Classics: Shawshank Redemption, A Clockwork Orange, Sunset Boulevard

9/16/16 Shawshank Redemption, 1994 #72 AFI, National Film Registry
Shawshank Redemption is one of the few movies that I will watch whenever I see it's on television (which is almost as often as the Tolkien trilogy), regardless if it is halfway over or has only fifteen minutes to go, it's just that great. It's based on a short story by Steven King and stars Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. Andy Dufresne (Robbins) is found guilty of killing his wife and her lover and sent to Shawshank State Penitentiary (which was the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio) where he meets Red (Freeman) who is a man who knows how to get things. It's very obvious that Andy is not like the other prisoners, he's quiet, thoughtful, well-versed in many topics, and able to see the big picture and play the long game. He makes friends with Brooks (James Whitmore), the prison librarian and animal-lover; as well as winning over several of the inmates by scoring some beers on a hot summer day by offering to provide Captain Hadley (Clancy Brown) with some financial advice. The warden (Bob Gunton) is also eager to use Andy's 'skills' for his own funny money business. Life moves along in the prison, things change but they also stay the same. Like I mentioned earlier, Andy has been playing the long game, and there are a few clues along the way (which I am not going to ruin in case you have not seen it). The best part, to me, is the last 30 minutes; I could watch that part over and over again. The movie was nominated for seven Oscars, winning none, and was considered a box office failure, yet whenever I mention the movie (or it comes up in conversation), everyone loves it. I think it's the 'redemption' part, not just for Andy, but for his fellow prisoners, who get a little bit of humanity back, and the 'fall' of the prison powers. It's about the power of the human spirit; many people would have crumbled after what Andy went through, but he didn't; he survived, and maybe even became stronger. I'm not as eloquent as I'm sure Andy would be, but if you haven't seen the movie, you can wait until it's on TNT or get it from the library. I promise you will not be sorry. 


9/17/16 A Clockwork Orange, #70 AFI
I have always wanted to like or appreciate A Clockwork Orange (I've seen it three times), and I just can't. I'm sorry. I'm sorry Stanley Kubrick, Malcolm McDowell, and Anthony Burgess. The movie is set in the near future in England, and Alex (McDowell) is the leader of violent youths who are comfortable kicking old men or raping women; after a particularly violent evening where a woman died, Alex is sent away to prison for fourteen years. In exchange for a shorter sentence, Alex agrees to be part of an experimental rehab program. He is forced to watch horrifically violent film clips, while being injected with a chemical that makes him physically ill, until he cannot even fight in self-defense. Alex sees his life change dramatically after his release; his parents aren't all that keen to have him, his old friends really aren't thrilled to see him, and on and on. There are some philosophical questions which present themselves, but I'm too lazy to really dig into them. At the highest level, there is the question 'can you program morality or desired behavior?' and 'should you?'. The doctors and prison officers don't really work with Alex and the other prisoners to find the root causes of their behaviors and what could positively change their attitudes and behaviors; they just use tools to modify the behaviors they don't want. Stanley Kubrick doesn't shy away from using sex as a metaphor or as a narrative tool (there are shades of that in Dr. Strangelove, Lolita, and Eyes Wide Shut); I have not seen Lolita or Eyes Wide Shut, so I don't know how it's used in those films. There was also a part of me that thought Alex may have gotten what he deserved: he killed, crippled and raped. Hard to feel sorry for him; it's not like he was stealing bread to survive. On another note, I did notice that Kubrick used music throughout the movie, but especially towards the end, in the same fashion as he did in 2001: A Space Odyssey, where the action seemed balletic. I don't know, that's about as insightful as it's going to get.

9/17/16 Mulholland Drive, 2001 #21 BBC
I'm not even going to try and give you a synopsis, because I'm not really sure what happened. I can tell you that David Lynch directed this film noir filled with hidden clues and twisting plotline. The movie, which is set in 'current day' but pays homage to movies like Sunset Boulevard and old Hollywood. Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring are the female leads, as actresses, and Justin Theroux (I didn't know he acted in anything) is Adam, a movie director. I usually dislike (or hate) movies that don't make sense or that seem too smart for their own good (The Usual Suspects - hated it), but I didn't. I didn't love it, but I did like it enough that I would watch it again. It was the perfect movie for a Saturday night.

