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

9/8/17 Rope, 1948

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Nominated documentaries of 2016

Life, Animated, nominated Best Documentary, 2016

Life, Animated is about Owen Suskind and his family and how they have learned to cope and communicate with each other despite the challenges presented by Owen's autism. Owen's father, Ron Suskind, a journalist, wrote a book about it and then it was subsequently made into a documentary. Roger Ross Williams (Music by Prudence) directed this charming and uplifting and very insightful documentary; and the Suskind family was very open in sharing their experiences and their concerns about Owen's future. Owen is 23 years old when the film starts, but home movies take us back to when Owen and his older brother, Walter, were little, before and after Owen developed autism. Owen essentially stopped speaking when he was three years old, and remained very uncommunicative until his father discovered that he could communicate by using Disney characters and dialog. Owen uses Disney films to express his feelings and to relate with the world; he will speak dialog or reference characters. Disney helps him open up, and at his school he starts the Disney Club, so his friends, who also relate to Disney can share their experiences and what the films mean to them. Owen is getting ready to graduate from his school and move into independent living in a community with other young people with autism, including his girlfriend. It's about an hour away from his parents, and he'll be on his own to look for a job, make his meals (he has counselors who help him with these living skills). Williams interviews Owen, and his parents and his brother. They all speak very honestly, with Owen and with the director. His older brother Walter feels a great responsibility for taking care of Owen as his parents get older; it's not resentful, but it can be overwhelming. Williams doesn't focus on that; he shows the brothers playing miniature golf and Walter trying to have a conversation with Owen about his relationship with his girlfriend, Emily. Owen is a very talented artist, and he creates his own cartoon/story based on sidekicks (as in the sidekicks from Disney and some of his own creations), because that's what he feels he is. There is so much more, but I don't want to spoil it. I will just say, you should watch it, if you have kids or don't, if you know someone on the autism spectrum or not; it's just a wonderful human interest story. It's the 'lightest' of the nominees, and depending on what the voters are looking for this year (which has been a weird year), it could go to Life, Animated or to OJ: Made in America (watching now) or the other three (which I have not seen as of this writing).

OJ: Made in America, nominated Best Documentary, 2016

I sat down to watch OJ: Made in America thinking I would watch an episode at a time, spreading it out over a week because how could I sit and watch over seven hours of OJ Simpson? Well, if I could have physically sat and watched all five episodes in one night, I absolutely would have done so. It was that captivating and enthralling. I made the mistake of thinking it would be only about his trial for the murder of his wife, Nicole and her friend, Ron Goldman. That was the connecting theme, but the documentary was so much more than that. It looked at OJ's life from his days at junior college as a football phenom all the way through to his incredible fall from grace after the civil trial about the murder of Nicole and Ron to the memorabilia debacle in Las Vegas. One of the people interviewed (I cannot remember who) said his was the American story: the rise and fall of an American hero. If you're a regular reader here you know how I start to squirm if a movie goes over two hours; no squirming here after watching three hours at a time, I just wanted more. The director/producers from ESPN talk to friends, teammates, adversaries, business partners as well as using archival footage to paint a very well-rounded portrait of the man we know as "The Juice". It's a complicated picture of a man who seemed to be very aware of his charisma and charm, who loved the glitter and spotlight that he found in Los Angeles, and yet could be incredibly self-centered. Interviewers include former detective Mark Furhman, whose inflammatory language and denial of it played a huge role in the fate of the trial; Marcia Clark, Bill Hodgman and Gil Garcetti of the District Attorney's office (Christopher Darden declined); and Fred Goldman, Ron Goldman's father. Simpson's story is told within the context of race relations in America, specifically in Los Angeles; it provides a history which may or may not be familiar to those watching. Some of the crimes committed against the black community (yes, that's what they were) I was aware of, but others, I had no idea. Sadly, it's almost like we have not moved on from those times at all. I recommend watching this, with the caveat that there are some very grisly crime scene photos and adult language.


13th, nominated Best Documentary, 2016

I was telling a co-worker today about 13th, they documentary directed by Ava DuVernay, the director of Selma, and I found myself getting agitated. 13th refers to the 13th Amendment of the Constitution, specifically this statement: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. The movie looks at the evolution of prisons and imprisonment since the 'end' of slavery and what was free labor provided by millions of slaves. Imprisonments of blacks increased because the need for labor had not decreased at all. DuVernay provides us with a wide array of interviews, from professors of history, sociology, economics to former inmates of the justice system to attorneys specializing in representing those who are vulnerable and susceptible to the faults in the system, and politicians (Angela Davis, Newt Gingrich, Bryan Stevenson, Van Jones, Cory Booker, Henry Louis Gates among just a few). She packs a lot of information in just 100 minutes. Over 150 years of racism, institutionalized and politicized racism, is explained and examined; how black men were portrayed as animals and dangers to white society, and those portrayals and the resulting fears justified imprisonment and subsequent brutal treatments. It was infuriating to hear, from the mouth of Lee Atwater, advisor to Ronald Reagan, the strategy to demonize blacks in order to frighten whites and drive them to the Republican Party, even though he knew he was lying. I suppose lying is par for the course in politics, but the consequences of Atwater's lies, as well as Richard Nixon's strategies and other Republican operatives, continue through today, and with tearing the country apart as the result. The film also examines the privatization of prisons, that is running prisons for profit, using prison labor as a means to increase profits for companies. I thought the film was very well done; our history is even more relevant than ever; watched in tandem with OJ: Made in America, the viewer gets a pretty thorough overview of the issue of race in America. It might make you uncomfortable, and it should; it made me uncomfortable and angry. If we, as a country, are going to truly come together, we need to acknowledge the past and the impacts that it has had on our collective being. I passionately recommend 13th (streaming on Netflix) and OJ: Made in America, as well as these two books: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative eji.org and A Lesson Before Dying by Earnest Gaines, which is fiction, but representative of the criminal justice system in the first half of the century.

Drama, Animation, a Short and Basketball: LA Confidential, Beauty & the Beast, Wasp, Hoosiers

1/7/17 L.A. Confidential, 1997, Best Supporting Actress, Best Writing - Adapted Screenplay, National Film Registry

It's hard to believe that at one point in time Russell Crowe was 'unknown' in the United States, but it's true. Back in 1997 Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce were known mainly in Australia and New Zealand, yet they were put in starring roles in L.A. Confidential. Pearce is an up-and-coming police officer, Ed Exley, living in the shadow of his father, who was killed in the line of duty; Exley is a rule follower, which can be problematic because of the corruption running through parts of the department. Crowe is Bud White, an LAPD detective who has anger issues and isn't above beating a confession out of a suspect. It's 1950s Hollywood and the two men find themselves on opposite ends of case involving a Hollywood gossip magazine writer Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito), a cop/consultant to a Hollywood television series, Det. Sgt. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), White's partner, Captain Dudley Smith (James Cromwell) and a call girl who resembles Veronica Lake, Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger in her Oscar winning role for Best Supporting Actress). Does that sound like a lot going on? Yeah, it is. It is not a movie to watch while you're multi-tasking, trust me. I'm not going to try and recap the plot, there's too much going on and if you haven't seen it, I would hate to ruin it for you. I liked the way the story as told, giving you some information up front in your face, but also leaving enough hidden and up to your own detective skills, that it does keep you engaged. Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland won the Oscar for Best Writing for an Adapted Screenplay. Exley is earnest in his desire to follow the rules and do things the right way, but he does learn to play the game; White is a good detective, but may look to enforce the law his way; Vincennes seems jaded and skeptical, but something about the case at hand reminds him that he must have been a good detective at one point. 1997 was the year of Titanic, and Gloria Stuart was nominated for her role as 'old' Rose, and she was my sentimental favorite even if I hated the movie itself (okay, not hate, but after seeing it 15 times, I never need to see it again). Minnie Driver was also nominated for her role in Good Will Hunting. L.A. Confidential takes all of the elements from 1950s Hollywood: the scandals, the gossip magazines, taboos (sex and drugs), drugs and corruption, and pulls them into a suspenseful thriller.


