Belated anniversary posting - Mister Rogers, The Quiet Man, From Here to Eternity, Night of the Living Dead

Before I launch into the reviews, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the 6th anniversary of the blog. I should have compiled some statistics, but failing any accurate count, I can safely say I have blogged about over 1,000 movies: full length, short, documentary, science fiction, award winners and losers, wonderful films and not so wonderful films. I have around 728 Oscar winners left to watch; two left from the BBC list (down to one after this writing); one left on the American Film Institute list; and 486 on the National Film Registry. At times, it seems insurmountable, other times it feels like I'm making great strides. So, without further ado, let's make some great strides.

7/21/18 Won't You Be My Neighbor, 2018, not yet nominated

After watching Won't You Be My Neighbor, the documentary on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and its creator, Fred Rogers, left me with a greater appreciation for the man and his care, insight and sincerity in working with children. It was almost a crusade, and that's not meant in a negative way; he truly believed that children deserve to be treated with respect and not talked down to with the typical condescension found in children's programming. Mr. Rogers broke all kinds of barriers (the episode where he cools his feet in a wading pool and invites Officer Clemmons (black actor Francois Clemmons) to join him, it spoke volumes in a country struggling with the Civil Rights Movement. Rogers and his puppets addressed other issues in a way children could understand. There was a period of time when it was fashionable to mock Mr. Rogers, I mean, nobody could be that good and kind, could they? And while our world has moved at a crazy pace, and it's common for children to watch shows with violence, sex, swearing, innuendo, and maybe Mister Rogers would be out of place in 2018, I'd like to think he wouldn't be. I think Fred Rogers and the Land of Make Believe is sorely missed. Won't You Be My Neighbor is worth watching for the insights from the actors, the crew and his family.

8/26/18 From Here to Eternity, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing - Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography (B&W), Best Film Editing, Best Sound, National Film Registry, 1953

We have all probably seen the scene of Burt Lancaster rolling in the surf with Deborah Kerr, but there is so much more to From Here to Eternity than that. Set in Hawaii in the weeks leading up to Pearl Harbor, the movie follows three men and their struggles and challenges in the same Army company. Lancaster is First Sergeant Warden, an efficient, cool, tough leader, who has no desire or love for commissioned officers; he does have a desire for the wife of his captain, Karen Holmes (Deborah Kerr). Montgomery Clift is Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt, a man who does things for his own reasons, including take a demotion and taking abuse from others in his company for refusing to box on the regimental team. Frank Sinatra is Maggio (Sinatra won the Best Supporting Actor for his role), a seemingly happy go lucky private, who is Prewitt's only friend. Maggio takes Prewitt to a private club off base where Prewitt meets Lorene (Donna Reed in her Oscar-winning role); Lorene and her co-workers are paid to dance and socialize with the members, but they start seeing each other. In addition to the leading actors, the cast is filled with actors in smaller roles that would go on to become stars themselves: Ernest Borgnine as Fatso, a sergeant who gives Maggio a hard time for being Italian and sets in motion one of the key plot points; Jack Warden; George Reeves (televison's Superman); and Claude Akins. Nineteen fifty-three was a great year for films (Shane, The Robe, Stalag 17, Roman Holiday), and I can't imagine having to pick winners from those films and the others of that year, and I have found that looking back, sometimes there's more hype than quality. I would not say that here. I really enjoyed the different story lines in the film, and the characters; the more I watch of Burt Lancaster, the more I love him; and Sinatra seemed like a natural for Maggio. I'm glad I finally watched it.

8/26/18 Ant-Man and The Wasp, not yet nominated, 2018

Well, like I told a couple of my friends, it was okay, not great; I didn't feel compelled to tell people they HAD to see it, like I did for Wonder Woman or Black Panther. The story line is not even worth me trying to recount to you; it did sort of answer some questions in the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline, sort of. The 'big' thing is this is the first Marvel movie to have a female superhero in the title (why that wasn't the Black Widow, I don't know). The science and the cinematography are very well done, and there's some funny quips. Maybe because I was so shocked that I liked the first Ant-Man so much, I just felt a little let down.

8/26/18 The Quiet Man, Best Director, Best Cinematography, 1952, National Film Registry

In The Quiet Man John Ford directs John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in one of their several collaborations, and won an Oscar for it. It's definitely not the typical John Wayne Western, being set in rural Ireland in the 1920s, and Wayne is retired boxer Sean Thornton who has returned to the land of his parents. Thornton makes a big impression on the locals, including Mary Kate Danaher (O'Hara), but most of them do not know who he is. It's not really a boxing movie or a farming movie, it's romantic comedy, complete with misunderstandings and romantic subterfuge. Danaher is an independent, spitfire of a woman, who battles her brother, Squire Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen) as well as Thornton. I don't think there's anything very deep or sophisticated in the story itself, it's just enjoyable to watch O'Hara and Wayne go head to head, and there is a comedic aspect to the film, especially from Barry Fitzgerald as Michealeen Flynn. The scenery and cinematography are beautiful, and I almost felt compelled to book a trip to Ireland.

9/1/18 Night of the Living Dead, 1968, BBC #85, National Film Registry

I have not made any secret  of the fact that I really do not like horror movies, and after watching cult-classic Night of the Living Dead that hasn't changed. For one horrific night, all over America, dead people are coming back to 'life' or a state of animation, and killing and eating other people. Mmmm, delish. George Romero directed the first in his series of zombie movies on a small budget, with several actors playing multiple roles, and pretty minimal effects (compared to what we are used to in horror movies). Set in western Pennsylvania, brother and sister, Johnny and Barbra, are visiting their father's grave when a strange man comes towards them; he grabs Barbra when Johnny comes to her rescue (a noble, but fatal decision). Barbra runs off towards a house where she meets Ben. Ben is determined to fight off the zombies, even as he tries to engage Barbra in their own survival. They discover there are other people hiding in the house, and there are different ideas as to how to defeat or escape the zombies. I am certainly not going to spoil it for you. It was scary, suspenseful and gross and gory. If that's your thing, you have probably seen it already. I am just so thrilled it is off the lists.

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. 

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. 

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.

National Film Registry - Looney Tunes, Frank Capra's Why We Fight, Greed

National Film Registry

7/15/17 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies

I watched a few Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, you have probably seen at least the first two. 

One Froggy Evening, 1956
You may recall One Froggy Evening: a man, down on his luck, finds a frog...a frog who can sing. Hoping to make his fortune, he takes the frog to different agents or theater people, only to have the frog stubbornly refuse to sing. The man opens his own production, promising free beer to his all male audience (this doesn't seem kid friendly, does it?), and still the frog refuses. That's pretty much how it goes. It's funnier than my little explication may lead you to believe.

What's Opera, Doc?, 1957

"Kill the Rabbit, Kill the Rabbit" as sung by Elmer Fudd in full opera regalia is possibly one of the most memorable scenes from What's Opera, Doc? This may encourage you to give opera a try. Elmer and Bugs Bunny are antagonists until they become lovers...? What? Yeah, opera is funny that way. It's clever in its incorporation of opera, and it has a 'tragic' operatic ending. It's only seven minutes long and I've probably told you too much.

Porky in Wackyland, 1938

Porky in Wackyland is probably very innovative in several ways, its animation techniques, maybe the concept. I really didn't like it; it seemed stupid and annoying. It's very surreal and has a thin (to me) story line of Porky hunting a rare bird, and he goes through these strange and exotic locales. Eh. Two out of three isn't bad.

Luxo, Jr., 1986

Luxo, Jr. was the second animated short from Pixar, and its first to receive an Oscar nomination. Luxo, Jr. was a small desk lamp that is trying to play with a larger lamp, but seems to be annoying it. The smaller lamp, which had the characteristics of a little kid, was 'kicking' a ball, and bouncing it, and ultimately, deflating it. This brings a 'look' of disapproval from the 'older' lamp. The film was only two minutes long, but it was paired with the first Toy Story and went on to have a significant impact on animated films for years.