9/18/16 Sunset Boulevard, Best Writing, Story and Screenplay, Best Art Direction - B&W, Best Music, 1950, #16 AFI, National Film Registry, #54 BBC 
There is no shortage of accolades for Sunset Boulevard: Oscar nominations, Oscar wins, on two top 100 lists and preserved for posterity. Do you really need me to review it? You may be familiar with one of the most famous lines "All right Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my closeup." said by the lead actress, Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond. It was good timing on my part that I watched Mulholland Drive and Sunset Boulevard one after the other; as I mentioned above, Mulholland Drive tips its hat toward Sunset Boulevard and old Hollywood, femme fatales and film-noir. Sunset Boulevard, directed by Billy Wilder, not only refers to silent film era, it features some of the stars from that period: Buster Keaton, H.B. Warner, Anna Q. Nilsson in cameos; the famous director, DeMille as himself; Erich von Stroheim as the dedicated and protective butler/chauffeur, Max, and of course, Gloria Swanson. The opening of the film reminded me a little of Laura directed by Otto Preminger from 1944 (is your interest piqued?). William Holden stars as Joe Gillis, a struggling screenwriter, who falls into the very open arms of Norma, who is still living on the memory of her glory days. To say she is delusional may be too kind. It's really hard to separate Swanson from the character (verging on caricature) of Desmond; Swanson just embodies Desmond's neuroses and insecurities, you kind of don't think she's acting (the only thing that convinced me that Swanson was NOT Desmond is the fact that her biographical information is full of real accomplishments and she wasn't a fragile vase). Joe gets into her clutches, he almost becomes a gigolo, and I don't think he intentionally tries to hurt her or take advantage, it's kind of a trap he falls into. He just wants to write, and begins a secret writing relationship with Betty, a script reader, and he tries to break away from Norma, but her mental strength is so unstable that Max warns Joe against hurting her. All four main characters were nominated for acting Oscars, but all four lost: Swanson lost to Judy Holliday (Born Yesterday); Holden lost Best Actor to Jose Ferrer in Cyrano de Bergerac (which I have not seen); Stroheim lost the Best Supporting Actor to George Sanders in All About Eve; and lastly, Nancy Olson who played Betty lost to Josephine Hull in Harvey. I honestly don't know, Holliday was really great in Born Yesterday (which also starred William Holden), but I think Swanson gave the performance of her career. Wilder was also nominated for Best Director and lost to Joseph Mankiewicz for All About Eve, which was the big winner that year. This is a classic, and I did enjoy it, but I don't know how many of you will like it. But, I would say give it a go; it's a classic, but also a cultural icon with so many references in other movies. 

I'm on a roll - more from the National Film Registry - film's first kiss, an early Western and Pixar's first Oscar

9/14/16 National Film Registry
Blacksmith Scene, 1893  - You may not be able to tell because it's only 34 seconds long, but the men are actors performing roles, not real blacksmiths. This is the earliest example of actors performing in a role.

The Kiss, 1896 - It is listed as the first ever kiss on film, but I would also daresay it was the first awkward moment on film. It is 18 seconds of really bad kissing (I'm not an expert, but watch it for yourself). 













 Star Theatre, 1901 - is a two-minute documentary showing the time lapsed demolition of the Star Theatre.

The Great Train Robbery, 1903 - is a Western that used many film techniques for the first time: shooting on location, frequent camera movement, and new editing methods. It is twelve minutes long. It did have an annoying 'new' soundtrack that was added, I think if you're going to add music, don't add something that gives people headaches.

Dickson Experimental Sound Film, 1894 This is the first example of a synchronized soundtrack; the version from the Library of Congress doesn't have the sound, but I found a couple of versions that do. It's not world class violin playing, but still, when you think that the first full length feature with sound didn't come out until over thirty years later, it is pretty cool.

A Corner in Wheat, 1909 - This is a chance to see an early film by D.W. Griffith, who also directed the iconic Birth of a Nation and Intolerance. It's a morality tale, with the greedy speculator getting his just desserts after driving up the price of wheat, making it hard for poor people to buy bread.

Princess Nicotine, 1909 I didn't quite get it, not that there was much to get at only five minutes long, but it seemed like the main character, a smoker (of cigarettes, I assume) was hallucinating. Little smoke/cigarette fairies come and play around. Yeah, I don't know. Sweet Caporal, who also sponsored early 20th century baseball cards, were the cigarettes featured in the film. I suppose it may be more noted for the special effects, including the miniature fairies and smoke, but otherwise, I'm not sure what was landmark about it.

Tin Toy, Best Animated Short, 1988 This Pixar short won an Oscar (Pixar's first) and is on the National Film Registry. It used new technology to tell the story of a little baby who terrorizes his toys. There are hints of what was to come with Toy Story.

Is it Always Right to be Right? Best Animated Short 1970
After you watch Is it Always Right to be Right? you will get the distinct impression that things have not changed in forty-six years, especially during this political cycle. The narrator (Orson Welles) tells us that in an unknown country, people are fighting among themselves, young versus old, black versus white. They're fighting and yelling, but not listening to each other, and things take a terrible turn, until one time when someone admits that they might not be right and the other person might not be wrong. It may seem simplistic, but I actually believe that is one of the biggest problems today. We're not listening, just shouting to get our point across, unwilling to back down. I think it's worth giving this a look; it's on Youtube and less than ten minutes.

