Movies from 2017: The Disaster Artist, The Big Sick, Lady Bird, Atomic Blonde

12/16/17 The Disaster Artist, not yet nominated, 2017

When I tell people that I saw The Disaster Artist, I usually get a perplexed look, like "why?". Um, because there is a good chance it will be nominated for an Oscar or two. And, it's actually pretty good. The movie, directed by James Franco, who also stars as Tommy Wiseau, is based on the making of Wiseau's cult film The Room (not to be confused with Room, starring Brie Larson). I have not seen The Room, but I kind of want to now. The Room is famous, or notorious, for being the worst movie ever made. Wiseau intended it to be a serious, dramatic piece, but, it didn't turn out that way. Wiseau befriends Greg, (played by Franco's younger brother, Dave) another struggling actor in San Francisco. Tommy is eccentric, not telling anyone, even Greg, where he is from or how he makes his money, and he has a most peculiar accent, and for the most part, he doesn't care what people think. He convinces Greg that they should move to Los Angeles where they would have a better chance at acting gigs. Um, that doesn't work out either, but not to be deterred, Tommy decides he will write, direct and produce his own movie. He rents out a studio, buys equipment and hires actors with limited or no experience. It's like watching a train wreck, you cannot turn away. James Franco seems to become Wiseau, and he's terrific. At the end of the film, scenes from the real film are shown side by side, and it's worse than you can imagine. In a guilty pleasure kind of way. I haven't seen The Room, but I think I'm going to add it to my list. Don't pass up The Disaster Artist just because you haven't seen The Room or it seems too weird.

12/16/17 The Big Sick, not yet nominated, 2017

I've been hearing and reading how fabulous The Big Sick was, and I was eager to see it. I was really disappointed. It's based on the true story of how comedian Kumail Nanjiani met his girlfriend, later wife, Emily (Zoe Kazan). Kumail is Pakistani, which he uses as part of his stand up act. His parents wish he was more traditional and have been trying to arrange a marriage for him. Some of the humor comes from parents being too parental to their adult kids; some of it is cultural, as Nanjiani lovingly mocks his parents' attempts to run his life and their misunderstanding, or unwillingness to understand, his choice of career; and relationship humor. Except I didn't really think it was funny, or not laugh out loud funny. Then, there's his girlfriend's illness, which brings her parents (Ray Romano and Holly Hunter) to town, and Kumail awkwardly entertains them. It was an original story, and a community that has not been heard from in the U.S., and I'm all for that, I just would have liked to laugh a little more.

12/16/17 Atomic Blonde, not yet nominated, 2017

Atomic Blonde is set in East Berlin during the Cold War, and Charlize Theron is Lorraine Broughton, a spy for MI-6. She meets up with a few bad Russians and a questionable British agent, played by James McAvoy. There are plot twists, double-crossings, a lot of action (Charlize Theron kicks ass and takes names), a pretty intense soundtrack, not a bad movie for a cold Saturday night. It didn't have the 'smarts' of the Bourne series or the humor I recently discovered in John Wick. Charlize Theron is always great to watch, as is James McAvoy; John Goodman is a shady CIA agent (is that redundant?), and I haven't seen him in a while. It was worth the $1.50 (or whatever) from Redbox.

12/17/17 Lady Bird, not yet nominated, 2017

I am usually hesitant when it comes to "coming of age" movies; it's always a crapshoot as to whether I'll like them or not. I saw The Edge of Seventeen the week before Lady Bird, and I thought it was okay, but not great (sometimes I think it's because I've aged out, but I think I can appreciate a good movie even if I can't relate to the content). I heard great things about Lady Bird, but wasn't too familiar with the story (I wanted to be surprised). Saoirse Ronan is Charlotte "Lady Bird" McPherson, a seventeen year old desperate to leave Sacramento for the East Coast, despite the financial and educational challenges, and the fierce resistance of her mother (Laurie Metcalf). The story follows Lady Bird's senior year at a private Catholic School as she struggles with new and old friendships (her friendship with Julianne (Beanie Feldstein) was fun to watch); joining the drama club; applying to elite colleges on the East Coast; dealing with tough family finances and her father (Tracy Letts) losing his job; and her controlling mother, who offers unflattering and unhelpful commentary on Lady Bird's choices. There are funny, poignant and very real moments as Lady Bird tries to find her feet and who she really is, and I really enjoyed it. The performances were top notch; Ronan giving the right level of angst, but also enjoyment, at experiencing this time of her life; Metcalf is really outstanding, having honed some of her 'motherly' skills on "The Big Bang Theory", but this her role here is not played for laughs; I have never seen Feldstein before, but she was funny and had great reactions to her onscreen friend. After saying all of this, I will say that I was surprised that I liked it after I learned that Greta Gerwig wrote and directed the movie. I vowed never to watch one of her films after almost poking my eyes out watching the self-indulgent and stupid Frances Ha (I will never get that time back). So, what a pleasant surprise this was. There are some heavy hitting movies out this holiday season, and sometimes a movie like this will get lost, but I hope not.

Meet Queen Elizabeth I and II, Spinal Tap and James Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life

11/23/17 Elizabeth, Best Makeup, 1998
12/16/17 Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Best Costume Design, 2007

Cate Blanchett stars in these two films about one of the greatest monarchs in history, Elizabeth I. Shekhar Kapur directed both films, and the some of the cast carries over from one film to the next (unless of course they were beheaded or otherwise knocked off). They are lush, beautiful films, with gorgeous and extravagant sets and costumes. The cast is deep with stars, including Geoffrey Rush as Francis Walsingham, spymaster to the queen; Joseph Fiennes as Robert Dudley, one of Elizabeth's suitors; John Gielgud as Pope Pius V; Clive Owen as Sir Walter Raleigh; Eddie Redmayne as Anthony Babington, and so many more. Blanchett was nominated for both films as Best Actress, but lost out to Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love in 1998 and Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf in  La Vie en Rose in 2007. It's hard to believe that in 1998, this was only Blanchett's fifth film. She commands the screen and makes Elizabeth come alive. The films represent the events in Elizabeth's life: her many suitors, the plots against her life, the attempt to balance Protestantism and Catholicism, war against Spain. But it is not a documentary, and some events are told out of sequence, people's lives have been shortened or lengthened for dramatic purposes. If you watch the films, watch them because there is great acting and production value, not for the last word in Elizabethan history.

11/23/17 The Queen, Best Actress, 2006

It was kind of weird watching this movie about the royal family's reaction to Princess Diana's death 20 years after it happened. We know a lot more about the events, and have more information from Princes William and Harry. Helen Mirren stars as Queen Elizabeth, she won an Oscar for that role, and she is as restrained as Cate Blanchett was outspoken as her predecessor. Michael Sheen stars opposite Mirren as new Prime Minister Tony Blair, a man who seems to be in opposition to the monarchy, which his wife, Cherie (Helen McCrory) definitely is, as is his staff. The royal family struggles with how to deal with Diana's death, internally - when to tell the boys, how to bring her body back to England, but also externally, because Diana was "the people's princess" and the nation fell into deep mourning, and expected that same reaction from her former in-laws. Blair has a common touch (not meant in a bad way) that resonates with the British people, but it is unfamiliar territory for Queen Elizabeth and her family. The movie shows the transition that the Queen makes, and also how Blair gained an insight into the centuries of tradition and isolation that make grand gestures so difficult. The change in behavior and the ultimate response by Queen Elizabeth changed the perception of the royal family and their interactions with the people. Mirren is terrific; I don't know if Prince Philip really is so difficult, but James Cromwell plays him as a most unlikeable person. Prince Charles is played by Alex Jennings; Diana is represented only by news footage. Sheen holds his own when sharing the screen with Mirren. The Queen is a good film that presents a moment in time that many of us lived through via 24 hour news cycles. 

11/25/17 It's a Wonderful Life, 1946 #46 BBC, #20 AFI, National Film Registry

When I mentioned to people that I was going to be watching It's a Wonderful Life, I got strange looks. Haven't I watched it before? Yes, but years ago, and I didn't find it life changing or anything. It was never part of my family's winter traditions. So, as has happened several times with 'the lists', I have re-watched a movie so I could review it properly. And to be perfectly honest, I have tried for about a year to watch it, but I couldn't get a disk that would play. I finally did, and watched it from beginning to end, and...I really enjoyed it. And I think I 'got it'. It's a Wonderful Life is on the BBC, the American Film Institute and National Film Registry lists, but it did not win any Oscars. It was nominated for five Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Engineering) but lost out to The Best Years of Our Lives, which is also a fantastic film. If you're not familiar with the story (first of all, please contact me, because I hated being the only one), George Bailey lives with his family in Bedford Falls, New York, where he has lived his whole life, his father and uncle ran a savings and loan. On Christmas Eve, events conspire to make George wish he had never been born. Enter Clarence, a guardian angel still looking to earn his wings. Clarence shows George what life would have been like in Bedford Falls if he hadn't been born. James Stewart stars as George, and he brings all of his tools: his enthusiasm and energy (think Mr. Smith Goes to Washington), physicality, humor, pathos. Donna Reed is Mary Bailey, George's supportive wife, who sacrifices her honeymoon funds to bail out the savings and loan. Lionel Barrymore is the thoroughly unlikeable Mr. Potter. The movie was directed by Frank Capra, who worked with Stewart on Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. The film may be one of the most American of films; it highlights what is great about America: people helping each other out, working hard and seeing the results. Of course, greedy Mr. Potter seems eerily close to many of our leading politicians and corporate leaders. After watching the movie, I totally understand why it is on all three of my movie lists. If you're wondering, Clarence finally gets his wings.