Duck and Cover, 1951

If I was reviewing this short film a year ago, funded by the Federal Civil Defense Administration and released shortly after the end of the Korean Conflict, it would be a 'fun' piece of nostalgia from the early nuclear age. Unfortunately, it seems eerie as we seem on the brink of some kind of pissing contest between the US and North Korea that may or may not involve nuclear armaments. 

Let's All Go to the Lobby, 1957

This may be the shortest 'film' on any list at 38 seconds. It's a commercial for the concession stands at movie theaters. Let me put this earworm in your head "Let's all go the lobby, let's all go the lobby" (imagine dancing popcorn boxes and cups of soda). 

8/8/17 Greed, 1924 #22 BBC and National Film Registry

Directed by Erich von Stroheim, Greed tells the tale of love: love of money and romantic love, but mostly love of money, and how it can destroy one's humanity. According to Wikipedia, the original version of Greed was seven hours long...seven hours. He was forced to edit it down to a little over two hours (which is the version I watched); there is a restored version, but that is still only about 3 1/2 hours ('only'). The story is about McTeague, Trina and Schouler; an unholy trinity; originally Schouler and Trina are engaged, but somehow and for some reason, Schouler lets McTeague date Trina, and they get married. Trina has also bought a lottery ticket, which is a winner, but instead of sharing the money, or at least spending the money, she keeps it away from McTeague, who, in turn, gets violent with her. Schouler thinks he should get some of the money since he was engaged to Trina at the time she purchased the lottery ticket. Schouler and McTeague are not very likeable, but Trina is unlikeable and very creepy; you can almost see the greed eating away at her soul, and I'm not exaggerating. It's an age old story, and Stroheim tells it to great effect. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the film itself is a piece of cinematic history that might make a great movie one day.

8/11/17 Why We Fight, 1943-1945

Like Duck and Cover, my timing in watching this collection of documentary/propaganda films was unintentionally prescient given the events of the past weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia. Why We Fight is a series of films that provide some historical context for what would become known as World War II, but given seventy years of hindsight, there is also obvious propaganda and some pretty uncomfortable stereotyping of our 'enemies' who are now our allies. The world has been turned on its head. The films are broken up into the different theaters of war: China, Russia, England, Europe, and the United States. Up until Pearl Harbor, the US was maintaining a stance of isolationism, and there is a film dedicated to presenting the reasons why the US ultimately got involved. The films are interesting from a historical perspective and what they must have meant seventy years ago. I was telling a friend at work that while the films could have some valuable educational content, in these days when it seems few people have any ability to perform critical thinking, I would be concerned they couldn't understand the difference between someone reporting something and someone endorsing the anti-Semitic or racist comments that were included in the films. There is value to be found, but I would say handle with care.

Lacking some enthusiasm for Dunkirk, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Days of Heaven

The blog will soon be celebrating its fifth birthday. I was thinking about a day out at Chuck E. Cheese, but that might be a little strange. Or, I could actually get back to writing. That's less strange. For some reason, the writing is a little labored and it's been a struggle, but damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead.

7/19/17 Sherlock Jr., 1924, #44 BBC, National Film Registry

I don't mind silent films, and some of them I have really enjoyed. Buster Keaton starred and directed Sherlock Jr. and it's counted among the best films, on several lists, including the BBC 100 and the National Film Registry. But, you knew there was a but coming, it did nothing to me. I think I'm more of a Chaplin fan. I was exceedingly bored, even though I know some of the stunts were quite difficult; I just could not muster up the appropriate amount of appreciation for this classic.

7/28/17 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2004, Best Original Screenplay, #87 BBC

I tried watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind shortly after it came out on DVD and didn't make it longer than 30 minutes. I just couldn't. I even rated it on Netflix as "not interested" because I just didn't care. I'm not sure my feelings have changed all that much, except, because it's on two of my stupid lists, I had to finish watching it. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are star-crossed lovers, Joel and Clementine. Instead of just moving on from a relationship that doesn't seem to be working, they seek out a specialist in removing memories, Dr. Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson). Except, it doesn't go quite as planned, when Joel's mind fights against the cleaning. It seems to turn into one kind of weird infinite loop; they fall in love, fall out of love, get memories wiped, fall in love, rinse and repeat. Charlie Kaufman wrote the script, and that might explain why I didn't like the movie and everyone else in the world did: very unintentionally, I don't like any of the movies he has done: Adaptation, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, and most recently, Anomalisa. He doesn't write stories or characters that I care about, in the least little bit.

7/30/17 Dunkirk, not yet nominated, 2017

Exhibits from Churchill War Museum

I was so excited to see Dunkirk after seeing the trailers; a movie about an episode of World War II that not a lot of Americans know about, but is a critical part of English and French history. I liked it, but I didn't love it, and when some people asked me about it, I couldn't recommend it as enthusiastically as I have other movies, but I couldn't exactly say why. This was another movie with very sparing dialog, and we didn't know the names of many of the characters or any background. I think the idea was to be 'in the moment' and be connected to this experience rather than what village or town the character grew up in. Okay, I get that, and I don't think you need a lot of extensive backgrounds, that's what makes movies three hours long, but I needed something. The movie is not told in a linear, chronological fashion, but in three storylines beginning one week - Land/Mole , one day - Sea and one hour - Air; I liked the idea of the three perspectives, but I'm not sure the leaping timeline helped or was necessary. There was a lot of suspense, and I won't ruin it since it is still out in theatres, but I did get very choked up when the armada of recreational and fishing boats pulled onto the beach in Dunkirk. That was tremendous. The citizen sailors were represented by Oscar winner, Mark Rylance as Mr. Dawson, and his performance was tremendous. He brought the same quiet strength to this role that he did to Bridge of Spies, and I felt like I knew Mr. Dawson by the end of the film, and he was a man I would like to have known. Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy and Harry Styles also had roles in the movie. If you're a World War II buff, you've probably already seen it, but if you're not, and war movies aren't your thing, I think you're fine if you wait for DVD or skip it. It probably will be nominated for an Oscar or two, sound editing and mixing, possibly film editing and maybe a nomination for Rylance; if it's nominated for the bigger awards, I don't give it much chance, because to my recollection, those awards go to movies released in November and December. I'm sorry I don't have a more enthusiastic review for you.

8/6/17 Days of Heaven, 1978, Best Cinematography, #49 BBC, National Film Registry

In 2011, I had to watch The Tree of Life (for the list, pre-blog), also written and directed by Terrence Malick, and that was my first experience with his films, and it left me leery of his other movies. It was over two hours that I will never get back. So, I was not excited about watching Days of Heaven which is on three of my lists. Damn it. The movie features Richard Gere and the late Sam Shepard, along with Brooke Adams and Linda Manz in the main roles. Like in The Tree of Life, there is very little dialog supplemented by narration by Linda Manz's character, Linda. The movie is set in 1916, beginning in Chicago where Bill (Gere) kills his boss and he, his little sister Linda, and his girlfriend Abby (Adams) take off to Texas to work in the fields. In order to keep away the gossip, Abby and Bill pretend to be brother and sister; and all I could think of was, why didn't they pretend to be married, it's not like anyone would have asked for the paperwork. Except it would not have worked for the rest of the story, which is where Abby flirts with the lonely farmer (Shepard, his character is not given any other name) and the two get married. The farmer is given a terminal diagnosis and Bill and Abby plan for Abby to inherit the farmer's money after he dies. Sadly, for everyone involved, nothing goes as planned. The cinematography was stunning, but I didn't care at all about the story (similar to my not caring about The Tree of Life); I'm fine with limited dialog, but at least give me something to care about and get invested in for 90 minutes. I think improvisation can be great in a film, but other times it seems lazy on the part of the director/writer, and can lead to a sense of incoherence.

