I want my money back: The Lighthouse, I Lost My Body

I have two weeks to go before the Oscars and I am terribly behind due to my two weeks in Asia, so it's well worth it. I have twenty-nine movies to see and I'm not optimistic. I have legitimate concerns that my retinas will burn out.

1/25/20 Little Women, nominated Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, 2019

I was irritated the whole time I watched Little Women. Irritated it was on the list; irritated I make myself follow the list; irritated it was over two hours long. I didn't care and don't care. It's certainly not Best Picture material. 

1/25/20 I Lost My Body, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2019

It took me five tries to finish the movie, and the whole time I wanted to quit. It was the longest 81 minutes of my life. This is a candidate for an animated short, there was no need for this fantasy drama about a disembodied hand in search of its body to be EIGHTY ONE MINUTES long. There was definite potential, but it was lost, in my opinion in mopey melodrama. If this wins for Best Animated Feature, I may give this up.

1/26/20 The Lighthouse, nominated Best Cinematography, 2019

The two best things about The Lighthouse are it's less than two hours long and it was only nominated for one award. Otherwise, oh my god and I want my money back, Redbox. Horror movies usually have one of two effects on me, they either scare the crap out of me or they make me laugh because they are so ridiculous. I cried and laughed because this was so ridiculous. It was nominated for its cinematography because it was in black and white; that almost seems like the way to guarantee at least one nomination, regardless of the quality of the movie. Allegedly this was based on an unfinished Edgar Allen Poe, or at least it was the inspiration, but Poe could scare the crap out of you in a short story (did you catch the 'short' part?) and you weren't laughing. Anyway, I wrote way more than I wanted to about this movie. But, if you want to see a good movie, don't do it. As for the Oscar, I've seen the other nominees, and I think 1917 had some spectacular cinematography as did Joker.

Beating back writer's block: Mary, Queen of Scots, Free Solo, Rango

It's been a while, a pretty long while as a matter of fact. I have no excuse. So, without further ado, here we go.

4/2/19 Mary, Queen of Scots, nominated Best Costume Design and Best Hair and Makeup, 2018 

I know I said I didn't really have an excuse, but I think I am going to blame Mary, Queen of Scots starring Saoirse Ronan as Queen Mary and Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I. Yup, that's my story. When I initially heard about the movie, I was excited because the Elizabethan period is so lush with characters and intrigue and costumes. Sadly, that excitement left pretty quickly. I would say as soon as I heard Queen Mary speak with a Scottish accent, I was disappointed. It didn't stop there. Oh, let me clarify, even though Mary was Queen of the Scots, she was raised in France and wouldn't have had that accent. It didn't stop there, from casting decisions to not great acting to a not great script and a total disgregard for history (there may have been a teeny tiny disclaimer that they were just using history as a suggestion, but I didn't see it). It is pretty to look at, but I wouldn't spend two hours watching this land of make believe. In case you didn't pick it up from the other clues, the movie focuses on the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth, cousins and rivals. Whew, crossed that one off the list.

4/11/19 Free Solo, Best Documentary, 2018

My preference for best documentary was RBG, the film about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Free Solo features Alex Hohnhold, a quirky, but focused, free solo climber, and his attempt to free solo up El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Free solo climbing is done without ropes, pulleys, ladders or nets, so clearly, a challenging sport regardless of the locale, however, adding El Capitan into the mix, makes the climb one of the most difficult climbs undertaken. The film gives the viewer insight into Hohnhold's preparations, his relationship with his girlfriend, and a little bit of a look into his past and what motivates him. There are a few minutes of an interview with his mother, but she seemed a little distant and I got the vibe they weren't that close (I'm happy to be wrong in that perception). It's clear that Alex needs to climb, that's where he seems the most comfortable: climbing, prepping for a climb, talking about a climb. A friend of mine saw the movie in the theater with an audience (something I avoid as much as possible) and said you could hear the collective gasps of the audience as Alex made his way up the cliff, and that added to the suspense and thrill of watching the movie. I watched it at home, on my old boxy tv, by myself, and I knew how it ended. Two very different experiences, and whether my opinion would have been different, I'll never know, but I did like the movie, appreciated Hohnhold's (and the crew's) courage and strength and determination, but I didn't love it. I loved RBG, which I should say, in full disclosure, I saw in a theater with other people. Hmmm. Coincidence? These are two very different movies, with two very different protaganists, so it seems a little unfair to say one is better than the other. Co-director Jimmy Chin also co-directed Meru, another climbing documentary about climbing Meru in the Himalayas. That was an amazing film (seen on the big screen) and I totally recommend watching it.

4/27/19 Rango, Best Animated Feature, 2011

I vaguely remember watching Rango back in 2011 and don't recall anything spectacular about it. In 2011 I watched all of the nominated films, but I didn't write about them, but I remember not being in awe over any of the animated films from that year. Johnny Depp voices Rango, an iguana who gets displaced or misplaced and winds up in a small Western town facing a water shortage and needs a new sheriff. That's all I have. I couldn't pay attention. 

2018 potential nominees: Crazy Rich Asians, The Favourite, Bohemian Rhapsody

12/8/18 Crazy Rich Asians not yet nominated, 2018

I realize I may be alone in this, but I really hated this movie. I'm sorry, I thought most of the acting, with the exception of Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat), was horrible, ridiculously exaggerated. I totally understand and get that it was a big deal for a major motion picture to have a totally Asian cast and be a huge hit; I won't downplay the importance of that, however, I don't think the movie itself was worthy of all the praise heaped on it. It was lavishly designed, and I wouldn't be surprised if it received several nominations for production and art design. The story, of a man and woman in love but from two different worlds, is really not a new one; in fact, you could substitute several different ethnicities, and have a similar story. I enjoyed the soundtrack, and I liked Awkwafina's performance, which was over the top, but it fit the character and the cartoony nature worked. There were several times I wanted to poke my eyes out or at least take a nap, but I thought I should really stick with it. Ugh, just ugh.