12/8/17 This is Spinal Tap, 1984, National Film Registry

This is Spinal Tap is a mockumentary that was directed by Rob Reiner and co-written by Reiner, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, and is about the British band, Spinal Tap, who started in the 1960s and are touring the U.S. to promote their new album. The film looks back at the beginning of the band, their evolution through different styles of music, as well as their many different drummers. Nigel Tufnel (Guest), David St. Hubbins (McKean) and Derek Smalls (Shearer) are the mainstays of Spinal Tap and Marty Di Bergi (Reiner) is the filmmaker trying to capture everything with a straight face. Nothing seems to go right, from poor ticket sales, to an album cover that's not exactly what anyone had in mind, to a Stonehenge set that is a little smaller than expected. The movie is a precursor to the Guest-helmed films like Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and A Mighty Wind, with improvised dialog, comedic scenes handled with absolute seriousness and a lack of irony, and characters that seem just a little off. There are a lot of cameos that are fun to pick out: Billy Crystal and Dana Carvey as catering mimes; Paul Schaefer as a music promoter; Bruno Kirby as a limo driver; and several others (Fran Drescher, Ed Begley, Jr., Patrick Macnee). If you like music and concerts (me, me), then some of the scenarios may be reminiscent of various interviews or biographies/autobiographies you may have read or heard. It's definitely a part of American pop culture. 

Wind River, Three Billboards and Dick Tracy

11/25/17 Wind River, not yet nominated, 2017

Wind River received a lot of buzz when it was released in the summer, but I could not get myself to a theater, but I heard a lot of good things. Jeremy Renner stars as Cory Lambert, a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Agent, living out in Wyoming. His territory includes the Wind River Indian Reservation. Cory's job is pretty solitary, keeping out on the plains (or prairie?) for many hours as he protects livestock and tracks the wildlife. Cory is a pretty stoic character, and the reasons for that are slowly revealed to the audience; but he does have a young son whom he loves very much, and tries to spend as much time with him as possible. Cory is white, but his ex-wife is Native American, and he has a pretty good relationship with the Native American community. During one of his regular days at work, Lambert discovers a body in the snow, and he identifies it as a young girl he knows, and he knows her family. For a variety of reasons having to do with tribal land being a sovereign nation, but the land around it belonging to the US government or under state jurisdiction, an FBI agent, Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) comes in to help solve the murder. Graham Greene is the tribal sheriff, and enjoys Agent Banner's discomfort at the cold and riding on a snowmobile at high speeds, but realizes that she may be the only one who can resolve the murder, since often the federal government is reluctant to help at all. As Lambert, Banner and Ben start to uncover what happened to Natalie, and why, we get a brief glimpse into life on a reservation and the challenges that Native Americans face to their culture, raising their children, and of being treated with humanity by whites. The movie is beautiful in its stark treatment of winter, and the vastness of the land. The characters are restrained in their grief and their anger; there is not a lot of joy or happiness in the film; peace is the best you can hope for. Lambert is the link between the white community and the Native American community, and I think Renner did a wonderful job, but I was so moved by Martin Hanson (Gil Birmingham) who was Natalie's father, and was so powerful in his brief time onscreen. Elizabeth Olsen held her own with the mostly male cast. In addition to bringing some focus to our Native American communities, hopefully the movie will also raise awareness about rape and assault against Native American women, which often goes unreported. It's a disgusting shame that these women and these communities are so ignored and disrespected and mistreated. It's a great movie introducing many of us to modern day Native Americans. 



12/2/17 Dick Tracy, Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, Best Original Song, 1990

I vaguely remember when Dick Tracy was released, but I don't remember very many good reviews or comments; people seemed to be mostly interested in Madonna's relationship with Warren Beatty. The plot was pretty typical cops versus bad guys, but what made it different was the incredible art direction which brought Chester Gould's comic strip to life. Only primary colors were used, which apparently was more of a challenge than you might imagine. Honestly, that was the hook for me, the set and the makeup, which was transformative, something I think I mostly associate with science fiction or fantasy films (at least on such a big scale, it wasn't just one or two characters). Madonna sang the Oscar winning song, but it was written by Stephen Sondheim; I don't know, aside from "Blaze of Glory" by Bon Jovi for Young Guns II, none of the songs really stick out for me. Beatty directed, produced the movie and starred as Dick Tracy, ace detective; Glenn Headley plays Tracy's long suffering girlfriend, Tess Trueheart; other good guys include Dick Van Dyke as the district attorney, Charles Durning as the chief of police; and the bad guys feature Al Pacino, in an Oscar-nominated role as Big Boy, the leading crime boss in town; Dustin Hoffman as Mumbles (honest to god, one of the most annoying characters ever); Madonna as sultry singer, Breathless Mahoney. Tracy also befriends a street urchin who goes only by "The Kid". I guess I'm pretty happy I didn't hate the movie, and in fact, didn't mind it. There were a lot of big movies in 1990, including Dances with Wolves, Ghost and Goodfellas, to name just a couple, so, perhaps it's not a surprise that  Dick Tracy rarely gets mentioned.

12/9/17 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, not yet nominated, 2017

I realize I am flying in the face of popular opinion, and it took me a few days to accept it, but I really didn't LOVE Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. I wanted to, I love Frances McDormand who stars as Mildred Hayes, a grieving mother, and she is getting a lot of Oscar buzz. It's a great cast: Woody Harrelson as the beleaguered sheriff, Bill Willoughby; Sam Rockwell as the anger and violence prone racist police office, Jason Dixon, and several other strong actors in supporting roles: Peter Dinklage, Clarke Peters and John Hawkes. The "Three Billboards" of the title refer to the billboards rented by Mildred Hayes to poke, cajole, berate the sheriff's department for lack of progress in the rape and murder of her daughter. This act does not sit well with many in the town, including her son who is dealing with his sister's death in his own way; Dixon who drinks a bit too much for his own good; and Willoughby, who seems to have good intentions, but zero evidence. Mildred is an angry, hateful woman, who has trouble accepting any type of kindness from anyone. I don't want to ruin it for you, so I'll be careful about spoilers. I don't mind dark humor, but the fact that this has been called by some "a dark comedy", I don't think so. There are moments of humor, and I did laugh out loud a few times, but that doesn't make it a comedy (from the commercials, I really thought it was a Coen Brothers' movie, sadly, it was not), it's hard to laugh about rape and murder...just saying. McDormand totally embraced Mildred's anger and determination, but I was hoping to see some compassion, perhaps, for her son. My thought (perhaps I'm digging too deep) was that because this was written and directed by Martin McDonagh, who has Irish and British citizenship, that he was trying to make a point about American policing and race relations, I thought he kept using a sledgehammer and nuance be damned. Dixon acts with impunity and is tolerated by many. I thought Rockwell's performance was terrific; I mean, I found myself cheering for him (twisted, I know). There is more about the movie that bothered me, but to tell you now would be risking spoilers. If you'd like to chat after you see it, let me know.

The Wolfman, The Breakfast Club and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

11/18/17 The Wolfman, Best Makeup, 2010

When I see a movie classified as 'horror', my first inclination is to go the other way, and push it to the end of the queue. But something made me request both The Wolfman and Night of the Living Dead at the same time. I'm a little ashamed to say that I returned Night of the Living Dead unwatched. I just couldn't do it (if you're curious, it's on the BBC list and the National Film Registry). However, I bravely watched The Wolfman, and it really wasn't terrible; a little suspenseful and scary, but nothing that gave me nightmares. It is set in the 1890s, in England, in a part where the sun never shines and the fog lies heavy on the moors, and where Anthony Hopkins is lord of the manor as Sir John Talbot, father to Benicio del Toro's Lawrence Talbot. Lawrence is an actor and has been estranged from his family for a long time, until Lawrence's brother, Ben, is mysteriously murdered in the woods.  It gets a little awkward when we learn that Sir John is also a werewolf, and he bites Lawrence, thereby turning him into a werewolf. It's really the gift that keeps on giving. The movie was fine; nothing terrific, the acting was a little melodramatic, but the scenery and the cinematography was beautiful. As far as winning for Best Makeup, I think it was kind of a no-brainer, the other two nominees being The Way Back and Barney's Version, which were more straight dramas, not a lot of effects or dramatic makeup.

11/18/17 The Breakfast Club, 1985, National Film Registry

I watched The Breakfast Club years ago, but not when it came out in the theaters, when I would have been the target age, and it didn't have a huge impact on me. It was added to the National Film Registry last year, and I figured I should give it a fresh viewing. In case you have not seen it, the movie tells the story of "a brain (Anthony Michael Hall), an athlete (Emilio Estevez), a princess (Molly Ringwald), a basket case (Ally Sheedy) and a criminal (Judd Nelson)", essentially stereotypes found in high school (and potentially real life). It was directed by one of the hottest directors of the 1980s, John Hughes (Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Weird Science among a few of his creative efforts), who seemed to have a hold on the teen demographic at the time. Five students are required to attend Saturday detention at school, and as ordered by the Assistant Vice Principal Vernon, they are to sit in silence and write an essay on who they think they are. Of course, this does not happen, and Saturday frequent flyer, Bender (Nelson), engages his fellow captives by cajoling, teasing and harassing them. The quintet get to know each other, challenging the others' preconceptions of them, poking at their frailties and insecurities. The movie is a definite reflection of 1985 with the soundtrack featuring the sounds of the 80s, especially in the anthemic: "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds, the clothes and the vernacular; however, it is also timeless. Teen alienation is nothing new, being shown in films like Blackboard Jungle (including the iconic "Rock around the clock") and West Side Story. High school can be a rough place, with kids not getting each other an certainly not understanding or being understood by the adults in their lives. I liked, and appreciated, the movie a lot more in my golden years.

