The Last Station, Valentine's Day, Film Noir

Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren are both nominated for acting Oscars playing Russian writer Tolstoy and his wife just before his death, but much credit must go to James McAvoy (ATONEMENT) through whose eyes the story unfolds. He is a young innocent who becomes Tolstoy's last secretary, but he also becomes a pawn in the political maneuverings over Tolstoy's estate and writings. THE LAST STATION chronicles the tension between the married couple--he wants the "people" to have his written work and money made from it---she wants the profits to stay in the family. It seemed to me an odd disagreement, with such persuasion coming from politicos outside the family, but having McAvoy trying to remain (somewhat unsuccessfully) neutral gives the film some heart. Mirren is fun to watch--she gives each scene her all, and Plummer has the more subtle role--but still very effective. This is not a great epic type film, but more personal, and fans of the actors (which also include Paul Giamatti) will find the film very satisfying.

VALENTINE'S DAY started off making me wince, as Ashton Kuscher wakes to present his girlfriend a wedding ring on this special "romantic" day, and as the nearly 2 dozen other characters are introduced I thought to myself, OH NO this is going to be treacly. Because there are so many characters, you never have a chance to invest much empathy in anyone in particular, and soon the plotting just moves you onto the next relationship and the next and so on. It is good that the writers of this mishmash at least present some cynical and unsuccessful trysts so as not to poison us with sweetness. By the end we are mildly entertained because some secrets have been revealed, some relationships have failed and several twists have given us a laugh or a sigh of relief. The large and mostly talented cast including Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Alba, Jamie Foxx, Kathy Bates, et al, win us over in spite of our resistance to such schmaltz.

Watched a second time on DVD, last summers big hit THE HANGOVER remains a clever, wickedly funny adult comedy about three men who wake up after a Las Vegas bachelor party and can't remember a thing about the night before, and must become detectives to find the answer to several riddles: Where is the groom???? Why does the dentist have a tooth missing???? How did a tiger get into their bathroom??? What is a baby doing in the closet????
Why is a stripper wearing the dentist's antique wedding ring???? Well, the answers to these and other questions provide plenty of laughs.

SIFF Cinema features a yearly week of fantastic Film Noir on the big screen, and as usual these films are mostly rarely seen and not yet available on DVD. First up was PITFALL (1948) with suburbanite Dick Powell casually falling into an affair with struggling model Lizabeth Scott, which ends up threatening his marriage to the stalwart Jane Wyatt and his boring life, because two other men-- one deranged and the other incarcerated, also want Ms Scott. The second film on the program (all double-billed!) was LARCENY (1948) with John Payne and Dan Duryea as con men intent on cheating a war widow out of money directed to building a home for wayward boys. The best thing about the film is the young and very voluptuous Shelley Winters who plays the bombshell "girlfriend" to both con men--she throws out the one line zingers with zesty gusto and a playful sexuality that is rarely seen these days.

The next day I watched CRY DANGER (1951), again with Dick Powell, as a man just released from prison for a robbery he didn't commit, so he tries to find out who indeed has the missing money (100g's--a grand amount in those days...) and he's helped (!?!) by the wife (Rhonda Fleming) of his best friend still serving time. Best of the four was THE MOB (1951) with a hard boiled Broderick Crawford as an undercover cop on the trail of the boss of some waterfront racketeers. All four films were written by scripter William Bowers, who has a way with the double-entendre and witty comebacks, and all feature the typical film noir style--crisp black and white photography, shadowy locations and foreboding, hard edged down on luck characters, and themes of lust, larceny and murder. Hopefully with these films being restored so well, they will soon be available on DVD and/or appear soon on TCM.

TOP FILMS OF 2009--updated 3/1/10

1. PRECIOUS--Nothing this year cut so deep, had so much raw tension and intensity, and yet became, in a strange way, a feel good movie. Six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress and Screenplay.*Please see my earlier PRECIOUS blog for more comments.*

2. A SERIOUS MAN--Takes Jewish angst to new and hilariously "everyman" heights. Now nominated for Best Picture and Screenplay Oscars. *See earlier A SERIOUS MAN blog for more comments.*

3. CHERRY BLOSSOMS--A smash hit during the 2008 Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) session where it won best picture, this German/Japanese film by director Doris Dorrie played a short run earlier this year in Seattle. An aging couple with preoccupied adult children scattered around the world decide to visit them all with the final destination being Tokyo where their furthest flung son now lives. Of course, things don't go according to an ideal plan, but this moving film shows us how even in disappointment and tragedy and loneliness, life has many pleasures to offer us. A beautiful celebration of life.

4. SUMMER HOURS, a French film about the emotional and intellectual impact of executing the estate of a loved one.

5. DEPARTURES, a Japanese film about a young man who becomes a preparer of dead bodies, much to his shame and ultimate satisfaction in helping the living appreciate life--the preceding three films very happy and sad at the same time--watch these with a box of Kleenex handy. Please see March 1 blog for more info on SUMMER HOURS and DEPARTURES.

