman, living in disgrace since her father was convicted as a Nazi spy and committed suicide. She is recruited by Government agent T.R. Devlin (who else could be this smooth but Cary Grant?) to fly to Rio and infiltrate the home of Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains), the head of a Nazi spy ring. Sebastian was once in love with Alicia, making her job somewhat easier. But Alicia agrees to essentially gather information through pillow talk because she is in love with Devlin. This is often considered Hitchcock's most elegantly filmed work. The camera work is beautiful and designed to enrich the story at every turn. In fact, it's so good most times it tells more of a story then the words spoken by the actors.
4. Rear Window - 1954 Jeff Jefferies (another icon, James Stewart) is a famous photographer, a man of action, whose lifestyle has led to a broken leg and some time holed up in his apartment with nothing to do. His nurse Stella and his fiancee Lisa Fremont (The Grace Kelly) are his only regular visitors and with his options limited Jeff does what he does best, looks through the lens of his camera. The only problem is all he has to look at is the life of his neighbors through their open windows facing the shared courtyard. To call him a voyeur is an understatement. While peeping on his neighbors he witnesses the strained relationship of a man and his bed-ridden wife. When she suddenly disappears our story of suspense begins. This thriller is considered by many to be Hitchcock's finest work, but it's a little formulaic for me.
3. Psycho - 1960 One of the master's few excursions into horror also happens to be perhaps his most well known film. This landmark film was beyond groundbreaking when it was released at the beginning of the 60's. It is also the epitome of Hitchcock's wonderful use of the MacGuffin. Shot on a cheap budget with black and white film and using the crew Hitchcock used for his television show gave this film a gritty, pulp feel that added to its 50's horror film look. It was also advertised like the cheap horror films of epic pitchman William Castle. Marion Crane (Janet Leigh, mom of scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis) has stolen $40,000 from a creep to use for her boyfriend. While on the run she pulls over to get out of the rain and clear her head at a sleepy little motel. In a twist (no this is not a spoiler, what's wrong with you!) that stunned the film viewers of the day; our lead star meets her demise in the now famous shower scene. The unexpected transition makes motel owner Norman Bates the lead and we watch as he attempts to cover up Marion's disappearance from her sister and a private eye. While Hitchcock wasn't done with the surprise twists yet, the film remains in our collective memories not because of unforeseen plot changes (I'm looking at you M. Night) but thanks to the master's manipulation of fears we all share.
2. North by Northwest - 1959 New York advertising executive Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant again!) gets caught in a worst case scenario of mistaken identity. Foreign spies believe he is a CIA agent named George Kaplan and a threat that needs to be eliminated. Adding to Thornhill's problems he's also being accused of murder and now the cops are searching for him as well. On the run and looking for a way to clear himself he is aided by Eve Kendall, a woman he meets on a train. This, by the way, is never a good sign, especially in a Hitchcock film. Along the way we get iconic scenes in a field and on Mt. Rushmore. I'm going to stop here and just say I love this film. Anytime I see it's on TV I always end up watching it. When you get done with this post, you should too.
1. Vertigo - 1958 Trust me when I say we'll be looking at this film closer later on as it is quite simply one of the greatest films ever made. Consistently found on Best Film lists, most recently AFI's #9 choice, it didn't begin to get critical praise until 1968. It was pulled from circulation between 1973 and 1983, then restored and re-released in 1996 (which I saw on the big screen... very cool). This dark, odd film about love and obsession is filled with enough subtext to write a book. There's also the film's exploration of some of the very demons that plagued Hitchcock himself. The use of color in the film and the importance that red, green and yellow plays in providing subliminal cues have been well documented.
Scottie Ferguson (James Stewart, again!) is a police detective forced into early retirement when his fear of heights leads to the death of a fellow police officer. He now spends most of his time meandering around San Francisco and hanging out with his former college sweetheart Midge. When an old friend asks him to follow his wife, Madeleine (Kim Novak, huba-huba), Scottie takes the job out of curiosity and boredom. She appears to believe she's the reincarnation of a long dead woman of San Franciscan lore. Over time he gets to know her and even fall in love with her.
