Summer Movies We Want to See

by AJ and Lani

If the robin is a harbinger of spring, then the first superhero sighting of the year must be a sign that spring has given way to summer. And so, with the arrival of Iron Man 3 in theaters last weekend, summer movie season has officially begun. We've looked at all the  films scheduled for release from May through August and picked out a few that we can't wait to see.

Star Trek Into Darkness (May 16)
A.J.: Large chunks of the internet bemoaned the delay of the next "new" Star Trek movie due to script problems, but I would always rather wait and have a good movie. I'm less suspicious and more excited about Star Trek Into Darkness than the 2009 reboot. Into Darkness follows the crew of the Enterprise as they track down a rogue Starfleet officer (that may or may not be Kahn) played by Benedict Cumberbatch. J.J. "lens flare" Abrams is in the director's chair again and with Star Trek and Super 8 he has proven himself to be a solid filmmaker. From the trailers it looks this is sequel has been given the same care as 2009's Star Trek. I suspect that the action sequences and special effects won't upstage the story and characters. 

Now You See Me (May 31)
Lani: The story follows an FBI agent and Interpol detective as they struggle to make a case against magician supergroup The Four Horsemen, who carry out elaborate bank heists while performing on stage, then give the loot to needy people in the audience. The assembled cast sounds great: Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Melanie Laurent, and Michael Caine. Plus, director Louis Leterrier, the man behind The Transporter and Transporter 2, knows how to combine action with unabashed foolishness. The moment in the trailer that got me was when Jesse Eisenberg is being interrogated by Mark Ruffalo and Eisenberg magically "throws" his handcuffs onto Ruffalo, then looks at him smugly and says, "First rule of magic, always be the smartest guy in the room." It was so ridiculous that I laughed out loud. I may be alone on this one, but this film looks so silly, so beyond all sense, that I have to believe it will be entertaining.




The Internship (June 7)
Lani: Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn star as salesman who made their careers during the analog age, but find themselves out of job in today's digital landscape. They manage to land internships at Google and find themselves competing with tech-savvy college students for a coveted permanent position. Some of the jokes in the trailer were a bit stale, but it made me laugh, too. Remember Wedding Crashers? Remember Old School? Those were funny movies, right? I'm optimistic that the formula of Vince Vaughn + a Wilson brother will equal comedy once again.

The Bling Ring (June 14)
A.J.: This movie is based on the true story of a group of not-too-bright, fame-obsessed teens that broke into different celebrities' houses and robbed them. The Bling Ring is written and directed by Sofia Coppola; her last film, Somewhere, was big step towards the, unfortunately, dull end of the "art house" movie spectrum. However, The Bling Ring looks like it has more of the lively spirit of Coppola's previous movies. Coppola also brings out the best in the her female leads, so I'm excited to see Emma Watson in this movie, especially after her great performance in The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

The Lone Ranger (July 3)

A.J.: Despite the dubious casting of Johnny Depp as Tonto and way, way over-the-top action sequences in the trailers, I'm still interested enough to give Disney's big budget, big screen adaptation of The Lone Ranger a watch. I'm interested in seeing Armie Hammer in his first leading role in a major movie. He definitely has the screen presence to carry a movie, and I hope that the material doesn't let him, or the audience, down. It's the summer, so big action-packed movies can't be avoided, but with any luck this will be the right kind of summer action movie: pleasant to look at and listen to, and entertaining.

The Wolverine (July 26)

Lani: I'm fully aware that with each pick my cred as a serious cinephile continues to diminish. However, I will not apologize. X-Men Origins: Wolverine wasn't that good; however, this film has kept what worked about the last one -- Wolverine as a character and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine -- and changed everything else. The setting is modern-day Japan, where Wolverine meets someone from his past who offers him mortality at long last. The trailer has ninjas, katana swords, Yakuzas (maybe?), weird medical equipment, a blond mutant lady, and, of course, Jackman waving his claws around and yelling. I think these are all good things. Maybe I'm just a Jackman fan, maybe I want the X-Men to take back the spotlight from the Avengers; nevertheless, I remain cautiously optimistic.