My own little Shorts Festival - The Children's March, Steamboat Willie, Edison, Little Nemo

They're back!! Shorts, all sizes, types, genres. I found all of these on YouTube and I have added them to a playlist on YouTube, so you can go here and find these and others I have watched and reviewed. Everything except Mighty Times: The Children's March is from the National Film Registry list.

9/11/16 Mighty Times: The Children's March, Best Documentary Short, 2004
The Children's March took place in Birmingham, Alabama, over a several day period in 1963, and during that time, thousands of children were arrested, shot at by high power water hoses and attacked by dogs, for the simple action of walking for equal rights for blacks in America. The documentary looks at what led to children, some as young as 8 (maybe younger) to march under dangerous and frightening circumstances. The Civil Rights movement reached a stopping point, when even Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. getting arrested could not create momentum. The adults, who probably had more understanding of the risks, were reluctant to march; the children, fearless, naive, bold, stepped up to the challenge. Several of the children, now adults in late middle age, are interviewed and reflect on what they did, why they did it and how they felt about it.  I was amazed and shocked at their bravery, conviction and brazenness in the face of white authority figures, and the actual punishments they received. I have been looking for this documentary in some format for about a year, and have not had any luck. The timing, with everything happening in the U.S. right now, was serendipitous. People are angry at Colin Kaepernick and other professional athletes for speaking out against the blatant inequalities that black Americans continue to experience, yet all he is doing is taking a knee during the national anthem. Pretty harmless when you think about it. He and the others are expressing their opinions and asking for equal treatment for everyone and people are angry and vitriolic, as if these inequalities don't exist (I think their indignation confirms otherwise). At least Bull Connor isn't around to set off the dogs. I think it's really important for people to look at the current issues in the context of the historical events. It's very easy to sit behind a keyboard and spew racist filth; it's a whole other thing to get out there and risk losing your job or worse, your life. Peaceful protest is one of the most American things a citizen can do.

9/11/16 The Inner World of Aphasia, 1968, National Film Registry
Aphasia is the inability to comprehend and formulate language because of something that has happened to the brain, like a stroke or significant brain injury. As frustrating as it is for those close to the person with aphasia, imagine what it is like for the patient. This film, made by Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, and other Cleveland institutions, gives us that perspective. We see two patients, one of whom was a nurse with no patience for one of her patients who had a form of aphasia. The film lets us 'hear' their thoughts; it's like the ideas are there and other brain functions may be unimpaired, but they can't communicate. There are no awards here for acting or dialog or anything, but if you think back to 1968, getting this topic out their for medial students, doctors or families with someone experiencing aphasia, it was probably very groundbreaking. My dad had a stroke, and he was a very communicative person, so to be unable to talk, or talk quickly, was probably the most frustrating thing for him.

9/12/16 National Film Registry
Newark Athlete, 1910 - this is about 24 seconds of footage, and it's nothing special in 2016, but over 100 years ago, capturing moving images, and experimenting was a big deal.

President McKinley - Inauguration Footage, 1901 - this is the first moving picture footage of a sitting (or soon to be sitting) president. McKinley is hard to see, but there is footage of the parade. It's a little over a minutes.

Little Nemo, 1911 - If you are a fan of animation, especially old school hand-drawn animation, I recommend watching Little Nemo. Winsor McCay was a cartoonist at the New York Herald, and he made this film using some of his characters, as well as himself. There are some scenes that are colorized (hand colored by McCay), and apparently he went back and hand colored more or most of the film. It's funny, it's innovative and it's short, at under 12 minutes.

Steamboat Willie, 1928 - I don't really have to tell you about this, do I? If you know anything about Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney and/or early animation, you know about Steamboat Willie. It sees an early incarnation of Mickey Mouse on a steamboat, playing with his cargo, much to the chagrin of the captain. Using my 21st prude-vision, there are a few inappropriate scenes, including Mickey playing a mama pig as an accordion (you can see for yourself what he uses for the buttons). I don't think I have seen this in its entirety before. You definitely get a taste of what Disney would do with giving animals human-like qualities and the humor we all grew up with.

Dream of a Rarebit Fiend, 1906 - Winsor McCay's hand is in this short as well, as it was based on his comic strip Dream of the Rarebit Fiend (seriously, a whole comic strip?). I love Welsh Rarebit, and I can actually conceive of a scenario where I would gorge myself on it and get dizzy. The Rarebit Fiend is almost gluttonous in his consumption of rarebit and what I think was beer, and he pays the price when he suffers from some pretty trippy hallucinations. The hallucinations are an excuse for the directors to include crazy (for this time period) stunts and special effects. Watching the Fiend stuff his maw with rarebit gets old after what seemed like 5 minutes (the movie is less than 10 minutes), but there are some funny moments, and when you think that this is really the infancy of film, it's pretty impressive.

