HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON is a great family film with a lot of plot, clever lines, and fascinating and amusing characters (humans and dragons.) Set on a desolate Viking island, but where most of the main adults have Scottish accents (Gerard Butler and Craig Ferguson especially--they're Scottish after all!) the story centers on a sensitive and not at all brutish child of the village's leader (Butler) who is an embarrassment to his father because of his lack of bulk and uninterest in killing dragons, which the village seems to love to do. When the son befriends a dragon and trains it to fly, lots of conflict arise. The story is so quickly paced that kids and their parents remained in rapt attention through to the end, no talking, no potty breaks, to noisy trips back to the concession counter, etc. I don't feel the film is necessary to see in 3-D--just an extra expense ($3-4 per ticket)--you might miss a few flying dragons blowing flames into your face--not worth the extra cost. GRADE--A-
Another story featuring a wimpy kid but live action is DIARY OF A WIMPY KID based on a popular young peoples novel that includes graphic design, which is also incorporated into this film. I have to admit I really enjoyed this movie--it was a delightful surprise--sort of a combination of Malcolm in the Middle and The Wonder Years, and taking the best aspects of those shows and whittling them down to a 95 minute feature. Many of the best lines of dialogue were a riot, especially for the adults in the audience. It is one of those "family" films that doesn't dumb down the action or dialogue or characters, and has a great feel for character, friendship, truth and the awkwardness of growing up. GRADE--B+
Finally, talk about dumbing down, here is an "adult" comedy that is so stupid and insulting and embarrassing to watch that it made me wince many times over. I wanted to walk out after 10 minutes, but kept waiting for it to improve, since the usually reliable John Cusack stars and produced this mess. The plot makes no sense at all. If you like racist, sexist, homophobic jokes, and if you enjoy watching grown 40 year old men acting like immature 17 year olds (complete with vulgar language, sex, beer, vomit, crude pranks, partying, etc, then HOT TUB TIME MACHINE is your movie. There were glimmers of cleverness like a running gag about how the one-armed man (Crispin Glover) really lost his arm, but they become so distasteful that by the end, you want to vomit, along with several of the insipid characters. Probably the worst P.O.S I've seen since THE LOVE GURU several years back. GRADE--D
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Girl w/the Dragon Tattoo,The Runaways, The Bounty Hunter, Alice in Wonderland
Top opening this week is a well made and acted Swedish thriller based on the international best seller THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO about a disgraced investigative news reporter who teams up with a young woman who is a great computer hacker and investigator herself, but who has a lot of past issues that become clear as the film progresses. Unlikely as it seems, they become a solid team to discover the whereabouts of the niece of a wealthy industrialist who disappeared 40 years ago--is she alive and if not, who killed her and why? They uncover a lot of nasty business, family and otherwise and realize that someone from the past may be trying to stop their future investigation. The film moves quickly and effectively between the "crime discovery" and the tattoo girl's personal issues. The film has powerful and disturbing scenes that involve nudity, torture, sexual abuse, physical mutilations, serial killings, rape and revenge, and is definitely for adult audiences only with strong stomachs. The film is presently scheduled to be remade in English by a major studio next year, so see it before it becomes Americanized. It's a shocking, startling thriller that had me riveted to my seat. (The novel has two follow up stories, and they too have been filmed in Europe, with a release scheduled later this year.) GRADE...A-
THE RUNAWAYS is a new indie film about the early 1970's all girl rock band headed by Cherie Currie and Joan Jett and is filled with energy, sex, rock and roll, drugs, nudity and drama, just what you'd expect from such a film. I especially enjoyed the look of the film: the costumes were spot on 70's, and the sets and design were all appropriate for the time period, including living rooms, seedy hotel rooms, theatres and backstage, etc. It's pretty typical bio-pic stuff at times but the subtle performances won me over--Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart are impressive as Currie and Jett, and Michael Shannon (Oscar nominated for REVOLUTIONARY ROAD last year) nearly steals the movie as their tricked out, over the top manager. This is definitely a film for those who lived during that period and/or have an interest in that time and/or have an interest in 70's music (especially women bands)--all others stay away. The preview audience I saw it with was quite divided, with two dozen or so walk outs, and I think that some girl-on-girl sex scenes may have put some of them off. As for me, I'm happy to give any film I see an extra half grade higher if it includes some quality sex and nudity. GRADE ....B-
From the first scene of THE BOUNTY HUNTER where Gerard Butler is chasing down his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston to haul her off to prison for jumping bail, you know exactly what you are getting into. This romantic-comedy-action sit-com offers little surprise, except the occasionally wasted cameos of some fine comedians such as Christine Baranski, Cathy Moriarty and Carol Kane, and a sporadically funny line or two. It's eye-candy for fans of Butler and Aniston, and they are quite pleasing in that way if that's all you need from a movie. At least it had a (somewhat) logical plot and a few mildly amusing scenes and the happy ending that is telegraphed from that very first scene. GRADE.....C+
