Film Stew

So Long., farewell...

2010-09-14T12:33:00.002-04:00

So I looked up movie deaths, and besides a bunch of gruesome horror movie deaths, this is one of the first pictures to come up. Poor Spock. He sacrificed himself to save so many. Anyway, I have decided to move my blogging "duties" here where I will be sharing space with two friends (and now, blogging buddies!(ugh)) I still hope to be doing much the same, but expand out a little into other parts of the pop culture wheel. A wheel, of course, that were aren't reinventing but we thought it might be a fun idea. So feel free to follow me over there if the feeling hits you.

My B-Movie Vacation

2010-09-06T18:06:00.009-04:00

So here I am. I have been back from vacation, officially, for about an hour and a half. It was amazing, everything on my checklist and then some. Most of which involved, beaches, swimming, eating, and drinking. So, you know, amazing vacation. I even took in a few end-of-summer movies. Both of them falling strictly in the B-movie/exploitation vein.

Piranha (3D) (2010)

Truly embarrassing true confession time: we ended up seeing this movie three times in one week. Sadly its true. We went one late night. Then a friend came to the beachhouse to visit and we decided she needed to see it, then the same situation happened the next night with one more friend when we all decided he should see it as well. Up until now Monsoon Wedding was the only movie I had ever seen in an empty theater. Add Piranha to that list. Yes, there might have been alcohol involved, why do you ask? Anyway, this is probably exploitation in its truest form, it takes place during Spring Break, on a lake, and I won't reveal where the piranha come from because thats part of the "fun". There is a lot of blood and a lot of bare breasts. And it is ridiculous in the most fun way possible. I'm not kidding, this movie was audacious, and just plain crazy. Sure the two leads, one of which I will get to in a minute, were awful. But they were surrounded by the likes of Elisabeth Shue, still beautiful, Adam Scott, Ving Rhames, Christopher Lloyd-doing his best Doc Brown, Richard Dreyfuss in a super-brief role, and Jerry O'Connell, who deserves some sort of special recognition for his off-the-wall performance as a Joe Francis-like svengali running a "Girls Gone Wild" type of operation. It never, for a second, takes itself seriously. And in the greatest exploitation tradition pads its running time out with a tequila body shots and, I kid you not, water ballet. Its so nuts and so ridiculous, and so much fun at least to see with a group of people. I don't know how it will play in different conditions. I do know it probably didn't need to be 3D, but thats true for most movies.

A couple of interesting things:
This, of course, being a remake of one of the better Jaws ripoffs from the 70's, one thats actually great campy fun, made in 1978 and directed by a young Joe Dante through the Roger Corman factory. Although the reason the piranha exist is different in the remake than the government engineered ones in the original....its something even more ludicrous. Well, there are a couple little homages, from Richard Dreyfuss (as "Matt" in the credits) brief appearance, to Ving Rhames remarking that a body being pulled of the lake couldn't have been mutilated by a boat propeller, is just one of the many nods to the king of them all. Although, they pretty much remove the financial reasons for not closing down the town, even the Dante Piranha had a plot about a crooked real estate man who wouldn't shut down the river...there wasn't time for anything like that. Things moved at a pretty swift rate. But, the boat that Jerry O'Connell took out his crew to shoot for his videos was called the "Barracuda". This is funny only because there was actually another z-grade Jaws ripoff in 1978 also called, yup, Barracuda.

No joke.

Thats a deep cut right there. (Also, I found this truly niche-y blog, The Jaws Ripoff Blog" Which is devoted to these sorts of movies.)

So I mentioned the two teenaged leads. Well, the female "lead" was Jessica Szohr, who played Kelly, and she was truly awful. (Another exploitation flick mainstay: bad performances!) Well, the lead is someone I found out is on a show called the Vampire Diaries, believe me, he's no prize either. But his name is Steven R. McQueen (seriously) Check out this family tree:

Who's father, is Chad McQueen, also known as Dutch, the arguably a bigger dick than Johnny on the Cobra Kai in Karate Kid (also an Elisabeth Shue co-star! I wonder how that made her feel?)

And, their father and grandfather, happens to be a legend, of course, that's Steve McQueen:

Weird, huh?

Machete (2010)

Now, what's weird is Robert Rodriguez set out to consciously make an exploitation movie (Mexi-ploitation? Maybe?) He and everyone involved is having a good time, clearly. The one thing Machete could have taken from Piranha is the power of keeping things movie. When Machete was good, it was really good. But the thing is it tended to drag a little bit in the middle, and the plot was sort of needlessly complicated. But the rest was fun in a way Rodriguez seems to be going for. Danny Trejo was awesome, and Steven Seagal and Don Johnson were clearly having a blast playing the bad guys. And, I have to admit, this was the most I have enjoyed a Robert De Niro performance in a while. But I do appreciate the mini-Jeff Fahey comeback that seems to be going on and he milks his part for all its worth. Its also ludicrous, but thats sort of the point.

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted. Vacation, All I Ever Needed.

2010-08-27T12:44:00.005-04:00

So in a little more than four hours I am going to be out of here, officially on our annual late-Summer vacation. This is what I want to do in no particular order: go to the beach, swim, see friends, eat seafood, drink beer, maybe see some crappy late-August summer fare (Takers? The Expendables?) You never know. So the excitement has me thinking about Vacation (obviously, as I have established) and Vacation movies. Here are a bunch of good ones:

Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)

Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Vacation (of course) (1983)

Summer School (1987)

Summer Rental (1985)

Stand By Me (1986)

Roman Holiday (1953)

One Crazy Summer (1986)

Meatballs (1979)

Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation (1962)

Adventureland (2009)

FInally, a music video which always reminds me of Summer and Summer Vacation:

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Sean Connery: Zardoz (1974)

2010-08-27T11:03:00.002-04:00

Thanks for the heads up

Well, if Sean Connery was eager to shed his James Bond image, Zardoz certainly goes a long way in helping him out in that endeavor. Wow, just wow. I was trying to find an image that could capture how weird this movie was, and the above one only goes part way in showing that. Yup, its just as odd as everyone says it is, both the picture and the movie. Ostensibly, an extended treatise one class and religion, it takes place in the year 2293. Connery plays Zed, an Exterminator, who just kills for his god and to keep the population down, he finds himself with a group of immortals, who alone keep track of humanity's achievements......from there it even further down the rabbit hole, if thats possible, and it is. This must have been some personal vision for John Boorman, it seems after getting some particularly good Thai stick and then staring at his lava lamp, he had a totally mind blowing vision of how to break people out of their cages of class and religion! I mean maybe who could know. But he DID write, direct AND produce this. Between this and Exorcist II, he seemed to spend the mid-seventies in a very weird place after the success of Deliverance. This movie plays out like a weird fever dream, and yet its sort of impossible to avert your gaze, because, being so odd, you really have no idea where they are going to go next. And, don't get me started on the "twist" at the end where they reveal where their "god" Zardoz got his name...oh man, its just, well, kind of amazing.

Bonus:
Ten Good Non-James Bond Sean Connery Roles:
(no particular order)

1) Professor Henry Jones, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
2) Marko Ramius, The Hunt For Red October (1990)
3) Jim Malone, The Untouchables (1987)
4) King Agamemnon, Time Bandits (1981)
5) Pierce, The Great Train Robbery (1979)
6) Major General Urquhart, A Bridge Too Far (1977)
7) Daniel Dravot , The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
8) Mark Rutland, Marnie (1964)
9) Pvt. Flanagan, The Longest Day (1962)
10) Robin Hood, Robin and Marian (1976)

Here's one more just because it's odd to see him like this, to me, in a different way: Michael McBride, Darby O' Gill and the Little People

Casualties of War (1989)

2010-08-27T10:46:00.002-04:00

This has been sitting on my Netflix Watch Instantly Queue for quite some time. Brian De Palma is an interesting filmmaker to me, its strange because he always inspires such strong opinions on both sides of the fence. There are people that can't stand him, and then there are people that will defend even his worst work (Mission To Mars). I'm somewhere in the middle, I think. When he's good, I feel he's very good, and when he's not, he's not. Basically like any other human endeavor, I guess. But I guess what I am trying to say is that he is, at the very least, always interesting. Casualties Of War is an interesting movie, and I feel like it would take someone with De Palma's, excuse me here, balls, to be able to even attempt. Its interesting watching this after reading this which is about an episode of M*A*S*H, but talks about a British documentary about the Vietnam War, made in the 60's, that congressmen wanted to keep off the air. Its interesting that by 1989 that De Palma could make a movie like this to little or no fanfare. I was twelve, so I am not sure if there was a lot of controversy surrounding the release. But, after having finally seen, it, its a pretty powerful movie which manages to make a point not only about ethics, but about war as a whole. Michael J. Fox plays Eriksson, the lone man in a unit who refuses to participate in the kidnapping, rape, and eventual murder of a Vietnamese villager woman, and then tries to bring the perpetrators to justice. This is makes up part of Fox's unofficial "dark" trilogy (along with Bright Lights, Big City and Light Of Day) I think he's good here as the junior man in the group, the one it seems who still has is morals intact, he plays it well for the most part. Although there are some Vietnam War cliches in the beginning, as the main plot sets in they are done away with. Fox's sense of betrayal is pretty palpable as people he initially sort of looks up to, start to turn on him, particularly Diaz, played by a young John Leguizamo, who at first says he isn't going to along with the rest of the group, but eventually gives in. Also interesting to note that this is John C. Reilly's first movie, and he is pretty good, obviously, at playing the easily-led lummox. One sequence, in particular, is pure De Palma, and its really good: the scene where they actually kidnap the girl from her home is pretty amazing. All in all, this is pretty dark, and made even more so since it is apparently based on a true story, but I feel like it deserves a higher place on the De Palma canon, or at least a second look.

A Primer on Preston Sturges

2010-08-26T22:38:00.003-04:00

A Preston Sturges Primer from the AV Club

The Vicious Kind (2008)

2010-08-21T09:17:00.002-04:00

This has all the earmarks of an indie movie, because, of course, thats what it is. It threatens to be overwhelmed by the sort of indie cliches that pop up so very often, but the performances are so good, particular from Adam Scott and J.K. Simmons that it never topples over. I also happen to like that it is set in a small town in Connecticut in the Winter, around Thanksgiving time to be exact. The story centers around Caleb, played by Adam Scott, who is, not to put too fine a point on it, an asshole, but his terrible attitude stems from a recent breakup and....a family secret that he has been carrying around for eight years. Until about the last part of this I really thought this would end like so many indie movies with nothing resolved, and it only playing like the first act to a familial tragedy. Yet in the very end, while, for part of the cast it might not be perfect, but for the other two, the father and son, there looks like there might be a step forward and a breakthrough. I have to admit, I liked that. I liked the fact that, as written, J.K. Simmons and Adam Scott, the estranged father and son, are more alike then they care to admit, and thats probably part of the problem. And those two, probably more so than Brittany Snow and Alex Frost as the brother and the girlfriend, are really good here. Sure, they are playing variations on characters they have already established, the unrepentant asshole and the out-there father, here they play it dramatically and I think they are really really good. This was written and directed by Lee Toland Krieger, who is like 24 years old, and it definitely feels like something a 24 year old would write and make. And thats not necessarily a bad thing, I would like to see what he does in the future. Because this looks really good, even if the story isn't the best in the world, I liked the setting (the cold Northeast is always fitting for these sorts of familial dramas). There's one dolly shot in particular, thats not too long, of Adam Scott rushing out of a bowling alley that I found pretty impressive. So the acting saves this one, I think, in the end.

On a sidenote that has nothing to do with anything besides the fact that this was set in the chilly, Northeast. I have been reading The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and have been wondering 1) Why has no one made that into a movie. Small colleges dotting the New England landscape have to be ripe for a lot of things-drama and horror being right up there. I mean look at what Lovecraft did. And 2) I guess my number 2 was in there but yeah, like The Vicious Kind why not more films set in the Northeast, I feel like its ripe for these kinds of things, the Northeastern mentality and all, and hasn't been used to its full potential. Even watching Jaws the other night, and this might also be because of the good writing, I was thinking of this watching the cast of colorful characters, many who seemed uniquely New England, who filled out the town/island of Amity. Of course, it would probably take someone from the area to get it exactly right, I suppose, but that goes without saying.

The Inglorious Bastards (1978)

2010-08-20T15:24:00.002-04:00

This is the kind of movie that, back in the day, one would stumble across on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon on WLVI or WPIX and was so fast moving you would get caught up in it. While not great cinema by any stretch of the imagination, this is actually a fun, quickly paced movie, following the adventures of American prisoners who escape from their prison transfer convoy and try making their way across France to Switzerland. Sure the voices are badly dubbed, and for whatever reason there is no subtitles when characters speak in German, making it difficult to sometimes follow EXACTLY what was going on. But, it moves swiftly, starting out like The Dirty Dozen, becoming an adventure of men trying move incognito through a battlefield to safety, to a mid-movie twist which turns it into a "man-on-a-mission" movie. It really pulls out all the stops, even finding a way, at one point, to show topless women. Fred Williamson, a veteran of blaxploitation/grindhouse movies by this point is particularly fun to watch here. While I'm glad Tarantino didn't decide to do a straight remake of this (there is only a couple of small elements, besides the title, he took from this) it actually is a fun little time waster on its own.

Lock and Load.

2010-08-18T19:08:00.002-04:00

Guns, guns, and more guns from the movies.

This is long, but it's worth it:

Lock & Load from Steven Santos on Vimeo.

A couple things:

-I should really see Love and Death. I am not sure how I missed it.
.
-I mentioned this earlier today, but Hot Fuzz is so good.

-Everyone always talks about the shootout in the hospital at the end of Hard Boiled. But the opening shootout in the noodle place is as good if not better.

The Other Guys (2010)

2010-08-18T09:46:00.005-04:00

Ugh. So I was really looking forward to this. For the most part, I think Will Ferrell is funny and I usually enjoy his "man unaware" shtick. And I think the first half hour to forty-five minutes of this are really good, but then the plot kicks in and it just seems to go on for too long. I know thats a weird thing to say, but its hard to do action-comedy right. Usually its not funny enough by comedy standards, and the action isn't good enough by, uh, action standards. I really do think this starts off well, but, in some ways, the mystery was too much "in the real world", if that makes sense. If you want to see this thing done right, watch Hot Fuzz, where everything is just sort of nuts. I don't want to watch a Will Ferrell comedy and try to parse out the specifics of some intricate plot. I keep mentioning there is some good here, I like Will Ferrell, he probably got the most chuckles from me, I like Rob Riggle and Damon Wayons Jr. (I know, holy crap) as Wahlberg and Ferrell's rivals, I like that this is the summer of the Michael Keaton mini-comeback, and I thought he was funny.(Slight Spoiler Ahead) They lost Duane Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson way too early, they could have been funny to play off of for a while more. But I don't know, it just couldn't sustain itself, and ended up, for me, being disappointing. I mean I can't expect every Ferrell-McKay collaboration to scale the heights of Anchorman, but this definitely didn't come close. So I wonder what next? Because I think Ferrell is at his best when working with McKay, but also think it might be time for McKay to try something different-so we'll see, I guess. I'm a fan of of the Sideshow Bob Rake Theory (which I just named) which basically is that if something repeats itself enough it goes from funny to weird/possibly annoying to funny again. They seemed to try this here with a few gags and it just didn't work for me. Ah well, they can't all be winners.

The Invention Of Lying (2009)

2010-08-12T20:47:00.002-04:00

Ricky Gervais plays a man who lives in a world where the concept of lying doesn't exist. In an act of desperation, he tells the first lie and turns the world on its head-sort of. I found this particularly frustrating, this actually starts off so well, and what could have been a somewhat scathing satire (for a mainstream comedy) about religion in the first half, devolves into just another romantic comedy by the end. And the thing is, it probably would have still been disappointing that they decided to go that route anyway, but Jennifer Garner is just awful here. Her performance here is just grating, and her character so annoying that I just could not understand why Mark, Gervais' character, would keep pursuing her. Ugh. Also, I'm an adult and I understand that movies need money from all over the place to get made, but the part where Gervais read his religion's rules to a crowd off the back of a pizza box with "Pizza Hut" hugely displayed for minutes on end was also a bit much. This started out so well, but, just could not sustain until the end unfortunately.

Working Girl (1988)

2010-08-09T15:03:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I know, I can't believe I hadn't seen this before either. In some ways, its probably good that I didn't, other than the fact that my 11 year old self would be acutely aware of watching something "adult" (i.e. sexual situations) beyond that I would have probably wondered what the big deal was. Now having seen, while I didn't think it was hilarious or anything, I thought it was a nice adult story l, but not uproarious. I can see why it was popular and I can see why it made Melanie Griffith famous. Everything I thought about was really things on the periphery, like 1) Man, Alec Baldwin looks so young, or 2) Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver used to be SO AWESOME.YOu don't usually associate Harrison Ford with comedy but he does pretty well here. What was Harrison Ford's last good movie? Man, I'd have to say The Fugitive in 1993 (!?) Sigourney Weaver, it was probably a little sooner than that depending on your scale. It's definitely not Avatar. 3) This is one of those movies with so many of THOSE people in the background and in side roles, a young Oliver Platt, Ricki Lake has one line, Suzanne Shepherd plays a receptionist, she was the school administrator in Uncle Buck with the big mole, Philip Bosco-but he's been in a lot, Joan Cusack with the big hair, Kevin Spacey in a brief scene as a coked-up executive, and a blink-and-you'll-miss him David Duchovney filling in some of the crowd scenes that take place in Staten Island. He never talks but you can see him in the background a few times-so weird.

Happy Birthday, Robert Mitchum!

2010-08-06T11:20:00.011-04:00

"He's the only man in town I'd be afraid to fight for real. I might knock him down, but he'd keep getting up until one of us was dead." Frank Sinatra on Robert Mitchum.

So today is Robert Mitchum's birthday. Besides being known for awesome film noirs ( a couple represented below), there was a couple other things I found out about him when I was looking up his movies today. I guess everyone knows how he was arrested in 1948 for marijuana possession in a sting operation. I think its weird that he could get arrested in 1948 and still have his career flourish afterwards. It seems like a death knell for someone's career back then. He must have had a hell of a publicist I mean, he went to jail and even a prison work farm. I suppose, since photographers from "Life" came out to take pictures of him doing work in a prison jumpsuit that he just parlayed it into a way of adding to his toughguy persona. (Funny, he described his experience in jail to a reporter as "like Palm Springs, but without the riff-raff")

The other surprising thing was that he actually released two albums, and one of them was a calypso one. Oh man, it would be great to get my hands on this album, that cover is amazing. I knew he did sing songs sometimes in his movies, and even sang the title songs sometimes, like the theme from Thunder Road, but him putting out two whole albums-renaissance man.

1957

1967

What about his movies? Well, come to find out I am kind of deficient as far as what I have and haven't seen in the Robert Mitchum oeuvre: like The Lusty Men, Thunder Road, The Sundowners, Not As A Stranger, Pursued-you get the picture. There's some gaps, lets say. So here are my five favorite Robert Mitchum films which can also serve as a good gateway/starting point to his films.

1) Out Of The Past (1947)

Quintessential film noir that helped make Robert Mitchum a star.

2) Night Of The Hunter (1955)

This probably helped seal the deal as far as Robet Mitchum playing bad guys. He's chilling as the psychopathic preacher that kills women and preys on children. I would also be remiss in not mentioning how this is the only movie actor Charles Laughton ever directed, and it is amazing. Some of the scenes, like the one on the river, are like something out of a surreal nightmare.

3) Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)

Here he plays Corporal Allison, stranded on an island in the South Pacific with a nun played by Deborah Kerr. Its a nice "opposites attract" drama where the leads are forced to work together and end up developing a mutual admiration (attraction?) to one another. My description probably makes it sound a lot more rote than it actually is, its really good.

4) Cape Fear (1962)

Here he originates the role of Max Cady, the criminal later played by Robert De Niro, in a movie that probably didn't need to be remade. He goes toe to toe with Gregory Peck, who plays the lawyer who put him away. Not only does he drip malice, the movie drips atmosphere, and Peck and MItchum put on an acting masterclass.

5) The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)

I've noticed that as Mitchum's career reached into the seventies and he's gotten older, his acting work keeps getting described as "lived in". Which is actually apropos, because it seems that way-the look and feel (it was directed by Peter Yates, who directed Bullitt) not only of the old school criminals, including Mitchum as Coyle, who are going for that one last score before they retire-but also captures amazingly a lot of old school feeling and location in the Boston area. Just seeing him and Peter Boyle go to a Bruins game and cheering for Bobby Orr is awesome. But thats a little bit of near-hometown pride, but what can I say? It works.

Bonus (on the lighter side, I suppose):

Holiday Affair (1949)

The Grass Is Greener (1960)

Bronson (2008)

2010-07-30T14:29:00.003-04:00

If there is one genre where people definitely need to figure out new and inventive ways to present a story its the biopic. Thats one of the things that Bronson has going for it. The movie is the story of England's most notorious prisoner, Michael Peterson, who renamed himself Charles Bronson (as his "fighting name"). Its an interesting take on the biopic, Brock Norman Brock (apparently his real name) and Nicolas Winding Refn frame the movie as if Bronson is speaking to audience at a fictional play, or fictional one man show, and its actually an interesting way to go. Its definitely stylish, with a definite Kubrickian feel to it. Tom Hardy, as Bronson, is starting become one of my favorite actors, and this is just an amazing, tour-de-force performance. Here's the thing though: your mileage will vary, while its definitely interesting, well-acted, and even funny at times-here's the thing: Bronson is an unrepentant and cruel bastard, so how much time you want to spend with him might definitely vary. While I really like how they took something as stale as the biopic and turned it on its head, one nude fight scene is one thing, but the next one, I just start to wonder if Hardy is cold or not. I wouldn't say the experience is overwhelming, but after a while I was like: "Okay, I get it."

Winter's Bone (2010)

2010-07-29T12:01:00.004-04:00

You can never tell as far as "buzz" out of Sundance goes. Sometimes these films can arrive with a thud. Every once in a while, like with Winter's Bone they are the real deal. I was happy to find out that everyone that was raving about Winter's Bone during after Sundance were right on the money, this is really good stuff. When it comes down to it this is a mystery story, people have been referring to it as "Ozark noir", set in the hills and the backwoods of, you guessed it, the Ozarks. It features an amazing performance from Jennifer Lawrence as Ree, the teenage girl who has to figure out what happened to her father, or risk losing her family's house and land-which is pretty much all they have. Unfortunately that means trying to talk to people who really don't want any of their secrets getting out. It works both as atmospheric piece, of a community of people truly living on the very furthest fringes of society, and it works as mystery. One of the things I really like about it is nothing is ever overexplained, the audience puts information together as Ree finds it out, there is no big reveal like there would be in a more "standard" thriller. We are thrown into this community, and what we know about the characters is also only portioned piecemeal, such how people are really afraid of Thump Milton. Or one piece of dialogue where John Hawkes, truly amazing here, as Ree's uncle, Teardrop, shows up while she is being questioned. One of the men goes (or words to the effect), "I'm not dealing with Teardrop naked." As in, without a gun, because Teardrop is a true badass. Finding out like this, somehow helps to ratchet up the tension even more, everything sort of adds up, and then comes to its grim solution . Like I said, John Hawkes and Jennifer Lawrence are amazing here. (Interesting casting job, I had assumed this was her first acting job but apparently she came from working on the execrable TBS sitcom, The BIll Engvall Show, you never know where talent might spring from.) I mentioned before that not only is this a movie mainly a mystery, but it is also about community, and more specifically, family, showing that family can be both a source of liberation, but can also be a force that can trap you too. (Which I know isn't a particularly original sentiment-but the last scene in here really drives it home.)

Ten James Mason Films

2010-07-26T12:05:00.016-04:00

Due to this article in the "Scenic Routes" column that the AV Club runs about every week or so. (Which, on its own, is usually a pretty interesting read.) That made me think of James Mason and what my favorite James Mason movies might be, here is what I came up with. Its sort of difficult, his career lasted for a good fifty years or so. Oh, also, my colleague posted a poem that seems to be about or inspired by The Prisoner of Zenda, I believe the 1952 version that James Mason was in, and starred Deborah Kerr. Weird coincidence that I was thinking of this today. (One interesting aside, that is only interesting to us in the here in now, Mason did a lot of television, in 1956 he even had what seemed to be his own variety show appropriately called The James Mason Show. He was even in 1979's Tobe Hooper-directed, Salem's Lot. So he did a lot of teleplays, and one of the ones he did was on something called The Schlitz Playhouse. Again this only funny in hindsight, the juxtaposition of a somewhat low-rent beer like Schlitz offering high class entertainment.)

My Favorite James Mason Movies:

(in chronological order)

1) Odd Man Out (1947)

Neat little failed-heist movie directed by Carol Reed. Mason plays Johnny McQueen, the leader of some sort of clandestine Irish organization. He sets up a robbery, and that goes sour, as they do, he is wounded and can't make it back to their hideout. So he takes to the back alleys of Belfast to try to evade the police, in particular a police chief who really has it out for him. While its not The Third Man, this is a nice little precursor to it, because the atmosphere is just oppressive, with Mason running through the back streets trying to stay one step ahead of the police. Really good stuff.

2) The Desert Fox (1951)

I don't know exactly why, but I always found it interesting that they even made a biopic about Rommel just 6 years after the end of World War 2. I suppose, I shouldn't, I mean they made movies about World War 2 DURING World War 2. As a rule, I am usually not much of a biopic person, but this one is pretty interesting. They probably made it because Rommerl plotted to assassinate Hitler. But it follows Rommel's career from the Afrika Korps, including his work on the defenses of Fortress Europe, that plot to assassinate Hitler, and his subsequent suicide. Its like watching Das Boot in a way, fascinating, even though you in your mind shouldn't be identifying or rooting for these men. I do think it was a somewhat bold choice for Mason to play Rommel. He has a career full of them.

3) Julius Caesar (1953)

This is a 50's method-acting powerhouse showcase where James Mason (and Deborah Kerr) hold their own against Marlon Brando in this Shakespeare adaptation.

4) A Star Is Born (1954)

Mason is great as Norman Maine, the alcoholic movie star who helps out Judy Garland's Vicki Lester's career. The two meet in the middle, develop a romance, but it all starts to go sour as Lester's career takes off, and Maine's keeps plummeting.

5) 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)

1954 was a good year for James Mason, it seems. Its interesting ina big budget (particularly for the time) Disney adventure that Mason can walk the tightrope between being a semi-mad, out-in-out villain, and being a sympathetic character. He also serves as a nice counter to Kirk Douglas here.

6) North By Northwest (1959

Here,as Phillip Vandamm, silky-smooth as one of the best villains in one of the best Hitchcock movies.

7) Lolita (1962)

This probably could have killed his career, playing the noted and tortured pervert Professor Humbert Humbert. This is a highwire act since he is supposed to be the one the audience identifies with, since he also narrates. Kubrick might have helped (I am quite sure that he had to do this) by making Lolita older here than she is in the book (In the book she's twelve). But for Mason, he plays it note-perfect, while being able to work opposite Peter Sellers, and work with Stanley Kubrick.

8) Georgy Girl (1966)

If there is one thing James Mason can pull off it is being a part of the stuff, British upper crust. Here he wants the titular Georgy, played awesomely by the late Lynn Redgrave, to be his mistress. He even offers her a contract! Which is made somewhat creepier since her parents are domestic servants living there at his estate. There is an undercurrent of class conflict to the whole film, which is obviously focused on Georgy and her attempts to fit in with her swinging single London roommates, and eventually grow and mature as all their lives begin to change.

9) Heaven Can Wait (1978)

This is somewhat of a trifle, I guess, but I really enjoy Mason's turn here as Mr. Jordan (or god!?)

10) The Verdict (1982)

This is one of Mason's final roles (he died in 1984) What a way to go out, this is really an amazing movie. It features one of the best Paul Newman performances ever as an alcoholic lawyer that stumbles from one seedy case to the next until he happens upon his chance for redemption in the form of a malpractice suit against a Catholic hospital in Boston. James Mason plays Ed Concannon, who is defending the hospital. Mason brings the perfect balance of elegance and cunning to the table.

Bonus:
Eddie Izzard does a pretty good impression of James Mason. Check it out around the 4:45 mark:

Truck Turner (1974)

2010-07-20T07:30:00.005-04:00

I actually watched this due to a misunderstanding. Let me explain: Quentin Tarantino used the track "Run Fay Run" in the last part of the anime sequence (Chapter 3: The Origin of O-Ren) in Kill Bill: Vol 1. You can check it out here, "Run Fay Run" starts at the 7:13 mark. (But the whole thing is awesome):

For some reason I got it into my head that that track came from the Isaac Hayes movie, Truck Turner. Well, having just watched Truck Turner, I can tell you that its definitely not on that soundtrack. Slightly confused, I looked closer, and it turns out that "Run Fay Run" is on another Isaac Hayes soundtrack for a movie from 1970 called Tough Guys. Ah well, at least I know now. Fascinating, no?

Anyway. I do have to admit that Truck Turner was at least entertaining. Isaac Hayes brings a boatload of charisma-he's great at playing the smooth, bad-ass bounty hunter (with an affinity for cats) who runs afoul of some pimps and their ladies and has to take them on-you know, standard issue 70's fare. I can't put my finger on it, but what makes this outing interesting is, at least in the beginning, there is a real sense of humor to the proceedings that make it especially fun. Particularly in the relationship between Turner and his partner, Jerry (Alan Weeks) I liked their chemistry, they really seemed like they has been friends for a long time.

This was crammed with character actors one would recognize. Scatman Crothers as on old pimp/helpful informant to Turner. Yaphet Kotto was great as the awesomely named pimp, Harvard Blue. But the biggest surprise to me was Nichelle Nichols, thats right Uhura from the starship Enterprise. On the one hand I had never seen her in anything else. On the other it was crazy to see her go from her role on Star Trek to the foul-mouthed lady of a pimp named Gator. Its his murder that sets off the revenge plot against Truck Turner. And she puts out the hit against Truck Turner. Its pretty astonishing to see her here.

Inception (2010)

2010-07-19T09:08:00.005-04:00

I actually tried to write something up about Inception last night and even posted it but decided to take it down and try again. This movie excited and flummoxed me so much that I wasn't really putting together the most coherent sentences or paragraph. If you wanted to mention that I rarely put together coherent sentences anyway, please keep it to yourself. I thought maybe I would try it again in list form:

1) Christopher Nolan, right now, is the most interesting "blockbuster" director out there. Bar none. Nolan has a unique talent for melding spectacle with big ideas . And judging by this particular foray, just give him the next Bond movie, let him write and direct it and you'll have the best Bond movie in years. And thats not even based on the snow fortress sequence, I base that on the chase sequence in...what? Morocco, I want to say, but I might be wrong. Heck, Nolan could make Leonardo Dicaprio the next Bond and it might still be exciting. Yeah, I have drunk the Kool-Aid on Nolan thoroughly, because I think he brings the goods, his writing his excellent, although not perfect, there are times when he leaves loose threads, and the plot threatens to buckle the whole endeavor but it never quite does. He might have, once again, turned in one of the best movies of the year.

2) If I gave out letter grades I would give this endeavor an A-, I think it is just shy of a homerun, but besides a few minor quibbles, one being that sometimes the visual imagery doesn't quite-QUITE-keep up with the ideas he is putting out there.

3) That being said, I do like the idea that Nolan made something that is original, ambitious, and, most of all, made for adults. He thrusts us into this world with a minimal amount of handholding. There are a few things in there-the device maybe that connects the sleeping people and enables the person to jump into their dreams is one that pops into my head-that might have benefited from maybe a little exposition, but, again, it doesn't sink the whole thing at all. I mean we are dealing with dreamworlds on top of dreamworlds. And I think in the end everything ties together pretty well-or does it!?

4) That ending-really the whole movie is immune to an instant reaction. Rarely has a big film like this going to start so many conversations and interpretations. Leave it to my teenage nephew on my ride home from the theater to say it in the best way: "You could interpret the ending either way and it would still work." And thats true. Smart kid.

5) I mean it is a completely ridiculous idea- "dream heists"? It shouldn't end up working so well. I do like from a writing standpoint that Nolan can take old tropes (one last job, putting a crew together) and put them in service of something much twistier and new.

6) Even after I watched the movie I couldn't help but wonder if Nolan's seed of an idea for this movie (besides James Bond) was planted by watched Dreamscape and thats not a criticism. That movie was awesome, and Nolan took an idea (people invading other people's dreams) and ran with it. I'm not sure if thats true but I definitely kept thinking about Dreamscape afterwards-only in that they are similarly, sort of, themed.

7) For the most part, it looks really amazing.

8) The cast is uniformly good. I never expect too much from Leonardo Dicaprio, but I thought he did an admirable job here. I feel like he has been getting better, but I could be deluding myself. I particularly enjoyed Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy, but everyone was good. Ellen Page usually annoys the crap out of me, but even here she was good. Or didn't annoy me-which is really something. My goodness, Nolan populated his cast with pretty people.

9) Hans Zimmer's score is really remarkable.

10) I have to mention especially Joseph Gordon-Levitt floating around (and fighting) weightless in the hotel was an pretty awesome sequence. The whole thing was great, but that fight was especially great.

11) I meant to to go only to 10 but I thought of this as well: I like how Nolan constructed specific rules/"logic" for the dreamworlds and stuck to them.

12) AGH! I can't stop. I also have disagree with people who thought there was no real emotion to the movie. I think the movie had a very real emotional core. I do think despite all the beautiful people it lacked a certain sexuality, but not a genuine core of emotion. Whether you thought it was too overwrought, I didn't, but I could see an argument for it.

13) Oh yeah: Tom Berenger!

Interesting sidenote: well, interesting only to me really, in the trailers before the movie, a good portion of them were movies that I would actually see. Thats pretty rare too.

Sugar (2008)

2010-07-11T12:30:00.002-04:00

From the same team that made Half Nelson comes this story about a baseball player, MIguel "Sugar" Santos, from the Dominican Republic who gets called up to the Kansas City Royals Triple-A team, hopefully to one day go to the majors. The movie is definitely at its most interesting as it showcases Sugar's struggles not only in trying to become a major league ballplayer, which is done very well. But also his struggles in being a 19 year old from the Dominican Republic transplanted to the Midwestern United States-where he has to deal not only his performance on the field, but navigating in a place that largely does not speak his language, outside of some of his teammates on the diamond. You get the idea that the MLB might be able to be a bit more helpful to these players if they either sponsored some English classes for them, or had a translator around or something-a lot of misunderstandings could have been avoided. Miguel lived with a host family that couldn't speak Spanish, and his coach on the team could hardly speak to him. I mean, he picked things up after a while, but still, it has to be unbelievably hard trying to not only reach the major leagues but also to suddenly be transported thousands of miles away from home with little to no safety net or backup besides the friends he makes on the field.

At any rate, it plays sort of like an interesting, somewhat slow character study from the seventies. Its particularly interesting to for baseball fans who have to be curious about this sort of thing. Ultimately you gain a deeper understanding of these players' lives.

Sadly, though, the man who plays Sugar, Algenis Perez Soto, is not an actor but a ballplayer that the filmmakers actually pulled off the field in the Dominican Republic. So while he looks good playing baseball, as he should, but as an actor, he uses this long, expressionless stare for nearly every reaction, and it gets kind of boring, and he becomes sort inscrutable.

Year One (2009)

2010-07-11T12:26:00.002-04:00

Look, it was late on a Saturday night after a long day of swimming and cookouts. We also realized that at the moment there wasn't a lot of "lighter" fare stacked up on the ol' Roku. At any rate, this was a pretty unfunny comedy which featured people that were funny in other stuff. I am convinced that the only time the movie was funny was when people were improvising, and not anything that was actually written for the movie. How can all this talent have gone so wrong?

Heat Wave

2010-07-07T13:41:00.010-04:00

If you're like me and you work in an office you know that the weather is frequently a topic of conversation. Particularly in New England, and mostly how hot or cold it happens to be. Its as scintillating as it sounds. Right now, the Northeast happens to be in the midst of a heat wave, they are promising it is going to go away soon. I won't bore you with the details, but it is amazingly hot around here. I kind of can't wait until it breaks at some point this week. But that's beside the point. Well, sort of. Heat waves are also sometimes used as dramatic devices in movies. Did you know that? I am the king of the segue. At any rate, here are five great movies which are set in and around heat waves:

1) Do The Right Thing (1989)

As far as Spike Lee goes, I guess I could have chose Summer OF Sam as well, but, really it doesn't stack up to Do The Right Thing, which happens to be not only perhaps my favorite Spike Lee movie but also one of my favorite movies in general. Here, like in most of these movies, the intense heat is one of the components that causes tension, racial and otherwise, to reach a dangerous boiling point by the end of the movie.

2) 12 Angry Men (1957)

This is another instance where the heat serves to make the titular men more disagreeable. The audience is being constantly reminded of the heat in the courthouse: the fan that won't work, the men's shirts become more and more wet with sweat. Henry Fonda is the lone holdout who examines the evidence in the case closer than the boy who's on trial's lawyer. And his brow is frequently furrowed and shown in sweaty closeup as he tries not only to puzzle things out but to work to convince the rest of the men. Toward the end, the heat breaks in a dramatic fashion, as the jury is split, and one lone holdout is still keeping them there.

3) Rear Window (1954)

In Rear Window, the heat is less of a force for intensifying the dramatic tension (the murder is enough for that) and more another detail to heighten James Stewart's L.B. Jeffries' annoyance and boredom in having to sit in a leg cast and entertain himself while looking out the window. Its another detail about being in New York City, which, even though you only see Jeffries' backyard, its another detail by Hitchcock to make everything feel that much more lived in. The heat wave does break here with another rainstorm, but this doesn't force any sort of resolution but adds another piece to the puzzle. In this instance: where would a man possibly be going in that rain? (And also there's the small gag of the couple with the small dog who get caught out in the rain when they've been sleeping on their fire escape to keep cool).

4) Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

In Sidney Lumet's botched-heist classic, the heat serves much the same purpose as it does in Do The Right Thing. As the heist goes more and more off the rails, its partially the heat that serves to ratchet up the tension. As the the temperature continues to rise, so do the problems for everyone involved. Just look at that sweat pouring off Al Pacino!

5) Body Heat (1981)

This quasi-remake of Double Indemnity, there's a lot of different meanings to the "heat", if you get my meaning "wink wink nudge nudge". And when you first see Kathleen Turner in that white dress, you can understand why someone might want to commit vehicular homicide for her.

20 Actresses

2010-07-06T13:28:00.007-04:00

So I guess this meme has been around for a while...which I assume is as simple as picking 20 of your favorite actresses. I don't think this list is gospel though, because these are basically the first twenty off the top of my head, I could probably have done more, or picked differently, but this is as it stands right now.