Classic Movie Picks: May 2013

by Lani

Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies schedule for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings or TCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.)

5/8, 8 PM & 11:30 PM - Don't Say No Until I've Finished Talking: The Story of Richard Zanuck (2013)
The latest TCM original documentary takes on producer Richard Zanuck, son of 20th Century Fox studio mogul Darryl F. Zanuck. The younger Zanuck was Fox studio president in the 1960, and well-regarded producer in his own right. Under Richard's tenure the studio produced Best Picture winners The Sound of Music, Patton, and The French Connection; it also turned out legendary flops like Dr. Doolittle and Star!, which led to his being fired...by his father Darryl. Richard was an independent producer from the 1970s until his death in 2012, bringing to the screen Jaws, The Sting, Cocoon, and Driving Miss Daisy. With such a distinguished career to cover, not to mention Zanuck's family legacy in Hollywood, this doc should have some interesting tidbits about "the biz".

5/20: Spy Spoofs
From a 21st century filmgoer's perspective, the early James Bond films can sometimes seem like a parody of 1960s culture all on their own. However, at the time, Bond was definitely more cool than kitsch. Dr. No, starring Sean Connery as Bond, hit theatres in 1963 and almost immediately inspired a new genre of secret agent comedies which served their martinis with a wink and tongue planted firmly in cheek.
8 PM - Our Man Flint (1965) - Probably the best-remembered film in the genre, this one stars James Coburn as American secret agent Derek Flink.
10 PM - The Silencers (1965) - Dean Martin had his own franchise starring as suave super-spy Matt Helm which included this film and Murderer's Row.
11:45 PM - Murderer's Row (1966)
1:45 AM - Carry on Spying (1964) - This entry in the British Carry On... series of B-movies may have contained the first Bond parody.
3:30 AM - Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965) - The Goldfoot films are mash-ups of three 1960s genres -- beach party movie, spy parody, and horror-comedy -- starring Vincent Price as the super-villain of the title. Frankie Avalon plays Price's secret agent foil in the first film, while Fabian fills the role in the sequel.
5:15 AM - Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (1966)

5/22, 12:30 AM - True Confessions (1981)
I'm curious about this neo-noir based on the infamous Black Dahlia murder case. Not because of the mystery -- the Black Dahlia case remains unsolved, after all -- but because it was the first time Robert Duvall and Robert DeNiro shared the screen (The Godfather: Part II doesn't count because they had zero scenes together). Duvall plays a police detective investigating the murder of a prostitute with ties to prominent Los Angeles businessmen, as well as to his own brother, played by DeNiro, a monsignor supervising several generously funded church building projects. Both actors were at the top of their careers -- DeNiro had just won the Best Actor Oscar for Raging Bull and Duvall would soon win for 1983's Tender Mercies -- so why have I never heard of this movie? We'll see...

5/28, 8 PM - Hard Times (1975)

There was only one Jimmy Stewart, but at the same time there was also Henry Fonda and Gary Cooper. There was only one William Powell, too, but then you also had Melvyn Douglas and Don Ameche. Charles Bronson, though, was a singular presence in his era. I can't think of any contemporary who had quite the same quality. He certainly didn't have the look of a leading man, like co-stars Steve McQueen or Yul Brynner. With his round head, exceedingly lined face, and eyes hidden by a perpetual squint, Bronson sort of resembled a compressed Clark Gable. Then there was his athletic body. Sporting the sort of extreme muscle tone that was not yet de rigueur for all male action stars, Bronson often played the heavy or strong-man type. After notable performances in the ensembles of The Great Escape, The Dirty Dozen, and The Magnificent Seven, he achieved worldwide stardom in the 70s with a string of violent, though simplistic, thrillers including The Mechanic and Death Wish. In the midst of those films, however, he got the chance to play a more complex character in Hard Times, the first feature by writer-director Walter Hill. Here Bronson plays a drifter during the Great Depression who gets by as a bare-knuckle boxer. He's surrounded by a strong supporting cast which includes James Coburn, Strother Martin, and Bronson's real-life wife Jill Ireland. TCM is showing the film as part of its Tuesday night spotlight of classic "tough guys" on film and I agree that Bronson deserves his place among other tough guy icons like Robert Mitchum and John Garfield. (Today, an actor who reminds me a bit of Bronson is Daniel Craig in a film like Munich or Defiance; however, it's an indicator of how much times have changed that someone with Bronson-like grit and physicality is now also portraying James Bond. Can you imagine Roger Moore as a street fighter?) 