It really seems like this blog entry is a tribute to just doing it and getting it done. Looking forward to movies that I can strongly recommend.

The BBC list with 25th Hour & Red River, and two more nominees from 2016: Land of Mine, Silence

6/3/17 25th Hour, 2002, #94 BBC

If you've read recent entries here, you know that my relationship with the BBC 100 list is very hot and cold, sometimes it's downright confounding. That's probably the reason I'm always so pleasantly surprised when I like or really enjoy a movie from it. 25th Hour was directed by Spike Lee and stars Edward Norton as Monty Brogan, a young drug dealer on his way to prison; Barry Pepper and Philip Seymour Hoffman as his two best friends Frank and Jake; Rosario Dawson is his girlfriend, Naturelle; and Brian Cox is his dad. Most of the movie follows Monty as he spends his last day of freedom, hanging out with his friends and his girlfriend, settling up with Russian mob that financed his drug business, and re-thinking his life. It's not a big ideas or big statement movie, it just tells a story, and Norton is understated, in a wonderfully engaging way. I don't normally pull for the drug dealer to come out on top, but I was really hoping Monty would make it out of prison okay. He shows his soft side early in the movie when he rescues a dog that is near death, and then takes him home. Maybe Doyle (the dog) is the beginning of Monty's redemption (I don't know, just thinking out loud). Monty is definitely not your stereotypical drug dealer, that's for sure. The movie is set in New York City and the shadow of 9/11; there are references to the first responders who died in the towers (Monty's father was a fireman); Frank's apartment overlooks the pit that was the World Trade Center; and there is a provocative inner dialog that has Monty raging against all of the immigrant/non-white groups living in New York. New York is Spike Lee's 'space' if you will, as much a character as one of the actors. The one character or storyline that didn't seem to go anywhere was with Anna Paquin as Mary D'Annunzio, who is one of Jake's students. She flirts with Jake, and he is not able to completely resist her charms. I would have liked more time on Naturelle and Monty, or Jake, Frank and Monty. There are no real 'special effects', not too much violence (it's there, but part of the story, not gratuitous), no nudity, the only sex is whatever Mary is trying to do; the emphasis is on the characters, and that is what made me want to watch this movie and care about the characters. You may not have heard about this movie before, but you have now.

6/9/17 Red River, 1948, #66 BBC, National Film Registry

Director Howard Hawks has four films on the BBC list of best American films; he probably should have had more, and his movies have won Oscars and are embedded into our collective film psyche (His Girl Friday, The Big Sleep, To Have or Have Not, Bringing Up and dozens more). So, combine Hawks with John Wayne and a host of other Hollywood names, like Montgomery Clift, Walter Brennan, and Noah Beery, you are likely to have a pretty good movie. Or an absolutely fabulous western, if you prefer. Thomas Dunson (Wayne) is a headstrong, and not entirely likeable, cattle rancher, looking to make a life out west in Texas. He's joined by his trusty cook and hand, Nadine Groot (the original) (played by Walter Brennan), and eventually a young boy, Matthew (Clift plays the older Matthew), who has lost his family in a raid. Dunson and his men build and grow a huge cattle operation, but because of the Civil War and the new laws of Reconstruction and the carpet baggers that have down from the north, the price of cattle has been driven way down. Dunson embarks on a massive cattle drive to Missouri, and it's the cattle drive that makes up most of the film. This ain't no City Slickers, that's for sure. Before the men set off, Dunson makes them sign a contract saying they won't leave the drive before it's finished (which is ironic, because that's kind of what he did in the beginning of the film), and he's very strict and tough, and there is only his way; he and Matthew, whom he has adopted, often disagree on the best way to do...everything. There is a bitter parting of the ways when Matthew and some of the other men suggest heading to Kansas instead of Missouri; but Dunson insists on Missouri and Matt and the others rebel, beating up Dunson, and heading to Abilene. It's not that they want to steal anything from Dunson, they just do not want to go his way, and are tired of his dictatorial behavior. The cattle drive took over 100 days, and a lot of things happened, like rain, and heat, and stampedes, a mutiny, and a girl. Yes, a girl. Dang it. The film opened with Dunson's love interest trying to follow him, unfortunately for her, that didn't go as planned. The other woman of the story, Tess Millay (Joanne Dru) is a dance hall girl who almost immediately falls in love with Matt, and he with her, I suppose. But, of course, he doesn't want her to follow him on the cattle drive. They do meet up again in Abilene as Matt and Dunson square off against each other, and, it seems the reason they make up is because of Tess. Honestly, that whole story line was weak and really not needed. I'm not an expert on Westerns, so I just go by if I enjoyed the movie or not. I did; it was different from the cowboys and Indians westerns, although there were Indians as part of the story, but not the whole story; there was some comedy provided mainly by Walter Brennan and the teeth he lost in a card game; this was one of Clift's very early movies, a few years before his Oscar-nominated role in A Place in the Sun; and John Wayne was mostly unlikeable, which I don't think happened that often (although, I could be wrong). I will say that the makeup, especially for Wayne was HORRIBLE; they had to age him fourteen years, so they put on a terrible hairpiece that looked so fake, it was ridiculous. The film score is magnificent, done by Dimitri Tiomkin, who did so many movie scores, but a few are Rio Bravo, High Noon, and Dial M for Murder.  I don't know exactly why this is on the BBC 100 list, but it is (I don't understand what makes it so special).

6/9/17 Silence, nominated Best Cinematography, 2016

If I didn't know that Martin Scorsese directed Silence, I don't think I would have guessed it in a million years. It is a film set in 16th century Japan focusing on a few of the Jesuit priests who went to Japan to spread Christianity, and the resistance they encountered from the Japanese rulers. It wasn't just resistance, but brutal torture and often, death, inflicted on their converts and the priests. Andrew Garfield is Portuguese padre, Sebastiao Rodrigues and Adam Driver is fellow priest, Francisco Garupe who head to Japan looking for their teacher, Cristovao Ferreira. Along the way, Rodrigues and Garupe meet many converts who are hiding and fear for their lives. They are sold out to the local samurai, and wherever they go, they bring danger to the people and themselves. These are tests of faith for both men, who had no idea or true understanding of what happened to the followers of Jesus. Rodrigues and Garupe often quarreled about the extent and depth of belief that the villagers should embrace; if they renounced Christ and stepped on an image of him, that was often enough to 'renounce' the faith, and save their lives. This would be practical, but many refused and were put to death. The two men split up to reduce the risks to the villagers and hopefully find Father Ferreira. Rodrigues is the main protagonist, and we follow him as he is captured by the chief inquisitor, and has to watch as faithful converts are murdered in front of him, and the bloodbath will continue until he commits apostasy. Father Ferreira is brought to try and convince Rodrigues to renounce his faith, to save the others. They debate the value and importance of spreading Christianity to countries like Japan. Ferreira, who committed apostasy years before, believes it's hopeless and pointless, and that there is much to learn from the Japanese. The movie is beautifully filmed, but it is brutal, there is no shying away from the varieties of torture that were used. I know there is a lot of controversy around the church, and the role of the Jesuits in converting the native inhabitants, sometimes just as forcefully. I thought it was interesting that Andrew Garfield was in another role that saw him persecuted for his faith (Oscar-nominated Hacksaw Ridge also from 2016); in this film, however, his faith was shaken and he questioned it and himself more than in Hacksaw Ridge. I liked the movie, but it took me forever to even watch it because I was so afraid of its almost three hour run time (in fact, I could have seen it in the theater, but the thought of sitting there for so long frightened me). I don't think it's one of those 'must-see' movies, but if you're the least bit interested, I say go for it.

