There's starting to be a deluge of movie openings, and already I'm behind, but I'll do my best to get caught up on the end of the year. Here's whats been seen this past week.
Alexander Payne's last film was the superb SIDEWAYS (2005), and his new film, although quite different, does not disappoint. George Clooney stars in THE DESCENDANTS, and he really has a full plate of emotional issues to deal with, including being the executor of the family estate--a huge chunk of prime undeveloped land in Kauai must be sold or developed or something with in the next 7 years, and he must steer the large family descendants through decisions and legal choices. Also on his plate are two surly, angry daughters that he doesn't quite know how to deal with, and a wife who now lies comatose in a hospital bed due to a boating injury. Plus he has just found out that she was cheating on him. Well, his life is a mess, and it is fair to say that Clooney plays it subtly straight. In fact, the only bits of humor come from well meaning people saying something ghoulish about his dying wife, and the presence of his older daughter's stoner boy friend. Thank God for that, because otherwise we'd be leaving the theatre in an overwhelming state of depression. But the film is very smart in combining the tragedy with the humor, and there are many excellent scenes that get to the truth of each situation. GRADE-------A-
A film about baseball doesn't normally make my heart skip a beat, and a film about the finances of baseball was not high on my list of things to see, so maybe it was with low expectations that I saw MONEYBALL and found myself quite fascinated by the politics and maneuverings that make up the Oakland A's (true story) team in the 1990's. Brad Pitt gives an excellent understated performance as the general manager who succeeds in turning around the team with perhaps the smallest about of money to work with in the whole American and National leagues combined. This David vs Goliath story may not have the emotional punch as some sports stories--indeed, players were traded so casually and inconsequentially in some cases that the viewer grows quite numb to the notion--but the film is skillfully directed by Bennett Miller and acted by Pitt, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jonah Hill (who provides a lot of deadpan humor) that it is a pleasure to watch. GRADE------------------B+
The always dependable Clint Eastwood has directed an engaging biographical picture that has a lot of engrossing details about that old rascal J. EDGAR Hoover, head of the FBI since it's inception (as the Bureau of Investigation) in the 1920's until his death in 1972. The film covers the controversies about his secret files on famous people he didn't like, his obsessions against communism and anti-patriotism, and his struggles to form a data base for fingerprints, and to reform the science of criminology. It also shows his efforts to find the kidnapper of the Lindbergh baby, and his crusade to stop infamous criminals during prohibition and later. It also dispels some events that Hoover built up about himself. Some well known actors have portrayed Hoover in the past, including Broderick Crawford, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Warden, Treat Williams, Bob Hoskins, and Kelsey Grammer, but I think perhaps the most effective is the excellent turn by Leonardo DiCaprio in J. EDGAR. Unfortunately the film jumps back and forth between 3-4 time periods with what I feel was unnecessary energy, sometimes destroying whatever emotional truths that were being developed. The film also insinuates strongly that Hoover had--if not an explicit physical relationship--a strong emotional relationship/dependency on his assistant Clyde Tolson. In fact, the emotional center of the film rests solely on this homosexual relationship that seemed to last for nearly 50 years. In some ways, it is the strongest cinematic portrayal of gay love since BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN(2005). GRADE--------------B+
With amazing art and set designs, beautiful musical score, strong fluid cinematography and direction, and charmingly memorable characters (and actors, especially Sacha Baron Cohen), the new film HUGO by Martin Scorsese is always a pleasure to watch. But what bothered me about this one was the script, which at times seemed cloying and inconsistently paced. At later times I also felt like I was being lectured to about the greatness and importance of Georges Melies, one of the early great directors of fantasy (and special effects) films who filmed over 500 movies--most are lost today. Centering the point of view and story on a child, 10 year old HUGO, brings the expectation of a family film full of lyrical fantasy. This is really a charming, leisurely adult film, and I doubt most children except for older and more mature kids, will find much to please them. GRADE----------B
DVD Choices below......