Edison Kinetographic Record of a Sneeze, 1894 - My complaint about movies being too long does not apply here since the running time is all of 5 seconds. Yep, five seconds. Meet Mr. Fred Ott, who takes a pinch of snuff and (spoiler alert) sneezes. This is from 1894, it uses a Kinetoscope and was the first film to be copyrighted. Gesundheit!

Dr. Strangelove, Psycho, E.T., The Gruffalo - an assortment of Oscar winners and nominees and the AFI list

Seed art - The Heights Theater

This is a strange combination of movies, even for me. All I can say is blame it on the lists. Speaking of lists, I only have 8 more movies from the AFI list, 39 from the BBC list of 100 Best American films, 781 Oscar winners to watch (out of 1213). It's always good to have goals. 

9/5/16 Dr. Strangelove, 1964, #39 AFI, National Film Registry, #42 BBC
Dr. Strangelove  is yet another movie that I have watched before and didn't really get it or care for it, but wanted to watch again so I could write a fair review. I'm kind of glad I did. I think the reason I didn't get it the first time is because it is classified as a 'comedy', sometimes as a dark comedy. When I think of comedy, I think of Jerry Lewis or in 21st century terms, Bridesmaids, that is to say, thigh slapping, laugh out loud funny. I don't think that is Dr. Strangelove, and when I saw it more as satire, political commentary on the geopolitics of the time, then I appreciated it more. Peter Sellers was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his THREE roles in the film (he lost to Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady, and looking back, I'm not even sure how that happened); he was Group Captain Mandrake, U.S. President Merkin Muffley and Dr. Strangelove. The rest of the cast is pretty amazing: George C. Scott is blustery, over the top general, General Buck Turgidson; Sterling Hayden is Brigadier General Jack Ripper who sets all of the events in motion through his extreme paranoia; Keenan Wynn is "Bat" Guano, an Army officer; Slim Pickens is Major "King" Kong, commander of the B-52 Stratofortress that is the instrument of doom. General Ripper has initiated the process to start a nuclear war with the U.S.S.R., setting the available bombers on paths to drop their payloads over the 'enemy'. The movie follows one bomber, led by Major Kong, as they try to check and double-check the protocols and code words, totally realizing the impending destruction; meanwhile, Group Captain Mandrake discovers that the code may not have been approved by the Pentagon and President and tries to deal with General Ripper. In his role as President Muffley, he tries to speak with the leader of the U.S.S.R. to defuse the situation and figure out the potential damage, and in doing so, he brings in an 'expert', in the form of Dr. Strangelove, a former Nazi, who has 'alien hand syndrome' which causes him to give the Nazi salute at the most inappropriate times.  Stanley Kubrick directed and apparently used some interesting techniques to get the performances he wanted: he only gave Slim Pickens his scenes so he would totally play his role straight; he got Scott to be so outrageous by telling him those scenes weren't being filmed. Many of Kubrick's films are on my lists, some I have seen and others I will be seeing soon, and they seem to be different genres: action (Full Metal Jacket), science fiction (2001: A Space Odyssey), dystopian (A Clockwork Orange), horror/suspense (The Shining, you know I'm looking forward to that one), and I don't know if I have the words or the insight to give you an analysis of his work, but suffice it to say that he was one of the most influential directors of our time, along with Alfred Hitchcock and Billy Wilder, they each have four films on AFI's top 100 list. If you are looking for a thigh slapping movie, I don't think this is it; but if you are looking for something that is funny, satirical, and strangely apropos (think if Donald Trump had the nuclear codes, this is what could happen), then this movie is for you.

9/7/16 The Gruffalo, nominated for Best Animated Short, 2010
If you are looking for something to watch with the kids, or something for them to watch on their own, you know, while you're trying to pay bills or whatever, I totally recommend The Gruffalo (in my head I kept hearing "Mark Ruffalo"), starring my favorite, Helena Bonham Carter as mama squirrel (sorry, as an animated squirrel), James Corden as Mouse, Tom Wilkinson as Fox, John Hurt as Owl and Robbie Coltrane as the Gruffalo. Mother Squirrel is trying to bring back an acorn for her family when she is harassed by a bird; this frightens her children, so she tells them a story about a little mouse who fends off various predators by creating an imaginary creature called a 'gruffalo'. It's a great story about a smaller, weaker creature outsmarting and outwitting bigger, scarier animals by using his mind. The film has a fun story that kids and parents can enjoy (it is based on the book by Julie Donaldson and Axel Scheffler), and I loved the animation. The gruffalo looked like it was inspired by Maurice Sendak's drawings. The winner this year was The Lost Thing which I liked quite a bit as I recall; otherwise, I think The Gruffalo should have won.  I found The Gruffalo on Amazon Prime, and I think it was also on Youtube.

