Woody Allen, The Chronicles of Narnia, Love Streams

11/25/16 Crimes and Misdemeanors, 1989 #57 BBC

Crimes and Misdemeanors is one of the few Woody Allen films I saw in the theater; I think the only other one was Scoop, which I saw in Paris (in English, thank god). I remember liking it and the moral questions that Allen raised, and loving the performances by some of my favorite actors: Sam Waterston, Jerry Orbach, Martin Landau and Alan Alda (the rest of the cast is stellar, but I will watch almost anything these guys are in). Martin Landau is Judah Rosenthal, a successful ophthalmologist who has a very big secret; Woody Allen is Clifford Stern, a documentary filmmaker. I found the story about Judah and his secrets and lies (the name of a film by a totally different director, Mike Leigh) more interesting than Clifford's. Judah is having an affair with a flight attendant, Dolores (Anjelica Huston), and while it seems to dying out for him, Dolores wants to tell Judah's wife, Miriam (Claire Bloom). Judah, who is receiving a big award as the movie opens, is scared of Dolores spilling the beans and ruining the myth and illusion that he has created of being the perfect husband and citizen of the world. Judah brings his brother, Jack (Jerry Orbach) into the picture, to 'take care of things'. For a while, Judah suffers pangs of his conscience and feelings of guilt and fear of a different secret coming out. Clifford, who is struggling to make pet documentary film on a Holocaust survivor, takes on the job of doing a documentary on his brother-in-law, Lester (Alan Alda), a successful, obnoxious television producer. Saying that Clifford has zero enthusiasm for his subject is a minor understatement; Lester is everything that Clifford isn't, nor does he want to be. Clifford tries to begin a relationship with Halley (Mia Farrow), Lester's assistant producer. Clifford is about as successful at that as he is at everything else. Clifford's other brother-in-law, Ben (Sam Waterston), is a rabbi who is slowly losing his sight, and is a patient of Judah's. If you are waiting for the boors and bad guys to get their comeuppance, you may be waiting for a long time. If you think that guilt will eat away at Judah like he is in a Dostoevsky story, I hope you're not too disappointed. Sometimes, the good guys don't win. This is more of a drama than a comedy, but it does have its moments, especially when Clifford and Lester share the screen. Ingmar Bergman is one of Allen's influences, and this definitely could have been something that Bergman did, in fact, he probably did (without the Jewish influence), but I cannot come up with a specific movie at the moment.

12/2/16 Mighty Aphrodite, Best  Supporting Actress, 1995

 I was beginning to think I would never get to watch this 1995 Oscar winner by writer/director/actor Woody Allen. The first time I got the movie from the library, it wouldn't play; I think it might have even been a VHS tape, not even a scratched disk. Then it was gone from circulation, and it's in the 'unknown' category on Netflix. But, ta-da, Interlibrary Loan has come into my life and all kinds of things I thought I would never see are now possible. Mira Sorvino won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Linda Ash, a call girl with a heart of gold, or at least acting ambitions. Linda has a baby and gives him up for adoption. Max's adoptive parents are Amanda Sloane Weinrib (Helena Bonham Carter) and Lenny Weinrib (Woody Allen); Amanda is an art gallery curator and Lenny is a New York sportswriter. Lenny seems far more obsessed with learning about his new baby's birth parents than Amanda, and he goes to some questionable lengths to do it. In a Woody Allen movie, questionable very often means funny, and that is true here. Allen uses the idea of the Greek chorus to help tell his tale and question Lenny's motives and actions, in a very humorous way, I was reminded of Mel Brooks. F. Murray Abraham is the Chorus Leader, and we also get commentary from Cassandra and Tiresius, both prophets, and others from Greek mythology. I thought it was a clever and unusual way (in films, at least) to break the wall between the audience and the actors. Lenny winds up tracking down Linda and goes on 'dates' with her, but not for sex, to learn more about her, but he doesn't tell her why. I'm not overly familiar with Sorvino's other films, so I don't know if this is a typical performance, but in the context of the film, she was really good; she was funny, she wasn't overshadowed or overpowered by Allen. Allen was not overly annoying, either; sometimes his 'schlemiel' characters can be too much, but not in this case. Being a fan of Bonham-Carter, I did think she was kind of wasted here; maybe 'wasted' isn't the right word, but I didn't get enough. I would love to see her in the type of role that Cate Blanchett played in Blue Jasmine. But anyway, that's a different story. I think this movie has probably been forgotten by a lot of people, but it's worth a look (if you can find it). An interesting tidbit: Dianne Wiest won the Best Supporting Actress the year before in Woody Allen's Bullets over Broadway.

