Tuesday March 25, 2008
I had better luck the next day with the latest vehicle by talented director Michael Radford (2004's "William Shakespeare's The Merchant Of Venice", "1984", and 1995's wonderful "Il Postino") starring Demi Moore and the always interesting Michael Caine. The story details a fictional 1960 diamond heist of Britain's (and the world's) largest Diamond corporation. Caine plays the building janitor (!) with the plan who enlists Moore, who appears to be the only female executive in the corporation. When he overhears that she is about to be fired, he convinces her to go along with his proposal. Although the plan and its aftermath are completely preposterous, your interest is kept humming along as you try and figure out how this 75 year old dude could seemingly empty a vault full of diamonds in minutes without enlisting the aid of David Copperfield. Radford so lovingly recreates a 1960 feel that, at times, I expected Audrey Hepburn to emerge from the shadows. However, a major problem for me was that the film seemed to drag in parts as you eagerly awaited the inevitable outcome (I won't spoil it for you to tell you that the story begins in present day London and is narrated by the "95 year old" Moore). The narrative says a lot about how money affects us all and what ultimately is most important in life.
"21" ** 1/2
Monday March 24, 2008
I wasn't optimistic about this one beforehand based on the track records of director Robert Luketic (his latest was the almost universally panned Jane Fonda vehicle "Monster-In-Law") and co-writer Peter Steinfeld ("Be Cool" & "Analyze That"). Another instance where the trailer was terrific but the product wasn't. Although not terrible, there was something missing from this "based on real events" tale (from Ben Mezrich's best-selling book "Bringing Down The House"). Kevin Spacey and Lawrence Fishburne lend credibility to this project about a "nerdy" (who just happens to look like Tom Cruise down to his "Rainman" hair due) MIT undergrad (played earnestly by Jim Sturgess-"Across The Universe") who is enlisted by his professor (Spacey) to join a group of fellow students to beat the house counting cards in Vegas. The film is given the typical Hollywood glitz by including, as the only female in the outfit, easy-on-the-eyes Kate Bosworth ("Superman Returns"). The obvious love interest ensues and the, at times, music video look of the film adds nicely to the Vegas locale. Unfortunately, the script doesn't give the actors very much room to maneuver and, because of that, doesn't allow the talents of Spacey and Fishburne to rise to the level of their capabilities. There are a couple of plot twists that, if you're paying attention, you will have figured out for the most part. Throw in the cliche characters (the heavy set nerdy friend, for example) and you're left with a film that is quickly forgotten after the lights go up.
I wasn't optimistic about this one beforehand based on the track records of director Robert Luketic (his latest was the almost universally panned Jane Fonda vehicle "Monster-In-Law") and co-writer Peter Steinfeld ("Be Cool" & "Analyze That"). Another instance where the trailer was terrific but the product wasn't. Although not terrible, there was something missing from this "based on real events" tale (from Ben Mezrich's best-selling book "Bringing Down The House"). Kevin Spacey and Lawrence Fishburne lend credibility to this project about a "nerdy" (who just happens to look like Tom Cruise down to his "Rainman" hair due) MIT undergrad (played earnestly by Jim Sturgess-"Across The Universe") who is enlisted by his professor (Spacey) to join a group of fellow students to beat the house counting cards in Vegas. The film is given the typical Hollywood glitz by including, as the only female in the outfit, easy-on-the-eyes Kate Bosworth ("Superman Returns"). The obvious love interest ensues and the, at times, music video look of the film adds nicely to the Vegas locale. Unfortunately, the script doesn't give the actors very much room to maneuver and, because of that, doesn't allow the talents of Spacey and Fishburne to rise to the level of their capabilities. There are a couple of plot twists that, if you're paying attention, you will have figured out for the most part. Throw in the cliche characters (the heavy set nerdy friend, for example) and you're left with a film that is quickly forgotten after the lights go up.
"The Counterfeiters" ** 1/2
Jumped over to the AFI Siver in Silver Spring for a members-only preview of the Academy Award Foreign Language Film winner hosted by the Austrian Embassy. Written and directed by Stephan Ruzowitzky, the Austrian-German produced entry is worth seeing but certainly isn't close to being the best Foreign Language film of 2007! (Several that were better weren't even nominated in this category. See my more detailed thoughts on that in my previous AA posts.) This morality tale is based on fact and details the Nazi's plan to destroy the world economy by flooding the market with counterfeit pounds and dollars. At the crux of the plan is the captive Jewish counterfeiter, Salomon Sorowitsch (played serenely and stoically by Karl Markovics who gives a wonderful muted performance) who is forced by his captors to head a group of some 150 artisans. In return for their efforts, they are given ample food and a decent bed to keep them "happy". The story becomes essentially a moral dilemma when several of the workers want to sabotage the plan but are thwarted by those who want to go along with the program in order to save their own necks. The filmmakers constantly employ the cinema verite shaky-cam to give you a sense of being there. And the realistic sets and grainy quality of the film lend itself to that end. However, ultimately, I was left dry at the conclusion-not really connecting with any of the characters and caring, really who, lived or died. Also, a prologue would have been nice to update viewers on the fates of the principals who survived. Maybe I'm just Holocausted-out.