9/1/16 Gerald McBoing-Boing, Best Animated Short, 1950, National Film Registry
After you get done watching The Gruffalo, find Gerald McBoing-Boing on Youtube, it's only about 7 minutes long. Gerald is a little boy who can't speak with words, but makes the most fabulous noises: foghorns, whistles, beeps, anything you can imagine. Obviously, this isn't the best way to communicate in the real world, and he did have some challenges, until he met a man who could utilize his special talents, as a sound effects 'man' on the radio. The original story was written by Dr. Seuss, which you would probably figure out from the rhythm of the narration. The narrator is Marvin Miller whose voice may sound familiar as he was the voice of the PA announce in MASH, the voice in some Pink Panther segments, and the narrator for Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, among others. When kids struggle with where they fit in society and with their peers because they're 'different', this is good to watch; everyone fits somewhere and should be appreciated for their uniqueness. Go on, it's seven minutes of your life.

9/8/16 E.T The Extra Terrestrial, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, 1982, #24 AFI, National Film Registry, #91 BBC
E.T. came out in 1982, I was fifteen and earning my curmudgeon stripes at an early age. I saw this movie in the theater and have not seen it again until this past week when I decided to watch again and get it off of my lists. I didn't love it the first time, and I am so sorry, but I didn't love it this time either. I did really get into the last forty minutes of the movie, but the first hour left me disinterested. It's times like this that make me feel like my inner child is stuck in an alternate Dickensian universe where there is no joy. An alien spaceship lands in California and leaves one of its passengers behind (kind of like some parents leave their kids at the roadside gas station 'accidentally'). Anyway, this little being makes its way to the home of ten-year old Elliott and his family, including his mom (Dee Wallace), older brother Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and his little sister, Gertie (a five-year old Drew Barrymore). Adults, and anyone over 10, are portrayed as mean, idiotic or lacking imagination, or a combination. Over a brief period of time, Elliott and E.T. form a bond that becomes a physical type of empathy, Elliott feels what E.T. feels and vice versa. Eventually, the government (which consists of adults) discovers that E.T. exists and they try to take him away, but the symbiosis that it and Elliott have created has taken a toll, when E.T. falls ill. Of course, this is where I was interested and started caring. There are some incredibly iconic moments in the movie, Elliott flying on his bicycle with E.T.; E.T.'s glowing finger reaching out to Elliott; "Phone home", etc. The action in the last forty minutes did get my adrenaline pumping even though I remembered what was going to happen. The score by the great John Williams is electric and has some of his trademark flourishes. I think that the movie does still hold up thirty plus years later, not so much on the technology level (that within the movie and that used on the movie), but on the theme of alienation that Elliott feels, especially after his parents' divorce and how kids are with each other - brothers and sisters don't always get along, but they can come together when necessary, especially against adults, and our interest in alien life forms. So, while the entire movie still doesn't do a lot for me, I see how it can and does appeal to others.

9/10/16 Psycho, 1960 #14 AFI, National Film Registry, #8 BBC
Not gonna lie, I was dreading this movie, I even asked a friend if she would watch it with me. Turns out, I'm a big girl, and having watched several of Alfred Hitchcock's other suspense-filled movies, I realized I would be safe. Psycho is another iconic American movie; even if you have not seen the whole movie (like myself), you have probably seen the scene of Janet Leigh as Marion Crane in the shower getting stabbed. The movie is so much more than that, and it really does have such a great element of suspense; I can only imagine what audiences in 1960 thought as this psychological suspense movie played out in front of their eyes. It's possible I would have cried, well, maybe not cried. Marion Crane is real estate secretary who is entrusted with $40,000 in cash to be deposited in the bank, but instead she heads off to meet her boyfriend, Sam (John Gavin). Without spoiling anything, let's just say she doesn't make it. She stops to spend the night at the Bates Motel, run by Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his mother. Norman tries to engage Marion in conversation and seems very glad for her company. We never meet Norman's mother, but it's clear she has an influence on him. When Marion doesn't show up at her sister's house (played by Vera Miles), private investigator, Milton Arbogast (Martin Balsam) is brought in to find her. So, even though the audience by this time knows what happened to Marion, the rest of the cast is still in the dark. And you will be too because I am not telling you the rest of the plot. What I will tell you is that Anthony Perkins is wonderfully creepy, but you still feel a little sorry for him, he seems so lonely and eager to make friends. Hitchcock does what he does so well and that is build the suspense with a story, and editing and camera angles. The acting isn't overdone, which I do think can happen in some of his films. I may have cheated because I watched the movie in broad daylight, so I didn't have the atmosphere of a dark theater and having to go to bed right after watching it, BUT I did watch it and I did enjoy it. I might even watch it again. It didn't win any Oscars, but it was nominated for a few: Best Director which Hitchcock lost to Billy Wilder for The Apartment, Best Supporting Actress for Janet Leigh and she lost to Shirley Jones in Elmer Gantry, and Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography.

