Steve Carell ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin") continues to impress me. This time out, he plays a shy widower with three daughters; he writes a newspaper advice column. They are going to spend some vacation time at his parents' cabin (Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney) with lots of siblings and in-laws, plus nieces and nephews of various ages. This is clearly a large, happy family and everything is organized to a "Tee." (Although he DOES have to sleep in the laundry room where there is usually a load of clothes in the dryer, WITH tennis shoes!)
On the first morning, his mother sends him to the nearby village to buy a newspaper. While he is in the shop, he sees a woman, played by Juliette Binoche ("Chocolat," "Cache" and an Academy Award for "The English Patient"), who tries to ask the proprietor for some assistance. The proprietor is on the phone and ignores her, so when she sees Dan looking at her, she thinks he works there. He helps her and it isn't until she is ready to make her purchases that he confesses he doesn't. They are having so much fun by then they go to a coffee shop and go on chatting and laughing. This is the first time since his wife died four years earlier that he has been able to relax and talk with a woman so he is smitten. She suddenly realizes she is late getting somewhere and rushes off.
When he finally gets back to the cabin, his brother (Dane Cook) introduces him to his new girlfriend...yup...it's Binoche. Of course he is instantly hurt but has no intention of stealing his brother's girlfriend, so of course the movie is about his turmoil.
The family is determined to drag him out of his grief. At one point, his father comes into the laundry room to have a little father/son chat. The mother soon joins them. Next comes a brother and his wife to start a load of laundry. Finally every adult in the family is jammed into the laundry room with him. They have taken upon themselves to throw him back into the dating pool and have arranged a blind date with a woman he knew many years ago when they were children. At that time, her nickname was "Pig Face." He is so reluctant to go that his brother offers to make it a double date with Binoche...much to Dan's discomfort.
A major European star, Juliette Binoche is a veteran of big films and small. In this one, she is warm, funny and fit. The family dynamics are fun, with everyone participating in the homemade entertainments because there is no television at the cabin and it is up to them to find ways to divert themselves. The diversions range from competitive crossword puzzles to charades. Mom and Dad are always getting help in meal preparation, the kids help set the table, the adult sons do the dishes, everyone does laundry... you get the picture.
Dan's daughters are clearly being raised right. They are doing age-appropriate adolescent stuff, but when Dad puts his foot down, they reluctantly obey. I loved that there was automatically one table for the grown-ups and one for the kids. That's the way it should be and it looked so natural!
I liked this movie.
10/29/07
10/26/07
Cochise County
I just received a DVD, "Cochise County" which describes the turmoil on the Mexican border. The infrared shots of the throngs of illegals running through the mesquite are shocking to say the least! Hundreds and hundreds every night, a constant stream, just along that small section of the border. The citizens of Sonora and Arizona, the two states that abut the border in that area, are all begging for help. Corpses are being found on the southern side of the line, too! And those Sonoran ranch owners aren't any happier about them than the Arizonians.
The statistics are staggering! For example the costs to one local hospital in Bisbee (where my son David was born), in dollars and cents, are amazing! And the health-care workers come across as sympathetic, understanding and humanitarian (some of them are themselves, Mexican immigrants), but they are confronted and confounded by hard, heart-breaking economic facts of life.
Pictures of the debris found in that area are also staggering: maps, copies of the Koran, hypodermics, condoms, clothes, corpses, writings in Chinese, Farsi and other Arabic scripts, Bibles, blankets, water jugs, automatic rifles, ammunition, etc., etc. This debris is abandoned when they see they are going to be picked up by the authorities. The Border Patrol has to focus as much on rescue as on deportation these days.
The increase in drug traffic is phenomenal! Tons! And that's just in the Tucson District alone (which includes Cochise County). Cocaine and marijuana are the top imports, but there are lots of fake prescription drugs coming across, too.
The Minutemen come across as articulate, dispassionate, and law- abiding. They are mad at Bush, at the Governor, and at the Federales on the other side of the border. Bush and the Governor for the funding shortages that have handicapped the Border Patrol, and the Federales for using their high-powered glasses and cell phones to direct the "illegals" to spots where, temporarily, there is no Border Patrol presence. The Minutemen are armed, but it is because the drug smugglers are also armed. The Minutemen use their cell phones as their primary weapon of choice. So far, no shots have been fired...
One of the local Seattle columnists was commenting on some objections the other day. It is no longer politically correct to call these folks "Illegals" but instead the recommended "Undocumented Immigrants." He said if that is what they are to be called, we should call a bank robbery "An unauthorized withdrawal!"
See? The local Seattle fishwrap sometimes has good stuff coming from their uniformly liberal writers!
The statistics are staggering! For example the costs to one local hospital in Bisbee (where my son David was born), in dollars and cents, are amazing! And the health-care workers come across as sympathetic, understanding and humanitarian (some of them are themselves, Mexican immigrants), but they are confronted and confounded by hard, heart-breaking economic facts of life.
Pictures of the debris found in that area are also staggering: maps, copies of the Koran, hypodermics, condoms, clothes, corpses, writings in Chinese, Farsi and other Arabic scripts, Bibles, blankets, water jugs, automatic rifles, ammunition, etc., etc. This debris is abandoned when they see they are going to be picked up by the authorities. The Border Patrol has to focus as much on rescue as on deportation these days.
The increase in drug traffic is phenomenal! Tons! And that's just in the Tucson District alone (which includes Cochise County). Cocaine and marijuana are the top imports, but there are lots of fake prescription drugs coming across, too.
The Minutemen come across as articulate, dispassionate, and law- abiding. They are mad at Bush, at the Governor, and at the Federales on the other side of the border. Bush and the Governor for the funding shortages that have handicapped the Border Patrol, and the Federales for using their high-powered glasses and cell phones to direct the "illegals" to spots where, temporarily, there is no Border Patrol presence. The Minutemen are armed, but it is because the drug smugglers are also armed. The Minutemen use their cell phones as their primary weapon of choice. So far, no shots have been fired...