Post-AA Ramblings
Monday March 3, 2008
Random thoughts on the 2008 Awards extravaganza:
-The Show: Typical. 2 1/2 stars at best. Is anyone else tired of seeing that caricature, Jack Nicholson, in the front row with those inane sunglasses? I don't get it. And how about the orchestra cutting in before Marketa Irglova could co-accept for the winning song "Falling Slowly"? What may have been a first was Stewart bringing her back out after the commercial break to give her speech. Classy!
-The Host: Jon Stewart did an admirable job. I'd give him 3 stars (out of 4). I actually laughed out loud a number of times. However, clips of past emcees (namely Johnny Carson and even, Bob Hope) made me yearn for someone more in tune with the Hollywood folks. As expected, his schtick turned more than once to the political arena which seemed a bit out of place.
-Best supporting Actor: As expected, they could have mailed the Oscar to Javier. One of the biggest slam dunks in Oscar history. Hopefully he won't be typecast for that role because he is one of the better actors on the planet. (If you haven't seen it, check him out in the great "The Sea Inside" where he plays the middle age(!) famous Spanish paraplegic writer, Ramon Sampedro. The film won the Best Foreign Language Film last year. He should have been nominated for Best Actor!)
-Best Supporting Actress: As I predicted (see above), this was the upset category of the night. Although my heart was with Linney, I absolutely totally agree with The Academy on choosing Marion Cotillard's performance. I didn't think enough members would have seen it. Also, what is even more amazing is that this French film came out in early June, way before the "Oscar season" which is typically after the summer blockbusters. Kudos to The Academy!
-Best Actor: The other slam dunk of the night. Daniel Day-Lewis' performance ranks up there with the all time best in my opinion. Totally deserving, it's a shame the dude has only made about 13 films in his career which spans some 28 years.
-Best Actress: I loved this selection which I picked with both my heart and head. Tilda's character was the driving force behind "Michael Clayton" and her acting was superb. She is one of the most underrated actresses around and I'm thrilled she was finally, justly acknowledged and rewarded!
-Best Film: What can I say? The odds-on favorite, I was disappointed that "Atonement" (which won for original score) got virtually shut-out. Once the show got deep into the night without any momentum at all I knew it wouldn't come close to winning any of the top awards. My same feelings for "Michael Clayton", both of which were superior to "Old Country For Old Men".
-Best Director: At least The Academy did the right thing by handing out the best director award to the Coens. Again, how can you not select the director(s) of the Best Picture?
-Best Animated: "Ratatouille" should have been nominated for Best Picture. At the very least ahead of the awful "Juno".
-Best Documentary: I was REALLLY rooting for "War/Dance" but "Taxi To The Dark Side" was an admirable pick and not surprising considering the political slant of the Hollywood community. Again, every American needs to see this before the next election-along with "No End In Sight"! Alex Gibney is one of the premiere documentary filmmakers around and I was glad to see him win after missing last year with the amazing "Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room".
-Best Original Screenplay: The 3rd slam dunk went to Diablo Cody. Most people on the planet, for some reason, loved "Juno" so this was the expected "bone" they threw to it. This selection was a total sham as the screenplays for the other 4 nominees: "Lars And The Real Girl", "Michael Clayton", "The Savages", and the amazing "Ratatouille (which was an animated screenplay for lord's sake!!!) were all so vastly superior to this winner it's ridiculous! Thank the lord it didn't win best picture.
-Best Original Song: "Falling Slowly" is not only the best original song of the year, it is in one of the best movies of the year. A minor masterpiece, rent "Once" now!!!
Final tally: I got 9 out 14 of the major categories (it would have been 10 out of 14 if I had chosen OCFOM as the best picture. However, I did have The Coen Brothers as Best Directors). I missed on Lead Actress (I went with Christie-but not because I thought she deserved it), Cinematography (I thought "Atonement" would get it), Documentary, & Foreign Language Film (a guess). My total tally was 14 out of 24.
On to 2008!
Random thoughts on the 2008 Awards extravaganza:
-The Show: Typical. 2 1/2 stars at best. Is anyone else tired of seeing that caricature, Jack Nicholson, in the front row with those inane sunglasses? I don't get it. And how about the orchestra cutting in before Marketa Irglova could co-accept for the winning song "Falling Slowly"? What may have been a first was Stewart bringing her back out after the commercial break to give her speech. Classy!
