Best Picture Nominees: 1917, Parasite, Jojo Rabbit, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

1/19/20 1917, nominated Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, 2019

National World War I Museum and Memorial, Kansas City, MO

1917 sure did get a lot of nominations, but nothing for the actors. I've seen that before, of course I can't remember when, but what does that say about the movie? Is it really the best picture? I don't know. Not for me. It was very good, great effects and the cinematography is spectacular. 1917 is set in northern France near the end of World War I. Lance Corporal Thomas Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) is given an unenviable, and almost impossible, task of crossing through no-man's land and German territory to warn another regiment. Blake is selected because his brother is in the other regiment; his friend Lance Corporal William Schofield (George MacKay) was the victim of dumb luck. Director Sam Mendes and the production designers do a phenomenal job of recreating the horrible trenches that were such a huge factor in World War I. I really don't want to give away too much of the plot (that's pretty much the company line for the other movies below). I think it was a really good decision to not cast well-known actors in the two main roles, it would have been too distracting; there were cameos by Benedict Cumberbatch and Colin Firth, and I kind of think they were a little distracting. Roger Deakins filmed the movie beautifully and with quite a bit of effort to make it look like one continuous shot. If you're still able to catch the film in the theater, I hope you can see it; some movies should be seen on the big screen and this is definitely one of those. I think it will win a lot of awards, but I don't think it's best picture.

Exhibit of Trench Warfare, National World War I Museum and Memorial, Kansas City, MO

1/25/20 Parasite, nominated Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature Film, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, 2019

South Korean film Parasite wins the award for the most misleading title. Yes, I do know why it's titled that NOW, but I didn't before I watched it, and the name was one of the reasons I didn't want to see it. Stereotypically, a movie called "Parasite" would be a horror movie, something with an invasive species or something. In case you're wondering, that doesn't happen. What does happen is a story unfolds about class wars, envy, deceit mixed with satire. Don't be put off because it's in Korean, or it has a creepy title, it is an original idea with original characters. Co-written and directed by Bong Joon-ho (Snowpiercer), Parasite has social commentary mixed with some biting sarcasm and a little bit of suspense. We first meet the Kim family, a down-on-their-luck clan, living in cramped basement quarters and leaching off the wi-fi signal of their neighbors and trying many different scams to earn money. When son, Kim Ki-woo, gets a job as an English tutor for Park Da-Hye, the daughter of the wealthy Park family, Ki-woo sees possibilities for his family to improve their situation. And that's all you'll get from me. This is another film that has been nominated for Best Picture, but no actor nominations, which I don't understand, maybe because it was really an ensemble piece with eight 'leads' (well, maybe 6), but there could have been at least a supporting nod for Lee Jeung-eun as the housekeeper. I really liked Parasite, it wasn't a remake, a sequel, a reboot or based on real events (as far as I know); I know I keep harping on the originality, but it was so fresh. I would be willing to bet that an American version will be out in the next five years. I think it will win Best International Feature Film; I haven't seen any of the other nominees, so this is going on past awards and a gut feeling. This is out now on DVD or streaming, so check it out.

Seoul, S. Korea

1/25/20 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, nominated Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, 2019

Sigh. 161 minutes, everyone I know has commented on how long The Irishman is, but nobody has complained about the length of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but they were both too long. I liked half the premise, a visit to old Hollywood and the shows of the 1950s and 1960s, a washed up actor, Rick Dalton, (Leonardo DiCaprio) trying to be relevant again. I also thought it was an interesting twist to include his stuntman/driver/gopher, Cliff Booth, (Brad Pitt) in the mix, creating the buddy movie element. Parallel to Rick and Cliff trying to find work is the introduction of the Manson Family and Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), Roman Polanski and friends; eventually they all intersect. Eh. DiCaprio and Pitt were both nominated for Oscars, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, but I didn't see anything in DiCaprio's performance (compared to his own past performances and other 2019 nominees) that deserved an Oscar nod. I thought Pitt's performance was worthy of the nomination, I thought he was more fun to watch and had better scenes. I think the Best Actor is probably going to go Joaquin Phoenix, but I'm not sure about Best Supporting Actor.

1/26/20 Jojo Rabbit, nominated Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, 2019

Jojo Rabbit is one of my favorite movies of this year because of its originality (with a nod to Mel Brooks), humor, satire, tenderness and the three young actors. Jojo Rabbit is set in the later years of World War II, and ten year-old Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) has regular conversations with his imaginary friend Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi, who also wrote and directed) and is eager to join the Hitler Youth with his pal, Yorki (Archie Yates). His patient mother, Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) gently chides Jojo about his dedication to the Fuhrer, while protecting him from a dangerous secret involving a young girl, Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) hidden in the house. I'm not really sure I can describe more of the story without giving away some of the surprises I had while watching it. I enjoyed watching looking at the world through Jojo's eyes, even as horrible as it could be during a war, as he endured heartbreak, love and small victories, and learned to shed his devotion to Hitler. Also in another terrific supporting role is Sam Rockwell as Captain Klenzendorf; seemingly devoted to the cause because he has to be, not necessarily because he is a rabid believer. He shows Jojo kindness and protection that Adolf can't give. As far as the nominations go, I don't understand thinking a movie is Best Picture, but you don't nominate the director of the movie? I'm not sure how it's going to do against the other nominees, but I know who I'll be rooting for. And I can't wait to see Davis and Yates in more films. I would say if you have not seen Jojo Rabbit, do yourself a favor and watch it. I may watch it again after the awards.

Oscar noms are out and I have so much work to do: Darkest Hour, The Greatest Showman

1/7/18 Darkest Hour, nominated Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Costume Design, 2017

Winston Churchill is one of the most confounding personalities of World War II, or maybe even the first half of the twentieth century. I say this not just after watching Darkest Hour, starring Gary Oldman as Churchill, but after reading a biography of his wife, Clementine Churchill. Churchill was in charge of one of the most devastating failures of World War I, Gallipoli, and it was a long road to regain the faith of his party, Parliament and the British people. This is important to understand the film, because it references it several times as Churchill's enemies try to dislodge him from his role as Prime Minister. Joe Wright directs this occasionally claustrophobic film, set in the Cabinet War Rooms, that were located underground, and from where Churchill directed the war. The timeframe for the film is the week or two leading up to the evacuation of Dunkirk, and Churchill's constant battles with former Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (Ronald Pickup) and Viscount Halifax (Stephan Dillane). Churchill can be vitriolic and immovable in his manner, which is tempered by his unflaggingly faithful wife, Clementine (Kristin Scott Thomas) (who played a significant role during the war, not covered here, due to scope creep only, I'm sure). Oldman is terrific as Churchill, and he's barely recognizable under the makeup; he captured the power of Churchill's oratory, especially in his last speech, when even Chamberlain is forced to admit defeat. I would suggest watching Darkest Hour and then Dunkirk, and then reading Clementine: The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill by Sonia Purnell, which provides great insight into Mrs. Churchill, but also Churchill himself.

Photos from the Cabinet War Rooms in London

1/7/18 The Hero, not nominated, 2017
Okay, here's a quick review because nominations just came out and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I saw a clip for The Hero starring the mellifluous voice of Sam Elliott (well, all of him, but you know his voice best of all), and the reviews were great, and it was at Sundance, and I thought perhaps Elliott would be nominated for an Oscar. Well, as I found out today (and guessed after watching the movie), there were no nominations forthcoming. Elliott is Lee Hayden, an actor who hasn't done a lot lately, smokes way too much pot with his fellow actor buddy and drug dealer, Jeremy (Nick Offerman), when he meets Charlotte (Laura Prepon) who is buying drugs from Jeremy. There's a lot of existential angst as Lee deals with his mortality and his damaged relationship with his daughter, Lucy (Krysten Ritter). I wanted to care, but I couldn't.