One of the local Seattle columnists was commenting on some objections the other day. It is no longer politically correct to call these folks "Illegals" but instead the recommended "Undocumented Immigrants." He said if that is what they are to be called, we should call a bank robbery "An unauthorized withdrawal!"
See? The local Seattle fishwrap sometimes has good stuff coming from their uniformly liberal writers!
10/23/07
The Deep End
What a surprise! I finally got around to watching this highly rated 2001 film and was gratified to see how complex, beautifully acted and well-crafted piece this is.
Of course Tilda Swinton ("Michael Clayton" and "Orlando") is excellent, that's no surprise. Her character is a Navy wife with her husband at sea and incommunicado. She is saddled with three active, talented children and is also caring for her father-in-law, who lives with them. You see the day-to-day demands on her time and energy, given freely and unquestioningly. Their waterfront home on Lake Tahoe is a well-organized, capably run enterprise with her securely at the helm.
Her oldest son will soon graduate from high school. He is a talented musician who is tentatively exploring his sexuality at a gay nightclub in nearby Reno. Her daughter is taking ballet classes and will be in a performance of "Swan Lake" in the near future. Her youngest son has Little League baseball and his beloved aquarium to keep him busy. The father-in-law is a fairly undemanding fellow, but he does have bad heart.
Enter the villain, the son's recent lover, come from Reno, a handsome seducer played by Josh Lucas ("Sweet Home, Alabama" and "An Unfinished Life") who tosses pebbles at their windows one evening. The boy sees him, is horrified and takes his lover to the boathouse to try to convince him to leave and not awaken the household. After a tussle, the boy goes back into the house and the next morning, his mother spots a corpse in the water by the boathouse. She recognizes him because she had made an unsuccessful foray to his nightclub in an attempt to make him leave her son alone. She quickly jumps to the conclusion that her son killed him and sets about to dispose of the corpse.,
By the time the blackmailers come onto the scene, Goran Visnjic takes you completely by surprise. This actor was such a vile fellow in "Practical Magic" it is hard to see him in any other light, but scene by scene, as his character is affected by his talks with this hard-working wife and mother, the movie becomes more and more involving. She is certain that her career Navy husband would be cruelly hurt by evidence that their son might be a homosexual. Her sole focus is to try to raise the money and claim the blackmail video. Watching her trying to cope with the bureaucracy of banks, credit card companies and other lenders, while folding the laundry and preparing meals, is a wonderful character study.
No spoilers here. Just watch it and then get back to me. Let me know if you like it as much as I did!
Of course Tilda Swinton ("Michael Clayton" and "Orlando") is excellent, that's no surprise. Her character is a Navy wife with her husband at sea and incommunicado. She is saddled with three active, talented children and is also caring for her father-in-law, who lives with them. You see the day-to-day demands on her time and energy, given freely and unquestioningly. Their waterfront home on Lake Tahoe is a well-organized, capably run enterprise with her securely at the helm.
Her oldest son will soon graduate from high school. He is a talented musician who is tentatively exploring his sexuality at a gay nightclub in nearby Reno. Her daughter is taking ballet classes and will be in a performance of "Swan Lake" in the near future. Her youngest son has Little League baseball and his beloved aquarium to keep him busy. The father-in-law is a fairly undemanding fellow, but he does have bad heart.
Enter the villain, the son's recent lover, come from Reno, a handsome seducer played by Josh Lucas ("Sweet Home, Alabama" and "An Unfinished Life") who tosses pebbles at their windows one evening. The boy sees him, is horrified and takes his lover to the boathouse to try to convince him to leave and not awaken the household. After a tussle, the boy goes back into the house and the next morning, his mother spots a corpse in the water by the boathouse. She recognizes him because she had made an unsuccessful foray to his nightclub in an attempt to make him leave her son alone. She quickly jumps to the conclusion that her son killed him and sets about to dispose of the corpse.,
By the time the blackmailers come onto the scene, Goran Visnjic takes you completely by surprise. This actor was such a vile fellow in "Practical Magic" it is hard to see him in any other light, but scene by scene, as his character is affected by his talks with this hard-working wife and mother, the movie becomes more and more involving. She is certain that her career Navy husband would be cruelly hurt by evidence that their son might be a homosexual. Her sole focus is to try to raise the money and claim the blackmail video. Watching her trying to cope with the bureaucracy of banks, credit card companies and other lenders, while folding the laundry and preparing meals, is a wonderful character study.
No spoilers here. Just watch it and then get back to me. Let me know if you like it as much as I did!
The Beat That My Heart Skipped
This French film was popular here in Seattle when it was released in 2005 but then I sort of forgot about it. I ordered it from the Seattle Library last July (2007) and finally got around to it!
This thriller features a thug doing strong-arm work for his personal real estate deals as well as for his slumlord father. You have to watch as he and his gang clear out tenants when their building is sold (it isn't pretty), and you also see his lowbrow father doing his own version of deal making.
The main thug, Thomas (Romain Duris) is ruthless and successful but he has a small crack in his façade, he has a weakness for classical music; his mother had encouraged him to play when he was a youngster (she was a famous pianist) and he had been scheduled to audition for her manager just before she died. When he encounters the manager years later, he is still willing to allow our "hero" to audition.
The audition is a painful failure and is abruptly terminated. Thomas finds a classical piano teacher who can rehearse him so he can try again. She is a recent immigrant from Thailand, who is an extremely well-trained and demanding taskmaster.
You watch as Thomas's life splits into three very different paths: His love for classical music; his real estate "business"; and his father's selfish and unrelenting demands.