-The Host: Jon Stewart did an admirable job. I'd give him 3 stars (out of 4). I actually laughed out loud a number of times. However, clips of past emcees (namely Johnny Carson and even, Bob Hope) made me yearn for someone more in tune with the Hollywood folks. As expected, his schtick turned more than once to the political arena which seemed a bit out of place.
-Best supporting Actor: As expected, they could have mailed the Oscar to Javier. One of the biggest slam dunks in Oscar history. Hopefully he won't be typecast for that role because he is one of the better actors on the planet. (If you haven't seen it, check him out in the great "The Sea Inside" where he plays the middle age(!) famous Spanish paraplegic writer, Ramon Sampedro. The film won the Best Foreign Language Film last year. He should have been nominated for Best Actor!)
-Best Supporting Actress: As I predicted (see above), this was the upset category of the night. Although my heart was with Linney, I absolutely totally agree with The Academy on choosing Marion Cotillard's performance. I didn't think enough members would have seen it. Also, what is even more amazing is that this French film came out in early June, way before the "Oscar season" which is typically after the summer blockbusters. Kudos to The Academy!
-Best Actor: The other slam dunk of the night. Daniel Day-Lewis' performance ranks up there with the all time best in my opinion. Totally deserving, it's a shame the dude has only made about 13 films in his career which spans some 28 years.
-Best Actress: I loved this selection which I picked with both my heart and head. Tilda's character was the driving force behind "Michael Clayton" and her acting was superb. She is one of the most underrated actresses around and I'm thrilled she was finally, justly acknowledged and rewarded!
-Best Film: What can I say? The odds-on favorite, I was disappointed that "Atonement" (which won for original score) got virtually shut-out. Once the show got deep into the night without any momentum at all I knew it wouldn't come close to winning any of the top awards. My same feelings for "Michael Clayton", both of which were superior to "Old Country For Old Men".
-Best Director: At least The Academy did the right thing by handing out the best director award to the Coens. Again, how can you not select the director(s) of the Best Picture?
-Best Animated: "Ratatouille" should have been nominated for Best Picture. At the very least ahead of the awful "Juno".
-Best Documentary: I was REALLLY rooting for "War/Dance" but "Taxi To The Dark Side" was an admirable pick and not surprising considering the political slant of the Hollywood community. Again, every American needs to see this before the next election-along with "No End In Sight"! Alex Gibney is one of the premiere documentary filmmakers around and I was glad to see him win after missing last year with the amazing "Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room".
-Best Original Screenplay: The 3rd slam dunk went to Diablo Cody. Most people on the planet, for some reason, loved "Juno" so this was the expected "bone" they threw to it. This selection was a total sham as the screenplays for the other 4 nominees: "Lars And The Real Girl", "Michael Clayton", "The Savages", and the amazing "Ratatouille (which was an animated screenplay for lord's sake!!!) were all so vastly superior to this winner it's ridiculous! Thank the lord it didn't win best picture.
-Best Original Song: "Falling Slowly" is not only the best original song of the year, it is in one of the best movies of the year. A minor masterpiece, rent "Once" now!!!
Final tally: I got 9 out 14 of the major categories (it would have been 10 out of 14 if I had chosen OCFOM as the best picture. However, I did have The Coen Brothers as Best Directors). I missed on Lead Actress (I went with Christie-but not because I thought she deserved it), Cinematography (I thought "Atonement" would get it), Documentary, & Foreign Language Film (a guess). My total tally was 14 out of 24.
On to 2008!
Post-GG and Pre-AA Rambling Thoughts
Saturday February 23, 2008
Well, the 2008 Golden Globes are history. And so is the dreaded writer's strike. The GG's answered the question: What if they had an award show and no one showed other than a bunch of journalists. With the strike history, the only Academy Awards casualty looks like The Vanity Fair party. However, if THE annual awards show itself was cancelled, it truly would have been a disaster because, as it turns out, 2007 was a year chock full of absolutely amazing cinema. So, just in time, comes a highly anticipated awards show that will go on full blast tomorrow as scheduled.
The Globes are supposed to be a valid predictor of the upcoming Academy Awards. However, in a year with such an amazing array of top quality films (the closest to the '70's since, well, the '70's), it will be hard to look at the GG winners and place any amount of money on the AA's based on those awards. In one respect, the Hollywood Foreign Press (HFP) tries to gets it right in breaking out the categories according to genre. I mean, how in the world can you lump such great films together such as the romantic "Atonement" and the serious adult drama "Michael Clayton" (which I considered 2 of the 3 best films of 2007, the other being the unnominated "The Savages"). Then throw in the ultra violent "No Country For Old Men" and the epic "There Will Be Blood". The 5th nominated film is none other than the trifle indie "comedy" "Juno" (which, in my humble, but correct opinion, shouldn't even be close to being on the list if you read my review in this blog-but that's another story). "American Gangster" should CLEARLY be included on the best picture list and it is truly a head shaker that "Juno" is listed ahead of this great film.