BONUS: 5/14, 3:15 AM - The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
This thriller set on the NYC subway is scheduled late night after the Tuesday "tough guys"  programming in prime time and I think it fits the evening's theme, too. Though I'm not sure who's tougher -- Walter Matthau as a veteran transit officer or Robert Shaw as the leader of a gang of train hijackers.

Friday Night Spotlight: Second Looks
This month-long series programmed by actress & filmmaker Ileana Douglas features movies which weren't enthusiastically received at time of their release, but warrant a revisit for one reason or another. I'm interested to see Top Banana (1954) starring Phil Silvers on 5/17 and The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) starring Jack Benny on 5/10; Silvers and Benny were two extremely popular comics who conquered just about every other medium -- radio, stage, TV -- but neither had much of a film career despite their talent.

However, the real story here is that A New Leaf is finally being shown on TCM! Sure, Ileana  picked it, but I like to think that my consistent mentions of this 1971 film by writer-director Elaine May made a difference, too. Consider this: in a July 2010 post about Walter Matthau's hilarious performance as a spoiled golddigger, I complained that A New Leaf was not available on DVD; then, a mere 2 years and 2 months later, the film came out on DVD (which I celebrated alongside the September 2012 classic movie picks)! Of course, it still hadn't been shown on TCM. And so I began my imaginary letter-writing campaign (it works sort of like The Secret) to get this darkly comic romance into its rightful place in the TCM rotation. Now, seven months after my first victory, I've done it again! So, on 5/31 at 8 PM, I'll be toasting the TCM premiere of A New Leaf!

Cheers!

Roger and Me

I met Roger Ebert once at a book signing in New York City in 2005. After telling some very interesting stories and answering questions from the crowd, he signed my copy of his book, Great Movies II, and my DVD of Citizen Kane, for which he recorded a commentary track. I told him that I cited his commentary in a paper I had to write about Citizen Kane. I told him that I’ve been watching At the Movies since I was 9 and I’ve seen a number of movies based just on his (and Richard Roeper’s) reviews. He told me, “I hope we don’t lead you astray.” I also told him that I was a film student and I hoped to one day make a movie that gets "Two Thumbs Up". He said, “I hope so too.”

I won’t go so far as to say that I felt like I knew Roger Ebert, but I did think of him as a mentor. I felt like if I ever met him again we would fall easily into a conversation about movies and in talking about movies we would be talking about ourselves too. I always felt like that would happen. The drive home from work was extra-long last Thursday after I heard that Ebert had passed away. I thought about why I had that feeling. Roger Ebert’s movie reviews were not just reviews. They were first person personal essays, the key word being “personal.” He was telling you about his experience with a movie, how it made him feel, and what it made him think about. Whether he was on television or in print he did not speak with authority but with knowledge and enthusiasm, and his enthusiasm was such that his words could become poetic. His tone was always casual, never didactic. He was able to capture some of the magic that is the movies.

I watched At the Movies, in all its forms, every chance I had. It was difficult since the local television stations would move the show all over their schedule. In college, when I often slept till noon or later on weekends, I made myself wake up  early on Sunday mornings to watch Ebert and Roeper talk about the week’s releases. I sat on the couch in my pajamas eating cereal and watching that show just like I did when I was 9. The internet made things easier. I could watch At the Movies online in case I missed it on TV, and I could read Ebert’s print reviews on his website. The backlog of his reviews, going back to 1967, was a treasure trove for me. I really enjoyed reading his reviews of notable movies from years past. I even enjoyed reading the bad reviews for movies that I liked; it was still great prose. When I had to write papers for my film classes, I tried to write like Ebert. When I started to write movie reviews, I tried to write like Ebert, without fear and always with honesty.