1/7/17 Il Divo, nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, 2008

When I saw that Il Divo was directed by Paolo Sorrentino, who directed The Great Beauty (which I loathed), I almost turned it off. I mean, it was only a nominee after all. But, that would be against the spirit of the almighty list. Il Divo is based (I cannot comment on how accurately) on the political life of former Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. Bad things seem to happen to people around Andreotti, like they died under mysterious circumstances. Unless you're reading Wikipedia as you watch this, or you're very familiar with Italian politics, a lot of what happens makes little sense, even with little explanations that pop up on screen. Sorrentino use of music is alternately annoying and interesting; which is what I thought in The Great Beauty and Youth, but it's not enough for me to like the movie. The film was nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling which seems so strange to me considering ALL of the movies released in a year, that this was nominated in that category. It lost to Star Trek.

1/8/17 Wasp, Best Live Action Short, 2004

A friend and I were talking about short features and how they have to pack so much into a really short amount of time (you have read that before from me). A lot of the filler or extra plot lines have to be left out to focus on the one main theme. In this case, it is Zoe, a single mom of four young kids somewhere in England, struggling to just get by. At one point the kids are hungry and she gives the oldest a bag of sugar and tells her to 'share it out' with the other kids. She meets up with an old boyfriend, but can't find anyone to watch the kids, so she brings them to the pub and leaves them outside, bring them two packs of crisps and a Coke to share. Zoe doesn't tell David that she has children, much less that they are outside the pub. This could go all kinds of bad, and I found myself getting ticked off at Zoe, but you can see she loves her kids, and is just so overwhelmed, and is stressed and probably scared and could use some help. There is no telling how this ultimately resolves, but I was hoping for the best.

1/12/17 Beauty and the Beast, 1991 Best Music Original Score, Best Music Original Song, National Film Registry

It has been a very long time since I've seen Beauty and the Beast, and I don't remember loving it the way so many people did and do; don't get me wrong, I like it, I like the 'staff' of the castle, Lumiere (Jerry Orbach) and Cogsworth (David Ogden Stiers), and of course Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury), and the story, of course, but I haven't watched it in 25 years, so clearly, I'm not that attached to it. I wanted to make sure I saw it before the new live action movie comes out in early 2017. The Beast (Robby Benson) has locked himself away in his castle for many years because, he's a beast; he used to be a prince, but because of his arrogance and ill treatment of an old beggar (really an enchantress in disguise), he was turned into a frightening beast and his staff were turned into household items, like a candlestick, armoire, clock, tea cup, etc. Belle (Paige O'Hara) is a young village girl who likes her books and independence; she lives with her father, an inventor. Belle is also pursued by the muscle-bound but clueless, Gaston. After her father disappears, Belle goes looking for him, and finds him in the enchanted castle that also happens to be where the Beast lives. The Beast is less than pleased with the intrusion of Belle and her father, he makes a deal to let her father go, but Belle must stay. At first the relationship is a little tense, but the Beast begins to have feelings for Belle, and as they learn about each other, accept each other's differences, love begins to grow. Of course, it's never that simple. Gaston rallies the villagers against the Beast and attacks the castle; to say that Gaston made a tactical error would be a small understatement. The film score and one of the songs ("Beauty and the Beast" sung by Angela Lansbury and also Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson) won Oscars, music is a large part of what makes the film so beloved. The movie was the first animated feature to be nominated for Best Picture. Little girls love to be Belle, and I don't think it's just because she gets the prince, but she is an independent young woman, who loves to read and learn and make up her own mind. Clearly the film and story resonate because there have been so many different incarnations: musicals, Disney on Ice, Disney World and Disneyland, straight to video sequels, and of course, the upcoming live action film. So, I guess while I don't personally love it, I did like it and think it's a good story and movie for families.

1/13/17 Hoosiers, 1986, National Film Registry

How have I never seen this movie? Seriously, I have never seen this story about an underdog basketball team from small town Indiana, starring Gene Hackman as head coach Norman Gale. Hoosiers is set in 1950s Hickory, Indiana and the high school team is getting a new head coach. Like many small towns, strangers are looked at with a bit of skepticism, and it's no exception here. Norman Gale has a bit of a mysterious past and some unconventional coaching methods which lead the townspeople to question his every decision. Not only are his coaching methods under scrutiny, but Gale brings in Shooter Flatch (Dennis Hopper), the father of one of his players, who is also the town drunk. Shooter is a fan and student of the game, and Gale gives him a moment to shine in front of his neighbors, and his son. Even though Gale tries to keep his past to himself, one of the teachers, Myra Fleener (Barbara Hershey) finds out why he is no longer coaching college out east, but is in rural Indiana coaching high school. Hopper was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Jerry Goldsmith was nominated for Best Score. 1986 was the year of Platoon, Hannah and Her Sisters, A Room with a View and several other big movies, so maybe there just wasn't enough room at the table for Hoosiers, but it certainly has had lasting value in the pantheon of sports movies. It's a great story of underdogs beating the odds, whether that's the small town of Hickory, its basketball team, Shooter, or Coach Gale finding his place. I really loved this movie. Gene Hackman is one of our great actors, if he is playing Popeye Doyle, Lex Luthor, the coach in The Replacements, the bad guy in Unforgiven, or Coach Gale. There's something about his acting style that doesn't seem like acting. Hopper is really good and less annoying than he was in Blue Velvet. The kids who played the players were good and believable, but I don't know if any of them continued with acting. If, by some freak of movie watching, you have not seen this movie, I totally recommend it.

Documentaries, short and long form: Robert Kennedy, the Iraq War, Dark Horse, Public Education

You may have noticed an increase in the number of documentaries reviewed recently. I suppose it's like when people crave vegetables (that rarely happens to me, but I've heard about it); I just wanted something MORE in my film watching, and the fictional films were proving to be more miss than hit. So, using MELSA's Interlibrary Loan program (man, I love that), I have been binge watching documentaries. The downside to that is I feel like I've had my heart broken, even when I look for some glimmer of hope. 

12/21/16 I am a Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School, Best Documentary, 1993

I always hope that when I watch an older documentary that whatever the 'issue' that is being addressed, by the time I watch the film, it's been 'fixed' or 'improved'. I don't think that is unreasonable, especially when the film is about the education of children in the inner city. I mean, that has to get better, right? I am a Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School takes a closeup look at the Stanton Elementary School in North Philadelphia in the early 1990s. North Philadelphia is mostly black, mostly poor, and made up of children from single parent homes, fighting drugs and gangs on every corner. The principal is Dr. Deanna Burney, a white woman, with a passion for 'her kids' and education, equitable education for inner city kids, who often get so much less funding than their suburban, white counterparts. Dr. Burney walks through the playground, calling out to the kids by name, asking about their families, how they're feeling, are they going to do good work, etc. The movie focuses on a few of the children, their interaction with Dr. Burney, and the interaction with the parents. School can be hard enough, but when you add hunger, potentially violent conditions, a single parent doing their best to work and take care of their children, but falling short, attention and behavior issues, plus inadequate funding, it's a Sisyphean task. Dr. Burney and her staff do their best to educate the kids between and among the distractions, but it is so hard. We watch as parents breakdown as they struggle to get the children to understand that school may be the difference between breaking the cycle of poverty and drugs and just giving up due to desperation. Teachers are frustrated with having to be disciplinarians instead of educators. I watched the film and saw such potential that would probably go untapped because the children and the teachers just didn't have the resources. It makes me very angry, because it seems like some of the issues could be addressed so easily. I did find my little light of hope because you could see the love that most of the staff had for the children, and the love that was given back. The DVD didn't have any special features to show us where the kids or teachers are today, but I did see that one of the young girls went to college and was opening her own business. The filmmakers filmed over the course of the school year, and you feel that they understand and know the children and teachers, and are personally invested in the school and the people. I think this is a must watch for educators, new and veteran, and really anyone interested in education issues in our country.