12/15/18 The Favourite, not yet nominated 2018

Sadly, I paid full price for this 'gem' in a theater, happy birthday to me. The best thing was I was with a pal and so I didn't suffer alone. I had zero idea what the film was about before we went to see it, just that it was loved by the critics and had a lot of potential for Oscar nominations. That was all I needed to say yes when my friend wanted to see it (yes, totally blaming someone else). What a pretentious piece of shit. Directed (although not written) by Yorgos Lanthimos (writer and director of The Lobster and another awful movie, loved by the critics, Dogtooth). The movie is about the Queen Anne period in English history, and I'm not talking about the furniture. It's a time that isn't often covered in movies, which often feature Queen Elizabeth I or II, Henry VIII, Queen Victoria, and maybe the Georgian period. It's really about the relationship between Queen Anne (Olivia Colman), her 'favourite' the Duchess of Marlborough, Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz) and Sarah's rival, Abigail Hill (Emma Stone). The performances are wonderful and strong; the women are portrayed as smart, conniving, survivalist and independent (although in the case of Queen Anne it may not seem that way). It was nice to see a movie star three strong female characters, and while there were a couple of male characters with significant dialog (Nicholas Hoult as Robert Harley and Joe Alwyn as Samuel Masham), they really served the female leads. There are some historical facts in the movie, but I hope people don't use it as a history lesson. Queen Anne is most often shown as being whiny, childish, demanding and a little on the unstable side. We are given to understand one of the reasons for this is because she has had 17 children who have all died. The Duchess of Marlborough and the Queen have been friends for years, and it seems that the Duchess may be taking advantage of that relationship, and when Queen Anne, in a moment of pique/spite/sanity chooses to elevate Abigail Hill to a higher position in her household, creating jealousy between the two women. It's categorized as a comedy-drama, but I didn't think there was that much comedy, at least not the type of comedy I like or find funny. There are some beautiful costumes and sets, so there may be some nominations there, as well as for one or more of the performances. The classical music of the period was lovely, I love a little Bach, but the more modern components made me consider sticking a sharp object in my ear. If you feel you need to see potential Oscar nominees, then you probably need to see this, otherwise, honestly, spare yourself.

12/16/18 Bohemian Rhapsody, not yet nominated 2018

I was so afraid that I missed Bohemian Rhapsody in the theater and someone told me that you really have to hear it with the big screen sound, so I was thrilled to find out it was still playing at my neighborhood theater. Bohemian Rhapsody tells a story of the band Queen and its charismatic front man, Freddie Mercury. I'm not going to go into all of the controversy around the telling of their origin story, Mercury's struggle with his sexuality, his fight with AIDS, or the casting decision to dump Sacha Baron Cohen (or did he dump them) in favor of Rami Malek as Mercury. You never get the full story, even when (or especially when) the subjects are involved in the project, and I don't know if anyone would have been happy with a gritty, dark look at the band. I was so happy with the movie (especially after that horror show from the day before), singing (in my head) along to the songs, and crying (ugh, yes) at the scenes from Live Aid and the end. For younger people, like my brother, this is 'history', for me, it was part of my life: playing "We Are the Champions" in the fourth grade; trying to figure out why I liked "Another One Bites the Dust" even though I tried not to; reading stories or hearing rumors about Mercury's sexuality (especially after some of the leather outfits he was wearing); and watching Queen's electric Live Aid performance as it happened; and listening to Queen's last studio album and learning that Mercury was dying of AIDS. These weren't things my mother told me about, or I watched in some retrospective, it was my era (as my brother said). Anyway, sorry about the diversion into Nostalgia Alley. Rami Malek is spot on as Mercury, and actually most of 'the band' is on target, I only had a real problem with Ben Hardy as Roger Taylor, but I can't quite put my finger on why, I think it was the hair; just bad. Gwilym Lee as guitarist extraordinaire, Brian May and Joe Mazzello as bassist (and resident funk fan) John Deacon also seemed to hit the mark. The band had fifteen albums and it seems the film barely scratches the surface in that regard. The movie portrays the long term romantic relationship turned friendship between Mary Austin and Mercury, how accurate that portrayal is, I don't know, but it was very important to Freddie and the story. The movie traces the origins of the band and very quickly moves through key moments, like creating the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" and different tours (I will say, those moments seemed like the lamest cinematically, the sets for the 'concerts' looked cheap and half assed) to internal conflicts which always seem to get resolved, like a family resolves its quarrels, to Freddie's split from the band and their reunion for Live Aid, and Freddie telling the band he had AIDS. Essentially the film packs in twenty years of history and anthemic songs into a little over two hours, and I think it does it in an amazing and powerful way. Normally, as you may recall, if a movie goes over two hours, I'm usually getting antsy by the 90 minute mark, but in this instance, I could have sat there for another hour. There was a bit of sadness (or there was for me), but also something uplifting about the movie and reconnecting with that music; so much so that I will be seeing Queen with Adam Lambert in St. Paul in August. I don't think the score or soundtrack can be nominated for an Oscar, but hopefully sound mixing/editing, maybe production or hair and makeup and costume, and perhaps even a Best Actor for Malek. 

Moulin Rouge times two and Bette Davis in Dark Victory

11/10/18 Dark Victory, 1939
I've been reading a lot of biographies lately of actors, and recently I finished Ed Sikov's book Dark Victory: The Life of Bette Davis, and became interested in seeing Dark Victory. Davis was nominated Best Actress for her role as Judith Traherne, but lost to Vivien Leigh in a small film called Gone with the Wind. Judith is a spirited socialite who begins to get mysterious headaches. The headaches are diagnosed as something much more serious by Dr. Frederick Steele (George Brent). Despite surgery, Judith is getting worse, but Dr. Steele, who later becomes Judith's husband, and her best friend Ann (Geraldine Fitzgerald) decide to keep the news from Judith. Bette Davis had a big personality and so does Judith Traherne who is determined to live as full a life as she can, until she can't any longer. I read about the movie in the biography, so I wasn't surprised by the ending, but I paid a lot of attention, and was really moved by Davis's performance. Even when Davis is over the top, it's hard not to watch, you want to see what she'll do or say. Dark Victory was very good, Davis was at the top of her game, Humphrey Bogart, as Michael O'Leary, has a terrible Irish accent. I wouldn't recommend this as a holiday film, it's a bit of a downer, but perhaps something for the winter nights ahead. (I can't even say I can cross this off a list :( ).

