Subtle, wistful and charming, THE ILLUSIONIST was nominated for best animated feature this year at the Oscars, but of course was walloped by TOY STORY III. Still, for a gentle, fascinating film like this to get made at all is remarkable enough. Based on a story by Jacques Tati (writer and actor and director of many charming nearly silent films from the 1950's including PLAYTIME and MON ONCLE) and created by the director of THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE Sylvain Chomet, THE ILLUSIONIST is a bit more singular in it's story line than TRIPLETS but contains very little dialogue, just music and delightful characters to tell the story of a magician who travels all over Europe trying to eek out a living in the early 1960's when burlesque type variety shows were being squeezed out to feature more dynamic (and loud) young rock and roll bands. In this film the running gag has him sharing the bill with a "Beatle-like" group who gyrate on the floor, transfixing hordes of screaming girls, and afterwards acting foppishly fey as they giggle and skip around backstage. The film is a treasure. GRADE-----B+
I enjoyed the carefully constructed and acted, thoughtful comedy called CEDAR RAPIDS, which in spite of some usual modern crudities (nudity, sex, profanity, etc) at least has the decency to integrate the actions of the dozen major characters into a logical and somewhat realistic plot, and adds a warm patina of humanistic themes to the characters evolvement. The main characters--most all insurance salesman who end up at a major convention in CEDAR RAPIDS--are well played with a minimum of mugging by Ed Helms (TV's The Office, The Hangover), John C. Riley (Cyrus, Step Brothers etc.), Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Kurtwood Smith, Rob Corddry and the ubiquitous Sigourney Weaver. You could do a lot worse, comedy wise. (See below.) GRADE--------B
A low budget, low-key sci-fi thriller that has come and gone this week already, is the British film VANISHING ON 7th STREET. The film starts as most everyone in town seems to have disappeared, leaving only their clothes in a pile when they were taken by a mysterious, shadowy force. The sole survivors, played by B-list actors, include Hayden Christenson, Thandie Newton and John Leguizamo, and they struggle to stay alive in the light of a generator in a tavern. The concept is spooky at times as they must stay in the light or they risk being taken as well, but there is little (if any) explanation that might help make sense of the situation, and, as usual, there are some very stupid actions taken by some of the characters. GRADE------C
Top candidate for worst film of 2011 is the recently opened and closed this week ELEKTRA LUXX, which should do absolutely nothing for the careers of Carla Gugino, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and in a cameo, Julianne Moore ( playing the Virgin Mary!!!!????!!!!), though I don't think her career will suffer too much. It was nice to see the spark that Kathleen Quinlan gave her small role, but otherwise, this film is the first major release in a long, long time that put me to sleep in the middle. Who did the producers think was going to come watch this ponderous film about a pregnant porn star who is trying to go "straight," -??!!??-- even with the naughty bits peppered throughout, the film becomes a talk-a-thon bore. Thank God it was a free screening for me or I might have stormed the box office for my money back. GRADE--------D-
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DVD Choices------
Top pick for any week would be a film I haven't seen for at least 10 years---TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948)---the film won Oscars for John Huston's direction and writing, and his father Walter Huston won best supporting actor. The film is just about perfect--well written and produced, with drama and humor and adventure mixed to excellent result. If you have not seen it yet or lately, don't wait. John Huston appears as an American tourist in white in the beginning, loaning money to the desperate Humphrey Bogart, and a very young Robert Blake (Baretta on TV) sells lottery tickets in the film, which features the very unhealthy effects of the gold rush on seemingly honest prospectors. One of my favorite lines is uttered by the head of the banditos who are trying to steal weapons and horses and food from the prospectors-- "Badges?!? Badges?!? I don't have any badges!!!!! I don't need any stinkin' badges!!!!!"----at which point the bullets start flying!!!!! GRADE---------A
A murky, confusing but atmospheric film noir/murder mystery, DEADLINE AT DAWN (1946) has dance hall girl Susan Hayward trying to clear the name of a naive sailor (who also likes to pass out when he drinks) from a murder he can't remember committing. Clifford Odets wrote the screenplay, which emphasises the humanity of the guilty parties. Paul Lucas is a sympathetic taxi driver who shuttles the characters all over town in search of clues, and Bill Williams is charming as the sailor. GRADE--------B-
A pick from the library, and definitely slumming it, THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT (1977) is based on the best seller by Sidney Sheldon, whose biography I recently read. The film is an out of the gate potboiler, with lot's of cliches and lurid sexual situations--some surprisingly explicit for a film made in the seventies. In spite of an energetic performance by Susan Sarandon, and the go for broke presence of the beautiful Marie-France Pisier, who both of whom had to do and say some of the most embarrassing and ludicrous things (some involving nudity and sex), the film drags, and seems to go on forever (it is a butt-busting 166 minutes, but seems twice that at times.) The production values, which at times seem lush, were obviously out of sync with the period (the hair and makeup and costumes often seemed from the 70's instead of 40's when most of the film is set). Still many locations were beautiful. GRADE------D+
THE OTHER SIDE OF ME is the biography of Sidney Sheldon who won a writing Oscar (for THE BACHELOR AND THE BOBBIE SOX) and created several popular TV shows (including I DREAM OF JEANNIE and THE PATTY DUKE SHOW and HART TO HART) and then later in life became a world wide best selling author. He struggled with depression and was diagnosed as manic depressive (now called bipolar) early in his career, but that may explain the incredible energy and creative outpouring that made his career so impressive. His biography is an easy read--rather compelling (page-turner) but rather superficial at times. He does not believe in telling-all. GRADE-------B
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