There are no familiar names or faces in this one, so it is easy to convince yourself that these people are real! The performances are excellent and the movie enjoyed uniformly high praise from the reviewers. "Stylish and suspenseful." "...emotions can be spread with a knife." "Brilliant and brutally poignant." "Unpretentiously fantastic!"
This thriller features a thug doing strong-arm work for his personal real estate deals as well as for his slumlord father. You have to watch as he and his gang clear out tenants when their building is sold (it isn't pretty), and you also see his lowbrow father doing his own version of deal making.
The main thug, Thomas (Romain Duris) is ruthless and successful but he has a small crack in his façade, he has a weakness for classical music; his mother had encouraged him to play when he was a youngster (she was a famous pianist) and he had been scheduled to audition for her manager just before she died. When he encounters the manager years later, he is still willing to allow our "hero" to audition.
The audition is a painful failure and is abruptly terminated. Thomas finds a classical piano teacher who can rehearse him so he can try again. She is a recent immigrant from Thailand, who is an extremely well-trained and demanding taskmaster.
You watch as Thomas's life splits into three very different paths: His love for classical music; his real estate "business"; and his father's selfish and unrelenting demands.
There are no familiar names or faces in this one, so it is easy to convince yourself that these people are real! The performances are excellent and the movie enjoyed uniformly high praise from the reviewers. "Stylish and suspenseful." "...emotions can be spread with a knife." "Brilliant and brutally poignant." "Unpretentiously fantastic!"
Introducing the Dwights
What do they feed the guys in Australia? Can it be canned and sold to blokes who live elsewhere? By the time our youthful hero Tim (Khan Chittendon) finally takes off his shirt, you too, will begin to wonder! Yum!
A movie like "Introducing the Dwights" could never work if they had used second-rate actors in the key roles. If you are anything like me, you already know that Brenda Blethyn ("Undertaking Betty" and "Little Voice") can do ANYTHING! In this, she plays a mother of two young men, one with cerebral palsy from his difficult birth and the other is a young man striving to succeed with his own moving business. She is loving, concerned, sensitive to their needs and has been a single parent far longer than she wants to remember. She works in a commercial kitchen but also is a part-time stand-up comic who really knows how to work a room! Her humor is bawdy and risqué but she has high hopes...
That is where her real passion lies and both of her sons totally "get" her ambitions, they are generous with their time and appreciative of her sacrifices; they go to great lengths to support her and her efforts.
Their absent father is also a performer, a wanna-be Country singer who has just produced his latest CD. He too, has high hopes...
The actor who plays Mark, the brain-damaged brother, has certainly spent some quality time studying Leonardo DiCaprio's Oscar-nominated performance in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?"
Despite the nobility of the mother, she is also self-serving and alarmed when she sees her son Tim becoming very interested in and infatuated with a young woman, played by Emma Booth, who works at a Midas Muffler shop.
The characters in this movie are fully fledged, they are good AND bad, kind AND cruel, generous AND selfish. In other words, they are human in every sense of the word. You know me...I always want someone to root for! I liked it...
A movie like "Introducing the Dwights" could never work if they had used second-rate actors in the key roles. If you are anything like me, you already know that Brenda Blethyn ("Undertaking Betty" and "Little Voice") can do ANYTHING! In this, she plays a mother of two young men, one with cerebral palsy from his difficult birth and the other is a young man striving to succeed with his own moving business. She is loving, concerned, sensitive to their needs and has been a single parent far longer than she wants to remember. She works in a commercial kitchen but also is a part-time stand-up comic who really knows how to work a room! Her humor is bawdy and risqué but she has high hopes...
That is where her real passion lies and both of her sons totally "get" her ambitions, they are generous with their time and appreciative of her sacrifices; they go to great lengths to support her and her efforts.
Their absent father is also a performer, a wanna-be Country singer who has just produced his latest CD. He too, has high hopes...
The actor who plays Mark, the brain-damaged brother, has certainly spent some quality time studying Leonardo DiCaprio's Oscar-nominated performance in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?"
Despite the nobility of the mother, she is also self-serving and alarmed when she sees her son Tim becoming very interested in and infatuated with a young woman, played by Emma Booth, who works at a Midas Muffler shop.
The characters in this movie are fully fledged, they are good AND bad, kind AND cruel, generous AND selfish. In other words, they are human in every sense of the word. You know me...I always want someone to root for! I liked it...
10/20/07
5 X 2
Once again, a limited distribution.... If you have seen this one, you will understand why... Like "Betrayal" many years ago, this movie goes backwards. The first episode you see is the couple getting their final divorce decree followed by an upsetting scene with them in a hotel room.
Next you see a dinner party with his brother and his brother's latest studly lover a year or so earlier.
After that you see her giving birth to their son two or so years before THAT.
Get the picture? The "5" stands for five separate key chapters in their relationship. The reason I got this DVD from Seattle Library in the first place was to, once again, enjoy looking at Stephane Freiss ("The Grand Role"). He is soooo good looking and such an accomplished actor, I am willing to forgive him for his characters' shortcomings.
Be advised...this movie is VERY European with graphic sex scenes, nudity, etc. I was a little glitchy until the episode that featured their wedding day/night. For some reason, after that I felt things were in better balance and watched the rest of it with relish. I know, I know, I am a bitch! But have I ever pretended to be otherwise?
Next you see a dinner party with his brother and his brother's latest studly lover a year or so earlier.
After that you see her giving birth to their son two or so years before THAT.
Get the picture? The "5" stands for five separate key chapters in their relationship. The reason I got this DVD from Seattle Library in the first place was to, once again, enjoy looking at Stephane Freiss ("The Grand Role"). He is soooo good looking and such an accomplished actor, I am willing to forgive him for his characters' shortcomings.