9/10/16 Midnight Cowboy, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, 1969, #43 AFI, National Film Registry

I first watched Midnight Cowboy about ten years ago and hated it. I could not understand what was so great about it; my girlfriend's dad told me that at the time it was revolutionary in its content, it was originally rated X, mainly for its homosexual content. I suppose in the 21st century that is really not that revolutionary. Since I embarked on this project, I decided I wanted to re-watch to try and be fair in a review. I don't think that was necessary. I still didn't like it, although, I suppose I have a better appreciation for Dustin Hoffman's work as Ratso Rizzo (both he and Jon Voight were nominated for Best Actors in the film), but otherwise I probably could have spent those 90+ minutes cleaning. Jon Voight is Texan Joe Buck, a wannabe gigolo whose cowboy outfit seems to get him more attention in New York City's gay community. Joe Buck quickly finds himself out of his depth as he gets hustled by women and men alike. His only ally is Ratso Rizzo, a crippled hustler played by Dustin Hoffman. Directed by John Schlesinger, the movie uses flashbacks to suggest the kind of life that Joe Buck left, raised by a grandmother more concerned with her sex life than him; a girl, Crazy Annie, and I'm not sure what the hell was going on there. There are a lot of quick edits, giving a frenetic feeling to the movie. It is very much of the later 1960s, including members of Andy Warhol's entourage and the loose mores of that period. It was kind of like Shampoo; it may have been groundbreaking at the time, but for me, in this time, it doesn't hold up (sorry Roger Ebert, we have to disagree here). I did, and do, like the song that was used throughout the movie, sung by Harry Nilsson, "Everybody's Talkin' ". Personally, I think Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid should have won for Best Picture.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - a weekend with Hobbits, Orcs, Elves and Ents

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
9/2/16 The Fellowship of the Ring, Best Makeup, Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, 2001, #51 AFI
9/3/16 The Two Towers, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, 2002
9/4/16 The Return of the King, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, 2003

Before I start, I feel like I need to clarify that I actually saw all three movies, when they were released, in the theaters. This is not one of my 'Johnny come lately' moments (I tend to admit that right away). I read the trilogy and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien many years ago, and although I am not one of those people who read and re-read books over and over again, it made a huge impression on me, back to the first time I ever heard The Hobbit. My fourth grade teacher, Mr. Rounds (much gratitude to him for being one of the best teachers ever), used to read to us when we came back in from lunch, I think it was meant to calm us down after pretty intense kickball games. I fell in love with the story, watched the animated film, listened to an older cousin as he showed me his map of Middle Earth and explained Elvish to me; it was a little while before I was able to get into reading the books for myself, but when I did, I was so sad when it was over. Tolkien had an incredible ability to create a universe with so much detail you felt it was real; characters that came alive with their heroism, humor and frailty; and a story line where a character, no matter how large, small, magical or mortal, has a role to play. SO when I heard these movies were going to be made back in the early 2000s, I was ecstatic, but nervous. How could anyone put onto a screen what Tolkien had created in my mind? I probably don't need to tell you, but Peter Jackson not only did it once, but three times.