I learned so much from reading those reviews, watching him on TV, and reading his blog. I learned how to talk about movies and how to write about movies. I learned that the real job of a film critic is not to stand on a box and declare what is good and bad, but to recommend whether or not a movie is worth someone’s time and money. I learned that movies are made to entertain but they can also touch your heart and move your soul. Movies can be art. I learned that it’s okay to have an opinion, no matter who else agrees or disagrees. If you like a movie that no one else liked, or hated the most popular movie of the year, it’s okay. I learned that "best of" lists shouldn’t be taken too seriously but can still be fun. I learned that over time your opinion about a movie can change, and that’s okay too.

I know for sure that I’ll always be a little sad that my childhood hero is gone. I know for sure that Roger Ebert influenced countless film critics, journalists, filmmakers, and moviegoers. I know for sure that the two best parts of going to the movies are when the lights dim and the screen begins to move, and the conversation afterwards. I know for sure that I’ll still read his reviews online and in books. I know for sure that I’ll still try to write like him when I write about movies. I know for sure that when everyone else disagrees with me about a movie, I’ll think of Ebert and not tailor my opinion to anyone but myself. I know for sure that I’ll be going to movies or watching them at home for the rest of my life. And I know for sure that I have four people to thank for my love of movies and the major role they play in my life: my parents and Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert.

Thank you, Gene.

Thank you, Roger.

Classic Movie Picks: April 2013

by Lani

Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings or TCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.)

Game of Thrones returns to HBO tonight and I can only determine that my excitement for the new season has made me a bit bloodthirsty. How else to explain why almost all my picks for April revolve around murder?

4/7, 10 PM - Diabolique (1955)
On this evening devoted to masters of suspense, my pick would be this classic French thriller from director Henri-Georges Clouzot. Two women conspire to murder a cruel, abusive school master in a meticulously plotted crime; however, once the deed is done they continue to feel his presence - is it a ghost or did he somehow survive?

BONUS: 4/7, 2 AM - The Murderer Lives at Number 21 (1947)
Clouzot's first film is a bit lighter than the thrillers for which he's best known; however, murder is still at the heart of the story. Inspector Wens of the Paris police and his girlfriend Mila are like a French answer to Nick and Nora Charles as they track down a serial killer.

4/8, 8 PM - Roxie Hart (1942)
Ginger Rogers stars as the fame-hungry Roxie, who sees a murder trial as her ticket to stardom during the Roaring '20s, in this earlier version of the story made famous by the stage and screen musical Chicago.

4/9, 4:15 AM - The Verdict (1946)
This film bears little resemblence to the Paul Newman vehicle of the same name, starting with leading man Sydney Greenstreet. Warner Brothers supporting player Greenstreet and fellow character actor Peter Lorre are the stars for a change in this film about a "perfect crime." Of course, half the fun of a perfect crime is watching the perpetrators squirm as their plan inevitably unravels.

4/13, 10:15 PM - Unfaithfully Yours (1948)
In this screwball comedy from writer-director Preston Sturges, Rex Harrison played an egotistical symphony conductor who believes his wife has been unfaithful. During a concert he imagines three scenarios for dealing with her - including murder; however, his bumbling actions thwart his plans in the real world. Linda Darnell, "the girl with the perfect face," co-stars as the accused wife.

A Women's World: The Defining Era of Women in Film
TCM's Friday Night Spotlight this month features "woman's films" from the 1930s through 50s. The series is co-hosted by Robert Osborne and Cher, which would be incentive enough for me to tune in; however, the line-up of films showing life from a female perspective would be strong enough to draw me in without the promise of intros by Cher. I'm especially interested in the theme for week four, Women Taking Charge, featuring Ginger Rogers, Claudette Colbert, and (of course) Bette Davis.
4/26, 8 PM - The Great Lie (1941)
10 PM - Kitty Foyle (1940)
12 AM - The Palm Beach Story (1942)
1:45 AM - The Women (1939)

Classic Movie Picks: March 2013

by Lani

Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings or TCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.)