Be advised...this movie is VERY European with graphic sex scenes, nudity, etc. I was a little glitchy until the episode that featured their wedding day/night. For some reason, after that I felt things were in better balance and watched the rest of it with relish. I know, I know, I am a bitch! But have I ever pretended to be otherwise?
10/18/07
Venus
My daughter-in-law used to disdain female Country/Western singers because they was always sang about "Women's Issues." This highly regarded little movie, in my opinion, deals with "Men's Issues."
It's funny, in watching all of the interviews of the men involved, none of them seemed aware of the "ick" factor that jumped off the screen at me, over and over.
Don't misunderstand, the performances are terrific, particularly the delicately nuanced relationship between the two elderly men who play the lead roles. Maybe I was reading between the lines, but I think one of them was gay and the other had been aware of his friend's unrequited love for a lifetime. Peter O'Toole ("The Stunt Man" and "Becket") is the main character who develops an unrequited love of his own for a feisty young woman who has been sent to provide in-home care for his closest friend. By the friend's reaction to the presence of a young woman in his home, it is clear that he finds it repugnant, upsetting and highly unwelcome! By HER reaction to the elderly man, it is clear that she is selfish, rebellious and angry. She clearly is disgusted by O'Toole's affection and is looking for some way to exploit it.
Vanessa Redgrave ("Camelot" and "Atonement") plays O'Toole's wife, abandoned decades ago but never divorced, who was forced to raise their three children by herself. He continues to support her...in cash...from his frequent film roles that he still manages to find. His medical experiences (he has prostate cancer) are pretty graphic and sorta funny, in an icky way....
There were many things to admire in this little film, but I found even more to loathe, so I am NOT distributing this review to my standard JayFlix folks, but instead, am simply posting it.
Have you seen this one? Can we talk?
It's funny, in watching all of the interviews of the men involved, none of them seemed aware of the "ick" factor that jumped off the screen at me, over and over.
Don't misunderstand, the performances are terrific, particularly the delicately nuanced relationship between the two elderly men who play the lead roles. Maybe I was reading between the lines, but I think one of them was gay and the other had been aware of his friend's unrequited love for a lifetime. Peter O'Toole ("The Stunt Man" and "Becket") is the main character who develops an unrequited love of his own for a feisty young woman who has been sent to provide in-home care for his closest friend. By the friend's reaction to the presence of a young woman in his home, it is clear that he finds it repugnant, upsetting and highly unwelcome! By HER reaction to the elderly man, it is clear that she is selfish, rebellious and angry. She clearly is disgusted by O'Toole's affection and is looking for some way to exploit it.
Vanessa Redgrave ("Camelot" and "Atonement") plays O'Toole's wife, abandoned decades ago but never divorced, who was forced to raise their three children by herself. He continues to support her...in cash...from his frequent film roles that he still manages to find. His medical experiences (he has prostate cancer) are pretty graphic and sorta funny, in an icky way....
There were many things to admire in this little film, but I found even more to loathe, so I am NOT distributing this review to my standard JayFlix folks, but instead, am simply posting it.
Have you seen this one? Can we talk?
10/16/07
Michael Clayton
A grownup movie. What a concept! Only one blowie uppie thingie, and IT is an empty car...
George Clooney ("Ocean's" series and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?") has turned in his best work to date. This one doesn't have the tongue-in-cheek smirk he uses so often. He plays a guy who is good at what he does...he's a "janitor" or "fixer" for a prominent law firm. In other words, he is the clean-up man when they might otherwise be forced to soil their lily-white gloves. He has no job description, no job security and no job satisfaction.
His old bad gambling habit seems to have been satisfied by a BIG gamble he took with his brother when they opened a restaurant together, which promptly failed. This left him in overwhelming debt and under a LOT of pressure to pay that debt. His relationship with his pre-teen son is nebulous at best, with the kid casting doubtful and skeptical glances his way when he comes by to pick him up for school. He is distracted, worried and preoccupied, so he isn't the best parent right now.
His law firm is negotiating a lawsuit for a huge chemical conglomerate and they are on the brink of settling a multi-million dollar class action lawsuit. Problem is, their brilliant lead attorney seems to have gone off the deep end. This guilt-ridden fellow, played by Tom Wilkinson ("The Full Monty" and "In The Bedroom") is in the process of sabotaging the case and is threatening to come clean. So far the main partner, played by Sidney Pollack ("Avenue Montaigne" and "Tootsie") has managed to convince himself that his firm's defense is justified and that he is on the correct side. He is convinced that his poor lead attorney just needs to get back on his "meds."
The lead litigator for the chemical firm, played by Tilda Swinton ("The Deep End" and "Chronicles of Narnia"), is a tightly wound, ambitious woman who employs "muscle" for those rare times when she deems them necessary. This is one of those times...
This film moves at a deliberate pace, underplayed and quietly spoken. In fact, for my poor ears, when the DVD comes out, I will view it so I can catch much of the dialogue that I missed. Aarghhh! This may be a spoiler, but I will say that it has a satisfying wrap and we all left the theatre happy.
George Clooney ("Ocean's" series and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?") has turned in his best work to date. This one doesn't have the tongue-in-cheek smirk he uses so often. He plays a guy who is good at what he does...he's a "janitor" or "fixer" for a prominent law firm. In other words, he is the clean-up man when they might otherwise be forced to soil their lily-white gloves. He has no job description, no job security and no job satisfaction.
His old bad gambling habit seems to have been satisfied by a BIG gamble he took with his brother when they opened a restaurant together, which promptly failed. This left him in overwhelming debt and under a LOT of pressure to pay that debt. His relationship with his pre-teen son is nebulous at best, with the kid casting doubtful and skeptical glances his way when he comes by to pick him up for school. He is distracted, worried and preoccupied, so he isn't the best parent right now.