12/3/16 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Best Makeup, 2005

I never read the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis even though a lot of my classmates did. I don't know why, but I just didn't, so in some ways I'm not tied by emotion or nostalgia to them. When I watch the movies or television representations, I just enjoy them for what they are, which are wonderful, fantastic adventures. The movie starts off in war time England, with bombs raining down on London, so families begin sending their children off to live in the country, many times with total strangers. That is the case for the four Pevensie children: Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. During a game of hide and seek in the large house owned by the reclusive professor Digory Kirke (Jim Broadbent), Lucy falls through the wardrobe and into the magical world of Narnia. Narnia is made up of fauns, talking animals like beavers, foxes, wolves and a really big lion, Aslan (Liam Neeson). Oh, and the White Witch (Tilda Swinton). Lucy comes back from her visit to her skeptical older brothers and sister, until the next time, they all go through to Narnia. The Narnians refer to the siblings as Daughters and Sons of Adam, and it seems that the children may bring with them a changing tide in Narnia, perhaps ridding them of the evil witch. Of course, nothing is as straightforward as that, and there are crazy escapes from the witch's rabid wolves, coming of age for the children as they learn more about themselves and the world they now inhabit, and battle of epic proportions. Neeson was made to be the voice of Aslan, who I think may be one of my favorite characters. Swinton is so fun as Jadis, the White Witch. She totally embraces the role and Jadis's villainous nature, but shows her campy side as well. After watching her in many different movies and roles, I'm convinced she could play any type of role or character she wants. Lewis's Christian theology can be seen in his writings, and much is made of the use of allegory and symbolism in The Chronicles of Narnia, but I honestly cannot intelligently comment on how that comes through in the film, or if it even does. If it did for you, then I missed it. Please don't interpret the previous comments as pejorative or anti-theological; they are not, I just enjoyed the movie as a fun, fantastiscal interpretation of a childhood classic. I think it's a wonderful cinematic experience, with beautiful visuals, very talented actors, and a story that I think a lot of children will enjoy. There were two subsequent movies, but I seem to recall that they were not necessarily as successful at the box office.

12/3/16 Mississippi Burning, Best Cinematography, 1988 

I would love to say that Mississippi Burning is a snapshot from a long ago time, and that we have moved forward in this country to a point where your race is as little a factor in daily life as whether you are right-handed or left-handed. Maybe that is naive or just plain dumb, I like to think that was hopeful. Sadly, as events have played out over the past 18 months, racism in this country is not a thing of the past. Perhaps I will just say I hope things never get as bad as they were in the South in the 1960s as the Civil Rights Movement was gaining momentum, and civil rights workers, as well as ordinary citizens, were subjected to harassment and violence in pursuit of equality for black Americans.  Mississippi Burning is a dramatization of the murder of three Civil Rights workers in Mississippi in the summer of 1964. Gene Hackman (in an Oscar-nominated role) and Willem Dafoe star as the two lead FBI agents looking into the disappearance, later determined to be murder, of three college students trying to register black voters in the deep South. Hackman is Rupert Anderson, born and raised in Mississippi and Dafoe is Alan Ward, a northerner who is by the book and seemingly unaware of how to navigate the social and political minefield they have entered. The movie is as much about Anderson and Ward's relationship as it is about examining the events of the day. The two agents run into a brick wall made of up of corrupt law enforcement and politicians, who may also be Klansman, who have no interest in finding the missing students or getting justice for them. Director Alan Parker (Fame, Birdy, Evita, Bugsy Malone) does not sugarcoat the violence that the black community experienced, or the fear people had in speaking out. There is an element of a mystery story as Ward and Anderson peel back the layers on the onion: who knew what, who did what, where are they in the power structure of the town or the Klan. The cast is comprised of many familiar faces: Frances McDormand and Brad Dourif are Mrs. Pell and her husband, Deputy Sheriff Clinton Pell (McDormand was nominated for Best Supporting Actress); R. Lee Ermey played Mayor Tilman; Michael Rooker (now in the Guardians of the Galaxy films) played Frank Bailey, a particularly violent man; Darius McCrary, is Aaron Williams, a young man who preaches and tries to encourage his community. It's not an easy movie to watch, but it is very well done and should be seen and used as a platform to discuss the Civil Rights Movement then and now.

12/9/16 Love Streams, 1984, #63 BBC 

I seem to question myself and my chosen hobby of movie blogging when I watch a film that is critically acclaimed, called inspirational, and I can't stand it, don't get it and want to turn it off. Am I missing something? Would I 'get it' if I studied film? These were my thoughts as I slogged through over two hours of (in my opinion) self-indulgent, wandering film-making called Love Streams. The later actor, writer and director John Cassavetes filled all three roles in  Love Streams. For film savants (not me), that should be all you need to know to bow down and be inspired by the lack of pretense, the laying bare of the soul, the raw nature of the main characters, Robert Harmon (Cassavetes) and his sister, Sarah Lawson (Gena Rowlands). Sadly, I am not one of those people, and it didn't resonate with me at all. Harmon is a playboy, writer, who uses women as his muse; he drinks too much, is a reluctant father and unreliable boyfriend/lover. His sister, Sarah, is at the tail end of a divorce, and is not handling it all that well, in fact, previous visits to mental institutions are referenced by her soon to be ex-husband. Sarah takes a trip to Europe to try and get better, but comes back a little more lost, confused and unfocused, and without her daughter, who makes it clear she would rather live with her father. Sarah heads out to California to be with Robert. Sarah goes through manic episodes, and Robert is not all that certain how to handle them, but he is afraid of losing her and upsetting her. As an example, Sarah takes a cab out somewhere, a small farm or something, looking for something cuddly, and comes home with miniature horses and a goat (I think) - all in the cab. It seems the cab driver didn't think any of this was weird. Rowlands' Sarah reminded me of her performance in Woman Under the Influence, also directed by Cassavetes, and the woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown persona. There were a few moments where I felt some compassion, but very few; most of the time I just found the whole thing unbelievable (I know it's just a film), and rambling. These two people are hurting and lost and need each other, but to me, the poor dialog and lack of focus (I'll put that down to the improvisational techniques used) just didn't reach me. This is not the first time, and certainly not the last, that I have disagreed with the BBC 100 list.