12/22/16 Poster Girl, nominated for Best Documentary Short, 2010

12/22/16 Iraq Paper Scissors, Documentary, 2010

America has got to do better by its veterans. Period. After watching documentaries like The Invisible War, and now Poster Girl and Iraq Paper Scissors, I believe that even more strongly. Poster Girl and Iraq Paper Scissors are companion pieces by the same director, Sara Neeson, and they both tell the story of veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Robynn Murray is the focus of Poster Girl; Murray, a former sergeant in the Army, suffers from physical ailments from her service, but also, and harder to quantify, are the emotional and mental injuries she has. The problem with PTSD is you can't see it on an x-ray or MRI, maybe they're faking. But it's real, and we watch as Robynn struggles with life after the military, trying to get benefits from the Veterans' Administration, navigate the bureaucracy, and trying to cope with her angry outbursts. Robynn finds help from other veterans and art therapy. She finds a group called the Combat Paper Project which turns the veterans' uniforms and manuals into paper and then into art. The whole process, from cutting up their uniforms, to making the paper and then their art, and sharing the art with their comrades as well as family, friends and others just interested in the project is cathartic and allows the vets, including Robynn, to begin healing. They find their voices and an outlet for their anger, anger at the military, the government for not listening or helping, and their anger at themselves for participating in the brutality of war. Many of the soldiers we meet in Iraq Paper Scissors, including Robynn, joined the military when they were kids, 18, 19 or 20, and they come back as adults who have seen and done too much, some things they can't even put into words. But they can put into art. Poster Girl lets us focus on the story of one person, and Iraq Paper Scissors introduces us to the Combat Paper Project and the men and women who participate. We hear their stories and feel their pain, but also their hope and rebirth as they address their demons head on, leaning on each other, really the only other people who can understand their experiences. The Combat Paper Project teams with Warrior Writers, another veterans group, that focuses on the written word. Twenty two veterans commit suicide every day. EVERY DAY. That's not acceptable, it should never be acceptable. These projects, and others like them that are growing around the country, can help pull vets back from the brink. There is also a suicide hotline specifically for veterans. These men and women answered their country's call; it's our turn to be there for them. As one of the veterans said, 'We don't want you to stand behind us, we want you beside us. We want your empathy.'

Resources:
Facts about PTSD
Warrior Writers
Combat Paper Project
Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-TALK
National Call Center for Homeless Veterans 1-877-4AID-VET 

12/23/16 Robert Kennedy Remembered, Best Live Action Short, 1968

Directed by Charles Guggenheim (who directed 11 Oscar nominated documentaries, winning four times), this all-too brief film relies on footage of Robert 'Bobby' Kennedy, and not direct interviews with him or any family. The film was put together after Kennedy's assassination in 1968; it was narrated by Richard Burton. The footage includes news footage as well as home movies from the Kennedys. Bobby Kennedy was John Kennedy's younger brother, who served as JFK's confidante, and the U.S. Attorney General. I knew a little about Robert Kennedy, but not as much as I probably should, and it was really interesting to learn more about his passion for civil rights and his strong sense of right and wrong and duty to his country, and the world. Listening to some of his speeches, it is easy to see how people were so moved by him. When you hear people like the Kennedys and Martin Luther King, who inspire without inciting, you realize how far we have come, in the wrong direction. The film is not an exhausting examination of Kennedy, but it is a wonderful primer on him, and a glimpse into the America of the mid to late 1960s. The discussion of race relations is one of those sad moments (for me) when I realize that we have not advanced as much as we should have, and in some parts of the country, we have taken backwards steps. We need Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy more than ever.

12/23/16 Dark Horse, 2016 not yet nominated 

Who doesn't like a good horse tale? Who doesn't like a good horse tale told with a Welsh accent? Exactly...nobody. Dark Horse is about Dream Alliance and the people who loved him. In a small Welsh mining town, Janet Vokes came up with the idea to create a syndicate to breed and race a horse. She teamed up with Howard Davies, an accountant by profession, to start the syndicate by asking people in the town to join, paying ten pounds a week for care and training of the yet unborn horse. The documentary tells the story from the beginning: the acquisition of Dream's mother, his birth, training, and first races. We meet members from the syndicate as they tell their story directly to the camera, we hear how racing, in the United Kingdom like in the U.S., is considered a sport for the elite, and that they were looked down on by the racing establishment as well as the sporting press. In some ways, they may have relished the role of the outsiders, but other times, the lack of respect seemed to grate on them; they just weren't taken seriously. At least, not until Dream started to win. Of course, it wouldn't be a compelling story without a bump in the road, and since the movie is fairly new, I really don't want to ruin anything. It isn't ruining it, however, to say that the members of the syndicate were more than just owners, they really love Dream Alliance, and he became a point of pride for the townspeople, whether they were owners or not. I read online, somewhere, that Dark Horse may be a contender for Best Documentary; it has the elements that people like, so we'll see. It's a wonderful story, and we get a few views of the beautiful Welsh countryside, and gorgeous horses. You really can't go wrong.

12/23/16 Kon-Tiki, Best Documentary, 1950

In today's world of 500 television channels and dozens of adventure reality shows, the idea of a group of men building a raft and sailing across the Pacific would fit right it. Kon-Tiki is the documentary of Thor Heyerdahl and his international crew who, in 1947, sailed from Peru to Polynesia in the Pacific, on a handmade raft of balsa wood logs, and no engine. This was before satellites or Go-Pro cameras, they had a 16mm camera and a regular camera. Heyerdahl was trying to prove his theories about human migration patterns and what could have been possible with limited technology. It is pretty amazing that there were no major disasters or incidents in the three plus months of the journey, but since this was filmed by the actual crew, if there storms or rough weather (Heyerdahl alludes to one rough patch where they lost their parrot), the crew couldn't be expected to actually film, they would be working to keep sailing. If you have an adventurous spirit, like sailing, or want to see a real reality show, you should try and find this (interlibrary loan, it's not available on Netflix), and also watch the 2012 dramatized version which was nominated for Best Foreign Film. Heyerdahl was a man of big ideas who was pretty determined and fearless when it came to trying them out in the real world; there are not too many real adventurers any more (there are debates about his scientific conclusions which I am not qualified to evaluate, but the adventure was real).

Race, Singin' in the Rain, M.A.S.H. and All the President's Men

7/31/16 Race, not yet nominated 2016

Race is the story of Jesse Owens' (Stephan James) journey to and experience at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. Some historical background: Owens' family moved from Alabama to Cleveland, and Jesse essentially spent his formative years in Cleveland, Ohio, and then ran at The Ohio State University. The movie spends some time on his college racing career and his coach, Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis), and then moves to the Olympics in an increasingly hostile and racist and anti-Semitic Germany. Owens considered not going to the Olympics because of the conditions. German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl (Carice van Houten), who filmed the Olympics as part of a larger propaganda scheme is in the film and acts as an interpreter/translator between Avery Brundage (Jeremy Irons) and propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels. I don't know if that really happened, but it helps to connect the different personalities and introduces the character of Hitler even if there is no dialog from him. The movie gives us a very small glimpse into the Nazi world that Hitler was creating, and just a small look at what Jesse Owens had to deal with, overcoming the odds, the pressure to win four gold medals. There was a little bit of the relationship that Owens had with Carl "Luz" Long in the long jump competition, but as with most of the movie, I was left wanting more. I'm a little familiar with Jesse Owens's story, so I was hoping for something more, something visceral to really convey the racism he had to face, trying to balance his love for his sport and his country, but also survive in a country where racism was still quite systemic. I didn't get that. I got a little, but not enough. I wanted some of those moments I got from Selma which left me in tears and with chills. I wanted to come away with the sense of enormity with what he did. Now we think nothing of it that athletes participate in two, three or four Olympics, but back in the days before financial support and training opportunities, that just wasn't feasible for most people, so four gold medals in one Olympics was momentous. It was good, and this is the perfect time to watch it since Track and Field is happening in the Olympics now.

8/6/16 All the President's Men, Best Supporting Actor, Best Sound, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, 1976, #77 AFI, National Film Registry

Released a few years after the events it covers (the break in to the Democratic National Committee headquarters, the subsequent cover up and the eventual resignation of President Nixon), most people viewing were probably more than well-versed in what was happening in the country at the time. Watching it forty years later, it may be more 'educational' on investigative reporting or a Clif's notes version of the 1970s, and an interesting look at a young Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. It's a fitting predecessor to the winner of the 2016 Best Picture winner Spotlight. I can watch All the President's Men over and over because there is always something I missed or didn't make the connection, or I've learned something new about the time frame and now it makes sense in the context of the movie. I love the story, I really like seeing the process of the research and digging into the sources; Redford as Bob Woodward and Hoffman as Carl Bernstein are good (I don't know enough about the real people to say how accurate they are); Jason Robards (love him) as executive editor Ben Bradlee of the Washington Post won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. It occurred to me that some people may think this Watergate stuff is tame compared to the craziness going on this year (heaven help us all), but I think it shows the power of the press and the importance of a free press and the ability to turn over the rocks.