His law firm is negotiating a lawsuit for a huge chemical conglomerate and they are on the brink of settling a multi-million dollar class action lawsuit. Problem is, their brilliant lead attorney seems to have gone off the deep end. This guilt-ridden fellow, played by Tom Wilkinson ("The Full Monty" and "In The Bedroom") is in the process of sabotaging the case and is threatening to come clean. So far the main partner, played by Sidney Pollack ("Avenue Montaigne" and "Tootsie") has managed to convince himself that his firm's defense is justified and that he is on the correct side. He is convinced that his poor lead attorney just needs to get back on his "meds."
The lead litigator for the chemical firm, played by Tilda Swinton ("The Deep End" and "Chronicles of Narnia"), is a tightly wound, ambitious woman who employs "muscle" for those rare times when she deems them necessary. This is one of those times...
This film moves at a deliberate pace, underplayed and quietly spoken. In fact, for my poor ears, when the DVD comes out, I will view it so I can catch much of the dialogue that I missed. Aarghhh! This may be a spoiler, but I will say that it has a satisfying wrap and we all left the theatre happy.
Hamlet - 2000
Here's a movie you probably will never watch (although it has elements of plots we actually DO like...). Last night I watched a modern version of "Hamlet" done in contemporary times but with the Elizabethan language intact. I had the captions on and boy oh boy, did that ever help!
Ethan Hawke ("Training Day" and "Before Sunrise") does the honors in the lead and does NOT embarrass himself; Julia Stiles (the "Bourne" franchise and "Mona Lisa Smile") is an excellent Ophelia; Liev Schreiber ("The Manchurian Candidate" 2004, and "The Painted Veil") is equally good as her brother Laertes.
Denmark is no longer a country, but a massive New York-based corporation that is handed over to a murdered CEO's brother who has married the "grieving" widow within a month of his death. Sam Shepard is the ghost of the victim entreating his son to avenge his death. Hawke's Hamlet does his "To Be or Not To Be" speech in a Blockbuster's, Ophelia's mad scene is in the Guggenheim, etc., etc. It's like they followed one of our morning walks to select sites for key locations. Of course I didn't recognize everything, but it was enough. This is a much abridged version -- Kenneth Branagh's version is the only one to use the full text, as I believe this is one of Shakespeare's longest plays. I missed "Alas, poor Yorick..." and the cautionary advice to the actors about the dangers of over-acting.
As a veteran, I noted whole scenes that were deleted or were alluded to via snippets of black and white videos that Hawke is always watching on his hand-held portable gizmo. The "stage business" was clever and worked perfectly with the text and the characters. For example, when Pelonius, beautifully acted by Bill Murray ("Lost in Translation" and "Rushmore"), is cautioning his daughter about the "heat" of a young man's passion, he notices one of her sneakers is untied, so reaches down and ties it, never missing a word. He does his fatherly advising to Laertes while helping him pack, as he is leaving for Germany. Books, passport, shaving kit, clothes, all bundled into suitcases while chattering away, with Schreiber's expression understated and preoccupied, showing patient tolerance for Dad's verbosity. The play within a play is given as a production in the corporate meeting room and Hamlet has created a composite of old home movies of him, his mother and his father, plus scenes from old silent movies, and I think, some Monty Python.
Bill Murray does a notable job as chatty old Pelonius ("Neither a borrower nor a lender be..." and "To thine own self be true") and the use of limos, high-end residential buildings (no, I did not spot Trump Tower), airports, etc., made it interesting. I realize it is NOT the ultimate version -- I think Laurence Olivier's version gets the most stars, however it is too is abridged -- but for the New York locales and contemporary actors, I liked this one a lot. Take THAT Leonard Maltin!
Ethan Hawke ("Training Day" and "Before Sunrise") does the honors in the lead and does NOT embarrass himself; Julia Stiles (the "Bourne" franchise and "Mona Lisa Smile") is an excellent Ophelia; Liev Schreiber ("The Manchurian Candidate" 2004, and "The Painted Veil") is equally good as her brother Laertes.
Denmark is no longer a country, but a massive New York-based corporation that is handed over to a murdered CEO's brother who has married the "grieving" widow within a month of his death. Sam Shepard is the ghost of the victim entreating his son to avenge his death. Hawke's Hamlet does his "To Be or Not To Be" speech in a Blockbuster's, Ophelia's mad scene is in the Guggenheim, etc., etc. It's like they followed one of our morning walks to select sites for key locations. Of course I didn't recognize everything, but it was enough. This is a much abridged version -- Kenneth Branagh's version is the only one to use the full text, as I believe this is one of Shakespeare's longest plays. I missed "Alas, poor Yorick..." and the cautionary advice to the actors about the dangers of over-acting.
As a veteran, I noted whole scenes that were deleted or were alluded to via snippets of black and white videos that Hawke is always watching on his hand-held portable gizmo. The "stage business" was clever and worked perfectly with the text and the characters. For example, when Pelonius, beautifully acted by Bill Murray ("Lost in Translation" and "Rushmore"), is cautioning his daughter about the "heat" of a young man's passion, he notices one of her sneakers is untied, so reaches down and ties it, never missing a word. He does his fatherly advising to Laertes while helping him pack, as he is leaving for Germany. Books, passport, shaving kit, clothes, all bundled into suitcases while chattering away, with Schreiber's expression understated and preoccupied, showing patient tolerance for Dad's verbosity. The play within a play is given as a production in the corporate meeting room and Hamlet has created a composite of old home movies of him, his mother and his father, plus scenes from old silent movies, and I think, some Monty Python.
Bill Murray does a notable job as chatty old Pelonius ("Neither a borrower nor a lender be..." and "To thine own self be true") and the use of limos, high-end residential buildings (no, I did not spot Trump Tower), airports, etc., made it interesting. I realize it is NOT the ultimate version -- I think Laurence Olivier's version gets the most stars, however it is too is abridged -- but for the New York locales and contemporary actors, I liked this one a lot. Take THAT Leonard Maltin!