Woody, Yul, Mike & Sulley, and Mary & Roisin - sisters, kings, monsters and singers

I figure if I wait long enough, I'll accumulate enough variety for an interesting blog entry. I hope that is true in this case. I feel a little more pressure since I've been passing out the link to the blog like candy on Halloween this week.

10/25/2014 Hannah and Her Sisters, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, 1986

Woody Allen has a great way with dialogue and bringing out character nuances. Hannah, played by Mia Farrow, is the oldest of three sisters and married to Elliot, played by Michael Caine, who won a Best Supporting Actor for his role. Barbara Hershey as Lee and Dianne Wiest as Holly, also in Oscar-winning role (Best Supporting Actress) played Hannah's younger sisters. Woody Allen is Hannah's ex-husband, a neurotic and psychosomatic television writer. The movie is chock full of characters, some only appear for a few minutes, others for one act, and another handful throughout the story. Sometimes this drives me nuts, it's like an embarrassment of riches (I always think of Gosford Park or any other Robert Altman film) and you don't get enough of a character that you might like, and you may get too much of a character that doesn't really move the story forward. Hannah is experiencing a resurgence in her acting career, while her sisters struggle to find their place in the world. Lee is living with an emotionless automaton (Max Von Sydow)  whose only passion is his stuffy, pretentious art. Holly is a recovering drug addict who moves from one job to another as she tries to start her own acting career. Elliot is wrestling with his feelings for Lee, which they eventually act on to an unexpected end. Holly launches a catering business with her friend, played by Carrie Fischer, and a loan from Hannah. Elliot is convinced he is going to die so he quits his job as a television writer and seeks enlightenment from a variety of religions, breaking the hearts of his Jewish parents. Through it all, the connecting tissue of the film are three Thanksgiving dinners where the family comes together united by the singing performances of their parents, played by Lloyd Nolan and Maureen O'Sullivan, Farrow's real mother. See what I mean by a lot of characters? The movie blends drama into the comedy, and the comedy isn't side-splitting laughter like in Bridesmaids, but it definitely is funny. This was Wiest's first Oscar win (her second was also for an Allen film Bullets over Broadway) and she is so good; Michael Caine won his first Oscar for his role as Elliot; when you look at the other nominees for that year, either the voters split over Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe in Platoon or they went for the comedy over the drama from the other movies. Not that he is not a great actor, he has such a breadth and depth of film work, but I kind of think the Platoon actors should have shared it, since they were two sides of the same coin. I did not find this at the library, in fact, I've had a hard time finding Allen's movies there at all, but Netflix had it. I would recommend it if you are interested in Allen's films, want to see some great actors and see a well-told story.

10/26/2014 The King & I, Best Actor, Best Art Direction - Set Decoration, Color, Best Costume Design - color, Best Music - Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Sound Recording, 1956

I realize that what I am about to say may be considered blasphemy, but I really didn't love The King & I starring Yul Brynner as the King and Deborah Kerr as Anna (rhymes with car). I didn't even really like it. It did have beautiful set and costumes, which were both recognized by being award the Oscars for those categories. I also will not dispute that Yul Brynner was a larger than life presence on the screen, but I got tired of the constant shouting and bellowing by his character, the King of Siam. 1956 was quite the year for performances, including Kirk Douglas as Vincent Van Gogh in Lust for Life, Rock Hudson and James Dean in Giant and Sir Laurence Olivier in Richard III; my vote would have been for Douglas. On top of all the shouting, the damn movie was over two hours long and there was one point where I thought about hitting my hand with a hammer to end the pain. I was only familiar with a couple of songs "Getting to Know You" and "Shall we Dance?". Anna is a very strong character, which is nice to see, but otherwise, eh. And of course, some of us remember Yul Brynner performing in the stage version for many years. I'd like to say you should see it to have a cultural reference for those songs or whatever, but if you have something else to watch, watch that instead. My apologies if anyone is offended.

10/27/2014 Monsters University, not nominated 2013

Monsters University is the prequel to Monsters Unlimited; and it stars Billy Crystal and John Goodman reprising their roles as Mike and Sulley as they make their way through Monsters University to earn a degree in Scaring. Even though the movie was not nominated, there was a lot of pre-Oscar buzz and it made a boatload of money. The movie is an homage to the underdog and the nerd (kind of an animated Revenge of the Nerds). The monsters are great, including Randy (from the first movie, voiced by Steve Buscemi); Dean Hardscrabble, who is dean of the university and as daunting as Dumbledore, played by Helen Mirren, and many more. Mike REALLY wants to scare kids, that's his dream, but the fact is, he's not very scary, not compared to his soon-to-be best friend, Sulley. Mike is at risk of being kicked out of the Scare program at school when he comes up with an idea to compete in come campus games and assembles a group of misfit monsters. Sulley, who is scary without really trying, doesn't do well at the actual classwork and is threatened with losing his place as well. Hijinks ensue, and the nerdy monsters have an uphill battle, but they don't quite give up the ghost. If the kids haven't seen it, and I'm guessing they probably have, put it on when you don't want to watch (insert favorite sports team) lose and get humiliated.