Session 9 (2001)

2010-07-06T12:10:00.003-04:00

A neat little haunted house story about a group of workers removing asbestos from an abandoned mental hospital. A little bit of local pride: this was actually shot at the abandoned Danvers Mental Hospital in Danvers, MA. Brad Anderson, the director, apparently used to drive past it everyday going to work and wanted to shoot something there. How about the movie? Its pretty good and being set in an abandoned mental hospital, suitably creepy. At times, reminding me of The Shining, never quite reaching those heights of course, but in the idea of working class men or man having severe personal issues, and then psychological being transformed by a place with a sordid past. I've thought about it a lot since I watched it about a day or two, and I am still not quite sure they completely nail the ending, but they do an admirable job of creating a sense of impending doom and foreboding throughout, its definitely worth a look for a minor, overlooked, small horror movie from the early aughts.

The Extra Man (2010)

2010-07-05T14:52:00.003-04:00

This is odd, but I wasn't completely taken by the movie as a whole. But I was taken by the easy chemistry between the Paul Dano and Kevin Kline. And since, that was basically the crux of the movie, the movie itself wasn't too bad. It leans on way too many easy quirks like a lot of indie movie tend to. But Kline as an aging somewhat escort, a man about 70-80 years out of his time, he nails the funny, actorly, pretentious air that his character gives off. Its kind of an uphill battle to make someone like him likeable, but Kline nails the balancing act, and, not surprisingly, delivers a good amount of the laughs from the movie. Kline is great at this sort of thing. He doesn't reach the heights of his turn as Otto in A Fish Called Wanda, but is still a good turn. Paul Dano pulls his weight really well alongside Kline, which could probably be a pretty difficult bargain. In the end, its an enjoyable trifle, as a Great Gatsby-addict "find himself" in Manhattan. Its good, fun in parts, but not great. Oh, but the soundtrack is really good.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

2010-06-27T21:56:00.003-04:00

While, as far as the Toy Story trilogy goes, I still think Toy Story 2 is the king. But that doesn't take anything away Toy Story 3, which is also great. Very few companies beside Pixar would be able to take a threat from Disney (first to make Toy Story 2 into a straight-to-video release, and this time to simply take the Toy Story characters, which they own, and just make their own Toy Story movie) and make something that is so close to perfection. And its sort of hard to put into words what makes Pixar so much better: sure its the deep emotional beats. But what they manage to do is make a movie that is smart and actually "for everyone" from the beginning. Not just make a kids' movie and then have some of the characters make jokes about, say, taxes, so that they parents can have an occasional laugh. There is a moment nearing the end of Toy Story 3 where some of the main characters realize that in spite of everything they've done, there is no way out of the fatal trap they have found themselves in. In any other kids movie this would be a time for comedic panic, or confessions of long held personal secrets, or make dramatic statements that end up being ironic later. Here the characters make a silent pact to accept their fate, hold hands, and wait and wait and wait. That, for me, is 1) what makes this a great ending to the Toy Story trilogy and 2) what makes Pixar great. Sure, a couple times they skirt some kid movie conventions, even using a couple old songs to sell jokes a couple of times, but in the end it doesn't take away from the overall impact at all. I haven't heard this much sniffling in a dark movie theater at the end of the music, I think, since the end of Milk.

It also has the best "henchman betrays his boss and joins the good guys" moment since, probably, Return of the Jedi.

Green Zone (2010)

2010-06-27T18:14:00.003-04:00

Undeniably thrilling and ultimately tragic. It tracks Matt Damon as Miller, who is in a squad tasked with searching for WMD's. From there he starts to realize something is not quite right, and he starts to go down the murky, political rabbit hole of the early days of the Iraq occupation (I'm not sure they have become un-murky but this deals with the time right after the war started) Its like The Bourne movies combined with All The President's Men. If there is one thing Paul Greengrass is good at is action and chase scenes and it shows here, these scenes keep the movie going. The one drawback is that the characters tend to speak in exposition and, many times, come out looking more like ciphers for various views on the Iraq war then fully fleshed out characters. The main actors are good too: Amy Ryan, Brendan Gleeson, and especially Greg Kinnear as a slimy Bush administration official and Khalid Abdalla as Freddy, an Iraqi citizen.

The Killer Inside Me (2010)

2010-06-27T10:00:00.002-04:00

I actually approached The Killer Inside Me with the same sort of trepidation I approached The Human Centipede. I've read about how brutal it is. I even tried to talk the two ladies I was watching it with out of watching it because I heard the violence against women in it was so gut wrenching. While it doesn't have the same disgusting central conceit/draw of Human Centipede, in the end it left me feeling similar. All in all, except for a few acting bright spots it left me mostly cold. I feel like Michael Winterbottom hasn't developed enough of a personal style for a movie like this. In my mind, it should have be oppressively tense, like a dusty Body Heat. But Winterbottom keeps undermining himself and the story, especially with his song choices at certain point. There are moments would should be played straight, but the music he chooses is like some West Texas, honky tonk, Benny Hill music. Its a weird choice and does not fit. That being said, Casey Affleck is a great choice for the main character, Lou Ford, he's just right for pulling the audience in with his politeness and then repelling it with his viciousness. Pretty much the way the he is to the population of a small town. In his head, he wants to keep things quiet because he just wants to fit in. Because everyone in a small town knows everyone's business, this becomes increasingly difficult.

This is a missed opportunity, there could have really been something here if they were to develop the characters around him this small town with all of its secret, with Ford, a cop who is actual a killer, but in the end Winterbottom's lifeless direction and the script just suck the air out of it to the point where instead of the tension rising like it should be, or it even being a commentary on community in the 1950's, it just becomes an increasingly dry look at guys in cowboy hats making threats to one another in cars.

I think you are going to ignore this particular problem until it swims up and bites you in the ass

2010-06-21T11:48:00.006-04:00

Today is officially the first day of Summer. I could waste a whole entry going through a list of the best Summer/Beach movies. But lets be honest, there is one Summer/Beach movie that rules them all, and also happens to be one of (if not THE) best movies ever made. Of Course, that movie is Summer Rental starring John Candy and Richard Crenna. Kidding, of course. Ah maybe I will still do that list at some point. But here and now it is time to pay tribute to the best Summer movie, and, of couse, that's Steven Spielberg's classic thriller, Jaws.

The other thing about "Jaws" is that it features two really good examples of good facial hair: the first being Richard Dreyfuss as Matt Hooper

and the other being Robert Shaw as Quint. Very nice.

There is a scene before the three of them get on the Orca where they are discussing the trip, and Quint is bleaching shark bones and making Brody drink his homemade brandy. Anyway he is wearing an awesome sweater in that scene. I have been searching for one like it, even though it is a sort-of turtleneck, which I have problems with, but it is still the coolest. Much like this movie.

The A-Team (2010)

2010-06-20T08:55:00.003-04:00

Not that you need a backstory, but going to see this movie was the tail-end of a wonderful anniversary daycation. I had planned a surprised for Tina, and then she reciprocated later in the movie. The problem being: Toy Story 3 was sold out at the Mendon Drive-In. Not too surprising, but threw a bit of a monkey wrench into things. But thanks to the Iphone we were able to quickly come up with another plan. Splice didn't seem to be showing anywhere that was en route to our home (is it still playing?) so we went for big, dumb spectacle: The A Team.

In a lot of ways, I can see why they decided to gamble on a big-screen adaptation of the tv series we all loved in the eighties. If you have happened to catch The A Team recently you realize that its pretty dumb fun, and you probably can't believe you loved it so much when you were younger. And what makes a better disposable Summer action movie than big, dumb, and loud. The A Team movie is all of those things. You pretty much get what you paid for, its not like one walks into the A Team and hopes that they transformed the TV show into There Will Be Blood. Pretty much just like the show, the movie is just that: loud, dumb, ridiculous, and somewhat fun on that trashy, Summer, "we need to get out of the heat and into some AC" type of way. It never takes itself too seriously, and tries to cram as many callbacks to the TV show in there as possible. Because: of course they have to. Although you get the idea that the writers thought they were being way more clever than they actually were. So I mean, it was somewhat fun at the time, but nothing that would ever stick with you in any way. More like something you'd eventually settle on when its on TV someday.

We're not talking Shakespeare here, but I actually thought the cast was okay for what they wanted them to do. I think Bradley Cooper as Face was a good idea. I just have to mention, even in a loud, dumb, movie like this, with people hamming it up left and right: Jessica Biel still stands out there as being terrible enough to stand out as terrible. She plays an military intelligence officer/covert leader on the trail of the A Team and also Face's love interest. This is some Denise Richards in The World Is Not Enough level territory/casting. There is a scene in a photo booth with Bradley Cooper (don't ask) where she has to be tough, playful, and sexy at various times, and the requirement to try to play anything else besides "pouty" completely overwhelms her.

The Legend of The 7 Golden Vampires (AKA The Seven Brothers Meet Dracula)(1974)

2010-06-16T16:15:00.004-04:00

Easily one if the greatest ideas to come down at our workplace. Every Tuesday one of my workmates/work friends has "Crafts Club" where people come together and knit and generally craft. (Full disclosure: I don't have a craft I just go and hang out). Anyway, one of my other workmates was talking about his childhood and how when he was young he remembers going to the movies and seeing this when he was younger. And actually being really frightened by it. Then recently catching it on television and just realizing how, well, not to put to fine a point on it, how awful it was. Well, thats all we needed to hear, so we arranged to watch it for the next Crafts Club, and so here we go. One more aside, its weird to watch something like this with the head of HR around-there was actually some surprise upper-body nudity in here that my coworker either forgot or forgot to mention. A little embarrassing, but our theory is that she missed it because she was knitting.

At any rate, this is one of those films that, while no means a real classic, whatever that means, it is a movie that makes me want to seek out more of what it contains. It was actually a co-production between Hammer Films and the Shaw Brothers. You can tell too, because it combines two things in their wheelhouse: kung-fu and vampires. Its the story of how Dracula takes over the form of a Chinese "man" who heads up the Seven Golden Vampires of the title that have been tormenting a small Chinese Village for years. We meet Van Helsing, played here by Peter Cushing (who pretty much owned the role), teaching in China about the vampires they have in the countryside. No one seems to believe him except for one young man from the village that is tormented by the vampire. He gets Van Helsing, his son, and a English Countess to come with him and his brothers and sisters to their village to defeat the Vampires once and for all. It is an economical 83 minutes long, and even then there is a lot of exposition, and its not like the battles or anything super fantastic. But there is a certain goofy charm to the proceedings, which you sort of can't go wrong with. Its pretty much only going to be entertaining to people that are already super into genre films, or, like here, with a group of people ready to have a good time. One thing that did stand out was definitely Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, the vampire hunter. Someone like him or Christopher Lee can really sell the hammy goofiness of something like and watching him work was actually a delight. I now want to see more! You know, for what it was, a semi-clumsy bringing together of two types of genre movies...well, it could have been worse, I suppose. (One thing I thought was funny or interesting was Van Helsing telling the brothers (and sister) how in Europe Dracula could be warded off with a crucifix, but in China a statue of Buddha works just as well.)

Get Him To The Greek (2010)

2010-06-11T19:42:00.003-04:00

One word: disappointed. I think there is like 2/3 (maybe even less really) of an interesting, funny movie here. But it all falls apart in the end. I feel like Apatow and things Apatow-produced/associated has an issue of late of sticking the landing in their movies. This time is no different, for a good part of the running time this is a raucous comedy with a sort of dark/sad undertone, and then towards the end it shifts weirdly tonally to this different, much more saccharine movie. Which I find doubly sad because this movie is absolutely loaded with talented people both in front of and behind the camera. And with all these funny people, who knew that Sean "Puffy", "P.Diddy" Combs would get the biggest laughs? And a small aside, I love Elizabeth Moss in Mad Men, here she gets saddled with the mostly thankful task of being the career woman who initially won't let Jonah Hill's Aaron do anything fun, and makes life plans without him etc. One, the role is cliched and played out. But the thing is the writers, to me, made her feel more unlikable than a Katherine Heigl character simply by her refusing to let Aron go see The Pixies. I mean seriously? They should have chosen a different band because that is an breakupable (I made that word up) offense in my book. I get that opposites attract, but why stay with someone that would rather watch Gossip Girl than see The Pixies. Call me shallow, but its the truth.

So, yeah, ultimately I was disappointed. There could have been a really funny movie here, but it just sort of peters out in the end. Ah well. At least they serve Narragansett at the Somerville Theatre now.

Eight Surfing Movies

2010-06-11T14:00:00.012-04:00

Lets be honest, there are no really good narrative surfing movies. There are definitely surfing documentaries that are really good. But most fictional surfing movies are fairly cheesy in one way or the other. I think it all depends on your point of view. ( I went to college, you see, its all about how you VIEW things, man) I grew up around the beach, my brother surfed. I mean he wasn't a big wave rider or anything, but I am familiar enough with the ocean and the power of its waves that I find surfing pretty fascinating. So one could look at surfing movies through that lense: most, of the better ones, offer amazing scenery and perhaps some amazing surfing footage, thus are their reason for existing. Then they try to wrap some narrative around the surfers or the surfing itself. Thats just how these things work (thank you, screenwriting, 101-I am sure that was what Chekhov was talking about when he talked about the gun. I am also sure that reference is correct) So, back to me, I sort of grew up around it, and am also fascinated by it, even though I have never done anything past boogie boarding. But there are no good boogie boarding movies. So here are some good (or "good") surfing movies when it is a rainy day and going to the beach is just out.

I notice now that most of these are pretty recent. Despite my dad's predilections for Annette Funicello, I have to admit I don't think I have ever watched any of those late '50's-early 60's beach movies with Frankie Avalon. Although, their return to the genre is listed here.

The Endless Summer (1966)

I don't know how much of a "real" documentary this actually is. But as a small slice of life, in a very specific niche, in a very specific time period-its pretty amazing. It feels like hanging out with a stereotypical surfer-very laid back and easy going. And it just follows two surfers around the world as they search for "the perfect wave". They venture to all sorts of out-of-the-way places around the world, and it looks beautiful. It makes you want to drop everything and follow the around.

Big Wednesday (1978)

Directed by self-described zen-fascist, John Milius. This actually comes from a more personal place for him, it seems growing up he was quite into the whole SoCal surfing scene. "Big Wednesday" refers to the mythical day when the best waves ever come, a day that, in the movie is sort of talked about in hushed tones. And, for the first time on this list, here is Gary Busey. A young Gary Busey before he completely lost his mind. This is funny, not haha funny, because all three leads, including Busey, but William Katt and Jan Michael Vincent all seemed like, at the time, were being groomed for bigger stardom which, for whatever reason never came. Anyway, here surfing is the backdrop and the way the friendship between the three leads develops and becomes close. Its a coming-of-age story, where people have to grow up, and unfortunately being Milius and the sixties, their particular friendship gets tested by the intrusion of Vietnam into their lives. "Big Wednesday" itself represents a return to when their lives were much more carefree.

Back To The Beach (1987)

Now this is truly goofy. Much like, apparently, their movies were back in the 50's/60's. This is actually an enjoyable piece of fluff. Although I haven't actually seen this in a while. My Dad, of course, too me to see it when I was ten, the night before school started (I forget which year of school that would be) Its amiably goofy and fun. But I mean look at that picture. Its so weird, thats Annette Funicello with Fishbone. Pee Wee Herman shows up to sing a song for like 5 minutes then leaves. Its strange, but as a weird sort of double time capsule, its worth checking out, I mean there are worse things to watch on a rainy afternoon.

North Shore (1987)

I would say something like "Only in the eighties!" but this could almost ALMOST happen in any decade. This, of course, is the story of some dork from the midwest who wins a surfing competition in a wave pool and gets sent to Hawaii to...I don't know, compete maybe? Anyway, he bums around and meets and lives with the local surf "guru", Chandler. Who takes him under his wing and teaches him the difference between "soul" surfers, people who do it for the love, and the people who just do it for the money and the fame. I am sure this bit of philosophy was suitably mindblowing when I was ten. Of course there is the villain, and a colorful cast of surfers that he hangs out with along the way. And the ladies. Building up to a big climax where he has to finally prove himself.

Point Break (1991)

Kathryn Bigelow's original magnum opus. Point Break, maybe along with the third Die Hard movie, now seems like the last gasp of the eighties action movie in its truest form. I can't help it too: this thing is beyond ridiculous but it is so entertaining. Patrick Swayze (R.I.P.) the zen leader of a group of surfers turned bank robbers (SPOILER!) ups the ante from his turn in Roadhouse as this surfer who spouts all this nonsense philosophy, usual about some nonsense like "the ultimate rush". Incidentally, he also waxes philosophical about a mythical storm that surfers follow around that is supposed to have the best waves of the century, or something to that effect. There's Gary Busey again, overacting up a storm. And of course, Swayze's nemesis, Keanu Reeves, as Johnny Utah, the college football player turned FBI agent, who infiltrates the game. It really the apex in nutty action movies.

Blue Crush (2002)

This combines Big Wednesday and North Shore. Except, its three girls living in Hawaii, and one is a former champion surfer trying to regain her standing so that her and her sister and her friends can finally make some money. And there is a hunky football player along the way-romantic complications! Yeah, I mean, as far as quality goes-its not very good. But like I mentioned before the scenery and the surfing scenes are pretty amazing. And I guess the producers really thought they were turning things on its head making it about girls instead of boys. An entertaining trifle, lets say.

Riding Giants (2004)

Directed by Stacey Peralta, who also spearheaded the awesome skateboarding documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys. Amazing documentary, both in the stories and the footage, about the ultimate thrill as far as surfing goes: the people that ride exceptionally huge waves.

Surfwise (2007)

Another really amazing documentary that, while it involves surfing, is more about family, and more specifically, how one's upbringing gets them ready or doesn't get them ready for the rest of their life. How does your childhood effect you and in what ways? This documentary follows Dr. Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz, his wife and their nine children. They live "off the gird", they are all homeschooled, and they are raised, in a sense, outside the boundaries of "normal" society. They all live in a small camper and just go from beach to beach learning and living off the land. I have to admit, its really fascinating. Its also fascinating in the questions its raises: such these kids basically are raised with no boundaries, which in and of itself is intriguing. But not having gone to school or learned to function within society, as they get older they basically have to learn or relearn all these things that the average person has figured out. Such as not having gone to any school, is really a crutch if you wanted to be an EMT person. Its just....it is really interesting and definitely worth a look.

Hitchcock's "Thats What She Said" Joke

2010-06-10T14:16:00.003-04:00

For whatever strange reason (because its the internet) this has been making the rounds today around the interwebs, trumpeted as the oldest recorded "Thats What She Said" joke. In this evidently rare sound test from 1929's Blackmail, Hitchcock wants the actress to stand and face the camera or “it will not come out right, as the girl said to the soldier". Nice, Mr. Hitchcock.