8/9/16 M.A.S.H., Best Adapted Screenplay, 1971, #54 AFI, National Film Registry

 Before I ever knew there was a move M.A.S.H., my father subjected me to the television series (I say 'subjected', but it ultimately became one of my favorite television shows). There are similarities, but the television show gave the characters time to develop and evolve and for the viewers to learn more about their personal lives. The familiar opening tune in the television series is actually a whole song called "Suicide is Painless"; we also get the loudspeaker announcements. M.A.S.H. was directed by Robert Altman, which I did not know, and after I learned that, the flow of the movie makes sense. Based on the other Altman films I've seen (Nashville, Prairie Home Companion, Gosford Park), there may not be an obvious plotline, but if there is, it is connected by little vignettes, mini-movies within the larger movie. Characters like Hawkeye (Donald Sutherand), Trapper John (Elliott Gould), Henry Blake (Roger Bowen), Radar (Gary Burghoff - the only actor to go from the movie to television series), Frank Burns (Robert Duvall) and Hot Lips Houlihan (Sally Kellerman), sorry folks, no Max Klinger. We don't get as much in the operating theater as we did in the television series; it's there, but the action is focused on the hijinks and trouble that Hawkeye, Trapper John and co. can get into, whether that is revealing Hot Lips in the shower, rigging a football game, driving Frank Burns crazy. It's not my favorite Altman movie, I like it, but I still prefer the television series.

8/13/16 Singin' In the Rain, 1952 #5 AFI, National Film Registry, #7 BBC

 I haven't done a detailed study, but this may be the only movie that did NOT win an Oscar, but is on my three lists. That seems really crazy. It didn't win a single Oscar. Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Betcha didn't see that coming. Singin' In the Rain holds up after almost 65 years. Gene Kelly is Don Lockwood a vaudevillian turned stunt man turned actor; Donald O'Connor is Cosmo Brown, his friend and a huge comedic asset to the film; Debbie Reynolds is Kathy Selden an aspiring actress and singer who becomes romantically involved with Lockwood. The story (basically) is a re-telling of Hollywood's transition from silent pictures to the talkies; many actors and actresses were left behind because their voices did not translate to the silver screen. Lockwood and Lamont are working on a movie together when the new talkie technology and The Jazz Singer appear on the scene. R.F. Simpson (Millard Mitchell) is the head of Monumental Pictures and he wants to make a talking picture. It doesn't take too long before everyone realizes that Lina Lamont may not be made for this new invention. This narrative is built around music and dance breaks which are worth watching alone. Kelly and O'Connor are great together, O'Connor is funny and comedic, but he matches Kelly step for step. "Good Morning", "Make 'em Laugh"and "Singin' in the Rain" and "Broadway Melody Ballet" are just spectacular. Fred Astaire was suave, debonair and elegant and Gene Kelly was suave, but athletic as well. The story is funny, it actually worked and held my interest, contrary to Swingtime which kind of bored me unless Astaire and Rogers were dancing. Jean Hagen really nails the character of Lina Lamont; Reynolds sounds superb and hangs with O'Connor and Kelly (I did read that she wasn't that much of a dancer and that Kelly, who directed the dance scenes, was tough on her); it's beautifully filmed, colorful without being gaudy and nauseating. It's one of the few movies I could watch over and over. It's great for family movie night.

Movies from 2015 including Concussion, Southpaw and Shaun the Sheep

Is it possible to burn out your retinas? I suppose I could Google it. I think I have watched more movies in the past month than in the whole year. It sure feels like it. I consider myself fairly lucky that most of the movies have been above average, and only a few horrid, and even better, most of them have been free or cost less than $2. I love a bargain.

12/31/15 Ride Along, 2014

For some reason I thought that Ride Along was releases in 2015 and could perhaps be eligible for an Oscar (don't look at me like that, if Ted and Bad Grandpa can be nominated, anything is possible). Er, except it was released in 2014 and had not been nominated. That's okay, I had an ulterior motive in that Ride Along 2 is coming out this year, and I thought I should get up to speed on the Ice Cube/Kevin Hart 'series'. As they say themselves in the special features, this is a buddy film, and who doesn't like a buddy film? I didn't like Hart's most recent buddy film Get Hard, but I do like Hart and I needed something light, and this was perfect for my friends and me on New Year's Eve (it also got two thumbs up from my 16 year old friend, and who can argue with that?). Kevin Hart is Ben Barber, a high school security guard with aspirations of becoming an Atlanta police officer; he is also living with Angela, and her brother is a bad ass Atlanta detective, James Payton (Ice Cube) who cannot stand Ben. In an effort to scare Ben off, or at least keep him out of the police academy, Payton offers to take Ben out on a ride along and gives him all of the crazy calls; it almost works, but Ben sticks it out, but gets caught up in a gun smuggling scheme with Payton's bugaboo, Omar (Laurence Fishburne). There are definitely some laugh out loud moments; Hart is funny, he has a comedic delivery and timing that make a funny moment hilarious. Ice Cube is a great straight man, and gives Hart the room to deliver. I guess it got bad reviews, but I think how you rate a film depends on what you expect from it; my expectations were for a few laughs and maybe a little action, not a deep, complex story. We laughed and I'm planning on seeing Ride Along 2 next month. Not everything has to be an Oscar nominee.

1/1/16 Concussion, not yet nominated, 2015

I used to watch football every Sunday, run a fantasy football league and be in another, but my feelings started to change after Junior Seau committed suicide in 2012. I lost interest and have watched only one or two games since then. Concussion is a film about the research into traumatic brain injuries in football by Dr. Bennett Omalu, played by Will Smith, and his attempts to bring this to the attention of the National Football League. Omalu was a forensic pathologist with the Allegheny County Coroner in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and he first started investigating with the unexplained death of Mike Webster (David Morse), All-Pro Hall of Fame center for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Omalu knew nothing about football, but he wanted an explanation for Webster's death. He is unaware of the firestorm he is walking into as he pulls the curtain back on the most popular sport in America. Omalu is unorthodox in his approach but he has the full support of his boss and mentor, Dr. Cyril Wecht (played by Albert Brooks). Omalu also gets an unexpected ally in Dr. Julian Bailes (Alec Baldwin) who was the team doctor for the Steelers and was part of the committee to look into brain injuries in the NFL. Smith is getting a lot of praise for his role, and he is very good as the Nigerian-born doctor who firmly believes in the American dream. He may very get a nomination for Best Actor, but I don't know if the movie is strong enough to get him the Oscar. I also think that Brooks should get a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. I liked the movie very much, but there was something about the pacing of it that seemed to bog it down and stop the momentum. That doesn't take anything away from the information that is provided in the movie about the potential for severe brain trauma when the head experiences repeated blows. It also doesn't change the fact that the NFL is a money-making goliath and does not want to lose fans or participants. As Omalu says in the movie (I do not know if that's a scripted creation or really happened) but he just wants the players to know the risks they face. Some players have walked away from possibly very lucrative careers because they did not think the risk was worth the cost; others have said it's the way the game is. 

1/1/16 Southpaw, not yet nominated, 2015

When Southpaw was released, way back in July, Jake Gyllenhaal was getting a lot of press for his role as Billy Hope; perhaps an Oscar nomination would be in his future. Unfortunately, as I have learned, movies that are released early in the season often get forgotten when it comes time for nominations. However, I hope that I am wrong. When the movie opens, Billy Hope is defending his title; he's the champ and he has a beautiful wife, Maureen (Rachel McAdams) and daughter, Leila (Oona Laurence), a huge house, a posse, everything. Then, after a confrontation with a potential rival, Miguel Escobar (Miguel Gomez), Maureen is shot and killed. Hope's world pretty much crashes in on him and he loses his daughter to child protective services. All Billy knows how to do is box, so he heads to a local gym which is owned and run by Tick Wills (Forest Whitaker); Wills hires Billy to clean up around the gym. He won't let Billy box until he feels he's ready. Eventually, Billy proves he is ready to box again, and he also works to get Leila back. Billy gets an offer to fight Escobar from his former manager, played by 50 Cent, and it's a chance to make some money and find some redemption. Wills reluctantly agrees to train Billy for the fight (he doesn't train professional fighters). Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) directed and he injects a score by the late James Newton Howard and a soundtrack by Eminem into the drama. I found the soundtrack jarring, but I suppose that was the idea. Whitaker is so good - you feel there is so much more under the surface to Tick and he's not eager to share. Gyllenhaal as Hope is so angry, you feel that he could explode any minute, which he does; Billy and Maureen both came up through child protective services, they are really all they have. I haven't seen Creed yet, but I don't know if the voters will recognize two boxing movies.