Rather than give away anything for the uninitiated, I'll just leave you with this passage from my guru, Mr. Roger Ebert. "A man has fallen in love with a woman who does not exist, and now he cries out harshly against the real woman who impersonated her. But there is so much more to it than that. The real woman has fallen in love with him. In tricking him, she tricked herself. And the man, by preferring his dream to the woman standing before him, has lost both."
When you are ready for a film experience few films can match, this is your film.
I have loved the works of The Master of Suspense since I was too young to be anything other than scared. He is synonymous with the genre. AFI's Top 10 Mystery's include 4 of his films. Hitchcock's definition of suspense vs. surprise, the element used in most horror and pseudo suspense films made today, is important in understanding why his films are so effective. As Hitchcock explained, when a bomb under a table goes off, that's surprise. If we know the bomb is under the table but not when it will go off, that's suspense. Modern slasher films depend on danger that leaps unexpectedly out of the shadows. It's a surprise that quickly dissipates, giving us a momentary rush but not satisfaction. In addition to suspense Hitchcock's films always revolve around secrets we try to hide from each other; our intimate desires, obsessions and fears. Enough of the hype, let's get my Top 5 Alfred Hitchcock Films rolling!
Honorable Mention: Rope - 1948 I had to throw one more in here. While not a great film you have to give the master serious kudos for attempting to make a film that appears, much like a play, as if it is one seamless shot. Since the length of one roll of film was 8 minutes there are ingenious transitions designed to mask when the film would run out and he would need to reload. The technical skill it took to make this film, incorporating the lighting, blocking and camera movement, is impressive even if the film about two spoiled high society boys attempting to get away with murder isn't. (I was going to go with The Birds here, but I thought I'd go with something a little less known.)
5. Notorious - 1946 Alicia Huberman (legendary Ingrid Bergman) has become a reputed wanton woman, living in disgrace since her father was convicted as a Nazi spy and committed suicide. She is recruited by Government agent T.R. Devlin (who else could be this smooth but Cary Grant?) to fly to Rio and infiltrate the home of Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains), the head of a Nazi spy ring. Sebastian was once in love with Alicia, making her job somewhat easier. But Alicia agrees to essentially gather information through pillow talk because she is in love with Devlin. This is often considered Hitchcock's most elegantly filmed work. The camera work is beautiful and designed to enrich the story at every turn. In fact, it's so good most times it tells more of a story then the words spoken by the actors.
4. Rear Window - 1954 Jeff Jefferies (another icon, James Stewart) is a famous photographer, a man of action, whose lifestyle has led to a broken leg and some time holed up in his apartment with nothing to do. His nurse Stella and his fiancee Lisa Fremont (The Grace Kelly) are his only regular visitors and with his options limited Jeff does what he does best, looks through the lens of his camera. The only problem is all he has to look at is the life of his neighbors through their open windows facing the shared courtyard. To call him a voyeur is an understatement. While peeping on his neighbors he witnesses the strained relationship of a man and his bed-ridden wife. When she suddenly disappears our story of suspense begins. This thriller is considered by many to be Hitchcock's finest work, but it's a little formulaic for me.