Pretty Pictures

2010-06-09T11:38:00.014-04:00

For film nerds like myself, the Criterion Collection is the end-all-be-all. Their huge and incredible catalog is restored to amazing condition, with pristine picture and sound quality, with great bonus features. (They aren't snobs either, while I was doing this I noticed they even delved into Michael Bay's catalog with The Rock and Armageddon. I was also surprised to find Robocop)

At any rate, what really seals the deal is the beautiful cover art for their DVD releases. Most are original designs done especially for the DVDs released by Criterion. According to their website they have something like 534 releases now. Here are my 50 favorite pieces of Criterion cover art. (I haven't actually seen a good portion of these, I know embarrassing, this is going strictly by the cover art, not the actual quality of the movie)

Yi Yi

Wings Of Desire

Walkabout

Umberto D

Thieves' Highway

The Third Man

The Sword Of Doom

The Man Who Fell To Earth

The Killers

The Ice Storm

The Honeymoon Killers

The Bad Sleep Well

The Hidden Fortress

Fallen Idol

Stagecoach

Simon Of The Desert

Secret Honor

Scenes From A Marriage

Rushmore

Robinson Crusoe On Mars

Ride With The Devil

Red Desert

Pickpocket

Paris, Texas

Night Train To Munich

Nights Of Cabiria

Naked Lunch

My Dinner With Andre

Missing

Metropolitan

Le Samourai

Koko: A TAlking Gorilla

Knife In The Water

Kind Hearts and Coronets

Kicking & Screaming

House Of Games

Hoop Dreams

Grey Gardens

Green For Danger

Fires On The Plain

F For Fake

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Empire Of Passion

Days Of Heaven

Crumb

Blast Of Silence

Army Of Shadows

All That Heaven Allows

Ace In The Hole

Two Lane Blacktop

William Zabka: The Greatest Bully of the Eighties

2010-06-08T14:23:00.005-04:00

One of the best features of the always-excellent AV Club is their Random Roles series, where they simply sit down with an actor and got through various roles from throughout their career. I mean, its not always a homerun, but, depending (obviously) on the actor, and how willing they are to tell stories, it can be not only entertaining but also insightful. Today, the profiled one Mr. William Zabka who, of course, played Johnny Lawrence in The Karate Kid, but also returned to play a jerk bully in a couple other eighties productions. Thats right in the wheelhouse of my formative years, its a pretty interesting read.

The William Zabka Jerk Gallery

Greg Tolan, Just One Of The Guys

Chas, Back To School

Johnny Lawrence, The Karate Kid

Jack, National Lampoon's European Vacation (He's in the background making out with Audrey. Add "jerky boyfriend" to his resume!)

Tell No One (2006)

2010-06-08T07:38:00.002-04:00

This represents the beginning of the great Roku purge of 2010:

That being said, this is a really neat, little, twisty French thriller. It is the story of Alexandre Beck, and how his wife disappeared suddenly and mysteriously while on vacation at a lake. Fast forward 8 years, two bodies are found in the woods near the lake, and starts to raise all sorts of new questions about her murder. I don't throw this around lightly, but this gets pretty close to Hitchcock territory, in a good way, at times. Particularly in the idea of a man wrongly accused, and on the run, trying to figure out the truth of the situation he suddenly finds himself in-or in this case, finds himself back in. And a lot of the fun here is the journey in getting to those answers, which, I suppose goes without saying. Also interesting, and well done, there were a couple of music moments here that I really like, both having to do with American singers/bands which, for whatever reason, was sort of surprising. There is one scene/montage set to Jeff Buckley's "Lilac Wine", which not only delves into the mystery, but explores the tragedy of losing your partner, all of it with just images and the song playing in the background. Overall, really good stuff.

Human Centipede (2010)

2010-06-06T14:08:00.003-04:00

From Roger Ebert's review of Human Centipede: "Dieter Laser, who plays Dr. Heiter, takes the role with relentless sincerity. This is his 63rd acting role, but, poor guy, is seemingly the one he was born to play." I couldn't have said it better. If there is one positive to be taken away from watching Human Centipede, its Dieter Laser's performance as the Dr. who puts together the titular centipede. Its really something to behold, he so nuts. I have to disagree with the degree of seriousness that Mr. Laser (apparently his real name) brings to the table, I took over-the-top campy from it-but its a real tour de force. I firmly believe there is at least one part out there for every actor, and for better or worse he seems to have landed him. Whats weird, is the rest of the movie, sure its gross, and it IS gross, but in a weird way its sort of boring, and ultimately doesn't go anywhere. But maybe thats the beside the point, since Tom Six wanted to make a movie whose chief reason for being was nauseating people, and to an extent he succeeds, sure, but there's not too much there in the end.

Taken (2008)

2010-06-05T18:13:00.004-04:00

I don't want to read too much into what is obviously an utterly ridiculous B-movie. But I have to admit, in some sense, it did leave a bad taste in my mouth. On the one hand, its undeniably thrilling to watch Liam Neeson play an ex-C.I.A. operative plowing through a sex ring to save his captured daughter. And, yeah, I get it. But this is way too soon, too close to the Bush administration, and it plays to me like Dick Cheney's favorite movie. Much like 24 is probably his favorite show. Right up to being frightened about what would happen to a pure, white , American in Europe, to the torture. Like I said, I very well could be being way too sensitive, but its just the way it felt to me. Everything else was just sort of funny, I mean, Neeson cuts a large swathe through Paris, there was a time when when he was just beating the crap out of waiters, chauffeurs, and elevator operators. The ass-kicking was impressive though.

Leviathan (1989)

2010-06-05T16:34:00.003-04:00

Part of a trio of movies, along with Deep Star Six and The Abyss, that all came out in 1989, and all dealt somehow with aliens of one variety or another and deep sea mining. Leviathan is particularly interesting because of how blatantly it happens to rip off Alien, from the flamethrowers, to the shady, lying corporation that wanted the deep sea miners to find the Russian sub and the genetic material it contains. It also contains, like Alien, a lot of talk about the union the deep sea miners belong to and benefits and overtime pay-seriously its hashed out just like Yaphet Kotto and Harry Dean Anderson were down there, but this time its Ernie Hudson, Daniel Stern, and Hector Elizondo. Although, the twist is a bit different, like I mentioned (21 year old spoilers ahead) this time they are miners that come upon an old Russian sub that happens to contain some material from old genetic experiments. The twist being that it mutates the crew into a monster, instead of unleashing a monster itself. Oh, but thats where they start ripping off The Thing (see picture above.) Funny because you never get a good shot of the creature, there's like these snippets and what not but thats about it. (Or all they could afford.) Oddly enough, the greatest amount of tension was the very end, where they had to escape the exploding wreckage, they were clad in these deep sea diving suits and going to the surface, getting to the surface generated the most tension. Go figure.

The only real reason I ended up watching it is because for some reason this movie has come up a couple random times this week. First on a podcast. And then it was on TV, out of nowhere. It also reminded me of growing up, on Sundays, WPIX-11 used to show movies on Sunday afternoons, and during the school year you could probably catching the double (sometime triple) feature. I've never seen this uncut (obviously its not something I'd really seek out). This was one of the movies that would end up on there from time to time.

I wonder what happened to Peter Weller?

25th Anniversary

2010-06-02T11:35:00.013-04:00

Maybe it was because it caught me offguard, but, for some reason, when the Brattle Theater announced that it was showing The Goonies as a part of its twenty-fifth anniversary (the movie not the Brattle). But it made me feel older than realizing it was the 30th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. Then it made me look back at 1985, in general, to see what else was celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and I found a few more goodies. And, thus, another list. Obviously, these are my ten favorite movies from 1985 (for now-I realize I think I revised this particular list in the last year or so for some reason-new information just came to light, I guess).

My Favorite Movies of 1985

In alphabetical order, except for the first one, for obvious reasons:

1) The Goonies

To me, I genuinely think The Goonies still holds up. But then again, I saw it in the movies with my Aunt Peg, Uncle Bob, and my cousins Bobby and Greg-and liked it from the get go. But I do think is still works, I'm just not sure its the type of thing that will work as well if you come at it as an adult. But as a fun, and to me, funny, kids' adventure movie: I do think it still works.

2) After Hours

After Hours is a prime example of that sort of fish-out-of-water story where a character gets lost in some sort of urban hellscape. Whats interesting about Scorcsese's take on it is that this particularly fish isn't some rube from the suburbs but someone who actually lives uptown and has come to the strange environs of downtown, and thats when the odyssey begins. I feel like, and I could be wrong, that this tends to get overlooked for the most part in Scorsese's overall catalog.

3) Back To The Future

Another gem from the Summer of 1985. I forget these sorts of things, but I do remember while enjoying The Goonies, I feel like Back To The Future
was the movie everyone was really talking about that Summer. (And both were produced by Steven Spielberg!) Man, looking back, Zemeckis was really on a roll with his first three movies: Used Cars, Romancing The Stone, and then this. Thats a pretty good start. Eh, he couldn't sustain that but not many could, I guess. Back To The Future is interesting because it works both as a straightforward, sci-fi/adventure story, but underneath there is that sort-of skewering of 1950's America that the 1980's Reagan era Republicans gave some much lip service to. Its sly, but its also really good.

4) The Color Purple

And here we have Steven Spielberg as the director. Of course, this was notorious for receiving 11 Academy Award nominations and receiving a single award. It also has something in common with The Golden Girls in that by watching it with Tina I really came around to it. Its remarkable really, and I think it has become somewhat unfairly maligned, because it is both funny in certain parts, and amazingly powerful in others. I do really think it deserves to be considered among Steven Spielberg's best work.

5) Brazil

Brazil hits the zeitgeist of those crazy early-Gilliam years. Talk about a director that truly has his own, unique visual style. And, lets be honest, kind of like Time Bandits, Brazil is nuts. There is some sort of message here about bureaucracy threatening to consume us all, I guess. And its set in some weird, dystopian, art deco future, with elements of 1984. In some ways it can be exhausting and overwhelming, but its something to behold. And I really love Robert De Niro's small turn as Archie "Harry" Tuttle, the terrorist. One of his best lines: "Why? I came into this game for the action, the excitement. Go anywhere, travel light, get in, get out, wherever there's trouble, a man alone. Now they got the whole country sectioned off, you can't make a move without a form. "

6) The Breakfast Club

"When you grow up your heart dies."
The end all, be -all of John Hughes teen angst movies. In every John Hughes movie there's that one thing where it makes you kind of go "WTF!?". I mean you do that now, as an adult, I am sure growing up I thought it was amazing. But, in this instance, its the dancing. They have this very serious group discussion about high school cliques and opening up and what not-then they dance. And of course, there is the problem of Emilio Estevez only noticing Ally Sheedy after she was "cleaned up"-but quibbles aside, whether we like it or not, its sort of a touchstone of a certain generation. And say what you want about Hughes, but, he obviously made something that touched people growing up at the time. It hit a nerve somehow.

7) Into The Night

Sort of a cross between Something Wild and the "fish-out-of-water" scenario I described above with After Hours. This one is interesting, it caught my fancy because my Dad used to love it so much. And, I forgot until now, it was directed by John Landis. Jeff Goldblum is somewhat dissatisfied with his life, and he can't sleep, and in one of his long nighttime drives around Los Angeles he bumps into Michelle Pfeiffer, who is being chased by a group of Iranians. This sets them off on a wild chase through Los Angeles. Its fun, and funny too.

8) Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

You might think I'm nuts for this, but Roger Ebert agrees with me. I think this is such a good ending to the series, that I sort of wish George Miller would just leave well enough alone and not make a fourth with someone else playing Max but what can you do? It actually seems pretty perfect for Mel Gibson too-around Easter I like to tease my Mom and tell her that watching Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is a perfectly acceptable substitute to watching The Passion Of The Christ. If you knew my deeply Catholic mom, you'd understand why this annoys her. But I stick by my guns, because it basically a Christ allegory (or Moses, I guess-dig that very last shot) where he leads a group of primitive innocents out of the Wasteland, and the create a religion thats basically based on him.

9) Ran

One of Kurosawa's last masterpieces, and sort of crazy because he was about 75 when he made it. Its basically his take on King Lear. And it indeed has it all from Shakespeare: greed, the lust for power, and revenge. It also looks amazingly beautiful.

10) Witness

Here's another movie, besides The Color Purple, where Danny Glover plays the bad guy. Although in The Color Purple, he eventually redeems himself, but not here. Its good he played Roger Murtaugh in a few years. Looking at Witness, besides remembering just how good it was. It's also hard to think of a couple of other things. Mainly, "Wow, Harrison Ford used to be so awesome." and "Whatever happened to Kelly McGillis". Well they were great here in a movie that not only works as a great thriller but also as a great romance. Look for Alexander Godunov, who became more famous in Die Hard (and to a lesser extent, The Money Pit) and Viggo Mortensen's first role, both as Amish people.

R.I.P. Dennis Hopper

2010-06-01T20:08:00.002-04:00

Something occurred to me tonight when I was in the car and listening to an interview with Robert Duvall. I guess this goes without saying, considering the inexorable march of time, but all these actors, lets say, of a certain generation are going to passing away now sooner rather than later. And I mean the actors, such as, Dennis Hopper, who worked not only within the confines of the studio system, but also in the, to some, wild years of the 70's and beyond. Hopper is a particularly interesting case to me, in some ways he has been everywhere and done most everything, even going so far back as to work with James Dean in Giant and Rebel Without A Cause. He's also interesting as a person, once being a symbol of the counterculture and ending up becoming a Republican. Peter Biskind, in his book about the 70's film revolution, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls talks about an incident where John Wayne threatened to beat Hopper up on the set of True Grit because apparently some Black Panthers on his daughter's college campus swore around her. But to be honest he has been honored elsewhere better than I could. (Seriously, check those both out.) One thing is for sure, all this talk of Easy RIder has made me want to see it again. There's a good chance that my high school self might have given it short shrift back in the day.

That being said, I wanted to do something in this space, and I had actually forgotten about his turn in True Romance. I mean, at his scariest, and maybe my favorite Dennis Hopper performance, to be honest, is probably his amazing, truly scary turn as Frank Booth in Blue Velvet. But a rather large confluence of things I enjoy take place in this amazing scene from True Romance with Christopher Walken, two crazy heavyweights going at it. The Playlist mentions this in their article above about their favorite Dennis Hopper performances, but apparently until Quentin Tarantino wrote the opening scene to Inglourious Basterds, this was his favorite scene that he had written. And I wonder if that was not only because of the dialogue, but who ended up speaking that dialogue. It probably wouldn't have worked half as well with two other actors.

Positive Mental Attitude (Summer Movie Preview)

2010-05-24T11:22:00.013-04:00

So now that the final episode of Lost has aired, and gone out with a bang. That pretty much clears my plate as far as Summer viewing goes. I mean Justified and Treme are still on, and Louis should be starting up, as well as the next season of Mad Men, so I mean its not a complete void. But the ranks are definitely thinning, along with being outside and enjoying the weather, grilling, going to shows, reading, and trying to think out my Netflix watch instantly queue (finally), But June is almost here, and with my viewing of Iron Man 2, the Summer blockbuster season is starting off in full swing. Although the slate of movies coming out seem particularly thin this Summer, there are still a few I am looking forward, as well as some second or third tier ones that might be a good distraction and/or reason to get out of the heat and into the air conditioning. In the Summer, thats a very valid reason for going to the movies.

Five I Am Looking Forward To

1) Inception

You might have noticed that Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite directors, and him returning to a more of his patented twisty puzzlebox-type of a movie has me excited. Not to mention the cast with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Leavitt, Cillian Murphy, Michael Caine, among others, is just awesome. I think this could very easily be the best movie of the Summer.

2) The Other Guys

Barring Talladega Nights, most of the Adam McKay-Will Farrell collaborations have been winners. It would be great if they could reach the heights of Anchorman again, but the surrealist ridiculousness of Step Brothers was nothing to scoff at either. I like the idea of them teaming up in a sendup of action movie/cop movie tropes. I think Mark Wahlberg, mostly, does better with comedies. And I am also excited to see The Rock and Samuel L. Jackson sort of send themselves up as two badass partners on the police force. Lets hope its as funny as the trailers made it look like it had the potential to be.

3) Get Him To The Greek

I think the idea of a strange sort of spin-off from Forgetting Sarah Marshall is so odd that it just might work. What else I like here: for me one of the surprises of Forgetting Sarah Marshall was Russell Brand's Aldous Snow. I'm not sure if I would be a regular fan of his, but I liked him there, and this is his Aldous Snow after falling off the wagon, so teaming him with Jonah Hill, who is usually pretty reliable, here's hoping that the chemistry works. And it being produced by Judd Apatow-thats usually, USUALLY, a sign of quality. And with supporting turns from the likes of Aziz Ansarai and Nick Kroll, I think this also has the potential of being really good.

4) Toy Story 3

If I would bet on any company being able to put together a near-perfect trilogy it would be Pixar. I mean they took Toy Story 2, saved it from straight to video purgatory, and turned in a classic sequel on part with, if not better, than the original. Also it has one of those tear jerking scenes that Pixar pulls off like few (if any) others in the animation scene-the scene with the Sarah McLachlan song showing how Jesse's owner abandons her There are two types of people: people who get misty during that scene, and people who lie about not getting misty. Its Pixar, basically, and they have already laid the groundwork of excellence, with just a ridiculously amazing body of work. Every time they put out something there is high hopes, and I hope this works out as well.

5) Machete

This might have fit more easily into my second or third tier movies, but, being honestly, I have to say I am excited for this one. It could very well be another case where they put all their ideas into making an interesting trailer, and then leave nothing for the movie. (Considering it started out as a fake trailer in Grindhouse) But again, we are talking about potential here, and I think this might be the right amount of over-the-type pulp silliness that we (or I) just might be craving come the end of the Summer. Plus I don't have to go too long with a dose of Jeff Fahey. Keep giving him work! And I sort of love Robert De Niro's terrible attempt at being a Southern congressman here. I dunno, it could, of course, not live up to its own hype, I mean every movie here has the same pitfall, but if it is fun and ridiculous enough, maybe it could be very pleasurable summer diversion.

Second or Third Tier Movies

So these are the ones, much like Machete, that could very well be awful, but, on the other hand might be a nice diversion on a hot, Summer day. A lot of these I might be playing the long odds for a good time and good reward. But really, sometimes thats all you need.

These are just in order by their release date:

1) Splice

This could either be a potentially creepy, interesting take on the ethics of research into gene splicing and the like, or it could be another Species. We'll have to see I suppose. But I like Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley, so this might work.

2) The A-Team

See? Potentially scraping bottom here. But there is something to be said for just out-and-out ridiculousness. I think they had me with the scene in the trailer where Face shoots a tank at an airplane, as the the tank is falling through the air. How did the tank get in the air? Who is he shooting at? See, these questions need answering. I also actually like the casting of Bradley Cooper and Sharlito Copley here. The cons don't even extend too far into how stupid this just might be. Because the potential is there. The hugest con, for me, is definitely is Jessica Biel. Ugh, she is just a vortex of awful. Maybe they will also tell us just what exactly the crime was the A-Team was framed for, and who framed them for it. I'm not sure the show ever answered this. See? Its really tying up loose ends. That I am quite sure people have been thinking about for the past 20 years.

3) Predators

Eh, I'm a soft sell here. I can even look past the other terrible incarnations of the Predator franchise. Okay, to be honest the creatures haven't been handled well since the first Predator came out. But the hope here, where a group of badasses (Topher Grace!?) get sent to the Predator planet and have to try to survive being hunted-I think it could be cool. There's no real middle ground with any of these really, and it also could be terrible. But I'm hoping for the best. Also: Adrien Brody and Danny Trejo-again!

4) Dinner For Schmucks

I'll be honest, this could be middling, but its here because I am excited about the cast which includes Steve Carrell, Paul Rudd, Zach Galifinakis, Jermaine Clement, and Ron Livingston, among others. Maybe it might surprise and be really funny. Since this post is mostly about hope: here's to hoping.

5) The Expendables

This could probably have the same problems as Machete, in a way. Will it be a ridiculous action movie-throwback to the 80's? Or just be silly? Will it be self aware of its ridiculousness? I don't know if Stallone is smart enough. But maybe he could come up with an action movie and stack the cast with the likes of Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Eric Roberts, Dolph Lundgren, etc. and have it be silly and fun-a nice enough couple hours to take and get in out of the heat? Obviously that really remains to be seen. Or not. This has potential disaster written all over it, but, honestly, the cast and the setup spoke to my inner 13 year old.