12/1/18 Moulin Rouge, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, 1952

Jose Ferrer stars as Henri de Toulouse-Latrec in this gorgeous film written and directed by John Huston. The opening fifteen minutes of Moulin Rouge are some of the most colorful I've seen. Eye popping. Moulin Rouge is set in 1890s  and early 1900s Paris and centers on Toulouse-Latrec and his melancholy life of one-sided love affairs with prostitutes, a disappointed father and the life long affects of a childhood accident that stunted his growth. Ferrer does double duty as Latrec and his father, and in the days before CGI, Ferrer came up with some unique ways to portray the short painter. Latrec painted scenes of Paris and Parisian life in the cafes and nightclubs and Huston brings them to life. If you're looking for an art history lesson on the Post-Impressionists told through cinema, double this up with Lust for Life about Vincent Van Gogh (Kirk Douglas).


12/1/18 Moulin Rouge!, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, 2001

I didn't realize until I just typed it out that both Moulin Rouge films were nominated for many Oscars, but only won two, and they won the same two awards. That might be a coincidence, but it was no coincidence that I watched (re-watched) both movies on the same day; they were actually packaged together from the library. Serendipity. There is no doubt that the Baz Luhrman-directed film is full of bombastic color and extraordinary costumes and sets, or that I did, in spite of myself, enjoy the soundtrack, but other than that, meh. I understand I am probably in the minority, but I really didn't like the film as a whole, in fact, I vaguely recall falling asleep the first time I watched it. Style above substance works for me in short bursts, but two hours was too much (it felt a lot longer). This version of Moulin Rouge does have a place for Toulouse-Latrec (this time played by John Leguizamo), but focuses on struggling writer, Christian (Ewan McGregor) and his love affair with the lovely, but doomed, Satine (Nicole Kidman), and the motley crew that surround them. I am so disinterested, which is probably why it took two weeks to write this crap of a review. I'll do better.

Catching up: Independence Day Master and Commander, Wallace and Gromit, The Incredibles

4/26/18 Independence Day, Best Visual Effects, 1996

I think I may start counting a movie as 'seen' if I fell asleep during it, that would move this list along a little faster; it certainly would have saved me two hours of watching Independence Day. Earth is being invaded by an alien species, blah blah. Bill Pullman is the young president, a former fighter pilot, who is leading an all-star cast in a seemingly hopeless endeavor. But if it was hopeless, it might have been a shorter movie. Will Smith is the lead pilot, and gives us a precursor to the smart alecky, but cool, agent in Men in Black; Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid, Mary McDonnell, Jeff Goldblum, Robert Loggia and Viveca Fox also co-star. I know for some this was a huge summer blockbuster, but it dragged on, and was painful to watch. 

4/28/18 Master and Commander, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, 2003

Master and Commander was one of the big Oscar-nominated films of 2003, with twelve nominations and two wins (this was the year of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the Rings). I saw it the first time on the big screen and you certainly get the feeling of being swept overboard with the incredible waves and the vast ocean. The movie is set during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s, in the southern hemisphere, with the British ship HMS Surprise, captained by Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe). Aubrey and his crew have been bested by the French ship Acheron, and Aubrey chases it like Ahab pursued Moby Dick. The story is taken from several of the books from Master and Commander book series, and I think there was talk about doing a sequel, but despite a dozen Oscar nominations, I don't recall the regular public clamoring for it. There is a lot of action and it is helpful to be somewhat familiar with the historical setting. It is certainly a primer for the very harsh life on board a fighting ship in the 1800s. I liked it, I didn't mind watching it a second time, and it's a good adventure/action movie.

4/28/18 Romeo and Juliet, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, 1968

I was inspired to re-watch Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet after watching my friend's son in his high school production (he was Friar Laurence); it wasn't too bad. In the film, Leonard Whiting plays Romeo and Olivia Hussey is Juliet. Hopefully you are somewhat familiar with the play by William Shakespeare or perhaps some other film adaptation, so I won't recap it. This was Whiting's first film, and Hussey's third, so they were pretty unknown teenagers, and untested actors. The script is not verbatim, there are things that are missing (I noticed Friar Laurence was not as featured as he was in the play I had recently attended), but the spirit and energy are definitely there. The movie was filmed throughout Italy, and I think it's beautiful. I enjoyed Romeo and Juliet, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite play by Shakespeare or even my favorite film of a Shakespeare play (Laurence Olivier, who is the Chorus in this film, played King Lear in 1983 in a television production, which was incredible), but it's a good production of one of the most well-known of Shakespeare's plays.

4/29/18 Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit, Best Animated Feature, 2005

I love Wallace and Gromit, and apparently, so do the Oscars, as Wallace and Gromit have been nominated five Oscars and winning three (two short films and one feature). Wallace is an eccentric inventor living in the north of England with his wise-beyond-his-species dog, Gromit, who is often responsible for rescuing Wallace. They both have a fondness for cheese and adventure (trips to space are not uncommon). In this glimpse into their lives, Wallace and Gromit operate a humane pest control business, trying to save their neighbors veg gardens. Wallace (voiced by English actor Peter Sallis) catches the eye of Lady Campanula Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter), but unfortunately he also pokes the ego of Lord Victor Quartermain (Ralph Fiennes who just chews up the scenery with his pomposity, meant in a good way). Ever the inventor, Wallace accidentally creates a Were Rabbit, which almost brings ruin to the town, and himself. Aside from the super fun animation, using the time intensive stop motion method, I always enjoy the smart word play and puns and visual treats provided by the Arman team.