3. Psycho - 1960 One of the master's few excursions into horror also happens to be perhaps his most well known film. This landmark film was beyond groundbreaking when it was released at the beginning of the 60's. It is also the epitome of Hitchcock's wonderful use of the MacGuffin. Shot on a cheap budget with black and white film and using the crew Hitchcock used for his television show gave this film a gritty, pulp feel that added to its 50's horror film look. It was also advertised like the cheap horror films of epic pitchman William Castle. Marion Crane (Janet Leigh, mom of scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis) has stolen $40,000 from a creep to use for her boyfriend. While on the run she pulls over to get out of the rain and clear her head at a sleepy little motel. In a twist (no this is not a spoiler, what's wrong with you!) that stunned the film viewers of the day; our lead star meets her demise in the now famous shower scene. The unexpected transition makes motel owner Norman Bates the lead and we watch as he attempts to cover up Marion's disappearance from her sister and a private eye. While Hitchcock wasn't done with the surprise twists yet, the film remains in our collective memories not because of unforeseen plot changes (I'm looking at you M. Night) but thanks to the master's manipulation of fears we all share.
2. North by Northwest - 1959 New York advertising executive Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant again!) gets caught in a worst case scenario of mistaken identity. Foreign spies believe he is a CIA agent named George Kaplan and a threat that needs to be eliminated. Adding to Thornhill's problems he's also being accused of murder and now the cops are searching for him as well. On the run and looking for a way to clear himself he is aided by Eve Kendall, a woman he meets on a train. This, by the way, is never a good sign, especially in a Hitchcock film. Along the way we get iconic scenes in a field and on Mt. Rushmore. I'm going to stop here and just say I love this film. Anytime I see it's on TV I always end up watching it. When you get done with this post, you should too.
1. Vertigo - 1958 Trust me when I say we'll be looking at this film closer later on as it is quite simply one of the greatest films ever made. Consistently found on Best Film lists, most recently AFI's #9 choice, it didn't begin to get critical praise until 1968. It was pulled from circulation between 1973 and 1983, then restored and re-released in 1996 (which I saw on the big screen... very cool). This dark, odd film about love and obsession is filled with enough subtext to write a book. There's also the film's exploration of some of the very demons that plagued Hitchcock himself. The use of color in the film and the importance that red, green and yellow plays in providing subliminal cues have been well documented.
Scottie Ferguson (James Stewart, again!) is a police detective forced into early retirement when his fear of heights leads to the death of a fellow police officer. He now spends most of his time meandering around San Francisco and hanging out with his former college sweetheart Midge. When an old friend asks him to follow his wife, Madeleine (Kim Novak, huba-huba), Scottie takes the job out of curiosity and boredom. She appears to believe she's the reincarnation of a long dead woman of San Franciscan lore. Over time he gets to know her and even fall in love with her.
Rather than give away anything for the uninitiated, I'll just leave you with this passage from my guru, Mr. Roger Ebert. "A man has fallen in love with a woman who does not exist, and now he cries out harshly against the real woman who impersonated her. But there is so much more to it than that. The real woman has fallen in love with him. In tricking him, she tricked herself. And the man, by preferring his dream to the woman standing before him, has lost both."
When you are ready for a film experience few films can match, this is your film.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
day 89 - Team America: World Police
Ok film fans, I have an early day tomorrow so we're going to make this short and sweet.
Team America: World Police is a film starring puppets. Lots of puppets. In the grand tradition of the Thunderbirds, idiot savants Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the loose cannons behind the South Park TV show, have created an elaborate joke at the expense of self-aggrandizing actors, America's overwhelming sense of nationalism and the "War" on Terrorism. It also makes fun of such wacky icons as Jong-il Kim, Saddam Hussein and Matt Damon.
The plot (oh yes, there is one) has talented actor Gary Johnston being recruited by Team America, a globetrotting military gang of freedom loving, Democracy enforcing ass-kickers. The team needs someone who can infiltrate the terrorist organizations and reveal their next big target. After a terrorist attack on the Panama Canal, Gary feels responsible, leaving the team just before they face their biggest challenge, Jong-il Kim. But, with Team America captured and the threat of weapons of mass destruction being used, Gary is forced back into action.