Alas, poor ALICE IN WONDERLAND, Tim Burton's remake of the classic British story which has been filmed numerous times before. It is all there--the Mad Hatter, the Red and White Queens, the Jabberwocky, the smiling Cheshire cat, Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, etc, and the special effects are impressive at times, but this film is not worth the $14.50 being charged for the 3-D glasses--there are really no scenes where 3-D is needed or used to any spectacular effect. (So far, only AVATAR is really that impressive in 3-D.) And the story drags on (maybe it is just too familiar) without a strong point of view. It would have been more effective had the film become---political, or comic (it is sadly played very straight), or hallucinogenic, or satiric---something to give it an edge. Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter and Anne Hathaway do what they can with their roles, but the disappointment stems from the script and director. GRADE.....C-
THE RUNAWAYS is a new indie film about the early 1970's all girl rock band headed by Cherie Currie and Joan Jett and is filled with energy, sex, rock and roll, drugs, nudity and drama, just what you'd expect from such a film. I especially enjoyed the look of the film: the costumes were spot on 70's, and the sets and design were all appropriate for the time period, including living rooms, seedy hotel rooms, theatres and backstage, etc. It's pretty typical bio-pic stuff at times but the subtle performances won me over--Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart are impressive as Currie and Jett, and Michael Shannon (Oscar nominated for REVOLUTIONARY ROAD last year) nearly steals the movie as their tricked out, over the top manager. This is definitely a film for those who lived during that period and/or have an interest in that time and/or have an interest in 70's music (especially women bands)--all others stay away. The preview audience I saw it with was quite divided, with two dozen or so walk outs, and I think that some girl-on-girl sex scenes may have put some of them off. As for me, I'm happy to give any film I see an extra half grade higher if it includes some quality sex and nudity. GRADE ....B-
From the first scene of THE BOUNTY HUNTER where Gerard Butler is chasing down his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston to haul her off to prison for jumping bail, you know exactly what you are getting into. This romantic-comedy-action sit-com offers little surprise, except the occasionally wasted cameos of some fine comedians such as Christine Baranski, Cathy Moriarty and Carol Kane, and a sporadically funny line or two. It's eye-candy for fans of Butler and Aniston, and they are quite pleasing in that way if that's all you need from a movie. At least it had a (somewhat) logical plot and a few mildly amusing scenes and the happy ending that is telegraphed from that very first scene. GRADE.....C+
Alas, poor ALICE IN WONDERLAND, Tim Burton's remake of the classic British story which has been filmed numerous times before. It is all there--the Mad Hatter, the Red and White Queens, the Jabberwocky, the smiling Cheshire cat, Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, etc, and the special effects are impressive at times, but this film is not worth the $14.50 being charged for the 3-D glasses--there are really no scenes where 3-D is needed or used to any spectacular effect. (So far, only AVATAR is really that impressive in 3-D.) And the story drags on (maybe it is just too familiar) without a strong point of view. It would have been more effective had the film become---political, or comic (it is sadly played very straight), or hallucinogenic, or satiric---something to give it an edge. Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter and Anne Hathaway do what they can with their roles, but the disappointment stems from the script and director. GRADE.....C-
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
She's Out Of My League, Our Family Wedding, Film Noir
Hopefully, better films will be opening soon, but in the meantime, I've managed to see another stinker--one that I hoped would be better because the lead--America Ferrera, is the talented actress of TV's UGLY BETTY and was featured in THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS films. The film in question, OUR FAMILY WEDDING (and that's a vague and forgettable title if there ever was one) also features Forest Whitiker, Oscar winner for THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, but the story is so cliched and the jokes so belabored that I found myself wincing instead of laughing. For a film about a cross cultural/mixed race wedding (she's Hispanic, the groom is black, and the director is Japanese) there were a lot of stereotypes that kept appearing. Also, the wacky plot was totally illogical (she's quit law school to travel to Laos with her new husband who's volunteering for Doctors without Borders--how will they live?) and some scenes like a single goat nearly physically destroying the wedding (after downing a dozen Viagra!?! --don't ask) keep sabotaging the proceedings. And somehow, I just couldn't get my mind around Whitiker as the father of the groom as a "player" who's also a late night jazz DJ who keeps juggling a handful of women less than half his age. You know a film is bad when you'd want to turn the station when it plays on TV eventually.