10/12/07
The Hidden Fortress
Ready for a really OLD classic? Remember, there is usually some good reason why a film is considered a classic!
Akira Kurosawa featured the durable (but hunky in his short-shorts WITH boots!) Japanese star Toshiro Mifune as an honor-bound samurai who has made a self-imposed commitment to return his stranded princess to her kingdom, along with a pile of gold. Kurosawa's admiration of American director John Ford is evident in the way he frames battles, presents approaching armies and films individual fight scenes. The unique thing about this movie however, has nothing to do with John Ford, it is the central focus on two unusual main characters.
Kurosawa presents this entire samurai sword and sandal epic through the eyes of a pair of conniving, bickering, back-stabbing thieves who are out to survive at all costs. It was this unusual spin that inspired George Lucas to feature R2D2 and C3PO in his Star Wars films. (His interview is one of the extras on the DVD.)
I found this movie to be a delight from beginning to end, even though it took just a tad of adjustment to the brash semi-shouts that Japanese language films use for routine dialogue. Otherwise, I enjoyed ogling the appealing Mifune, laughed at the craven ploys of the comic duo and enjoyed the various artifices our embattled little gang used to try to stay out of the clutches of the enemy. For one thing, the head-strong, outspoken princess was forced to pose as a mute! Of course, with Mifune being a samurai, many of those ploys consisted of "hiding in plain sight."
Loved it!
Akira Kurosawa featured the durable (but hunky in his short-shorts WITH boots!) Japanese star Toshiro Mifune as an honor-bound samurai who has made a self-imposed commitment to return his stranded princess to her kingdom, along with a pile of gold. Kurosawa's admiration of American director John Ford is evident in the way he frames battles, presents approaching armies and films individual fight scenes. The unique thing about this movie however, has nothing to do with John Ford, it is the central focus on two unusual main characters.
Kurosawa presents this entire samurai sword and sandal epic through the eyes of a pair of conniving, bickering, back-stabbing thieves who are out to survive at all costs. It was this unusual spin that inspired George Lucas to feature R2D2 and C3PO in his Star Wars films. (His interview is one of the extras on the DVD.)
I found this movie to be a delight from beginning to end, even though it took just a tad of adjustment to the brash semi-shouts that Japanese language films use for routine dialogue. Otherwise, I enjoyed ogling the appealing Mifune, laughed at the craven ploys of the comic duo and enjoyed the various artifices our embattled little gang used to try to stay out of the clutches of the enemy. For one thing, the head-strong, outspoken princess was forced to pose as a mute! Of course, with Mifune being a samurai, many of those ploys consisted of "hiding in plain sight."
Loved it!
Lars and the Real Girl
Ryan Gosling ("Fracture" and "The Notebook") is phenomenal! Once again he has found a character he can inhabit completely, a character that is flawed, sympathetic, funny, interesting and one we can really, really root for!
Lars is an anti-social, introverted and deeply troubled young man. He is employed in an office but has very little social interaction with his coworkers. He lives in a converted garage behind his brother and sister-in-law's comfortable big house on the outskirts of a small Midwestern town (the film actually was shot in Ontario). His sister-in-law, Karin, played by the wonderful Emily Mortimer ("Dear Frankie" and "Match Point") makes numerous attempts to invite him in to the main house for dinner, to go places with them and to otherwise act like "family." He is awkward, monosyllabic, and painfully shy.
One of his coworkers is looking at life-like sex toys on his computer at work and the next thing you know, Lars has a large box delivered to his garage apartment. Imagine the looks on his brother and sister-in-law's faces when he brings his wheelchair-bound "Russian" girlfriend, Bianca, into the main house to join them for dinner! He maintains that Bianca is very quiet because she is shy, and, because they aren't married, he asks if she can stay in the guest room upstairs in the main house, otherwise "people might talk." The sister-in-law readily agrees despite his brother's sputtered objections. She even offers to take her shopping for clothes!
Lars wants Bianca to have a physical exam because of the rigors of her recent trip, so he and Karin take her to a local doctor, played by Patricia Clarkson ("The Station Agent" and "Miracle"), who is a wise and wonderful woman. The looks on the faces of the other patients in the waiting room are priceless, particularly the little boy who finds himself happily sitting on Bianca's lap!
As the small town starts to percolate with rumor, gossip and snide remarks, an outspoken old biddy lays it on the line. She itemizes the peculiarities of the various "normal" individuals in their church group and starts the ball rolling. The upshot is, everyone in the town, church, mall, hairdressers, doctor's office, and day-care center, all accept Bianca, and go along with Lars's delusion, because he has always been a sweet-natured boy whom they all have loved. You will relish the scene where he gently administers delicate CPR to a coworker's little stuffed bunny!
As a result of Bianca's acceptance, he interacts more with the towns- people because he has to take her places, thus gradually he becomes better groomed, more verbal and more social...he even attends an office Christmas party (WITH Bianca!). You will love the scene of Bianca "dancing" with their befuddled but game host!
When his delusion starts to falter and suddenly he can't detect a pulse or breathing, they frantically call 911, forgetting for a time that this is not a living creature.
There are many delicious lines that went past my poor hearing that the audience heartily enjoyed so I'm positive I will LOVE the captions on the DVD!
This is heartwarming, human, humorous and delightfully entertaining. Ryan Gosling is completely convincing as a sweetly damaged young man looking for a deep, committed relationship and fumbling his own painful way to that end!
Wonderful!