1/20/18 The Greatest Showman, Nominated Best Original Song, 2017
Faithful readers (raise your hands) may remember my review of last year's multi-nominated film, La La Land was less than enthusiastic. It just didn't move me, in spite of all the hype. In The Greatest Showman, my response was the absolute opposite. I loved the music ("This is Me" is nominated for Best Original Song); I thought the set designs were gorgeous; the message was powerful and positive; Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum was a force, and yet, only one Oscar nomination. I cannot vouch for the historical accuracy of the film and Barnum's life or the beginnings of his circus, but this isn't necessarily about history, it's about people, and being different, and an outsider, and finding strength in being unique. Sure, it sounds heady and perhaps a little overreaching for a musical, and maybe I'm buying the hype, but I am not the only one. One of my movie friends saw it with me for the second time (I missed out original date with a yucky cold) and she loved it just as much. Michelle Williams is Charity Barnum, P.T.'s supportive and tolerant wife; Zac Efron is Phillip Carlyle, Barnum's partner, whose goal is to bring in more highbrow clientele. Of course, there are a few bumps in the road: people in the city don't like 'the freaks' and get violent and hostile; Barnum sees dollar signs when he brings Swedish singer, Jenny Lind to America for a tour, but loses sight of what's important; Carlyle and Anne (Zendaya) face the racism of Carlyle's family. All of these obstacles are overcome with nary a swear word, no bloody bodies and no uncontrolled sex, making it the perfect PG movie for family night. I'm glad I saw this on the big screen, and I urge you to go before it's gone.

Last of 2016 winners The Salesman, along with Alice in Wonderland and Saving Private Ryan

8/11/17 The Salesman, Best Foreign Film, 2016

It took me so long to watch The Salesman, I think I had it at my house for over a month (ugh) and I wish I could say me delay or wait was rewarded with an inspiring or moving film...and I wasn't. The Salesman was surrounded by controversy because it was an Iranian film and the President of the United States (god that makes me gag) signed an order banning citizens from Iran and six other Muslim countries, and director Asghar Farhadi threatened not to attend (and he did not). In 2012, Farhadi's film A Separation won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film (I liked A Separation much more than this film). The main characters are Emad and Rana, a married couple who are acting together in a production of Death of a Salesman, which is supposed to act as a frame for the film. Rana is raped by an unknown assailant, and in addition to the stigma of being raped, Rana has to deal with Emad trying to find her rapist. I found the utilization of the play to be a distraction and unnecessary to tell the story. I didn't think this was the best foreign film of the nominees, I think Land of Mine, A Man Called Ove or Tanna were better. 

8/19/17 Alice in Wonderland, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, 2010

Tim Burton makes movies that are wonderful to look at, sometimes he makes movies that are also fun to watch, and Alice in Wonderland is one such movie. The visual components are so striking that they can overwhelm the story, but I don't think that's true here, it's close, but the Lewis Carroll's story of that impertinent Alice and her friends in Wonderland is engaging, with fun and sometimes nonsensical dialog. Mia Wasikowska is Alice; Johnny Depp is the Mad Hatter, decidedly over the top, eccentric and definitely mad; Helena Bonham Carter (one of my favorites) is the tantrum-prone Red Queen; Anne Hathaway is the White Queen; Crispin Glover is the Knave (Jack) of Hearts the late Alan Rickman is the Caterpillar; Stephen Fry is the Cheshire Cat; and that's just some of the cast. I will admit that sometimes I get distracted trying to keep track of who is doing what voice, but that's not just for this movie. Alice is desperately unhappy about the imminent proposal of Hamish Ascot to be his lovely, quiet and well-behaved wife, and she is lucky to escape down the rabbit hole where she meets the above mentioned cast of characters and has many mind altering adventures. The actors seem perfect matches for their roles; it's hard to imagine anyone else but Johnny Depp as the Hatter or Rickman as the voice of Absolem. I think Lewis Carroll and Tim Burton were made for each other. If you're looking for a family night movie, and you haven't seen this in a while, or at all, I recommend making a double feature with this and Alice through the Looking Glass which did not fare as well critically, but I liked it.

Alice in Wonderland display at Minnesota State Fair 2017

Alice in Wonderland display at Minnesota State Fair 2017

8/19/17 Saving Private Ryan, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Cinematography, Best Director, 1998, #71 AFI, National Film Registry

Here's another film that I'm a little behind the times on, like twenty years or so, but in fairness to me, I have tried on and off for the past three years to watch it, but either the DVD wouldn't play or some other reason. Anyway, the good news for YOU is that I finally watched it and it's off of three lists. BAM! Being serious for a second, I felt more compelled to watch Saving Private Ryan, directed by Steven Spielberg, after my disappointment with Dunkirk. I definitely got what I was hoping for in this case. The movie opens with US forces landing on Omaha Beach as part of the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France. Tom Hanks stars as Captain Miller of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, Tom Sizemore as Sergeant Horvath, and a cast of familiar faces, including Giovanni Ribisi, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper and Vin Diesel. The first 27 minutes are incredibly intense and chaotic and you get some small (very small) sense of what it was like to be on that beach. It was interesting to read some of Spielberg's comments about how he decided to film those shots. Once the men get to relative safety, Captain Miller is given another assignment, to find Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), who has been airdropped but nobody is sure where he is, and bring him back so he can be sent home. This is in response to his three brothers being killed in action. The movie follows Miller and his hand-picked team as they move across France, encountering different obstacles along the way; almost like Odysseus and his men. Spielberg paints a pretty horrific picture of battle, nothing is sugar-coated, men, boys really, cry out for the moms as they are dying on the battlefield; men vomit with nerves, seasickness; death is not some peaceful endeavor, although it gives a permanent respite to the bullets and bombs. The acting was more of an ensemble piece as opposed to a starring vehicle, even though Hanks was probably the biggest name in the cast, and Damon doesn't show up until over an hour into the movie, but you really needed all of the different characters to tell the story. I'm glad I finally watched it, and not just because of the lists.

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 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.

2017 Nominated Documentary Short Subjects

This is my 300th entry. The girl's got staying power.

Documentary Shorts at the Riverview Theater, Minneapolis, 2/14/17

If I had to pick my favorite category of the Oscars, I think it has to be the documentary shorts. There are always two or three (or more) that are so well done, inspiring, heartbreaking, enlightening, that I practically bully people to go see them (I like to think of it as 'encouraging', but I suppose it depends on your perspective). This year, I was crying pretty much from the first 10 minutes of the first film until the end of the last film. I think that's why I like going alone; I don't need anyone to see me sobbing like the Cleveland Indians just lost the seventh game of the World Series in the last inning of the game. Human beings are incredibly resilient, and given the chance, I think most of them do the right or good thing, and that is so evident in the following films.

Joe's Violin - Joseph Feingold survived a Soviet prison camp in Siberia during the Second World War and afterward, while in a refugee camp in Germany awaiting transport to the United States, he bought a violin with a carton of cigarettes. Little did he know that over sixty years later the violin would be bringing joy to a whole new generation. Through an instrument donation program in New York City, Joseph donated his violin and it wound up at the Bronx Global Learning Institute for Girls Charter School and with Brianna Perez, a 12 year old student chosen because of her passion for playing. There are three segments to the movie: Joseph's story, Brianna's story and the story of them together. Brianna and her fellow students are all eager to meet Joseph because to them he is a hero. When Brianna and Joseph meet, it was the most beautiful moment; she played a piece by Grieg that Joseph's mother sent to him while he was at the Russian camp; his mother and youngest brother died in Treblinka. Beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Looking at Joseph and the young girls at the school, many of whom come from immigrant or refugee families, that is the best of America. The movie can be viewed online here: http://www.joesviolin.com/watch-now. PBS will also be showing it at some time.