6) Pirahna 3-D

Back when My Bloody Valentine 3D came out, I said that I would see any movie in 3D, because they seemed to be a fun novelty at the time. A few years later after Avatar, one of the many horrible things that movie wrought is now EVERYTHING is being made in 3D and, really, its overkill. I would love it if everyone saw Toy Story 3 in plain ol' 2D and that 3D would go back to being the domain of horror schlock, only used every once in a while if at all. So the hypocritical side me, though, thinks some thing like Pirahna 3D is the perfect piece of stupidity to use 3D for. That being said though, for the most part 3D really adds nothing and I would see Pirahna if it was a straight forward remake to Joe Dante's original Pirahna. You know, that would be enough, enough with the overkill. And here, really, what sells it, again this is weird for this potential nightmare is the cast. There is really some semi-ingenious casting here: Richard Dreyfuss, Christopher Lloyd, Elizabeth Shue, Steve McQueen's grandson, Adam Scott, Ving Rhames, Jerry O' Connell, and a special guest appearance by Eli Roth. Like I keep reiterating, this is all about potential, sure this has the potential to be absolutely awful, but that also means, glass half-full, that it has the potential for maybe, MAYBE, fingers crossed, being some goofy fun. Sometimes, in the dog days of Summer, goofy fun is all we are really looking for, isn't it?

An Ode To Nestor Carbonell

2010-05-19T07:52:00.005-04:00

SPOILERSSSSSS (FOR THOSE THAT CARE). If you haven't watched last night's Lost yet, and you do watch it, this isn't a huge spoiler, I guess, but you don't want to read any further-lets just say that. Although, I guess the title is sort of a spoiler but on a show like Lost, not especially. Sort of. Okay, seriously, if you care read this in a few days. (I mean what I write isn't some mind blowing treatise, but it gives away something that happened last night...)

Some people have complained that HBO seems to keep certain movies on constant rotation for a while, until they move on to other movies, and for a few months run them into the ground. I'm not arguing-I think its a valid complaint. We recently got HBO again so that we could watch Treme (and frankly, I'd like to keep it around, not only for that, but for Boardwalk Empire, among others. Although, I have to admit nothing else on their lineup of original shows, at the moment, really excites me. I mean beyond a classic standby like Curb Your Enthusiasm. Anyway, that has nothing to do with anything, besides saying that of late they have been showing The Dark Knight an awful lot, and I have been watching it a lot. You know what? It still holds up. It holds up under repeated viewings, rough surfaces seem to get smoothed over, and, all in all it still works. Small bumps aside, it still works well. A lot of the stuff I was less enthusiastic about before, I like more now, and some of the stuff that doesn't work as well-the closest being the end fight where Batman is taking on the Joker and his guards, I can still see past because everything else surrounding it so good. Still happy to have it in my personal top ten of the aughts. So I can get behind it when they are replaying things I can enjoy. But that goes without saying, right? So I was excited last night, well perhaps excited is still too strong a word, but I was happy it was on last night where I could watch it up until the penultimate episode of Lost I've been thinking about this for a while, but of course there is another connective thread through Lost and The Dark Knight, and that, of course is Nestor Carbonell, who plays Mayor Anthony Garcia.

Good work, there.

Of course, right now, he is playing Richard Alpert on Lost. Although, after last night perhaps his run on Lost is coming to an end. But I just don't think he's dead, at least not yet. For one thing, I thought he was supposed to be immortal. And I just doubt that they would have such a swift death for a character that has 1) been around for so long, 2) has been so integral, and 3) was given his own episode to explain his "origins" this year. BTW, Carbonell, always reliable, did some of his absolute best work of the show on that episode, "Ab Aeterno". (And according to the semi-reliable IMDB, he will be back for the final episode on Sunday, so who knows really? I could have gone broke by now betting on what would happen on Lost )

Speaking of which, people like to call him "Guyliner" or what not because it looks like he wears mascara. Here's something weird, his eyes are naturally dark like that. According to him in the Lost Season 5 extras, he wears no makeup, and his eyes are just dark like that. In fact, they actually have to put make up around his eyes to tone down how dark they are. Apparently, in real life they are actually darker. Sadly, he had to put up with a lot of bullies growing up because of it.

Lastly, here is a deep cut, he has been on a lot of guest spots on shows like Scrubs and House, but how about his first foray into comic book territory, on the super short lived (only 9 episodes) live-action version of The Tick which starred Patrick Warburton as the titular hero and Nestor Carbonell as Bat Manuel:

Like, I said it was only on for 9 episodes, all of which can currently be watched on Netflix's Watch Instantly option. Its goofy fun, and its fun to see him there.

So, yeah. I hope this leads to even more opportunities for Nestor Carbonell. The connective tissue here being that he happens to have starred in things that I think are awesome. Hopefully someone will find something else that's cool for him to be involved with as soon as possible.

Couples Retreat (2009)

2010-05-16T09:00:00.002-04:00

Ugh. Okay you get what you sort of paid for. I've rarely seen such a talented cast wasted so badly. I'm sure they could care less, it was a huge hit, and they got a free trip to some beautiful island, and now have a new beachhouse or something. But, lord, this was like a 2 hour episode of According To Jim, or a two hour riff on some hacky comedian's jokes about marriage. "Men love to control the remote control!" Hey if you love CGI sharks, Jon Favreau getting aroused, or constant plugs (jokes?) for Applebees or Guitar Hero, this is your movie.

The Good Heart (2010)

2010-05-16T06:29:00.003-04:00

We rented this on On Demand last night, it's in theaters last night. It made me think of this. Now, they have "foreseen" the end of movie theaters before and it still hasn't happened. Me? I could go either way. Obviously, on occasion I will watch a first run movie from my house with the technology available. But, personally, I have to admit, even with all of its pitfalls. Because like everything else started by humans there is going to be pros and cons. But, even with all of its pitfalls, I still enjoy the communal experience of going to see movies in the theaters. I like the way Roger Ebert spoke about that experience at a recent night honoring him. As usual, he puts it the best: "Introducing “Julia” as an example of overlooked films, Ebert railed against the studio system and the direction that they are heading.

“Incredibly, some studios have announced that they will no longer make what we think of as real movies. They will specialize entirely in 3D, franchises, sequels, special effects, and superheroes. We all know stories about how the best projects from even a few years ago could no longer be financed today. The studios are running like lemmings towards 3D. 3D is an annoying gimmick useful primarily for increasing ticket prices.”

It was appropriate that it was before an audience in a historical theater that Ebert should speak about the importance of cinema as a communal phenomenon. Channeling Francois Truffaut, he gestured grandly as the computer pronounced what he’d typed.

“Truffaut said the most beautiful sight you will see in a cinema is if you sit in the front and turnaround to gaze at all those eyes lifted up to the screen. They are a characterization of the movie and they are an audience. An audience forms a personality. It forms an identity. It is how we shape our collective dreams. I love my DVD collection. I love streaming video. But when I finally am able to see the restored ‘Metropolis’ I promise you it will not be at home on television.” "

Sure, it seems silly if that experience is seeing something like Iron Man 2, I'll grant that, but even the experience of seeing that in a large crowd, for me, makes the experience that much better even if the movie is no great shakes. But its also why it is amazing to see Jaws every Summer at the Coolidge Corner Theater.

Oh, I've gotten off topic, though. Well, sort of. But yeah, I watched The Good Heart on the in-theaters portion of On Demand. For the most part, I thought it was pretty unremarkable. The script tried a little too hard to make the characters QUIRKY and COLORFUL. Particularly the bar patrons. But I will say that it was nice in the way it took the idea of "the old person learns to live again through the magic of youth" and tweaked it enough to make it somewhat fresh. Brian Cox's assholeishness rubbed off on Paul Dano just as much as Dano's niceness rubbed off on Brian Cox. I'm not sure how real it ever actually felt, but it had its moments. And I sort of appreciated how Brian Cox'x character pretty much remained an unrepentant jerk for most of the time, and only slowly started to change, without any huge epiphany besides a failing heart. So it was definitely somewhat interesting, and Cox and Dano are reliably good, but there just wasn't a lot there to hang your hat on.

Iron Man 2 (2010)

2010-05-14T10:41:00.003-04:00

So I figured last night that if I was going to see the movie that was basically the opening salvo for the Summer Blockbusters of 2010, I might as well go all the way and see it in the most brain-melting way possible. So I grabbed a couple friends and vetured up to the Jordan's Furniture IMAX in Reading, MA. Before the show we were informed by Eliot Jordan himself that not only were the seats made from some sort of tempurepedic/posturepedic material (or something, but it was comfy), the chairs were also equipped with some sort of "butt-kicker" technology (his words). So every time the there was an explosion or robots punching eachother the chairs would vibrate. Truly we had found the right venue to view this movie. Too bad the movie itself wasn't as exciting as the pitch from Eliot Jordan. Its too bad too, I was looking forward to this. I thought, maybe, like the first one it would be a fun, popcorn romp at the very least. But it's long, and overly complicated only to be too simply resolved, and most importantly it wasn’t very much fun. I don't know, like I said before, maybe movies that are going to essentially end up being about robots in fights should be graded on a sliding scale. I mean this movie exists in a world where not only does Iron Man exist, but Tony Stark in his Iron Man Suit, just has a chat with a top secret special agent from a super top secret agency, in broad daylight at Randy's Donuts. So maybe I should grade on a sliding scale. I mean, I know I am not above this sort of thing, but the execution just seemed off-even the stuff about getting together the Avengers, which is Marvel's endgame, and honestly, I think their idea is not only novel and somewhat revolutionary, but they really need to find a better way to shoehorn in that particular subplot, because when they tried here the movie practically came to a halt. And then it pretty much ends exactly where it started. Tony Stark is still just a rich, self-obsessed jerk. I guess Sam Rockwell might come back as a supervillain, but he was already the villain here, so, who cares? The biggest spoiler, I guess, is that in the end, Tony Stark is dating Pepper Potts. Wow! What a scoop! If there is one question on everyone’s mind as they entered the theater to watch this movie, I am sure it was: Oh My Goodness! When are Tony Stark and Pepper Potts going to start dating!?

I will say this though, which is odd, I guess to say about a movie like this, the acting was actually really good, I particularly, as I usually do, liked Sam Rockwell. The issues here were all with the directing and the writing, really.

Deathtrap (1982)

2010-05-14T10:27:00.002-04:00

Watching Deathtrap was interesting to me for a few reasons. I saw a production of Deathtrap when I was probably around 10 years old-it was at a local theater in Westerly, RI. At the time, because I was young I was struck by the play, not only because of the twisty, turny plot. Specifically, there was only two things I remembered about the productions: (SPOILERS AHEAD for a 32 year old play and a 28 year old movie) 1) when Clifford Anderson comes back from the dead and scares the wife to death literally and 2) Sidney Bruhl using the word "faggot". For me, at that young age, actually turned the idea of plays and theater going on its head-and I stress I was young at the time- I had this idea of the theater being a mostly staid, stuffy experience, but, whoah, murder AND you can "swear" on stage. This was some next level stuff. Also my younger self obviously didn't pick up on the nature of the relationship between the two leads until I was much older. And considering my parents, I bet they were mortified watching this play right next to me. But it was sort of a weird object lesson in parenting, they didn't freak out or even mention it, and I figured it out by myself later-no harm or foul. That being said, its also hard sometimes to bring a play to the screen, an adaptation of anything can be difficult, but the trick especially with this play he keeping that same sort of claustrophobic feel without making it seem too "stagey", if that makes sense. Lumet does a good job of this. It doesn't hurt that his two leads are great, and since everything pretty much rests on their shoulders thats a plus. There are only about 5 main characters here and when one is as awful as Dyan Cannon as Sidney Bruhl's wife, there has to be some pretty major lifting by the rest of the cast. The ending is a bit different than the play-the only reason I know is b looking it up on Wikipedia, I didn't remember from seeing the play. But, again, Lumet makes it work. It actually probably was to my advantage here that I hadn't seen the play in such a long time, so how it played it out was actually new to me all over again. And what I didn't get when I was younger was how strangely meta the play was about playwriting in and of itself, and about writing (and eventually triumping) with a play about the action you just saw.

Another interesting thing, to me, was watching Christopher Reeve. He is pretty chilling as the sociopath, Clifford Anderson. I say this because I realized when watching this that I only know him from the Superman movies and, perhaps, Remains of the Day. So I can honestly say I didn't realize he had it in him, or even had it in him to go toe to toe with a heavyweight like Michael Caine, and he really does a great job.

Exit Through The Gift Shop (2010)

2010-05-02T13:46:00.002-04:00

An absolutely fascinating documentary, ostensibly about "street art", but ends up being about more than that. Somewhat. Its a little hard to explain, but it starts in one place, and ends in a much different place. You never quite know where it is going or where it is leading. It organic in that it features Thierry Guetta who picks up a video camera and basically starts filming everyone and everything around him. And from there, during a trip to to France, he discovers that a cousin of his is a famous street artist named Invader (or Space Invader). Guetta becomes obsessed with following Invader around on his exploits, and he starts to become more and more immersed in the street art culture, meeting more and more artists along the way. And following him all over the world. He amasses thousands of hours of tapes, he starts to come up with the idea of making all this footage into a documentary at some point-the problem is he is disorganized- at one point he shows the hundreds of boxes of tapes that he has made- mostly unmarked and never even looked at. They contain amazing footage- a lot of which is shown. It documents a subculture where pieces might be up for a day, if not shorter, before they are taken down or painted over, this footage is an invaluable document of a huge amount of pieces. And this is only the beginning-through his travels his holy grail becomes meeting Banksy, the famous London street artist. And from there things spiral in yet another direction-its pretty riveting. I don't want to give away the surprises because thats what makes the documentary so amazing-but it ends up being as much, if not more so about the documentarian (in an interesting way, not an annoying one) and also about art in general, commerce, fame etc. Its really amazing.

Basic Instinct (1992)

2010-04-24T08:56:00.003-04:00

I had never seen this before. There's no real reason why I had missed it. It was released in 1992, my sophomore year in high school and I certainly would have been interested in it then. Since I am 17 (yikes) years older now its a bit of a different story now. This movie simply tries too hard. This must have been the apex of this sort of sexy murder-mystery that they churned out so much in the late 80's and 90's. Sharon Stone's line, "I like to fuck on cocaine", pretty much sums up the whole movie. I mean, you could say this about most movies I am sure, but this was obviously made with everyone involved with the production hoovering rails. Especially Joe Eszterhas, the writer. Oof. Everything is ratcheted up to 11 here. In a way, its not unenjoyable, but its definitely not good. I had to post the above picture because the sight of Michael Douglas going out to the clubs wearing a v-neck sweater with nothing underneath made me laugh out loud. Also, through no fault of their own, there are like three actors here who went on to have parts in Seinfeld, and, I just have such a hard time taking them seriously. (Much like the movie: ZING!) Particularly Wayne Knight, who would go on to play Newman there. Oh, I will say though, even though it might be hard to pick out the worst performance here (special shout out goes to Michael Douglas' delivery of the line, "Do you think this is some sort of GAME!" You have to see it...) to me has got to to George Dzundza as Michael Douglas' partner, Gus, some sort of country western obsessed goof transplanted to San Francisco. (They have this thing where Douglas calls him "Cowboy", and he keeps calling Douglas, "Hoss").

Kick Ass (2010)

2010-04-18T09:36:00.002-04:00

Alan Moore really changed the game as far as superheroes and/or masked crimefighters and/or even science fiction storytelling all those 24 years ago. You can feel that influence in everything from The Incredibles , to parts of Lost to, yes, even Kick Ass. Like my friend Lee said yesterday, its interesting to see where people run with those ideas. Kick Ass is somewhat of a Watchmen in reverse, in this world superheroes do exist in comic books, it just takes one nerd to ask, "Why CAN'T normal people become costumed vigilantes?" While, obviously, not as deep as Watchmen (and I mean the book, not the movie), it's a fun little ride, and sometimes thats enough. I have to admit, to having never read the comic that the movie is based on, so I was going in cold on this one. It's interesting because the ad campaign for this is a bit misleading, its not as overtly wacky as they make it out to be, and its serious while still being ridiculous. I mean it has its overtones, but when I mean, it is about "real-life" costumed superheroes battling what are essentially Italian stereotypes. Special mention must be made of Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl, who is just amazing here. Who knew an awesome and bloody battle scene could come between an 11 year old and a crew of hardened mobsters? Well it does.

One thing I did appreciate, was that they were dealing with a ridiculous idea, sometimes with some somewhat serious overtones, and like I said I am not sure this comes from the comic or not. I was glad to see they weren't afraid to go all the way with its craziness and pulpiness. I find too often, shows like Fast Forward and V have these pulpy premises but take themselves too seriously. Kick Ass doesn't, and I kind of appreciate that about it.

Date Night (2010)

2010-04-12T11:07:00.002-04:00

Tina Fey and Steve Carrell really make this movie better than it has any right to be. Actually the whole cast does, but they do the majority of heavy lifting, being the two stars. But Ray Liotta, William Fichtner, James Franco, Mila Kunis, and Mark Wahlberg are all also good, and they help elevate a script which isn't great. The end credits goof reel shows that I think a lot of the best stuff from Carrell and Fey was ad-libbed. I guess I should be upfront and say that I generally like Tina Fey and Steve Carrell a lot, and they work well as a married couple going through some growing pains, but, in a weird way I like that they resolve it in such a "nice" manner. I know, weird, but if you see the movie you'll know what I mean. There probably isn't though a lot of reason not to just wait until its out on video. Its a fun little romp, and I had a good time, but its not like it sticks with you or anything. I do enjoy these sorts of After Hours/Adventures In Babysitting plots where the suburban outsiders have to deal with a crazy night in the urban jungle or whatever-its an old chesnut but it can work. And it does here, mostly because Carrell and Fey are the couple. They can just make it work, AND they made me laugh. So its not a complete stunner, but its a good time filler if you feel like it. Especially if you happen to be a fan of one or both of Steve Carrell or Tina Fey.

The Children (2008)

2010-04-12T10:55:00.004-04:00

I would really like someone with children to watch this movie and tell me what they think. This is a creepy little hidden gem from England. Set in the country, its snowy and chilly, and there seems to be some airborne (possibly its never explained) illness that effects children of a certain age. Its really interesting too how the parents are portrayed initially, very yuppie, semi-crunchy parents: one is trying to teach their child Mandarin Chinese, the other couple decides to homeschool their children, and I dunno, raise them in a yurt. We've all met parents like this. But what then, if for no discernible reason, your young children suddenly start to turn into murderous zombies...what would you do? Thats the central question, which also takes to the next level the idea that in some ways kids, with their imaginary friends and what not, can be sort of creepy. The dinner scene that kicks everything into gear really brings this home. Whether you have kids or not: ever been somewhere for dinner with some children who act up and aren't eating, but the adults try to continue talking, but the kids are misbehaving somehow and there is this sort-of tension as everyone tries to ignore it? Ratchet the ominous foreboding up a little and thats what you have. Its a nice little film that never outstays its welcome: its only about 82 minutes long. And its really creepy. Thanks in no small part to the cinematography of Nanu Segal, it looks amazing. But the direction Tom Shankland is what really hits it home. I've been wanting to see it for a while and it just happened to crop up on "On Demand" in the past week or so.

A Gallery of Badassery

2010-04-04T20:55:00.011-04:00

I have had these pictures sitting around for a while. I forget what my original intent was with them, they are in a folder entitled simply "Badass". Makes sense. Here is the Gallery of Badassery (or badasses). I am sure I didn't think of some that should be included, its not definitive.