6/10/17 Land of Mine, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2016

Land of Mine is a kick in the stomach. Even though it's set in the immediate aftermath of World War II, the message applies to the ongoing wars, and society, today. It made me think of All Quiet on the Western Front, and the senseless deaths of young men, boys, really. The movie takes place in Denmark, a country that was occupied by Germany during World War II, except after the war, Denmark was one of the victors and used young German soldiers to clear German land mines. On the one hand, you could say, good, that's what should be done, and Sergeant Rasmussen seems to agree. He is merciless and, seems to me, very cruel; but, he and his countrymen have been released from the German oppression. On the other hand, the young men in front of him are boys, maybe 18, not more than 20 years old, and they didn't plant those land mines. At some point the madness has to stop. Rasmussen doesn't flinch when the boys ask for food; he simply says no, he doesn't care if they starve or die, and tells them that. One of the boys makes the point that it would be 'better' if they died out there, clearing land mines, than from starvation; Rasmussen doesn't budge. Clearing the land mines is a dangerous business; if you're not killed outright, you could be maimed; the mines are fickle, and even when they are disarmed, they can still explode. This is a true story that has not been told, and writer/director Martin Zandvliet did his research and pulled facts together from different sources. Zandvliet shows the humanity of the young men as well as their principle jailer, Rasmussen. He keeps the viewer off balance, even when you think you know what is going to happen, it still jars you. This probably isn't at the top of anyone's list to see this summer, with so many blockbusters out there, but it's a movie that makes you think and feel, and that's more than a lot of movies can say.

This leaves one more film from 2016 to see (out of winners and nominees, The Salesman).

The Hunt for Red October, James Stewart - The Shop Around the Corner, The Band Wagon w/Astaire

5/26/17 The Hunt for Red October, Best Sound Editing, 1991

The Hunt for Red October is a Cold War thriller based on the best-selling book by Tom Clancy, and stars Sean Connery as the Soviet Captain of nuclear submarine, Captain Ramius and Alec Baldwin as Dr. Jack Ryan, a CIA intelligence analyst. It's a high stakes case of cat and mouse as Ramius is leading his crew on a path of defection to the U.S. Remius is a pretty complex and somber character, and Connery plays him with the right amount of gravitas. I like Alec Baldwin, and I enjoy seeing him in roles that are different from what we're used to, Jack on "30 Rock" or his Trump impersonation (he's had quite a varied career), and Jack Ryan is not a bully, or super-masculine, he's a pretty smart guy, a professor of Naval history at the US Naval Academy, and he hates flying. Connery steals the show, from Baldwin and the rest of the very impressive cast (James Earl Jones, Sam Neill, Scott Glenn and more). If a submarine film is done well, the viewer gets a claustrophobic feeling, and I definitely got that for the sub scenes. There is suspense, some action, and in light of current events, a strange sense of history thumbing its nose at us. My dad loved reading Tom Clancy's books, and I'm fairly certain he would have seen this movie at some point, so in some ways, this wasn't about the movie, but about remembering my dad. But, since this is a movie review blog, I enjoyed it, the drama, the plotline, the acting. A great summertime movie.

5/27/17 The Shop Around the Corner, 1940, #58 BBC, National Film Registry

The BBC list has been a fickle mistress, but I feel a little redemption with The Shop Around the Corner, directed by Ernst Lubitsch (Ninotchka, To Be or Not To Be), and starring James Stewart,  Margaret Sullavan and Frank Morgan (the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz). It took me a little while to get used to because the movie is set in Hungary, the characters have Hungarian names, but most of the actors have American or English accents. James Stewart is Alfred Kralik, the senior salesman at Matuschek and Company (Mr. Matuschek played by Frank Morgan). Margaret Sullivan is Klara Novak, a young woman who initially comes in looking for a job, but Mr. Kralik turns her away, but then she is drawn into a debate about a questionable cigarette box that Mr. Matuschek wants to sell, but Kralik thinks it's a terrible idea. On the personal side, Kralik has been writing letters to a woman he has not yet met, but she thinks he is wonderful, even if perhaps he embellished. There are several subplots going on: Pepi the delivery boy who has aspirations of being a salesman; Mr. Matuschek and Kralik having an unexpected falling out; Mr. Pirovitch, a co-worker, who is Kralik's friend and confidante; the uncomfortable relationship with Kralik and Klara. It's an entertaining romantic comedy, with Stewart as dapper and understated as ever; Sullavan is a match for him, and their scenes are funny; every time that Morgan was onscreen I couldn't help but think of him as Professor Marvel from The Wizard of Oz; that's not a bad thing, he just seemed to have those mannerisms in this role as well. I had never heard of the movie before, and then I find out it's also on the National Film Registry (also a list that has given me fits over time). This definitely makes up for The Shanghai Gesture.

5/29/17 The Band Wagon, 1953 #70 BBC, National Film Registry

Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse, and direction by Vincente Minnelli. What else do you need? Maybe a story by Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Alan Lerner, and a few snappy songs and great dance numbers. Yeah, that's it, and really, for my money, I'm not sure the story was all that important, just something between numbers. I could watch Fred Astaire dance for hours; he's so smooth and makes it look effortless. Astaire is Tony Hunter, a movie star in a downturn of his career who meets up with some old friends (played by Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray) and a slightly eccentric British actor/director/writer, Jeffrey Cordova (Jack Buchanan). As they discuss a potential project together, they break into song with "That's Entertainment", and decide on next steps. They are looking for a female lead and try to entice a ballerina Gaby Gerard (Cyd Charisse) to join the production. Their show doesn't quite take off as they thought it would (Faust isn't for everyone), but Tony rallies the troops (the much younger cast who kind of look up to Tony).  There is a lot of friction between Tony and Gaby (he smokes, she's too tall), but eventually they put on a hit show. Like I said, the story was an excuse to have some song and dance numbers, but, it was a great excuse. Numbers like "Dancing in the Dark" and "Girl Hunt Ballet" featuring Astaire and Charisse are so fun to watch with their elegance and class. "The Triplets" is fun and silly with Astaire, Fabray and Buchanan as the triplets of the title. Minnelli directed films like Meet Me In St. Louis, Gigi, and An American in Paris (starring Gene Kelly), so he knows how to mix music, dancing, costumes and art direction.

Kubrick: Barry Lyndon, Disney: Song of the South, Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile

5/19/17 The Shanghai Gesture, 1941, #72 BBC

Simply put, I really did not like, enjoy or appreciate The Shanghai Gesture, which is on the BBC list of the best American films, and apparently greatly admired by many Netflix reviewers. I tried, but most of the acting was not very good. Josef von Sternberg directed Victor Mature, Gene Tierney, Walter Huston and Ona Munson in this period piece set in Shanghai, China, in the late 1930s or early 1940s. There is a gambling house involved, corrupt officials and young women in less than desirable circumstances. Ona Munson is "Mother" Gin Sling, the proprietress of a casino that also may permit illicit business of the flesh. "Doctor" Omar (Victor Mature) is a gigolo working for Mother. He brings American showgirl, Dixie Pomeroy, to the casino after getting her away from the police. He then becomes the focus of another young girl, going by the name of "Poppy" Smith (Gene Tierney, who commits some of the worst overacting I have seen in quite a while). Unbeknownst to everyone else, Poppy is the daughter of Sir Guy Charteris (Huston), a wealthy businessman who is trying to buy the land where Mother' casino sits, and push her into the Chinese sector. Mother is not a woman to go quietly and she tries to dig up information on Charteris. All of these machinations lead to the climactic scene (which was my favorite) where Mother and Charteris confront each other after Mother has humiliated Poppy in front of her father. Mother and Charteris knew each other before; in fact, it turns out that Mother is Poppy's real mother. And, it doesn't end well. Yeah, I spoiled it. Sorry, but I didn't think you were going to run to the library and get it. 