Lars is an anti-social, introverted and deeply troubled young man. He is employed in an office but has very little social interaction with his coworkers. He lives in a converted garage behind his brother and sister-in-law's comfortable big house on the outskirts of a small Midwestern town (the film actually was shot in Ontario). His sister-in-law, Karin, played by the wonderful Emily Mortimer ("Dear Frankie" and "Match Point") makes numerous attempts to invite him in to the main house for dinner, to go places with them and to otherwise act like "family." He is awkward, monosyllabic, and painfully shy.
One of his coworkers is looking at life-like sex toys on his computer at work and the next thing you know, Lars has a large box delivered to his garage apartment. Imagine the looks on his brother and sister-in-law's faces when he brings his wheelchair-bound "Russian" girlfriend, Bianca, into the main house to join them for dinner! He maintains that Bianca is very quiet because she is shy, and, because they aren't married, he asks if she can stay in the guest room upstairs in the main house, otherwise "people might talk." The sister-in-law readily agrees despite his brother's sputtered objections. She even offers to take her shopping for clothes!
Lars wants Bianca to have a physical exam because of the rigors of her recent trip, so he and Karin take her to a local doctor, played by Patricia Clarkson ("The Station Agent" and "Miracle"), who is a wise and wonderful woman. The looks on the faces of the other patients in the waiting room are priceless, particularly the little boy who finds himself happily sitting on Bianca's lap!
As the small town starts to percolate with rumor, gossip and snide remarks, an outspoken old biddy lays it on the line. She itemizes the peculiarities of the various "normal" individuals in their church group and starts the ball rolling. The upshot is, everyone in the town, church, mall, hairdressers, doctor's office, and day-care center, all accept Bianca, and go along with Lars's delusion, because he has always been a sweet-natured boy whom they all have loved. You will relish the scene where he gently administers delicate CPR to a coworker's little stuffed bunny!
As a result of Bianca's acceptance, he interacts more with the towns- people because he has to take her places, thus gradually he becomes better groomed, more verbal and more social...he even attends an office Christmas party (WITH Bianca!). You will love the scene of Bianca "dancing" with their befuddled but game host!
When his delusion starts to falter and suddenly he can't detect a pulse or breathing, they frantically call 911, forgetting for a time that this is not a living creature.
There are many delicious lines that went past my poor hearing that the audience heartily enjoyed so I'm positive I will LOVE the captions on the DVD!
This is heartwarming, human, humorous and delightfully entertaining. Ryan Gosling is completely convincing as a sweetly damaged young man looking for a deep, committed relationship and fumbling his own painful way to that end!
Wonderful!
10/10/07
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
We may have forgotten, but while 16th Century Europe was ablaze with the Catholic Inquisition, Protestant England stood apart. Queen Elizabeth I refused to either jail or punish her citizens for their beliefs, only for their actions. As a result, so long as English Catholics were law-abiding citizens, she gave no permission to jail them. Furthermore, she had no intention of converting to Catholicism.
Cate Blanchett ("Bandits," "The Aviator" as Katharine Hepburn, "Babel" and "Elizabeth") returns once again as the legendary Elizabeth I, Queen of England. I doubt if lightening will strike twice; I don't see an Oscar for this turn around the block, although she is once again, her regally professional self and convincingly authentic as the queen who must find her way through a morass of political, familial and religious conflicts that made the Elizabethan Era such a fascinating time. Elizabeth is, in turns, feminine and needy, angry and regal, decisive and heroic.
Clive Owen ("Greenfingers" and "Children of Men"), as Sir Walter Raleigh, is not quite as suave as Errol Flynn's Essex in "Elizabeth and Essex" but he buckles his swash in his most appealing role to date.
Geoffrey Rush ("Pirates of the Caribbean" and "The Banger Sisters") - another Aussie - returns as Elizabeth's trusted advisor, Sir Francis Walsingham, who is hoodwinked into entrapping the imprisoned Mary Stuart, into a plot to overthrow Elizabeth. This automatically condemns her to death, thus provides the Catholic King of Spain, Philip II, with a perfect rationale to attack Protestant England. Ya got that so far? This intricate spy network was a little too intricate for THIS viewer... of course court intrigue is always conducted in whispers, and you know my hearing!
Samantha Morton ("Jane Eyre") is perfect as Elizabeth's saintly but conniving cousin, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots...although the scene of her beheading is too long by half!
The scenes of the approach of the Spanish Armada and the subsequent battle are done with a minimum of CGI. And don't last very long...whew!
This is historical drama, no more and no less...granted the historical era depicted determined the direction of our own history... The costumes, scenery and production values are top drawer, so it is what it is. I liked it...sorta...
Cate Blanchett ("Bandits," "The Aviator" as Katharine Hepburn, "Babel" and "Elizabeth") returns once again as the legendary Elizabeth I, Queen of England. I doubt if lightening will strike twice; I don't see an Oscar for this turn around the block, although she is once again, her regally professional self and convincingly authentic as the queen who must find her way through a morass of political, familial and religious conflicts that made the Elizabethan Era such a fascinating time. Elizabeth is, in turns, feminine and needy, angry and regal, decisive and heroic.
Clive Owen ("Greenfingers" and "Children of Men"), as Sir Walter Raleigh, is not quite as suave as Errol Flynn's Essex in "Elizabeth and Essex" but he buckles his swash in his most appealing role to date.
Geoffrey Rush ("Pirates of the Caribbean" and "The Banger Sisters") - another Aussie - returns as Elizabeth's trusted advisor, Sir Francis Walsingham, who is hoodwinked into entrapping the imprisoned Mary Stuart, into a plot to overthrow Elizabeth. This automatically condemns her to death, thus provides the Catholic King of Spain, Philip II, with a perfect rationale to attack Protestant England. Ya got that so far? This intricate spy network was a little too intricate for THIS viewer... of course court intrigue is always conducted in whispers, and you know my hearing!
Samantha Morton ("Jane Eyre") is perfect as Elizabeth's saintly but conniving cousin, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots...although the scene of her beheading is too long by half!
The scenes of the approach of the Spanish Armada and the subsequent battle are done with a minimum of CGI. And don't last very long...whew!
This is historical drama, no more and no less...granted the historical era depicted determined the direction of our own history... The costumes, scenery and production values are top drawer, so it is what it is. I liked it...sorta...
10/1/07
The Lost Prince
Once again, a GREAT hot tip from one of you guys! It came, once again, from Sweden. Thanks!
In 2003, BBC created a two-part mini-series that examined the brief, interesting life of Prince John, the youngest child of Britain's King George V and Queen Mary, played by, respectively, Tom Hollander ("Pride and Prejudice" - 2005 and "Pirates of the Caribbean" and Miranda Richardson ("Harry Potter" and "The Hours"). This engaging, extremely well-funded spectacular was written and directed by Britain's highly respected Stephen Poliakoff ("Gideon's Daughter" and "Friends and Crocodiles"). I was constantly amazed by the production values, the locations, the costumes and the thoroughness with which every scene was composed and filmed. (Please, please watch the DVD Extras!)
Prince John was born an epileptic at a time (prior to WWI) when even less was known about epilepsy than today, consequently he was sequestered out of sight and deprived of a standard education. This resulted in the family's impression that he was an "imbecile."
His devoted nanny/nurse Lalla, played brilliantly by Gina McKee ("Notting Hill" and "The Forsyte Saga") not only sees beyond his learning disabilities, she has the patience and skill to draw out his potential as a gardener, a musician and an artist. In addition, Johnnie's older brother, Georgie, never falters in his love and steadfast belief in his little brother's worth.
This is a marvelous 179 minutes that illustrate the European slide toward WWI, the Bolshevik Revolution, the genesis of the name "Windsor" and the minutiae of living as a "Royal." Of course, prior to WWI, the royal families of Europe were all related through Queen Victoria, so everyone was a cousin, aunt or uncle. This made it maddeningly confusing to the two little boys observing the machinations of politics. Poliakoff used a terrific device, having the royal family's primary functionary, played by British acting mainstay Bill Nighy ("Blow Dry" and "Love, Actually") explain to the boys, the (fatal) political ramifications of denying sanctuary to Tsar Nicholas and his family, the decision-making abilities of their uncle, the Kaiser, and the adversarial role of Parliament during those chaotic times. They also witnessed Suffragettes chaining themselves to the palace gates, much to the disgust of the queen.
Both the king and queen come across as fully realized people with their own quirks and preferences. For example, as soon as they assumed their crowns, the queen went about reclaiming gifts that had been given out by her predecessors. She then put them on display in the various royal homes and had handwritten catalog cards attached to the bottoms of every artifact. He, in turn, loved small rooms and stamp collecting. Neither one was much disposed to ruling a nation. AND their young son, Georgie can clearly see their shortcomings, as they fumble their way through a period of unprecedented political upheaval.
There are no stereotypical villains, no unnecessary scenes, no wasted dialog. This is a must-see video. Hie thee to a library or a rental outlet and treat yourselves to a rich and satisfying repast!
In 2003, BBC created a two-part mini-series that examined the brief, interesting life of Prince John, the youngest child of Britain's King George V and Queen Mary, played by, respectively, Tom Hollander ("Pride and Prejudice" - 2005 and "Pirates of the Caribbean" and Miranda Richardson ("Harry Potter" and "The Hours"). This engaging, extremely well-funded spectacular was written and directed by Britain's highly respected Stephen Poliakoff ("Gideon's Daughter" and "Friends and Crocodiles"). I was constantly amazed by the production values, the locations, the costumes and the thoroughness with which every scene was composed and filmed. (Please, please watch the DVD Extras!)
Prince John was born an epileptic at a time (prior to WWI) when even less was known about epilepsy than today, consequently he was sequestered out of sight and deprived of a standard education. This resulted in the family's impression that he was an "imbecile."
His devoted nanny/nurse Lalla, played brilliantly by Gina McKee ("Notting Hill" and "The Forsyte Saga") not only sees beyond his learning disabilities, she has the patience and skill to draw out his potential as a gardener, a musician and an artist. In addition, Johnnie's older brother, Georgie, never falters in his love and steadfast belief in his little brother's worth.
This is a marvelous 179 minutes that illustrate the European slide toward WWI, the Bolshevik Revolution, the genesis of the name "Windsor" and the minutiae of living as a "Royal." Of course, prior to WWI, the royal families of Europe were all related through Queen Victoria, so everyone was a cousin, aunt or uncle. This made it maddeningly confusing to the two little boys observing the machinations of politics. Poliakoff used a terrific device, having the royal family's primary functionary, played by British acting mainstay Bill Nighy ("Blow Dry" and "Love, Actually") explain to the boys, the (fatal) political ramifications of denying sanctuary to Tsar Nicholas and his family, the decision-making abilities of their uncle, the Kaiser, and the adversarial role of Parliament during those chaotic times. They also witnessed Suffragettes chaining themselves to the palace gates, much to the disgust of the queen.
Both the king and queen come across as fully realized people with their own quirks and preferences. For example, as soon as they assumed their crowns, the queen went about reclaiming gifts that had been given out by her predecessors. She then put them on display in the various royal homes and had handwritten catalog cards attached to the bottoms of every artifact. He, in turn, loved small rooms and stamp collecting. Neither one was much disposed to ruling a nation. AND their young son, Georgie can clearly see their shortcomings, as they fumble their way through a period of unprecedented political upheaval.
There are no stereotypical villains, no unnecessary scenes, no wasted dialog. This is a must-see video. Hie thee to a library or a rental outlet and treat yourselves to a rich and satisfying repast!
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