10/28/2014 Mary Black and Roisin O, Fitzgerald Theater

This was my third time seeing the legendary Mary Black, and unless I get back to Ireland, probably the last. She was focusing on songs that featured in her autobiography, Down the Crooked Road. As with a lot of singers that I like, there is an abundance of songs I want to hear, and if I get even half of them, I feel lucky, especially with a career like Mary's. Of course, I can't remember every song, because it's like a blur, but she did "The Golden Mile", "Caroline Rua", "The Moon & St. Christopher", "Don't Say Okay". The audience seemed to be mostly long-time fans and the audience was respectful and supportive, like old friends, but at one point a woman just a few rows behind me shouted out a request for a song (heaven help me, I'm drawing a blank at the moment), and Mary handled it like a pro and asked the woman who she wanted the song for and she replied "My children." It was quite a nice moment, one you can really only have in a small theater like the Fitz or the Dakota. The night ended with "Only a Woman's Heart" (which is always a great singalong and she brought out Roisin O to help and they blended a little of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" which was awesome).

When Mary (we're on a first name basis) came two years ago, she brought a new artist from Ireland, Roisin O, with her. At that time, Roisin seemed a little nervous and did several covers, including a beautiful Joni Mitchell cover (again, cannot remember the title), but the audience was very supportive. Well, two years later, Roisin emerged a much more confident singer who was comfortable with the audience, making jokes and switching from guitar to keyboards, and then borrowed Mary's band for the last song. This time she did many more songs from her album (pictured above which she signed for me :)) "The Secret Life of Blue". I'll admit, I'm very partial to female singer-songwriters (Dar Williams, Mary Fahl, Angel Snow, etc.), and I like finding someone new to listen to. "Let's Find Some People" is an upbeat song, and Roisin got some laughs when she introduced "You Owe Me a Drink" by saying there are two things that the Irish like to do, drink and go to Mass. She did a song called "Hold On" which she wrote about a friend who had bipolar disorder and sometimes as a friend all you can do is let them know you're their. It was a heartfelt introduction and the song is hauntingly beautiful. She's got a big and soulful voice which really came out when she joined Mary for "Only a Woman's Heart". If you can catch Mary and Roisin on their remaining dates, definitely GO. If not, Roisin has made occasional visits to the East Coast (Minnesota may be too far inland for a solo visit - for now). As for the album, I listened to it on constant repeat for two days straight and just love it. The songs take on a different tinge with her full band, and "Tea Song" is so unique with Brian Murphy from her band singing co-lead. There are moments where I hear a little Kate Bush in her voice. Find Roisin on Spotify or Amazon or at her next concert.

The Jayhawks at First Avenue, a Fading Gigolo, Welcome to the Rileys and a Wolf on Wall Street

First Avenue, Downtown Minneapolis

I crossed two Twin Cities icons off my bucket list on Friday night: First Avenue (or "First Ave" as it's popularly known) and saw The Jayhawks play live. You may have heard of First Avenue if you saw Purple Rain). If you're not familiar with The Jayhawks, they are a band that originated in Minneapolis in the mid-1980s and were part of the "Minneapolis Sound" of the 1980s and 1990s; and even though they have taken some break over the years, the 1997 lineup is touring again in support of the re-release of three of their albums ("Sound of Lies", "Smile" and "Rainy Day Music").

I always liked the music of theirs that I heard on the radio, they had great hooks and harmonies and the alt-country sound that I like, but I never bought a CD or saw them play. Over the past year or so, after listening to some music that Gary Louris played on (Dixie Chicks, Dar Williams), I started listening to them again, and held out hope they would play live. It must be my lucky year for concerts (I have a list for those as well) and a few months ago it was announced that The Jayhawks would be playing First Avenue. I got my ticket that day. Finally, the day came, a beautiful fall evening in Minneapolis, cool and crisp. I started to get very nervous because the First Ave is pretty much standing general admission, and the opening act wasn't going to start until 8:30, and The Jayhawks would go on around 9:45, and I was taking the light rail home. For the record, I am usually in bed by 9:30, so this was going to be interesting. I thought about skipping it, because sometimes I'm a pansy. I told one of my pals at work that I might just go home, and he told me I would probably regret it (this is the same friend who said I should go see Dar Williams in St. Louis last year - no regrets), so I sat at work some more, and decided since I was already downtown, had a ticket and had been waiting for this night for months, I should take my old creaky ass and go to the venue. I found a standing place up on the second level and hugged the railing and waited. I didn't check my watch, but I think it was pretty close to 10:00 when the band took the stage. The audience was my age or older so there wasn't a lot of craziness, but everyone was pretty excited when the opening chords to "The Man Who Loved Life" came on. I wish I could give you a rundown of every song and the order they were played, but my brain just isn't that good. They did play a lot of songs from "Sound of Lies", "Smile" and "Rainy Day Music", including "Big Star", "Blue" (one of my favorites), "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", "Angelyne", "Tampa to Tulsa" (featuring drummer Tim O'Reagan on vocals) and so many more. I heard almost everything I wanted to hear, and if I could have sat down, I would have wanted them to play another hour or three. It really was awesome. I've read that they don't have any plans to record any new material, but perhaps after the great reaction they received from the hometown crowds and hopefully what they'll get from their upcoming tour, maybe they will reconsider. It isn't often you get a chance to see a band that you really like if they have retired or lost members or whatever, so when you do - grab it. Thanks to The Jayhawks for coming back around.

Fading Gigolo, 2013 not nominated

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I would have to say I lost on this one and I had such high hopes. Fading Gigolo was written and directed by John Turturro, he also starred in the film. The movie, also starring Woody Allen, Sofia Vergara and Sharon Stone, is about two friends, Murrary and Fioravante (Allen and Turturro) who come up with a scheme for Fioravante to be a gigolo. Honestly, I don't care. I'm sorry, if you're interested, you should check it out for yourself (I want the dollar back from the library).