Same day, after a lunch break during which we joked that this could be THE BAD MOVIE DAY of the year, the three of us went to see SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE, about a geeky guy who somehow starts dating a "total 10" much to the disbelief of his parents, family and friends. (It's interesting to me how the concept of a rating system for women (and men) has lasted for 30 or more years after being popularized in the classic film by Blake Edwards called "10"(1979!) which featured Dudley Moore, Julie Andrews and Bo Derek and which managed to satirize such a rating system....). Well, thankfully, SHE'S OUT...is a master work compared to the above WEDDING film with a clever plot and charming (mostly unknown) actors to give some depth (and subtlety) to the characters. It won't end up on any one's TOP TEN list, but at least I didn't feel ripped off in the logic department, and it proved to be a satisfying comedy.
It took me a few minutes to remember that I'd seen THE BIG HEAT(1953) about two years ago, but I couldn't remember much about it except certain scenes were familiar. Glenn Ford, Jocelyn Brando, Lee Marvin and Gloria Grahame are the leads, and it is not the edgiest of film noir, but it is engrossing and has a couple of sharp lines and a memorable scene of scalding coffee in the face that is still rather shocking. Jocelyn Brando is the older sister of Marlon Brando, and had a more modest career, but she is still quite effective as Ford's loving wife, as is Gloria Grahame as a Bad girl trying to be Good while still living in a world of lowlife criminals. The film was a big hit when it opened, so director Fritz Lang was hired a year later to team again with Ford and Grahame in the intriguing HUMAN DESIRE (1954) which I just saw and wrote about last month.
It was low budget night a few days ago as a friend loaned me one of his favorite DVD's--which featured two films from the "glory" days of Vestron which was "big" in the 1980's. For SIFF oldtimers, Vestron was the big joke of the festival during the late 80's--SIFF director and creator Dan Ireland left the Festival to work for Vestron, and so we got a steady stream of Vestron product, and it ranged from awful to forgettable to mediocre--there was often an audible groan when the credits revealed the Vestron logo. To be fair, Dan Ireland has gone on to become a decent director, with his best films becoming minor classics, specifically THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD with Vincent D'Onofrio, and newcomer Renee Zellweger. So it was with low expectations that I started with PARENTS (1989) which starred Randy Quaid, Mary Beth Hurt and in what was her 2nd to last role, Oscar winner (for WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF) Sandy Dennis. The film was directed by actor Bob Balaban, and it was a black comic horror film about a young boy who suspects his parents of serving him questionable meat. The plot is thin, but there was a lot of stylish tension and odd dreams/fantasies scenes, and the film held my interest, even as the finale became grotesquely violent and predictable. A well done "B" movie.
The other film on the disc was FEAR (1990) which featured Ally Sheedy, Lauren Hutton and Michael O'Keefe, about a young writer who is psychic and helps police track (serial) murders, until one day she realizes the killer she is tracking through her mind is also tracking her. The plot seemed quite predictable and the gimmick has now been used by a dozen TV shows like Medium and The Mentalist among others. Yet despite this, I was absolutely riveted to the screen because of Ally Sheedy, who was quite popular in the '80's as part of the Brat Pack in movies like ST. ELMO'S FIRE and BREAKFAST CLUB, as well as SHORT CIRCUIT, WARGAMES and especially HIGH ART. Lately she's been doing a lot of TV guest appearances. When she's on, she's so intense and sucks you into her world with her empathic style of acting. I have to admit that I enjoyed being scared for her in FEAR, (not to be confused with FEAR from 1996 which featured a young Mark Wahlberg.)