Each film corresponds to one of the trilogy, there is no doubling up (or tripling up) like Jackson did for The Hobbit. Jackson filmed all three movies at the same time, or consecutively, or put another way, he didn't wait years between each film; I think this helped with the continuity of the movies, the actors weren't 5 or 10 years older. Ian Holm is featured as Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit who starts it all in The Hobbit and Elijah Wood is his nephew Frodo. In The Hobbit, Bilbo brought back a magical ring, stolen from Gollum/Smeagol; The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the story of the return and ultimate destruction of the ring. Frodo inherits the ring from Bilbo and when Gandalf determines that it is best for the ring to be destroyed, Frodo sets off with his friends Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin), Pippin Took (Billy Boyd) and Merry Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan). Along the way, they meet Strider/Aragorn (Viggo Mortenson), Boromir (Sean Bean), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli the Dwarf (John Rhys-Davies), among many, but this is the 'fellowship of the ring'. The best bet for success is to split of the group, and the story branches off into three main parts: Frodo and Samwise; Merry and Pip; and Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli; Gandalf appears when needed. There is way too much to try and recap here, and I'm not even going to try; besides, you probably already know or you haven't read or seen the movies and I'm not going to ruin it for you.What you do need to know is that there is a lot of suspense, incredible effects (I mean, it won the Oscar three times for Best Visual Effects), battle scenes that will have you swinging your imaginary battleaxe, and some humor, usually found in the banter between Legolas and Gimli or with Pippin and Merry. If you read the blog regularly, you may know that I tend to be biased against long movies unless there is a point. Well, these are not short, by any stretch, in fact the last of the trilogy is over three hours, and I did NOT care. I didn't want them to end. There are times I didn't like the pacing of the different plot lines because I didn't want to leave Aragorn and the others to go wandering with Frodo and Sam, but then I got back into it, other times I was less interested in Merry and Pippin, but then the Ent (I love the Ents), Treebeard, appears and I'm caught up again; I hated the battles because the 'good guys' were always facing overwhelming odds, but then, you know, magic would happen, and then I didn't want the battles to end. Seriously, Jackson takes you on one helluva roller coaster ride and you don't want to get off. This might have been the perfect storm as far as movies go, because I think the cast is perfect, I can't imagine anyone else as Frodo, Sam, Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, etc. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Andy Serkis as Gollum who broke ground as a motion-capture actor, in fact there was some talk that he should have been nominated for an Oscar, or maybe a special Oscar, for his performance. The main cast is superb, and the supporting cast is also just amazing, with Cate Blanchett as Lady Galadriel, Hugo Weaving as Lord Elrond, Christoper Lee as Saruman, and the list goes on.

I really can't say if the movies were 100% faithful to the books, to my recollection, they were faithful enough for me; there are people who can speak to that better than I. I just know the movies and books are absolutely magical. My complaint or what I take issue with is that the movies are shown on cable just about every 90 days or so. I just think that dilutes everything, and unless they show it without commercials (insert HUGE belly laugh), they are making them LONGER, or speeding up the film to make it shorter (or whatever the technical term is). BOO! I had the DVDs (thanks friends for not charging an overdue fee) and it was perfect (well, perfect was on the big screen, but this worked). I think I will put the books on the reading list and let Tolkien work his magic again.

This probably isn't my typical review, but I really didn't know how to review these epics that I love so much. Maybe that's the review? At least it's better than the movies that get the one sentence review, right?

Buster Keaton in The General, Montgomery Clift & Elizabeth Taylor in A Place in the Sun, A Sixth Sense and The Boss!

8/27/16 The General, 1926 #18 AFI, National Film Registry

I have watched several silent movies that I have enjoyed, All Quiet on the Western Front, Wings, Sunrise: A Tale of Two Humans, City Lights (most Chaplin to be honest), and while I appreciated Buster Keaton's stunt work, I really didn't care for The General. The General is set during the opening days of the Civil War and Keaton is an engineer on a train based in the South. Some Northern troop are trying to sneak up to a Southern encampment and are doing this by stealing Keaton's engine; then he steals it back, and there's a girl involved. I don't know, my mind wandered. I may be missing something (I get that Keaton did his own stunts and they were pretty incredible, but I do not understand why this is on AFI's list of best 100 films, and I couldn't find any write up as to why). We'll just agree to disagree (check out Chaplin's Modern Times).

8/27/16 A Place in the Sun, Best Director, Best Cinematography (B&W), Best Costume Design (B&W), Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Writing - Screenplay, 1951, National Film Registry, #48 BBC

Watching A Place in the Sun in 2016 occasionally seems anachronistic, although the story of a poor boy caught between two worlds is also universal and timeless. To get the particulars out of the way so I don't forget: Montgomery Clift is George Eastman, the poor boy referenced above; Shelley Winters is Alice Tripp, a factory girl; a 17 year-old Elizabeth Taylor (in her first movie with Montgomery Clift) as Angela Vickers; Raymond Burr is District Attorney Frank Marlowe. George Stevens (Shane, The Diary of Anne Frank, Swingtime) directed and won an Oscar. The movie was based on the book An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. George Eastman is the poor relative of Charles Eastman, a rich industrialist (we know they at least make bathing suits), and while Charles seems happy to have him as part of the family, the rest of the clan is not impressed. George goes to work on an assembly line and meets Alice. Despite the rules of not socializing, Alice and George began a covert relationship. Things seem to go swimmingly until George meets Angela Vickers, and the complications begin. He tries to lead a double life, not letting Alice know that he enjoys spending time with the social elite, and with Angela. You can imagine things don't go well if one of the lead roles is a district attorney, but to avoid spoiling anything, I'll stop here with the plot summary. I will tell you that the movie is worth watching for the three marquee actors; Taylor considered this her first 'grown up' film and the beginning of a life long friendship with Clift; Winters went totally against type,she was previously known for sexy roles, and probably began a new career path as a character driven actress; Clift is incredible to watch, at one point he just starts breaking out in a sweat, no make up involved (if you watch Judgement at Nuremberg, you cannot help but be moved by his performance on the witness stand). I really felt that Raymond Burr was ridiculously melodramatic and I believed his character least of all. The story may not hold up in our 21st century world, and it's not as dated as some movies (Shampoo always leaps to mind, and not in a good way) but I think the acting does
 