11/19/17 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Best Film Editing, 2011

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was originally a book written by Stieg Larsson, the first of a trilogy, then the first in a Swedish film trilogy, starring Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander. The English version stars Rooney Mara as Salander and Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist, among an all-star cast that includes Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgard, Robin Wright and Joely Richardson. Salander is an anti-social computer whiz, specializing in security/background checks, who is asked to dig into the background of disgraced journalist Blomkvist. The movie follows two paths, Blomkvist's and Salander's until they converge. Blomkvist has been invited to the estate of Henrik Vanger (Plummer) to solve the mystery of his niece, Harriet, over 40 years earlier. Every family has its secrets, and Vanger's is no different, and not everyone is thrilled to have Blomkvist going back through the family's history. As Mikael learns more about the Vangers, Lisbeth is waging her own battle against her new guardian/trustee, who exchanges her trust money for sex. Lisbeth is not passive and plays the long game against the man who uses his power to humiliate and hurt her. Those scenes are brutally described in the book, and they are pretty hard to watch in the movie. Eventually, Salander and Blomkvist connect and she helps him with his research. Director David Fincher sets a fast and suspenseful pace, and the Oscar-winning editing helps that happen. The score was done by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (both winning the Oscar for Best Original Score for The Social Network), and it's pretty powerful, including a version of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" which was really fantastic. The cinematography suited the mood of the film, dark and gray up at the Vanger family home, and pretty dark everywhere else. I wasn't sure how Rooney Mara would be as Salander, especially since I read the book, I had my own idea of what she looked like, and I thought Noomi Rapace was incredible in that role. But, I didn't need to worry about that at all; Rooney Mara disappeared behind the dark makeup, punk, homemade haircut, piercings and tattoos. And attitude. She took ownership of that role, and I would have liked to see if she could have continued it in the following books, but it doesn't seem like that will happen (at least not with her or Craig). I was surprised the movie didn't do better, but it's dark and heavy and maybe not everyone's cup of tea.

Current movies: Thor, Justice League and Murder on the Orient Express

It's around this time of year that I start to see current movies in preparation for the Oscars. It's frenzied and occasionally stressful. Well, I haven't gotten to the stressful part yet, but I have seen three new movies in three days. Since they are still pretty new, I will try not to give away any spoilers.

11/22/17 Thor: Ragnarok, not yet nominated, 2017

Is it just me, or did it take forever for this movie to come out? Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Norse god of thunder, returns after 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron, trying to find the Infinity Stones. Unfortunately for Thor, but lucky for us, it's not quite that easy. Thor lands in Asgard looking for Odin, only to learn that mischievous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) put Odin on Earth. As Loki and Thor have wonderful warm brotherly moment, we are introduced to Hela (Cate Blanchett), who they learn is the elder sister who has been imprisoned for being very naughty. Let's just say she has a helluva temper. She is set on destroying Asgard and Thor can't let that happen, but he faces an unexpected delay and detour in Sakaar, a world ruled by the Grandmaster (played wonderfully by Jeff Goldblum who was one of my picks for Dr. Strange). Grandmaster has gladiator-type fights with hapless lifeforms that have been picked up around the galaxy. His current champion is...well, if you haven't seen the previews, I'm not going to ruin it for you. One of my favorite new characters is also a gladiator, Korg, who kind of resembles The Thing (Korg is voiced by director Taika Waititi), and he's a fighter, but also kind and a little obtuse. You're wondering about "Ragnarok"? That pretty much means the end of the world, but you'll have to see for yourself. My brother saw this first and told me I would like it, but he thought parts were too jokey. I like a little humor with my comic book movies, but I agree, there were times it seemed to interrupt the momentum, but I got over that. I really enjoyed the movie. Cate Blanchett was AMAZING as Hela (I watched her at home the next day as Queen Elizabeth I and she was fabulous there as well), totally enjoying the life of a super villain. The story introduced the Valkyries (not quite as famous as the Amazons, but fierce women warriors) and gave Heimdall (Idris Elba) more of a role rather than just as a sentry. It was great, and it might even be super in 3D. Ohio native and member of Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh did the musical score. There is also a version of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" which I seem to like better in the context of movie soundtracks (I also heard it recently re-watching Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). Super hero movies always have the possibility of being nominated for special effects, production, costumes, hair and makeup, sound editing, etc.

11/23/17 Justice League, not yet nominated, 2017

I love the Justice League and its different incarnations in the animated world; the collection of characters and their super powers and the different personalities. So, I was cautiously optimistic at the mention of a live action version, until I learned which characters they were going to include and watched Batman v. Superman. Oh, this could be bad. I was not thrilled about the inclusion of Cyborg (as anyone heard of him outside of the Teen Titans on Cartoon Network?) and Aquaman (according to Raj from "The Big Bang Theory", "Aquaman sucks".). Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of the King of the Sea, but it seems to me hard to build a film around the aquatic world, and you're introducing three main/sort of main characters without a backstory. One of the big pluses, I think, was the incredible success of Wonder Woman this summer, it may have given some of us a reason to be hopeful if the new film focused on Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. The movie opened a week ago to reviews that ranged from tepid to awful, but I decided I wanted to see and judge for myself while it was still on the big screen. Was it as good as Thor: Ragnarok or Wonder Woman? Nah. Was it horrible? No. The movie picks up after Superman was killed in Batman v. Superman, and the world is in chaos, and it's more than Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman can handle on their own, and they go about assembling a group of gifted humans/meta humans (we got a glimpse of them in B v S), including Aquaman (Jason Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher). They are joining to fight Steppenwolf, an ancient being who was vanquished millennia ago by a joint force of Atlantians, Amazonians, Green Lanterns and men of Earth (kind of Lord of the Rings - Two Towers) who returns to claim the mother boxes (similar to the Infinity Stones in the above-mentioned Thor/Avengers movies). I'll start off with what I didn't like: Aquaman (have I mentioned that?), he was mostly on land, what's the point of that? Since they mentioned the Green Lanterns, they could have re-introduced that element, which is such a rich universe to draw on. I wasn't thrilled with the time spent with Lois Lane and Mrs. Kent; Amy Adams, reprising her role, looked uncomfortable, like her shoes didn't fit or something. She is a great actress and this didn't seem worthy of her time. What I liked: the time spent on Themyscira with the Amazons, fierce and fearless; Wonder Woman stepping up as a leader and mediating force between the different egos (male) of the  new team; I apologize for my dissing of Cyborg, who added a lot to the team with his different skills and strengths; I liked the Flash and the way they portrayed his speed. I am not sure why Ben Affleck attracts so many haters for portraying Batman; I think he's fine, he's subtle, subdued, restrained; I think the problem is he is on the heels of Christian Bale and that's why people get so irate. Some critics didn't like the plot, or the lack of one; eh, I was entertained, which is what I ask for in my super hero movies: action, some good quips, and good effects. Danny Elfman. who has done the musical scores for several Batman, Spider-Man and many other action/super hero films, did the score.

11/24/17 Murder on the Orient Express, not yet nominated, 2017

#whatweretheythinking I'm not an Agatha Christie fanatic, but I would say I'm very familiar with her main characters, especially Hercule Poirot; I have watched most of the films based on her books, as well as the television series that have featured Joan Hickson who is the only Miss Marple as well as David Suchet, who is also the only Hercule Poirot (in the 1974 film, Albert Finney was Poirot), and I am currently re-reading all of her works, including her Mary Westmacott stories. So, I feel a little invested. I only wish Kenneth Branagh, who starred and directed, and Michael Green, who 'wrote' the screenplay, felt the same. I really thought the worst part was going to be the horrid moustaches that Branagh wore, mais non. The story starts in Jerusalem where Poirot is working on a case in the holy city; in a move that smacks of disrespect (and I honestly do not recall this form the book) is where Poirot cavalierly jams his walking stick into the Western Wall (it had bits of paper that contain messages from pilgrims to God); I'm pretty sure he would have been mobbed had he really done that, and Poirot always seems aware of his surroundings and the culture. Poirot and a cast of characters are on the Orient Express, departing from Istanbul. The passengers on the train are a collection of stars, new and old: Dame Judi Dench, Sir Derek Jacobi, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Leslie Odom, Jr., Penelope Cruz and Johnny Depp, to name most of the cast. For the most part, Green sticks to the essence of the plot: Samuel Ratchett (Depp) is an abhorrent man, who lives by questionable means and is receiving anonymous death threats. Poirot declines Ratchett's request to find out who is threatening him; so it is a little ironic that Poirot becomes responsible to find the person who murders Ratchett, even as the train is stuck in the snow. Poirot interviews all of the passengers and uncovers bits about their past. Branagh has moments where he nails Poirot spot on, but not enough, and where he misses, to me, he misses by a wide margin. In the movie, Poirot is reading Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, which I have not read in a while, but I don't remember it being one of Dickens' knee slappers, but Poirot is seen reading it, and guffawing out loud. Soon after the train gets derailed, Poirot is walking along the top of the train. As Poirot often tells his friends, Japp and Hastings (not in this story), he does not need to go out and look for "the clues", he uses his little grey cells; there is no way in hell, Hercule Poirot is unnecessarily walking around on the roof of a snowbound train. There is a scene where Josh Gad's character, MacQueen, is running outside on a train trestle or bridge, and Poirot is chasing him? WHAT? And then falls through the floor and lands with a thump, and bounces right back up. To quote a friend of mine, AYFKMRN? On more than one occasion, Poirot is walking outside without his overcoat; he does not like to be cold, and yet, there he is, with no overcoat, no muffler, and no hat. Poirot does not get physical with suspects, that's not his thing; I also don't remember him waving a gun about, certainly nothing bigger than one of those little pistols that a lady might put in her handbag. Okay, enough bashing Poirot. The cast was fine; perhaps the most interesting thing was casting Leslie Odom Jr. as Dr. Arbuthnot. As I was mentioning to a friend, there are rarely people of color in Christie's stories unless they are servants or foreigners, so I didn't have any problem with casting Odom as a black doctor, and then having the uniqueness of the situation addressed in the script. I think Dame Judi had some of the biggest shoes, or white gloves, to fill, as Princess Dragomiroff, the role was originally played by Dame Wendy Hiller, who was amazing as the autocratic and unbending Russian Princess. Johnny Depp was fine (Richard Widmark played Ratchett in the 1974 film); it's a pretty limited role; Penelope Cruz as Pilar Estravados (in the same role, Ingrid Bergman was Greta Ohlsson in her Oscar winning role) was one of my favorite characters, she wasn't really as hysterical as the viewer might think. Apparently this ridiculous production and possible sequels have the blessing of Agatha Christie's great grandson, which is concerning. I recommend reading David Suchet's memoir Poirot and Me, and watch the other versions of Murder on the Orient Express.