There is no subtle humor here; the guys from South Park wear their hearts on their sleeve. It's also rather notorious for two unique scenes; a puppet sex scene and a puppet vomit scene. Either you find this type of humor offensive or it leaves you laughing out loud, a lot. That I dressed up for Halloween as Gary (in this image) right after it came out, pretty much tells you which camp I'm in. If you like twisted satire concealed by kinda creepy lookin' herky-jerky marionettes, you'll love this film.
Team America: World Police is a film starring puppets. Lots of puppets. In the grand tradition of the Thunderbirds, idiot savants Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the loose cannons behind the South Park TV show, have created an elaborate joke at the expense of self-aggrandizing actors, America's overwhelming sense of nationalism and the "War" on Terrorism. It also makes fun of such wacky icons as Jong-il Kim, Saddam Hussein and Matt Damon.
The plot (oh yes, there is one) has talented actor Gary Johnston being recruited by Team America, a globetrotting military gang of freedom loving, Democracy enforcing ass-kickers. The team needs someone who can infiltrate the terrorist organizations and reveal their next big target. After a terrorist attack on the Panama Canal, Gary feels responsible, leaving the team just before they face their biggest challenge, Jong-il Kim. But, with Team America captured and the threat of weapons of mass destruction being used, Gary is forced back into action.
There is no subtle humor here; the guys from South Park wear their hearts on their sleeve. It's also rather notorious for two unique scenes; a puppet sex scene and a puppet vomit scene. Either you find this type of humor offensive or it leaves you laughing out loud, a lot. That I dressed up for Halloween as Gary (in this image) right after it came out, pretty much tells you which camp I'm in. If you like twisted satire concealed by kinda creepy lookin' herky-jerky marionettes, you'll love this film.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
day 88 - "Round Midnight
OK film fans tonight for some unknown reason I'm feeling sentimental. Perhaps it's because spring has sprung and love will soon fill the air. Then again it could be the post dinner jazz and Scotch I've treated myself to this evening. With nothing on TV, good, bad or otherwise, I've delved into my catalog of DVD and DVR goodies and come up with a classic film about obsession, passion, acceptance and of course, great jazz.
Round Midnight is a remarkable, Oscar winning film about an African-American Jazz saxophonist ex-pat living and playing music in Paris. Dale Turner (jazz icon Dexter Gordon in a hauntingly reflective Oscar nominated performance) is a jazzman playing the The Blue Note in 1959. He's a struggling alcoholic and drug user who has seen his patches of sobriety become fewer and fewer, each one bringing him closer to his end. He is aware of own mortality and tries as much as possible to absorb everything around him as this might be his last gig. We see Francis Borler, a young Frenchman listening from outside the club. He believes Dale is the greatest sax player alive and doesn't care if he has to stand in the rain just to hear him play.
The film centers around the relationship built between these two men when Francis encounters Dale out on the streets in a bad way and offers to help him. The overwhelming sense of loneliness Dale has about him from having to move to Paris to make a living, being policed by his landlady and the club owner to show up sober and missing his life back in the states, is easily picked up by Francis, himself a struggling artist who is also dealing with life as a recently single father. But this is not a plot heavy film, it is a film about the end of a jazzman's career and the music he has devoted himself to. For me, it's easily the greatest jazz film made (with the wonderful Bird playing backup) and understands rightly that you can't simply tell the story of a jazzman's life in words; you need the music as well. As such, it has more music than just about any film you'll encounter, filmed live as the artists created it rather than the hollow prerecorded music you hear so often in the background.
As my Guru pointed out in his amazing review, which is almost as beautiful as the film itself, "You do not need to know a lot about jazz to appreciate what is going on because, in a certain sense, this movie teaches you everything about jazz that you really need to know." The simple truth of the matter is that this film is a benchmark. If you see it and fall in love with the music you already do or probably will love jazz for the rest of your life. If you don't, well, to each their own.
Sometimes when you see a film it's like meeting a person; you don't know immediately that the film will become a great friend and be there for you to lean on through the years. I don't remember the first time I saw tonight's film, however I had started getting into jazz a few years prior. I think that's what prompted me to stretch my film boundaries. I have seen it more than a dozen times since, but I can't really put a number on it.