Same day, after a lunch break during which we joked that this could be THE BAD MOVIE DAY of the year, the three of us went to see SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE, about a geeky guy who somehow starts dating a "total 10" much to the disbelief of his parents, family and friends. (It's interesting to me how the concept of a rating system for women (and men) has lasted for 30 or more years after being popularized in the classic film by Blake Edwards called "10"(1979!) which featured Dudley Moore, Julie Andrews and Bo Derek and which managed to satirize such a rating system....). Well, thankfully, SHE'S OUT...is a master work compared to the above WEDDING film with a clever plot and charming (mostly unknown) actors to give some depth (and subtlety) to the characters. It won't end up on any one's TOP TEN list, but at least I didn't feel ripped off in the logic department, and it proved to be a satisfying comedy.
It took me a few minutes to remember that I'd seen THE BIG HEAT(1953) about two years ago, but I couldn't remember much about it except certain scenes were familiar. Glenn Ford, Jocelyn Brando, Lee Marvin and Gloria Grahame are the leads, and it is not the edgiest of film noir, but it is engrossing and has a couple of sharp lines and a memorable scene of scalding coffee in the face that is still rather shocking. Jocelyn Brando is the older sister of Marlon Brando, and had a more modest career, but she is still quite effective as Ford's loving wife, as is Gloria Grahame as a Bad girl trying to be Good while still living in a world of lowlife criminals. The film was a big hit when it opened, so director Fritz Lang was hired a year later to team again with Ford and Grahame in the intriguing HUMAN DESIRE (1954) which I just saw and wrote about last month.
It was low budget night a few days ago as a friend loaned me one of his favorite DVD's--which featured two films from the "glory" days of Vestron which was "big" in the 1980's. For SIFF oldtimers, Vestron was the big joke of the festival during the late 80's--SIFF director and creator Dan Ireland left the Festival to work for Vestron, and so we got a steady stream of Vestron product, and it ranged from awful to forgettable to mediocre--there was often an audible groan when the credits revealed the Vestron logo. To be fair, Dan Ireland has gone on to become a decent director, with his best films becoming minor classics, specifically THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD with Vincent D'Onofrio, and newcomer Renee Zellweger. So it was with low expectations that I started with PARENTS (1989) which starred Randy Quaid, Mary Beth Hurt and in what was her 2nd to last role, Oscar winner (for WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF) Sandy Dennis. The film was directed by actor Bob Balaban, and it was a black comic horror film about a young boy who suspects his parents of serving him questionable meat. The plot is thin, but there was a lot of stylish tension and odd dreams/fantasies scenes, and the film held my interest, even as the finale became grotesquely violent and predictable. A well done "B" movie.
The other film on the disc was FEAR (1990) which featured Ally Sheedy, Lauren Hutton and Michael O'Keefe, about a young writer who is psychic and helps police track (serial) murders, until one day she realizes the killer she is tracking through her mind is also tracking her. The plot seemed quite predictable and the gimmick has now been used by a dozen TV shows like Medium and The Mentalist among others. Yet despite this, I was absolutely riveted to the screen because of Ally Sheedy, who was quite popular in the '80's as part of the Brat Pack in movies like ST. ELMO'S FIRE and BREAKFAST CLUB, as well as SHORT CIRCUIT, WARGAMES and especially HIGH ART. Lately she's been doing a lot of TV guest appearances. When she's on, she's so intense and sucks you into her world with her empathic style of acting. I have to admit that I enjoyed being scared for her in FEAR, (not to be confused with FEAR from 1996 which featured a young Mark Wahlberg.)
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Oscar Season finally OVER
What I thought of the Oscar ceremony: Neil Patrick Harris is a very funny, musical and talented guy.... Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin were very amusing most of the time.... Who was that weird woman in purple who rudely interrupted the acceptance speech of the director of the winning short documentary? (Turns out she was the producer who had distanced herself from the film and was NOT invited to accept any award. She sounded like an idiotic fool.)....I am thrilled that THE COVE won best documentary---and the Japanese government is pissed.---See recent news releases for more info on that.....Happy that PRECIOUS won for best screenplay adaptation (a surprise win over UP IN THE AIR) as well as the well deserved supporting award for Mo'nique.....Most of the other awards were very predictable, but HURT LOCKER was my least favorite of all the nominees--an intense and well made film about tension and dangers in war---but little plot and predictable point..... I must confess that I haven't seen THE BLINDSIDE yet--it sounded rather drippy to me and got very mixed/mediocre reviews, but now that it is in the cheap theatres (CREST) and DVD soon, I might catch up with it......The winner of best foreign film was a big surprise--mostly due to it's unknown/unseen status.....