6. THE COVE--One of the best documentaries shown at the SIFF this year, this film plays like a very intense, very serious MISSION IMPOSSIBLE episode, but with a very powerful political agenda. A diverse group of skin-divers, camera men, advocates and politicos attempt to expose the wasteful and cruel slaughter of innocent dolphins in THE COVE in Japan--a world wide scandal being suppressed by the Japanese government with the cooperation of other nations. A very empowering film, and hopefully now that it has a well deserved Oscar nomination for best Documentary Film, this issue will receive greater world wide attention.

7. INGLORIOUS BASTERDS--Filled with many fine intense scenes that keep building to something--you don't know what is going to happen, or how it is going to happen, but the dread and suspense keep coming, and keep you riveted, and satisfy you, finally, with horrible violence or a shocking moment or a big laugh. Director/writer Quentin Tarintino's best film yet. This totally creative "anti-Nazi fantasy film" has been nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor and Original Screenplay.

8. UP--Creative, delightful and emotionally textured 3-D (although non-3-D is just as good) animated film from Disney and Pixar, this lovely, wacky gem has been nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Animated Picture, Screenplay, and for the likable musical score.

9. THE HANGOVER--Crude, lewd, and very funny, this adult comedy has the best laughs of the year, along with a wacky plot that unfolds like a murder mystery: What exactly, did happened last night?--with each revelation weirder than the last. What!!!!--no Oscar Nominations??!!???

10. A SINGLE MAN--Now nominated for Best Actor (Colin Firth), a moving and thoughtful "day in the life of" film with a lot of style and intrigue. *Please see my recent earlier blog of A SINGLE MAN for more info.*

11. BRIGHT STAR--A sensitive, subtle story of the unrealised and tragic love affair between poet John Keats and a neighbor woman, beautifully acted and filmed.

12. INVICTUS--Nominated for Best Actor (Morgan Freeman) and Best Supporting Actor (Matt Damon), this is an engrossing "based on true events" story by director Clint Eastwood. *See earlier blog of INVICTUS for more info.*

13. AVATAR--An unofficial remake of DANCES WITH WOLVES, except now set on another planet and featuring blue creatures instead of the Red man. The film impresses with thoughtful and wondrous special effects, and excellent technical achievements. Nominated for 9 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and 7 technical nominations. *See earlier AVATAR blog for more comments.*

14. BRONSON--Played at SIFF this year, but yet to open in Seattle, this is a stylish, actor driven, fascinating film based on a real life habitual criminal in Great Britain who has spent most of his adult life behind bars for various violent crimes including murder. Lead actor Tom Hardy is stunning. Watch for this film to play (probably briefly) this year.

15. UP IN THE AIR--Nominated for 6 Oscars included Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress X2 and Best Screenplay. *See previous UP IN THE AIR blog for more comments.*

16. EVERY LITTLE STEP--A suspenseful and entertaining documentary about the recent casting experience for a new Broadway version of A CHORUS LINE. It plays like an adult version of AMERICAN IDOL with drama, tears, twists, music and dancing.

17. DISTRICT 9--A sensational and lurid science-fiction film with many blood splattered moments, laughs, thrills and haunting themes including racism, prejudice, discrimination and political abuse. Nominated for 4 Academy Awards, including Best Picture(!?!), Adapted Screenplay and Best Visual Effects.

18. AN EDUCATION--Now nominated for 3 Oscars, including Best Picture, Screenplay and Actress (Carey Mullingan). *See previous AN EDUCATION blog for more comments.*

19. 500 DAYS OF SUMMER--A wacky, funny, quirky romantic comedy, it's a lot of fun to watch.

20. THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX--Now nominated for 2 Oscars--Best Animated Feature Film, and best Original Score. *See previous THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX blog for more comments.*

21. CORALINE--Based on a twisted Neil Gaimen "children's novel," this also makes for clever and witty adult entertainment. Nominated for 1 Oscar--Best Animated Feature Film.

22. MOON--A low budget wonder, this deceptively simple science-fiction film has one set (a moon digging operation) and one actor (a very good Sam Rockwell) but manages to cast a haunting and disturbing spell when a second character appears

23. HURT LOCKER--There's excruciating tension created by strong direction and acting, but where's the plot and the point? Nominated for 9 Oscars including Best Picture, Actor and Director.

24. --32.--ADVENTURELAND, AWAY WE GO, YOUNG VICTORIA, NICK AND NORA'S INFINITE PLAY LIST, I LOVE YOU MAN, TAKING WOODSTOCK, IN THE LOOP, STAR TREK, LITTLE ASHES.

Also loved Oscar nominated Jeff Bridges in CRAZY HEART, the Oscar Nominated set direction and costumes in SHERLOCK HOLMES and NINE, Oscar nominee for Animated Feature The PRINCESS and the FROG, the docu Oscar nominated FOOD INC and possibly more TBA.
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worst films.......Lovely Bones, Observe and Report, Bride Wars, Cold Souls and G-Force.

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