I don't recall where I bought the soundtrack, just that I remember having to track it down and was ecstatic when I found it. Oddly enough I recall it was the same place I found my favorite Fishbone CD as well. Since that purchase not a single month has gone by where I haven't listened to its songs. Not one. For years I would listen to it every night as I would fall asleep. Now I listen to it when I do the dishes or when nights grow dark. I hope that I never grow weary of its sad, tender and hopeful notes, but I don't think I ever will.
Round Midnight is a remarkable, Oscar winning film about an African-American Jazz saxophonist ex-pat living and playing music in Paris. Dale Turner (jazz icon Dexter Gordon in a hauntingly reflective Oscar nominated performance) is a jazzman playing the The Blue Note in 1959. He's a struggling alcoholic and drug user who has seen his patches of sobriety become fewer and fewer, each one bringing him closer to his end. He is aware of own mortality and tries as much as possible to absorb everything around him as this might be his last gig. We see Francis Borler, a young Frenchman listening from outside the club. He believes Dale is the greatest sax player alive and doesn't care if he has to stand in the rain just to hear him play.
The film centers around the relationship built between these two men when Francis encounters Dale out on the streets in a bad way and offers to help him. The overwhelming sense of loneliness Dale has about him from having to move to Paris to make a living, being policed by his landlady and the club owner to show up sober and missing his life back in the states, is easily picked up by Francis, himself a struggling artist who is also dealing with life as a recently single father. But this is not a plot heavy film, it is a film about the end of a jazzman's career and the music he has devoted himself to. For me, it's easily the greatest jazz film made (with the wonderful Bird playing backup) and understands rightly that you can't simply tell the story of a jazzman's life in words; you need the music as well. As such, it has more music than just about any film you'll encounter, filmed live as the artists created it rather than the hollow prerecorded music you hear so often in the background.
As my Guru pointed out in his amazing review, which is almost as beautiful as the film itself, "You do not need to know a lot about jazz to appreciate what is going on because, in a certain sense, this movie teaches you everything about jazz that you really need to know." The simple truth of the matter is that this film is a benchmark. If you see it and fall in love with the music you already do or probably will love jazz for the rest of your life. If you don't, well, to each their own.
Sometimes when you see a film it's like meeting a person; you don't know immediately that the film will become a great friend and be there for you to lean on through the years. I don't remember the first time I saw tonight's film, however I had started getting into jazz a few years prior. I think that's what prompted me to stretch my film boundaries. I have seen it more than a dozen times since, but I can't really put a number on it.
I don't recall where I bought the soundtrack, just that I remember having to track it down and was ecstatic when I found it. Oddly enough I recall it was the same place I found my favorite Fishbone CD as well. Since that purchase not a single month has gone by where I haven't listened to its songs. Not one. For years I would listen to it every night as I would fall asleep. Now I listen to it when I do the dishes or when nights grow dark. I hope that I never grow weary of its sad, tender and hopeful notes, but I don't think I ever will.
Monday, March 29, 2010
day 87 - High Fidelity
OK film fans, the streak continues but despite spending some quality time in the cube farm I'm still feeling very blah. I think that's the best word I could think of to describe today because the tank is just running on empty. I'm severely bummed that I didn't get to see Hot Tub Time Machine and I still have John Cusack films running through my very sore and tired head. It got me to thinkin', I've never really explained my frequent use of clips John Cusack when posting my Top 5 Lists. Tonight, I make amends.
High Fidelity is the epitome of films Hollywood fails to get. It's a film about real people in real situations who act realistically. There are no explosions or chases or even a "big" message and yet we still find ourselves not only entertained but interested in the choices made by the characters and what the outcomes will be. The film's pace is unforced, allowing us to discover the personalities of the characters layer by layer.