5/3/18 The Incredibles, Best Animated Feature, Best Sound Editing, 2004

I suppose it's very timely that I re-watched The Incredibles so close to the release of The Incredibles 2; it's almost like I planned it. This is another movie that I actually saw in the theater when it was originally released. I enjoyed it, didn't love it. This was before the spate of super hero movies started coming out, and it was a new take on the whole idea of super heroes, making it a family affair. Written and directed by Brad Bird, who also voiced the fashion designer in the film, Edna Mode, and starring Craig T. Nelson as Mr. Incredible, Holly Hunter as Mr. Incredible's wife and hero in her own right, Elastigirl. They have three kids who also have powers: Violet (who is similar to Invisible Girl from The Fantastic Four) and Dash who is super fast, and Jack-Jack who has yet unidentified powers. Of course, there is a bad guy, Incredi-Boy/Syndrome (Jason Lee) who was ignored/treated badly by his hero, Mr. Incredible, and he comes back to teach the Supers, especially Mr. Incredible a lesson. I am getting a little ahead of myself: the Supers had to all go underground after the public sentiment turned against them (similar to what happened to Batman and The Avengers); so they had to take regular jobs. It may be safer, but it's boring, so Mr. Incredible and his friend, Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson, before he took on the eye patch of Nick Fury) take on bad guys secretly, their wives don't know and the 'agency' doesn't know. Back to Syndrome, who starts to wreak havoc, requiring the Incredibles, and later Frozone, to come out of retirement. The Incredibles is a fun movie, and at the time it was released, it was a fresh take on super heroes with the family element, and showing them to be all to human. The character of Edna Mode, dahling, is still one of my favorites (she kind of reminds me of Heddy from NICS: Los Angeles). It was pretty cool to have a black super hero (years before Fury, Falcon, Luke Cage or the Black Panther). I was pleased with the animation, and it looks like The Incredibles 2 is a very different style, but that's for another review, because I'm almost sure it will be nominated. 

Down to the wire - my last four films Mudbound, Phantom Thread, The Breadwinner, The Florida Project

It's the day of the Oscars, and I'm done. I couldn't watch another movie if my life depended on it. Having said that, there are only seven movies I have not seen. I'm impressed.
2/25/18 Mudbound, Nominated Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Song, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, 2017

I was pleasantly surprised by Mudbound; that's not to say I had any preconceived ideas or expectations, I knew next to nothing about it, except I heard that Mary J. Blige was in it. This is an ensemble movie, I mean, if you take one of the characters away, it could totally change at least two storylines. Mudbound is based on the novel by Hillary Jordan (which I have not read), so I don't know how faithful it is, but it is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, so that should mean something. I like that the stories are told from different perspectives, visually and narration by different characters. The movie is set in 1940s Mississippi, featuring a black family, the Jacksons, who have been working the land as tenant farmers, and a white family, the McAllans, who recently bought the land. The 1940s are only eighty years after the end of the Civil War and Reconstruction, and twenty years away from the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, and sixty-five years before America's first African-American president; all that is to say, race relations in Mississippi and the rest of the U.S. are tense and often violent. The McAllans are headed by Henry McAllan (Jason Clarke), an engineer, who decides to go into farming, something his father, Pappy (Jonathan Banks, you probably know the face and not the name), left behind. Henry married to Laura (Carey Mulligan), who believed and supported Henry's decisions early on, but later becomes more cynical; Laura does much of the narration (shared with Mary J. Blige's character, Florence Jackson). Henry's brother, Jamie (Minnesota's own, Garrett Hedlund) is very different from his brother, in temperament, interests and life experience. Hap Jackson (Rob Morgan) is the head of the Jacksons and married to Florence; Florence and Hap have several children, the oldest is Ronsel (Jason Mitchell), who has learned to read and write, and will have experiences his parents could never imagine. The movie is told using flashbacks, which sometimes I like and sometimes I don't, but I think it works really well here, because, well it does. Just trust me. In fact, I really don't want to tell you too much because it all ties together, but there are some twists. I was impressed by a lot of things: I thought the cast was terrific; there was a quiet strength from both female leads; Hap had his own strength and dignity as he feels forced into helping Henry McAllan, almost like a slave. That's what it felt like just watching it; Hap didn't have a choice. Jamie brings some humanity and decency, much to the dismay of his father and brother, although as a side-note, several times when Jamie/Hedlund spoke, I could only think of Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday "I'm your huckleberry". Anyway, this is a powerful and relevant film, with some great acting, and the Oscar-nominated song is up there as my top two, and I look forward to Oscar night, because I hope Mary J. Blige sings it and blows everyone away. If you watch the movie, it is at the very end, so don't turn it off until you hear it. There's a lot more to say about the movie, but I feel rushed for time and space, and don't want to give away any spoilers.