3/4, 8 PM - Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)

Though Robert Donat is the star, and won the Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of Mr. Chips, Greer Garson as Chips's wife Kathy is the lynchpin of this film. This was her first movie role, but I can't imagine any other actress in the part - she's just that perfect. Garson also earned an Oscar nomination, her first of seven, but she wouldn't win until 1942's Mrs. Miniver (showing 3/11 at 8 PM). However, it was the beginning of a great career as one of MGM's top leading ladies. Garson is TCM's Star of the Month for March and you can catch her films Monday nights all month long.

3/7: Musical Paris
8 PM - Can-Can (1960)
10:15 PM - Love Me Tonight (1932)
12 AM - Folies Bergere de Paris (1935)
1:30 AM - Roberta (1935)
3:30 AM - April in Paris (1952)
One of my favorite cities serves as the backdrop for five musicals tonight. Two of them (Love Me Tonight & Folies Bergere) star that quintessential Frenchman Maurice Chevalier. If you only remember the white-haired Chevalier crooning "Thank heaven, for little girls..." in Gigi, you may get a kick out of seeing him as a young casanova in the light musical comedies that made him a star in the 30s.

3/14: Double Agents
8 PM - 13 Rue Madeleine (1946)
9:45 PM - The House on 92nd Street (1945)
Tonight's line-up includes two documentary-style thrillers from director Henry Hathaway about uncovering Nazi double-agents. 13 Rue Madeleine stars James Cagney as an O.S.S. agent looking for a German missile site (and spies) in France. The House on 92nd Street concerns FBI agents in New York who must stop the Germans from obtaining the atom bomb formula.

BONUS PICK: 11:30 PM - Ice Station Zebra (1968) - A sub commander Rock Hudson must find the Soviet agent aboard his ship on a perilous mission to the North Pole.

3/17, 3:45 AM - Tomorrow, the World!  (1944)
An interesting film from the WWII period which attempts to portray "everyday" Germans, not just Nazi stereotypes (or double agents as in the films on 3/14). A young teenager (played by Skippy Homeier, who had played the same role to much acclaim on Broadway) is sent from his German home to live with American relatives. They soon discover that the boy has has been indoctrinated into the Nazi youth and uncle Fredric March must teach him a lesson about tolerance.

3/20, 8PM - For All Mankind (1989)
This documentary about the Apollo program and the race to the moon was assembled from extensive footage from NASA's archives, much of it shot by the astronauts themselves.

Top 10 of 2012 (A.J.'s picks)

by A.J.

January and February are the time of year when I get to catch up on the prestige pictures released over the holidays and also watch any major award nominees that I've missed. A few dozen movies later, I've seen enough to make my picks for the best of movies of the past year.

10. This is 40

This is 40 follows Pete and Debbie as they approach their 40^th birthday and deal with their careers, relatives, children, health, and each other. This could have been a heavy drama, but Judd Apatow’s movie is about happy, positive people doing their best to stay happy and positive. This is not a movie where people yell and scream and you wonder while they’re even married. This is 40 is light on plot, but the characters and set pieces are enough to carry the movie. The best description of This is 40 is as a hilarious drama.  

9. Damsels in Distress

Whit Stillman's first movie in 14 years is not a disappointment. There aren't many movies like Damsels in Distress these days. This is a smart, witty, funny movie about a group of girls that are trying to raise the level of sophistication at their college. The jokes are clever, the female and male characters are well-written and likable, which is becoming a rare thing. This movie feels like a whimsical romantic comedy from the 1930's or 40's, when it was possible to make what we see so rarely today: an inoffensive comedy.