Rob Gordon (Cusack), our 4th wall narrator, has just been dumped by his live-in girlfriend Laura (Danish gem Iben Hjejle). Rob owns a record store with the prerequisite employees, vinyl nerds whose minds are filled with factoids of importance only to them and others like them. Dick is the quiet and shy clerk while Barry (Jack Black in his breakout performance) is the know-it-all loudmouth. They were hired as part time workers for a three day shift each, both show up six days a week. There's a comfort level here for anyone who is or knows people like this. It doesn't matter what the field is, records, videos, books, coffee, health food or tattoo's; these are those people depicted as they are in real life.
Rob seems to be at a crossroads in his life but he can't seem to get out of the groove his life has worn into. Laura has moved out and is "staying" with a male friend. He decides to reflect further on his failing relationship by tracking down his Top 5 Break-up girlfriends to find out what went wrong. In most cases it was nothing earth shattering, like is the case in most of our lives. In youth much of dating is simply window shopping or practice for when we find the real thing. When you break-up you feel remorse, get sad and then get over it and move on to the next encounter. Rob seems to have made a second career out of being forlorn, valuing the relationship more in the aftermath than he did during its life.
Slowly, after seeing what his life has become with and without Laura, in addition to getting a fresh reminder that things aren't always as they seem, he begins to realize the rut he's in. Albert Einstein, a fairly smart guy, has a quote roughly stating that "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity." A light seems to come on for Rob, albeit dimly at first. He starts making different decisions, becoming more engaged in his life and changes his pattern of behavior. He soon reaps the benefits of that change. I've often be cynical about happy endings in films, especially those in the stereotypical big budget Hollywood releases. But here it feels right. It's a natural outcome that again feels organic and unforced. Plus we get a really good soundtrack and a Jack Black performance as good as anything in Tenacious D.
I saw this film when I was in the middle of a long relationship, neither in the blush of discovery nor in the winter of discontent. At the time I related more to Rob's career struggles, what to do with your life when you feel like you've reached a dead end. Now, several years after that relationship ran its course, I see this film in a new light and recognize that sometimes it's difficult to see the insanity of your choices when the rut you're in is ten feet deep. But even then, there's still light visible, reminding you of the direction you need to go.
High Fidelity is the epitome of films Hollywood fails to get. It's a film about real people in real situations who act realistically. There are no explosions or chases or even a "big" message and yet we still find ourselves not only entertained but interested in the choices made by the characters and what the outcomes will be. The film's pace is unforced, allowing us to discover the personalities of the characters layer by layer.
Rob Gordon (Cusack), our 4th wall narrator, has just been dumped by his live-in girlfriend Laura (Danish gem Iben Hjejle). Rob owns a record store with the prerequisite employees, vinyl nerds whose minds are filled with factoids of importance only to them and others like them. Dick is the quiet and shy clerk while Barry (Jack Black in his breakout performance) is the know-it-all loudmouth. They were hired as part time workers for a three day shift each, both show up six days a week. There's a comfort level here for anyone who is or knows people like this. It doesn't matter what the field is, records, videos, books, coffee, health food or tattoo's; these are those people depicted as they are in real life.
Rob seems to be at a crossroads in his life but he can't seem to get out of the groove his life has worn into. Laura has moved out and is "staying" with a male friend. He decides to reflect further on his failing relationship by tracking down his Top 5 Break-up girlfriends to find out what went wrong. In most cases it was nothing earth shattering, like is the case in most of our lives. In youth much of dating is simply window shopping or practice for when we find the real thing. When you break-up you feel remorse, get sad and then get over it and move on to the next encounter. Rob seems to have made a second career out of being forlorn, valuing the relationship more in the aftermath than he did during its life.