1/1/16 Shaun the Sheep, not yet nominated, 2015

I often wonder who decides something is the 'best'; like who thought Shaun the Sheep was one of the best animated features of 2015? It was made by the Aardman Studios, although not Nick Park or Peter Lord, and that should have been my first clue that this was not Wallace and Gromit. Shaun the Sheep was first seen in Wallace and Gromit's A Close Shave, and I would have preferred a short film instead of a full length feature. The movie opens with the sheep, the dog and the farmer going through their routine, day after day, kind of being bored, so they go on a camping adventure. The farmer gets amnesia and the animals try to find him in the city, but get captured by the animal control officer. So, they have to escape and once they find him, now as a hair stylist (sheep shearing pays big dividends), he doesn't remember them. Yeah, I think it would have been better as a 45 minute short, but I don't think it was the best animated film; I do think that belongs to Inside Out.

I have another blog going to document my experience (and others') on public transit. Check it out: http://doingthebusrun.blogspot.com/

Casablanca, Raging Bull, Glen Campbell and more

Time flies. I honestly don't know where the time went, but it's clearly been quite some time since I have posted. So, I'll get right to it.

8/29/15 Casablanca, Outstanding Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Writing, Screenplay, 1942 #3 AFI, #9 BBC, National Film Registry

I watched Casablanca years ago and it didn't strike me as anything all that great, but since I have now watched hundreds of movies and have a better appreciation for movies, I thought I would watch it again. If you didn't know, Casablanca stars Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Heinreid and Claude Raines in 1940s Casablanca, Morocco and was directed by Michael Curtiz. It's a drama, but there are also sly comedic moments that I especially liked. Bogart is Rick Blaine the owner Rick's Cafe Americain where there is music and food, and maybe, if you know the secret password, a little gambling. Bergman and Heinreid are Ilsa Lund and Victor Laszlo, a couple on the run from the Nazis, Victor is a leader of the Czech resistance, and Ilsa and Rick had a brief love affair in Paris. Raines is Police Captain Louis Renault, and he may be my favorite character in the film. Rick has come into possession of letters of transport which can be used for safe passage out of Morocco and Ilsa tries to use their past relationship to get them for her and Victor; Rick is still bitter (I totally get that) about Ilsa abruptly ending their affair and is not willing to hand over the letters. In the meantime, there are some shenanigans with visiting German soldiers, including a great rendition of La Marseillaise sung defiantly by the house band and guests at Rick's. That's a pretty high level overview, there are a lot of other little encounters and famous lines to be seen firsthand. I will say that I really did like this movie so much more the second time around; I have seen Bogart in several films now, and enjoy his restrained and controlled performances, although it is hard to believe that if this movie was recast today, he would be cast as the leading man, but he had that 'something'. I am also going to say something that might be considered blasphemy, but I don't get Ingrid Bergman or at least the fascination with her in this role; I much prefer her in her later roles in Ingmar Bergman films.What really struck me as I was watching this movie is that it was made during World War II and that there were so many actors who had fled Europe in the previous ten years. Among the films that Casablanca beat out for the year's best picture were For Whom the Bell Tolls (awful, painful to watch), The Song of Bernadette (a lovely film, perfect for the holidays) and several that I have not seen yet or heard of prior to doing this blog. Casablanca has certainly become a part of the American idiom, so for that alone, it's worth watching just to hear all those famous lines in their original context, but it is a really good movie. 856050694Casa


9/5/15 Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me, nominated for Best Song, 2014

Honestly I'm not even sure what to say because I may start crying. Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me is a documentary that follows Glen Campbell, his wife Kim and their three kids on Campbell's last tour as they deal with Campbell's Alzheimer's. At the beginning of the documentary, Campbell has trouble remembering who is in home movies and the names of his kids, but he is still pretty sharp with lyrics and playing the guitar, but over time, we see him struggle with lyrics and his stage performances. The movie touches on Campbell's past musical accomplishments, including being part of the Wrecking Crew (who play on the song "I'm Not Gonna Miss You"), his television show, his incredible musicianship, but it also gives us a glimpse into his family life and playing onstage with his three youngest kids. We hear mostly from Ashley Campbell about how it is to rehearse and play with her dad, and how she has learned to cope with his outbursts and we watch her interact with her dad on stage. It was incredibly brave to let James Keach and his cameras into their lives at this challenging time, to let fans and non-fans see Glen Campbell at less than 100%, but in the year of Still Alice, maybe this was perfect timing for a film like this. The song "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" was sung poignantly by Tim McGraw at the Oscars, but it is an absolute kick to the gut to watch it during the film and see Glen's old friends (Hal Blaine, Don Randi) playing on this song. If you're a regular reader, you now I have a soft spot for documentaries, and this one is a definite must-see; it may make you cry, but it's also life-affirming to see the love of Glen's family and friends, and fans.

9/6/15 Raging Bull, Best Actor, Best Film Editing, 1980 #4 AFI, #29 BBC, National Film Registry

In my review of Casablanca I was happy to change my original opinion of the movie after re-watching it; sad to say, I cannot say the same for Raging Bull. I love Robert DeNiro, he is so good, and I mostly like Martin Scorsese films, but I did not enjoy or like or even appreciate this biopic of boxer Jake LaMotta. LaMotta (as played by DeNiro) has almost no redeemable qualities; the one he does have - a desire to make it big himself, without help from the mob - is washed away by his ambition. I wish I had those two hours back.

9/6/15 Timbuktu, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2014

Timbuktu is set in Mali, although it was filmed in Mauritania and it is about the occupation of Timbuktu by members of an extreme Islamist group (one could assume ISIS) and how this group of mostly outsiders tries to impose their will and rules on the native population, which is more moderate and seemingly tolerant in their beliefs. In many ways what we see on film is what we see on the news all the time, except that we see this on much more personal and up close level; the people aren't nameless and faceless victims running over the news scroll on CNN, they have names and families and the hypocrisy of the oppressors makes us angry. The story of Kidane's family made me angry and sad, and I really wanted to punch someone. When the woman selling fish is told to cover herself and wear gloves (while she is selling fish, hello), she argues back and tries to point out the idiocy of this command, and she is willing to be hauled away rather than submit to these interlopers; I was rooting for her the whole time. I think it's important for movies like this to be made for a few reasons: one, it's a poke in the eye of the extremist movements and historically films, books, songs that do that are very important, for morale if nothing else; it is a very brave thing for these filmmakers and actors and crew to undertake because their is really no question that there are risks in giving the proverbial finger to groups like ISIS; and it's important for us as Americans/Westerners who may only think of Islam in terms of good vs. evil (Islam usually being 'evil) to see that just like many religions (and other groupings) there is a spectrum, and that even though the villagers are Muslim, they are also farmers or fisherman and parents, they may even like music; basically they are people, and should not be painted with the same brush. This movie to me touched me so much more than that awful Ida (clearly I'm still irritated by that film), so see this not that.

9/10/15 Dancing in Jaffa, 2013

I guess carrying on the theme of understanding others through art, let me stretch that to building bridges through dance. Pierre Dulaine is the 'star' of this documentary as he heads back to the home of his childhood in Jaffa, Israel, to try and bring young Palestinians and Israelis together through ballroom dance. It sounds a lot easier than it is; he has to overcome prejudices taught over many years, cultural/religious issues and of course, working with kids can be like herding cats. On a few occasions Dulaine is clearly frustrated by the kids' lack of interest (imagine being a young boy and told you need to hold a girl, oh, and she is a different religion from you and your cultures have been battling for decades - yeah, not easy) and things start to change when he brings in his dance partner of over 30 years, Yvonne Marceau, and they give real life demonstrations to the kids and that seems to grab them a little more. Eventually, he reaches some of the students, and I wish we had more time with them, but you do get to see the development, and the emergence of a confidence and friendships blossoming. He is still doing these classes, and one can only hope that this will break down barriers. We need more Pierre Dulaines. It's a feel good movie even if it's not the best documentary ever.