Extremis - End of life discussions are incredibly difficult when people are healthy; who thinks of extreme measures like life extending tracheotomies when you're running around and enjoying life? This Netflix production looks at those very moments that are so important and can be so painful for a family to make, especially when they don't know what the patient wants to do. The movie was filmed in the Intensive Care Unit of Highland Hospital in Oakland, California, and we look over the shoulder of Doctor Jessica Zitter who has to have those conversations several times a day. Dr. Zitter meets with patients and their families to lay out the treatment options, if any, and what the expected prognosis is; unfortunately, the prognosis may only be another month or two. She does this with care and kindness, trying not to impose her own beliefs on to the families, like when she really doesn't think that extra intervention will add to a quality of life, and yield no cure. She has several moments where she looks utterly exhausted and defeated, but she keeps going. It probably sounds weird to say this is a great documentary; but it is, and a powerful one. It certainly points out the importance of creating a health care directive, if for no other reason than to ease the burden on family members who may be wracked with guilt about making the wrong decision. This is available on Netflix streaming.

4.1 Miles - This collection of documentaries contains more 'heroes' than I recall seeing in previous collections. In 4.1 Miles, the heroes are the captain and his crew who run a Coast Guard boat in the waters around the Island of Lesbos, rescuing refugees fleeing from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan through Turkey. The waters can be rough, the boats overfull of panicking and frightened people, and the ship's crew is stressed and overworked. It would be easy for the captain (I apologize I cannot remember his name and I cannot find it) and his crew to be angry or resentful of these people who endanger their lives, but they're not. They do get scared because they are responsible for all of these people, including very young children; they get angry because it seems the Greek government and the rest of the world don't care and aren't providing enough assistance; they get sad and upset because some that they are trying to rescue, die. But they don't give up; you see the whole island pulling together.

Watani: My Homeland - I cried, I laughed, I cried and I cheered. This is another documentary about the Civil War in Syria, this time focusing on a family whose father is a Commander in the Free Syrian Army. Abu Ali and his wife, Hala, are devoted to each other and their four children, Hammoudi, Helen, Farah and Sarah, and they are likewise devoted to their parents. They live in Aleppo, or rather survive there as they hope the bombs miss their current apartment and that Abu Ali comes back from his missions. One day Abu Ali is betrayed by his men to ISIL, and the family waits anxiously for his return, now less safe without Abu Ali. Hala doesn't want to leave, but the attacks are getting worse, and the children are more frightened. When Germany announces they will take 20,000 refugees, Hala decides they need to apply; they know nothing about Germany except it's not getting bombed. The film follows them as they journey from Syria to Turkey to Germany, landing in a small, medieval village (according to an informational video they watched, population is dwindling at a rapid rate as old people die every day - this was one of the lighter moments as we, the audience knew the video was mild propaganda, but the children did not). Their new world is 180 degrees different than their old lives, and the children get acclimated fairly quickly, learning German and making new friends. Hala carries this great sadness, as well as a load of guilt for leaving Syria in case Abu Ali is alive, and for leaving her homeland. She denounces ISIL for their perversion of Islam and destruction of her country. In a way she reminded me of my mom, a person who has suffered tremendously, but yet has a strength and fortitude that is unexpected, all for her children and her husband. The two youngest children provide the laughs, speaking their minds and seeing the world through their young perspective. I think everyone should watch this movie, especially if you have a fear of the refugees, or if you don't believe how perilous the situation is or you think these people are a threat. I suppose you might not change your mind, but I hope you do. They didn't want to leave 'their Syria', Hammoudi talks about returning to Syria one day to rebuild his country. They just want a chance to live and be safe. I hope the family is thriving in Germany.

The White Helmets - This is another Netflix production, and another film with a cast of heroes. The White Helmets are civilians who act as first responders throughout Syria, attempting to rescue their friends, neighbors and families who may be buried under rubble after the bombings. A few of the White Helmets give us their stories and why they have joined; they come from all walks of life, have young children and could be staying at home with them, but they all this incredible sense of devotion to this very dangerous task. We see them on various rescue missions, with mixed successes. The men are sent to a training facility in Turkey to learn new rescue techniques, using different types of equipment and getting a brief respite from the bombardments, but not from the stress and worry about their families. Even as the men strengthen their bonds with each other, after their exercises, they watch television coverage of the destruction from the Russians, the Syrian Army and ISIL; one of the men's brothers is killed while he's away. You feel their hopelessness at being so far away, but they also know they are learning techniques that may save lives. Like Halal and her family, the men in the White Helmets love their country and hope one day for peace.

I cannot even pick a winner. They all deserve to have their stories told.

International Rescue Committee: https://www.rescue.org/
The White Helmets: http://www.whitehelmets.org/en
Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation: http://www.mhopus.org/

Looking for an adrenaline boost? Deepwater Horizon, Jungle Book, Rogue One, 13 Hours

1/29/17 Deepwater Horizon, nominated Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects, 2016

Holy shit. That's all I have to say. To think that 'only' eleven people were killed when the Deepwater Horizon essentially exploded probably sounds callous, but honestly, the fact that so many people did escape and survive is unbelievable. Peter Berg's film starts off with ominous foreboding, with the crew who is supposed to do some concrete testing leaving before that happens, and BP executives complaining about being over budget and behind schedule. You might think you were watching something like Towering Inferno or Earthquake, a fictionalized disaster film with a few heroes saving the day...except, it was true and it happened. Mark Wahlberg as Mike Williams and Kurt Russell as James Harrell, called Mr. Jimmy by his crew are the good guys and John Malkovich as Donald Vidrine and Brad Leland as Robert Kaluza from British Petroleum are cast very clearly as the bad guys. Vidrine is pushing to get the rig ready to drill, and Mr. Jimmy (and most of his crew) are not sure everything is safe. They run a few tests, but don't get the anticipated red flags, and begin the process. Things go badly almost immediately, and even though I knew the outcome, it was mind-blowing to watch as events unfolded (I'm sure there was some dramatization, but I have no doubt there was extreme chaos and havoc being wreaked), and unreal how these guys (almost all guys except for Andrea Fleytas (Gina Rodriguez)) still tried to stop the pumps, help each other, get the lifeboats, etc. etc. From an action movie standpoint, I was on the edge of my seat. Mark Wahlberg plays certain roles very well, the action guy with a big heart, and he does that here. That's not a knock or anything, I was certainly rooting for him. I love Kurt Russell (most specifically his hair, but that's for another time) and he does not disappoint here as Mr. Jimmy, who knows his crew, knows the task at hand and totally understands that BP's managers are motivated by the money and not the safety of the crew on the rig; he does everything he can to forestall the operation to guarantee the well-being of everyone. Fleytas stands out as the only woman (that we see) on the rig, but she is entrusted as the rig navigation officer (I don't know how those rigs work, but this one seemed HUGE and full of so many moving parts and components). On more than one occasion, I wanted to punch John Malkovich's character in the mouth, which may have been the reaction he wanted. There is a domestic component with Kate Hudson playing Felicia Williams, Mike's wife; Mike and Felicia are Skyping when the explosions start. It may have happened in real life, but I think it interrupted the flow of the movie and wasn't entirely necessary. The Deepwater Horizon disaster happened in 2010, but the effects are still being felt in the Gulf. The movie is definitely worth your time.