2/27/18 The Florida Project, nominated Best Supporting Actor, 2017
After reflecting about The Florida Project and why I didn't like it, and what it reminded me of, it reminded me of the few John Cassavetes films where there seems to be no real idea of where the film is going, dialog that seems improvised, a lot of shouting, and characters I didn't care about. So, that pretty much sums it up. The characters live in a run down Florida motel, near enough to Orlando and the magic of Disney to confuse a few foreign visitors, but not the residents/long term guests. These long-term guests are people struggling to make it every day: low paying jobs or no jobs, trying to raise kids, and just not able to get ahead in life. I think there is a story to tell about this 'invisible population', but I do not think is it. The main character is a little girl, Moonee (newcomer, Brooklynn Prince), who gets into mischief with her young friends, some is probably typical of seven or eight year olds (it's been so long, I don't remember), and some is due to the fact that she has to do a lot of without any responsible adult supervision. The only real adult in her life is Bobby (Oscar nominated Willem Dafoe), the manager of the Magic Castle motel. Bobby does his best to run the motel, but also keep an eye on the kids and to help out the families when he can. Moonee's mother, Halley (another newcomer, Bria Vinaite), is a train wreck; honestly, not a lot to like or admire, and it's amazing that she hasn't lost custody of Moonee - yet. I think this would have been a better movie had it been done as a short because in a short you have a limited amount of time to get your point across, and you cut out extra crap that adds nothing, like the difficult relationship Bobby has with his adult son; either examine it and figure it out, or just leave it out of the movie. It seems kind of lazy to try and try some parallels or comparisons (or get the audience to make inferences): Bobby has a difficult relationship with his son, that is why he tries to help the kids (I don't know if that was the point, but then, if there's no point, cut it out). In 2004, there was a British short that won the Oscar, called Wasp, which focused on a single mom raising three kids in council housing struggling to make ends meet (she feeds her kids raw sugar when she is out of food), and there is a lot of chaos. But, it made it's point and I liked it. I enjoyed the last ten minutes of The Florida Project, my adrenaline was really going, and then it was over. So, I didn't need 90+ minutes of watching Halley be a terrible parent, maybe 45 would have been enough. I think the Best Supporting Actor will go to either Woody Harrelson or Sam Rockwell, both in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

3/3/18 Phantom Thread, Nominated Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, 2017

Phantom Thread would not have gotten any consideration for any awards, and I certainly would not have gone to see it if Daniel Day-Lewis was not in it. That being said, even with Daniel Day-Lewis in this endurance test, I did not want to see this movie at all. And, three hours later (the trailers and commercials were at least twenty minutes) I owe my friend a movie, because this was horrible. It made me want to eat a mushroom omelet (and if you've seen the movie, you get the reference). I am so angry at having spent my time watching a narcissistic, Oedipal, whiny dress designer manipulate and insult his lovers and sister. Jennifer Lawrence had the right idea, turning the movie off after three minutes. Good on you! So, my short take is: this is NOT the best picture, Day-Lewis does NOT deserve the Best Oscar (please see Denzel Washington in Roman J. Israel, Esq. or Timothee Chalafant in Call Me By Your Name), Leslie Manville does not deserve the Best Supporting Actress Award for glowering for 130 minutes (Laurie Metcalf in Lady Bird, Octavia Spencer in The Shape of Water or Mary J. Blige in Mudbound, and finally, the score was intrusive, and I couldn't wait for moments of quiet. It is mercifully off the list.

3/3/18 The Breadwinner, nominated Best Animated Film, 2017

The Breadwinner is an international production, directed by Irish director Norah Twomey, who also directed Oscar-nominee, The Secret of Kells. I only mention this because I recognized the animation style. It was produced by a couple of Canadian animation studios and Angelina Jolie's production company.  So, with that little bit of background done, The Breadwinner is set in Afghanistan as the Taliban are establishing their reign of terror. Parvana is the middle child of Nurullah, a teacher and amputee (it's mentioned he lost his leg fighting; I assume fighting the Russians during the war in the 1980s) and Fattemah; the family struggles to survive, selling anything they own that might be of value, but also selling reading and writing services. Nurullah is arrested for insolence and violating the rules of the Taliban, including having his daughter, Parvana, out in public. This may seem ridiculous to us, but it was life, and in some parts of the world, still is. Parvana, her elder sister, Soraya and their mother try to figure out how to survive and how to get Nurullah out of prison. Parvana realizes the only way they have a chance is for her to disguise herself as a boy cutting off her beautiful long hair. The little family battles against outsiders, but also a distant family member who sees the only remaining male of the family, baby Zaki, and Soraya as a possible financial boon, try to force the family to leave with him. Parvana is off on her own adventure as "Aatish", the male name she adopted, which means fire, as she uses her new identity and some money to try and get her father released. There is a story within the story as Parvana tells of a young man on a quest to find stolen seeds from the evil Elephant King (there is a subtle change in the animation during these sequences). I don't think The Breadwinner will win, only because there is so much hype around Coca, but I hope more people see it; it might be good to show in schools to help educate kids on another culture, a culture that is often vilified in the U.S. It shows family values, strong female characters, and a different way of life. I would say don't just plop your kid in front of the television and it on because it's animated; watch it together, because there are some upsetting moments as the family is torn apart. Definitely worth watching.

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. 

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.

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.

Beauty and the Beast, Toni Erdmann and The Red Turtle

4/30/17 Beauty and the Beast, not yet nominated 2017

I saw Beauty and the Beast on 4/30, a Sunday as I recall, and it's now Wednesday, May 10. I've been going over in my mind how to write this; I really don't think I need to recap the plot, it's the same one from the animated version of Beauty and the Beast. There are a few new songs, but nothing original or surprising. And, that's where I sit. I liked the movie, I thought it was well done, I'm fairly certain it will be nominated in the technical categories: production design, visual effects, costume and hair, and I really wanted to see it on the big screen. I wanted to see how Emma Watson (Belle) did in a lead role; I'm a fan, I think she's a great role model for young women, and young men, for that matter; she has a great sense of humor about herself; and it's fun to see young actors grow and take on new roles. The Beast, the Beast, oh right, Dan Stevens, late of Downton Abbey fame; to me it was pretty inconsequential, since for 95% of the movie, the Beast was, well, the Beast, and not in human form, and that is true for all the of the household items. Did it matter that Emma Thompson (whom I love) was Mrs. Potts? Not really. Or that Ian McKellen was Cogsworth? Meh. And I could go on through the cast. It's not like they were Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, or Billy Crystal as Mike (Monsters Inc). The 'human' cast was just as meh for me; Kevin Kline played Belle's father; Luke Evans was Gaston (Gaston is a character I thoroughly dislike, I know, he's a bad guy, but he's not even a fun bad guy; he's an ass). Josh Gad was LeFou, Gaston's sycophantic sidekick, who is portrayed, not subtly, as gay or effeminate (take your pick); I'd like to say who cares (I don't), except, it got very annoying during the movie, in your face - and it added NOTHING, if there was a point, I wouldn't care. There are a few new songs, one sung by Celine Dion at the end "How Does a Moment Last Forever" and "Evermore" by Josh Groban, which were fine, I don't recall being overly moved by either (wow, I sound like someone stole my heart and soul). I thought the cast, overall, did well performing the songs. I was disappointed, and a little surprised, that Audra McDonald, who has performed in a huge variety of singing roles, including on Broadway, and she sang only a little bit as a soloist. That seemed like a lost opportunity to me. I know this sounds whiny, and maybe that's why I waited so long, but I really did like and enjoy the movie, and it's good family entertainment, I just didn't love it.