Still Alice and Mr. Turner from 2015 and Finally - Dirty Dancing

Again I find myself apologizing to my faithful readers (and you know who you are) for my tardiness in posting my insightful and amusing reviews. I do hope you can forgive me. As you can see, I have been busy, and I think you'll agree, this is an eclectic collection of cinematic viewing, and for once every movie is a winner or nominee.

5/30/15 Pillow Talk, Best Original Screenplay, 1959 National Film Registry

Pillow Talk is a light comedy starring Rock Hudson, Doris Day and Tony Randall. Brad Allen (Rock Hudson) is a composer and Jan Morrow (Doris Day) is an interior decorator who share a party line. Party lines are unfamiliar to most of us in the 21st century and the age of mobile phones, but sixty years ago, not everyone had a private phone line. The party line is used in Pillow Talk as a device to introduce the main characters to one another and create a source of friction. Jan needs the phone line for business and frequently, when she tries to make calls, Brad is talking to his different girlfriends. Needless to say, this frustrates Jan and they have an argument (back in 'old days' you could not just get a private phone line).
Of course this spat intrigues Brad who sets out to meet Jan and he pretends to be Rex Stetson, a rancher from Texas. The rest of the movie is taken up with Brad/Rex fighting/wooing Jan, Jan falling for Rex and then falling for Brad. I have to say this didn't jump to my favorite movie list, but it was okay. It's considered worthy of being on the National Film Registry, so perhaps I am missing something. I think I preferred Doris Day in Calamity Jane.

5/30/15 Mr. Turner, nominated Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, 2015

I was really excited to see Mr. Turner a movie about the English painter J.M.W. Turner, not necessarily because I am a Turner expert or devotee but because I really like Timothy Spall who played Turner and I always find writer/director Mike Leigh's movies interesting glimpses into the human condition (yes, that's very dramatic). I don't want to say I was disappointed, but I kind of felt let down after watching it. I think there is an inherent problem/issue with doing films with historical characters that we don't recognize, for example the cast of characters in Mr. Turner included John Ruskin (art critic), John Constable, George Jones and other painters of the period. Physically it was hard for me to tell them apart and artistically I was not familiar enough with their work to understand the competition and conflicts among them; as for Turner himself, I knew a little about his landscapes, but it seemed that there was a lot about his life that was implied and if I didn't have my handy Wikipedia I would have been even more lost. So, for the story, it frustrated me more than anything. The best parts of the film were when there were shots of all his different paintings, then you could get an idea of his scope and talent. However, the movie was beautiful, most appropriately nominated for Best Cinematography. There were several scenes that were filmed in such a way I felt I was looking at a Turner painting, they were gorgeous. The Grand Budapest Hotel won for Best Production Design and Birdman won Best Cinematography; I agree with the Production Design award, that was an amazing set, but I would disagree with the Cinematography award emphatically. If you are interested in the art of filming, I recommend this movie, as well as if you are an art historian or fan of Turner, otherwise, I'm not sure you will be interested.

5/30/15 Million Dollar Baby Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, 2004

Sometimes I wonder what goes through my head when I choose to see a movie or not to see a movie; before I started writing this blog, I was probably a little more susceptible to what other people thought, and now I'm primarily driven by the list or what might be on the list (the Oscar list, if you're wondering). Million Dollar Baby was a movie that I avoided because someone told me it would be too emotional. As dumb as that may sound to you, that's the reason I didn't watch it for so long. I finally got it from the library, and even though it is over two hours (some days that seems like an eternity), I was excited to watch it. I was not disappointed and was a little upset I had not watched it years ago. Clint Eastwood directed and starred as Frankie, a boxing trainer who reluctantly begins to train Maggie (Hilary Swank); Maggie is a determined, hard-working young woman from the Ozarks who wants to fight, with or without Frankie. Eddie "Scrap-Iron", played by Morgan Freeman, is a former fighter, once trained by Frankie and he is a little less reluctant to help Maggie. Maggie and Frankie build a successful partnership as she easily defeats her opponents and starts making some money. One of the interesting plot points was with Maggie's family (featuring Margo Martindale as her mother); her family is totally unappreciative of what Maggie has done (bought her mother a house) and prove themselves to be one of the most hateful families on film. Eventually Frankie gets Maggie fights overseas and a fight with a boxer who is known to fight dirty; it looks like Maggie has "The Blue Bear" on the ropes when Maggie is blindsided and breaks her neck, becoming a quadriplegic. The remainder of the movie shows Frankie's devotion to Maggie, reading her poetry, interacting with the hospital staff and trying to keep her leech-like family away (the whole family scene was really powerful and made me mad as hell). Unfortunately, Maggie's health declines and she asks Frankie to make a very difficult decision. I'm not going to lie, the last 30 minutes or so of the film are incredibly intense and emotional, but Eastwood tells the story so well and Swank does a great job of transforming from an individual whose existence is based on physicality to someone who has to communicate with her face and voice. The Best Picture nominees for 2004 were kind of an eclectic bunch, including Ray (great film),  The Aviator (good, but long), Sideways (a surprise small picture, 2004's Birdman), and Finding Neverland (good, but not Best Picture in my mind). Hilary Swank won Best Actress over Annette Bening (Being Julia, which I cannot remember if I saw), Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I saw part of it and hated it) and Imelda Staunton as Vera Drake which was the only nominee I saw at the time of release, and I would say that was a powerful role and performance, and could have won. What can you say about Morgan Freeman? I haven't really mentioned him, but he is one of those actors you can put in almost any role, any time period and he just works; and he is great as Frankie and Maggie's friend, "Jiminy Cricket" and the narrator. If you haven't seen it, I totally recommend it.

5/31/15 Dirty Dancing, Best Original Song, 1987

I have gotten so much grief from friends because I have never seen Dirty Dancing, ever. Apparently, in some cultures, this is enough to have you exiled to Elba along with Napoleon. I'm sorry to have disappointed you, and now, I have to disappoint you even more (and it's not to tell you that there is no tooth fairy), but I really didn't care and I certainly didn't love it. I've been told it's because I didn't see it when it first came out twenty-five years ago; well, let me tell you, my twenty year old self didn't care enough to go see it either. BUT, I didn't hate it, like I hated Flashdance (my penance for something I did, I'm sure), it just didn't capture my imagination. Everyone probably knows the story by now, but here's a quick recap: set in the 1960s, Baby (Jennifer Grey) and her family (dad is played by Jerry Orbach of Law and Order) head to the Catskill Mountains, a well-known resort town; Baby meets Johnny (Patrick Swayze) who is a dance professional at the resort. Baby wants to dance, and not the formal, stiff, un-cool dances that the resort hosts, but the dirty dancing that Johnny and his friends do after hours. Cynthia Rhodes is Penny Johnson, Johnny's dance partner and childhood friend (Cynthia Rhodes was also in Flashdance), who starts out disliking Baby, but eventually is won over by her spunk and honest determination. I did like the music, but I love the music from that period anyway, and the movie won for Best Original Song "I've had the time of my life". So, the movie is off "The List", I didn't hate and we can all move on.

6/7/15 Funny Girl, Best Actress (co-winner with Katharine Hepburn for The Lion in Winter), 1968

Funny Girl is the film version of the stage musical of the same name, also starring Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice, a Jewish comedian of the early 20th century. Brice was Streisand's first film role. Omar Sharif plays Nicky Arnstein, Brice's eventual husband and William Wyler directed.  Brice was a comedian who performed with the Ziegfield Follies which were very popular before the widespread availability of films, television and the internet.  This is another movie that didn't really do anything for me, I was bored. I feel un-American considering it's been rated as one of the great movie musicals and it stars Barbra Streisand and it was directed by one of the great directors, etc. etc. I'm sorry. I actually fell asleep and missed about twenty minutes and I don't think I missed anything, I didn't even go back to what I missed. Maybe I don't have a soul?