Two must see movies: Miss Sloane and Imitation of Life

9/30/17 Birth of a Nation, 1915, National Film Registry, #39 BBC

I honestly have no idea how to review this movie that should be an anachronism, but sadly, seems to fit into our current political and social climate. Even at the time of its release, in 1915, fifty years after the end of the Civil War, it was controversial for its portrayal of black Americans, and Northerners who opposed slavery. D.W. Griffith is considered an innovator of cinema with camera and storytelling techniques. And yet, with all of that being said, I was repulsed watching Birth of a Nation and the way it showed slaves as dancing and shucking and jiving whenever white people were around; and most, or many, of the black characters were white actors in black face. The story is told from the perspectives of two families, the Stonemans, a Northern family and the Camerons, who lived in the South. The movie follows the families as they send sons off to fight the Civil War, the Confederacy's loss (yes, they did lose) and Reconstruction. Griffith shamelessly peddles fear and uses every negative stereotype of black men that existed to show why the races shouldn't mix; Griffith seems to put forward an anti-war message (or claims to), and just thinks the races should be separate. He glorifies the Ku Klux Klan as defenders of white women and white ways. Honest to God, it was awful to watch, but having never seen it, I was hoping there would be a positive message that I could write about, but there wasn't.

10/30/17 Miss Sloane, 2016

The Penalty aside, I feel like I've been in a dry patch as far as movies go; they've been okay or so-so, or bad, but nothing has gotten me excited about writing a review like Miss Sloane starring Jessica Chastain did. Elizabeth Sloane (Chastain) is a high-octane lobbyist who says what she thinks, even if it means insulting a potential client or a co-worker. The movie starts pretty amped up and hits the nitro button around 30 minutes in. The movie uses flashbacks to unfold the story of how Sloane takes on the gun lobby with a smaller firm after she abruptly quits the high powered firm, headed by George Dupont (Sam Waterston). It's hard to tell if Sloane is really that passionate about taking on the gun lobby or she's just itching for a big fight. She does like a good argument, whether it's with her new boss, Rodolfo (Mark Strong), her former colleague, Pat Connors (the omnipresent Michael Stuhlbarg), her paid escort, Forde, or anyone else who is careless enough to get in her way. Chastain is simply fabulous (she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress), spitting out the dialogue practically effortlessly. The dialogue and fast pace reminded me of Newsroom, a smart series with a great cast, timely topics and biting wit that you should check out if you haven't seen it. I don't often watch movies again, but I would (and probably will) watch this again to see what I missed the first time. Add it to your list.

10/31/17 Imitation of Life, 1959, National Film Registry, #37 BBC

I was beginning to think I would never get to see this movie; it was on a 'long wait' on Netflix forever, and then I got it from the library and it wouldn't play, then I finally got it from Netflix. I had never heard of Imitation of Life before until it was on the lists (dun dun, I hear this sound every time I refer to 'the lists'). Lana Turner is Lora Meredith, a struggling actress who is also a single mother living in New York City. Serendipity brings her in contact with the woman who will become her steadfast, reliable friend for the rest of her life, Annie Johnson, incredibly played by Juanita Moore, who is also a single mother, in need of a job and a place to live. Annie moves into Lora's apartment with her daughter, Sarah Jane, takes care of Lora's daughter, Susie, as well as organizing the household while Lora goes on auditions. Lora fends off a handsy agent, potentially losing jobs (the timing for me watching this movie was eerie), but keeping her self-respect and turning for comfort and solace to Steve Archer, (John Gavin) a photographer who has a mad crush on Lora, even though she dumps him the minute opportunity knocks. Opportunity knocked in the form of a play that launches her career. Through all of Lora's ups and downs, man troubles, she has Annie. Annie has some problems of her own; Annie is black, but Sarah Jane is very light skinned and passes for white, often denying her mother's existence, which deeply hurts Annie. Sarah Jane resents her mother, resents that they still live with Lora and Susie, even though the small apartment has been traded in for a large house and they have benefited from Lora's success. Eventually, Sarah Jane runs away to sing in a club, and Annie tracks her down (Mr. Archer now has all kinds of contacts to help), Sarah Jane tells her to leave and never find her again. My heart just broke; you could see Annie, this indomitable woman, who would have done anything for her daughter, just crumble. Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner, who played Sarah Jane, were both nominated for Best Supporting Actress Oscars; they lost to Shelley Winters for her role in The Diary of Anne Frank; it's a tough call, and Winters was really good, but Moore would have been a well deserving winner. Lora and Annie never discuss race, unless someone else brings it up the four women consider one another family, and others looking in seem to feel the same way. There is a performance by Mahalia Jackson which gave me goosebumps. Some may think the movie is hokey or condescending, but I really enjoyed it, and I thought Moore and Turner were terrific. I cried more than once during this movie, and since it wasn't a sports movie or a documentary, that's saying a lot. 

A closer look at the death penalty in The Penalty, a documentary

10/25/17 The Penalty, 2017

In full disclosure I have to say that I have a connection, however tenuous, to the new film, The Penalty. Even though I was not there at the time, the law firm where I work represented Damon Thibodeaux, one of the three people featured in the movie; I also attended the North American premier with attorneys and staff from the firm. All of that being said, I don't think it affected my opinion of this powerful film. The Penalty, co-directed by Will Francome and Mark Pizzey, looks at the death penalty from the perspectives of three different people: Darlene Farah, whose daughter, Shelby, was murdered in 2013 while at work; Allen Bohnert, Assistant Federal Public Defender of the Southern District of Ohio focusing on death penalty cases; Damon Thibodeaux, who spent fifteen years on death row in Angola Prison before being exonerated in 2012. The directors let the individuals speak for themselves, through interviews with them and family members as well as news footage. I think all three stories could stand up as separate films, but it's the juxtaposition of them that increases the impact. Darlene Farah is adamant that her daughter's killer receive the death penalty, until the years of court appearances and reliving Shelby's murder in court and with her other children threaten to fracture the family. Darlene acknowledges that the execution of Shelby's murderer will not bring Shelby back, she may not ever get the satisfaction of the final sentence, and her living children, Caleb and Nycole, might never get to move forward. Darlene is outspoken when it comes to facing off with the State Attorney and trying to get them to accept a plea deal from the killer: a plea of guilty and life without parole. Darlene and her family form an unlikely partnership and friendship with the defendant's public defender. It's really hard to watch Caleb and Nycole go through the murder of their sister, as their relationship with each other and their mother has changed; you can see the pain on both of their faces, especially as Caleb doesn't even want to talk about it anymore, and as Nycole blames herself for a fight with Shelby.

Allen Bohnert's fight for his clients is just as passionate as Darlene's fight for Shelby. Bohnert's fight is on two fronts: preventing his clients from being executed, but failing that, ensuring that their deaths do not become a torturous experiment by the state. Because suppliers have stopped selling the drugs used for execution, Ohio used an untested drug cocktail that Bohnert and others claimed would result in the prisoner, Dennis McGuire, feeling like he was being suffocated and experiencing pain, which the correct drug combination would prevent. Bohnert gets threatening and harassing phone calls and emails from members of the public indignant at his advocacy. The filmmakers also interview his wife as she says, quite honestly, and in front of Allen, that she wished he would do something else because of the toll it takes on him and his family, including two young boys. After the state of Ohio issues a moratorium on executions because of the inefficacy of the drugs, Bohnert gets to spend quality time with his family and welcome a new addition to the family. Sadly, the reprieve does not last long, and he posts a new list of scheduled executions in his office, through 2020.

In 2012, Damon Thibodeaux was released from Louisiana's death row after his appeal team produced exculpating evidence. The film focuses on Damon's life after prison, although that is never far from his mind or his daily life. Damon is shown establishing his new life in Minneapolis, close to his attorneys and support system, even working in the mailroom at Fredrikson & Byron. You would think he would have more bitterness after being wrongly incarcerated for 15 years, and while there is an edge in voice sometimes, there is also hope for his future with his girlfriend and new job, and a desire to educate the public on false confessions and some of the flaws of the justice system. Even though Damon was released because he did not commit the crime, he has not had any luck in obtaining remuneration from Louisiana for the time he incorrectly served, nothing for being locked up in a tiny cell, staring at death until his release. As he points out, there's nothing in Social Security for him, since his work life started so late. He testified in front of a Senate Committee and received praise from Senator Ted Cruz (of all people) for telling his story. Damon moved to California where he drives a truck and lives with is girlfriend.

I've broken the three storylines out, but the movie weaves them together very cohesively. The movie was about 90 minutes, and even though I don't like unnecessarily long films, I would not have been upset if it was 30 minutes longer.

The Penalty was shown as part of the Twin Cities Film Fest, and director, Will Francome was in attendance and joined Kevin Riach and Steve Kaplan of Fredrikson & Byron in a brief Q&A session after the film. Kevin is currently working on Darrell Robinson's death penalty case in Louisiana where they have found DNA evidence that was overlooked or ignored by the police. Steve was the lead attorney on Damon's case. There is the belief that the death penalty satisfies our need for an eye for an eye, but when you see what effect that had on the Shelby family (and other families who have had similar experiences), can you honestly say that to be true? And what if that blood lust takes the life of an innocent person, as almost happened with Damon and almost 150 other people who were found innocent of the crime that sent them to death row? And to Allen Bohnert's point, even if you believe in the death penalty, do you believe, really believe, that it's okay for it to take 20 minutes for someone to die? The Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, which that surely must be. The Penalty is making the rounds, so check out your local film festivals or contact the filmmakers if you'd like to find out how to have a screening.