5/7/17 Toni Erdmann, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2016

I don't mean to sound unprofessional, but UGH. This movie was two hours and forty-two minutes long, and it was really not as great as it was hyped up to be. I didn't think it was great at all. It seemed like one of my weaker reviews: full of half thoughts that don't get fully executed, and full thoughts that should have been stopped before they were started. I had really high expectations since it had been nominated for, and won, many international film festival awards. I tried, for 162 minutes I tried, to find something to like. There wasn't enough. Winfried Conradi is a music teacher with an unusual sense of humor (he would get on my nerves quickly, and I like to think I have a good sense of humor), who randomly decides to visit his estranged daughter, Ines, in Bucharest where she is working as a consultant for an oil company. As silly as Winfried (or his alter ego, Toni Erdmann) is, Ines is serious, determined and aloof. Winfried is clearly missing his daughter and just wants to spend time with her, maybe have fun; the problem is, they disagree on what 'fun' is. He uses the Toni Erdmann persona to insinuate himself into Ines' work life; eventually, he wears her down, and they tag team with each other in a meeting with Ines' client. I get that parent/adult child relationships can be difficult and challenging, been there, done that; and I understand that women have to work harder in male-dominated fields, so Ines has to stay focused and wants to be taken seriously. But, this point was beaten into the ground, and any empathy I may have had just shriveled up. As I was watching, I was making comparisons to Isabelle Huppert in Elle (she was nominated for Best Actress), in that both women were driven professionals, neither was very likable, and both had difficult relationships with their fathers, although I think it's fair to say that Ines' was a walk in the park compared to Michele. I'm not really sure where that comparison gets us, except that I liked Elle even though it was hard to watch and Michele was a bitch; and I didn't like Toni Erdmann. The movie was described as a comedy, and it is not that at all; they are a few funny moments, but overall, I would say that it is a drama. I think so much more could have been done with the idea of this father/daughter relationship. Disappointed.

5/9/17 The Red Turtle, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2016

I don't even know what to say. I'm sure there were some beautiful metaphors in this film, but I was so utterly bored out of my mind, I must have missed them. It was made by the Ghibli Studio, which has made other Oscar nominated animated films, like The Wind Rises, The Tale of Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There (which did not do much for me). There was no dialogue, which I'm fine with, but I don't know, maybe I would have liked it better if it was a short instead of a feature (it wasn't too long at 80 minutes, but long enough). Anyway, I can't even give you a synopsis. I'm waiting for My Life as a Zucchini, but so far, out of the nominees, you can't go wrong with Kubo and the Two Strings, Moana or the winner, Zootopia.


A friend of mine, who has seen all the other movies in the franchise and loved them, saw Fate of the Furious, last week, in the big IMAX theater, and was very disappointed. I asked him to do a guest review, and all he could do was show me two thumbs down. Since I have been exempt from having to see any of the other movies, and have no plans to see this one, this is the only review you'll see here.

Ben-Hur, Groundhog Day and An Inconvenient Truth - movies for every occasion

7/3/16 Ben-Hur, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Art Direction - Color, Best Cinematography - Color, Best Costume Design - Color, Best Special Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Music, Scoring of a Drama or Comedy, Best Sound Recording, 1959, #100 AFI, National Film Registry

A remake of Ben-Hur is coming out soon. I don't know why, I would imagine the comparisons to the 1959 Oscar-winning movie (11 wins), and Charlton Heston as Ben-Hur are going to be inevitable. It's possible that the only knowledge that young movie goers have of Ben-Hur is from the famous chariot racing scene which always seems to be included in any montage tribute to classic films. I have classified Ben-Hur as a 'religious' film in my tags, but it's not as religious (to me) as The Greatest Story Ever Told or  Jesus of Nazareth, in fact the religious awakening/awareness don't come until the last 20-30 minutes of the film. Charlton Heston had himself one helluva a career in just two movies with The Ten Commandments and Ben-Hur (I mean, he did more than that, obviously, but if he only made two, I would have picked these two). Heston plays Judah Ben-Hur, a wealthy Jewish merchant in Judea. Judah's childhood friend, Messala (Stephen Boyd), a Roman, returns to Judea as a tribune. Messala wants to use his friendship with Judah, and Judah's influence, to calm the Jews and get them to tow the line. Judah cannot bring himself to do this, and through a series of events, Judah is sent as a slave on a galley ship. Roman Consul Quintus Arrias (English actor Jack Hawkins) takes an interest in this slave who seems determined and focused and unbent by the extreme physical exertion of rowing. Arrias eventually adopts Ben-Hur (this was actually not uncommon in Roman culture) and trains him as a charioteer. The opportunity arises for Ben-Hur to race against Messala, who has since imprisoned Ben-Hur's mother and sister, and is his mortal enemy. This is the scene I referenced above, and I'm not sure how to describe it, or if I even could in a way that would do it justice. After the race, Judah discovers that his mother and sister are no longer imprisoned, but in a leper colony. Around this same time, Jesus is traveling and preaching through Jerusalem, ultimately being put on trial by Pontius Pilate. The scene of Jesus walking through the streets of Jerusalem, carrying the crucifix does not focus on Jesus, but on Judah watching Jesus, even trying to give him a drink of water. Judah's family experiences a miracle after the Crucifixion, and the anger and hate that Judah had been feeling dissipate. As you faithful readers know, I generally dislike long movies on principle, and while I think this movie could have been a little shorter, I didn't mind because it was so well-done. William Wyler directed (Roman Holiday, The Best Years of Our Lives,  Mrs. Miniver, Wuthering Heights to name a few) and he did a spectacular job, combining the action of battle scenes and chariot races with gorgeous sets and magnificent cinematography, plus getting wonderful performances from the actors. The movie won Best Picture and Wyler won Best Director. Heston won Best Actor. It also won several other Oscars and is #100 on the AFI list and on the national film registry. There is an earlier, silent version of Ben-Hur which is also on the national film registry, and that disk was included in the set from the library, but I ran out of time and had to return it. Also, my brother was coming for a visit and love is not making your 22 year old brother watch a two hour silent movie. I don't know if I will see the new version coming out, perhaps if it's nominated.