(And of course, my favorite gowns of the evening-- a tie between Sandra Bullock's jeweled and sheer form-fitting dress, and Jennifer Lopez in that white tulip looking gown. The worst was Charlize Theron in the dress that had the Cinnabon-looking ribbons encircling her breasts--incredibly distracting, but she gets an "A" for trying to work it.)
Speaking of foreign films and Oscars, I just saw a strong candidate for next year, the Swedish film based on the best selling international novel, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. More on that film when it opens.....also half way through the 5 1/2 hour version of John Woo's version of RED CLIFF, so more on that when I finish it off. The two and one half hour version of that film is due on DVD next week.
The only other film that I saw this past week was a dreary "B" film called CRASH LANDING (1958) with Gary Merrill and Ronald Reagan's wife Nancy (Davis at the time), which was probably the basis for the AIRPLANE comedies of the 1970's, but which had no camp value, humor or suspense or drama.
A big disappointment, with a by-the-numbers plot and zero special effects--the crash landing is not even shown and the deplaning process in the ocean is an awkwardly edited cheat as well. Unmemorable.
(And of course, my favorite gowns of the evening-- a tie between Sandra Bullock's jeweled and sheer form-fitting dress, and Jennifer Lopez in that white tulip looking gown. The worst was Charlize Theron in the dress that had the Cinnabon-looking ribbons encircling her breasts--incredibly distracting, but she gets an "A" for trying to work it.)
Speaking of foreign films and Oscars, I just saw a strong candidate for next year, the Swedish film based on the best selling international novel, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. More on that film when it opens.....also half way through the 5 1/2 hour version of John Woo's version of RED CLIFF, so more on that when I finish it off. The two and one half hour version of that film is due on DVD next week.
The only other film that I saw this past week was a dreary "B" film called CRASH LANDING (1958) with Gary Merrill and Ronald Reagan's wife Nancy (Davis at the time), which was probably the basis for the AIRPLANE comedies of the 1970's, but which had no camp value, humor or suspense or drama.
A big disappointment, with a by-the-numbers plot and zero special effects--the crash landing is not even shown and the deplaning process in the ocean is an awkwardly edited cheat as well. Unmemorable.
Monday, March 1, 2010
The Scary Ferry: Ghost Writer and Shutter Island
Roman Polanski is back in fine form with THE GHOST WRITER, a political, psychological thriller with a nice dark edge. Pierce Brosnan plays an ex-British Prime Minister (think Tony Blair) who is accused of war crimes for his approval of torture to fight terrorism, and Ewan McGregor is the ghost writer hired to rewrite his autobiography. The writer becomes convinced that the previous ghost writer was murdered and soon becomes involved in a political cat and mouse game to prove it. There are some very tense moody scenes, several of which take place on a ferry.
A ferry also becomes an ominous feature in the new film by Martin Scorsese called SHUTTER ISLAND, which I felt was a bit over-directed at first. Scorsese likes to use symbolic set designs instead of realistic settings to create tension or feelings of fantasy or unearthliness, and here the feeling of isolation and desolation are vividly portrayed by creating a man-made cliff that keeps the characters from easily crossing over to the lighthouse, where there may or may not be illegal medical operations occurring. There are times when the plotting becomes confusing and illogical, but stick with it--Scorsese and his troops have created an eerie ode to madness in their tale of a U.S. Marshall and his assistant who travel to a mental hospital to search for a missing patient. Things are not always what they seem on SHUTTER ISLAND and I felt that keenly watching this film.
On DVD I caught up with a film that I'd never really seen from start to finish, but one that you think you have seen before because you've read so many things, and seen bits of it here and there. CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF is a solid bit of drama with some great performances by the entire cast including the Oscar nominated Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, and Burl Ives (although that year he won for THE BIG COUNTRY instead of CAT), and very good support by a nearly unrecognizable Judith Anderson, and Jack Carson. When Tennessee Williams is done right, there is nothing better, and the dialogue (by writer/director Richard Brooks) really resonates.