Welcome to the Rileys, 2010 not nominated

Welcome to the Rileys kept appearing in trailers of other movies I was watching and I finally succumbed and added to the queue. It stars James Gandolfini, Melissa Leo and Kristen Stewart in this drama set mostly in New Orleans. Gandolfini and Leo play Doug and Lois Riley, a long-married couple who have been in almost a suspended state of animation since their only child, a daughter, died in a car crash. Lois never leaves the house while Doug carries on an affair with the waitress at diner he frequents after his poker games. Doug goes to New Orleans for a convention and meets sixteen year-old Mallory (Stewart) in a strip club. Doug really isn't interested in the lap dance, but takes Mallory home and asks to stay in her house for $100 a day; there's nothing going on, except Doug fixing the toilet and cleaning up the house, even showing Mallory how to make the bed (which really looked like a lot of work). Doug calls Lois and tells her he is not coming home for a while. While nothing else could motivate Lois to leave home, this compels her to get in the car and drive from Indianapolis to New Orleans to find Doug. Lois comes back to Mallory's house with Doug and she tries to figure out why Doug is doing this. The events surrounding their daughter's death are not shared for probably over half of the movie, but there is clearly enough guilt to go around, even though it was an accident. The Rileys transfer the affection and perhaps even control that they would have had for their daughter to Mallory, who is a prickly pear and leery of their intentions. The movie does not have a clear cut happy ending, but I think it makes sense and may be the most realistic conclusion (sometimes life just doesn't go how we expect). I liked the movie, although it took me a little while, and I found Gandolfini's southern accent distracting, but once I let that go, I was able to enjoy his performance as well as Leo's (these are two great actors). I have to say I could take or leave Stewart; I don't know, I wasn't blown away, but I didn't hate her either. I was much more interested in the Doug and Lois relationship, and it would probably be really daunting to be acting with either one of them, much less BOTH of them in the same scene. The movie made practically nothing back on it's $10 million budget, and this might have been another one of those movies best scene on the small screen; perhaps it will gain traction with other viewers who see the trailers. It was not the best movie I have ever seen, but it certainly is on the pretty good, check it out list.

The Wolf of Wall Street, 2013, nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay

It would probably be really lazy if I just copied the review I did for Fading Gigolo and just changed the names. The good thing, for me, is that this leaves me only two movies from all of the 2013 nominated films to watch and those are not available to me yet. The other good thing is the movie was FREE, because if it wasn't, I probably would whine about getting my money back for this too, I'd still like those three hours of my life back, but that ain't going to happen. First of all, looking at all the other nominees for 2013, there was probably no way that it was going to win in any of the categories, the other movies were too strong. The Wolf of Wall Street was directed by Martin Scorcese and starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill and had a lot of little guest spots with Rob Reiner, Joanna Lumley, Jon Favreau and others. It follows the bacchanalian-like career of Jordan Belfort (a real-life toe rag) and his cohorts. It was the greedy period of the 1980s and 1990s, full of drugs, sex and degenerate behavior (no judging here). The movie was categorized as a 'black comedy' and I don't know, I didn't think a whole lot was funny, except one scene, which totally escapes me right now. I will say that Jonah Hill was really good as Belfort's sidekick. The soundtrack was excellent which I have come to expect from Robbie Robertson (who has a very long connection with Scorcese going back to The Last Waltz which featured The Band) who has done compiled and selected the music for other Scorcese films like The Color of Money. If you're a Scorcese or DiCaprio fan, you have probably already seen this, but otherwise I have a hard time recommending it.

More 2014 Oscar Nominees: Nebraska, Blue Jasmine, The Hunt

1/25/14 Nebraska, nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography 2013

In Nebraska, like August: Osage County, family relationships, especially the parent and child relationship is at the center of the story; the landscape and countryside are also characters in the story. Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) is the somewhat addled, alcoholic/drunk patriarch who believes that he was won a million dollars and wants go from Billings, Montana, to Lincoln, Nebraska, to claim his prize. Since he can't drive, he tries at various times to walk, although the highway patrol and his wife, Kate (June Squibb) and kids, David and Ross (Will Forte and Bob Odenkirk) are not exactly supportive of this Quixotic adventure. Eventually, David decides this might be a good chance to spend some quality time with his dad, and against Kate's wishes, they head off on a road trip. Woody is somewhat of a curmudgeon and resents the loss of his freedom as well as his family denying his opportunity to claim his prize. Woody suffers some misadventures during the trip (including losing his dentures along the train tracks, which is a very funny scene). David and Woody take a detour back to Woody and Kate's hometown of Hawthorne, and Kate and Ross come down for an impromptu family reunion. That visit raises the ghosts that Woody and Kate long since left behind, including Woody's family, of whom Kate does not think very highly; Woody's old business partner, Ed Pegram, played by Stacey Keach; and Woody tells them all that he is on his way to collect a million dollars. None of this is done with any bravado or bragging, just a plain fact (which is Woody's style for everything). There is a great scene where David and Ross believe they are reclaiming an air compressor that Woody lent to Ed Pegram over 30 years ago; I thought that was pure comedic genius and timing. Of course, at some point, Woody has to accept that he has not won the million dollars, but you will have to see that and the other familial exchanges for yourself. In August: Osage County it's the mother-daughter relationship that gets focus and in Nebraska it's the father-son relationship and it's an interesting contrast - August: Osage County has yelling, a lot of dialogue and 'explosive' interactions (hot if you will, like Oklahoma in the summer); Nebraska is quieter, with Woody being very frugal in his words and his actions, while David and his other family members doing most of the talking, but still restrained in most of their actions and interactions (cool like autumn or winter in Wyoming or Nebraska). Bruce Dern is great as Woody, almost stereotypically stoic like his fictional Swedish ancestors. Dern is in a pool of great actors for the Best Actor Oscar, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew McConaughey and Leonardo DiCaprio, so I think it's going to be close. June Squibb was achingly familiar to the women sitting next to me (don't get me wrong, I could have done without their chatter, but it was interesting to hear the parallels in their own lives with the Grants; I think this is probably true for many of my Minnesotan/Wisconsin/Dakotan friends); Kate was feisty, cantankerous, resentful and yet very protective of Woody (I guess it's one of those, I can be angry and resentful at my husband, but you cannot moments). June Squibb had some great lines, and she has a speech where she just goes off on her in-laws and I wanted to applaud; so she not only had great lines, but delivered them convincingly. She's nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category, and that one, I think is locked up by Lupita Nyong'o. Alexander Payne directed Nebraska and he chose to film Nebraska in black and white and I think it fits the film perfectly. There is something that will resonate with everyone, especially the parent-child arc, but as I said, I think there is something that is very uniquely Midwestern to the story that struck a chord for this transplanted Minnesotan. Nebraska has a bittersweet quality that is tempered by the humor. You should totally see this movie (big screen is great, but I think you'd okay if you have to wait for DVD).