2/3/17 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, nominated Best Sound Mixing, 2016

This is another historical event that played out in front of my eyes; I remember watching the television in the lunchroom at work and not wanting to believe it, and also remembering there was so much confusion and unreliable news reports. Similar to Deepwater Horizon, we see the events behind the news stories. In 2012, Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens visited a diplomatic compound (not an official embassy) in Benghazi, Libya, on the anniversary of 9/11. Meanwhile, a controversial film was released on the Internet which inflamed already tense and aggressive feelings towards Americans. These aggressions were taken out on the compound and a 'hidden' CIA outpost. There are conflicting reports on what happened and what was said, and I have no concrete information, and because these events had repercussive effects on the most recent election, I'm not qualified to comment. As a movie/story, it was a look into the men (mostly men?) who served in the US military and then return to the Middle East as contractors, with all of the risk, but none of the benefits or recognition. As in Deepwater Horizon, we have a 'villain' in the guise of the CIA chief at the outpost, who is adamant the group not reveal themselves to the locals, even if their assistance is needed urgently by the ambassador's team at the diplomatic compound. I'm not a huge fan of director Michael Bay; I'm not sure he would know restraint if it tapped him on the shoulder, but he does give the viewer a sense of being under siege with the soldiers.

2/4/17 The Jungle Book, nominated for Best Visual Effects, 2016

I loved this movie. It surprises me to say that considering I wasn't even going to watch it until it turned up on the list. Jon Favreau did a tremendous job with this live action/CGI take on Rudyard Kipling's stories and obviously the Walt Disney film of The Jungle Book. It combines action, humor, and some music (although honestly, I hardly noticed the music) with some very well-known voices including Bill Murray as Baloo the Bea; Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, a black panther; Lupita Nyong'o as Raksha, a wolf; Idris Elba as Shere Khan the tiger, Mowgli's nemesis; Scarlett Johansson as Kaa, the hypnotic python; Christopher Walken as King Louie, a giant ape (which would have been extinct); and Giancarlo Esposito as Akela, the leader of the wolf pack. The big unknown is the young actor who plays Mowgli, Neel Seethi. This has everything that the classic animated film (and practically every classic Disney film) has, which is anthropomorphic animals that interact with each other, speak with one another, and in this case, speak to the young human among them. Mowgli was found by Bagheera when he was a baby and brought him to Akela and Raksha. Mowgli grows up along with his wolf brothers and sisters and learns the wolf ways, and the ways of the jungle from Bagheera. Things are fine until Shere Khan comes to the community watering hole and threatens Mowgli and his wolf family. This sets Mowgli on his journey as he leaves his wolf family to go back to the human world; as he travels, he meets Kaa the python, and narrowly escapes her clutches, as well as Baloo who is played so perfectly by Bill Murray; and eventually King Louie, king of the monkeys. The screen time with Baloo and Mowgli is hilarious, as Baloo tricks Mowgli into getting his honey from some very angry bees. As much as I loved the visual aspects of the movie, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the characters and the story and dialog. The voice actors were perfectly cast (well, I did struggle a little with Walken's East Coast accent); Elba was suitably menacing, while Kingsley was almost like Obi-Wan Kenobi; I didn't recognize Nyong'o as the voice sounded like a much older actress, but she was wonderfully strong in the face of Shere Khan. Neel Seethi is really amazing for such a young actor, acting with puppet figures and making it very believable. I would say the movie is child friendly, but with many Disney films, there are a few dark elements that might be scary for really young children, but I think kids will enjoy Mowgli's adventures with the animals.

2/5/17 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, nominated Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, 2016

You know that feeling you get when you realize the movie you're watching isn't as bad as you thought it was going to be, and even better, that it's actually pretty good and you're enjoying it? Yeah, that feeling. That's how I felt about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Rogue One can be viewed as a standalone movie, but it has definite ties to the Star Wars saga. Felicity Jones is Jyn Erso, daughter of Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) a research scientist and a key player in developing the Death Star. Diego Luna is Cassian Andor a captain in the Rebel Alliance. There are no Wookies, but there is a wise-cracking droid, K-2S0, who was reprogrammed by the Rebel Alliance; his exchanges with Jyn and Cassian were some of my favorite moments onscreen. Forest Whitaker is Saw Gerrera, a radical in the Rebel movement and guardian of Jyn when she was a young girl. I honestly think this whole story line could have been eliminated and no harm would have been done to the rest of the plot. I like Whitaker, but he seemed a bit over the top in this role. Boiled down to the most basic plot: the Rebel Alliance is fighting the Imperial Forces and are under threat of an incredible world destroying weapon; Jyn, Cassian and a small cadre of Rebel soldiers take on the job of trying to find the plans of the Death Star. Lord Vader makes a few appearances and is more menacing than I remember. We also get brief glimpses of the beloved C3P0 and R2D2. Once the movie passed the point of Saw Gerrera, I felt the pace picked up and we could get down to brass tacks. My favorite two characters (after K-2S0) were Chirrut Imwe, a blind warrior who seemed a lot like a Jedi to me, and his friend and foil, Baze Malbus; their bickering could not hide their deep friendship and loyalty to one another. The action and effects were spectacular; and I enjoyed the nod to the past films, and trying to figure out how it would all tie together. Even the score tipped its hat to John Williams, while using original music created for this film. I'm glad I saw this on the big screen; I might have even liked it in 3D. This is the front-runner (in my mind) to win the Best Visual Effects Oscar, right up there with Dr. Strange. I'm not sure where it will fall with the Sound Mixing award.

Back to the Future, Close Encounters of the boring kind, Apocalypse Now

10/30/16 Back to the Future, Best Sound Effects Editing, 1985 #56 BBC, National Film Registry

I don't have any deep, insightful comments for Back to the Future. If there is some philosophical meaning, I've missed it. I can say that over 20 years later, it's still a fun movie. I can even say I understand why it's on the National Film Registry, but not so sure why it's on the BBC list (that list has to be the most perplexing of the four). Anyway, in case you have lived under a rock or are under thirty and you are not familiar with Back to the Future, a brief synopsis follows. Michael J. Fox is Marty McFly, a sort of hip high schooler who is friends with Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), a 'mad scientist' with a dream of building a time machine. Marty's parents, George and Lorraine (Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson) are less than average, schlumpy and defeated, especially in the eyes of Biff (Thomas F. Wilson), a high school classmate and George's boss. Doc Brown builds his time machine, in the form of a DeLorean and powers it with plutonium stolen from a group of Libyans. Doc Brown gets shot at by the Libyans as he his ready to test the DeLorean, and McFly jumps in trying to escape. Marty goes back to 1955, when his parents were in high school. Marty tries to fit in as the new kid and being a peer to his parents. All kinds of time shifting things can and do happen. Fox is perfect as McFly, with a wise-cracking and and engaging manner. Lloyd, who is also known to fans of the television show Taxi as Reverend Jim, is addled and compelling, the science teacher we all wish we had. The movie is fun and has fun with the time travel aspect, including Marty McFly influencing Chuck Berry and his duck walk. It also raises the question of what happens if you change one little thing in history - what else gets changed? The movie is fun and family friendly, and has tons of great trivia questions (like, do you know what a DeLorean is?). It won't go down as one of my favorite movies ever, but I also don't resent watching it again (see below).