I haven't seen it since 1977, but the film NETWORK (1976) has stuck so strongly in my mind that I anticipated every scene (and much of the dialogue) on this fairly new Blu-Ray dvd. The script by Paddy Chayefsky still crackles with wit, shock, sarcasm and truth, and unfortunately, nothing has changed much in network television. The actors have never been better---Oscar wins for Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, Beatrice Straight and Chayefsky were well deserved, and William Holden, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty and director Sidney Lumet were all working at their prime. This is a contender for one of the best films of all time. (Oddly, it lost best picture that year to...........ROCKY!?!) GRADE--------A
Say what you will about the silly slapstick comedy IT'S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD (1963) but it is nonetheless a funny film if you are in the mood, and I think I watch it once every 5 years or so. This time I was especially impressed with Jonathon Winters as the bear of a man who can only handle conflict by knocking down a building or person.....the brassiness of Ethel Merman, who managed to keep a straight face while being insulted by nearly every other actor on the set.....the toothy Britishness of Terry-Thomas, who I used to think was boring......the absent mindedness of Paul Ford (see the cut scenes for even more laughs) who managed to get tangled in the microphone wires while trying to talk down a civilian in a pilot less airplane.....Jim Backus as the sleepy, drunk rich man.....and Jimmy Durante who kicks the bucket like nobody's business. GRADE---------B
I had recently seen Howard Hawk's classic western RED RIVER (1948) in the last couple years, and my reaction this time was---why is it so honored? The plot seemed to be a hoary collection of cliches-----John Wayne and his group leave the wagon train just hours before the rest are attacked by Indians, leaving behind his true love to be slaughtered. Later they come across a wandering (?) wagon train of what--circus performance, women, misfits---just as they are being attached by Indians. Wayne's mother's bracelet gets passed around a lot. Wayne acts cranky and severe, and the film echos MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY as his "adopted son" Montgomery Clift seizes control to prevent total mutiny. Then Wayne declares that he will kill Clift when he catches up to him. Who is he kidding, since they have declared their love for one another several times, and this has been noted by most of the other characters in the wagon train. And crusty Walter Brennan is Wayne's right hand man and cook, who gets to toss off the best lines through-out the film. I guess it's great because it is so damned entertaining in spite of the cliches. GRADE-----B
Preston Sturges THE LADY EVE (1941) has one of the best first halves of any comedy. Straight laced Henry Fonda falls for card-shark Barbara Stanwyck on a cruise from South America back to New York, and after a witty couple of days they fall deeply in love, but holding back her secret shady past (as a gambler) causes a misunderstanding, and they fight and separate. This is handled so very well with clever lines and humor, that when they do separate, it hurts us just as deeply. The second half has Stanwyck pretending to be British royalty to seduce and abandon Fonda in an illogical revenge scheme. It is all very entertaining and the leads are effortlessly charming. GRADE----------B
The year 1939 was a great year for films (WIZARD OF OZ, GWTW, GOODBYE MR CHIPS etc) but MADE FOR EACH OTHER is a bit disappointing, mainly for the plotting. Jimmy Stewart is a struggling lawyer and Carole Lombard is his just married spouse. They live in a small New York apartment with mother-in-law and new baby and pay cuts, etc., and the first half is comic and sensible. Then, on New Year's Eve the baby comes down with pneumonia and the only serum available is in Salt Lake City--which is being hit by a severe blizzard. Can the plane make it? Things really fall apart here with forced drama and hokey suspense. GRADE-------B-
I was hoping that the film THE BETSY (1978) based on the trashy novel by Harold Robbins would be good smutty fun. Instead it is laborious soap opera with a lurid sub-plot involving patriarch Lawrence Olivier (hamming it up in a fun way) sleeping with several women including his daughter-in-law (Katharine Ross) over the course of several years, all the while trying to build a new eco-logical car named after his granddaughter, Betsy, who likes to get naked with the young racer (Tommy Lee Jones) who also gets it on with the company boss'(Robert Duvall) mistress Lesley-Anne Down. Yes, it is all rather sordid and not terribly interesting, except for the fact that back in the 1970's the idea of a good car using very little gas was just as threatening to the big car makers as it still is today. GRADE-------C
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Surprisingly Sweet THE BIG YEAR, a Likeable but flawed LIKE CRAZY, REVENGE OF ELECTRIC CAR, plus THE MESSENGER, I'LL SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD, etc