So, what do I think of the major winners chosen by the HFP and do I think they will correspond to an AA statuette? Well, I have to say they got it right with "Atonement" as the top drama. I would have been just as happy with "Michael Clayton" but considering the overall emotional and visual impact delivered by "Atonement", this one was a virtual no-brainer by the HFP. However, the odds-on favorite for the AA's seems to be "No Country". Although a quality effort by the Coen Brothers, the film to me was a one-note (violent) bombardment. "Atonement", I feel, succeeded on so many other levels that it clearly deserves the top award. "There Will Be Blood" was all about Daniel Day-Lewis (who won the top actor award by the HFP). They should just mail the Oscar to him by the way. His was one of the greatest performances, not only this year, but for all of cinematic history!
Also the odds-on favorite for best actress is Julie Christie for "Away From Her". Her performance was excellent in a film that left me dry. However, as my sentimental choice, I would LOVE to see Laura Linney win for "The Savages". I feel she gave a wonderfully brilliant subtle performance in conveying a woman who grapples to find her self respect as well as gaining acknowledgement and approval from her abusive mentally deteriorating father, and from her distant sibling (played by the phenomenal, always dependable Philip Seymour Hoffman-up once again for an AA in the Best Supporting category for "Charlie Wilson's War". And how could The Academy not recognize Philip Bosco's amazing supporting performance as the abusive parent suffering from dementia?). There always seems to be at least one big surprise winner and this one could be it, but I doubt that the Academy voters are going to deny Christie considering her longevity. However, because she did win before (although it's been 42 years since she won as best actress for "Darling"), maybe this could be THE upset of this year's awards. Linney, who gives standout after standout performance in everything she's in, will definitely be at the podium someday if tomorrow is not that day. Or maybe Marion Cotillard ("La Vie En Rose") will be the upset in this category. She did win the GG in this category (they got it right!) without even nominating Christie. In my opinion, she is equally deserving as her performance in channeling the French self-destructive songstress Edith Piaf was, in a word, uncanny. Unfortunately, how many of the Academy members would have plopped down in front of a TV to take the time to view a foreign language film about a long deceased French singer-albeit the most famous one in their history? The Academy Awards is long noted for being somewhat of a popularity contest instead of Academy members casting its votes based solely on true merit.
The other slam dunk is the best supporting actor category. Mail it to Javier (who won a GG) for his monstrous portrayal in "No Country". His character will go down in cinema history along side Hannibal Lecter as the 2 most scariest most sinister dudes ever portrayed on the silver screen. No one else will come close to winning it (although Tom Wilkerson was wonderful in "Michael Clayton", wonderful doesn't compare to memorably historic).
I would love to see Tilda Swinton win the best supporting actress award for "Michael Clayton", which the HFP awarded to Cate Blanchett (in the almost unwatchable "I'm Not There"). This is probably the weakest represented category so I feel Tilda has a shot since "I'm Not There" may be another film The Academy might not have seen in droves.
As for best director, you have to figure The Coen Brothers will be the front runners. However, The Academy loves to split the best picture and director awards (don't ask me why-I mean, no one has ever satisfactorily explained to me how one could win without the other!). So look for either Tony Gilroy ("Michael Clayton"), Paul Thomas Anderson ("There Will Be Blood") or, my pick, the GG winner, Julian Schnapel for the amazing "The Diving Bell And The Butterfly". And how the hell do they leave out Ridley Scott for "American Gangster" (correctly nominated for a GG)?! .
I am hoping best song goes to the melodic "Falling" from the wonderful indie film "Once". You have to figure the 3 songs from "Enchanted" will cancel each other out leaving the song from "August Rush (did anyone see this stinker?).
Now for the category that has traditionally been the most problematic for The Academy. The Foreign Language Film category has 5 nominees none of which were mentioned by the HFP, who got it right again. I have not seen any of the films nominated by The Academy, however, I have seen "The Diving Bell And The Butterfly" and "La Vie En Rose" and could easily have agreed if they were in the Best Picture category much less in the best FLF! And, I have read great reviews of both "4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days" (New York Times reviewer A. O. Scott listed it as his #1 film of 2007!) and "Persepolis" and cannot for the life of me believe that any of these 5 nominated "unknown" films landed ahead of these 4! What gives?!!