5/20/17 Barry Lyndon, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Musical Score, 1975, #27 BBC

Stanley Kubrick has not failed to surprise me; I never know what to think about any of his movies, some of them I like, or I don't, but there is usually something that piques my interest. That is definitely true of Barry Lyndon, starring Ryan O'Neal as a gadabout, ne'er do well in the late 1770s in Ireland and England. Redmond Barry, later known as Barry Lyndon, has a rough life, growing up without his father (who was shot in a duel), falling in love with his older cousin who is flirty, but more interested in a captain in the King's army, frightened into leaving home, only to be robbed by a highwayman before he enlists in the British army. Yep, that's all in the first hour. The movie follows his adventures, schemes, ascent and painful descent back from whence he came. Unlike most films, there isn't a whole lot of dialog to tell us what's going on, but we have the benefit of an all-seeing, all-knowing narrator, who may or may not be truthful. Experiencing all of the action with Barry is part of the fun, and I don't want to ruin it for you, because unlike the previous movie, I do hope you watch this (it is three hours, but I happened to have a rainy Saturday to watch it guilt-free). It's a gorgeously filmed movie, the scenery, the costumes, which is probably the reason it won for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design (see, I'm smart like that). The narrative device is an interesting way to tell a story, and it works here. Kubrick really was one of the best directors; he has 5 movies on the BBC 100 list (is that 20%? I can't do math) and four on the AFI 100, and I will be watching the last two over the weekend: Spartacus and  Eyes Wide Shut. Stay tuned.

5/20/17 Song of the South, Best Song, 1946

I'm going to try and review Song of the South as a movie, without the controversy and without any social commentary (we'll see how that goes). Song of the South is set in the period after the Civil War, known as the Reconstructions, when the South was trying to rebuild after being decimated during the war; in some ways, things had changed, but in others, there was still a dependence by newly freed slaves on their former owners. The movie opens with little Johnny (Bobby Driscoll) traveling with his mother (Ruth Warrick) and father (Erik Rolf)  going to visit his grandmother on her plantation; Johnny and his mother will be staying, but his father will head back to Atlanta. This upsets Johnny a great deal, and he wants to run away. As he is running through the woods, he comes upon Uncle Remus telling stories about Br'er Rabbit (Joel Chandler Harris collected the Uncle Remus stories after the Civil War). Although he and his neighbors are never identified as such, it can be surmised that they are former slaves, who still live on or very close to the plantation and have a fairly civil relationship with their former owner. Uncle Remus (James Baskett, who received a special Oscar for his performance) is a kindly man, who tells stories similar to Aesop's Fables, with animals, like Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear to get his message across to the children. Song of the South was Disney's first film that combined animation with live action, and Uncle Remus's stories were animated. Johnny quickly becomes fond of Uncle Remus, even though his mother does not approve of the stories. Johnny also becomes friends with Toby, a young black boy on the plantation;  and Ginny Favers, a young girl who is part of a poor white family, her brothers antagonize Johnny and they fight with Johnny over a puppy that Ginny gave Johnny for safekeeping, that her brothers wanted to drown. The puppy causes all kinds of trouble, because Johnny's mother doesn't want him to have it, so Uncle Remus keeps it, but that pisses off Johnny's mother so much that she basically tells Uncle Remus to stay away from Johnny (holy overreacting, Batman). Uncle Remus is so upset that he packs up to move away. Johnny chases after him across a field, getting tossed by a bull for his troubles. As he lies unconscious, all of the people from the planation gather at the main house in vigil; Johnny's father returns from Atlanta. That is a very high level synopsis of the movie. As a movie, it was okay. James Baskett was fun to watch, and he definitely had a way with the children. The kids were okay, not overly sugary, although the two Favers brothers were a bit much. I didn't mention the lovely Hattie McDaniel, as Aunt Tempy, the cook at the house; she won an Oscar in 1939 for her role as a maid in Gone with the Wind, on another plantation in Georgia. The songs were fun, and the movie won the Oscar for Best Song with "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah". It also uses one of the familiar Disney tropes, a young person finding a connection with an older person not of his family: Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Mary Poppins, both movies combining animation and live action.

It was very uncomfortable to watch the stereotypical characterizations of black people, the way the dialog was written and the paternalism extended by the former white master (mistress, actually). I was also uncomfortable with how I felt, because I really liked the relationship with Uncle Remus and Johnny, Remus was the teacher and father-figure that Johnny wanted so desperately. Ugh. The animated sections (which I loved in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Mary Poppins) also made me squeamish, with a segment Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby, which is just offensive if you think how "tar baby" has been thrown around as a slur. As I was watching, I thought people should still be able to get this movie (it's not on Netflix and not every library has a copy, and I do not think it is sold anywhere) and watch it and then have a discussion about race, and why this might be offensive and hurtful, and maybe, how could this be adapted to be more about the innocence of the children and learning at the knee of Uncle Remus without the stereotyping. But, given the climate of today, and the past 70 years, that's probably not even possible. I'm not sure where this leaves this little segment; you are free to make up your own mind.

5/21/17 Death on the Nile, Best Costume, 1978

I love Agatha Christie; I recently finished watching all of the Hercule Poirot mysteries starring David Suchet and I am in the process of reading all of her novels, in chronological order, and it felt like the right time to revisit this old chestnut. Hercule Poirot is played by the late Sir Peter Ustinov; even he admits (in the special features) that he doesn't exactly physically resemble Poirot, which can be distracting if you let it. The cast is a who's who of cinema, past and present: Mia Farrow as Jackie de Bellefort; Olivia Hussey (Romeo & Juliet) as Rosalie Otterbourne, and Angela Lansbury as her salacious mother, Salome Otterbourne; David Niven as Colonel Race; Bette Davis as Marie van Schuyler and Maggie Smith as her companion, Bowers, it was funny to watch because there was a lot of Dowager Countess Grantham in Mrs. Van Schuyler, and Maggie Smith was pretty salty herself. The movie opens in the English countryside, where friends Jackie and Lynette Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) meet at Lynette's estate, and later, Jackie brings her beau, Simon Doyle (Simon MacCorkindale) to meet Lynette, and they fall in love. This leaves Jackie bitter and pretty close to the edge of hysteria, as she follows Simon and Lynette to Egypt and on to a cruise on the River Nile. What Christie does well in her books, and if we're lucky, the screenwriters build on that, are these wonderful snippy conversations and witty exchanges between the characters, whether it's Poirot and all the fools who think he's French; or Bowers staging a verbal takedown of Mrs. Van Schuyler. There are always the most extraordinary coincidences, people meeting up thousands of miles away from home, usually carrying a grudge or two. There are plenty of those here, and I would hate to give it away. This is not the best movie I have ever seen, but I had a good time watching it, between the characters and the fabulous actors playing them, the occasionally witty dialog and the beautiful scenery of Egypt, where much of the movie was filmed. If you're looking for a fun movie, with a bit of a mystery, for the long weekend, or a summer night, I don't think you can go wrong.

The Dark Knight, Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 and 2016 nominee Tanna

5/13/17 The Dark Knight, Best Supporting Actor, Best Sound Editing, 2008

I don't really have to recap the plot of The Dark Knight, do I? I'll just remind you this the movie with Heath Ledger in his posthumous-Oscar winning performance as The Joker. The Joker runs roughshod over Batman (Christian Bale), the various mobs/gangs in Gotham City and the police. Michael Caine reprises his role as butler, valet, confidante Alfred; and Morgan Freeman is the resourceful Mr. Fox, the inventor of Batman's suit and other gadgets. I don't have much of a synopsis since I think most of humanity has seen the movie. I liked it when it came out, and I still like it. This really is Heath Ledger's movie; I was looking back at the other nominees for Best Supporting Actor, and in my mind, the only other person close to winning was Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt; I did see Milk with Josh Brolin as Dan White, and I think I watched Revolutionary Road with Michael Shannon as John Givings, Jr., but I'm not 100% sure, but in any event, I don't think there was too much question that it was going to Ledger.