Q&A with Director Will Francome, attorneys Kevin Riach and Steve Kaplan

(a special thanks to Fredrikson & Byron's Pro Bono Committee for their support of the film; the firm for their support of Pro Bono work; my co-worker Natasha for finding Allen's correct name and title, otherwise he would have been 'that guy' or 'Brian' which is the name I remembered)

An Outdated Musical, an Animation Classic and a Precursor to Indiana Jones

9/16/17 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment, 1965

Meh. That's really all I can come up with over a month after watching A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum which was directed by Richard Lester (of The Beatles' movies) and starred Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford, Michael Crawford (later of Phantom of the Opera fame) and Phil Silvers. I don't think it translates very well over fifty years later, not that it was a huge hit in 1965. The bawdy humor seems juvenile and looking for cheap laughs. It's almost like a bad sketch comedy from the late 1960s; there are a lot of incongruities (the whole Buster Keaton story line made no sense, although it was bittersweet to see Keaton in his last role shortly before he died). 

9/16/17 The Snake Pit, 1948, Best Sound Recording

Olivia de Havilland was nominated as Best Actress for her portrayal of a woman suffering from a debilitating mental illness in The Snake Pit. I found de Havilland compelling as Virginia Cunningham, a young woman struggling to understand why she is in a mental institution. We learn a little more about Virginia through flashbacks as her psychiatrist digs into her past to see what triggers her episodes; her husband tries to understand her erratic behavior. Juniper Hill is a place that I hope is in the rearview mirror as far as mental/psychiatric hospitals are concerned: the care was often barbaric, occasionally nurturing and healing, but it's not where you would want to see a loved one. Virginia does seem to get better, although if there was an official diagnosis and treatment plan, I may have missed it. The movie was based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Mary Jane Ward, and the good news is that the film prompted several hospitals to change their policies and procedures. de Havilland was nominated as Best Actress in a Leading Role three times between 1946 and 1949, winning twice. 

9/16/17 Shrek, Best Animated Feature, 2001

Sixteen years later, I still laughed. Fractured Fairy Tales meets the American Top Forty. Shrek (Mike Meyers sounding a lot like Jim Taggart) is an ogre who, like Greta Garbo, wants to be alone, but he is either being harassed by frightened villagers or invaded by displaced nursery rhyme characters. His particular bête noir is Donkey (hilariously voiced by Eddie Murphy), who is very social and very chatty. The remedy to the home invasion is to go to Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) and get him to give Shrek his forest and privacy back. It doesn't go exactly as planned as Shrek becomes Farquaad's champion and agrees to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) who has been locked away in a castle. Shrek fairly easily rescues Fiona, with a little help from Donkey. The three head back towards Duloc, but Fiona is anxious to stop and rest before the sun goes down. It turns out that Fiona, a stereotypically beautiful princess by day, is an ogre by night, and she doesn't want Shrek to know since they were having such a good time together. The wedding to Farquaad doesn't go exactly as planned, which turns out to be a really good thing. All of this might make a good movie, but that would be too predictable. What makes Shrek so fun is it brings all of the fairy tales and nursery rhymes from our childhood to life, in a very twisted way: the Gingerbread Man is interrogated by Lord Farquaad and is tortured by dipping him in milk, causing him to go soft and lose a limb; Pinocchio is turned in for bounty money by Geppetto; the Three Little Pigs have German accents; and so it goes. This is an ideal film that adults can happily watch with their kids; it's funny, but not childish (silly, yes, with some gross humor that kids laugh at, and grown ups want to laugh at). The soundtrack includes songs by Neil Diamond to the Proclaimers to Leonard Cohen; a great way to introduce kids to music that their parents might like, but making it 'cool'. I really needed this movie after this last batch of movies that have been a little challenging to watch and review.

10/1/17 Gunga Din, National Film Registry, 1939

Gunga Din is a mix of comedy, drama and action, featuring two of the biggest stars in Hollywood, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Cary Grant as two soldiers stationed in 1880s India, then under British rule. Grant is Sgt. Archibald Cutter who has obtained a treasure map that he is eager to check out with his pals, Sgt. MacChesney (Victor McLagen) and Sgt. Tommy Ballantine (Fairbanks), but Tommy has plans to leave the military and marry Emmy Stebbins (Joan Fontaine, whose sister was Olivia de Havilland). They are joined by Gunga Din (Sam Jaffe), their water bearer who longs to be a part of the army in larger capacity. Din joins Cutter on his search for the treasure in a golden temple. Unfortunately, the temple belongs to the Thugee, an indigenous group living in that area, one that is not well disposed towards the British. Cutter is captured and Din goes back to the base to get help from MacChesney and Ballantine, which does not go according to plan. Din does get his chance to show his mettle and prove his loyalty to the British Army and his friends. The movie is based on the poem by Rudyard Kipling, and Kipling (Reginald Sheffield) makes an appearance at the end of the film. I was reminded of the Indiana Jones franchise, without the great special effects. Grant reminded me a little of Harrison Ford. I enjoyed the movie, and it may seem strange, but it doesn't seem to as 'dated' as Something Happened on the Way to the Forum, and I don't know how to explain that. I am not what qualified it for the National Film Registry.

Best Foreign Language Film nominees: The Class, Revanche, Un Prophete, Ajami

This entry completes all of the foreign film nominees from 2008 through 2017 (my goal to watch all nominated films goes back to 2008). Thanks again to the Minnesota Library System and inter-library loan, because it enabled me to get the films I wanted, when I wanted them. And for FREE. Libraries are a tremendous resource. 

9/14/17 The Class, nominated Best Foreign Language Film, 2008

The Class reminded me of an American book I read not too long ago called The Way It Spozed to Be by James Herndon, a former teacher, and in fact, The Class was based on the semi-autobiographical book by Francois Begaudeau, who also starred in the movie. The movie is set in a middle school in a Paris arrondissement which is made up of a large immigrant community. This brings its own set of challenges, from different cultural backgrounds, 'rivalries' between different home countries (Morocco, Mali, etc.), parents who may not understand the school requirements or expectations. I wanted to like the movie, but there were parts that just seemed shrill to me, and I found myself not caring, and I wanted to care about someone. There was a young girl at the end, and I thought, she would have been a good focal point, but it came too late; she walked up to the teacher after he went through the class to ask what they had learned over the school year, and she said she didn't feel like she learned as much as the other students. There was something in her disappointment and shame that made me want to know more about her. I did not particularly like the teacher either, again, that doesn't help. I think it was interesting, maybe bold, not to cast professional actors (if they were there, they were supporting cast and not noticeable), because it definitely added to the sense of chaos, but, I don't know, it just didn't click with me.

9/23/17 Revanche, nominated Best Foreign Language Film, 2008

Out of all the films here, this was probably my favorite: it actually had a story that I didn't need to follow on Wikipedia, characters that were interesting and that I cared about and it was not black or white/right or wrong. Revanche is set in Vienna and the Austrian countryside, and it starts with Tamara and Alex, who are lovers, but also co-workers in a Vienna brothel (Tamara is a prostitute and Alex is handyman, driver, protection). They have a dream of getting away, but they have no money; Alex decides to rob a bank, and he wants to leave Tamara at home, but she insists on going with him. That doesn't end well. The other storyline involves Susanne and Robert, a couple that live out in the countryside, near Alex's grandfather Hausner; Robert is a police officer who happens to be in the area when Alex robs the bank. The two men are forever intertwined, especially when Alex goes to his grandfather's farm to hide out. Alex resents Susanne's attention towards his grandfather, and orders her to stay away; that doesn't go according to plan either. Revanche is French for retaliation, and Alex spends a lot of time thinking about retaliating against the man who killed Tamara. Will he or won't he? He certainly has the opportunity. I liked the twists and turns that the movie took; nothing went quite as you might think, and even though Alex is not the most likeable character, I did care about him and Tamara, and I was interested in what happened to him, as well as the other characters. The winner from 2008 was Departures, a movie that I liked a lot and heartily recommend.

9/23/17 Ajami, nominated Best Foreign Language Film, 2009

This entry from Israel has me scratching my head a day later; did I like it, was it good, would I recommend it? I honestly do not know. The story is actually five stories and five different perspectives, told in a non-linear order, focusing on a two families in Jaffa, Israel. The occasional narrator is Nasri, a young Arab Israeli who likes to draw, and loves and looks up to his older brother, Omar. The movie opens with Nasri's young neighbor being shot by a Bedouin gang after being mistaken for Omar. We learn that there is a feud between the gang and Nasri's uncle, which has been extended to Nasri and his family. The feud is mediated by a local leader, Abu Elias, and the leader of the Bedouin's. Different members of the community come in and out of the other chapters of the film, including Malek, a young Palestinian who works illegally in Jaffa for Abu Elias, trying to save money for his mother's cancer treatment; Binj, the cook in Abu Elias's restaurant, who is fun-loving, drug-smoking and a friend to Malek, Omar and others; Dando is an Israeli police officer who is caught up in trying to find his brother who is in the Israeli army, but has gone missing. The characters are interesting: Malek is a likeable kid, Nasri could have been used better for his perspective, Omar is likeable if not a little frustrating, like most twenty year old boys. The narrative is what was frustrating; I was fine with the narrative being non-sequential and bits of the story being unraveled slowly, but I think there was chance lost to really get into the lives of the characters, especially because there aren't a lot of movies that show this perspective.