11/4/16 Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Best Cinematography, 1977 #75 BBC, National Film Registry

Oh my god. I didn't really get into this movie when I saw it the first time almost 40 years ago; I thought there was a chance that now that I'm older and wiser and appreciate things that I didn't before (early bed times, vegetables, Westerns), maybe I would like it now. Nope, no, uh-uh. I kind of liked the last 10 minutes, but honestly, I just didn't care. I just could not suspend my sense of disbelief for any length of time. In my opinion, not one of Steven Spielberg's best films, even though it's #75 on the BBC's 100 Best American Films, and it's on the National Film Registry as being of historical significance. Perhaps I'll give you that it was groundbreaking; I'm sure my dad would say that, in fact, I think he owned it, but he also made me watch Star Trek  re-runs my entire childhood.

11/5/16 Apocalypse Now, Best Sound Mixing, Best Cinematography 1979, #30 AFI, #90 BBC, National Film Registry

There are a couple of versions of Apocalypse Now, but I only watched the original cut, which is the one that was nominated for the Oscars and is on all three of the other lists. Apocalypse Now is set during the Vietnam War, but is based on Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness, which is set in the Congo (I have not read the book, so I cannot do any kind of compare or contrast). The movie is seen through the point of view of Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen), and follows his journey to find Colonel Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando) and kill him; Kurtz has created his own ideology, and in turn, amassed loyal and fanatical followers, some from the army, but some also from the indigenous Montagnards in Cambodia. He has become a threat to army and they want him eliminated. The time that Willard actually spends with Kurtz is far less than the time spent on the journey up river with members of the PBR Street Gang, led by the Chief, Chef, Mr. Clean (a very young Laurence Fishburne) and Lance Johnson. They're not all that thrilled with having to escort Willard and they have their own conflicts, with him, each other and others in the military. The group meets up with an Air Cavalry regiment, led by Lt. Colonel Kilgore (Robert Duvall), who admires Lance Johnson because of his reputation as a surfer (Kilgore/Duvall also utters the famous phrase 'I love the smell of napalm in the morning'); Dennis Hopper as an American photojournalist who seems to be under the spell of Kurtz. I was surprised that Sheen wasn't nominated for Best Actor for his role; it's through his eyes we experience the story, and the senselessness of the war and the death that surrounds the him and his comrades in arms, the twisted irony that is his mission: trying to kill a decorated U.S.Special Forces colonel in neutral country, a man who would otherwise be a hero. The movie is filled with complexities, a lot of dialogue, symbolism, multiple viewings reveal different things; it's also a movie that comes with its own legend and movie about the movie Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse. None of this is surprising when you consider that Francis Ford Coppola directed, produced, co-wrote the screenplay and the score. I was shocked and a little upset that a movie this intense, well-acted (Hopper annoyed me and have the time I couldn't understand what he was saying, but aside from that), thought-provoking, only won two of the eight Oscars for which it was nominated. And, not to disparage Kramer v. Kramer, but really? Kramer v. Kramer won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (again, Sheen not even nominated), Best Adapted Screenplay. That's kind of like would you like a really good frozen pizza or a delicious pizza from (Twin Cities' own) Pizza Luce. Um, Pizza Luce please. Which one do people still talk about 35 years later? It's an investment in time and attention, but one that I think is totally worth it. It has far more of a place in cinematic and social history than many of the other films of that year.

Three more nominees from 2015 - Joy, A War, Embrace of the Serpent

Has anyone seen my motivation? Not to see movies, I've seen plenty, but I have been having a tough time writing about them. I have spent the past week looking for pianos all over downtown Minneapolis and writing about that. You can check out how busy I have been here, on my newest blog: http://travelingfoolmn.blogspot.com/2016/06/mission-accomplished-rest-of-pianos.html. 
But, I have watched some movies from 2015 that were also nominated, so, finally a 'timely' entry.


6/18/16 Joy, nominated Best Actress, 2015

This was a weird movie for me. At first I wanted to see it, I love Jennifer Lawrence and Robert DeNiro, and I thought the story could be interesting. Then, as time wore on and my list of must-see movies got bigger and time got shorter, I lost the desire. I don't know how people who watch movies every day do this job, by the end of February, I was done. So, here we are, around four months after the Oscars and I finally watched Joy on a DVD rental form the library. I'm okay with spending a dollar to watch it in the comfort of my own home. If you don't know, Joy is based on the real life of Joy Mangano, a housewife turned inventor from New Jersey, and obviously Lawrence plays Joy. The invention that is focused on is the Miracle Mop and the fights that Joy had with suppliers, distributors, and her own family. I tried to care, and I did occasionally, especially when Joy had enough with her family or another person, it was very cathartic, but her family was unbelievably despicable that I was annoyed a lot of the time. It was definitely a strong performance by Lawrence, but not her best in my opinion, and it was definitely Cate Blanchett's year for her role in Carol. Robert DeNiro is Joy's father, Rudy, who is self-centered and hopelessly needy, so he marries his third wife, Trudy (Isabella Rossellini), who has money and she helps to fund Joy's venture, but not without strings. Bradley Cooper is in sales at QVC who helps Joy with selling the mop on television; it's not a particularly great role, but it reunites Cooper, DeNiro and Lawrence for at least the third, maybe the fourth time in a David O. Russell production. I don't think this is a must see movie unless you have it on a list.


6/24/16 A War, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2015

There were really good films in this category, and as I have mentioned in my previous posts, I would have been hard-pressed to make a decision. A War, the Danish entry for Best Foreign Film, shows us the war in Afghanistan from the perspective of Danish soldiers in the Helmand province, and also the impact on the company commander's family back in Denmark. In one way, you could have put American, British or Canadian soldiers in the film, but I think from an American perspective, it is good and important to show that there are other countries sending soldiers to these war zones and they also suffer from the same stresses and injuries. It also shows company commander Claus Pedersen's wife and three young children coping with his absence. There isn't a lot of melodrama or angst, just his wife, Maria, trying to get through each day with their middle son, Julius, showing the most outward signs of missing his father and resenting his absence. Things seem be going along 'normally' in Helmand until Pedersen's company is under fire and Pedersen makes a decision that might have saved his company, but has a deadly impact on some of the local residents. It's a situation that probably happens more than anyone would want to admit; it's like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea, and one can only hope for the best outcome. The movie was good and certainly topical, but after it was over, I felt a little let down. I was hoping for a little more drama and suspense, something was missing.

6/25/16 Embrace of the Serpent, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2015 

Colombia's Oscar entry, Embrace of the Serpent, is another film that I liked, but I didn't love. I found it difficult to really get involved and interested in the whole story. It follows Karamakate, a shaman who lives on his own in the Amazon, but two Westerners come upon his 'doorstep' and he sets off on adventures with them. The meetings take place in 1909 and 1940. Karamakate tries to defend the culture of his people who have been wiped out by colonizing forces in their quest for rubber and other botanical gifts of the Amazon. The two men he meets are on their own quests to learn more about the interior of the Amazonian jungle, including plant life, but also about the people who remain. The story presents the clash of cultures from a couple of different angles, and to me, in the current geopolitical climate, they are eye-opening reminders that different areas of the world have been colonized, settled, pillaged at the expense of the indigenous people and resources, and the colonizers stay to enforce their will and their religion. These people never asked to be colonized. Karamakate is bitter about the whites and their conquest of his land. Karamakate is used to connect the stories of the two white explorers, Theodor Koch-Grunberg and Richard Evans Schultes, who were real people. There are a lot of things that happen in the movie and if you are not familiar with some of the history of that area, you may not pick up on them or understand the relevance; I'm no expert, but thank goodness for that liberal arts education at a Jesuit college. This may or may not make it harder to get into the film. I think it's worth seeing because it takes most of us into unfamiliar territory, but I think it would have been difficult for it to win the Oscar given the other films.