The Gallery Of Badassery

Philip Stone

2010-04-04T11:02:00.007-04:00

So, this morning I was just about to clean up around the apartment. I was enjoying an Iced Coffee from Dunkin Donuts (send me money, I can give more plugs!) and I started watching Thunderball and I noticed a familiar face. In the very beginning during the SPECTRE meeting where they man gets electrocuted for coming up short on some money- I saw someone I recognized. Its one of those people I had seen in things I liked before, some things I love, yet I didn't know his name. Turns out his name is Philip Stone, he just passed away in 2003, and he has some 99 credits to his name on IMDB.com. It seems most of those are television roles, British television for the most part (his first being on The Avengers in 1961). From there he got some small uncredited roles in some bigger movies such as:

SPECTRE #6 in Thunderball (1965)

and

another uncredited role in Where Eagles Dare (1968) as the Sky Tram Operator.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a picture of them.

Interestingly, enough he seems to have caught Stanley Kubrick's fancy in the 70's and appeared in three straight Kubrick movies. The last being what might be his most famous role:

As just "Dad" in A Clockwork Orange (1971) (Alex's Dad)

As Graham in Barry Lyndon (1975)

And what could arguably be his most famous role, the original murderous caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, Delbert Grady, in The Shining

Unfortunately, again, I couldn't find a picture for this, but he played Zogi, The High Priest in Flash Gordon (1980).

Lastly, as far as famous films go, he still did a bunch more television, even episode of A Touch Of Frost in 1997, he played a part of the colonial presence in India, Captain Phillip Blumburt in another personal favorite of mine, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Fun Facts: According to IMDB, he was actually the ONLY actor to appear in three successive Stanley Kubrick movies.

He also served in the Royal Air Force in World War 2. Ian Fleming would have approved.

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

2010-03-28T21:10:00.003-04:00

Sometimes timing is everything. Take, for instance, this morning/early afternoon when we were in Harvard Square and we walked by the Harvard Loews theater at just the right time. The right time being about 3 minuted before the start of the noon showing of Hot Tub Time Machine. The movie delivers and that it is just as ridiculous as the name sounds. You pretty much know what you are getting into. That being said, there are probably worse ways to while away a Sunday afternoon, but then again you could probably go your whole life and not feel like you have missed anything if you don't see this movie. It worked because the plot was duct-taped together from those ski movies in the eighties, with a dash of Back To The Future and even Quantum Leap for good measure. I mean there isn't much here, a lot of jokes rely too much on nostalgia, although the gems like John Cusack finding his old Fishbone shirt in his luggage were nice. As was William Zabka's cameo. Craig Robinson and Rob Corddry are the real standouts here, though. Its silly, and there are some good laughs, and its amiable enough. It was also nice to see Lizzy Caplan, Crispin Glover, and I support this new mini-trend of comedies using Public Enemy on their soundtrack. (I am not sure if two movies makes something even a minitrend.)

The House Of The Devil (2009)

2010-03-15T16:00:00.003-04:00

Before I start my review, I need to point out that while Peter and Vanessa have been burning up the boards, you'll note that there are still some un-bolded quotes below if you wanted to try your hand at some of the unanswered quotes from the 90's movie quiz As Rocky would say: Go for it!

Anyhow, I have to really admire Ti West's craftsmanship in recreating to a "T" a horror movie that could have come from straight from the late seventies/early eighties. To me, at least, it becomes even more fantastic when I checked over at IMDB, and, sure enough he doesn't turn 30 until October of this year. I don't know why that is, but it just seems like someone who has immersed himself in early eighties cheapie horror/slasher films, as West clearly has, I would have pegged that person at being at least 5 to 10 years older. That doesn't diminish what he's done here. He has recreated, not parodied, a cheaply done horror film from a very specific time period, one that very well could have been caught on early HBO, or even Elvira, or USA's Up All Night when we were growing up. It really is pretty amazing, right down to the film stock chosen to create that very particular look. And, I feel like I need to emphasize the fact that it never feels like a parody. But more of a recreation, if that makes sense. Like unearthing some lost horror gem that people sort of remember from staying up late at night growing up in the eighties. So how does it work as a scary movie? Up until the finale where everything goes nuts, its pretty much a study in the slow burn. Before it goes off the rails in a way that seems fitting, it really is a study in setting the mood. The lone babysitter out in the middle of the woods, stuck in a big empty house? Check, check, and check. Its definitely creepy. Ti West also seems like he is really good at setting and sustaining a consistent mood of dread. The thing is you almost have to watch it as a product of a different time. If you go in looking for horror tropes from more modern horror movies, it probably won't work. But if you turn off the lights and think back to watching some old school, VHS , cheapie horror movie-I think it adds to the enjoyment. Because up until the end, this is definitely more slow moving than something you might find today. For a fun, little, sort of weird, thriller, it does its job. I can't wait to see what Ti West does next. I have to say though, the cast, while not large is memorable, of course Jocelyn Donahue as the babysitter is really good. It was nice to see Dee Wallace. But the creepy cake has got to go to Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov as the owners of the old house.

90's Movie Quiz

2010-03-08T21:26:00.006-05:00

I got this idea from Kate's blog. I had a good time actually doing the quiz so I thought I would try it here. So feel free to chime in and try it out:

The Rules

1) Pick 20 of your favorite (1990s) movies.

2) Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.

3) Post them here for everyone to guess.

4) Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie title.

5) NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search or other search functions.

The Quotes

1) If you're part of a crew, nobody ever tells you that they're going to kill you, doesn't happen that way. There weren't any arguments or curses like in the movies. See, your murderers come with smiles, they come as your friends, the people who've cared for you all of your life. And they always seem to come at a time that you're at your weakest and most in need of their help. (Goodfellas)(Peter)

2) What are you, a fucking park ranger now?

3) Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you’re going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you. (Rushmore)(Peter)

4) Behind every good man there is a woman, and that woman was Martha Washington, man, and everyday George would come home, she would have a big fat bowl waiting for him, man, when he come in the door, man, she was a hip, hip, hip lady, man. (Dazed and Confused)(Vanessa)

5) Witness Exhibit A: My 8th Grade science project - a working rain forest. Mike Dexter threw it out a third story window. It rains here no more. Witness Exhibit B: An eye patch I wore for a month after Mike beaned me with a raisin in home ec. My parents took me to a 3D film. I saw no third dimension. And of course, how could I forget the pudding incident? I know no one else has.

6) Tell Leo he's not God on the throne, he's just a cheap political boss with more hair tonic than brains. (Miller's Crossing) (Peter)

7) How about if I wait six weeks to call. I could tell her I found her number while I was cleaning out my wallet, I can't remember where we met. I'll ask her what she looks like and then I'll ask her if we fucked. How about that? Would that be money? (Swingers)(Vanessa)

8) Wow, I didn't know we'd become such good friends, because if we had, you'd know that I give head before I give favors and I don't even give my best friends head so your chances of getting a favor are pretty fucking slim. (Go)(Peter)

9) AK-47. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherfucker in the room, accept no substitutes. (Jackie Brown)(Peter)

10) Wanting people to listen, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you'll notice you've got their strict attention.

11) I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You're a plague and we are the cure.

12) A lot of holes in the desert, and a lot of problems are buried in those holes. But you gotta do it right. I mean, you gotta have the hole already dug before you show up with a package in the trunk. Otherwise, you're talking about a half-hour to forty-five minutes worth of digging. And who knows who's gonna come along in that time? Pretty soon, you gotta dig a few more holes. You could be there all fuckin' night.

13) You know, we are sitting here, you and I, like a couple of regular fellas. You do what you do, and I do what I gotta do. And now that we've been face to face, if I'm there and I gotta put you away, I won't like it. But I tell you, if it's between you and some poor bastard whose wife you're gonna turn into a widow, brother, you are going down.

14) I'll give you a winter prediction: It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life. (Groundhog Day)(Peter)

15) I seem to be stuck in the wedding from hell, ghosts of girlfriends past at every turn. Next thing I'll bump into Henrietta and the nightmare will be complete.(Four Weddings and A Funeral)(Peter)

16) Want to hear a poem I wrote? "I love you, you love me. Going down the sugar tree. We'll go down the sugar tree, and see lots of bees: playing, playing. But the bees won't sting, because you love me." That's it.

17) 'It's Christmas Eve in the City of Angels and while decent citizens sleep the sleep of the righteous, hopheads prowl for marijuana, not knowing that a man is coming to stop them! Celebrity crimestopper Jack Vincennes, scourge of grasshoppers and dopefiends everywhere!' Ya like it, Jackie boy? (L.A. Confidential)(Peter)

18) All right, look-you're a roofer, and some juicy government contract comes your way; you got the wife and kids and the two-story in suburbia - this is a government contract, which means all sorts of benefits. All of a sudden these left-wing militants blast you with lasers and wipe out everyone within a three-mile radius. You didn't ask for that. You have no personal politics. You're just trying to scrape out a living.

19) God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off.

20) Diamonds are supposed to be colorless! You go out and buy a colored diamond for a girl you're not even seeing, man, you must be eating retard sandwiches again.-Vanessa (I can't figure out how to cross out so I will bold the ones people get.)(Beautiful Girls)

My Semi-Uninformed Oscar Post

2010-03-04T10:02:00.012-05:00

I still enjoy the Oscars. Their prestige, if you can call it that, has worn off only because there are so many other awards shows littering the landscape now. Back in the day it seemed like there was one award show for maybe each entertainment medium (The Emmy's, The Grammy's etc.) Now there are all sorts out there. Do the Oscars matter? In the grand scheme of the planet Earth? No they don't. But as much as we as movie goers and movie lovers don't like to admit it, or we try to act like we're above it, we still argue about what was left off and not nominated, and, on Monday, will argue about what should have won. Its fun to do. And every so often the academy will get things right. Sometimes really right. And sometimes, oh so wrong. But I feel like, and I am generalizing, for the most part they are at least somewhere close to what they are trying to honor. And like every human endeavor, sometimes it goes off the rails. My point being, I guess, against my better instincts I always get excited around this time of year. I mean, we all have opinions, and we all have dogs in these races. And it becomes kind of fun. And I actually do enjoy watching the shows. Maybe not all the dance numbers and what not, but its fun to watch and see what happens. I also happen to like montages (this year its a horror homage, nice!), so there's that. I also love the latter day work of Alec Baldwin, so having him co-host is just icing on the cake. And, yes, I realize intellectually, deep down, that is a bunch of millionaires playing make believe patting each other on the back. But without them, what am I going to do with my free time?

Anyway, I say this is semi-uninformed because as one can tell, I am a bad film blogger in that I haven't seen everything nominated. Which, I know, is next to impossible. Either I didn't want to and am baffled at its nomination anyway (The Blind Side) or I simply didn't get the chance (i.e. no days off to treat myself to double and triple features) Three I would have liked to have seen but ran out of time are:
-The White Ribbon
-Up In The Air
-A Single Man

So, I mean, I know about these films, and other one nominated, but I haven't seen anything. So I am sort of like much of America. But I thought I would comment on a few of the biggies:

Actor In A Leading Role
I feel, like the frontrunner here is still Jeff Bridges who rose above some not-so-great-writing and created a great character in Bad Blake. I have heard amazing things about Colin Firth in A Single Man, but I haven't actually seen it yet. I have heard, in general, its a better movie than Crazy Heart, which I could believe. I said it before, I wouldn't mind if Jeff Bridges won, I really like him. But I have to give props to Jeremy Renner, who, I think, who portrayed one of the best characters to come down the pike in years, SSG William James, in The Hurt Locker.

Actor In A Supporting Role
I'm sure I just did what a lot of people have had to do and looked up The Last Station to be reminded what it was. Ah...the one about Tolstoy. Got it. One thing about these particular Oscars, is that either they are going to be very predictable, or people thought they were going to be predictable and there are going to be a bunch of surprises. This is one of those times when I would be very happy if the predictions came true. But I have to admit I haven't seen any of the other movies in this category.

Christoph Waltz as Col. Hand Landa deserves it. He is so good in Inglourious Basterds, its ridiculous. Although, I am sad that Melanie Laurent didn't garner a nomination, but I'll take what I can get.

Actress In A Leading Role

Call me an East Coast Liberal Elitist, if you must, and you might if you knew I haven't seen the movie, but I am absolutely baffled at the Oscar love that The Blind Side is getting. It looked awful, and so did Sandra Bullock, but here she and it is. I feel like this is going to come down to a three way race between Carey Mulligan, Gabourey Sidibe (I also haven't seen Precious, sorry), and Meryl Streep. I have seen An Education and Julie and Julia and I thought that Carey Mulligan's performance in An Education was a revelation and Meryl Streep as Julia Child, was the best part of that particular movie. This is a hard one to call, but I feel like either they academy will award the newcomers like Sidibe or Mulligan, or go with the leader of the Actress Old School, and reward Meryl Streep again. We'll see which way the Academy is pitched this year.

Actress In A Supporting Role

Some old school Oscar wisdom, that you hear every year is that the Supporting Actor categories are where the really meaty acting parts are. There is something to that I think. Not always, but often, I think. This time this category has me flummoxed because all I know is while she did a good job, Maggie Gyllenhaal really doesn't deserve to win for Crazy Heart. But it looks like Mo'Nique might be the one to beat on this night for a performance that looks nuts from Precious.

Animated Feature Film

Hey, I have actually seen three of these, and its not just for that reason that I put them as the frontrunners: those being Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Up. (Although I have heard good things about The Secret of the Kells. For one thing I thought 2009 was a great year for innovative and thoughtful children's movies. I'm gonna have to think that Up is the frontrunner here (The Saving Private Ryan effect, maybe, where a movie is awarded for its opening sequence? Personally, I liked the whole thing, but some might say that...) But, really, I would be happy if any of those three came out on top.

I guess, Avatar is going to take a lot of the special effects-related awards, I am guessing.I'm not sure what else to comment on. Oh wait, here's a few (lucky you):

Music (Original Score)
Goodness, I hope they don't decide to award Avatar here too. Because, much like the movie that it comes from, it is pretty derivative of what he has done before. I have to confess that I don't recall the score from The Hurt Locker, I'm not saying it wasn't good, it might be but I suppose its not as memorable as its images. But it MUST have helped out in the tension department in this movie...that being said, again, I could go any of three ways here, Alexandre Desplat for The Fantastic Mr. Fox,

Hans Zimmer's score was surprisingly good for Sherlock Holmes, and, of course, Michael Giacchino for Up. I feel like Zimmer might be the industry favorite after Horner, but Desplat and Giacchino, two relative upstarts could nab it too. I am having a hard time making a decision here so, I will cop out again, and say if any one of those win, I will give a polite golf clap and be happy.

Music (Original Song)
I have to plead the fifth on most of these too, but if The Weary Kind
by Ryan Bingham and T-Bone Burnett happened to win, it would be very nice, The music for Crazy Heart from Burnett is "crazy" good. Ha!

Writing (Adapted ScreenplayI
I need a ruling on this one. What exactly makes a screenplay adapted? Say with District 9 is it "adapted" because they adapted it from their own script which was originally a short film? Because I don't think there was another source for this one. Looking at the nominees I would like Nick Hornby's adaptation of An Education to take it, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Precious is going to take this one.

Writing (Original Screenplay)
This is another category with a lot of good and interesting nominees. And, while I have not seen it, I have heard that The Messenger, while not perfect, is actually really good. The other four, Up, The Hurt Locker, A Serious Man, and Inglourious Basterds are all pretty solid. But I will just come out and say it, if there is any justice (and there usually isn't) Tarantino will take this one, not only is the story something to behold, but his dialogue, most of which isn't in English, is just amazing. I feel like he was at the top of his game here and should get rewarded. But my opinion doesn't add up to hill of beans, really.

Directing

My favorite would be Tarantino, of course. He directed (and wrote) my favorite movie of the year. And I thought he really elevated his game here as well. I mean just look at the first scene alone, amazing stuff. But it would be awesome to see Kathryn Bigelow win too, making her the first woman to win a best director oscar, and the film she made was amazing too. Also, it would be so great to see James Cameron 1) lose and 2) pretend to be happy for her.

Best Picture

Also, what I don't understand is Up is nominated for Best Picture and for Best Animated Feature? I thought they increased the field to ten to spread the love around a little. Want something more populist? How about slotting Star Trek in there or something? And there's The Blind Side again. Best Picture, really? Here is an example where I think the Academy comes close to getting it right: 7 of their ten nominated movies were on my 2009 Best Of list...one of them was even my number one. I'm not sure if I should be proud of my powers of prediction or a little wary that my tastes seem to be aligning so much with the Academy. Maybe they are just getting smarter, who knows. Anyhow I think this comes down to the same two movies here as in the directing categories, my personal, sentimental favorite would, of course, be Inglourious Basterds . But all signs seem to be pointing towards a win for The Hurt Locker, and believe me, I would have absolutely no qualms if The Hurt Locker won. I really loved that too. Basically, the Academy would have to go pretty far to upset me in this category. So, all in all, it should be an interesting night.

From the Roku: World's Greatest Dad (2009)

2010-03-01T23:03:00.004-05:00

A couple things surprised me about World's Greatest Dad, 1) It was funny and it starred Robin Williams. My usual rule of thumb is to avoid Robin Williams vehicles, his shtick really really really grates on me. It goes without saying (The Jim Carrey/Eternal Sunshine Principle!?) that I like him better when he tones it down, as he does here. 2) Bobcat Goldthwait directed this!? This is a pitch black comedy which is not perfect at all, but it did make me laugh out loud quite a few times.

Crazy Heart (2009)

2010-02-28T18:24:00.007-05:00

The acting is good across the board, in spite of writing that seems to switch up between tempos and motivations. By that token, I think Maggie Gyllenhaal manages to actually do the most with the little she is given. Its not her acting, its the fact the role just seems underwritten: The character is supposed to seem like she is lost and/or broken in some way, but there's no real sense who she is and why she even wants to interview (or become involved with) Bad Blake (Bridges) in the first place. Its odd that the other relationships in the film come across better than the main, sort-of romantic one. Colin Farrell shows up as a country singer who Blake mentored, and who is now bigger in the scene than Blake. It says a lot about Farrell, and Bridges as well, that their best scene isn't one when they are trading fairly rote dialogue, but when they are singing onstage together and their body language and eyes are telling the story about the relationship between the two men.

Speaking of which, despite some of the writing's shortcomings, Jeff Bridges (as per usual) really is excellent here. Its easy to make comparisons with Mickey Rourke's turn in The Wrestler- a down and out entertainer just trying to get by. Crazy Heart is much less bleak, in a sense, its sad, but there is more redemption here. Wait: about Bridges, his performance as Bad Blake really does feel comfortable, lived-in, right down to his walk and doesn't go too far with the drunk mannerisms. Also, I feel like his buddy relationship with Robert Duvall as an old friend seemed much more real than the others. More organic, I guess. It really does feel like two old pros who feel comfortable with each other.

It sounds like I didn't like the movie, but I did. I just wanted to like it more than I actually did. And while it lands in a happier place than, say, The Wrestler did, there might be something to say for "over" finishing something, if that makes sense. That said: I did like Bridges a lot. Also, the original music that comes from T-Bone Burnett is also really good, which helps things.

70 Years Ago: My Favorite Movies of 1940

2010-02-25T11:14:00.011-05:00

Wow. Thats a long time ago. Anyway, more Jimmy Stewart! Some Cary Grant! More Hitchcock!

10) The Letter

Not enough movies are made about murders on rubber plantations anymore. I guess some things just have to be left alone when they are this good and involve Betty Davis shooting (or possibly not!) people.

9) Gaslight

This would actually be remade 4 years later in an American version to much acclaim. In actuality, both versions are actually really good. A nice little gothic thriller, involving a 20 year old murder, an abandoned house, a wife who may or may not be suffering from blackouts (or amnesia or kleptomania) , and a husband who may or may not be involved and/or scheming against her.