WOW---I don't know how it happened, but I realized this week that I forgot to include 2 (two) of my favorite films from SIFF that also played in Seattle theatres in my TOP FILMS OF 2009 list!!!!!!!!!!!
The first is called SUMMER HOURS--a French film by director Olivier Assayas about three adult children with families and lives of their own, who must decide what to do with their recently deceased mother's estate of lovely and valuable art pieces and furniture. She had been the companion of a well admired artist, and her death forces them decide what should become of these valuable and "priceless" works of art. It becomes cathartic to their relationships, and a painful reminder that what one considers a nuisance, others have great feeling for. The final scene really socks home that feeling as a new generation shows seeming indifference to the beauty of the "antiques" around them. This film should affect any one who is in the position or has been in the position of probating an estate of their beloved parents or relatives. I cried through most of this film, but it is not necessarily sentimental.
The second film is DEPARTURES, a Japanese film about a young man who returns to his parents small town home after their death with his new wife , because he has lost his job as a
cellist. The only job he can find is helping a funeral home "prepare" bodies for burial or cremation--a job that brings him shame when others find out, but which soon provides much joy and comfort to the families that he helps. It is an engrossing, happy/sad film that uses these rituals to create a greater appreciation of life for the survivors. Another film that had most of the movie-goers in tears for much of the film. These films are both TOP FIVE on my list--which will be amended soon.
A ferry also becomes an ominous feature in the new film by Martin Scorsese called SHUTTER ISLAND, which I felt was a bit over-directed at first. Scorsese likes to use symbolic set designs instead of realistic settings to create tension or feelings of fantasy or unearthliness, and here the feeling of isolation and desolation are vividly portrayed by creating a man-made cliff that keeps the characters from easily crossing over to the lighthouse, where there may or may not be illegal medical operations occurring. There are times when the plotting becomes confusing and illogical, but stick with it--Scorsese and his troops have created an eerie ode to madness in their tale of a U.S. Marshall and his assistant who travel to a mental hospital to search for a missing patient. Things are not always what they seem on SHUTTER ISLAND and I felt that keenly watching this film.
On DVD I caught up with a film that I'd never really seen from start to finish, but one that you think you have seen before because you've read so many things, and seen bits of it here and there. CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF is a solid bit of drama with some great performances by the entire cast including the Oscar nominated Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, and Burl Ives (although that year he won for THE BIG COUNTRY instead of CAT), and very good support by a nearly unrecognizable Judith Anderson, and Jack Carson. When Tennessee Williams is done right, there is nothing better, and the dialogue (by writer/director Richard Brooks) really resonates.
WOW---I don't know how it happened, but I realized this week that I forgot to include 2 (two) of my favorite films from SIFF that also played in Seattle theatres in my TOP FILMS OF 2009 list!!!!!!!!!!!
The first is called SUMMER HOURS--a French film by director Olivier Assayas about three adult children with families and lives of their own, who must decide what to do with their recently deceased mother's estate of lovely and valuable art pieces and furniture. She had been the companion of a well admired artist, and her death forces them decide what should become of these valuable and "priceless" works of art. It becomes cathartic to their relationships, and a painful reminder that what one considers a nuisance, others have great feeling for. The final scene really socks home that feeling as a new generation shows seeming indifference to the beauty of the "antiques" around them. This film should affect any one who is in the position or has been in the position of probating an estate of their beloved parents or relatives. I cried through most of this film, but it is not necessarily sentimental.
The second film is DEPARTURES, a Japanese film about a young man who returns to his parents small town home after their death with his new wife , because he has lost his job as a
cellist. The only job he can find is helping a funeral home "prepare" bodies for burial or cremation--a job that brings him shame when others find out, but which soon provides much joy and comfort to the families that he helps. It is an engrossing, happy/sad film that uses these rituals to create a greater appreciation of life for the survivors. Another film that had most of the movie-goers in tears for much of the film. These films are both TOP FIVE on my list--which will be amended soon.
Friday, February 26, 2010
More FILM NOIR, TAKING WOODSTOCK,Oscar Notes...
