Two winners from 2011

A Separation, 9/22/12 Best Foreign Language 2011

A Separation is an Iranian film following the family trials and tribulations of Nader and Simin. Although set in 21^st century Iran, it really could be set in any city anywhere as it covers divorce, caring for elderly parents and raising a pre-teen child. There are some cultural experiences which may be unique to a country like Iran, but that just makes it more interesting to watch. Simin, Nader’s wife, wants to go to leave Iran so their daughter doesn’t grow up under the current regime. Simin can’t leave because he has to take care of his elderly father who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Simin hires a woman to stay with his father during the day and that move takes the family down a path that nobody could have foreseen. Razieh is the woman that is hired and I was really focused on her and her struggles; I thought hers was a very interesting story and is probably a viewpoint that isn’t told very often. My sentimental favorite was In Darkness by Agnieszka Holland who does incredible work and makes powerful films, but I like the statement made (perhaps in my mind only) that a film like A Separation, from Iran, can win one of the highest honors from the American film community.

The Muppets, 9/25/12 Best Original Song 2011

I love the Muppets, there’s something about them. I was reluctant to watch this movie though, because, well, sometimes you can’t go back. Well, I was right, you can’t go back, but this movie manages to go forward while bringing a healthy dose of nostalgia and fun with it. You don’t watch the Muppets (in any incarnation) for enlightenment or thought-provoking story lines, you just watch it for fun, or in this case so I can cross it off my list. It was a fun movie, with all the favorite characters, and one new one (Walter). Jason Segal (who really reminds me of someone from high school, but I can’t figure out who) is Walter’s brother, and Amy Adams is his girlfriend and they head to Hollywood for a vacation, taking Walter with them. Walter’s passion for the Muppets starts them on the journey that is a Muppets movie. There’s plenty of singing, and the song “Man or Muppet” won the Oscar, although I wish there was a way for “Rainbow Connection” to win since Kermit sang that in this movie as well. Compared to the last movie I watched that won for Best Original Song (The Thomas Crown Affair)I did enjoy this song, at least it sounded good.

I planned to watch The Red Shoes, however, the DVD and I had a disagreement, I wanted it to play and it refused, so it goes back in the hopper and onward I go. I have about 5 movies to get through this weekend. We’ll see how it goes.

If you're expecting Professor McGonagle, think again

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, 9/21/12, Best Actress 1969

Hopefully I saved you all from The Private Lives of Henry VIII, you’re welcome. Now you can thank me for this: watch this movie. If you just think of Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagle from Harry Potter, you will be totally amazed at the transformation of Dame Maggie, although the voice is the same. I have seen a couple of the other nominees for Best Actress from this year, Anne of a Thousand Days with Genevieve Bujold and They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? with Jane Fonda (just an aside, it’s not about horses but a dance marathon and I suffered through it, but you don’t have to), and I think the best actress/performance won in this instance. Jean Brodie is a teacher at an all-girls school in 1930s Edinburgh who is ‘in my prime’ as she likes to say. She is unmarried (a spinster in 1930s terms), but not unattached, in fact, two fellow teachers vie for her affections, one a married man who is the Art Master (played by her real life husband, Robert Stephens), and the other, unmarried and the Music Master (the elegant Gordon Jackson).  The movie follows Miss Jean Brodie through her relationship with ‘the Brodie girls’ – a group of select girls that go on special field trips, have tea, and are being ‘groomed’ by Miss Brodie; Jean’s relationships with Mr. Lowther and Mr. Lloyd; and her hate-hate relationship with Miss McKay, the headmistress. Jean Brodie does not lack for self-confidence, in fact, she thinks very highly of herself and her ability to ‘put big heads on little girls’. She is a very colorful character amongst the monotones of the school uniforms and her fellow teachers, especially with her red hair (notice how she will be the only person in color when she’s surrounded by the others). Brodie has this strange fascination with the Fascist personalities of the day, especially Mussolini. She also her own cult of personality that she has developed over the years. Sandy, one of the Brodie girls, is a great foil for Miss Brodie, and they have several great scenes together. I can’t imagine being a young actress going toe-to-toe with Maggie Smith, who even in 1969, was recognized as one of the best. The actress who played Sandy, Pamela Franklin, was incredible, and I was stunned to find out she wasn’t nominated as ‘Best Supporting Actress’, that was a crime.The movie bursts with sexual tension, but barely reveals a thing, there is only one brief shot of nudity and that is during an artist’s session; no foul language; just the incredible words of the writers and the great acting, but you can feel it. And if you think about it, this was released in 1969, the height of the sexual revolution (so I’ve read, I was only two), but set in the 1930s in Scotland – not what you think about when you think of illicit affairs and passion (I always think of John Knox myself, wrong century, but still). I am sure I will be recommending a lot more movies with vigor and enthusiasm, but until I do, check this out. There is so much more to say, but I don’t want to ruin it.