Perhaps my expectations were low, but I was really impressed by a little comedy called THE BIG YEAR, which has trailers that make it out to be a silly, minor, slap-stick comedy. It is rather low key, but there is an appealing sweetness to the film that pits several very likable characters against each other as they each try to have a BIG YEAR--in terms of bird-watching that is a calender year where each participant tries to spot as many different species of birds as they can, and it is all on the honor system. Either they record what they've seen on paper or on film (camera) and then report it to the bird society at the end of the year. This is based on a true story, starting with a previous winner Owen Wilson, who sets out to break his own record, and slowly introduces a wealthy executive (Steve Martin) and a struggling working-stiff (Jack Black) and how their efforts keep them in contact with each other. It's an intriguing, charming, off-beat film, and especially for bird watchers, indispensable. GRADE---------B+
The small independent, intimate film LIKE CRAZY is one of those miracles, where everything really jells to a lovable, charming effort, with fine actors, especially the two (relatively unknown) leads. It tells a simple story of a long distance romance--he's from Los Angeles, she's studying there from London. There were 4 important lessons I took from this film. Number 1.) is NEVER EVER mess with your traveling VISA--if you do it will come back to bite you in the butt for many years. 2.) NEVER EVER get involved in a long distance romance--it nearly always turns into a miserable experience for both parties. 3.) Having and using a cell phone/text during a relationship is NEVER a good idea, especially if you are involved with someone else and have the carelessness to leave it lying around. 4.) And no matter how good your movie is, directors, if you insist on using aggressive, unnecessary hand-held camera work, many people, like myself, will be thrown right out of the drama by the distracting, swirling action of the camera. I want very much to give this film a much higher grade. Instead, it gets a minimal thumbs up. GRADE------B-
I loved the film from several years ago called WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? (2006), which documented how in the previous 10 years electric cars had intrigued and dazzled the environmentally concerned consumers, who gobbled them up as fast as they were (slowly) manufactured, but then big oil and big car companies literally picked them up and physically destroyed them--it was an outrageous situation. Now, 5 years later they are making a comeback, but of course with the approval of the big car companies, because of even greater demand and because of the damning environmental issues that are forcing that. The sequel film REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR is interesting in showing why this is happening, and it follows several companies in their efforts to produce these new energy saving vehicles--some independents as well as big companies. Unfortunately, the outrage is gone and the film is merely informative rather than incitive--rather like a giant commercial for electric cars. GRADE--------B-
________________
DVD Choices for this week include:
I missed THE MESSENGER (2009) when it first came out, mainly due to what I thought would be depressing subject matter. The film follows two Army men who work for the Casualty Notification service--they must quickly notify the next-of-kin that their son/daughter/husband/wife/etc soldier has been killed in service in Iraq or Afghanistan, and the reactions to such news are indeed heartbreaking. Woody Harrelson plays the older officer who is trying to train the younger newcomer (Ben Foster) the ropes, and the film does branch off as the younger one forms an ill advised relationship with one widow. It is a very powerful film, and the two flawed men who must preform this task slowly become humanized and unglued during their service. Very memorable. GRADE--------B+
I'LL SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD (2004) is a curious, moody gangster film starring Clive Owen, Charlotte Rampling, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Malcolm McDowell. The film follows Owen (an ex-gangster) as he searches for the reasons his younger brother seemingly committed suicide. It is engrossing and watchable, although I had some trouble with the (unusual) reasoning for the suicide, and also with the May/December ex-romance between Owens and Rampling (18 years age difference)--at first I thought she was his mother. I know, I know, that is an ageist thing to say, since older men date and wed much younger women all the time. Given the milieu, however, those two issues just didn't ring true for me. GRADE------B
Several months ago I read several biographies of Katherine Hepburn, and I remembered that late in her career she toured the country with a play by Ernest (ON GOLDEN POND) Thompson called THE WEST SIDE WALTZ (1995) which I believe was filmed for TV. This version stars Shirley Maclaine, Liza Minnelli, Kathy Bates, Jennifer Grey, Robert Pastorelli, and several other stalwarts of stage and screen. It is a sentimental story, for sure, but the actors give it their best shot, and I was fitfully amused at how fine these actors all were. GRADE-------B
I vaguely remember the film from 1984 with Bill Murray as the nearly catatonic hero which was a remake of THE RAZOR'S EDGE (1946)--this is tough material for anyone to make cinematically, since it concerns moral and philosophical growth and changes in the mind and heart of the main character, here played sternly by Tyrone Power. This earlier version is more effective, I think, because the characters and actors who portray them seemed more vivid, especially the stunning, eye-opening Oscar winning supporting turn by a young Anne Baxter, and the snootiness of Gene Tierney and the affected fey-ness of Clifton Webb. It is oddly engrossing, but you feel that it doesn't really capture what made the novel so "classic." GRADE---------B-