Brando, Lloyd, Nicholson, Connery and Bogart - check out these classics: The Maltese Falcon, Goldfinger, On the Waterfront

I want to be clear: I LOVE libraries, what a great community meeting place, and a great source for free stuff: books, music, classes, and movies, especially movies. So, I really try not to get too upset when I get DVD that looks like someone took a scouring pad to it or ate peanut butter from it. Three movies in this review were problematic and two more were so bad, I couldn't even watcth them. ARGH, I was excited to watch In The Heat of the Night, and mildly interested in seeing It's a Wonderful Life (I have seen it years ago, and I know it's on television during the holidays, but I wanted to watch it on my time and without commercials), but the DVDs would not play. Maybe next time. I would ask that if you borrow DVDs or CDs or even old fashioned books from the library, please take care of them; just because they are free, doesn't mean they can be mistreated. They are for all of us. Cheers and happy watching.

12/23/15 On the Waterfront, Best Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Story and Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, Best Art Direction - B&W, Best Cinematography - B&W, Best Film Editing, 1955 #8, AFI, National Film Registry

On the Waterfront won EIGHT Oscars in 1955 including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. I watched it years ago and liked it, but I wanted to watch it with fresh eyes and after watching hundreds more movies. Elia Kazan directed Marlon Brando (Terry Malloy), Karl Malden (Father Berry), Lee J. Cobb (Johnny Friendly) and Eva Marie Saint (Edie Doyle) in this dark story about corruption on the docks. Terry Malloy is a washed up boxer working on the docks and doing favors for the leader of the mob, Johnny Friendly. Unfortunately, one of the favors gets Joey Doyle killed; Joey's sister, Edie, wants answers. There are investigators from the Waterfront Crime Commission that are trying to get dockworkers to talk about what Johnny Friendly is doing. Due to feelings of guilt for Joey's death and growing feelings for Edie and the pressure coming from Father Berry, Terry considers testifying before the commission. Clearly this would not be good for Johnny and he tells Charley (Rod Steiger), Terry's older brother, to set Terry straight. This sets up the classic scene in a taxi, with Terry and Charley and Terry saying "You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody instead of a bum, which is what I am.". I don't often tell you that you have to see a movie, but if you have not watched On the Waterfront or have not seen it in a while, you really should see it. Marlon Brando is amazing, restrained, strong but vulnerable. This is one of the reasons that Brando is considered one of the very best. This was Eva Marie Saint's first film and she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Malden, Steiger and Cobb were all nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and they probably cancelled each other out, because all three were very strong, although sometimes I find Karl Malden and Lee J. Cobb too much; Steiger played such a different role than his lead role in The Heat of the Night which won him the Best Actor Oscar. But really, to me, Brando is why I watched this movie. There are political undertones because as Terry testified so did Kazan, but to the House Un-American Activities Committee which led to a backlash against Kazan by some in Hollywood.

Brando worked with Kazan and Malden a few years earlier in A Streetcar Named Desire for which all three were nominated for Best Oscars, with Malden winning that year. As a note, I was supposed to get the movie version of A Streetcar Named Desire at the same time as On the Waterfront, but someone inadvertently requested the play instead.


12/25/15 A Few Good Men, nominated Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Mixing, 1992

My normal routine on Christmas Day is to go see a movie in the theater with my friends, but we didn't want to see Star Wars or any of the other movies in the theater at the time. So instead we ate some really good food and watched some older releases, including A Few Good Men starring Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and Jack Nicholson who pretty much steals every scene he is in. Lieutenant Daniel Kaffey (Cruise) is in the Navy's Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps and is known for being quick to take a plea bargain and for his irreverent attitude towards regulations; Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway is an investigator in the JAG and has a reputation for plodding and taking a long time to resolve cases. They end up working together representing two Marines charged with murder. Colonel Nathan Jessup (Nicholson) has his sights set on a national post; he is also incredibly egotistical and dismissive of Kaffey and Galloway. A Few Good Men was written by Aaron Sorkin (West Wing, Newsroom) based on his play, and it is taut and suspenseful. The scene where Jessup is cross-examined by Kaffey is one of the best scenes ever. Gene Hackman won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in Unforgiven; it would have been a tough call for me. The movie is filled with young actors like Kevin Bacon as Jack Ross representing the Judge Advocate Division; Kiefer Sutherland, Noah Wyle, Cuba Gooding, Jr. It's probably not the traditional Christmas movie, but we all enjoyed it.

12/25/15 Goldfinger, Best Sound Effects Editing, 1965

"Gold-fingaaaaa", I mean how can you not burst into that song when you hear that title? Goldfinger was the third James Bond movie and starred Sean Connery as Bond. Bond is trying to figure out what Auric Goldfinger is up to with his gold smuggling enterprise. The adventure takes him from Miami to Switzerland to Ft. Knox in Kentucky. The Bond girls in the movie are the ill-fated Jill Masterson (Shirley Easton) and the capable and beautiful Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman, previously of The Avengers TV series). Of course there is also the henchman, and in Goldfinger we have Oddjob (Harold Sakata) who has a lethal derby hat as well as lethal hands. The Aston Martin is duly decked out, but it doesn't really last more than twenty minutes before it's trashed, which is a damned shame. There is some not great acting and definitely a suspension of belief, but that's what most movies are (I say that as a reminder to myself when I get upset that my superhero movies get too preposterous). Connery is so smooth as Bond, and he really seems to enjoy the fighting, quips and the women - not necessarily in that order. The movie won for Best Sound Effects Editing, and I was surprised that the title song sung by Shirley Bassey and written by Leslie Bricuse, Anthony Newley and John Barry. Travesty. This is also the movie where "A martini. Shaken, not stirred." made it's first appearance. All in all, a fun movie on Christmas Day.

1/1/16 The Maltese Falcon,  1941, #31 AFI, National Film Registry

I think the first time I saw The Maltese Falcon with my dad, years ago. I didn't quite appreciate Bogart or John Houston or anything really (that could apply generally to my life as well as specifically to this movie). This is another movie I wanted another chance to see and put in perspective with the other movies I've seen, including those with Bogart. This was Bogart's first real starring role and he places private detective, Sam Spade, who finds himself in the middle of a con game gone quite awry. This was also John Houston's directorial debut, and the first of several films where he teamed with Bogart. The Maltese Falcon is based on the book of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and set in San Francisco and is considered one of the first films noirs. Mary Astor is Ruth Wonderly who tells Sam and his partner Miles Archer a story about her missing sister and a mystery man. Things are not quite as they seem, and Archer is killed, and then people start asking about the Maltese Falcon, including Joel Cairo (Peter Lorre) and Kaspar Gutman (Sidney Greenstreet) (both men would join Bogart in Casablanca a few years later). There are double crosses and red herrings, cigarettes and whiskey. The movie was nominated for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Greenstreet) and Best Adapted Screenplay by Houston. Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor went to the film How Green was My Valley. There were some interesting filming techniques and the cinematography is really well done. It may seem a little stiff and old fashioned by today's standards; if it was made today, there would be more sex, more swearing and more blood, I'm sure, but the movie still works. Bogart shows why he was cast as Rick in Casablanca and how Houston became one of the America's great directors. The mystery is still there, which is why I haven't really told you too much. If you want to find out about the Maltese Falcon and why people are willing to die for it, you need to watch the movie.