However, The Academy appears to have finally realized that the best documentary should now include works by established documentary filmmakers. This is one tough group notable for 2 of the most scathing documents on the Bush Administration: 'No End In Sight" (the Iraq war), and "Taxi To The Dark Side" (post 9/11 war on terror policy). Bother are disturbingly excellent (especially the former) but will probably cancel each other out. Michael Moore has lately become the darling of the liberal minded Academy, but the controversy surrounding "Sicko" might eliminate him. My pick is the incredibly moving "War/Dance" which has been a huge hit on the festival circuit across the country last year.
So there you have it, my thoughts and picks for the AA. Now let's see if the over 3 month long writer's strike have given the writers enough time to create a masterpiece for Jon Stewart to match the overall quality of films up for recognition tomorrow night.
Well, the 2008 Golden Globes are history. And so is the dreaded writer's strike. The GG's answered the question: What if they had an award show and no one showed other than a bunch of journalists. With the strike history, the only Academy Awards casualty looks like The Vanity Fair party. However, if THE annual awards show itself was cancelled, it truly would have been a disaster because, as it turns out, 2007 was a year chock full of absolutely amazing cinema. So, just in time, comes a highly anticipated awards show that will go on full blast tomorrow as scheduled.
The Globes are supposed to be a valid predictor of the upcoming Academy Awards. However, in a year with such an amazing array of top quality films (the closest to the '70's since, well, the '70's), it will be hard to look at the GG winners and place any amount of money on the AA's based on those awards. In one respect, the Hollywood Foreign Press (HFP) tries to gets it right in breaking out the categories according to genre. I mean, how in the world can you lump such great films together such as the romantic "Atonement" and the serious adult drama "Michael Clayton" (which I considered 2 of the 3 best films of 2007, the other being the unnominated "The Savages"). Then throw in the ultra violent "No Country For Old Men" and the epic "There Will Be Blood". The 5th nominated film is none other than the trifle indie "comedy" "Juno" (which, in my humble, but correct opinion, shouldn't even be close to being on the list if you read my review in this blog-but that's another story). "American Gangster" should CLEARLY be included on the best picture list and it is truly a head shaker that "Juno" is listed ahead of this great film.
So, what do I think of the major winners chosen by the HFP and do I think they will correspond to an AA statuette? Well, I have to say they got it right with "Atonement" as the top drama. I would have been just as happy with "Michael Clayton" but considering the overall emotional and visual impact delivered by "Atonement", this one was a virtual no-brainer by the HFP. However, the odds-on favorite for the AA's seems to be "No Country". Although a quality effort by the Coen Brothers, the film to me was a one-note (violent) bombardment. "Atonement", I feel, succeeded on so many other levels that it clearly deserves the top award. "There Will Be Blood" was all about Daniel Day-Lewis (who won the top actor award by the HFP). They should just mail the Oscar to him by the way. His was one of the greatest performances, not only this year, but for all of cinematic history!
Also the odds-on favorite for best actress is Julie Christie for "Away From Her". Her performance was excellent in a film that left me dry. However, as my sentimental choice, I would LOVE to see Laura Linney win for "The Savages". I feel she gave a wonderfully brilliant subtle performance in conveying a woman who grapples to find her self respect as well as gaining acknowledgement and approval from her abusive mentally deteriorating father, and from her distant sibling (played by the phenomenal, always dependable Philip Seymour Hoffman-up once again for an AA in the Best Supporting category for "Charlie Wilson's War". And how could The Academy not recognize Philip Bosco's amazing supporting performance as the abusive parent suffering from dementia?). There always seems to be at least one big surprise winner and this one could be it, but I doubt that the Academy voters are going to deny Christie considering her longevity. However, because she did win before (although it's been 42 years since she won as best actress for "Darling"), maybe this could be THE upset of this year's awards. Linney, who gives standout after standout performance in everything she's in, will definitely be at the podium someday if tomorrow is not that day. Or maybe Marion Cotillard ("La Vie En Rose") will be the upset in this category. She did win the GG in this category (they got it right!) without even nominating Christie. In my opinion, she is equally deserving as her performance in channeling the French self-destructive songstress Edith Piaf was, in a word, uncanny. Unfortunately, how many of the Academy members would have plopped down in front of a TV to take the time to view a foreign language film about a long deceased French singer-albeit the most famous one in their history? The Academy Awards is long noted for being somewhat of a popularity contest instead of Academy members casting its votes based solely on true merit.
The other slam dunk is the best supporting actor category. Mail it to Javier (who won a GG) for his monstrous portrayal in "No Country". His character will go down in cinema history along side Hannibal Lecter as the 2 most scariest most sinister dudes ever portrayed on the silver screen. No one else will come close to winning it (although Tom Wilkerson was wonderful in "Michael Clayton", wonderful doesn't compare to memorably historic).
I would love to see Tilda Swinton win the best supporting actress award for "Michael Clayton", which the HFP awarded to Cate Blanchett (in the almost unwatchable "I'm Not There"). This is probably the weakest represented category so I feel Tilda has a shot since "I'm Not There" may be another film The Academy might not have seen in droves.
As for best director, you have to figure The Coen Brothers will be the front runners. However, The Academy loves to split the best picture and director awards (don't ask me why-I mean, no one has ever satisfactorily explained to me how one could win without the other!). So look for either Tony Gilroy ("Michael Clayton"), Paul Thomas Anderson ("There Will Be Blood") or, my pick, the GG winner, Julian Schnapel for the amazing "The Diving Bell And The Butterfly". And how the hell do they leave out Ridley Scott for "American Gangster" (correctly nominated for a GG)?! .
I am hoping best song goes to the melodic "Falling" from the wonderful indie film "Once". You have to figure the 3 songs from "Enchanted" will cancel each other out leaving the song from "August Rush (did anyone see this stinker?).
Now for the category that has traditionally been the most problematic for The Academy. The Foreign Language Film category has 5 nominees none of which were mentioned by the HFP, who got it right again. I have not seen any of the films nominated by The Academy, however, I have seen "The Diving Bell And The Butterfly" and "La Vie En Rose" and could easily have agreed if they were in the Best Picture category much less in the best FLF! And, I have read great reviews of both "4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days" (New York Times reviewer A. O. Scott listed it as his #1 film of 2007!) and "Persepolis" and cannot for the life of me believe that any of these 5 nominated "unknown" films landed ahead of these 4! What gives?!!
However, The Academy appears to have finally realized that the best documentary should now include works by established documentary filmmakers. This is one tough group notable for 2 of the most scathing documents on the Bush Administration: 'No End In Sight" (the Iraq war), and "Taxi To The Dark Side" (post 9/11 war on terror policy). Bother are disturbingly excellent (especially the former) but will probably cancel each other out. Michael Moore has lately become the darling of the liberal minded Academy, but the controversy surrounding "Sicko" might eliminate him. My pick is the incredibly moving "War/Dance" which has been a huge hit on the festival circuit across the country last year.
So there you have it, my thoughts and picks for the AA. Now let's see if the over 3 month long writer's strike have given the writers enough time to create a masterpiece for Jon Stewart to match the overall quality of films up for recognition tomorrow night.
"Taxi To The Dark Side" ****
February 19, 2008
This totally amazing and absorbing documentary made by famed director Alex Gibney (director of the 2006 Oscar nominated "Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room" and executive producer of last year's "No End In Sight" which is currently nominated for an AA) will fully explain the USA's involvement in the torture atrocities carried out at Afghanistan's Bagram Prison, Iraq's Abu Gharib Prison, and the current prison at Guantanamo. This unflinching document will put the final nail in the coffin of the Bush administration and, along with "No End In Sight", will no doubt have you pondering the depths to which this administration has fallen in their war on terror initiated after 9/11. You will be totally outraged and disgusted when you hear from those who were directly involved in the tortures (prison guards), higher-ups in the Bush administration, as well as State Department and FBI employees who pound away at procedures that were followed that not only go directly against the directives of the Geneva Convention, but also total human decency. When you hear that the U.S. torturers were "only following orders" you will have flash backs to incidents the world witnessed over 50 years ago in WWII. What is even more incredulous is that none of those who directed these atrocities were ever fully investigated-until now. What is even more amazing is that the facts that emerge in this work is not based on any left wing slant by the filmmaker. This is a topnotch investigative effort that expands on that which was initially reported in 2002 by New York Times reporter Carlotta Gall who uncovered a death certificate and autopsy report that stated that a U.S. detained Afghani taxi cab driver, named Dilawar, was murdered after being tortured to death while in U.S. captivity. Although it was never determined that he had any involvement in terrorist activities, the point is that the U.S. is shown to be culpable of performing deeds that we perceived as happening only in 3rd world countries. The coverups are too numerous to cite here and the blame has never escalated to the higher eschelons of the U.S. government where, after seeing this film, it is clear who should be burdening that blame! This should be seen by every American on the planet-especially before the November election!!
This totally amazing and absorbing documentary made by famed director Alex Gibney (director of the 2006 Oscar nominated "Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room" and executive producer of last year's "No End In Sight" which is currently nominated for an AA) will fully explain the USA's involvement in the torture atrocities carried out at Afghanistan's Bagram Prison, Iraq's Abu Gharib Prison, and the current prison at Guantanamo. This unflinching document will put the final nail in the coffin of the Bush administration and, along with "No End In Sight", will no doubt have you pondering the depths to which this administration has fallen in their war on terror initiated after 9/11. You will be totally outraged and disgusted when you hear from those who were directly involved in the tortures (prison guards), higher-ups in the Bush administration, as well as State Department and FBI employees who pound away at procedures that were followed that not only go directly against the directives of the Geneva Convention, but also total human decency. When you hear that the U.S. torturers were "only following orders" you will have flash backs to incidents the world witnessed over 50 years ago in WWII. What is even more incredulous is that none of those who directed these atrocities were ever fully investigated-until now. What is even more amazing is that the facts that emerge in this work is not based on any left wing slant by the filmmaker. This is a topnotch investigative effort that expands on that which was initially reported in 2002 by New York Times reporter Carlotta Gall who uncovered a death certificate and autopsy report that stated that a U.S. detained Afghani taxi cab driver, named Dilawar, was murdered after being tortured to death while in U.S. captivity. Although it was never determined that he had any involvement in terrorist activities, the point is that the U.S. is shown to be culpable of performing deeds that we perceived as happening only in 3rd world countries. The coverups are too numerous to cite here and the blame has never escalated to the higher eschelons of the U.S. government where, after seeing this film, it is clear who should be burdening that blame! This should be seen by every American on the planet-especially before the November election!!
"In Bruges" ** 1/2
February 10, 2008
The latest offering at the Cinema Sunday Club featured the 2008 Sundance Film Festival opener directed and written by playwright Martin McDonagh (who received an 2006 Oscar for his live action short, "Six Shooter") and starring Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell. I've read comparisons to "Pulp Fiction" in this tale of 2 hitmen sent to chill out in Bruges (Belgium) by their mob boss (an interesting turn by Ralph Fiennes) after a hit gone bad in Dublin by one of the principals. The comparison I supposed is due to its equal mix of laughs and blood and its effort to make these killers likeable despite their lurid occupation. Where PF succeeds, however, this one fails, as I felt constantly manuplated by the plot structure and the coincidences were so numerous that I found myself rolling my eyes more often than not. The nice cinematography will have you thinking Bruges as your next European vacation spot . That, as well as an interesting soundtrack make this one a near miss.
The latest offering at the Cinema Sunday Club featured the 2008 Sundance Film Festival opener directed and written by playwright Martin McDonagh (who received an 2006 Oscar for his live action short, "Six Shooter") and starring Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell. I've read comparisons to "Pulp Fiction" in this tale of 2 hitmen sent to chill out in Bruges (Belgium) by their mob boss (an interesting turn by Ralph Fiennes) after a hit gone bad in Dublin by one of the principals. The comparison I supposed is due to its equal mix of laughs and blood and its effort to make these killers likeable despite their lurid occupation. Where PF succeeds, however, this one fails, as I felt constantly manuplated by the plot structure and the coincidences were so numerous that I found myself rolling my eyes more often than not. The nice cinematography will have you thinking Bruges as your next European vacation spot . That, as well as an interesting soundtrack make this one a near miss.
"The Life Of Reilly" ****
January 27, 2008
The latest showing by the Cinema Sundays Club was an absolute winner! I went in to it with some trepidation wondering how good could an 87 minute one man show by Charles Nelson Reilly about Charles Nelson Reilly really be. Even though it is still getting 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I couldn't understand why-until I actually witnessed his oratory of his own life. What I came away with was that this dude was one talented actor who had more than his share of family dysfunction to deal with. Although the younger generations (if they even knew who he was) remember him only as a frequent guest on Johnny Carson or TV game shows, his journey was much more diverse that that, and he takes you along on a ride that is both humorous & poignant. You'll leave with a totally different impression of this consummate actor whose had more than his share of heartbreak along the way. He retained his dignity and talent to the end (he died in 2007). All of this is now on display for all the world to see on the silver screen. Charles performed "Save It For The Stage" over 400 times-and this final show was shot in 2004. Directors Frank Anderson & Barry Poltermann have put together a fascinating montage of images that, combined with Charles' dialogue, paints a wonderful portrait of a talent who never fully got his due. It is supposed to open at The Charles in Baltimore in a couple of weeks. Historically, documentaries/performance films don't have a long theatrical run so wherever you are don't wait to check it out if and when it opens near you!
The latest showing by the Cinema Sundays Club was an absolute winner! I went in to it with some trepidation wondering how good could an 87 minute one man show by Charles Nelson Reilly about Charles Nelson Reilly really be. Even though it is still getting 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I couldn't understand why-until I actually witnessed his oratory of his own life. What I came away with was that this dude was one talented actor who had more than his share of family dysfunction to deal with. Although the younger generations (if they even knew who he was) remember him only as a frequent guest on Johnny Carson or TV game shows, his journey was much more diverse that that, and he takes you along on a ride that is both humorous & poignant. You'll leave with a totally different impression of this consummate actor whose had more than his share of heartbreak along the way. He retained his dignity and talent to the end (he died in 2007). All of this is now on display for all the world to see on the silver screen. Charles performed "Save It For The Stage" over 400 times-and this final show was shot in 2004. Directors Frank Anderson & Barry Poltermann have put together a fascinating montage of images that, combined with Charles' dialogue, paints a wonderful portrait of a talent who never fully got his due. It is supposed to open at The Charles in Baltimore in a couple of weeks. Historically, documentaries/performance films don't have a long theatrical run so wherever you are don't wait to check it out if and when it opens near you!
"The Diving Bell And The Butterfly" *** 1/2
January 10, 2006
Off to The Charles to take in the Maryland Film Festival's special showing of this amazing French narrative based on the autobiography novel of the same title. Director Julian Schnabel ("Basquiat", "Before Night Falls") has crafted a stunning film that is truly one of a kind! It is shot mostly from the point of view of Jean-Dominique Bauby just after awakening from an extremely rare massive stroke in 1997 where the only body part he is able to move are his eyelids. As explained by the host, Dr. John McDonald, who directs the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and who worked with Christopher Reeves after his devasting accident, this condition results when the stroke occurs at the exact point where the brain stem meets the brain. Jean-Do was the fashion editor of "Elle" and despite the heaviness of the topic, it is amazingly effective in conveying the claustophobic feeling of living in this state of existence. Directing and technical winner at Cannes, as well as numerous other awards, this film will leave you literally breathless and moved me like no other film I've ever witnessed. Truly a starling filmic experience that makes you believe in hope and the human spirit when all appears lost.
Off to The Charles to take in the Maryland Film Festival's special showing of this amazing French narrative based on the autobiography novel of the same title. Director Julian Schnabel ("Basquiat", "Before Night Falls") has crafted a stunning film that is truly one of a kind! It is shot mostly from the point of view of Jean-Dominique Bauby just after awakening from an extremely rare massive stroke in 1997 where the only body part he is able to move are his eyelids. As explained by the host, Dr. John McDonald, who directs the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and who worked with Christopher Reeves after his devasting accident, this condition results when the stroke occurs at the exact point where the brain stem meets the brain. Jean-Do was the fashion editor of "Elle" and despite the heaviness of the topic, it is amazingly effective in conveying the claustophobic feeling of living in this state of existence. Directing and technical winner at Cannes, as well as numerous other awards, this film will leave you literally breathless and moved me like no other film I've ever witnessed. Truly a starling filmic experience that makes you believe in hope and the human spirit when all appears lost.
"There Will Be Blood" ***
January 8, 2008
I took in the preview of the 5th film by Paul Thomas Anderson ("Boogie Nights", "Magnolia", Punch-Drunk Love"). He writes, produces, and directs this tale loosely based on the 1927 novel "Oil!" by Baltimore born Upton Sinclair. It's getting phenomenal reviews and, although I give it a thumbs up, it's not as way up as a lot of critics are giving it. I had problems with the overall length (2'40") and feel it needed some serious editing in sections that go on way too long. Depite that, it is worth every minute of that time to revel in Daniel Day-Lewis' absolutely mesmerizing performance that is so strong that I compare it favorably with the great Orson Wells in "Citizen Kane"! Based on that and the fabulous set production and score, I'm giving it a marginal 3 stars. Paul Dano (so good in last year's indie hit "Little Miss Sunshine") plays a young preacher whose father sells his family's oil rich land to Lewis-who is one greedy bastard. This good vs evil theme plays out over decades. We first follow Lewis' career that begins with prospecting for silver and ends with him a multi-millionaire who cares only about the fortune he can make and nothing for those he destroys along the way to fulfill that end. His descent into madness is so complete that his performance has stayed with me for days. Look for Oscar #2 for DD-L.
I took in the preview of the 5th film by Paul Thomas Anderson ("Boogie Nights", "Magnolia", Punch-Drunk Love"). He writes, produces, and directs this tale loosely based on the 1927 novel "Oil!" by Baltimore born Upton Sinclair. It's getting phenomenal reviews and, although I give it a thumbs up, it's not as way up as a lot of critics are giving it. I had problems with the overall length (2'40") and feel it needed some serious editing in sections that go on way too long. Depite that, it is worth every minute of that time to revel in Daniel Day-Lewis' absolutely mesmerizing performance that is so strong that I compare it favorably with the great Orson Wells in "Citizen Kane"! Based on that and the fabulous set production and score, I'm giving it a marginal 3 stars. Paul Dano (so good in last year's indie hit "Little Miss Sunshine") plays a young preacher whose father sells his family's oil rich land to Lewis-who is one greedy bastard. This good vs evil theme plays out over decades. We first follow Lewis' career that begins with prospecting for silver and ends with him a multi-millionaire who cares only about the fortune he can make and nothing for those he destroys along the way to fulfill that end. His descent into madness is so complete that his performance has stayed with me for days. Look for Oscar #2 for DD-L.
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