8) Strange Cargo

Awesome little adventure yarn, where a group of convicts try to escape from the Devil's Island penal colony, through the jungle, trying to get to a boat to get to the mainland. Made a bit stranger by the fact that one of the convicts is this weird spiritual/religious leader who seems to know what will happen before anyone else does.

6) My Favorite Wife

Jimmy Stewart actually comes in second to Cary Grant on the list this time. In my opinion, just as classic a screwball comedy as His Girl Friday (see below). I mean it is really an amazing feat of plot, pacing, and dialogue. Cary Grant's wife shows up after being presumed dead, just after gets remarried, AND then finds out she may or may not have gotten all cozy with another shipwreck survivor and sets out to find out whats up. A classic farce of misunderstanding and unfortunate timing.

5) The Grapes of Wrath

Of course, the classic from John Ford (and John Steinbeck!) about a poor midwest family forced off their land who travel to California, suffering the misfortunes of the homeless and indigent during the Great Depression. The doesn't even really scratch he surface here. Henry Fonda, in the lead, is just as great as you heard here.

4) Foreign Correspondent

Sure it might be some of Hitchcock's more overt propaganda, but that doesn't make it any less fun. Worth it for the windmill scene alone.

3) His Girl Friday

Not only one of the great workplace comedies, but when of the great screwball comedies, if thats even the most appropriate term. For a movie put out in 1940, it is actually pretty progressive for the time. Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell are at the top of their respective games as the divorced editors/reporters at big city newspaper. The verbal sparring and the dialogue in general are amazing.

2) Rebecca

Another gothic thriller, made all the better since it is done by The Master. Set in a big, spooky mansion (Manderlay), with a woman and her family and servants who are haunted by the memory of her husband's first wife. And they just might be trying to drive her to madness. Judith Anderson, as Mrs. Danvers, who is front and center in all this, is just great here.

1) The Philadelphia Story

Hmmm, its all gothic thrillers and screwball comedies this year. Talk about catching lightning in a bottle: three of some of the best actors ever, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, and Katherine Hepburn, in an amazingly written comedy. Once again, Cary Grant is trying to stop an ex from getting remarried, and the chaos that ensues when he inserts himself into other people's plans. (That must have been some sort of leitmotif in these years of Grant's career. No argument here, it produced some very amazing results.)

Mysteries Revealed

2010-02-23T13:33:00.004-05:00

Ever wonder where I got the name of my blog from? Maybe?

Its from here:

Sort of. I mean its from Carl Weathers' awesome guest turn on Arrested Development. He agrees to become Tobias' "acting coach" but ends up teaching more about not spending the per diem producers give him, and making cut rate soups with hot water and ketchup from kraft services as another money saving tips. He eventually hooks up with Liza MInnelli, Buster's secret girlfriend, and in one scene asks her, "You got a stew going!?" So there you go. He loved stew! Yeah, its funnier when they do it. Obviously.

Big Fan (2009)

2010-02-21T17:50:00.003-05:00

At this rate writer and, this time, director, Robert Siegel is on his way to being king of the depressing sports movie. He also wrote The Wrestler. Big Fan feels like a grimy character studies from the 70's, with bits and pieces of pitch black humor. It focuses on Patton Oswalt as Paul Aufiero, a Giants superfan who happens to have a run in with his favorite player one night. And how that changes his life. Or doesn't. Its interesting because it takes a lot of the cliches of a sadsack fan, whose only lifeline is a sports team: Paul lives with his mother, has a truly dead end job, no prospect of a love life, and the only time he feels a sense of belonging or even a bit of triumph is when he is going to the Giants game and watching them on a portable television in the parking lot or when he calls up the local New York sports station in the middle of the night and gives his rants he has written down during his shift as a parking attendant. When he calls the radio station, its the only time he gets a modicum of respect for his super boosterism. I've seen it said that Big Fan
is a cliched look at how certain people view sports fans. But I think it is just a focused take on a very certain kind of fan. And he didn't even have to be a sports fan-its more of a look at a man who, it seems, has let his life pass him by, even though he swears he doesn't need or want anything else, but finds solace in his sports obsession. Because even in the real world, not on the radio, he even still seems to be an outsider. In the end, its a look at someone, who, to the rest of the world, doesn't seem to belong anywhere, but at, in his head, he has carved out his own niche. No matter how sad it might look. The ending is interesting too, because his solution to everything that happens to him, well 1) he doesn't learn anything in the end (or his tunnel vision is too much to overcome) and 2) Its a somewhat twist of an ending that somehow ends up feeling more pathetic than what I thought he was actually going to do.

I saw Patton Oswalt a few weeks back doing standup, and it took me a bit to get used to him in a more dramatic role. I like him a lot as a comedian. But his casting here, Robert Siegel also cast everything, is pretty perfect. Although, because of his looks, I wonder how many sadsack roles he is going to be offered from here on out. Hey, its not a bad way to make a living, he does a good job at it. (Being a nerd, he might not know anything about sports, but he knows a lot about obsessing over seemingly minor or trivial things, he has said in interviews he brought a lot of that to the table.) Also, I need to mention Kevin Corrigan as his best friend Sal. Corrigan seems to have cornered the market of late on playing scumbags, and he is really good at it. Although here he doesn't do anything overtly scumbaggy, but even just his look gives off that air.

Shutter Island (2010)

2010-02-20T23:32:00.003-05:00

Its hard to talk about this one without giving away too much. I actually read the book earlier in the year, back when the movie was supposed to come out in October or November of 2009. In some ways I wish that I hadn't read the book before seeing the movie and just came into it cold. But on the other hand, when I read the book, one, of many, of my initial reactions was excitement to see how Scorsese would try and adapt this. I know someone put it like this already, but I was happy that Scorsese basically made an "A grade B Movie". Its his exercise in brining to together elements of the genre movies he loves. It is part psychological horror, part mystery-thriller, haunted house movie.. always with an oppressive sense of foreboding. In a weird sense, it was almost like Scorsese's own "Raiders of the Lost Ark", where its not only a triumph of atmosphere, but also feels right about being set in a very certain time and place in our country's history. I also think that it would take more than one viewing to full appreciate how good the writing here actually is, it feels like it is pretty painstaking in making sure that it all hangs together. I really enjoyed it, I thought he made the ending work. And I kind of can't wait to see it again to see how he puts some of these pieces together. I would be remiss in not mentioning that the acting is also really good-Dicaprio mostly hangs onto the accent he had left over from "The Departed" (I feel like, especially in this area, there will always be debates about the accent. But in other parts of the country people would either not care or not realize the accent might be a little off. I am sure Scorsese was just like, "close enough" and then moved on) It was awesome to not only see Mark Ruffalo, but Ben KIngsley and Max Von Sydow were some awesome, spot-on casting. Then it was great to see Patricia Clarkson, Elias Koteas, Jackie Earle Haley, and Ted Levine, who someone finally let be creepy again. In the end, I think it worked, I thought the visual worked, and even worked better with the revelation of the ending, it might have dragged juuuuust a bit but not enough to bring the whole thing down. I thought that this Dennis Lehane novel wouldn't be a good fit for Scorsese, but, as I have mentioned it before, if he keeps bringing his A-game to these sorts of genre exercises, we are the ones that are luckier for it. Really good stuff.

60 Years Ago: My Favorite Movies of 1950

2010-02-18T11:05:00.016-05:00

Here's something you might not know about me (or care to know, really) but inspired by this man I have top ten lists of films for every year all the way back to 1930. Wild, huh? Weird and sort of obsessive, sure. But as I have demonstrated before due to say, holes in those years or what not to every list has ten films on it. Whats my point? Not too much really, I just thought for the sake of my own personal sense of completism, I would go back and finish off my list of favorite films "on the tens" as the radio DJ's like to say. I have to admit, for the very first part of 2010, I haven't seen a lot thats new, whether it be new to me or just new in general. Hopefully, with the release of Shutter Island (I first wrote "Shitter Island" by accident, which I am sure would be a much different movie. When they make it, the Farrellys can owe me for the idea.) I have to admit thats the first new release of 2010 that I have been really excited about. It was supposed to open in October of 2009 but kept getting pushed back. And now, finally, its ready to open, and on top of it early reviews are really good. I still kind of love getting excited about things like that. Much to Tina's sometimes chagrin.

Now, back to the year 1950. As you might note, there is a lot of Jimmy Stewart on here. What can I say, both Martin Scorsese and really enjoy what has been termed his "dark period", made of darker westerns.

Anyway, here we go:

10) Broken Arrow
I guess you could say this was a sort-of precursor to The Searchers. Sort Of. Jimmy Stewart plays Tom Jeffords, a man who is slowly starting to change his mind about the Apaches that his settlers have been warring with for ten years after saving the life of a young boy. He makes himself an ambassador to try to end the fighting, and has to come to terms with how deep the hatred and mistrust is on both sides of the fence.

9) The Asphalt Jungle
Let's all just agree that Sterling Hayden is awesome. This is a nice companion to Kubrick's The Killing, which is also about an elaborate heist. John Huston's noir about a heist that starts to fall apart (as they tend to do) due to bad luck and double-crosses. Awesome stuff.

8) In a Lonely Place
Oddly enough, I have just been reading about The Ghost Writer the new Polanski movie also coming out this weekend, and it shares a certain similarity with In A Lonely Place. Mostly the idea of writers (or screenwriters) getting caught up in a mystery because of the subjects they are trying to cover. I'm gonna go out on an uninformed limb and say that In A Lonely Place does it better. Also, I wonder what was up with down and out screenwriters as characters in 1950? Nice little twist at the end too.

7) Winchester '73
Here's Mr. Stewart again. A neat little Western where Stewart plays Lin McAdam, who wins a marksmanship contest, and the titular rifle is his prize. The runner-up immediately steals it . The film then not only follows McAdam's pursuit but also the rifle itself as it switches hands, until there is a final showdown on a mountain over the prize.

6) Night and The City
A tragic little noir from Jules Dassin. This one is set in London and follows Harry Fabian (Richard Widmark) as a conman and his scheme with a wrestler. Fabian tries to con everyone around him, figuring this is his greatest get-rich-quick-scheme, but ends up getting tripped by his own machinations. Good stuff all around.

5) Stage Fright
A nice, twisty little Hitchcock thriller. Jane Wyman and Marlene Dietrich are awesome here. Features a little twist on the common Hitchcock idea of a man trying to prove his innocence against impossible odds. The question up to the end is he actually innocent in this instance?

4) Rashomon
Kurosawa's masterpiece about a murder and how it is viewed/recalled from different points of view. An idea that would be oft-imitated in later years. Toshiro Miifune, as usual, is great here.

3) All About Eve
Hey, Marilyn Monroe pops up here again. Bette Davis, of course, gives a for-the-ages performance here. The dialogue from Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who also directed, just dazzles here.

2) Sunset Boulevard
Oh man, William Holden is so great. Here is the hack screenwriter who comes in to write a screenplay for an aging silent film star, an amazing Gloria Swanson here, who has faded into Hollywood obscurity. So odd, sad, and dark. Norma Desmond (Swanson) becoming a somewhat insane recluse, and her former director and husband is now her butler...just more bitter brilliance from director and writer, Billy Wilder. This is some devastating ruminations on how fame can become toxic and, well, somewhat insane.

1) Harvey
Ah, we end up on a lighter note, at least on the surface, from the previous entry. Jimmy Stewart owns as Elwood P. Dowd who might be an alcoholic and might not be all there, but is also a gentle, pleasant man. Who happens to have an invisible 6-foot rabbit that happens to be his best friend. Stewart is so good here, in a movie which is actually ends up being a bit darker than one might think, even though Dowd is unflappable in trying to bring his own sense of happiness in the world. Just really good stuff all around.

Read This Article

2010-02-17T14:20:00.003-05:00

This article about Roger Ebert has been circulating around the internet in the last day or two. I'll probably write more about it some other day, but Roger Ebert and my Dad were probably my two biggest influences as far as becoming so interested (obsessive?) with movies. He's an inspiration to just about every film critic alive. It is probably the definitive article about Ebert and his struggles with cancer and silence. I can't recommend it enough.

Julie & Julia (2009)

2010-02-15T09:22:00.002-05:00

I'm going to have t go with the general consensus on this one: the half of this movie dealing with Meryl Streep as Julia Childs and Sanley Tucci as her husband, Paul, in France is, to put is simply, very nice stuff. If they had just focused on these two, and their wonderful relationship from, say, their time in the O.S.S. until Julia published her first cookbook, it probably would have been wonderful. I realize it is difficult to come up with new ways to make a biopic, and going back and forth between the life of Julia Child and Julia Powell writing her blog about Julia Child might have seemed like a novel concept and it could have been. But the stuff in modern day New York is mostly just annoying. Julia Powell comes off as a self-involved narcissist, and even though she sort of admits as much, it doesn't make it that much more tolerable. And it is made even worse in comparison when flashing back to Child's story, where Tucci and Streep put on an acting class on portraying smart adults in a truly, loving, committed relationship that seems breezy and unforced. Powell's relationship with her husband is ridiculous. They get in what seems like a minor argument about her blog and...moves out. For about two days. And they needed some sort of conflict, apparently, so its treated like some sort of epic tragedy for about a minute. I can't express how annoying these characters come off. But Streep and Tucci are really great, as is a majority of the stuff in Paris. Nora Ephron needs to release a special edition DVD where you can just watch one story or another so we can skip the New York stuff.

Send This to Your Valentine: (Some Of) The Best "I Love You" Moments in Movies

2010-02-12T14:31:00.002-05:00

I posted this somewhere else too, again. But this is just nice...

Falling Out of Love Hard

2010-02-12T11:23:00.006-05:00

In today's AV Club Q&A (which is a great place to look on a Friday for easy (read:lazy) blog ideas) someone asked them the question "Has there ever been something in pop culture you’ve fallen hard out of love with? Example: I used to actually look forward to A Prairie Home Companion if it happened to be on the radio, and now I can’t fucking stand one second of it. I know this happens a lot with bands as tastes change and mature growing up (I did my time listening to ska), but there are other things besides music that I, for whatever no good reason, became a major anti-fanboy about: certain movies, directors, authors… —Chris Ward". They got a couple of similar questions. Its interesting because besides music, which, if you are into it, you go through a million cycles of loving stuff and then growing out of it. (I also went through my third wave ska phase). Sometimes there are things you grow out of just because you grow up and start to see them differently. The art itself doesn't change, but you do. Sometimes, if it isn't a one off thing like a movie, sometimes bands or television shows definitely can change for the worse. But things like books, authors, movies, and directors you might have liked at one point, every once in a while you go back and take a look at them and discover for better or for worse things are not the same as you once thought they were. The relationship has ended. And a few times, you happen to do a 180 and actually become an ant-fan of the thing you used to love. (I'm sure people put it better in the actual article.)

Anyhow, someone there actually stole my ready response. When I think of things I used to love, pop-culturally speaking, and have subsequently fallen way out of love with, the first movie that comes to mind is American Beauty
My feelings are pretty much the same as the guy that wrote his piece in there. I saw American Beauty at a somewhat lonely time in my life, it was the year after college and I was in graduate school, and for whatever reason trying to figure out for myself, once again in my life, who I was and what I wanted to do, it was sort of a hard time. I remember going to see American Beauty at a small theater in Hoboken, NJ after it had been out for a time because it had been getting some good buzz. Oh man, I loved it. I even loved the empty bag scene, which I find absurd now. Back then I was like, "It's so beautiful! The world is so full of beauty it makes me cry too!" Or whatever the quote was. Its just over time, maybe I have become more jaded and cynical, hey it happens, it just seems that it the movie is trying to be way more deep than it actually is. Not to mention the fact that, and this might not be strictly this particular movies' problem, the whole "cracked view of the suburban underbelly" has been done to death. Even Sam Mendes has returned to it, this time in the 60's. As recently as a couple of weeks ago I watched this again on cable, and I will admit, it is not without its funny moments and performances, but mostly what I found so amazing once, I just find annoying now.

More recently though, Napoleon Dynamite

I have to admit, that the Napoleon Dynamite's allure, for me, wore off at a lightning pace. I really liked it when I first saw it. I remember thinking at the time, again, and I should have known better since I was older, that this anti-comedy comedy was the wave of the comedic future. And that I was sorry for people that just don't get it. Maybe it was the thousands of imitators and quoters, maybe it was because it just did not hold up under repeat viewings, but this fell pretty hard down the shaft pretty quickly for me. And its just the fact that I LOVED it so much then and am now fairly indifferent about it, kind of annoyed by it now. Want to know something really odd? Its followup, Nacho LIbre I believed, and the belief has since become stronger that its funnier and a better a movie, but actually a good movie. I know I am in the extreme minority on this opinion, but something about not only its goofiness, but the music and art direction, as well as the juxtaposition of catholic and lucha libre imagery, I seriously believe it comes together to make something better than it has any right to be. I think it is and was a great leap forward for them.

Check back in a few years and see if thats still the case. You never know.

6 Insane Fan Theories That Make Great Movies Better

2010-02-12T10:54:00.005-05:00

I am only posting this because of the James Bond idea. It makes as much sense as anything else at this point. My idea was they should have tried something like Dr. Who way back with George Lazenby, and have some super secret machine that altered the spies' appearance. Thus giving a reason (sure an insane one, but, like the man says, have you ever seen Moonraker? They have surely already done insane.) but still a reason. The code name one works just as well. Of course, there's nothing in the original Ian Fleming novels to suggest anything like that, but since we are about 20-something films deep into the Bond series then it would probably help to explain a lot, even if it happens to be just sort of something that people have come to expect as the way it is.

Of course the Ferris Bueller one is a joke started by the internet. And Matrix:Reloaded or Revolutions are not great movies at all.

The Movies of the 2000's

2010-02-09T14:38:00.001-05:00

I posted this elsewhere but its too good not to share:

the films of the 2000s from Paul Proulx on Vimeo.

My 20 Favorite Miramax Movies

2010-02-05T14:16:00.024-05:00

I realize that everyone and his (blogging) brother in the movie blogiverse has done this entry. But, just like when I started this blog, it looks like am going to be stuck up at the front desk for a while. So I thought I might add my two cents (or 20-21 cents). One thing I found interesting/amazing as that the Weinstein's first movie on which they built their inevitable empire was the this low-budget slasher, The Burning (1981) .

Starring Jason Alexander!

Anyway, so Disney finally decided to stick a fork in Miramax. But they left a pretty rich cinematic legacy, of course. Here are my twenty favorites. (Warning: there's a lot of Tarantino on here. What can you do?)

20) Bob Roberts (1992)

Pretty amazing mockumentary about a folk-singing conservative. Check out the cameo by a young Jack Black!

19) Sex, Lies, and VIdeotape (1989)

Not only put Steven Soderbergh, and to an extent, indie filmmaking on the map. But is also one of about only three really good movies that Andie Macdowell managed to be involved in.

18) The Tall Guy (1989)

I remember first seeing this in high school and being caught offguard by just how nuts this movie is. Nuts in a very very good way. Emma Thompson and Jeff Goldblum are pretty amazing here-particularly in that sex scene. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is the party after the opening of the musical, and in particular as the camera pans around the room and catches the writers excitedly talking about what their next project should be.

17) Heavenly Creatures (1994)

In my opinion, still Peter Jackson's best movie.

16) Amelie (2001)

This movie, for all intents and purposes, should probably annoy me. But its so beautiful and, dare I say, cute in just the right way that it avoids being annoying. Its a hard line not to cross, but this movie manages it.