1/3/16 Safety Last!, 1923, National Film Registry

Whether you realize it or not, you have probably seen a small part of this silent film. You know, the part where this guy is hanging off a clock attached to a tall building. You know it. Well, that's Harold Lloyd, one of the more famous silent film actors after Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Lloyd is known for his over-sized glasses. The plot is really just a conduit for some great comedic pratfalls and pranks, but here is a brief synopsis: The Boy (Lloyd) goes off to the big city to make his fortune so can bring The Girl and get married. The Boy has a hard time making any money and paying rent, but eventually he gets a job in a department store. There are some pretty humorous scenes with crazy customers and an overbearing supervisor. The Boy has a friend, Limpy, who is a construction worker and can climb great heights on buildings. The Boy wants to use Limpy's skill to win $,1000 from the department store's general manager for attracting people to the store. Limpy is to climb up the to the top of the building. The Girl comes to the city to see how The Boy is doing and she thinks he's the general manager, and leads to more comedy as The Boy barks out orders to the staff, and they follow him. Limpy has his own encounters with a policeman who is not amused by too much. Honestly, for me, I wanted to see the scene that I was familiar with in the context of the movie (like Chaplin eating his shoes in Gold Rush), and I didn't know what to expect. I'm consistently amazed when I watch silent films that I don't miss the words. You can get the general idea of what's going on by the action, the intertitles and the music (often an updated score has been added, and I mean more than the original piano or organ music, but nothing crazy like synthesizers or anything like that). The comedy speaks for itself (no pun intended), if you're looking for something different to watch and you want to see a classic, check out this film (or something by Charlie Chaplin).

PSA: This doesn't really tie into any movie or theme in this entry, but I wanted to share this information with you anyway regarding food insecurity and children and how you can help if you are in the state of Minnesota (your community may have similar 'backpack' programs). There are over 200,000 children in Minnesota that deal with food insecurity, that is to say, they may rely on food programs at school during the week or other food subsidies. Some children do not have any food over the weekends and that makes it difficult to come back to school Monday ready to learn. The Sheridan Story in the Twin Cities area helps to provide these children with packages of food to help them get through the weekend. It's not gas station food (Twinkies, high sodium ramen, etc.) but fruit, vegetables, pasta. My firm helps to deliver these packages to a Minneapolis school on Fridays and we do it with mixed feelings, we get the warm fuzzies helping these kids but it's brutal to think this may be all they have for the weekend and that there are children in this country that are hungry. Anyway, if your company or church/synagogue/mosque is looking for something to do in the community that will have an immediate impact, please look at this website: http://www.thesheridanstory.com/ 
Thanks for reading.

Veterans Day 2015

Veteran's Day comes around and I think of a couple of things, I guess. The first is, obviously, to think about the men and women who have served our country in the armed forces, and the few that I have known personally. I also think about World War I, the war to end all wars, which led to Armistice Day, later Veteran's Day, being designated. And then I think of Doc. I had the pleasure of working with Doc in his 4th career, after a career in the Navy (two tours in Vietnam as a medic); a nursing career; a records management career; and lastly, a career as my sparring partner and mentor. Doc was from a family of 17 who grew up on a farm in Wisconsin and regularly dispensed folksy wisdom as he tried to educate and cajole the 'kids' in the Records Center (my Records Center, as I like to refer to it). Anyway, I always think of Doc because he was born on Veteran's Day and left a great impression on so many of us.

So, in honor (which sounds so pretentious) I'm going to recap some of the military-themed movies I've reviewed over the past few years.

Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1  won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short for 2014 and I couldn't agree more. The film focuses on the crisis center that responds to calls for help from veterans and their families. It's a powerful reminder that even those these men and women are more than 'willing' to fight and defend our country, they are not always able to cope with civilian life after their experiences. It's as much a look at the veterans calling in as it is a look at the responders, many of whom are veterans. This should be required viewing for any congressman/senator looking to cut funding for veterans' services.

The Invisible War  was nominated for Best Documentary in 2012, and I believe it should have won. It takes a hard, unflinching look at sexual assault in the military. There is still so much work to be done in Congress (you know, when they're finished being asshats) and it may be a good time to watch this film and contact your Representative and Senators to ask them to support legislation from Senator Kirsten Gillebrand of New York.

All Quiet on the Western Front  won Best Director and Best Production (Picture) in 1930. It's set during World War I and shows the conditions of trench warfare. Some older movies are tough to watch because the production quality is not what we're used to with our 21st century technology, but I think it's very good and overall the movie is worth watching.

Unbroken is a bio-pic about Louie Zamperini, an Olympic runner and World War II veteran and a survivor of Japanese prison camps. Zamperini was an amazing survivor, having to dig deep in his mental, emotional and physical reserves. Zamperini is opposite The Bird a sadistic camp sergeant who has made it his mission to destroy Zamperini. There is also a book of the same name, and I think they complement each other nicely, the book goes into more detail about Louie's life after he gets out of the camps and it's almost as difficult as it was during the war. It's just a different kind of difficult. I recommend watching the movie and reading the book.

Fury was not an Oscar-nominee, and I did think it should have been recognized for it's sound editing and effects. Fury focuses on tank warfare during World War II, and I don't think there are many movies that have done that. Tanks are similar to submarines in that they are self-contained fighting units, but they can also be fiery tombs under the wrong conditions. When used in movies, they also create a sense of claustrophobia and tension which is good for storytelling. My brother and I liked the movie; it was pretty action-packed from the beginning, taking a break to pursue a different storyline, but then back to the action.

Other movies to check out:
Mrs. Minver  - set during WWII, starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon
The Best Years of Our Lives  - set during WWII, this movie won seven Oscars and is a look at three WWII veterans as they try to fit into society after the war, starring Myrna Loy, Fredric March and Harold Russell, who was the first non-actor to win a competitive Oscar (Best Supporting Actor)
American Sniper - set during the war in Afghanistan and based on the life of Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL and sniper.

 

Avengers, Billy Joel Live, Woman in Gold and more

The first two weeks of May have been filled with variety of the cinematic, television and musical kind. I am happy to present to you, May.

Turn Left at the End of the World, 2004

I don't remember how this movie ended up in my Netflix queue. I'm sure I randomly clicked it or read the synopsis and thought it would be interesting. And it was. Turn Left at the End of the World is set in the Negev desert in Israel in the 1960s and it focuses on the newer immigrants from Morocco and India. I did not know there were immigrants from India; I was aware of Moroccan Jews, but not really of their lives in Israel. Two girls, one from an Indian family and one from a Moroccan family, become friends despite their families' differences and disagreements. Both groups are wary and judgmental of the other. The movie is mostly in Hebrew but also in English and French. I think if you're looking for something a little different in terms of topic and locale, this might be of interest.