The small independent, intimate film LIKE CRAZY is one of those miracles, where everything really jells to a lovable, charming effort, with fine actors, especially the two (relatively unknown) leads. It tells a simple story of a long distance romance--he's from Los Angeles, she's studying there from London. There were 4 important lessons I took from this film. Number 1.) is NEVER EVER mess with your traveling VISA--if you do it will come back to bite you in the butt for many years. 2.) NEVER EVER get involved in a long distance romance--it nearly always turns into a miserable experience for both parties. 3.) Having and using a cell phone/text during a relationship is NEVER a good idea, especially if you are involved with someone else and have the carelessness to leave it lying around. 4.) And no matter how good your movie is, directors, if you insist on using aggressive, unnecessary hand-held camera work, many people, like myself, will be thrown right out of the drama by the distracting, swirling action of the camera. I want very much to give this film a much higher grade. Instead, it gets a minimal thumbs up. GRADE------B-
I loved the film from several years ago called WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? (2006), which documented how in the previous 10 years electric cars had intrigued and dazzled the environmentally concerned consumers, who gobbled them up as fast as they were (slowly) manufactured, but then big oil and big car companies literally picked them up and physically destroyed them--it was an outrageous situation. Now, 5 years later they are making a comeback, but of course with the approval of the big car companies, because of even greater demand and because of the damning environmental issues that are forcing that. The sequel film REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR is interesting in showing why this is happening, and it follows several companies in their efforts to produce these new energy saving vehicles--some independents as well as big companies. Unfortunately, the outrage is gone and the film is merely informative rather than incitive--rather like a giant commercial for electric cars. GRADE--------B-
________________
DVD Choices for this week include:
I missed THE MESSENGER (2009) when it first came out, mainly due to what I thought would be depressing subject matter. The film follows two Army men who work for the Casualty Notification service--they must quickly notify the next-of-kin that their son/daughter/husband/wife/etc soldier has been killed in service in Iraq or Afghanistan, and the reactions to such news are indeed heartbreaking. Woody Harrelson plays the older officer who is trying to train the younger newcomer (Ben Foster) the ropes, and the film does branch off as the younger one forms an ill advised relationship with one widow. It is a very powerful film, and the two flawed men who must preform this task slowly become humanized and unglued during their service. Very memorable. GRADE--------B+
I'LL SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD (2004) is a curious, moody gangster film starring Clive Owen, Charlotte Rampling, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Malcolm McDowell. The film follows Owen (an ex-gangster) as he searches for the reasons his younger brother seemingly committed suicide. It is engrossing and watchable, although I had some trouble with the (unusual) reasoning for the suicide, and also with the May/December ex-romance between Owens and Rampling (18 years age difference)--at first I thought she was his mother. I know, I know, that is an ageist thing to say, since older men date and wed much younger women all the time. Given the milieu, however, those two issues just didn't ring true for me. GRADE------B
Several months ago I read several biographies of Katherine Hepburn, and I remembered that late in her career she toured the country with a play by Ernest (ON GOLDEN POND) Thompson called THE WEST SIDE WALTZ (1995) which I believe was filmed for TV. This version stars Shirley Maclaine, Liza Minnelli, Kathy Bates, Jennifer Grey, Robert Pastorelli, and several other stalwarts of stage and screen. It is a sentimental story, for sure, but the actors give it their best shot, and I was fitfully amused at how fine these actors all were. GRADE-------B
I vaguely remember the film from 1984 with Bill Murray as the nearly catatonic hero which was a remake of THE RAZOR'S EDGE (1946)--this is tough material for anyone to make cinematically, since it concerns moral and philosophical growth and changes in the mind and heart of the main character, here played sternly by Tyrone Power. This earlier version is more effective, I think, because the characters and actors who portray them seemed more vivid, especially the stunning, eye-opening Oscar winning supporting turn by a young Anne Baxter, and the snootiness of Gene Tierney and the affected fey-ness of Clifton Webb. It is oddly engrossing, but you feel that it doesn't really capture what made the novel so "classic." GRADE---------B-
Friday, November 4, 2011
TOWER HEIST, 3 (THREE), BEING ELMO:PUPPETEER'S JOURNEY...