8. Bernie

Bernie tells the unbelievable true story of a mortician in a small East Texas town that became involved with a wealthy widow. Bernie was so well loved by the community that when he killed the widow no one blamed him. Director Richard Linklater has the real life townspeople tell the story in interviews and also act alongside Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, and Jack Black as Bernie. Jack Black gives his best performance as the well-meaning mortician. He's able to portray a man so good natured and likable that a community accepted him and never rejected him. The townspeople are a big highlight of Bernie, telling the story through gossip and unexpected humor.

7. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I never read The Perks of Being a Wallflower, despite everyone I knew telling me that I would love the novel. I feel like this film went overlooked last year, part of the reason being that the movie was made so long after the novel was first published, and it's set 20 years in the past. Would the youth culture of today still find it relevant? I don't know about high school and college kids, but I did. It's tough to make a movie about high schoolers that feels authentic. This movie's authenticity comes from the fine young actors who are able to ground the scenes of teen drama. There are scenes and storylines that feel cliched but that is only because there have been so many movies about teenagers, though not so many as good as this one.

6. Silver Linings Playbook

I wasn't too excited to see Silver Linings Playbook despite its credentials: stars Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and director David O. Russell. However, Silver Linings Playbook has received a lot of well-deserved attention for the performances from the cast. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence play people trying to overcome their respective psychological issues. The chemistry between them is good enough to let the age gap between the two actors slide. This is a comedy overall, but certain scenes fall into dramatic territory. The gear changes this movie makes are subtle. Like This is 40, Silver Linings Playbook is a movie about people trying to stay positive while facing serious issues. The "find your silver lining" mantra of Cooper's character is not an empty phrase. He genuinely believes that he can better himself and that other people can do the same. It's a tough, but achievable goal.

5. Django Unchained

Who didn't expect Quentin Tarantino's latest movie to be a hit with audiences and critics and even receive awards attention? But Tarantino deserves all of that praise because he consistently creates multi-faceted, interesting, and funny characters, creates an engaging story, finds just the right cast, and executes it all masterfully. All of this is true of Django Unchained. Christoph Waltz, Jaime Foxx, and Leonardo DiCaprio all give superb performances. Django Unchained is hyperbolically violent, unexpectedly funny, suspenseful, but, above all, it is incredibly entertaining. Tarantino is paying homage to blacksploitation movies and spaghetti westerns of the 1970's, but Django Unchained is on its own a sprawling and engaging western adventure.

4. Zero Dark Thirty

While watching Zero Dark Thirty I was reminded of Zodiac, David Fincher's 2007 film about the meticulous, decades-long, but futile search for a serial killer and the effect it had on those involved. Maya, a CIA agent played by Jessica Chastain, is our guide on the decade-long, seemingly futile, search for Osama Bin Laden. We follow Maya from interrogations at CIA blacksites, the streets of Pakistan, and the world of men in suits at CIA offices. This is more than just a procedural about the CIA and the war on terror. There are elements of a mystery present; puzzle pieces need to be found and assembled, and as the puzzle comes closer to being solved-- the closer Maya gets to the end of the trail-- the movie delves into thriller territory. Zero Dark Thirty is masterfully crafted by director Kathryn Bigelow, cinematographer Greig Fraser, and editors William Goldenberg and Dylan Tichenor. This is not a movie about revenge or retribution; it is about the cost of war, the damage it leaves in its wake, and what it does to everyone involved.

3. The Dark Knight Rises

Sequels tend to dwindle in quality, especially as the number of entries in a franchise increases; however, director Christopher Nolan, along with the rest of the crew and cast, deliver a worthy final chapter for the most recent incarnation of Batman. The stand out performance in this movie is Tom Hardy as Bane. Since we are unable to see most of his face because of the breathing mask Bane must wear, Hardy uses a peculiar and almost jolly accent for Bane's voice and also acts with his whole body, giving Bane a swagger and unusual charisma that makes him a truly interesting villain.