Just a note, I was writing this while watching Miss Congeniality (a laugh out loud movie); I find some irony in that. Coming soon: The Muppets and The Red Shoes. Stay tuned.

The windmills of my mind, no, really

The Thomas Crown Affair, 9/16/12 Best Original Song, 1968

I didn’t know what award the movie won when I started watching it, but once the song started, I knew in my bones it was the song. Not because I thought it was a particularly wonderful song, but it seemed like it was a movie song that would be at least nominated. “Windmills of your mind” by Michel Legrand was the big winner for 1968; admittedly, the competition was pretty lame, although my vote would have gone to “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” from the movie of the same name. But the song aside, the movie was fun, I like the elegance of the way the bank heist was carried out. Steve McQueen is a millionaire businessman who suffers the ennui that I imagine most people with jillions of dollars in disposable income must experience and looks for activities that will give him that adrenaline rush, like polo, fast cars, making ridiculous bets and coordinating bank robberies. Faye Dunaway is the insurance investigator brought in to find the criminal mastermind. It seems within minutes, she has determined that Thomas Crown is the mastermind; not that I want to give short shrift to any female detective, but I didn’t buy it. I guess I didn’t have to, but I would have liked to believe it. It’s a fun cat and mouse game, and the movie was fun to watch. They did a remake with Pierce Brosnan and Renee Russo, but I haven’t seen that. The score was really good, very jazzy, with muted trumpets; all very much of the period. Some of the filming effects seemed to get a little overused after the first 5 or 6 times, multiple images fading in and out; kind of like someone discovering all the cool animation effects on PowerPoint. Steve McQueen is so cool, to use a term that has lost all meaning, but he really is; check out The Magnificent Seven or Bullitt among others.

I was going to review two movies, but my second movie was misbehaving, so I will try again tomorrow (I love the library, but some library users must use DVDs as platters for their pizzas; I can’t think of any other reason the movies have so much schmutz on them).

Flashback, part numero uno

Flashback numero uno 9/9/12

Please note, it says ‘Flashback’, not ‘Flashdance’, which I just realized is actually on my list (nope, never seen it, but I guess I will). It could be several days before I get my next movie in from the resource-packed Dakota County Library or Netflix, so I thought I would take the liberty of recapping my thoughts on previously viewed movies. As usual, there is little methodology, so just go with it:

     Captains Courageous 1937 Best Actor – I remember watching this movie for the first time with my dad and just being totally captivated by the bratty kid who gets his comeuppance and learns a lot of life lessons on a fishing ship at the knee of Spencer Tracy. I love Spencer Tracy, and not just because he was named after me. Okay, there is no connection whatsoever, but a girl can dream. I still enjoy this movie whenever I can catch it.

     A Streetcar Named Desire 1951 Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress – I wanted to see what was so special about this movie. Everything – the cast: Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Kim Hunter; the setting – New Orleans; the story by Tennessee Williams. It’s hard to take your eyes off of Vivien Leigh; and Brando before he became a caricature of himself 30 years later. This film is the subject of so many social and cultural references.

      The Ten Commandments 1956 Best Visual Effects – What do you mean you have never watched this movie? What is wrong with you? The late 1950s through the late 1960s were known for their great biblical and mythological epics. This movie was as much a part of our family’s tradition as Passover. It was a great treat to see the whole movie (inevitably shown on Easter Sunday and running way past my bedtime). To see the plagues made life-like, and the parting of the Red Sea was so cool. Better than Sunday School.

       Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 1966 Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Art Direction (B&W), Best Costume, Best Cinematography (B&W) – I’m sure what I’m about to write will make place me outside the pale, but ugh, this movie was so painful to watch. Perhaps that was the point, some deep psychological probing into the miserable lives of these two couples, but, again UGH. Glad I saw it, to cross it off my list, but I do not ever need to watch it again. You’re welcome.

      Gone with the Wind 1939 Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction – This is the movie that started me on this whole journey. After watching it on the big screen at a theater, and thinking what a great year for movies 1939 was (Wizard of Oz, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Wuthering Heights among a few). So, I began my informal list and here we are. Vivien Leigh shows why she was one of the greatest actresses of her time. The colors, the sounds, the story and the wonderful performances were something to watch on a full-sized movie screen (even if the audience was made up of high school students who were probably angling for an easy A in some social studies/history class – ooh, my snob is showing).