At SIFF Cinema it has been Film NOIR CITY: Lust and Larceny week, and I saw four more top notch black and white features from the 40's and 50's. Monday featured a film written by Tod Browning who made the horror classic FREAKS in the 30's. INSIDE JOB (1946) is definitely a "B" movie, but very fast paced and entertaining, about a young couple who try to rob a department store and become chased by police and the dapper mobster who was trying to do it himself. There's some tragedy by the end, and as is typical of many noir films, there is no happy ending. The second feature was of much higher quality--HUMAN DESIRE (1954) with a first rate cast including Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Broderick Crawford and the great director Fritz Lang. It felt like I was watching THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, but this is based on Emile Zola's novel "La Bete Humaine," and the characters weren't quite so driven and evil. The cast made this moody melodrama engrossingly watchable.
Tuesday night featured RED LIGHT (1949) but I don't know why that was the title. When a priest comes home from the war and is murdered in a revenge killing, his brother (stone faced George Raft) seeks some revenge of his own. The film has lots of religious symbolism (a missing Bible has the key to the killer's identity) and many various refrains of the song "Ave Maria" are used on the soundtrack, and there are several really funny moments: watch for the blind soldier, and the irony of the final shot. The co-feature was WALK A CROOKED MILE (1948), done in a semi-documentary style showing how the FBI tries to track down culprits who are stealing atomic plant secrets for the Communists. The film was rather talky and plodding for me, but interesting for Raymond Burr's menacing Lenin look-alike character and the sophisticated (for it's time) gadgetry (like car phones, spy devices, miniature cameras, code busting equipment, etc.) All in all, a most entertaining series of FILM NOIR.
Several weeks ago I forgot to write about a film I saw on DVD which I think is deserving of some positive attention. Director Ang Lee, the Oscar winner for BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, made a modest little film this past fall which was dismissed by critics and audiences, mostly for the criticism that there was "no Woodstock music" in it. The film was called TAKING WOODSTOCK, and is "inspired" by a true story about a family who inadvertently played a pivotal role in bringing the Woodstock music festival to White Lake, New York in 1969. The focus of the film is on the family, played by Demetri Martin as the college educated son who is trying to help his folks out of debt, Henry Goodman as the hard working father, and an amazing Imelda Staunton (see VERA DRAKE) as the stubborn mother who doesn't understand the significance of any of the "hippie" culture that descends on the town, but is mighty impressed with the financial windfall. There are wonderful turns by Eugene Levy as the farmer whose land the festival is being held on, and Liev Schreiber as an "alternative " security agent helping out....in a dress. The film is very warm, heartfelt and funny, and very much in the likable way Ang Lee creates his characters---humaine. So many scenes are created to look just like the iconic photos of the Woodstock festival--and the set design and clothing and hair styles are right on. It's NOT the music that matters in this film---it's the people and their story. It is a very GOOD film.
The OSCAR show is on Monday March 7th---just a little over one week away, so for all you procrastinators, my predictions are pretty similar as other film folks......Jeff Bridges seems long overdue for CRAZY HEART, a film I didn't care that much for except for Bridges (see earlier blog), Sandra Bullock seems likely for a career thank you for BLINDSIDE (but I'd prefer the amazingly endearing Julia Childs of Meryl Streep to win for JULIE and JULIA), and the supporting roles seem to be well deserved locks---the powerful Mo'Nique (for the amazing PRECIOUS) and the insidious Christopher Waltz for the entertaining and dynamic INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. UP seems destined for Best Animated Feature and music score, but I would not be sad to see FANTASTIC MR FOX or CORALINE win either. Director Kathryn Bigelow seems a good choice for THE HURT LOCKER (and it helps that she was once married to her competition James Cameron who won for TITANIC and is up again for directing the technical wonder AVATAR.) I think AVATAR will be limited to some technical awards. UP IN THE AIR seems a likely winner for best Adapted Screenplay. Not so sure for Best Original Screenplay--I'd love to see SERIOUS MAN or INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS win but the money is on HURT LOCKER.
Now, for me the surprise may come in the Best Picture category, what with 10 nominees and the winner must have the majority of first place ballots--different from past years when just the majority of votes for 1st place were counted. Academy members must now indicate their 1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice and 4th choice films. If no film gets the majority of 1st choice, then the lowest voted 1st choice film is thrown out and the vote counted again, and so on. I'd love to see A SERIOUS MAN or PRECIOUS or even INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS win. The odds-makers seem to suggest AVATAR (the biggest hit) or HURT LOCKER (which relatively few people have seen) will win the big award, but I think there may be a surprise here.