Slowly, after seeing what his life has become with and without Laura, in addition to getting a fresh reminder that things aren't always as they seem, he begins to realize the rut he's in. Albert Einstein, a fairly smart guy, has a quote roughly stating that "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity." A light seems to come on for Rob, albeit dimly at first. He starts making different decisions, becoming more engaged in his life and changes his pattern of behavior. He soon reaps the benefits of that change. I've often be cynical about happy endings in films, especially those in the stereotypical big budget Hollywood releases. But here it feels right. It's a natural outcome that again feels organic and unforced. Plus we get a really good soundtrack and a Jack Black performance as good as anything in Tenacious D.
I saw this film when I was in the middle of a long relationship, neither in the blush of discovery nor in the winter of discontent. At the time I related more to Rob's career struggles, what to do with your life when you feel like you've reached a dead end. Now, several years after that relationship ran its course, I see this film in a new light and recognize that sometimes it's difficult to see the insanity of your choices when the rut you're in is ten feet deep. But even then, there's still light visible, reminding you of the direction you need to go.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
day 86 - Superman Doomsday
OK film fans it looks as though yesterday was just the tip of the iceberg and today the real extent of this malady is making itself known. Since I've spent the better part of the day in bed it's made me feel like a sick little kid and nothing goes better with that than cartoons. Now I'm sure this isn't a shock but as a kid I had a rather sizable comic book collection and was a secret comic book nerd in high school. Once in college I had neither the funds nor the time to spend on such extravagances and spent my funds more wisely on girls, pizza and beer.
Even though I no longer collect comics a few years ago I heard about a graphic novel called "The Death of Superman." I actually own a copy of the reprinted collection which stands as the last comic I've purchased. I still find that a little odd since I was always more of a Marvel kid. It was a spin off story about Superman's fight to the death with a creature whose only goal is the destruction of all life, regardless of its form. It was decent, but not exciting. My age had caught up with me and I no longer thought these endless permutations of characters were that interesting. But while lying in bed today, looking for something to watch on my laptop so I could keep the streak alive while feeling both sick and run down, I came across something that would have restored my energy as a kid.
Superman Doomsday is one of the growing collection of straight to DVD films aimed today's kids who are fans of the comic icons like Superman, Batman and Spider-Man. Feeling quite ill I thought "what the hell" this might cheer my day up some. Unfortunately I'm not a kid anymore. What's worse, the story is so dark and heavy, dealing with death, loss, morality, genetic engineering and so forth, that I can't imagine a kid like my 8 year old nephew finding the whole thing interesting. It's a bit much for kids and far too little for adults. It still feels like a Saturday morning cartoon that was expanded to 80 minutes and threw in some scarier imagery. I'd like to say I enjoyed this but I ended up wishing I had just sucked it up, walked downstairs and grabbed my copy of Iron Man.
Even though I no longer collect comics a few years ago I heard about a graphic novel called "The Death of Superman." I actually own a copy of the reprinted collection which stands as the last comic I've purchased. I still find that a little odd since I was always more of a Marvel kid. It was a spin off story about Superman's fight to the death with a creature whose only goal is the destruction of all life, regardless of its form. It was decent, but not exciting. My age had caught up with me and I no longer thought these endless permutations of characters were that interesting. But while lying in bed today, looking for something to watch on my laptop so I could keep the streak alive while feeling both sick and run down, I came across something that would have restored my energy as a kid.
Superman Doomsday is one of the growing collection of straight to DVD films aimed today's kids who are fans of the comic icons like Superman, Batman and Spider-Man. Feeling quite ill I thought "what the hell" this might cheer my day up some. Unfortunately I'm not a kid anymore. What's worse, the story is so dark and heavy, dealing with death, loss, morality, genetic engineering and so forth, that I can't imagine a kid like my 8 year old nephew finding the whole thing interesting. It's a bit much for kids and far too little for adults. It still feels like a Saturday morning cartoon that was expanded to 80 minutes and threw in some scarier imagery. I'd like to say I enjoyed this but I ended up wishing I had just sucked it up, walked downstairs and grabbed my copy of Iron Man.
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