1/25/14 Blue Jasmine, nominated for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, 2013

I think my next project may be to watch all of Woody Allen's films and do my analysis and categorization of them because he does seem to have certain themes for his movies; this isn't scientific but to me a movie like Bullets Over Broadway is a more obvious comedy, but something like Blue Jasmine or Cassandra's Dream or Matchpoint have almost a Greek tragedy component (Blue Jasmine is probably more comedy than the other two just mentioned); the protagonist 'gets' what is coming to them. Jasmine (Cate Blanchett nominated as Best Actress) is the ex-wife of Hal, a Bernie Madoff-type character, played by Alec Baldwin, who has lost every trace of her posh lifestyle, except the feeling that she should still have all of those luxuries. This narcissistic trait grates on her sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins nominated for Best Supporting Actress), who lost a great deal of money by trusting it to Hal, and has always struggled. Blanchett plays Jasmine with no sense of irony or humor, which makes it funny to watch her cluelessness among her friends and family, and total strangers. Poor Ginger has her own problems, including divorcing her husband, played surprisingly well by Andrew Dice Clay, and then relationship problems with her new boyfriend, Chili, oh, and her sister won't move out. Hawkins is good and can definitely hold her own with Blanchett (to see Hawkins in a starring role check out Happy-Go-Lucky). Woody Allen has written over 70 movies and I think he still has something to say; I like his movies like Blue Jasmine more than Midnight in Paris, that could have been because of Owen Wilson (not a fan) or the story with the ups and downs in Jasmine's life.

1/26/13 The Hunt, nominated for Best Foreign Film, 2013

Oh, this one will grab you and not let go until it's over. The film database I keep in my head is failing me in terms of other similar films but I know they are there. Anyway, The Hunt stars Mads Mikkelsen who was also in Denmark's entry last year, A Royal Affair, as Lucas, an aid at the local kindergarten. The young daughter of his best friend accuses Lucas of behaving inappropriately with her after he upsets her. The little girl who is perhaps six has no idea of what her statement means in the grown-up world and the firestorm she is about to set off in her village. I don't know if it's fair to say that if this happened in Copenhagen or another large European city it would have been handled differently, but in a small village where everyone knows everyone else, it creates a maelstrom that Lucas cannot escape, even though he knows he didn't do anything wrong. And I think that may be part of what makes the movie so tense and suspenseful is that as the viewer you know that Lucas didn't do anything and all you can do is watch the events unfold, hoping that everyone in the village is as insightful as you are. Unfortunately, that isn't the case, and most of his friends distance themselves. In the midst of this, Lucas reconnects with his teenage son, Marcus, who has had to spend most of his time with Lucas's ex-wife. Marcus stands by his father's side and they build a strong bond. The ending is worthy of Hitchcock (man, I hope I'm referencing the right filmmaker) and it caught me by surprise. I'm not going to lie, it was hard to watch the witch hunt, and it's amazing at how fast everyone turned on Lucas. But it is a great performance by Mikkelsen (who should have been nominated for his performance even if it would have added to an already crowded field). One other thing - apparently they don't wear blaze orange in Denmark when hunting.

1/26/13 Frances Ha, not nominated, 2013

Ok, I just watched this because Greta Gerwig was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress for Frances Ha and I wanted to see if she should have been nominated for an Oscar. And...no. I haven't had a painful movie in a while, so maybe I was due, but man alive I hated this movie. What a bunch of nothing; I don't mind slices of life without any clear end in mind, but this seemed ridiculous. I didn't even think it was very funny and the acting was amateurish at best; I think the point was to make it seem like the conversation and action was natural and improvised, but it just wasn't very good. I think people get 'ground-breaking' and 'pretentious' mixed up and I think that's the case here. Where I think Nebraska and August: Osage County can apply to a cross-section of movie-goers and almost anyone can say 'oh my gosh that happened to me', I don't think that is true here; I think it pertains to a small segment of the population, and if their lives are as meaningless as those in the film, who wants to see that. Rant over.