9/22/17 Un Prophete, nominated Best Foreign Language Film, 2009

I may be imagining it, but it seemed that the theme for the Foreign Language nominees was about retaliation and retribution in some way. Malik is a young Algerian who has spent his young life in correctional institutions and now in prison. He is among Corsicans and Muslims, two groups who do not like or trust one another (I was not sure exactly where the movie was set, but I'm pretty sure it was France). He is taken in by the leader of the Corsicans, Luciani, at first as an assassin (reluctantly on Malik's part), then a low level errand boy/house boy who is regularly disrespected by Luciani and his men as a dirty Arab. Malik doesn't like being treated like this, but he keeps a lot of his thoughts to himself, secretly learning Corsican, so he can understand what Luciani and his men discuss when they're not speaking French. Eventually, Malik becomes Luciani's most trusted 'employee', especially when Malik gets a special work release and he can carry on Luciani's business outside. Luciani realizes too late that Malik is not the scared kid who needed his protection a few years earlier, and the tide turns. It is a prison movie, but I think the character of Malik makes it a little different. The Oscar winner for this year was The Secret in Their Eyes from Argentina.

9/24/17 Hors la Loi, nominated Best Foreign Language Film, 2010

I was interested in the story of Hors la Loi, which followed a family of three brothers, born and raised in Algeria who lost their family land to French colonials, to the 1945 Setif massacre (with which I was unfamiliar), participation of Algerian forces in World War II with the Allies, to the fight for independence. The Setif massacre is early on in the movie, and it took me by surprise with its ferocity and seemingly indiscriminate killing of civilians. The three brothers, Messaoud,, Abdelkader and Said find themselves in the middle of the story, and they represent different points of view: Messaoud is the oldest, and was a soldier during the war; Abdelkader is the middle son, and a political intellectual, caught up in the Setif massacre and sent to prison in France; Said is the youngest son, trying to take care of his mother and reunite his family in France. The movie covers territory unfamiliar to most Americans, and I think the topic is interesting, but something about the movie didn't quite grab me like I thought it would. In a Better World won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, but I also thought Incendies was a powerful film.

9/19/17 Footnote, nominated Best Foreign Language Film, 2011

Netflix describes Footnote, Israel's nominee for 2011's Best Foreign Film, as a 'witty' drama; I beg to disagree. Like most of the movies in this particular blog entry, this movie left me not caring, but thinking the writer/director missed an opportunity for an engaging movie. I would imagine that not many movie goers would find Talmudic research a particularly hot topic for a film, especially the philological aspects. However, parent-child rivalry is very relatable, and it can be funny and poignant. Unfortunately, I think Footnote got lost in the weeds somewhere along the way. I didn't care about either of the main characters, Eliezer, the father who has toiled away in relative obscurity, but he has annoyed most of his colleagues and rivals over the years; and his son, Uriel, described in Wikipedia as a 'charismatic' academic (I think they used that word wrong, because he was as charismatic as a loaf of wet bread), who is in the same field as his father, but well-liked and respected, and he has recently put up for the prestigious Israel Prize. The problem begins when Eliezer is called and congratulated for the award and it turns out that there was a mistake of bureaucratic proportions, because it was meant for Uriel. We learn there is a lot of jealousy and resentment from Eliezer towards Uriel, and I didn't think it was entirely clear why there was such bitterness (or I could have dozed off, I suppose). A Separation was the winner for 2011.

Shorts - Papageno, Ersatz, The Bespoke Overcoat and The Stranger Left No Card

9/10/17 Shorts

The library is a wonderful thing. I was looking to see if they had a couple of the shorts on the Oscar list, and lo and behold, I found a VHS tape waiting for me on the hold shelf. It had a few unmemorable shorts, a couple Oscar winners, and two non-winners that I really enjoyed.

Papageno, 1935

Papageno is a character from Mozart's "The Magic Flute" and in this animated short, her is trying to find a mate. It wasn't the story that interested me so much as the animation technique, which was the use of cut-outs/silhouettes, but in a very sophisticated and beautiful manner. 

Ersatz, Best Short Subject, Cartoon, 1961

This ten minute short was about five minutes too long for me. A man goes to the beach and starts to inflate all of the objects he brings, whether it's a bed, a surfboard, or a woman. Perhaps this was amusing in 1961, but I was bored.

The Bespoke Overcoat, Best Short Subject, Two-Reel, 1956

Conversely, The Bespoke Overcoat tells a heartbreaking, but captivating, story in only seven minutes. The film opens with the funeral of an unknown person, whom we find out is Fender, a clerk at a clothing manufacturer, and all he wants is a nice coat to keep him warm. His miserly and unsympathetic boss refuses to give him one or even sell one at a cheaper price. Fender asks his friend, Morry, a tailor, to make one for less than cost. Morry tries, but he is unable to finish it in time, and Fender dies from the cold. In fact, we meet Fender as a Ghost or in flashbacks. The film was based on a short story by the Russian writer, Gogol, who I have not read, but I'm now curious to learn more about his stories. It was directed by Jack Clayton, who later directed The Great Gatsby and The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne.

The Stranger Left No Card, 1952

The Stranger Left No Card is the longest of the shorts on the tape at 23 minutes, and struck me as a story worthy of Alfred Hitchcock or Rod Serling. A strange character comes to town, he's very flamboyant and colorful, a little odd, but very noticeable. He goes by the name 'Napoleon', and soon becomes a fixture, entertaining the kids and being humored by the adults. This is all an act of misdirection as he has a vendetta to resolve as he commits the perfect crime. I'm hoping that you will try to find this in your library online somewhere, because it is a wonderful suspense story, and I may have told you too much. It was directed by Wendy Toye, who was a director, actress and dancer; I don't know how many women were directing in 1952, but I don't think there were that many, so to me, this is an important film for that reason as well as being a very good film.

Rope, A League of Their Own, The Charge of the Light Brigade, Woman of the Year

9/8/17 Rope, 1948

Rope isn't on any of my lists, which kind of surprised me, at first, but after watching it, I guess I'm not. Two things intrigued me about it; one was the subject matter, which was loosely based on the killers Leopold and Loeb; the other was the way director Alfred Hitchcock filmed it. First, the two main characters are based on Leopold and Loeb who killed fourteen year-old Bobby Franks in 1924. Brandon and Phillip are 'roommates' (the homosexual subtext is very subtle) in a very swanky New York City apartment, and as the movie opens they are murdering David, a former classmate of theirs. The rest of the movie is Brandon and Phillip (mostly Brandon) trying to carry off a dinner party with the body of David in the same room in a chest; Brandon (John Dall) is smug and pompous, and poor Phillip (Farley Granger) is a bundle of nerves, snapping at Brandon and other guests, including their former housemaster, Rupert (James Stewart), as well as David's father, aunt and girlfriend. The acting was horrible, a lot of overacting; Stewart was the only one who didn't annoy me. Dall was almost a caricature. The other thing about watching this movie that is not on a single list was that I read Hitchcock filmed this with longer takes than usual, some of them going seven and a half minutes or longer, and I guess I thought that would be interesting. It didn't really help. So, I don't know, but what's done is done.

9/9/17 A League of Their Own, 1992 National Film Registry

I saw A League of Their Own when it opened in theaters 25 years ago, and every one in a while I catch it on television, but for a fresh perspective, I watched with some friends last weekend. I love this movie: it's got baseball, women playing baseball, humor, history, and some good acting. It's a cast of stars, and new and unknown actors directed by Penny Marshall. During World War II, women stepped into formerly male-dominated fields, like factory work and baseball. Yep, baseball. The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a real thing from 1943 - 1954, with teams scattered throughout the Midwest, and the movie focuses on the Rockford Peaches and the Racine Belles. The movie opens in current day (1988 to be exact) as Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) reluctantly prepares to head east for a reunion with former players of the AAGPBL. As she heads to the airport, the movie goes back to 1943 and Oregon, where she and her kid sister, Kit, play fast pitch softball for the local dairy team. A wise-cracking, somewhat insulting scout, Ernie Capadino, (played by Jon Lovitz) wants Dottie to try out for this new league started up by Walter Harvey (based on Philip Wrigley; played by Garry Marshall); Dottie isn't interested, but Kit is desperate for the chance. No Dottie, no Kit, so Dottie agrees to go. Capadino drops the girls off at Harvey Field where around 100 girls are trying out for the four teams. Here is where we meet Doris (Rosie O'Donnell) who cannot be quiet to save her life, always with the wisecrack and her pal, Mae (Madonna) among others. Dottie, Kit, Doris, Mae and several others are on the Rockford Peaches. As they practice baseball skills, they are also put through etiquette classes, including grooming, eating, and walking. They may be baseball players, but they are also women, and there are still certain expectations and requirements. You can't have a baseball team without a manager, and the Peaches don't stretch too hard to find one, pick Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks), a drunk, washed up ballplayer, who is less than thrilled about girls playing baseball. Eventually Jimmy sobers up, and takes an interest in the team; the scene where he fights with Dottie over giving signs to the bewildered Marla is one of the funniest in the movie. The movie follows the first season, as the league builds momentum and popularity, on one hand, 'selling' the sex appeal of the women (who play in skirts) to the men; but also inspiring young girls. Throughout the film, Kit and Dottie have a typical big sister/little sister rivalry, which usually doesn't end well for Kit (Kit is a pitcher and Dottie is the catcher, which can also have its prickly points); the rivalry boils over when Kit is pulled from a game, and she blames Dottie when she is later traded to the Racine Belles. There is more that goes on, but if you've seen it, you know, and if you haven't seen it, I don't want to ruin it for you. I really love pretty much everything about the movie.