Before the 'Oscar' was 'Oscar'

Wings, 9/9/12, Most Outstanding Production, Best Effects – Engineering Effects 1927/1928

I have seen little snippets of silent movies over the years, usually the more comedic ones, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Keystone Cops, etc., or the really melodramatic, exaggerated drama – doe-eyed women hoping Dudley Doright will rescue her. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Wings, but I really thought it was important to see this movie (and others from this early period) sooner than later. It was awarded the award for 'Most Outstanding Production' (now known as 'Best Picture'). I was a history major, after all. And after watching The Artist, I wanted to see what an original silent movie was like. I have to say that watching many of these movies has been a wonderful experience. Again, my complaint has more to do with the length of the movie, really 141 minutes? Ugh. It would have been shorter if they cut out the relationship silliness with Clara Bow (she might have agreed as she acknowledged this was a man’s film). I listened to Wings with a newer score that was put together (I think for the most recent release in 2012). That really helped capture the mood and feeling of the action, and I honestly didn’t miss the dialog once I got into the story. There were intertitles to convey some of the interactions, but if you pay attention, you know what is happening. The story is basically about two young men heading off to fight in World War I in Europe as aviators. They start off as rivals, coming from the same hometown and loving the same girl, but become the best of friends. There are some wonderful flying scenes, and I don’t know how they did that over 80 years ago, no CGI, less sophisticated technology, but they did and it’s awesome. I have watched a lot of war movies and seen many combat scenes, and I think these scenes definitely hold their own. If this wasn’t World War I, it could have been World War II, Korea, Iraq; in this instance, it’s not the geography that is as important as the relationship between David and Jack. The end of the movie, or maybe it’s really the penultimate sequence (there’s more love story stuff at the very end) has a dramatic twist that was well-done. Clara Bow was the original ‘It’ girl and was quite the star in her day. I don’t know if she’s in any more of the movies on my list, but I think she is worth checking out; Richard Arlen (David) was originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, he was wonderfully understated in his role, and I could easily see Steve McQueen or William Holden playing that part; Buddy Rogers (Jack) was fun to watch, and you could see him grow up from a young adult to a man (although the very obvious grey around his temples was a little much). If you like The Artist, I would totally recommend this movie; if you didn’t like The Artist, I still recommend it, but understand if you’re a little leery of a movie that’s almost two and a half hours long with only a soundtrack to move it along.

Two American Classics on Labor Day Weekend

I didn't plan it this way, but I watched two great American classics (that may seem like a little bit of hyperbole when you consider that I am trying to watch movies that have been recognized as the best of film, but after watching some of them, I would disagree). Anyway, I digress. I watched two American classics that seemed very apropos to the Labor Day holiday weekend, The Grapes of Wrath and Yankee Doodle Dandy. I didn't plan it that way, so I say, here's to serendipity. Watching The Grapes of Wrath this weekend, especially seemed to fit, and certainly made me thankful for those who labor on our behalf, whether it's migrant workers or construction workers, and everyone in between.

Yankee Doodle Dandy, 9/2/12, Best Actor, Best Music – Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Sound – Recording, 1942

Yankee Doodle Dandy was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won three, including Best Actor for James Cagney. I wasn’t sure how much I would like the movie, but I really like watching James Cagney (see Public Enemy, White Heat, Angels with Dirty Faces), and I always enjoy ‘The Yankee Doodle Boy’ whenever it’s shown as a clip, so what did I have to lose (especially after Henry VIII the night before). Yankee Doodle Dandy tells the story of George M. Cohan, the writer of songs like ‘The Yankee Doodle Boy’, ‘Give My Regards to Broadway’ and ‘Over There’, amongst others. You may have hummed those songs and had no idea who wrote them. The movie shows a glimpse of what the vaudeville life may have been like; for many people today, it’s probably a totally foreign world, but think about the great TV variety shows and you may get some idea. Cagney is so fun to watch, he actually had a background of dancing, and the dance numbers alone make the movie. The movie was released in 1942, which was right in the middle of World War II, and I would imagine had an impact on the morale of the country. Check out this movie, and then White Heat to see a totally different Cagney.