8/27/16 The Boss, 2016, not yet nominated 

I know what you're thinking, one of these things is not like the other. The other movies are Oscar winners, on the national film registry or AFI's best 100 films. And then I go and mess with your head and include The Boss starring Melissa McCarthy as the titular boss, Michelle Darnell and Kristen Bell as her underappreciated assistant, Claire. Michelle Darnelle is like Martha Stewart on steroids; she is sent to federal prison after her former lover, Reynaud (Peter Dinklage) turns her into the Federal Trade Commission for insider trading and she loses everything. We don't spend a lot of time inside the prison, although I can't help but feel that could be pretty hilarious. Michelle winds up living with Claire and her daughter, Rachel and getting caught up in Rachel's Dandelion Troop and their annual cookie sales. Michelle founds a competing troop that sells Claire's brownies. There is a street fight with the Dandelions and Michelle's girls that shows some fierce fight moves. There is physical humor (a forte of McCarthy's) as well as some sexual references and some very funny stuff. I am a sucker for a Melissa McCarthy movie because I think she is fearless, she will do anything it takes to get the laugh; sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't I think it works in The Boss. Bell as Claire is a great foil, playing it straight and serious, trying to get Michelle to live in the real world, and doing what she needs to do for her daughter. Reynaud (Dinklage) goes toe to toe with Michelle, and Dinklage is as fearless as McCarthy. McCarthy co-wrote the movie with her husband and frequent collaborator, Ben Falcone; Falcone also directed. Admittedly, this pairing has not always delivered what was expected (Tammy), but I think this attempt worked. I had several laugh out loud moments. A friend of mine often rates movies on was he entertained or not; I was definitely entertained. So while this may not be nominated for any Oscars, I would recommend it for a Saturday night.

8/28/16  The Sixth Sense, 1999 #89 AFI

It was The Sixth Sense's bad luck that it was released the same year as American Beauty, because otherwise it may have won at least one Oscar. In case you have not seen it yet (really? I've seen it before, so you have no excuse), I will try not to reveal too much because it is a well-crafted suspense story. Wikipedia describes it as a supernatural horror-thriller, which has at least two words that turn me off right away and why it took me so long to watch it the first time. Bruce Willis is Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist, and he is married to Anna (Olivia Williams). We get the feeling that Dr. Crowe often puts his patients ahead of his wife. Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment in an Oscar-nominated role) is a troubled young man who is a loner in spite of his mother's best efforts. Mom is played by Toni Collette and she was also nominated for an Oscar. Cole gets scratches from unknown sources, the heat goes off in their house, the dog freaks out for no apparent reason. Enter Dr. Crowe. Slowly Crowe builds trust with Cole and Cole shares his secret - he sees dead people (one of the top movie quotes, on AFI's list). As Crowe works with this knowledge, he is also experiencing issues at home, his wife won't speak to him. I don't want to tell you anymore in case I spoil it. So enough plot, now my review. After I watched it the first time, I liked it; the second time - I really liked it. I appreciated the storytelling and suspense element so much more, especially when I realized that 'horror' is not the right word to describe this movie. Willis is really good as Dr. Crowe, not at all like his Die Hard character; Collette went on to play other mom roles, she relates really well to her movie kids (The Way Way Back, Little Miss Sunshine, Jesus Henry Christ) and you can feel how much her character loves her son even though she is absolutely baffled by how to deal with him; and Haley Joel Osment really nails the role of Cole, his fear, his desire to fit in, his inability to convey what he is feeling and experiencing; he seems very natural in his interactions with Willis and Collette. There are a lot of 'hints' in the movie about what is happening, which I missed the first time, and I probably missed a few the second time. I never thought I would watch this movie again, but I am really glad I did, and I would watch it a third time as well. If you have not seen this (again - WHAT?) this is a great movie for the upcoming autumn (oh my gosh, I can't believe it's coming), perhaps for Halloween? I just re-read this and realized I did not mention the writer/director of the movie, M. Night Shyamalan. I haven't seen any of his other films because they haven't interested me, or they seem to fall into that 'horror' genre, hence, I don't watch them. But he did a great job here.