In any case, my favorite (likely non) winners besides the previously mentioned, which you should see, are A SINGLE MAN and THE LAST STATION and INVICTUS.
PLEASE SEE my earlier report on the TOP FILMS OF 2009 in early FEBRUARY for more great movie-going options.
Tuesday night featured RED LIGHT (1949) but I don't know why that was the title. When a priest comes home from the war and is murdered in a revenge killing, his brother (stone faced George Raft) seeks some revenge of his own. The film has lots of religious symbolism (a missing Bible has the key to the killer's identity) and many various refrains of the song "Ave Maria" are used on the soundtrack, and there are several really funny moments: watch for the blind soldier, and the irony of the final shot. The co-feature was WALK A CROOKED MILE (1948), done in a semi-documentary style showing how the FBI tries to track down culprits who are stealing atomic plant secrets for the Communists. The film was rather talky and plodding for me, but interesting for Raymond Burr's menacing Lenin look-alike character and the sophisticated (for it's time) gadgetry (like car phones, spy devices, miniature cameras, code busting equipment, etc.) All in all, a most entertaining series of FILM NOIR.
Several weeks ago I forgot to write about a film I saw on DVD which I think is deserving of some positive attention. Director Ang Lee, the Oscar winner for BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, made a modest little film this past fall which was dismissed by critics and audiences, mostly for the criticism that there was "no Woodstock music" in it. The film was called TAKING WOODSTOCK, and is "inspired" by a true story about a family who inadvertently played a pivotal role in bringing the Woodstock music festival to White Lake, New York in 1969. The focus of the film is on the family, played by Demetri Martin as the college educated son who is trying to help his folks out of debt, Henry Goodman as the hard working father, and an amazing Imelda Staunton (see VERA DRAKE) as the stubborn mother who doesn't understand the significance of any of the "hippie" culture that descends on the town, but is mighty impressed with the financial windfall. There are wonderful turns by Eugene Levy as the farmer whose land the festival is being held on, and Liev Schreiber as an "alternative " security agent helping out....in a dress. The film is very warm, heartfelt and funny, and very much in the likable way Ang Lee creates his characters---humaine. So many scenes are created to look just like the iconic photos of the Woodstock festival--and the set design and clothing and hair styles are right on. It's NOT the music that matters in this film---it's the people and their story. It is a very GOOD film.
The OSCAR show is on Monday March 7th---just a little over one week away, so for all you procrastinators, my predictions are pretty similar as other film folks......Jeff Bridges seems long overdue for CRAZY HEART, a film I didn't care that much for except for Bridges (see earlier blog), Sandra Bullock seems likely for a career thank you for BLINDSIDE (but I'd prefer the amazingly endearing Julia Childs of Meryl Streep to win for JULIE and JULIA), and the supporting roles seem to be well deserved locks---the powerful Mo'Nique (for the amazing PRECIOUS) and the insidious Christopher Waltz for the entertaining and dynamic INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. UP seems destined for Best Animated Feature and music score, but I would not be sad to see FANTASTIC MR FOX or CORALINE win either. Director Kathryn Bigelow seems a good choice for THE HURT LOCKER (and it helps that she was once married to her competition James Cameron who won for TITANIC and is up again for directing the technical wonder AVATAR.) I think AVATAR will be limited to some technical awards. UP IN THE AIR seems a likely winner for best Adapted Screenplay. Not so sure for Best Original Screenplay--I'd love to see SERIOUS MAN or INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS win but the money is on HURT LOCKER.
Now, for me the surprise may come in the Best Picture category, what with 10 nominees and the winner must have the majority of first place ballots--different from past years when just the majority of votes for 1st place were counted. Academy members must now indicate their 1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice and 4th choice films. If no film gets the majority of 1st choice, then the lowest voted 1st choice film is thrown out and the vote counted again, and so on. I'd love to see A SERIOUS MAN or PRECIOUS or even INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS win. The odds-makers seem to suggest AVATAR (the biggest hit) or HURT LOCKER (which relatively few people have seen) will win the big award, but I think there may be a surprise here.
In any case, my favorite (likely non) winners besides the previously mentioned, which you should see, are A SINGLE MAN and THE LAST STATION and INVICTUS.
PLEASE SEE my earlier report on the TOP FILMS OF 2009 in early FEBRUARY for more great movie-going options.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
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.
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.
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