7/23/16 An Inconvenient Truth, Best Documentary, Best Original Song, 2006

After all these years, I do not understand how anyone with a critical thinking brain cell can deny climate change and the impact that humans have on this planet. After watching An Inconvenient Truth, I feel even more strongly about that. This is really Al Gore's movie, he presents to audiences around the world on global warming, using powerful graphics, his Southern accent and facts that seem to have been burned into his brain. He is as comfortable talking and explaining the science behind global warming as if he was chatting to friends around a picnic table. Around the scenes of his actual presentation, former Vice President Gore talks about certain events in his life that have had a long lasting impact on his life: his sister's death from cancer brought on by a lifetime of smoking, his son's accident that helped him refocus his priorities, and teachers who influenced him. Gore is not a recent convert to environmental issues, he has been an advocate since he was a congressman from Tennessee in the late 1970s. The movie is ten years old, which is hard to believe, but it's probably more relevant and important today than even when it was released. Gore isn't all doom and gloom, he points out that if we all make incremental changes, the affect can still be felt. It's not too late, but we have to act now. The movie was written by Al Gore and directed by Davis Guggenheim (He Named Her Malala); it also won the Oscar for Best Original Song, "I Need to Wake Up" by Melissa Etheridge. I encourage you to watch this movie as well as a few others about our planet: Racing Extinction, Merchants of Doubt, which requires you to wear your critical thinking cap, and Chasing Ice. These are just a few, but they are powerful in the how they portray what is happening to this planet. For crying out loud, if we can bring Earth to the very brink of destruction in less than 200 years, what hope do we have on some future home, whether it's Mars or some undiscovered sphere?

7/30/16 Boy & the World, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2015 

Watching Boy & the World turned into a 'list exercise' meaning I finished watching it because it was on the list of nominated films for 2015 and, in fact, was the last film on the list. It was nominated for Best Animated Feature, Inside Out was the winner. I'm not going to lie, the movie did not hold my interest at all, I can't even give you a synopsis, except to say that it would have made a good short film, but 90 minutes was too long for me. There was virtually no dialogue, and perhaps that added to its appeal, I don't know. I didn't hate it, I just didn't care. Sorry.

7/30/16 Groundhog Day, 1993, National Film Registry, #71 BBC

Since watching the Ghostbusters remake last week, I  have yet to watch the original, but in an effort to make up for that, I did watch Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray and directed by Harold Ramis. That kind of counts for something, doesn't it? Groundhog Day did not win any Oscars, but it did land a place on the National Film Registry as well as on the BBC's list of the top 100 American films. It has also landed a place in our lexicon when people find themselves doing the same thing over and over (or it feels like it), they say something like, "It's like Groundhog Day." I know I have. Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, an snide, arrogant weatherman in Pittsburgh, who goes to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to wait for the groundhog to come up and see his shadow. Along for the fun are his producer Rite (Andie McDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott). After watching the groundhog come out and see his shadow, the crew try to head back to Pittsburgh, but are deterred by a snowstorm that Phil failed to predict. They head back to town where Phil finds himself in a time loop, and in a twist worthy of a Greek tragedy, Phil has to relive Groundhog Day over and over and over. He goes through a period of despair and tries to kill himself; normally I would not use 'suicide' and 'funny' in the same review, but his attempts and the results, are pretty funny. Eventually he learns to use it to his advantage since he knows exactly what's going to happen next, like answering Jeopardy questions before Alex Trebek can answer them. There's no question that this is Bill Murray's movie, but he does have a good partner in McDowell, who does the only thing you can do and that's play it straight. I don't think we know how or what created this time loop, but I think that's totally okay and is really irrelevant. I enjoyed the humor and the way the story did progress, so even though it was the same day, we see different aspects of that day. I didn't laugh out loud, but I did like it quite a bit and was laughing on the inside.

Around the world - take that, Amazing Race

4/30/16 Around the World in 80 Days, Best Picture, Best Cinematography - Color, Best Film Editing, Best Music, Best Writing - Screenplay, Adapted, 1956