An American Treasure

Bullets over Broadway, 11/17/12, Best Supporting Actress 1994

The more I watch them, the more I like Woody Allen’s movies. I like them better when he’s not in them, however because the typical neurotic characters he plays can be very annoying, but he writes a good story and gets great performances out of the actors. Bullets over Broadway is set in 1928 New York, complete with gangsters and Prohibition-era alcohol. It’s about an idealistic playwright, played by John Cusack, and his desire to get his play produced on Broadway. It starts out as too intellectual and too heavy and he can’t get it produced until he makes a deal with the devil in the form of a local gangster to put the gangster’s girlfriend, Olive (played by Jenifer Tilly), in the play. That begins the slippery slope of compromise that leads to the fatal end of the movie. This seems to be very thematic of Allen’s movies, basically good people take shortcuts or are willing to be corrupted to achieve their ends (money, fame, love) only to have so much of it unravel in the end (Cassandra’s Dream, Match Point, Crimes and Misdemeanors). However, the difference in this movie is there is broader comedic edge which makes it fun to watch, especially with an incredible cast, including winner of the Best Supporting Actress, Dianne Wiest, John Cusack, Chazz Palmintieri, Jennifer Tilly, Jim Broadbent and several others. The great thing about this film, and many other Allen films, is the performances he gets from the actors even if they’re only on the screen for a few scenes, like Tracey Ullman. David Shayne, Cusack’s character is the playwright and the director, but the actors are struggling with his words and his vision; Cheech (Chazz Palmintieri) a gangster and ex-con has the soul of a writer and comes up with many improvements to the script and becomes personally invested in its success. Helen Sinclair (Dianne Wiest) is an actress in the boozy twilight of her career, looking for one more shot, and doesn't think it is with Shayne, but things start to come together, especially because Shayne fawns all over her and makes her believe that she is still the star she used to be. Wiest is great and she is a familiar face in many of Allen’s films; I really like watching her take on the life of her characters. Jennifer Tilly is also a treat, and she was also nominated for the Best Supporting Actress. Woody Allen’s movies aren't for everyone, and some of them have had to grow on me, too. If you’re leery about his movies, this might be a good one to try (or any of the ones where he isn't in it) and you may be surprised. The language, the dialogue and the quirky characters make it a good watch.

The beginning of a compulsion

Several months ago I decided that I was going to watch every Oscar-winning movie (not just the best picture, but EVERY award). If I have watched it, it counts, and i don't have to watch it again (although, i do have the option). I'm not claiming to be Roger Ebert or Gene Siskel or any other wannabe critic. The following are my notes on the movies I'm watching. They may prompt you to watch them, or generate some good discussion. The first entry is from May 2012 through mid-August 2012.

All About Eve 5/26/2012 Best costume design, best writing, best supporting actor, best picture, best director, best sound

A true classic. Great performance by Bette Davis, Celeste Holm and Anne Baxter. I didn’t know what to expect, but it exceeded what I thought it would be. There is some overacting, but there are some nuances too. ‘Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night’ is an often-quoted line, so to hear it in its original context is refreshing.

Apollo 13 6/3/2012 Best film editing, best sound

You feel claustrophobic as the action takes place in the space capsule. Even if you know how it ends, it is still exciting. A reminder of the pioneering spirit of the space program.

Syriana 6/30/2012 Best Supporting Actor

Another movie I avoided because I am not a huge George Clooney fan (meaning I will not watch a movie only for George Clooney, but I have actually seen many of his films). The multiple story lines required more of my attention than I usually pay (multi-tasking is a personal flaw), but it was an entertaining political thriller. Matt Damon’s storyline seemed superfluous to me.

Sideways 7/1/2012 Best Adapted Screenplay

I liked it, I was prepared not to like it, but it’s a nice film, nothing overwhelming or in your face, no special effects, but a good story. I really like Paul Giammati and he rarely disappoints. I don’t drink wine, and maybe if I did, I would have watched this when it was first released. This probably could have been any road trip movie, the wine gave it a sense of place and allowed the main character to be an expert in something.

The Artist 7/4/2012 Best picture, best actor, best director

It was good, it was different, it was an interesting way to do a film. I still think Hugo was the best picture (my sentimental favorite was The Help). It paid homage to cinematic history similar to Hugo, but I didn’t care all that much for the characters.

‘Round Midnight 7/4/2012 Best Music, Original Score

I didn’t know if I would like this film or not, and it took me a little while to get into it, but overall, I really enjoyed it. It’s a somber film, not a lot of laughs, and sometimes the main character, Dale Turner, isn’t very likeable, but I really felt for this tortured soul. He finds a family and life with a great fan in Paris, and seems to understand the love Francis has for him. In the framework of the movie, I found I liked the be-bop/jazz music that was the whole basis for the film. I think my dad would have liked the movie and that made it more special. I haven’t seen ‘The Color of Money’ for which Paul Newman won the Oscar, but I believe that Dexter Gordon should have won it for this role. Highly recommended.

The Fog of War 7/7/2012 Best Documentary Feature

Documentary provides insight into the Kennedy and Johnson administrations and Robert McNamara, who seems to have a reputation as a war monger, but I got the feeling he was very anti-war, seeing it as a last resort. 

Inside Job 7/7/2012 Best Documentary Feature

If you watch this and don’t get angry, you just aren’t paying attention. Being part of the mortgage industry during this collapse/colossal rip off just made it more painful to watch. The fact that nobody was charged with fraud, conspiracy or something is a crime.