6/10/15 Sister Rose's Passion, nominated Best Documentary Short, 2004

Okay, I'm pretty sure I have a soul, it's just not a musical one. Out of all of the movies reviewed in this entry, I want to tell you to get this from NetFlix and watch it, it will be the best 39 minutes you have spent in a long while, I promise. Sister Rose Thering was a nun, originally from Wisconsin, who actively worked to have official anti-Semitism removed from Church teaching and her work was included in the Second Vatican Council. Maybe this sounds tame or not that big of a deal, but considering that anti-Semitism had been institutionalized for almost 2000 years, and a woman was leading the charge, it's a big deal. And she is so matter of fact in the documentary, as if this should be obvious to everyone. At the time of the documentary, Sister Rose was 84 and on an oxygen tank and in a wheelchair, but her spirit is boundless. She continued to review text books for obvious and subtle references to anti-Semitism and request that they be removed and informed the publishers that this was not in accordance with Church teachings. Sister Rose's Passion should be required watching.

6/11/15 Still Alice, Best Actress, 2014

I remember when Still Alice came out in the theaters and I heard people who were very eager to see it and other people were nervous and leery of seeing it. Alzheimer's disease has become a reality for more and more families and a weight hanging over the heads of others. There is still so much that we don't know about the disease, no vaccine, no guaranteed preventative measures and it scares us, so to watch it be put out there on film can be very frightening. Still Alice brings us one version of the Alzheimer's story, how it affects one family. Julianne Moore is Alice Howland, a PhD in linguistics who starts to experience some weird lapses in memory and confusion; she feels something is not right and sees her doctor who believes she may have Alzheimer's and wants to conduct additional tests. Alice tells her husband, John (Alec Baldwin) who is a medical doctor, and eventually they tell their adult children who react in different ways. John tries to be supportive and patient with her, reminding her of things they have done in the past; in fact, I thought, under the circumstances, he was quite marvelous, he wasn't perfect, but he wasn't an ass, either. Alice's eldest daughter, Anna (Kate Bosworth) seemed to have a very difficult time with the diagnosis and the effect it had on her mother, sometimes getting frustrated with Alice and fighting with her younger sister, Lydia (Kristen Stewart), although to be honest, the sisters had a combative relationship before Alice was diagnosed. Lydia is an aspiring actress, living across the country in Los Angeles (something that ticks off Anna). Anna and her brother Tom (who is kind of a footnote) get tested because this type of Alzheimer's can be identified genetically; Lydia decides not to get tested. Of the family members, Lydia seems almost fearless in her desire to be with her mom, talk to her, understand what's happening. Alice tries to develop little tricks to help her remember things, she keeps track of things in a calendar, she has also created a video that is to be watched only at a certain point in her illness, she knows this from her notes. Moore as Alice transforms from a vibrant middle aged woman, teaching linguistics at Columbia University to a year later as someone who looks worn and tired and has trouble finding the right words. I think the only other nominee who might have had a realistic chance at the Oscar was Reese Witherspoon, because I feel like her performance was almost as transformative (my spellcheck is telling this isn't a word, but I don't care). Alec Baldwin was very good in his role as Alice's husband and I was slightly surprised by Kristen Stewart's performance which was very strong and moving, kind of reminiscent of her role in Welcome to the Rileys with James Gandolfini. Still Alice may be tough to watch on occasion, but it's worth watching for the performances as well as the content.

It seems from the reviews here, I only like movies or documentaries that are serious, some may say depressing. I'll have to ponder that for next time.

A movie classic: 2001: A Space Odyssey and some new movies from 2014 - Snowpiercer, Pride, Skeleton Twins

Sometimes I think I'm onto a great idea and other times, I just get points for trying. In this case, I thought I would be able to knock a few off of the 2014 list (which was released on 1/15/15) and also clear some off of the big list. Alas, only two come off the list, BUT, and this is a big BUT for me, there were a couple of fabulous movies that I hope you check out.

1/8/15 Of Human Bondage 1934
This was probably the most disappointing of all of the movies in this selection. First, for some reason I was certain it was on the list, only to find out that Bette Davis was nominated for the Best Actress award, but did not win, and the film did not win anything at the Oscars. Second, the movie was really not that great. It was based on the book by Somerset Maugham, which I have not read, and now have no plans to do so. It was dreary and annoying, kind of like our modern-day soap operas with the weak-willed man who is a sucker for the manipulating woman (sorry if that's too simple of an analysis). I really lost interest about 45 minutes into it. The saving grace is it was a relatively short film. This was Bette Davis' break out role, and it was definitely a tough role, but Leslie Howard in the lead was milque toast. A basic synopsis is Leslie Howard plays a failed artist with a club foot; he then tries his hand at medicine, but he falls in love with a waitress, Mildred, (Bette Davis) who is happy to use him, but doesn't really return his affections. And this is how the movie continues until Mildred dies a rather horrible death. I would recommend skipping this.

1/9/15 Snowpiercer not nominated 2014
I really am not a huge science fiction fan, especially of the dystopic sub-genre, it just doesn't usually interest me. However, I read an online interview with Tilda Swinton who co-stars in Snowpiercer by Korean director, Bong Joon-Ho, and it sounded really interesting and the author supposed that the film might be nominated for an Oscar or two. So, trying to get ahead of the nominations, I thought I would watch. What a treat. Seriously. It leans towards being very dark and serious, but then something will happen that will be humorous. The movie is set in the mid-21st century, so not too far in the future, and the has been devastating climate change - the world is frozen over. Survivors are on a train circling the Earth (now in its 18th year), with the passengers divided into classes, the lower classes are in the back of the train and eat a very gross protein bar, while the upper class eat meat and eggs and experience daylight. The train is driven and guided by a man who is unseen until the end of the film, Wilford (played by Ed Harris). His right hand man (or woman) is Minister Mason (Tilda Swinton); I say man or woman because Mason is addressed as "Sir" and is almost androgynous; in fact, Swinton is almost unrecognizable, looking a little like Edith Head or the character from The Incredibles and she provides some of the best humor at the worst possible times. I really think she should have received a Supporting Actress nod. The leader of the people in the tail section is John Hurt as Gilliam, but he is ready to pass on the reigns to Curtis (Captain America Chris Evans). Curtis is a reluctant leader, he wants change, but not the responsibility of leading the section in revolt that will get people killed. Circumstances come together to push Curtis to the front, to confront the demons from the past and deal with a future he cannot comprehend. There is a lot that happens, and I don't want to spoil it as it unfolds. It's a movie I would watch again because I'm sure I missed things, especially when the movie got going. Octavia Spencer, Jamie Bell and Ewen Bremner also co-star. Evans and Song Kang-ho (a Korean actor) really feature, and Evans is good, more emotive than his Captain America role, but also controlled. The movie has tension and some plot twists, interesting effects. This is probably not on anyone's radar, but it was at my library and I saw it on Netflix, so it's out there. Go get it.

1/10/15 Skeleton Twins not nominated 2014

I didn't really think this would be nominated , but when I saw the previews, I thought it was going to be pretty funny, and it came up from the library, so I grabbed it. It's funny, but it's not pee your pants funny. The funny is tempered by the serious and sad nature of the relationship between Maggie and Milo, twins played by Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. And I think that's fine, it just wasn't what I was expecting. Maggie and Milo have been separated for many years and still carry around unresolved feelings about their father's suicide, and have a distant relationship with their mother. Maggie is married to a seemingly great guy (Luke Wilson) but cheats on him with apparent regularity; and Milo is gay and a struggling actor in California. After a failed suicide attempt, Maggie brings Milo back home to New York state, and they reconnect, but it's not easy. Some of the funny moments are when Milo visits Maggie at the dentist officer where she works and they inhale quite a bit of nitrous; they also lip-synch to a Jefferson Starship song (and the name escapes me at the moment), and that was pretty funny. Like I said, it wasn't a side-splitting movie, but that's okay. Hader and Wiig are really funny; I'm a latecomer to appreciating Hader because I was not a loyal Saturday Night Live viewer, but I usually liked the sketches he was in (arg, I hate ending sentences with a preposition).