9/10/17 Woman of the Year, 1942 Best Original Screenplay, National Film Registry

I'm sure I'm committing some kind of blasphemy or someone is going to say I'm really missing the point, but I hated Woman of the Year. I understand that movies made seventy years ago have a different perspective, a different reality, and that society was different - I get that, and a lot of times, I can overlook that, and watch a movie 'in its time'. Not here. Katherine Hepburn as Tess Harding is a liberated, educated and opinionated woman, which are normally characteristics I love and admire, but she is also incredibly self-involved and annoying as hell. I'm not sure how Sam Craig (Spencer Tracy) puts up with her, or why. Tess and Sam are writers at The New York Chronicle, Sam covers sports and Tess covers world events, hobnobbing with politicians of the day; they have a spat and are ordered by their editor to make up. They do more than that, they fall in love, despite a bumpy start. I really felt bad for Sam, who gets run over by Tess. It was directed by Oscar-winning director, George Stevens (Giant, Diary of Anne Frank, Shane) and written by Ring Lardner, Jr. (MASH, Cincinnati Kid) and Michael Kanin. I found it shrill. This was the first collaboration between Tracy and Hepburn, and not one of their best I'm afraid.

9/10/17 The Charge of the Light Brigade, 1936, Best Assistant Director

It turns out that this is the first of several movies I will watch over the next few weeks featuring Olivia de Havilland, and one of a handful of movies to ever get a nomination and Oscar for Best Assistant Director. The Charge of the Light Brigade is based on the poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, which was based on a battle during the Crimean War; for those of you with a more populist leaning, it may be familiar to you through Alfalfa's recital in a Little Rascals episode. Errol Flynn stars as Major Geoffrey Vickers of the Light Brigade who is stationed in India; his brother, Captain Perry Vickers, is also stationed there, as well as their love interest (their, unknowingly to Geoffrey), Elsa (Olivia de Havilland). The fort/town where the 27th Lancers are stationed is brutally attacked by the Russians and their allies, led by the treacherous Surat Khan; Vickers survives to fight another day, which ultimately is to lead his men in the charge of the Light Brigade to avenge his friends. In addition to starring Flynn and de Havilland, the movie features David Niven, Nigel Bruce, and Donald Crisp. Both major battle scenes are pretty intense, but the last one featured dozens of horses which, according to Wikipedia, experienced extremely dangerous and fatal conditions (Errol Flynn protested to the director Michael Curtiz, to no avail). The 1930s seem to be a time where movies celebrate the rise of the British Empire like The Lives of a Bengal Lancer and Gunga Din, but sometimes they don't translate so well into the 21st century. I liked Flynn in this role, I thought the whole love triangle thing was unnecessary (but I usually do). This isn't a must-see by any stretch.

Travel the world without leaving your chair: nominated foreign films Incendies, In a Better World

I got a bug up my butt to finish the foreign film nominees from the past 8 years or so, all in one week (or maybe two). I'm not sure if that was the best idea I've ever had, but I'm running with it, and the rest of the foreign films from the nominated films going back to 2008, should be wrapped up by next week. I don't think it's a bad thing, but it's really heavy. And if you don't believe me, I suggest you watch Dogtooth and Bullhead right in a row, and get back to me.

9/1/17 Incendies, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2010

Not too long ago, I was talking with a friend about the use of flashbacks in movies and how I hate when they are used as a gimmick. That is not the case with Incendies, the French Canadian film directed by Denis Villeneuve, where flashbacks are used to unravel the mystery that Nawal Marwan left behind after her death. As the movie opens, we meet her twin children, Simon and Jeanne, as notary and Nawal's employee reads her will and last requests. It's painfully clear early on that the twins' relationship with their mother was distant at best and full of secrets and strange behaviors, and Simon isn't interested in fulfilling his mother's wishes, which include finding their father and the brother they never knew existed. The movie starts in Canada and in an unnamed Middle Eastern country that has faced civil war between Muslims and Christians; Nawal's is from a Christian family, but she is in love with a young Palestinian Muslim refugee, which causes severe problems for Nawal. I'm not really sure how to give you any more information without ruining the plot twists, and I really hope you watch this. There are no winners in a war like this (and the wars that continue to be waged); it's not just soldiers on one side or the other, it's both sides, it's non-combatants, and it's people born after the conflict. Lubna Azabal plays Nawal, and I hope she was under consideration for Best Actress, she was that good (Natalie Portman won for Black Swan, and other nominees included Jennifer Lawrence, Annette Benning, Nicole Kidman and Michelle Williams). The rest of the cast is really good as well; I kind of liked Remy Girard as Jean Lebel, the notary and kindly father figure, who shepherds the twins through their journey, refusing to break the trust their mother placed in him.  I was not sure how I would like this movie because I have been hit and miss on Villeneuve's other movies I have seen, Arrival and Sicario (miss) and Prisoners (sort of hit). This is a definite 'hit' for me. 

9/4/17 In a Better World, Best Foreign Film, 2010

In a Better World is a Danish film, directed by award-winning director Susanne Bier, and it's set in Denmark and a Sudanese village. Anton is a Swedish doctor who goes back and forth between the Sudan and his home and family in Denmark, he has two boys, Elias and Morton with his wife Marianne, but they are having some marital difficulties. The other family is Claus and his son, Christian, who have just moved back to Denmark after Claus's wife (and Christian's mother) has died in London after a long illness; Christian and his father have a strained relationship. Elias gets teased at school, partly because he is Swedish, he looks different, and kids can just be cruel asshats; Christian starts at his new school and is seated next to Elias, with whom he shares a birthday. Christian is quiet, but upset about the teasing and abuse Elias gets from his classmates, and tries to stick up for him. This protective attitude gets taken a little too far as Christian beats the head bully bloody and is chastised by the school. Anton tries to tell Elias that responding with violence to violence never works and you never win; in fact, he gets into an altercation with another parent when he tries to break up a mild skirmish between his youngest son, Morton, and another boy, but he lets the other parent push him around, and later hit him in the face, to show he's not scared and it didn't hurt. Christian thinks his friend's father is a wimp and a coward, and sets out to teach the other parent a very harsh lesson. There is also the storyline in the Sudan, where a cruel warlord viciously cuts open pregnant girls as a game; the girls are brought to the camp for medical attention by Anton and his team. The warlord comes to the camp for medical attention and against the wishes of the village and the medical team, Anton agrees to treat him, but no guns are allowed and only two of his men can stay. The warlord takes his gloating and crude attitude too far, and Anton snaps, and kicks the warlord's men out and leaves him to the wrath of the people. It's a decision that can't be taken back, even if Anton wanted to. Bier is not afraid of conflict and making people uncomfortable, and she does this on so many levels in this movie, but she also lets the characters and the viewers have a sense of closure and resolution. I liked the movie, I thought it was a different type of story, and the actors were wonderful, but I didn't love it. Out of the nominees for 2010, I have one left to see (Outside the Law), and I kind of think Incendies was the best foreign film, and Biutiful was also very powerful with Javier Bardem (I saw this a while ago). 

9/4/17 Dogtooth, nominated Best Foreign Film 2010

It has been a while since I had a WTF moment when watching a movie. Well, the dam done finally burst, and it is a massive WTF for Dogtooth, a movie that was hailed by the Greek government after its Oscar nomination (to be fair, it had been a rough couple of years for Greece). I can't give you a plot summary because I don't know what the hell was going on except there was sex, bizarre violence, and a type of dystopian environment. I watched director's Yorgos Lanthimos's The Lobster, which was nominated for Best Original Screenplay in 2016, and didn't hate it, I actually thought that was interesting. The Lobster also had sex, bizarre violence and a dystopian environment, but a little more of a story. If I didn't like you, I would tell you to watch Dogtooth. Netflix predicted that I would give it 1 1/2 stars. I so appreciate their optimism, but I'm afraid it gets 1 star. File this under 'pretentious' and 'shock value'.

9/5/17 Bullhead, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2011

Great, another WTF movie. Two in a row. At least this one tried to have a plot, one that draws on a real life incident, although that seems so unimportant for most of the movie. There is: a brutal castration of a young boy, cattle doping, cattle doping mafia, characters losing their minds in incredible violence, double dealing, and Belgians who can't understand or stand one another. Yeah, I'm sorry, I just can't. As of yet, I have only not seen one entry from 2011 (it's coming later this week), but so far, out of all the nominees, this has been the worst film. I mean, yay Belgium for getting nominated, but you can do better. See the other nominees, including winner, A Separation, or In Darkness, or my favorite that was one of those gut punchers, Monsieur Lazahr.

One word movie titles for three hundred, please - Hugo, Deliverance, Champion, Spartacus

8/26/17 Hugo, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, 2011

I haven't figured out why Martin Scorsese's Hugo has not found a bigger audience; I think it has stunning visuals (this is one of the few movies I have seen where 3D makes a difference, in a good way); I think kids/young teens can relate to the story; fans of early animation can appreciate the story of Georges Melies. But, perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. In 1930s Paris, Hugo (Asa Butterfield - Boy in the Striped Pajamas) is orphaned after his clockmaker/inventor father (Jude Law) is killed in a fire, but he is left an automaton his father was repairing. He is left in the care of his drunk and mean uncle Claude (Ray Winston), who teaches him to keep the clocks running at Gare Montparnesse. Hugo has a habit of shoplifting from a toy store owner (Ben Kingsley); using the pieces to finish restoring the automaton, until he gets caught by the store owner, who threatens to burn Hugo's notebook. Hugo meets Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz) and they go on adventures, and Hugo learns that Isabelle is the toy store owner's goddaughter. Uncle Claude turns up dead after an ill-timed dip in the Seine, and Hugo is on his own again, so he lives in the clock (seriously, who would not think this is the coolest thing?), evading capture from a very hilarious Station Inspector Gustave (Sacha Baron Cohen who is surprisingly not offensive). It turns out that the toy store owner, also known as Papa Georges, was a groundbreaking filmmaker in the early 20th century, making the landmark film "A Trip to the Moon". The movie won the visual Oscars for very good reason, it's gorgeously done, the special effects from the automaton to the recreated scenes from Meliers' films and theater pieces are beautiful. Scorsese is a film historian and has provided funds for film restoration and while this may seem off the beaten track for him, I think it's a work of love. There are not a lot of films that families can watch together, so if you're looking for something whimsical and magical, get Hugo from the library or Netflix.

8/26/17 Deliverance, 1972 #84 BBC, National Film Registry

I don't think some of these 'classic' films translate so well thirty or forty years later. At least that's my opinion Deliverance based on watching it three times and not liking it any time, although I was less creeped out the last time than the first two times. The film is set in the north Georgia wilderness, and stars Burt Reynolds as Lewis, Jon Voight as Ed, Ronnie Cox as Drew and Ned Beatty as Bobby; Lewis and Ed are the outdoorsmen of the group, and this is Drew and Bobby's first outing. These are city boys and the locals are targets for their mockery and mistrust (although the mistrust goes both ways). Even if you have never seen Deliverance you are probably familiar with the music called "Dueling Banjos" (usually played when people are referring to hillbillies or something backwards); it's early on, and pretty much the only part I liked. Anyway, the city boys head down the river in their canoes, and Ed and Bobby have the misfortune to meet two very creepy country boys who have more than just fishing on their minds; one of them humiliates Bobby by making him squeal like a pig and then raping him. Before the same can be done to Ed, Lewis kills the attacker with a shot from his bow. The men dispose of the body, but are now in fear of the second man, whom they believe is stalking them from above in the cliffs. Things get really dangerous as they hit a series dangerous rapids, and it doesn't end there, as there are more deaths, severe injuries and an encounter with the local sheriff who doesn't believe anything they say. I don't mind outdoor films, and director John Boorman filmed a lot of beautiful shots in the Tallulah Gorge, and I like a good mystery or thriller, but this did nothing for me, and I can honestly say I tried.

8/26/17 Champion, Best Editing, 1949

I've been in a Kirk Douglas frame of mind, I guess, having recently finished Douglas's autobiography, The Ragman's Son, watching an old interview with Dick Cavett and grabbing two of his films in this blog session, Champion and Spartacus. Douglas was nominated for Best Actor for his role as "Midge" Kelly, a good boxer but a pretty crappy person. Midge didn't plan on being a boxer; he and his crippled brother, Connie (Arthur Kennedy), are heading west to claim their ownership of a restaurant in California, only to find that they've been swindled. The real owner, Lew, of the diner lets them stay on to work and both Midge and Connie fall for the owner's daughter, Emma. Lew is less than pleased with Midge and Emma's relationship and forces them into a shotgun marriage. Now that the fun is over, Midge takes off, leaving Emma behind. This is pretty typical of how Midge operates; he's a me first kind of guy. On the way out west, Midge enters a fight as a way to make some quick money, and when he flees his marriage, he finds Tommy Haley who offered to train and manage him if he wanted to get into the fight game for real. Midge has a single-minded focus on his new career, defeating all comers as he moves around the country. Midge gets the opportunity to fight Johnny Dunne, who is in line for the championship. Instead of tanking the fight like he promised, Midge knows out Johnny early on, earning the wrath of the mob, but the affections of Johnny's girlfriend, Grace. Yeah, there's not a lot to like about most of the characters in this movie. Grace persuades Midge to drop Tommy and get a new manager. Bad move on Grace's part as she unwittingly sets Midge up with his next fling. Being champion holds short term rewards for Midge, for which he seems to have no gratitude or appreciation. Things don't end for him quite as he anticipated. Douglas is pretty despicable in this role, and it kind of reminded me of his part in Ace in the Hole, as a journalist who is willing to risk another man's life to improve his career - devoid of scruples. It was a good movie, probably not at the top of most people's list, but it's one of Douglas's earlier films and worth a look.

8/27/17 Spartacus, 1960,  Best Supporting Actor, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography - Color, Best Costume Design - Color,  #81 AFI

Spartacus is one of those old time Hollywood epic films that begins with an overture, has an orchestral intermission and a closing bit, enough costumed Romans to fill the Colosseum and more stars than there are in the sky. The movie is significant for more than its scope; it was Dalton Trumbo's first officially credited movie since he had been blacklisted, and it pretty much broke the blacklist; Kirk Douglas hired Trumbo and made the decision to put his name on the credits. Stanley Kubrick directed after the production company, Bryna Productions, fired the original director, Anthony Mann (Bryna Productions was Douglas's company). Douglas stars as Spartacus, a Thracian slave who is sold to a gladiator school run by Batiatus (Peter Ustinov in an Oscar winning role). Spartacus meets a slave girl, Varinia (Jean Simmons), who also draws the attention of Crassus (Laurence Olivier) and his entourage. Crassus and his party request a fight to the death between the gladiators, and Spartacus is chosen to fight against the African, Draba. Draba refuses to kill Spartacus and instead, lunges at the gawking visitors, only to be killed by one of the guards. This is the inspiration for the slave rebellion, led by Spartacus. Meanwhile, back in Rome, Crassus is in a power struggle with Gracchus (Charles Laughton) in the Senate. Domestically, Crassus adds a young slave to his household, Antoninus (Tony Curtis), and attempts to seduce him (one of the interesting things about this scene is that it is part of the restored film and Olivier's voice had to be dubbed by Anthony Hopkins). Antoninus later joins the growing slave army. Spartacus is trying to get the slaves out of Rome and makes a deal for ships, but in the time it takes for him to move down the coast, Crassus and Gracchus have been making their own deals and double-deals, in opposition to one another. Eventually, Spartacus and his army are brutally defeated, and the stage is set for probably the best known scene in the film, where the Romans are looking for Spartacus, and everyone stands up and says "I'm Spartacus"; the scene is more dramatic than written here. I love the drama, maybe melodrama, the grand scale, the cast of amazing actors, and since I have learned more of the history of the film, that just adds to it. Ustinov plays his role with a touch of comedy, dry wit and tongue in cheek; Olivier is cool and calculating; Laughton is calculating but honest about some of his foibles and weaknesses (food and women); there is something about Jean Simmons that I find captivating, her voice, her almost ethereal presence, I don't know. Douglas as Spartacus is pretty flawless, which is not typical of most heroes, there is sign of weakness, not even being prideful; I don't think it detracts anything, though, the movie is so big and there are other flawed characters. This would be a great movie for an autumn night in front of the fire, perhaps some Italian wine and cheese, if you're so inclined.

A Hootenany with the Indigo Girls at the Minnesota Zoo 2017

I love the Indigo Girls, there's really no other way to put it, and the Zoo is one of the best venues to see them (except for receiving the only mosquito bites of the whole summer). I have seen them maybe a dozen times or more over the years, with different band configurations, but I somehow always miss the shows where it's just the two of them, until this concert. The night started out with Becky Warren and her band. A little on the country/Americana side, Warren presented songs from her new album, War Surplus, a semi-autobiographical work about a newly married couple, Scott and June, Scott's deployment overseas, his return and struggle with PTSD. The songs cover pretty intense subject matter, but Warren made it personal as she explained the storyline and the background. The band was tight, and singer Mary Bragg also joined on a couple of songs. I love discovering 'new' acts, and tonight, I added Becky Warren and Mary Bragg to the rotation. I think it's really cool when the headlining act picks their opening act (sometimes they don't and there's no connection or support) because you may get some crossover, like when Folk Uke opened for the Jayhawks, and that's what happened (more later).

As the crew was clearing off the stage from Becky and the band, I noticed they weren't replacing any equipment, no new set of drums, keyboards, violins, and I thought, hmm, this could be interesting. Sure enough, the two of them walked on stage, to the crowd's cheers, and started of with "Jonas and Ezekiel", one of my favorite songs, honestly, the night was filled with my favorite songs. I think it's fair to say that they tend to alternate between songs written by Amy and Emily (they do not usually write together), trading lead vocals. If you might think that two women with guitars are just going to sing gentle, quiet folk songs, you are seriously mistaken. Emily traded off between acoustic, electric and electric banjo and Amy switched between acoustic guitars and mandolin, and they had their 'quiet' songs, but had no problem filling the amphitheater with rock on songs like "Go", "Driver Education", "Shame on You", naming just a few. The night covered pretty much every album, going back to Strange Fire with "Land of Canaan", which I don't think I have ever heard live.

Amy and Emily are always really good about chatting with the crowd, but on this night, they seemed really loose and like they were having a great time. During "Shame on You", a huge crowd favorite, Emily is supposed to have a banjo solo, but she switched to guitar too soon, ripped into a great guitar solo, and I saw Amy laughing a little, and at the end, Emily said she totally forgot that she had a banjo solo. Ha! Then Amy said that they really do practice every day. These are the types of exchanges that you don't always hear or get at huge stadium shows.

The crowd was fully participative, and took this job very seriously, singing loudly on "Watershed" and "Ghost", giving up a big cheer when Emily sings "And the Mississippi's mighty, but it starts in Minnesota". Emily's songs tend to have these big choruses. I was thrilled that they did Amy's songs "Devotion", and "Spread the Pain Around" and "Rise of the Black Messiah" (which is about the mass incarceration and executions of black men, specifically at Angola Prison in Louisiana). This was a pretty magical night, because they each did a song from their solo albums; Amy sang "More Pills" from Goodnight Tender, with Mary Bragg and Becky Warren joining on backing vocals; and Emily sang "Train Inside" from her just released album, Murmuration Nation, just her on guitar. Jonatha Brooke, recently moved to the Twin Cities, came on stage and sang "So Much Mine" with Emily on harmonies. One of the constants of an Indigo Girls set is "Closer to Fine", an opportunity to bring on any guests they have and for the audience to sing one last time; Jonatha and Becky joined, Amy provided the whistle, and we all sang.

The experience of an Indigo Girls is not easily captured in a one dimensional blog, even with videos and photos (which are admittedly crappy, and I apologize), but their performances are transcendent; it's not just music, it's a sense of community, and not just the GLBTQ community, it's all everyone, an incredibly inclusive community; it's uplifting, even the songs looking about tough topics; a feeling that we are all in it together; the Indigo Girls are invested in their message, and back it up in words and actions. Their music has touched a lot of people, and this night was no different.