It’s curious to see how time has changed Batman’s villains. They used to be above average criminals, but The Joker in The Dark Knight and Bane in The Dark Knight Rises more closely resemble terrorists. The acts of terror carried out by Bane on Gotham City are intense to say the least. Batman did not defeat the villains of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight on his own, and The Dark Knight Rises is no exception. Every character plays an important part in the story and each is well-acted. I firmly believe that what makes these Christopher Nolan Batman movies work so well is not an outwardly dark nature, a complex tortured hero, or depictions of a cruel, unfair world, though that mistake is made more and more often by other movies being produced. What sets these Batman movies apart is that they successfully merge fantasy and realism to such a point that when a man dressed like bat appears in the night to protect you, you believe every moment.  

2. Argo

What a combination of genres: spy thriller, geopolitical drama, comedy, period piece, and its based on a true story. Argo is also a movie about making a movie, albeit a fake one. That’s a lot of material to handle, but it is executed wonderfully and makes you wish there were more movies like this. Argo is Ben Affleck’s third film as a director and he is getting better and better behind the camera. Affleck plays Tony Mendez, a CIA agent who comes up with a plan to rescue a group of Americans that have escaped the storming of the American embassy in Iran in 1979. His plan, to fly into Iran and, along with the Americans, pose as a Canadian sci-fi film crew and fly out, seems outlandish, and it is, but there are no better ideas. Affleck may play the central character, but part of what makes this movie work is the strong and rich ensemble of well-acted characters. Every actor shines in Argo. Like Zero Dark Thirty, this is a very well-crafted and entertaining thriller, filled with suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat even if you know how it ends.

1. Moonrise Kingdom

I know, you saw this coming from a mile away. But what can I say, of all the movies I saw last year the best time I had was watching Moonrise Kingdom. I’ll admit that director Wes Anderson isn’t doing anything he hasn’t done before, technically or thematically, but he does it exceedingly well in what is probably his mostly widely seen movie yet. Moonrise Kingdom features the strongest ensemble cast Anderson has had since The Royal Tenenbaums. You’ll find all of the trademarks you expect to see in a film by Wes Anderson: pans from one room to another, inserts of book jackets, slow motion tracking shots, dry humor, and offbeat, melancholy characters. That wistful atmosphere that is also an Anderson trademark is lighter this time since this story of two youngsters in love who runaway to be together is an innocent and optimistic one. Moonrise Kingdom is a fable about misfits searching for their counterparts and a place in the world, and it is a joy watching them on their journey.

Classic Movie Picks: February 2013

by Lani

Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings or TCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.)

I love making connections between contemporary and classic films that share similar characters, themes, and stories. So, in honor of TCM's "31 Days of Oscar" this month's picks have been inspired by the 9 films nominated for Best Picture of 2012. 

Amour

2/10, 5:45 PM - Cocoon (1985) - In most respects, these two films couldn’t be more different. While Amour is a deliberate and realistic drama, Cocoon is a lightly comic, sci-fi story. However, both films deal with elderly people confronting their own mortality and  feature veteran actors. Cocoon’s 77-year old break-out star, Don Ameche, won the Best Supporting actor award that year.

2/11, 8 PM - Little Women (1933) - If you feel that the subject matter of Amour is too bleak, you may appreciate the warmth of the March family in Little Women. Little Women shows a family facing tragedy with optimism and making sacrifices for love.


Argo

2/2, 8 PM - Casablanca (1942) - Whether you’re flying out of Tehran or Casablanca, you can’t beat a tense scene at the airport!

2/12,10:15 PM - Notorious (1946) - If there’s one classic star who Ben Affleck reminds me of, it’s Ingrid Bergman. Not really, but I’ve chosen another Bergman movie because this one, co-starring Cary Grant is spy story with a terrific sense of suspense.


Beasts of the Southern Wild
2/7,11:30 AM - My Life as a Dog (1985) - Transport Beasts’ Hushpuppy, her father, and their community of eccentric bayou-dwellers to rural Sweden (and switch the main characters’ genders) and you might get My Life as a Dog. Lasse Hallstrom earned his first Best Director nomination for this film about the adventures of a sweet and spirited boy who is sent away from home when his mother falls ill. Both films excel at portraying life from the point of view of a child and the way children try to make sense of a confusing world.