5/14/17 Guardians of the Galaxy, vol. 2, not yet nominated, 2017

If you are one of the two or three thousand people in the universe who haven't seen Guardians of the Galaxy, vol. 2, what are you waiting for? I admit, I did wait a week to avoid the oppressive crowds, but I did see it, in 3D, no less. It is what I think superhero movies should be: action-packed, great effects, funny in the face of danger, and a singable 1970s/80s soundtrack (maybe they should make a sing-along version of this like they did for Moana. Just a thought. When I saw Guardians of the Galaxy, vol. 1, my expectations were below sea level; I just went because my brother wanted to see a movie, and it turns out we loved it. My expectations for volume 2 were a lot higher, and I was not let down at all. Chris Pratt returns as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, leader of the ragtag defenders of the galaxy that include Gamora (Zoe Saldana); Rocket, the short, but feisty and technically adept raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper); Drax the Destroyer (David Bautista) who is the brawn in the group, but he can also be quite philosophical; and Baby Groot (who was voiced by Vin Diesel, which I couldn't tell, and I did have to laugh at the deep thoughts that went into the different ways he said "I am Groot" as if it was Hamlet). The Guardians start the film on a job, defending batteries that the Sovereigns (a gold-tinged people with aspirations of perfections, or a belief that they are pretty perfect) need to survive; once they do that, in exchange they get Nebula (Karen Gill), Gamora's sister, to turn in for a bounty. The problems start when Rocket steals several of the batteries and incurs the wrath of the Sovereigns. Yondu (the blue guy who was Quill's mentor for a while) and his crew are in trouble with their community of Ravagers, led by Stakar Ogord (played by Sylvester Stallone), and they take the Sovereigns' offer to capture Quill and the others. This leads to a lot of space chases, and hops or jumps through different galaxies. Their ship crashes and Rocket stays behind with Baby Groot (and Nebula) to fix it, while Quill, Gamora and Drax go off with Ego and Mantis who have appeared to rescue them. Ego (Kurt Russell who still has the best hair in movies) takes them back to his planet and well, to tell you any more if you haven't seen the film, might spoil it. I will leave it here. I did love Baby Groot; he was so cute; but I liked all of the characters, really. I am pretty sure there will be nominations for production design, costume and makeup, sound editing, and I'm glad I saw it on the big screen. The 3D was nice, but I'm sure I would have enjoyed the movie without it.

5/21/17 Tanna, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2016

Oh my gosh. I loved this movie. Loved it and want to tell you to get it from Netflix or the library and enjoy it because I don't think there are very many movies quite like it. The film is an Australian production, but was filmed in Nauvhal and Nafe, languages spoken on the island of Tanna, part of Vanuatu. It was also acted by members of the tribes, and (according to the special features) much of the dialog was improvised by the actors based on what would have really happened in a particular situation. The movie was also based on a true story that happened back in 1987 when two young lovers (cue the similarities to Romeo and Juliet) go against their tribal leaders' plan to marry Wawa (a young girl, granddaughter of the tribal Shaman) to a member of a rival tribe, even though the marriage will calm the tense relations between the Yakel people and the Imedin (I hope I'm remembering that right) people. Wawa and Dain (grandson of the chief) run away, and when faced with the hopelessness of their situation, they take their own lives. This senseless loss of life brings the tribes together to re-examine their stance against 'love marriage', and the Yakel chief makes a plea to all to consider the young people and the future of the tribes and their ways. The people featured in the film still live a very basic lifestyle, wearing clothes they make from the vegetation around them, no electricity (when the filmmakers world-premiered the movie here, it was the first time they had ever seen a movie), still honoring the customs of their ancestors. Just on the other side of the island, it's a different world. All of the 'actors' were spectacular, but I was drawn to Wawa's little sister, Selin, who had an infectious personality; she was charming, but vexatious, full of life, and pretty fearless for such a young girl (maybe 8 or 9). I was captivated every time she was on screen. The scenery was breathtaking, there were shots of a volcano, and knowing that it was all natural, no CGI here, made it more spectacular. The music included a lot of vocalizations by Lisa Gerrard, and they fit they mood perfectly. Honestly, I know a lot of people may not even have this film on their radar, and I wouldn't have if it had not been nominated for an Oscar, but I am so glad I did. I found myself just loving this movie for so many different reasons, and eager to write about it (which has not happened in several weeks). There is nudity, but it's not gratuitous, it's just how it is there; I only mention it in case that may be an issue for you. This year's Oscar nominations had a fair number of 'surprises' for me (I only have four movies left to see), and this is one of them.

Smile Pinki, lovable Mr. Magoo, The Magnificent Ambersons

4/15/17 Smile, Pinki, Best Documentary Short, 2008

For some reason, I thought I already reviewed this Oscar-winning documentary short, but apparently, I did not, so I re-watched it, and had a good cry all over again. Pinki is a young girl, born in India with a cleft lip. Cleft palettes and cleft lips are birth defects that can often be detected by ultra sound and treated early on, but in some countries, like India, cleft lips are not treated immediately, if at all. The children are often socially outcast, and face limited opportunities. The documentary follows Pinki and Ghutaru as they get a diagnosis/prognosis and eventually, surgery, at what is essentially, an open call for anyone suffering from the defects. Families come from all over Utter Pradesh, often on foot, like Pinki and her father and uncle, and sometimes their visit to the city is the first for them; they may borrow money for the food and transportation. The surgeries are provided free of charge by an organization called Smile Train. The surgeries almost seem like a conveyor belt, with many surgeries performed every day; I don't want to imply that the patients are treated like parts of the machinery, just that this organization has become extremely efficient, and they try to get the families in and out as soon as feasible, because sometimes it's the breadwinner who may be away with the child, and the longer they're away, the more money that may be needed for food. The changes are immediate; seeing the parents crying with joy because they know their children now have a chance to be 'normal' and go to school (the children often stop going because they are teased), get married, etc. The children smile for the first time and see their reflections and when they play with their friends, it's just made me cry. The special features on the DVD are worth watching because they show a little bit into how the director, Megan Mylan, wanted to film her subjects, but also how Pinki and her father traveled to the United States for the Oscars. She is perhaps six or seven at this time, and behaves like a lot of six and seven years old, occasionally overstimulated, often shy, coy and sometimes diva-like. The movie is available on DVD, but I also found it on YouTube. It's definitely worth watching.

5/5/17 The Magnificent Ambersons, 1942, National Film Registry, BBC #11

I don't know if I would have liked The Magnificent Ambersons when it released in 1942, but I did not like it in 2017. The Ambersons were a wealthy family in Indianapolis; daughter, Isabel (Dolores Costello), is very fond of Eugene Morgan (Joseph Cotton), but he makes an ass of himself one day, and she dumps him for the boring and seemingly stable, Wilbur Minafer. They have one child, George, who is spoiled rotten, and pretty much loathed by the whole town for being a bully and petulant young man, who never grows up. After leaving the city for several years, Eugene returns with his daughter, Lucy (Anne Baxter); George meets Lucy, not realizing the connection of their two families, and he tries to woo her. Eugene is an inventor of automobiles, which for some reason annoys George, who is very fond of his horse and carriage (I think it's because he's a sadist who likes to whip the horses). Agnes Moorehead is Aunt Fanny, and she is (unintentionally) very funny, breaking into hysterics, and totally infatuated with Eugene, even though he still loves Isabel. Eventually, the Ambersons fall from grace and lose their fortune, and poor George may have to get a j-o-b. It's only after his mother dies that he begins to edge towards being a human being, but I stopped caring long before then. And his move towards humanity was slow and seemed like a last grasp. Then he gets his legs broken by...an automobile, an evil automobile. I couldn't wait until it was over. Orson Welles wrote the screenplay, directed, produced and narrated. Apparently, the final version was very different from him vision, and about an hour shorter (small mercies). The movie was so melodramatic and I didn't find any of the characters sympathetic; they could have been, but they were mostly one dimensional and devoid of any depth. With all due respect to Orson Welles, the National Film Registry and the BBC, there are better movies out there from that period.