15) There Will Be Blood (2007)

Tough and beautiful look at capitalism run amok . With a powerhouse, for-the-ages turn by Daniel Day Lewis.

14) No Country For Old Men (2007)

Like I said before: "Javier Bardem plays a human Predator here, a force of nature that seems like it can't be stopped, can't be killed, and plays by its own very strict set of moral guidelines. He is chasing Josh Brolin around the Southwest, all for a suitcase full of cash that Brolin happened upon. While Tommy Lee Jones stands off to the side as the older man, who is being passed by by this newer, brutal world. It is absolutely amazing to me that the Coens can followup two goofy movies like Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers with this semi-surreal tension delivery system. Its really an amazing feat what they were able to do with Cormac McCarthy's sparse source material. And it should really be shown as example of why they are masters at their craft, both in writing and the actual filming/look of the film."

13) Good Will Hunting (1997)

A sentimental favorite to be sure. But for its flaws, there is a lot of good here. I wish Matt Damon and Ben Affleck would collaborate on another script soon. Ben could even direct.

12) Trainspotting (1996)

The one that put Danny Boyle and Ewan McGregor on the map. (Although their Shallow Grave the year before was good too) This was like a second slap in the face from Miramax after the success of Pulp Fiction two years earlier. Its just a crazy tour de force trying to capture the life of a junkie. The opening sequence set to "Lust For Life" is amazing.

11) The Grifters (1990)

I know I just wrote about this one, so I will just reiterate: a crazy dark, crazy twisty little neo-noir with three con people all trying to pull one over on one another.

10) Clerks (1994)

Sure the acting and production are pretty amateurish but the magic is in the writing here. Even if the enterprise comes off as clunky at times, there was some real originality, at the time, to Kevin Smith's writing. Its only when he copied himself a thousand times it would start to wear a little thin. And also, how can you not root for a film that was done as this sort of guerilla effort, maxing out credit card and the like....the production has become sort of legendary. I dunno, it has stuck with me the most. Which seems odd, I know.

9) Reservoir Dogs (1992)

We all know now that Tarantino probably took a lot of this movie from some Japanese movie we had never heard of at the time. But when this came out and I saw it in high school, it went a long way towards making me into the film nerd I have "evolved" into today. I can safely say that is the case for a lot of people my age. Tarantino caught us by surprise, and made us all want learn about the cinema he had grown up on and would keep continuing to bring to the forefront.

8) Flirting With Disaster (1996)

My First introduction to David O. Russell. One of Ben Stiller's best movies. Actually everyone here is good. Richard Jenkins being another standout. An amazing little road trip comedy, as Ben Stiller has a personal crisis and sets out to find his birht parents.

7) Jackie Brown (1997)

I feel like this movie gets completely slept on when people are talking about Tarantino films. Although that seems to be changing. I remember it did take me sometime to get into this one, but when I finally did there were a lot of rich rewards to be had. One of many is the performances by Pam Grier and Robert Forster. And that opening title sequence is incredible.

6) Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

Amazing swashbuckling adventure. I feel like this is another one that doesn't get the respect I think it deserves.

5) Beautiful Girls (1996)

I am a sucker for movies where, especially good movies naturally, where people return to their old home towns. If done well, it can be amazing. And in this instance, I really think it is. It has a solid ensemble cast, and a lot of laughs. And "Sweet Caroline" and "Beth" and the Afghan Whigs covering Barry White. All up in frigid upstate New York.

4) Swingers (1996)

Yeah, I know this became as annoying as Borat with every dude on earth quoting it all the kind but still-it is REALLY quotable, even the not so obvious quotes. This launched Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, and Doug Liman's careers. Also interesting because it captures it very specific place and time, but doesn't feel so much dated as much as just a snapshot of a certain moment.

3) Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 (2003 & 2004)

Absolutely awesome revenge/thriller/action movie etc. from Tarantino. I am not sure why, whenever he puts out a movie people want to try and pigeonhole him. Just let him keep making amazing movies from the pop culture detritus thats floating around in his head. Why try to make him like other filmmakers?

2) City Of God (2002)

Amazing crime saga set in the favelas of Rio that came sort of out of nowhere and knocked me on the side of the head. It really is pretty breaktaking.

1) Pulp Fiction (1994)

This built on Reservoir Dogs, upping the ante and then some. If Reservoir Dogs knocked us for a loop in high school, this came along and finished the job. I mean it was everything, not only the clever dialogue and pop culture references (which made being talky cool once again-but only if its this clever and interesting- a little throwback to the French New Wave) to the mysteriousness of it, to the playing with chronology, to the pastiche/homage from gangster/crime movies that Tarantino loved and grew up on-what should have been a hopeless mishmash was turned into an amazing....well, thrill ride.I could go on. But I will say, Tarantino, with this movie, really did change the game.

R.I.P. David Brown

2010-02-02T16:09:00.003-05:00

Sure he and his producing partner Richard Zanuck also produced the likes of The Verdict. All of them fine works, sure. But he and his family can rest comfortably with the knowledge that he was a part of the producing team that not only helped Steven Spielberg with his career, but managed to bring Jaws to the big screen. One of the absolute greatest movies ever.

David Brown dies at 93

Oscars 2010

2010-02-02T09:18:00.004-05:00

I am not going to give my predictions just yet. But they just released the list of oscar nominations, and, not to toot my horn but, for better or worse, I am quite the Oscar prognosticator. At least in the "bigger" categories.

As usual the nominations both excite and confuse me though. I have to admit, and I haven't seen it, but I am confused at all the awards season buzz surrounding The Blind Side . Really? They couldn't slot Star Trek in there or something? I don't know, it just seems odd.

20 Years Ago: My Favorite Movies of 1990

2010-02-01T15:48:00.013-05:00

I have already done my top ten of 2000 (10 years ago!) So If you are feeling like a completist then you can immediately go there and finish up. Maybe I will go back further next time even, 50-70 years ago. Man, if I hadn't been thinking of Psycho when I first started this maybe I would have started there. Ah well, maybe later. (Most likely later). I need to see some new movies, while I am at it!

But first, the beginning of the nineties. The nineties were weird, it seems. Particularly the earlier part of the decade. They really gain steam as the decade comes to the close. Either I haven't seen certain movies or the beginning of the nineties there wasn't much happening.

Oh, there were good movies, though.
Anyway, here we go:

10) Jacob's Ladder

I remember being in high school and siting this as one of my favorite movies. I am quite sure, at the time, I was either trying to shock people somehow, or in my high school mind I found this movie deeper than it actually is. What is is is somewhat incomprehensible, with an ending that all but negates what came before it. That being said though, even though in the end it might not add up to much, it is pretty scary with some super creepy visuals.

9) Gremlins 2: The New Batch

Not only is it better than the original, but it also has to be one of the nuttiest wide releases that has ever snuck onto major screens. Joe Dante just about throws everything at the wall to see what sticks, and creates not only one of the craziest sequels but also craziest old school Universal monster movie/somewhat riff on Die Hard/Looney Tune homage/weird commentary on the fast pace of technology-it really must be seen to be believed. And even then you might not believe what you are actually watching. Also, extra points for having Christopher Lee in there as a mad scientist of sorts.

8) Tremors

While less anarchic than Gremlins 2, this is a really great homage/riff on old school monster movies/"Nature Gone Wild" Jaws rip off (although this one isn't MUCH of a rip off-but I think the filmmakers wouldn't mind the comparison check out themovie poster.) A small town in the middle of the desert is set upon by mysterious "sand worms". Thats basically it. The people in the town, led by two goofs, played by Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward, have to try and escape from them...somehow. Sure it sounds pretty standard, and being an exercise in genre tropes, it is, but the action sequences and the characters that make up the band of people are what elevates this. Its just awesome and fun, they really do a lot with the familiar. Even Reba McEntire as a survivalist is good here.

7) Metropolitan

Whatever happened to Whit Stillman? Or Chris Eigeman for that matter? This is just really well written. Which is saying something for me since usually a bunch of upper class, young Manhattanites hang out every night would usually be a recipe to drive me nuts. But Stillman's dialogue is so good, and his introduction of an outsider "infiltrating" the group, as anyone knows an outsider can destroy any group's dynamic. But an outsider with a different history than the rest of the wealthy Manhattanites can really ruffle feathers. Its such an interesting movie, with such great writing, one really hopes that Stillman might come back at some point with something else. To me this is still his highlight.

6) King Of New York

Ah, Christopher Walken as Frank White. He does not get as many mentions as Tony Montana in the world of hip hop, but enough of the best have mentioned him that he is somewhat of an icon. In general, I think he deserves to be more of an icon. A great crime story, about a twisted criminal mastermind who considers himself somewhat of a modern day Robin Hood/New York City's savior. This is the story of how he systematically takes over in New York City, and his subsequent downfall. Not only is the story interesting, but Christopher Walken's portrayal of Frank White is amazing. Just as his usual off-kilter self, he's not just winning and charismatic but with also a more than a hint of psychosis behind his eyes.

5) Mo Better Blues

Give credit to Tina for introducing me to this. Do The Right Thing is obviously Lee's masterpiece, and will continue to be. But, I think his work in the the nineties tends to get overlooked. Particularly this and Jungle Fever. The story of Bleek's (Denzel Washington) and Shadow's (Wesley Snipes) friendly rivalry on stage which spills into their professional relationship and threatens to tear apart the The Bleek Gilliam Quarter. This movie oozes Spike Lee's love of, and complicated relationship to jazz and showbiz. Much of which he got from his dad, Bill Lee, a jazz musician who also scored this movie.

4) Misery

From about 1984 to 1992, Rob Reiner had a really good run of seven movies. This is one of the last two really good ones he would make and then fall off by a lot. Misery is even one of two really good Stephen King adaptations that he would do. It can probably argued whether or not it was a good idea to tone down the violence from King's novel. But I think it works well in this context. Kathy Bates and James Caan are great here. A fairly creepy look at obsession gone completely off the rails.

3) The Grifters

This comes from a novel by Jim Thompson, the same pulp writer that wrote The Killer Inside Me. I am a sucker for a good con man story, and this a super dark, twisty movie with three con "people" all playing their own angles. It reminds me that when John Cusack chooses well, he chooses really good movies to be in.

2) Miller's Crossing

Speaking of twisty, Miller's Crossing is it. It definitely takes (well, it did for me) more than one viewing to truly understand what is going on in this movie. Even now, I can still get confused. The Coens' tough guy/noirish, sometimes impenetrable dialogue, can be tough to sort through. But just the ride in getting there is amazing. It looks amazing, the dialogue is amazing...just great stuff all around.

1) Goodfellas

I know I am cheating here, but from my previous look at Goodfellas:
"Next to "Casino," this is probably Scorsese's most popular movie. And one that also got robbed at the Oscars. "Dances With Wolves" my ass.

Anyhow, it was an innovative look at crime throughout the 70's and 80's that offers more narrative than "Oh hey, everyone's doing coke!"

Again, love his use of music in the "Sunshine of Your Love" scene as De Niro contemplates the murder of Morrie. There is a reason why that scene is so popular; it's yet another example of how many imitators were spawned."

Kathryn Bigelow wins the DGA Award

2010-02-01T15:38:00.002-05:00

I know this is a few days old but this is sweet. I try to not get my hopes up about these things but it would so great if Kathryn Bigelow and The Hurt Locker beat out her ex (again) and win the Oscar.

30 Years Ago: My Favorite Movies of 1980

2010-01-26T15:38:00.014-05:00

Ah, the eighties. Here we are well within my wheelhouse. Of course I could come up with ten entries. These ten may or may not be surprising, lets see:

10) Airplane!

When I was 10, I thought nothing would ever be as funny as Airplane! I saw it recently and it still holds up today. Probably due to so many repeat viewings. I will probably say much the same about a lot of movies on this particular list. People my age are famously fond of conversing by quoting its favorite movies and TV shows, and I got my childhood practice saying things like, "I speak jive!" Also interesting to find out recently that its actual a remake of an old movie that the Zuckers bought the rights to, not just a spoof.

9) Dressed To Kill

Ah, Brian De Palma. Few directors divide people like De Palma. To me, I think his best stuff was most definitely his early stuff, from the late seventies to the late eighties. This homage to Hitchcock has Michael Caine as a psychologist, Angie Dickinson as a housewife looking for a good time that meets a bad end, and Nancy Allen as a call girl who witnesses her murder and might be next in line. All the while a cross-dressing killer is stalking them all There are obviously plenty of campy elements in this thing. But what stays with me from Dressed to Kill is that it scared the hell out of me. Scariest, in particular, is a twisted sequence near the very end. It’s a movie that’s not easy to talk about without spoiling surprises. It’s also a movie about which you can say that both its critics and its fans have a point. I also remember discovering the vast world of film criticism even more deeply in college and seeing films from different vantage points I took a course on "Women and Pop Culture" and reading and discussing a whole section/chapter of feminist critics who were furious about the portrayal of women and the transgendered in Dressed To Kill. In more ways than one, it became a part of my film education. You win this round, De Palma!

8) The Fog

John Carpenter, like Brian De Palma, was really hitting his stride in the late 70's/eighties, cranking out some classic genre fare. This was, as we will see, a pretty good time for that sort of thing. (The John Sayles-penned Alligator was in contention for this spot. Seriously, as Jaws rip-offs/Nature Strike Back movies go-its pretty great) The Fog is probably seen as a lesser entry in the Carpenter canon, and I can see that. But it does have some great sequences, a pretty great setting and premise, and even Adrienne Barbeau, who is just awesome here.

7) The Long Good Friday

This was probably my first foray into any sort of English gangster film, besides maybe movies from the 50's or so that may or may not qualify. But this is a doozy. I saw this, of course, after I saw Who Framed Roger Rabbit, I remember at 10 or 11 being blown away first of all by the fact that Bob Hoskins was actually British. Fast forward a few years later and I see Bob Hoskins from Roger Rabbit playing a ball of barely (and sometimes not so barely) suppressed rage as he tries to find out, throughout the course of the day, who is trying to kill him. For some of the best silent acting this side of Michael Kitchen, check out that last scene where he gets caught, and the camera just lingers on him as his fate draws ever closer. Just amazing stuff.

6) Superman II

To be honest, the first two original Superman movies, to me are really good. It has both its fans and detractors and both sort of have a point. But I have to be true to myself here. This was originally filmed by Richard Donner at the same time he was filming the first Superman movie. Much later, of course, I would learn about all the drama and behind the scenes machinations that made the producers, the Salkinds fire Donner and replace him with Richard Lester. Lester might lean too much comedy, since thats the world Lester comes from, but overall this, along with the first have an epic feel. It, of course has ridiculous parts, its a comic book movie about a flying man. And, when you are older you notice how the Lester footage he reshot doesn't quite match up with the Donner footage. (I still haven't seen the Donner cut) and certain parts don't make sense upon reflection (he just GETs his power back? After walking apprently to the North Pole? Best not to dwell on it.) Eh, its a sentimental favorite which works for me. It gets me amped! Also, Terence Stamp as General Zod is just awesome, a great villain.

5) Caddyshack

This is one of three "wacky" comedies on this list. Like the other two, it is endlessly quotable, and was a staple as I was growing up. It earns its spot on this list because I'll still stop and watch it whenever its on.

4) The Blues Brothers

And here's the third one. Much for the same reasons as above. Roger Ebert once said that very few big budget comedies, particular ones with huge car chases and car wrecks, don't usually work. I forget but he really could have been talking about The Blues Brothers. I think he feels like it goes off the rails too much. In this instance it might be nostalgia as much as anything else, but it works for me. John Landis continues upping the ante until the last part of the film where said car chase is drawn out to an absurd degree. It might be both because it is funny, perhaps not as funny as I once thought it was, and somewhat exciting. Also, its interesting because this is essentially a musical too, and the music is really pretty great as well. It shouldn't work, but I think it does.

3) The Shining

The old criticism might be true: that Jack Nicholson shows his hand early on, that he looked crazy from the beginning so his eventual descent into madness is not surprising. How much that bothers you may or may not detract from how much you enjoy this. To me I think it is one of the top five scariest movies of all time. Its so creepy. Kubrick creates an atmosphere of relentless foreboding and isolation. This combines with a phenomenal score to create a truly strange and scary movie.

2) Raging Bull

Speaking of innovation, this movie is not only brutal but kind of oddly beautiful to look at. Scorsese obviously likes focusing on severely flawed human beings, and you might not find someone who fits that description better than De Niro's Jake LaMotta. From the black and white cinematography to the way the fights were staged, it is just amazing. I know it's an old argument that doesn't need to be rehashed, but it was most definitely robbed at the Oscars. Without a doubt one of the best of the eighties.

1) The Empire Strikes Back

Wow, I can't believe this is 30 years old. Time marches on. Anyhow, I know how this makes me look, like a big ol' dork, but I can't help it. Soooooo good. The absolute best Star Wars movie, even with the cliffhanger. Has also one of the best twist or surprise scenes ever. I mean, I guess you have to be invested in it for that to be true-but to me it is. In fact I have been known to watch (30 year old spoiler ahead!) the scene where Vader reveals he is Luke's father more than once when watching this. In fact, one of my earliest memories was going to see this with my Mom, my brother and sister. Just awesome.

From the Roku: A Boy and His Dog (1976)

2010-01-26T11:05:00.002-05:00

Strange double feature last night. I have to admit that I put this on just to kill some time. What I was rewarded with was a deeply weird movie, set in the arid, radioactive wastelands of Phoenix (or Tucson) in the year 2024. It apparently comes from a 1969 prize-winning book by Harlan Ellison. What I found interesting was Don Johnson was in it, costarring with a telepathic dog, I liked the alternate history timeline that apparently Ellison created, and the idea of a society living underground that tries to recreate some sort of 1950's homogeny is an interesting idea. Why that underground society wear's clown/mime makeup is anyone's guess. Being the 70's it is defnitely sort of creepy, and definitely strange. There's no reason given for why the dog is telepathic, at least none that I could find. Its an interesting curio. But the misogyny is really offputting. Part of the dog's job is not only help Don Johnson find food but also find women. Women to rape. Ellison himself says the message wasn't what he meant to put out, but it seems pretty implicit.

So yeah, an interesting enough trifle, maybe to catch by accident on a Sunday afternoon and go, "Hey Don Johnson and a talking dog!" But thats really about it.

Truth in advertising, really the poster, this time, tells you an awful lot about what you need to know about this one:

From the Roku: The Vanishing (1988)

2010-01-25T22:11:00.005-05:00

This movie is most famous for its gut punch of an ending. And for good reason. The movie as a whole is nice little mystery/thriller/psychological examination-not only of a sociopath, but also an examination of obsession. In a sense, the narrative is odd, but all the loose ends are tied up, one way or the other, in the end. Its really simple too: a man's girlfriend disappears without a trace at a rest stop on a trip through France. The movie leaves both the viewer and main character Rex in the dark over what happened to his girlfriend. Although, he meets the man who took her, he is still unsure whether she is dead or alive. When Rex agrees to take a sleeping pill in order to find out what really happened, he awakens to have all his questions answered. Man...that ending. Darkly affecting and cruelly ironic. Amazing.

Jack Goes Boating poster

2010-01-25T14:20:00.002-05:00

Today is the first day I have heard of this movie. I just premiered at Sundance this week. All I know is it stars Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Ryan as two people who find each other in New York City while the couple that set them up, face problems in their marriage. Its getting some good buzz, and I am happy to see Amy Ryan getting work which might be interesting. It'll stay on my radar. That being said, this isn't a review, I just happened upon the poster for it and thought I would share it because I like it, and for whatever reason it has sort of mesmerized me today. This is a bit out of my purview, but here it is, enjoy: