Friday, June 27, 2014

In memoriam: Eli Wallach

In light of the recent death of the fabulous Eli Wallach, I am reposting this review of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly as I have come to appreciate that it is truly his movie.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

On February 24th, Alice Herz-Sommer died. She was 110 years old and the oldest known Holocaust survivor. She was also an accomplished musician, who was still playing music daily at 109 years of age. She outlived her husband, her friends, and even her own beloved son and she endured and survived one of the most horrific acts of genocide this world has ever seen. I was introduced to Alice like many cineastes by the documentary The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life. Her story is extraordinary and her attitude to life is even more so. The film details her life from youth through the Holocaust and beyond.

I saw this film at a local showing of the Academy Award Short Documentary Nominees a few weeks ago and it has been rolling around in my mind for most of that time. It is by no means a complicated documentary in terms of style. A nameless narrator shares the details of key portions of Alice’s life, while we are shown archival photos documenting those events. These narrative moments are intercut with interview sessions with Alice in her apartment. Here the questions are silent and we are just allowed to hear Alice talk about her life and life in general.

And while to be sure the events of Alice’s life are remarkable and her tale would be worth being shared on that merit alone, what truly drew me in was the personality of Alice. She is good humored. She wants and ensures music is in her life. She has looked evil in the face and survived but rather than becoming jaded or distant, she maintains a surprising (to me) exuberance. This can be witnessed by her continued commitment to music, her frequent visitations by fellow Holocaust survivors and friends and even in her very voice and manner.

I can be very jaded. In fact my gut initial reaction upon seeing Alice’s story was fairly misanthropic. I thought, damn we as human beings suck. I mean really and truly we are terrible. Sure this incredibly enduring woman survived and maintained her joie de vivre, but that speaks both to how terrible we are and how resilient she is. But I started to think about the subtitle of this file: Music saved My Life. This is true for Alice because her status as a talented musician resulted in her being sent to a concentration camp that the Nazis used for propaganda. She would have to perform music and look happy and the Nazis could film this and show the world that the Jews were being treated just fine.

But music didn’t just save Alice’s life. Truth be told music can save anyone’s life. That may sound trite or silly. I’ve had dark moments where I put on some music and let it all go. And we all escape from the daily horribleness that is modern life by escaping to music, or film, or art in general. And to me, art might be the one redeeming factor of humanity. I mean we do suck. We are truly terrible collectively.

We murder, we steal, we lie, we abuse, we wage war. Yet we create, not always collectively but we share those creations collectively. Music saved Alice’s life both literally and metaphorically. Music can save your life or my life. Art endures. If every day we see in the paper (or in our online internet feed, you get my point) all the horrible things we are capable of, then every day we should escape that by exposing ourselves to art. Listen to music, enjoy a film, attend an art museum. That is what I ultimately take away from Alice’s life and the film. That makes it worth watching. That it reminds me that in the end there are elements of humanity that are worth our investment in life. To me that makes The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life art and that makes it worth viewing.

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Black Swan

As I watched Black Swan, one thing became increasingly evident to me. Director Darren Aronofsky seems obsessed with, well, obsession and the insanity that seems inherent in any obsession. Every film he has made has had its main character or character obsessed with their goal. Be it s number that may be the name of God or the secret to life or re-attainment of former glory, his characters are pursuing their goals sometimes to the point of insanity. So I'm not surprised that his latest effort returns to that reoccurring theme.

At times this theme is darker than others and for my money it probably won't ever get darker or better than Requiem for a Dream. A film which I saw once and only once not because I didn't think it was good or because I thought I didn't need to see it again but rather because I'm not sure I could see it again. It's overwhelming. Black Swan aims at that sort of discord but comes up short. But that isn't to say it isn't an amazing movie. It's mind bogglingly good.

First it is obsessed with detail. From the aches and scars of standing on your toes to the rigor of breaking in the ballet shoes. The slight creepiness of Nina's bedroom and overbearing mother. The cattiness of the ballet dancers. It may not be reality of dance but it feels like a reality. One lived in and agonized over. And when perfection obsessed Nina is confronted with not being perfect, she starts to crack. So meticulous is the attention to obsession that whether the antagonist Lily is actually doing anything of malice is beside the point. The very entrance of an oddity into the presumed perfect world may be the catalyst for Nina.

If its been a while since you've seen a good actor masterfully play a complete break with reality, then look no further. Natalie Portman who can be hit or miss, hits as Nina. If not for Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit, I'd be tempted to consider Portman the best of the year. And as the obsession and insanity crescendo, Aronofksy keeps moving forward and really stunned me with some quite visually breathtaking scenes.

Maybe the obsession as subject is personal for Aronofsky or maybe I'm over reading him but frankly if it means that every several years we get a movie like this or Requiem for a Dream, then I hope he keeps up the obsession. And I'll be in line to give him another chance to disturb me and thrill my movie going sensibility at the same time.

True Grit

I grew up on Westerns. Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, those were the actors I saw in my youth. My parents would watch all those films and they were some of my earliest movie experiences. Which is why I have soft spot for them and am very picky when I see a new western or a remake. I didn't care all that much for the recent "3:10 To Yuma" And so I was little uneasy when I heard belatedly that the Coens next film was a remake of True Grit. Sure, sure all the assurances that this was more faithful to the book but so what? If someone wanted to remake Everbody Comes to Rick's but make it more faithful, would you be okay with that? I know I wouldn't.

But its the Coens, you say, well I'm not as enamored with the Coens as some. Yes they are talented but frankly the best film they ever made was No County For Old Men and that was almost anti-Coen in its approach. The Duke WAS Rooster Cogburn. Sure, he didn't really play Rooster so much as embody every last element of the John Wayne mythos at that point but still, even now I think Rooster Cogburn equals John Wayne. So warily I entered the theater to watch this new True Grit. And frankly I'm glad I did.

I don't by any means think its a perfect film. More than once I just wished a few scenes had been shortened here or there. And after the climax of the film, the last ten minutes or so just felt sort of unnecessary (even if they were in the book). But it was a sold and enjoyable film. Solid acting from everyone. Although I'm not sure why Barry Pepper hasn't been getting more love. He was great in his small role. I would only put it in my top ten of the year by virtue of the fact that well I didn't see 10 good movies in 2010. But well made yes.

Of course Jeff Bridges is great with his own Rooster (but as I said The Duke will always be Rooster to me). Matt Damon is good as the well meaning but slightly dim-witted LeBeouf. But really the entire show is stolen by Hailee Steinfeld. Her Mattie Ross is tough, smart and sharp tongued. She manages humorous, stern, clever, compassionate and scared without pause. She is hard to ignore the entire time she is on screen. And the whole movie rests on her shoulders. It might be the best performance all year but I concede that I have few to compare it to. Still whether you are sceptical going in or a whole hearted Coen fan, Steinfeld alone is worth the price of admission.

The King's Speech

The death of Princess Diana in the 1990s was an event I can remember. I remember all the news reports and the silence of the royal family. So when I saw The Queen back in early 2007, I remember thinking to myself that it was the first movie I could recall were the events being portrayed were ones I more or less witnessed. I bring this up because as I was exiting The King's Speech, an old couple was in front of me and as we went, the elderly man said he remembered a lot of the historical events portrayed in the film. And how odd it was that he said that since The Queen of course was about Queen Elizabeth and the current film was about her father King George VI.

I did not need that brief conversation to decide the movie was good but it certainly was a nice affirmation that the film felt real. Seemingly having a pedestrian or even boring premise, as my father put it "once I found out it was about a speech therapist, I said pass", the truth is it is much more than about a speech therapist. OR perhaps its that to paraphrase Roger Ebert, it is how it is about being a movie about a speech therapist. It was somewhat into the movie when I remembered that King George VI took on the crown when his older brother King Edward VIII denounced his crown for love. And some might say well now there is a story. A man destined to be king gives it up to be with the woman he loves.

And I suppose you wouldn't be wrong, but there was something quite extraordinary about George overcoming speech problems and being a source of comfort for the English people during the hard days of World War II. Frankly I only know a handful of things about speech therapy but I did laugh early in the movie when the court doctor is suggesting the strategy that Demosthenes used to cure his impediment. At least as Plutarch claimed it. The first time I read that in Plutarch I was sceptical but apparently not 1930s doctors. But as I said it really isn't a movie about speech therapy. I could list off a slew of things that I interpret the movie to be about but the basic thing that it is is good.

The story is engaging and the principal actors are wholly enjoyable to watch. Michael Gambon and Guy Pearce have memorable roles as King George V and Edward VIII respectfully. Gambon as particularly stern with George VI but who apparently saw in him the best of his sons. Pearce plays Edward as quite selfish, a quite nice opposite take on the notion of him following his heart. Following his heart yes but abandoning his duty. This is actually one of the more interesting dynamics of the film. Helena Bonham Carter is perhaps the most subtle in her role as George VI's wife.

Of course the show belongs to Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue and Colin Firth as George VI. Firth shows a strength and sensitivity that is quite appealing making a larger than life Royal Figure human and at times tragic. Rush is lively and having fun but never so over the top that you don't believe the relationship the two develop. As the whole movie seems to hang on Rush and Firth's relationship, it is well that the two have great screen chemistry.

By the time the rousing finale roles around I was smiling and happy that I had chosen this film to watch. Great story backed by great actors are a difficult combo to upset. It doesn't hurt that it put a smile on my face as well.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Movie Idiot pretends to be Trailer Guy and Fails

Drive Angry - Holy hell. Pun intended. When a friend first told me about this preview I sort of laughed and cringed at the absurdity of the whole thing. Then I actually watched it. If you can get past the first voice over and not want to immediately see this film then something is wrong with you. No its not good, its just so bad it will have to be good right? There is something oddly right and fitting about William Fichtner playing Death (or the Accountant as he's called), kind of like when i first heard that Peter Stromare was cast as Satan in Constantine. Oh and Amber Heard is pleasant to look at:




Real Steel - Who? Why? How? Does someone suggest Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots: The Movie? And then it actually gets made? And why o why could it not have been me? Its actually quite an awful preview with Hugh Jackman mugging for the camera when he isn't chewing scenery like he hasn't eaten in weeks.

Fast Five - What could one add to the flashy overdrive action franchise that is the Fast and the Furious movies? How about Dwayne Johnson. Because beyond bringing together just about every major character from the whole series that is all this movie seems to be doing. But again, Jordanna Brewster is also very nice to look at:



Kill the Irishman - In a film that will no doubt play well with my brother, the much hyped Irish-Italian feud gets another big screen showing. Playing the role of the titular hero/anti-hero is Ray "Punisher #3" Stevenson. The trailer doesn't really do anything exciting. In fact it seems to hit every cliche note I would expect in a Irish Mob vs. Italian Mob movie.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The Girlfriend Experience

It seems like every couple of movies, Steven Soderbergh is trying something innovative and cutting edge. Several years ago it was Bubble, which was a mess of real people in acting roles and a plot that was barely present. So enter The Girlfriend Experience. A follow up of sorts. just replace non actors with porn actress. Plot? No we'll stick with the whole no plot thing.

The movie stars porn actress Sasha Gray as a high class prostitute. We ramble around with her as she visits clients, talks to a journalist and her boyfriend. This all inter cut with scenes of her boyfriend going on a trip to Vegas and other random scenes that confused me. I can't even begin to understand what the point is. But Soderbergh seems really committed to finding a way to get a movie to work with non traditional actors. Its like Cinema Verite without anything to make you interested.

I recently saw Sasha Gray interviewed and she listed her five favorite movies. What the hell? Jean Luc Goddard? And Escape from New York? She actually seems sort of interesting. But coming as no shock to anyone ever, she can't act. At all. In fact its rather painful. Especially in her scenes where she is waxing intellectual with her clients.

Oddly enough at one point in voice over we hear a "review" of Gray's prostitute by a vindictive "pimp" which is about spot on as to the believability of Ms. Gray as a high class prostitute. My only hope is that when Soderbergh makes this train wrecks it gets whatever it is out of his system. And then he gives us something like Out of Sight.

A Little Trip To Heaven

After four months of sitting on my desk unwatched, I finally opened up a netflix dvd that I had decided I should see. And as I stared at the disc in front of me I had but one question. What the hell is this? Why did I want to see this? Did I put this on my list back in my Julia Stiles fascination days? Did I want to see what else Jeremy Renner had done after seeing The Hurt Locker? Do I worship the awesomeness that is Peter Coyote? Maybe it was Forest Whitaker? I can not think of one conceivable reason why I put this film on my list. But apparently at some point I thought it was a good idea right? So how bad could it be?

Help me out Netflix movie description?
When a claim is sought on the million-dollar life insurance policy of notorious con artist Kelvin Anderson, crack investigator Holt is assigned to uncover the truth in Baltasar Kormakur's crime noir. Holt (Forest Whitaker) suspects deceit from the get-go, and he stealthily tries to uncover the truth from Kelvin's sister Isold (Julia Stiles) and her erratic husband, Fred (Jeremy Renner). Peter Coyote co-stars.


Oh god. It sounds awful. But that's just a description. How bad could it be? Mr. Whitaker has some sort of british? accent. I have the question mark there because I'm not exactly sure where he's supposed to be from. At one point he is vaguely referred to as being from north. Its pretty much all kinds of awful. And then there is Jeremy Renner. He was surprisingly good in The Hurt Locker. But then again he was also really bad in 28 Weeks Later and SWAT. And painful in this. Ms. Stiles, although I love you, this was not your best role.

And this movie doesn't really have anything going for it. The plot is particularly nonsensical. There is some small suggestion in the end and in some half done deleted scene that Whitaker goes to heaven. There are in fact several references to heaven that seemed strangely out of place. Whatever the directer was going for, it got lost somewhere between his vision and the screen. Next time I think I'll just send it back if I'm not sure why I put the movie on my queue.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

CinemaRomantico demands, I deliver, I can't have someone that influential mad at me

Per the request of CinemaRomantico

1.) What was your first movie-going experience? I couldn't possibly tell you, but I can vividly remember seeing The Dead Pool in theaters. My parents even let me sit in the front row and an usher asked where my parents were, and when I pointed at them several rows back, he shrugged and walked away (makes me remember my theater days). Why my parents would take me to a movie like Dirty Harry at age 7 is not entirely clear but I don't think it hurt me too much. Best/worst line: "He's hanging around back there" - Dirty Harry having killed the villain with a harpoon gun.

2.) How many DVDs do you own? A little over two hundred but I am in the process of downsizing to about half that. I own 3 Blu-Ray Discs.

3.) What is your guilty pleasure movie? Bring It On, The scene with Sparky Pulaski is cinematic genius.

4.) You have compiled a list of your top 100 movies. Which movies didn’t make the cut? I could never make a top 100 list because I could never decide on movies 2-100. Movies which are often listed in such lists because they represent innovation (but in my opinion are not very interesting movies e.g. Voyage to the Moon or Birth of a Nation) would probably get left off.

5.) Which movie(s) do you compulsively watch over and over again? Thin Red Line, its my favorite movie and each new viewing is rewarded with something new.

6.) Classic(s) you’re embarrassed to admit you haven’t seen yet? Quite a bit of the foreign classics.

7.) What movie posters hang on your wall? Well none currently but usually Thin Red Line, the first poster which still listed John Travolta on it before his name was removed for fear that people would go to it instead of Civil Action which was released at the same time.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Summer Movies I Want to See

Or rather perhaps I should say, summmer movies I will see whether I truly desire to or not. Without adieu.

Iron Man 2 - Well because Iron Man was really fun. And although as is inevitable with superhero sequels, it will be bad. It will take everything that was great in the first and up the ante by 1000. But it will have great effects and at least one or two good action sequences. Everyone needs a little popcorn action in their summer.

Robin Hood - when this movie was title Nottingham and was to be the story of Robin Hood from the Sheriff's perspective, it was the movie I wanted to see this summer. Now, frankly, its still Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe but I suspect that is going to make it Gladiator 2: The Middle Ages. Which will have some really excited and me really sad.

A-Team - like a bad car crash I can't look away from the destruction of my youth.

Inception - Nolan, DiCaprio and even Mr. Gordon-Levitt. and it seems like Nolan is getting back to the material that made him, weird stuff. and away from highly overrated Batman films.

Predators - Its predators, i have to.

Scott Pilgrim Versus the World - Michael Cera plays a role, one role, perfectly, and as long as you use it right, it works. This seems like its going to work. Also Mary Elizabeth Winstead whom my friend thinks should be the star of the next Die Hard film. And that on its face is close to genius.

Sadly none of these films has me terribly excited.