New this week is TOWER HEIST--a populist type comedy that fits right in with our 99% VS 1% angst during this economic depression era. The simple premise occurs when a rich, arrogant "money-manager" who lives in a high rise mansion is accused of stealing the pension plan of the workers there who's job it is to pamper him and other rich condo owners. With nothing to lose, many of them band together to plan an elaborate robbery of his hidden $20 million in cash that the FBI can't seem to find. The players are all in fine form, especially Eddie Murphy as the one "professional" thief (but don't call him that to his face!) amongst the bunch, and Tea Leoni as the growling FBI agent on the case, and Gabourey Sidibe (from PRECIOUS) who nails her Caribbean accent and the best lines as the maid with a higher skill set than most would imagine. Unfortunately, by the end, the logic and plot holes bring us down to earth in a hurry, but it is a funny, clever, entertaining ride getting there. GRADE--------B
Germany's strongest writer director Tom Tykwer has had a very creative if bumpy career, but I've enjoyed watching his progression which started so brilliantly with WINTER SLEEPERS in 1997, and includes the international hit RUN LOLA RUN (1998), PRINCESS and the WARRIOR (2000), HEAVEN (2002), PERFUME: STORY OF A MURDERER (2006) and THE INTERNATIONAL (2009). Most of his films have a grand, exotic visual style, sometimes complete with camera tricks, special effects and swooping camera angles. His newest film opens today in Seattle, and titled "3"--it's an intriguing, more personal love story, of sorts, between a married couple, and how they manage to each become involved with a worldly scientific man, unbeknownst to each other. The themes of love, bisexuality, infidelity, intellectualism, and death seem to be juggled with almost a light-hearted approach--it keeps this drama as surprising as Tykwer's career has been to date. GRADE-----------B+
The formally titled BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER'S JOURNEY is a documentary chronicling the discovery and rise to power of Kevin Clash who created Elmo for Jim Hensen in the early 1980's when he came to work as a young puppeteer from Baltimore. Elmo quickly became one of the most beloved puppets on the show, and Clash is now a major player for the company. Narrated by Whoppi Goldberg, the film, geared more for adults and mature older children, shows the behind the scenes politics, creative forces and puts a human face on all aspects of the Muppets and Sesame Street. GRADE-------B
_______________________________________________________
DVD CHOICES for the week included a couple of classics.
I hadn't watched THE HOURS (2002) since it first came out, but I felt like every scene has been seared into my mind the first time---I remembered so much of it watching it the second time. It is a demanding, smart story of three different women from different time periods, whose life's seem to be intertwined. The film starts with the suicide of writer Virginia Woolf played by Oscar winner Nichole Kidman(so you know it's going to be heavy going), then backtracks to show how she got there. The second woman is a 1950's housewife (the luminous Julianne Moore)who seems to be on the verge of a mental breakdown--she can't bake a simple cake for her husband's birthday and seems to terrify her young son with her intense and odd behavior. She is reading Woolf's novel "Mrs. Dalloway." The third woman (Meryl Streep) is from a contemporary time and is throwing a party for a dying friend, much like Mrs. Dalloway in the book, and the film takes place all in one day, but cuts back and forth between the characters as they deal with spouses, friends, relatives, death, sanity and choices. The biggest theme is the relentless and memorable piano score from the great Philip Glass. It was interesting to me this time to realize that each woman kisses with great passion a character that is not their spouse/loved one, as if to find something meaningful in a secondary relationship. In two cases it is another woman, in one case a gay man dying of AIDS. All three kisses seemed inappropriate, yet struck me as quite movingly profound. An intense, memorable experience even 10 years later. GRADE---------A
Based on the novel by Herman Melville, the intelligent and thoughtful film BILLY BUDD (1962) was directed and co-written by Peter Ustinov who also subtly plays a key role in the film which has a theme of good VS evil. Robert Ryan is the evil quarter-master who is hated by all the crew men except the innocent Billy Budd, played by newcomer Terrance Stamp--his first film. An engrossing and fascinating tragedy played out on the high seas. GRADE----------B+
Recently rediscovered and released by Criterion, NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH (1940) shares some similar themes as the earlier (and superior) Alfred Hitchcock thriller THE LADY VANISHES (1939)--but has many pleasures to recommend it. VANISHES writer Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat also wrote MUNICH, and it is set in Europe during World War II, as Hitler is sweeping through. A Czech scientist and his daughter are caught by the Nazi's and are being forced to cooperate with Germany, and a debonair British undercover agent (Rex Harrison) comes after them to try to smuggle them out of Germany. It has the same type of miniature set pieces that don't look very realistic (especially the ski-lodge and the factory) and it features the same two veddy British men for comic relief that feature in VANISHES (the traveling underwear salesmen, but in MUNICH they are naive tourist in Germany). It all mounts to a smooth, clever, funny, exciting story. GRADE-------B
I recently read an unflattering book called BETTE DAVIS: A BIOGRAPHY by Barbara Leaming--not that I blame Leaming for the unpleasantness described. From all reports, Bette was a piece of work, demanding, argumentative, disruptive, willful and manipulative. She was also verbally and physically abused by several husbands, although it sounds like she could dish it right back. Still, I've always admired her work. She comes across as a strong, smart, no nonsense character in many of her films, and DECEPTION (1946) is no exception. She is perhaps slightly miscast as the love object of two handsome powerful men (she was nearly 40 when she played this role and was herself insecure about the part) but the melodrama works well. When she drops her famous composer lover (Claude Rains) to suddenly marry her love from before the war (Paul Henreid, who plays the evil Nazi in the above NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH)--she tries to deceive both to placate her jealous husband and the spurned Rains, who steals all of his scenes, a difficult task when Bette Davis is in her prime. It's an engrossing film noir, with a terrific, iconic townhouse apartment that is itself fascinating, with soaring ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, shadows that cut diagonally, and odd shaped rooms and crannies. If DECEPTION is not one of her best, it is still very fascinating. GRADE-----B
In her last film, Lucille Ball plays the title character MAME (1974) and there are moments when it looks like she may die before the end of the scene. She's looks awfully tired throughout. Bea Arthur has a couple of moments, but seems wasted in an underdeveloped role. There were actually a couple of songs that I recognized and slightly enjoyed--"We Need a Little Christmas" and the title song "Mame" and one other which I've forgotten. Unfortunately this is not an undiscovered gem and it was torturous to watch all 131 minutes. GRADE-------D+
Germany's strongest writer director Tom Tykwer has had a very creative if bumpy career, but I've enjoyed watching his progression which started so brilliantly with WINTER SLEEPERS in 1997, and includes the international hit RUN LOLA RUN (1998), PRINCESS and the WARRIOR (2000), HEAVEN (2002), PERFUME: STORY OF A MURDERER (2006) and THE INTERNATIONAL (2009). Most of his films have a grand, exotic visual style, sometimes complete with camera tricks, special effects and swooping camera angles. His newest film opens today in Seattle, and titled "3"--it's an intriguing, more personal love story, of sorts, between a married couple, and how they manage to each become involved with a worldly scientific man, unbeknownst to each other. The themes of love, bisexuality, infidelity, intellectualism, and death seem to be juggled with almost a light-hearted approach--it keeps this drama as surprising as Tykwer's career has been to date. GRADE-----------B+
The formally titled BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER'S JOURNEY is a documentary chronicling the discovery and rise to power of Kevin Clash who created Elmo for Jim Hensen in the early 1980's when he came to work as a young puppeteer from Baltimore. Elmo quickly became one of the most beloved puppets on the show, and Clash is now a major player for the company. Narrated by Whoppi Goldberg, the film, geared more for adults and mature older children, shows the behind the scenes politics, creative forces and puts a human face on all aspects of the Muppets and Sesame Street. GRADE-------B
_______________________________________________________
DVD CHOICES for the week included a couple of classics.
I hadn't watched THE HOURS (2002) since it first came out, but I felt like every scene has been seared into my mind the first time---I remembered so much of it watching it the second time. It is a demanding, smart story of three different women from different time periods, whose life's seem to be intertwined. The film starts with the suicide of writer Virginia Woolf played by Oscar winner Nichole Kidman(so you know it's going to be heavy going), then backtracks to show how she got there. The second woman is a 1950's housewife (the luminous Julianne Moore)who seems to be on the verge of a mental breakdown--she can't bake a simple cake for her husband's birthday and seems to terrify her young son with her intense and odd behavior. She is reading Woolf's novel "Mrs. Dalloway." The third woman (Meryl Streep) is from a contemporary time and is throwing a party for a dying friend, much like Mrs. Dalloway in the book, and the film takes place all in one day, but cuts back and forth between the characters as they deal with spouses, friends, relatives, death, sanity and choices. The biggest theme is the relentless and memorable piano score from the great Philip Glass. It was interesting to me this time to realize that each woman kisses with great passion a character that is not their spouse/loved one, as if to find something meaningful in a secondary relationship. In two cases it is another woman, in one case a gay man dying of AIDS. All three kisses seemed inappropriate, yet struck me as quite movingly profound. An intense, memorable experience even 10 years later. GRADE---------A
Based on the novel by Herman Melville, the intelligent and thoughtful film BILLY BUDD (1962) was directed and co-written by Peter Ustinov who also subtly plays a key role in the film which has a theme of good VS evil. Robert Ryan is the evil quarter-master who is hated by all the crew men except the innocent Billy Budd, played by newcomer Terrance Stamp--his first film. An engrossing and fascinating tragedy played out on the high seas. GRADE----------B+
Recently rediscovered and released by Criterion, NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH (1940) shares some similar themes as the earlier (and superior) Alfred Hitchcock thriller THE LADY VANISHES (1939)--but has many pleasures to recommend it. VANISHES writer Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat also wrote MUNICH, and it is set in Europe during World War II, as Hitler is sweeping through. A Czech scientist and his daughter are caught by the Nazi's and are being forced to cooperate with Germany, and a debonair British undercover agent (Rex Harrison) comes after them to try to smuggle them out of Germany. It has the same type of miniature set pieces that don't look very realistic (especially the ski-lodge and the factory) and it features the same two veddy British men for comic relief that feature in VANISHES (the traveling underwear salesmen, but in MUNICH they are naive tourist in Germany). It all mounts to a smooth, clever, funny, exciting story. GRADE-------B
I recently read an unflattering book called BETTE DAVIS: A BIOGRAPHY by Barbara Leaming--not that I blame Leaming for the unpleasantness described. From all reports, Bette was a piece of work, demanding, argumentative, disruptive, willful and manipulative. She was also verbally and physically abused by several husbands, although it sounds like she could dish it right back. Still, I've always admired her work. She comes across as a strong, smart, no nonsense character in many of her films, and DECEPTION (1946) is no exception. She is perhaps slightly miscast as the love object of two handsome powerful men (she was nearly 40 when she played this role and was herself insecure about the part) but the melodrama works well. When she drops her famous composer lover (Claude Rains) to suddenly marry her love from before the war (Paul Henreid, who plays the evil Nazi in the above NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH)--she tries to deceive both to placate her jealous husband and the spurned Rains, who steals all of his scenes, a difficult task when Bette Davis is in her prime. It's an engrossing film noir, with a terrific, iconic townhouse apartment that is itself fascinating, with soaring ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, shadows that cut diagonally, and odd shaped rooms and crannies. If DECEPTION is not one of her best, it is still very fascinating. GRADE-----B
In her last film, Lucille Ball plays the title character MAME (1974) and there are moments when it looks like she may die before the end of the scene. She's looks awfully tired throughout. Bea Arthur has a couple of moments, but seems wasted in an underdeveloped role. There were actually a couple of songs that I recognized and slightly enjoyed--"We Need a Little Christmas" and the title song "Mame" and one other which I've forgotten. Unfortunately this is not an undiscovered gem and it was torturous to watch all 131 minutes. GRADE-------D+
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