5/6/17 Mr. Magoo Revue (see what I did there?)

I actually watched several Mr. Magoo shorts this morning, and they all seem to follow the same theme: the lovable, short, extremely near-sighted Mr. Magoo gets into the most precarious and peculiar situations, and through good fortune, divine intervention and the occasional human intervention, he comes out unscathed. As predictable as they are, I still found myself laughing, rolling my eyes and laughing some more. I suppose that is because I relate somewhat to Mr. Magoo, in that sometimes I do absent-minded things, get lost with great regularity, and yet, manage to come out the other side. The shorts were no more than six minutes each. Jim Backus (familiar as Thurston Howell III from Gilligan's Island) voiced Quincy Magoo (that's some good trivia right there, What is Mr. Magoo's first name?).

Ragtime Bear, 1949 (first Magoo cartoon) This was the first Magoo short, and featured Mr. Magoo and his nephew, Waldo, go to a wilderness lodge, meeting a bear with a talent for playing the banjo. Mr. Magoo mistakes the bear for Waldo.
Pink and Blue Blues, nominated Best Animated Short, 1952 Ever the helpful neighbor, Mr. Magoo babysits his neighbor's baby boy. The problem is, he mistakes the family dog for the baby; gives the dog a bath, etc. and hilarity ensues.
When Magoo Flew, Best Animated Short, 1954 Mr. Magoo thinks he is going to the theatre to see a 3D film, when in fact, he gets on an airplane (this could never happen in a post 9/11 world), and sits next to a suspicious gentleman, who leaves his briefcase behind. Fearing he'll miss the movie, but not wanting his new friend to lose something important, he tries to find him, which results in him going outside of the plan, walking on the wing, scaring a passenger looking out of the window, as well as the pilots when he pops up in the front of the plane. All's well that ends well, as he disembarks (how he actually gets back to his place of departure is not addressed).
Magoo's Puddle Jumper, Best Animated Short, 1956 Mr. Magoo gets a new car, which takes him on a journey around the country, except not really, he just kept misreading billboards. He drove through a car wash, windows open, thinking he just crossed the state line.

A hodge podge of movies: Hellboy, Queen of Katwe, The Eagle Huntress

It seemed like a good idea to watch movies and then wait a month or so to write the review...maybe 'good idea' is not the term I'm using now. Obviously, I am not going to go back and watch the 'older' movies, but I do want to review them. I will do my best to at least give you an idea if you might enjoy them or not. I have no doubt that this will not be a shining example of wit or anything else, but they can't all be winners.


3/17/17 Killer of Sheep, 1978, BBC #26, National Film Registry

Sometimes it's good for me to sit on a review and let the movie percolate in the old noggin, get some perspective. I cannot say that's the case here. Until I saw the BBC list of the best 100 American films, I had never heard of Killer of Sheep, that doesn't necessarily mean a whole lot, but I like to think I have some familiarity with movies from the past forty years, especially critically acclaimed movies. I'm not even sure I can tell you what the movie is about; it's really a collection of vignettes, set in the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles, focusing on Stan, who works in a slaughterhouse in Watts. The movie may be noteworthy because it was made in 1978 by a black writer/director, Charles Burnett, with an all black cast, telling a story of urban living. I wish I had more insight because I feel like I'm missing something. It has been very popular on Netflix because when I was waiting for it, it was always on a long wait; I finally got it from the library. I did really like the music, which may be ironic, because that is why the film was initially delayed, the filmmakers had not secured the rights to the music. I would say that if you are a cinephile or film student, you should check out this film, but you probably have already.

3/18/17 Hellboy, 2004

I was prompted to re-watch Hellboy after visiting the Minneapolis Institute of Art's Guillermo del Toro exhibit that featured a lot of Hellboy memorabilia and artwork. Del Toro directed and Ron Perlman stars as the lovable demon, John Hurt is his adoptive father, Trevor Buttenholm. Hellboy is part of a secret team that fights supernatural creatures. I'm not sure why the franchise wasn't more successful, there was a sequel, but only one (I think), there is action, special effects, a wisecracking hero (kind of Dead Pool, Spider-Man). It was fun to watch, and while I should have been working on 'the list', it was a nice diversion.

4/6/17 The Eagle Huntress, 2016

I have been recommending this documentary to just about everyone I talk to (about movies, anyway), and I will do the same here. The Eagle Huntress is a documentary filmed in Mongolia that follows Aisholpan, a 13 year old girl who wants to follow in her father and grandfather's footsteps as an eagle hunter. This requires that she captures her own eagle from a nest in the mountains, a bit risky. Aisholpan has an indomitable spirit and disregards any discussion from men (other than her father) that she cannot and should not be allowed to participate in eagle hunting or the annual competition. She's also still just 13, and enjoys being with her friends at school and wearing nail polish and ribbons in her hair. I loved so much about this film: the scenery was breathtaking, so breathtaking that I started researching holidays in Mongolia and Kazakhstan; the relationship between Aisholpan and her father is heartwarming, he never discourages her and doesn't succumb to the pressure of the other men, and he is openly proud of her; Aisholpan is charming and determined and a wonderful role model for young girls everywhere. Even though the film is subtitled, the action is pretty self-explanatory, but there is also narration by Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) which fills in the blanks quite nicely. If you'd like to introduce your kids to a) foreign films b) documentaries and c) a different culture, this is a wonderful movie to watch.

4/7/17 McCabe and Mrs. Miller, 1971 #16 BBC, National Film Registry

I don't know why, but I thought McCabe and Mrs. Miller was a John Wayne movie; to say that was incorrect is a huge understatement. It was directed by Robert Altman and stars Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. It is set in the West, and it has miners instead of farmers or ranchers, and a saloon. Beatty is John McCabe, a gambler with is eyes set on building an empire, with a brothel as its foundation; Julie Christie is Constance Miller, a Cockney woman of ill-repute. I have seen Julie Christie in a few films, and I thought her cockney accent was extremely distracting, and I didn't believe her in this role at all. This is another film that I don't get why it's on the best of lists. It may be me, I don't know. McCabe and Miller are successful running their brothel, but McCabe gets too big for his britches when he refuses an offer to sell his business to a ruthless mine owner, and that bodes ill for McCabe. I have found my like/dislike for Warren Beatty is hit or miss, and this is somewhere in between. There you go, my lukewarm review. Take it for what it's worth.

4/8/17 Queen of Katwe, 2016

The Disney film Queen of Katwe is based on the true story of Phiona (Madina Nalwanga), a young girl living with her family in the slums of Kampala, Uganda. Phiona and her family struggle to survive selling vegetables, trying to keep a roof over their heads, when one day Phiona walks into a center where children are playing chess. She doesn't know much about the game, but quickly and intuitively, she begins to learn, getting encouragement from Robert Katende (David Oyewolo) who runs the missionary program sponsoring the chess program. Phiona's mother (Lupita Nyong'o) doesn't like that the chess distracts Phiona and her younger brother, Brian, from supporting the family, but she doesn't realize that chess may also open doors for the children to education and a better life. The movie isn't a cliff hanger, there are no special effects or stunts, and you might think that watching a chess match is about exciting as watching paint dry, and in this instance, you would be mistaken. The matches are edited to highlight the drama and the tension, and I think it works. The movie is about Phiona's development into a competitive chess player as well as a young woman, challenged by her circumstances and, at times, her ego. Phiona is the focus, but we learn about her family, and the hardships they face, and the things we take for granted. Her brother, Brian, is a spitfire and a good chess player; her sister, Night, is rebellious and chafes under her mother's strict rules. This is another good choice for your family movie night, maybe start with this and then The Eagle Huntress; take your family on a journey to Africa, encourage your daughters to be anything they want, and that they are as smart as the boys.