Around the World in 80 Days was based on the novel by Jules Verne, originally written in 1873 and stars David Niven, Cantinflas, Robert Newton and Shirley MacLaine, and features cameos by dozens of stars, including Frank Sinatra, Buster Keaton, Noel Coward, Charles Boyer and Peter Lorre. Stylistically, thematically and with the cast of hundreds, it immediately reminded me of The Great Race and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World. There is a lot going on and so many people popping in and out, I just resolved myself to enjoy it and not get caught up in the details. David Niven plays Phileas Fogg, a wealthy eccentric who engages in a bet with the members of his club that he can make it around the world in eighty days. He sets off with his new valet, a resourceful man known as Passpartout (Cantinflas, who was very well known in Latin American comedic films), and is faced with travel obstacles at every turn. Of course, that is where all the fun is - how will they get out of the situation and who will be in those scenes? Niven is the perfect straight man, playing everything seriously and without any sense of irony, and Cantinflas adds a dash of comedy, physical as well as his interplay with Niven and others. Robert Newton plays Inspector Fix, Fogg's nemesis; Fogg is mistakenly accused of stealing 55,000 pounds from the Bank of England. Shirley MacLaine is Indian Princess Aouda, a young widow who is destined to end up on her husband's funeral pyre, until she is rescued by Fogg and Passepartout. There are things about the movie that are unapologetically British and may be unfamiliar, but I don't think that should turn you off; it's also three hours long, and that may make you reconsider, but I hope it doesn't. It's a beautiful film, using the Technicolor technique/method, and the venues are breathtaking; I've always been a fan of the hot air balloon scene. This is a good family film and a way to introduce geography and travel to young people. The movie won the Oscar for Best Film, beating out The Ten Commandments, Giant, The King and I and Friendly Persuasion; it was very good and certainly epic, but I have a soft spot for The Ten Commandments, and I think it would have been tough to cast a vote among these massive films.

Around the World in 80 Days was probably a subliminal influence on me and my love for travel, and for the biggest trip I have ever taken, when I went around the world for seven weeks in 2006. I wrote a book, which is available on Amazon.com as an e-book, called "Oh, You're a Vegetable". I'm a terrible salesperson, but I'm funny and entertaining (so I've been told) and would be grateful if you would check out my book.And if I sell enough books, perhaps I can go on another trip.

A rare hard copy edition of the book

Prague

Istanbul

Taj Mahal, India

Heaven's Gate - make up your own mind

4/16/16 Heaven's Gate, 1980, #98 BBC

I am going to be perfectly honest -  Heaven's Gate did not suck. Yes, it was long and maybe the four editors could have cut a little more, but I have seen worse. Much worse. I was concerned because I remember when Heaven's Gate was released and it was eviscerated in the press for being too long (the version I watched was almost four hours long), too wandering in its story, and ego ride for writer/director/head narcissist Michael Cimino (Deer Hunter), and just not very good. Growing up on all of that, I was totally shocked to see the movie had made the BBC's 100 Best American Films (I have to say, I am putting less and less faith in this particular list, but I'm too far gone to quit).

The movie opens in 1870 in Boston, Massachusetts with a college graduation from Harvard University, focusing on two friends, Billy Irvine (John Hurt) and Jim Averill (Kris Kristofferson). There's a lot of laughing, not a lot of dialogue and then some unintelligible speeches (at least to me) from the serious and pious Reverend Doctor (Joseph Cotton) and the drunk Billy. The opening scene is about 10-15 minutes and I have no idea why it's there unless it's to show the privilege that produces Billy and Jim, but there is no need for the drawn out scene. We are then magically transported out West where we see a town flooded with immigrants from all over Europe, most of them not faring very well. I had a little problem with the geography because it sounded to me like they kept referring visits to St. Louis, which is in Missouri, but it turns out that most of the story is set in Wyoming; they are not close to one another. Anyway, once I left that distraction behind, I focused on the movie. Billy and Averill are both out in Wyoming; Billy is some kind of gentleman/businessman and Averill is the marshal. It seems the immigrants are stealing cattle to survive, either for food, or some believe for favors at the local brothel. This is spurring on a high level of anti-immigrant feelings, leading to killings and a plan for a mass execution, headed by Frank Canton (Sam Waterston) of the cattle association, and his orders are carried out by Nate Campion (Christopher Walken). Oh, and the woman who runs the brothel, Ella Watson (Isabelle Huppert in her American film debut), is having a relationship with Averill AND Campion (the good thing is she doesn't charge Averill, but she does charge Campion for her favors - apparently that shows she has more feelings for Averill). Most of the movie seems to drag on with fights, drinking, and a rolling skating music video at Heaven's Gate, the local roller rink owned by John L. Bridges (Jeff Bridges). Yes, the movie is named after a roller skating rink, or maybe it's the other way around. The last hour of the movie is actually the best, things start to happen, and it leads to this incredibly violent and crazy shootout with the immigrants and those against the cattle association go on the offensive against the cattle association and their hired hands. It's very chaotic, and not very organized; wagons weren't designed to run in tight circles over and over, so of course they tip and it seemed more people were killed because of runaway wagons or horses. Before this all transpired, Averill quit as marshal and was ready to head back East, but his conscience gets the best of him, and he joins the immigrants and helps them construct Roman inspired war machines and gives them a brief boost, but it's not enough.

Enough about the story. The movie has an incredible cast, many of them in the early days of their careers or just before they hit it big. Waterston is refreshingly evil and unlikable as Canton, he makes you forget his longtime role as Jack McCoy. Kristofferson was nominated for a Razzie for Worst Actor, but I didn't think he was terrible; I think the role required a restrained performance with a lot below the surface. Sometimes I thought the issue was more with the script than his acting. Isabelle Huppert was my favorite actor in the movie as Ella Watson; maybe it was the French accent, but I like to think I'm more evolved than that. She was tough, sensitive, funny, held her own with a mostly male cast. I'm not sure what Bridges character was for, except to create the roller rink, and maybe be Averill's pal. Walken was really good and showed a lot of depth as well: romantic, tough as nails, a good friend, and although sometimes it's hard to see, a sense of morality.

I think if the movie had been made in the last few years, and shown on the History Channel (it's sort of based on historical events), Netflix or Amazon as a two or three part series, it would have found an audience and maybe even been nominated for a Golden Globe or something. There is a bigger appetite for longer programs if it's over a couple of nights. Not to say that would have remedied everything, but it might have helped with some of the issues. Or not, it seems that Cimino was a huge control freak and there was a lot wrong, but I'm feeling optimistic. What's that? Are you asking me if you should see it? If you like action westerns and have four hours at the cabin when it's raining, yeah, I would say to watch it. Or a snowy weekend.