The Grapes of Wrath, 9/2/12, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, 1940

I cannot believe I have not read the book. How did that happen? I’ll blame Hemingway. So, there will be no comparisons between the movie and the novel by John Steinbeck, however, I will be getting it from the library. Having made that disclaimer, I’m kind of glad I didn’t have any preconceived notions from the book and could watch it with a clean slate. I always find it interesting that when there was the option to use color and a director chooses to stay with black and white film (Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz were both released in 1939 in full-blown color). I think the use of black and white and shadows totally fit the movie, the mood, everything. Color would have been a distraction. Jane Darwell won for Best Supporting Actress as Ma Joad, and she was wonderful as the de facto head of the Joad clan (you can also see Jane Darwell as the Bird Lady in Mary Poppins). John Ford won for Best Director (one of four wins, so you will see his name again). Henry Fonda stars as Tom Joad and was nominated for Best Actor but lost out to James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story (although 1940 was a great year for movies and for leading actors, with Olivier in Rebecca and Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator). The movie tells the story of the Joad family who move from Oklahoma to California looking for work in the fields. It’s a rough road and provides a little insight into the young labor movement; it’s hard to imagine that .05 an hour seems like a living wage. I kept waiting to hear Woody Guthrie in the background; that would have been super obvious and might happen if someone is crazy enough to remake this classic. It’s hard to believe that things that are portrayed in the movie actually happened, until you look at it compared to what has happened in the country in the last four years. It’s not that big of a stretch to think of families being forced to give up everything they’ve known through misfortune; families being forced to make every last bit of food stretch to last as long as possible. But throughout the movie, there is a hope that comes through Ma Joad. She even gives a nice explanation to Pa Joad as to why women can adapt better than men. I’m sorry I waited so long to see it and to read the book.

Two out of three isn't bad

Considering how many movies I expect to be watching, I am always pretty happy when I only dislike a couple. This weekend's watching had one 'stinker' out of three (I still have two movies to watch). 'Stinker' is probably relative, and maybe harsh, but that's how it goes.

Departures, 8/31/12, Best Foreign Language Film, 2008

This is a movie that kind of sneaks up on you and pulls you in to its warm embrace. Story revolves around a newly out of work cellist who moves back to his hometown, away from Tokyo. He needs a job and shows up for what he thinks is a travel agent. Not exactly. It’s an ‘encoffiner’, a type of mortician. If you’re grossed out, or think it’s creepy, it’s not. It’s a very sensitive portrayal of one of life’s milestones.  While the topic is serious, and one we avoid, the story incorporates the right kind of humor, the humor that real-life situations bring us when we’re not expecting it. The job of an ‘encoffiner’ is not looked at as a prestige career, and you get the feeling they may be shunned, until they provide their very important service to the family. Watching his wife’s attitude, in particular, change and grow into respect for what her husband does is beautiful to see; to see through her eyes how tender and gentle he is with the deceased, the care he gives. The characters are likeable and relatable, you want to know how it ends, and to me, what’s more important, I really am interested in how the story continues after it’s over. The music for the film is fabulous. I haven’t looked to see who won for best score, but this should have been nominated in that category, and maybe a few others, as well. I tend to look for things not to like, because that’s what I do. I couldn’t find anything. There is no profanity, no nudity, no violence. This may be on the ‘watch again’ list. Do yourself a favor and watch it.

Slumdog Millionaire, 9/1/12, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Editing, Best Sound Mixing ,2008

Ok, I may be the last person on the planet to have seen this movie. I thought I’d wait until all the brouhaha settled. The movie was nominated for 10 awards and won 8; so the best thing is, I knock out 8 awards with one film J. The story is told with flashbacks, which I think can be overused and ruin a movie, but they work here; they help tell the story of how Jamal knows the answers when he has had no formal education. The younger actors were wonderful to watch; I can’t imagine how hard some of those scenes were to do. Danny Boyle directed Millions which has a similar feel, a kid with a dream who comes out on top at the end. He has a great way with child actors. He also directed Trainspotting, which I didn’t get at all. Anyway, it was a great movie, and if you haven’t seen it, you really should, if only for the Bollywood tribute at the ending credits.

The Private Lives of Henry VIII, 9/1/12, Best Actor, 1932/1933

Well, Charles Laughton was great….that’s it, that’s all I’ve got. I’m not sure how you tell the story of Henry VIII and only give Anne Boleyn about 10 minutes on screen, but Katherine Howard gets over 30 minutes. How does that happen? Katherine Howard? Really? Anne of Cleves, played by Elsa Lanchester, was refreshing and it always amuses me, his least favorite wife, but dear friend, always seems to make the most appearances in stories about Henry VIII. Maybe it’s because he didn’t kill her. Catherine Parr seems such a shrew at the end, and I’m not sure that’s accurate (but this movie isn’t exactly historically accurate). I don’t know why I disliked the movie so much, but I did. I think you can live without seeing it. Watch Laughton in The Hunchback of Notre Dame instead.