Documentaries: Maya Lin, Inocente, Anne Frank Remembered, The Thin Blue Line

12/14/16 Maya Lin: A strong clear vision, Best Documentary, 1994

If you are old enough to remember when the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was commissioned and created, you may recall the controversy around it. It was created by a very young woman, of Chinese parentage and was in stark contrast to what most people thought a memorial should be. If anyone was up to these challenges, sometimes very insulting and aggressive dissension, it was Maya Lin. Maya Lin was a young student when she entered a contest to find the design for a memorial to the veterans of the Vietnam War. She designed a memorial of long walls with the names of those men and women killed in the war etched into it in chronological order. The walls are sunk into the ground. Having been there, I can attest to the powerful feeling I had as a citizen; the documentary shows veterans being overwhelmed by their emotions and memories. In the documentary, Lin is interviewed about her though process for the design of the memorial, explaining her decisions from the order of the names, to the positioning of the walls to why the memorial is sunken below ground. The film allows the viewer insight into her other works, the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama, Women's Table at Yale University (her alma mater). While Lin is well-spoken in the film sharing her visual ideas, and passionate about her visions, she seems very uncomfortable when receiving accolades or presenting her work to an audience. She believes that the work should be the focus, whether it is the memories of Vietnam for the veterans, or the participants of the Civil Rights Movement, it is the work and the viewers' interpretations that are important. If people are moved, then she has done her job. The movie spends the most time on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the controversy of Lin's selection, the reaction of the veterans, as well as Lin's insights; it also follows her as she works on newer pieces, in her home state of Ohio, as well as throughout the United States. It was very interesting to watch her work, especially because I have wondered how large pieces get done, it's not just the artist, that's for sure. Maya Lin recently received the Presidential Medal of  Freedom by President Obama. She is an American treasure and I totally recommend watching this documentary.

12/16/16 Letter from an Unknown Woman, 1948, #48 BBC, National Film Registry

So many thoughts went through my head as I watched Letter from an Unknown Woman, starring Joan Fontaine (Rebecca) and Louis Jourdan (Gigi), co-produced by John Houseman and directed by Max Ophuls. One thought was, why I have never heard of this movie? Two, how come Hollywood has not remade it (a Chinese remake was done in the early 2000s)? And three, not that receiving an Oscar, or being nominated, means a movie is great, how did this movie not get nominated for any Oscars? Set in the early 20th century, Joan Fontaine is Lisa, a Viennese teenager who lives in the same apartment building as Stefan Brand (Jourdan), a concert pianist. Brand really doesn't notice Lisa, but she is completely smitten with him, and moons after him, ignoring and neglecting everything else. Her mother remarries, and the family moves to Linz, against Lisa's wishes. In Linz, Lisa is wooed by Johann, a young soldier, and both families have hopes of wedding bells, except for Lisa. She upsets that applecart and runs back to Vienna, hoping to find Stefan again. They do meet, but although Stefan is immediately smitten by her, he does not recall Lisa from the apartment building. They spend the entire night together, and Stefan promises more evenings and days and dinners together, except he forgot he had to leave on tour for two weeks. He also left Lisa with a permanent reminder of their night together, a child. In our 21st century world, that is probably not shocking or scandalous, but in the early 1900s, that was a pretty big deal, and having this as a significant plot point in the 1940s would also be outrageous (perhaps that is why there were no Oscar nominations?). Whether through luck, brains, guile or something else, Lisa and her child are not thrown into destitution, and she eventually reconnects with Johann, who has moved up in the military and is quite successful, and he is also forgiving of her past, to a point. I liked the movie, and when I tried to watch it as someone would back in 1948, I thought it was groundbreaking; I thought Lisa was unrealistic and she annoyed me (as a character), but I did like Joan Fontaine, and Louis Jourdan was handsome, dashing and a bit of a rogue. It's not necessarily a date night movie (or perhaps it is, I'm not the best judge), but if you are looking for something different from 'the usual', give this a try, if you can find it.

12/17/16 Anne Frank Remembered, Best Documentary, 1995

The Diary of Anne Frank was a dramatized telling of the Frank family's time in hiding in Amsterdam. Anne Frank Remembered is more about Anne as she grew up, her friends who knew her as a little girl, family friends, including Miep Gies, the woman who worked for Otto Frank, helped set them up in the attic and found Anne's diary after the family was captured by the Nazis. We get a look at how her friends saw Anne and her sister Margot; Margot was serious and studious, while Anne was mischievous, spoiled (some said), argumentative, and as several of her friends said, a regular teenager. The documentary begins before the Second World War, even before Anne was born, with the Frank family living in Germany, through their move to The Netherlands, trying to escape the rising anti-Semitism in Germany. I really enjoyed this documentary, especially for the fact that it does not try and paint Anne as a saint, she's a teenager, a young girl, who has arguments with her parents and other adults. She is eminently relatable to other teenagers, whether those who read her story in the 1950s or the 2000s. We hear from her friends who survived the camps, who knew Anne and her sister in their last days. I strongly recommend watching this documentary, with your kids, with a group of friends. It's important that Anne's story, and the story of her friends and family, not be forgotten, especially today.

12/17/16 Inocente, Best Documentary Short, 2012

It has been a real challenge trying to balance, fun and entertaining movies, with educational and enlightening films that may be a bit heavy and sad. Inocente is a little bit of everything, all packed into forty minutes. Inocente Izucar is a young, homeless girl living in San Diego with her mother and two brothers. She finds solace and relief in her art, starting the day by creating wearable art on her face. Inocente and her family have been homeless for many years, never staying in one place for more than three months. She's ashamed to let her classmates know that she is homeless, so she doesn't tell them. Inocente goes to ARTS (A Reason To Survive) in San Diego where she finds mentors and encouragement to pursue her painting. I think it is so easy to look down on the homeless, or undocumented workers and blame them for their circumstance, but a child (Inocente is 15 at the time of filming, but she has been living under these conditions for most of her life) has very little say in their conditions. As Inocente says, nobody wakes up and says they want to be homeless. She blames herself for the violent explosion of her father, which is a very common (and misplaced) sentiment from kids. But she doesn't use being homeless as an excuse, she uses it to propel her forward, and as inspiration in her art. Her art is colorful, hopeful, but also thoughtful and thought-provoking. I cried, I smiled, I learned. I think you may do the same.

12/17/16 The Thin Blue Line, 1988, National Film Registry

I've been learning more about our justice system (it's broken) and about men and women sentenced to life in prison or death sentences and that it's not always about proof or evidence or the pursuit of truth. I suggest reading Just Mercy by attorney and advocate Bryan Stevenson and the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines, which while fiction is a fair representation of the legal system and the noblesse oblige of life in the South in the 1940s. This may seem like a digression, but it's not really. The Thin Blue Line is a documentary by Errol Morris about Randall Dale Adams and his sentence, first of death, later commuted to life in prison; the conviction was later overturned. Adams was wrongly convicted of killing a police officer after the police relied on evidence from a sixteen year old young man who had picked up Adams after his car ran out of gas; David Ray Harris later confessed to the shooting. The police also relied on 'eye witness' testimony by people who turned out later to not be very reliable, and in fact, may have been more interested in the reward money than helping solve crime. Eye witness testimony has been demonstrated to be highly unreliable under most circumstances. Morris interviews Adams in a Texas prison, who emphatically denied his guilt. He also interviewed Harris in prison; while Adams is angry about his situation, Harris seemed to me not to really care, admitting his past bad behaviors (although not immediately to killing the police officer). Adams's original defense attorneys are interviewed, as well as the judge, detectives and the witnesses who testified against Adams. The movie was released in 1988 and Adams's conviction was overturned in 1989; Harris was not charged with the death of the Dallas police officer. Neither Adams nor Morris could know the conviction would be overturned when the film was being made (Morris did not want it labeled a 'documentary'). The Thin Blue Line has informed and influenced many later documentaries, which is reflected in its place on the National Film Registry.