1/10/15 The Equalizer not nominated 2014

Again, this was not going to be nominated for any major awards, but you never know on the technical side, especially sound editing. And really, it's Denzel Washington, so I don't need to justify anything here. The Equalizer is a movie based on the television series from the 1980s starring Edward Woodward as Robert McCall, a retired agent of a government agency. Washington plays McCall in the film. I never watched the series, so I didn't have any preconceived ideas of how it should be. McCall works in a Home Depot-type store and is a friend or mentor to a lot of the workers, even though he kind of keeps to himself. He's kind of Yoda-like, inspiring an overweight co-worker to work out and diet to get enough to apply for a security guard job. McCall has long given up his pat life, but he cannot help himself when he sees friends in trouble; we some of his retribution, but some we don't, leaving us to fill in the blanks (it's not hard, but it was nice that director Antoine Fuqua let us figure it out on our own). McCall is a well-read, type A insomniac who keeps late hours at a 24 hour diner where he befriends a young girl, Teri, in the escort business (played by Chloe Grace Moretz). After Teri gets beaten by her employers, McCall takes matters into his own hands, using past connections from his agency to get the lowdown on the bad guys. Whereas I don't usually watch science fiction, movies like this catch my attention (witness my willingness to watch Taken 2 and  November Man), so I enjoyed it. It had a lot of action and great acting by Washington, and left the distinct possibility for a sequel, although Washington has historically avoided any sequels. I kind of thought it might be nominated for sound editing, but it was not to be. If you're looking for a movie to hunker down with during the winter, this would not be a bad choice.

1/10/15 Million Dollar Arm not nominated, 2014

On the road to Agra

I didn't really think that Million Dollar Arm, an inspired by the true story film by Disney would be nominated for an Oscar, although I thought there was an outside chance the the soundtrack/score by A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours among many of his scores) would be nominated, and from I can learn from Wikipedia, it was on the long list. Million Dollar Arm is about sports agent J.B. Bernstein (Jon Hamm) who is struggling to get his own business up and running and his crazy scheme to go to India, focusing on cricket players to find a pitcher for major league baseball. His P.T. Barnum approach takes him (and us) around India, including to Agra, the site of the Taj Mahal, at sunrise, and to Indian villages. Bernstein, with the help of scout, Ray Pointevint (the irascible Alan Arkin) picks two boys to come back to the States, hopefully getting tryouts with Major League scouts. Dinesh and Rinku, and translator/comrade Amit are overwhelmed by the amenities and modern conveniences they experience, and kind of dumped by Bernstein, who doesn't consider that he has uprooted these young men and abandoned them. Coach Tom House (Bill Paxton) is willing to work the boys who have unconventional forms and no understanding of baseball whatsoever; House tries to engage Bernstein a little more, but it takes Brenda (Lake Bell), his tenant and potential love interest, to really hammer it home. I'm a fan of sports movies and travel, so this was a nice combination. Having been to India and having friends who live there, I was interested in how things would be portrayed. I think they did a good job of showing the color and variety of the country, as well as the openness of the people. I thought the movie was a little long, and I was turned off by Bernstein, but I liked the young actors who played Dinesh,  Rinku and Amit (Madhur Mittal, Suraj Sharma and Pitobash Tripathy) added a great sense of naivete but adventurousness that made them fun to watch.  I doubt my friends in Hyderabad watched this, we talked many times about movies and their tastes ran towards action films, but maybe they'll give this a try.

1/11/15 Calamity Jane, Best Original Song, 1953

WARNING: Leave your late 20th/early 21st century sensibilities in the closet or you risk being offended by the politically incorrect portrayal and references to American Indians and women as well. If you can do that, I think you might enjoy this 1950s musical about Calamity Jane, portrayed by the legendary Doris Day. Calamity Jane is set in Deadwood, South Dakota, in the late 1800s. The plot revolves around the tale-telling, gun-toting Calamity Jane and her promise to the mostly male population of Deadwood that she would bring famed entertainer Adelaid Adams to Deadwood. Instead, she brings Katie Brown, Miss Adams' maid, who has aspirations of being on the stage. After overcoming the initial disappointment of Katie not being Miss Adams, she is embraced by the town, and she also forms an unlikely friendship with the tomboyish Jane. Jane has a love/hate relationship with Wild Bill Hickock (Howard Keel), but has designs on Lieutenant Danny Gilmartin. As these types of plots usually goes, there are crossed wires and hurt feelings, but they are overcome with song. The movie doesn't tax your brain, has some rollicking songs ("The Deadwood Stage Whip Crack Away", "A Woman's Touch" and Oscar-winning "Secret Love") and Doris Day. I don't think today's audiences, myself included, really appreciate the kind of talent Doris Day had, and I've only had a little taste in The Man Who Knew Too Much, but she is really amazing, and I look forward to watching a few more of her films. After recently watching Hello Dolly! and feeling my attention wane, I didn't feel the same way watching Calamity Jane; it wasn't as lush (if that's it) and didn't have the dance numbers, but I liked it more (being PC aside).

1/11/15 2001: A Space Odyssey, Best Visual Effects, 1968, #15 AFI, National Film Registry

I am not quite sure how to review this iconic film, I mean it is on the American Film Institute's list of 100 best films, it was put on the National Film Registry as a film of historic significance, it has references that most people know, even if they have never seen the film. I feel like I should have seen this movie at some point in my younger days, that my dad would have inflicted it on me, I'm certain he read the book by Arthur C. Clarke, but I have no complete memory of it. Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey is set in the future (it seems very odd to say future given that 2001 is in our rearview mirror), and is complete with space travel and gadgets of the future. The movie does not have a traditional narrative, and as I was watching it, I was reminded of The Tree of Life a Terrence Malick film from 2011 which I hated, and yet, I didn't hate this move at all. Once I released my brain from trying to follow the story and just enjoyed the visual immensity and the aural festival, I really liked it. There is very little dialog, and really none of it matters except for the last 45 minutes or so (the movie is close to three hours) when HAL (the supercomputer) is confronted by the astronauts, Dr. David Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Dr. Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood). This is one of the most beautiful films I think I have seen, incredible visuals (deserving of the Best Visual Effects Oscar), and the music is wonderfully apropos; I'm sure Richard Strauss never imagined how is waltzes would be used. There is an extremely long and detailed article on Wikipedia about the movie, its influences, etc. and you would be better off reading that for more information, because I am not up to the task. The movie may not be everyone's cup of tea and its length may be off-putting, but the section with HAL is well worth it. For those of us who periodically think computers are running the world, HAL does nothing to change that point of view.

1/14/15 Pride not nominated 2014

Pride is set in 1980s, Thatcher England and Wales among coalfields and the gay rights movement. Huh? Yeah, exactly. What an unlikely combination, but it works and works incredibly well. Pride was nominated for a Golden Globe and for a couple of BAFTA awards but not a single Oscar (although this year's Oscars may be more remembered for the many movies it snubbed than what was nominated). Until today when I saw Selma (review to come soon), I don't recall crying so much during a movie. As I was driving back from Selma, I was thinking about this, and it kind of made sense, two movies that had a spirit and showed the power of what people can do together. Pride focuses on a group of gay and lesbian young people in London, led by Mark Ashton, who decide to support the coal miners during their strike in 1984. The problem lies in the fact that most of the unions don't want to take support from the gay community, so the group, now called LGSM (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners) picks a community and union to give their support. They find a small town in South Wales and begin to forge the most unlikely of alliances. For a pretty serious situation that includes a lot of hate and bigotry, the film handles it with humor (or humour since it's a British film) and affection. Dominic West (from HBO's The Wire) leads the cast of gay and lesbian activists as Jonathan Blake; the remainder of the actors may are relatively unknown in the US. The Welsh community is led by Dai Donovan (Paddy Considine), Hefina (Imelda Staunton - Vera Drake, Harry Potter, Nanny McPhee among others), Cliff (Bill Nighy - Love Actually, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel). Ben Schnetzer plays Mark Ashton, the leader of LGSM, who brings an incredible enthusiasm and passion and a refusal to take no for an answer (mostly); I have not seen Schnetzer in anything before, but he was a dynamo and he must have been magnetic to be around, and probably frustrating because he was like a bull sometimes. It's important to remember the place in time that this movie occupies, decades removed from gay marriage and the openness we see from artists (Elton John had not yet come out), but in the early days of the AIDS epidemic; also the movie is based on real events and real people, some of whom are still alive, which made it more powerful to me. I was so excited about this movie that I emailed a friend of mine the next day, I thought a text late at night might be overdoing it, to tell him about it. I don't buy movies, but I will probably buy this one. Some people may be uncomfortable with the overt gay theme, but when you see middle-aged Welsh miners embrace 'the gays' as they are called, how can you be uncomfortable? It's a great lesson in tolerance and acceptance, from both sides.