Annie Hall 7/14/2012 Best director, best actress, best picture, best original screenplay

You wonder how Woody Allen functions with all of these bizarre thoughts in his head, but it’s because he makes movies like this. The classic ‘Annie Hall’ look is shown only briefly. I enjoyed the movie as part of understanding Allen’s later work. There are some very funny parts in it, and Allen has some great insights into the neuroses of relationships.

Atonement 7/14/2012 Best original score

A beautiful period piece with a surprise ending.

Days of Wine and Roses 7/14/2012 Best original song

Another movie that is cited in cultural references. I was expecting sugar-coating of alcoholism, but there was a sense of realism, a sense of despair as the characters succumbed to the siren of alcohol. Jack Lemmon was incredible and Lee Remick was beautifully tragic. I did not expect the movie to end the way it did, and I was ‘pleased’ that wasn’t tied up nicely in a bow.

The Defiant Ones 7/20/2012 Best Cinematography – B&W, Best Screenplay

I love Sidney Poitier, and have seen most of his landmark films. Finally watched this one and enjoyed it. Sometimes Tony Curtis annoys me, I can’t tell if it’s overacting or something else. I didn’t believe him as a Southern prisoner with his fake southern accent, but I got past that and just enjoyed the story. Some of it was predictable, you just knew they were going to develop some of kind of bond. There were some twists that kept it interesting, and I was rooting for them to make it to the train.

Star Trek (2009) 7/21/2012 Best Makeup

I have never watched any of the Star Trek movies all of the way through, and I only watched this because it was on the Oscar’s list. It wasn’t horrible, and there were some good effects and action. An interesting twist on the origin story of the Starship Enterprise and the relationship between Kirk and Spock. The villain, Nero, was horribly overacted and the change between speaking colloquial/familiar English and formal English was annoying. I found out it was Eric Bana after watching the movie and I thought, oh that makes sense I didn’t like him. Leonard Nimoy was a great touch and I liked the scenes with him the most, even though the time traveling stuff hurts my head.

The African Queen 7/21/2012 Best Actor

Good action sequences, going down the rapids, the fly scene (guaranteed to make you itch and swat at imaginary bugs), the unforgettable leeches scene – I remember watching the movie with my dad and him explaining the leeches. I’m glad I finally watched the whole movie, and now I don’t have to fixate on them anymore. I had to suspend disbelief to believe that a prim missionary (Katharine Hepburn) could fall for a guy like Charlie Allnutt. But, then you kind of do and just go with it. It is almost just a two person play except for the first 10 minutes with Rose’s missionary brother and the German soldiers at the end of the movie. The movie still holds up all these years later.

Inception 7/22/2012 Best Cinematography, Best Sound editing, Best sound mixing, best visual effects

My head hurts. You have to pay attention to this movie and even if you do that, you may want to watch it twice (and I think I will). Interesting concept about dreams and manipulating them, and going into a dream within a dream. The effects were stunning and keep you watching, but it is the story that is really interesting. I originally avoided this movie like the plague, not sure why, probably because I didn’t want my head to hurt, but it’s on the list, so, I watched it and am really glad I did. Just saw Christopher Nolan’s Dark Night Rises, so it was col to see Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard and Joseph Leavitt-Gordon so soon after that. The irony (probably planned?) was the constant playing of Edith Piaf’s ‘Non, Je ne regret rien’; Cotillard played Piaf and won an Oscar.

East of Eden 7/22/2012 Best supporting actress

James Dean’s movie debut; another movie that is always referred to in cultural references, so I was glad to finally watch it. I wasn’t mesmerized by Dean’s performance although I was definitely interested in it, especially when I learned most of his performance was improvised. Jo Van Fleet, who played Aron and Cal’s mother, won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. I would have liked to have seen more of her in the movie, I really liked her and thought she had a story to tell (Van Fleet played Arletta in ‘Cool Hand Luke’ another brilliant movie). I rated the movie 4 stars on Netflix and highly recommend it.

Babel 7/28/2012 Best original score

You have to give the movie time to unfold and for the pieces to come together. I wasn’t all that interested in the storyline with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, even though it contains the movie’s pivotal event. The Afghani family story humanized a group of people that have been in the American conscious or subconscious for over 10 years. The plotline involving the housekeeper/nanny, Amelia, was very intense and took a turn that I didn’t quite expect. The actress who played Amelia was outstanding; she lost out to Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls, but I think any of the nominees for this year would have been worthy recipients. I don’t think this was the greatest movie I have seen, but it certainly makes you think about how one small event can have huge ripple effects.

Almost Famous 8/11/12 Best original screenplay

I really liked the music from the movie, pulling from a great selection from the early 1970s. It was a nice coming of age story. I thought the whole story line of the relationship between William and his mother was annoying (and I love Frances McDormand, so that’s not it); it seemed more of a distraction than anything. Billy Crudup was good as the lead guitarist who seemingly didn’t want to buy into the hype of being a popular band. Personally, I liked that there was a scene set in Swingo’s which was a famous rock and roll hotel in Cleveland. Kate Hudson was enchanting as Penny Lane.  There’s a scene in the movie where the band starts to sing along to ‘Tiny Dancer’ by Elton John. That may be one of my favorites. It seemed improvised, which I suppose was the point. It was a nice behind the scenes look at the music papers and magazines of that time (although it wasn’t too detailed). It was a good movie that really didn’t make me think too hard.