5/1/2015 Woman in Gold, 2015, not yet nominated

Woman in Gold is based on the true story of Maria Altmann and her fight to get back several family paintings taken by the Nazis during the Second World War. I mentioned this story about a year after I read the book The Lady in Gold, the Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt's Masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer by Anne-Marie O'Connor. Helen Mirren stars as Marie Altmann and Ryan Reynolds is Randy Schoenberg, her reluctant attorney who takes up her cause and int he process, learns a little more about his own history. The movie uses flashbacks to help tell the story of Maria and her family's life, including her beloved aunt, Adele Bloch Bauer, who was at the center of many social gatherings in Vienna and the subject of an historic painting by Gustav Klimt. Mirren is wonderful as always, avoiding sentimentality but dealing with things in a determined, matter-of-fact way, occasionally with stubbornness, a little humor and a hint of satisfaction at the end result of her case (not smugness, though); Reynolds is up to the task, showing a bit of reluctance at even taking on this case, but eventually getting drawn into the enormity of the issue at hand and the connection to his own family (his grandfathers were Austrian composers Arnold Schoenberg and Eric Zeisl; Schoenberg is specifically mentioned as a friend of the Bloch Bauers), as well as matching wits with the very sharp Altmann/Mirren. There are very definite good guys and bad guys here, without guns or weapons, just a history of anti-Semitism and a desire to bury the past. Schoenberg and Altmann are met at every turn with roadblocks from the Austrian government, but Schoenberg finds loopholes in international and US law that allow them to pursue their case. There was something about Toman, the official from the Belvedere Museum that made me want to hiss and boo. Schoenberg and Altmann are assisted by Hubertus Czernin,(Daniel Bruhl) a Hungarian journalist who believes that in order to heal and move forward, Austria must acknowledge and make amends for its role during the Holocaust. I enjoyed the movie and am so glad this story has made it to film, but I was glad I read the book first because even though I struggled to get through the first hundred pages or so, O'Connor provided a rich background of life in Vienna in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and especially culturally; she also included information about the wider Bloch Bauer clan and what happened to the different members of the family. Obviously, that couldn't all be put into a ninety minute movie. I liked the movie, but if you haven't seen it on the big screen, I think it's a great film for your DVD or streaming pleasure, but you should see it.

5/2/15 Avengers: Age of Ultron, 5/2/15, not yet nominated

Followers of this blog will recall that I love my superhero movies, and as you can imagine, I have been waiting for this movie and the others promised by Marvel over the next few years. Age of Ultron reunites our heroes from the first Avengers movie and adds War Machine, Falcon, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch and my favorite, The Vision, plus a new villain, Ultron. The movie opens right away with an action/fight sequence with the team fighting a Hydra outpost; this is where Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are introduced (if you saw the last X-Men movie, you may recall that Quicksilver made a key appearance there as well). There is some awesome action sequences, especially towards the end, but to be honest, there was too much talking for me. I just want flying and fighting and stuff like that, I was not thrilled with the subplot with Hawkeye (I have to agree with a column I read that Hawkeye should have been knocked off instead of the character who was); and I thought the subplot with Black Widow and The Hulk was ridiculous. I could use more Black Widow and other female heroes, so I am happy they added the Scarlet Witch to the mix (although it took a very long time for Elizabeth Olsen to grow on me, and I'm still not 100% there). On a side note, a friend of mine and I, who often discuss the merits of superhero movies, talked about how there are so many good female characters, enough to create their own movie. Oh well, maybe another time. I love The Vision and can't wait for more of him (played by Paul Bettany). I also LOVED how James Spader brought Ultron to life with his voice dripping with sarcasm, irony and  and all the characteristics that make his Raymond Reddington character so enjoyable (and the best thing about The Blacklist). Without disclosing too much of the plot, what I will say is this not my favorite Marvel movie (although I still liked it) and it seemed more like a bridge to the upcoming Captain America: Civil War and other movies like The Black Panther and the next Avengers. My guess is that it will get nominated for one or more of the effects categories. 

5/9/15 Father Goose, Best Writing, Story and Screenplay, 1964

I love Cary Grant, not in that way, because I would have a lot of explaining to do, but I love his movies. Father Goose features a less than dapper Cary Grant as Walter Ecklund a drunken, ne'er do well, who finds himself in the South Pacific as the Japanese are threatening invasion to the islands. He is coerced/bribed into becoming a coast watcher for the Australian Navy. Ecklund is not really interested, but he really doesn't have a choice. He is sent on an unexpected mission to another island where he meets Catherine Freneau (Leslie Caron) who is in charge of seven young girls. Walter and Catherine are very different and exchange barbs and witticisms, with the girls often taking Catherine's side, until one of the girls, who has not spoken a word, forms a bond with Ecklund and they begin working on his boat that was damaged by the Australian Navy, essentially to strand him on the island. Relations improve between Catherine and Walter after they mistakenly believe she has been bitten by a poisonous snake; the audience is in on the misunderstanding and it's pretty funny. The group soon finds itself under attack from Japanese planes and tries to get off of the island. I certainly do not think this is the best movie ever, or the best Cary Grant movie ever, but it was fun to watch; one might even say 'cute'. There is a lot of drinking, it's pretty much Walter's raison d'etre, so it's hard to say this is a 'family movie', but there's practically no real violence (the gunshots don't really hit anyone), there's no swearing (I don't think, nothing sticks out, maybe a 'hell' or 'damn'), the kids are cute in the precocious 1960s way. This movie came towards the end of Grant's film career, in fact it was the next to lat movie that he did. Watch The Bishop's Wife or The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer for a glimpse of him in his prime.

Billy Joel, The Target Center, Minneapolis, 5/16/15

I've been to a lot of concerts over the past two years, and I have to say, that I feel very fortunate that every one of them has been a great experience; I've seen solo acts with just their guitars, I've seen bands with great stage shows and I've had fabulous seats, I've gotten signed CDs, etc., overall, I have not regretted a single event. Last night with Billy Joel was no exception. I've had the chance to see Billy Joel in the past, thirty years ago, in fact, and I just never wanted to. I must be getting old and nostalgic, but I really wanted to see him this time around, even if it was going to be at the Target Center, my least favorite venue. Gavin DeGraw opened up the show and he was full of energy and excitement and the crowd was very receptive. I appreciated his stage presence and performance, but I have to say, after twenty minutes, his stuff sounded the same. That may be because I am not as familiar with his material or because it really did sound the same. After realizing I was in the wrong section (it was not my only 'duh' moment of the evening), I scooted over one section to the left and waited for Mr. Joel to take the stage. Thank goodness for the screens, otherwise, I would have to take it on faith that he was on stage because I was pretty close to the roof (did I mention I hate this venue?). Billy opened with "My Life" and then played most of his well-known songs and a few gems that the hard-core fans really enjoyed. He played with a great energy and the band seemed to be really having a good time. There wasn't any of the 'arena rock' planned banter, it came off as being a conversation between a guy and 20,000 of his friends, it was easy, self-deprecating (he looked up at his image on the screen and said he thought he saw his dad; joked about the tiff between him and Elton John and songs about his former wife, Christie Brinkley) and appreciative. He gave the audience the chance to pick a couple of songs early on in the set. Songs included "Pressure", "Allentown", "Uptown Girl", "Vienna" (a song I had never heard before), "The Downeaster Alexa", "She's Always a Woman" (a favorite of mine), as well as a bit of "Like a Rolling Stone" just before he started "Piano Man". The encore had to be about 20 minutes or more and included another favorite "Big Shot", as well as  "You May Be Right" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me". His band would have been fun to watch if I had not been blinded by the landing lights that totally obscured them. That is probably my only issue with the concert, is the lights were so overwhelming and you couldn't watch the band rock out; if the camera wasn't on them, they weren't on the big screens. I love a band/performer that uses a horn section, and he had a trumpet, saxophones, slide trombone, with only three people. They were great and all multi-instrumentalists. My other issue is the woman behind me; look, I love rocking out to my favorite bands and singing with them (just wait until the Indigo Girls in July), but she was so high pitched and behind the count, that it was a little distracting. Love her passion, just wished it was quieter. I definitely got my money's worth that night, and I so enjoyed myself I didn't even care I went to the wrong parking garage to get my car.