2/23,8 AM - The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953) - Dr. T takes the child’s point of view to an extreme creating a fantasy world in which a boy’s disagreeable piano teacher becomes a supervillian out for world-domination.


Django Unchained
2/4, 2:15 AM - The Wild Bunch (1969) - Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch took movie violence from simply serving the plot to a visual motif in and of itself, a concept that Quentin Tarantino has eagerly adopted and taken to new heights (or lows, depending on your point of view).

2/5,5:30 AM - Friendly Persuasion (1956) - In stark contrast, the Quaker family in Friendly Persuasion rejects violence. However, they find their values tested when their town is threatened by a band of Confederate raiders.


Les Misèrables
2/12, 6:15 AM - The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) - If the persecution and despair in the streets of Paris depicted in Les Misèrables has you hungry for more, check out this other adaptation of a Victor Hugo novel.

2/18, 5 AM - Pennies From Heaven (1981) - Much of the Les Misèrables publicity has been about the director’s choice to film the actors singing live on set, rather than using vocals recorded in a studio. If you feel that this live-singing thing isn’t your bag, Pennies From Heaven may just be the musical for you. Like Les Miz, Pennies features prostitution, murder, and homelessness; however, it uses only pre-recorded tracks, with the actors lip-synching to popular recordings from the 1930s.


Life of Pi
3/2, 7 AM - The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1954) - The most famous shipwreck survivor may still be Robinson Crusoe; however, I suspect that these days The Life of Pi is more widely read than the classic novel by Daniel Defoe. The two stories are somewhat different, but both are anchored by the trials of a man, alone, struggling to survive.

2/10, Flight of the Phoenix (1965) - Watch this film and play a game of “would you rather”...Would you rather be set adrift at sea or crash land in the desert?


Lincoln
2/8, 8PM - Wilson (1945) - President Woodrow Wilson may not be as present in popular culture as Abraham Lincoln, but he is just as pivotal a figure in history. This rally-round-the-flag biopic, made as the world was engaged in World War II, focuses on America’s reluctant, but necessary entrance into World War I and Wilson’s subsequent struggle to establish a lasting international peace through the League of Nations.

2/11, 10:15 PM - Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) - Before Daniel Day-Lewis donned a beard and wart and wrapped himself in a wool blanket, Raymond Massey was the definitive Lincoln, playing the president on stage, in films, and on TV and radio. Abe Lincoln in Illinois centers on Lincoln before his ascent to the White House: his early romance with Ann Rutledge, his eventual marriage to the ambitious Mary Todd, and his famous face-off against Stephen Douglas. 2012’s Lincoln serves as a fitting sequel, continuing the story of his life to it’s conclusion.


Silver Linings Playbook
3/3, 8 PM - Annie Hall (1977) - The neuroses of Annie and Alvy may not compare to the mental problems experienced by Pat and Tiffany in Silver Linings, but both films are offbeat romantic comedies about two people coming together despite themselves. Diane Keaton won an Oscar for her performance as the quirky and wholesome Annie and this year Jennifer Lawrence has a good chance to follow in Keaton’s footsteps for her role as the mercurial Tiffany.

2/12, 4:15 PM - The Enchanted Cottage (1945) - The Enchanted Cottage is a touching story about love’s power to transform. This film is completely earnest, with no trace of Silver Linings dark humor. But if you give it a chance, you may be pleasantly surprised.


Zero Dark Thirty
2/16, 2:30 AM - Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) - Zero Dark Thirty has come under much criticism for its depiction of torture tactics used by the CIA during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bad Day at Black Rock also deals with a controversial chapter in American history: the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

2/3, 12:15 PM - The Nun’s Story (1959) - I could say that Maya, the CIA analyst at the center of Zero Dark Thirty, was so consumed by her job that she was, in effect, living like a nun; but the real connection I see between these two films is their heroines. They are determined women frustrated by the restrictions imposed by male-dominated organizations. For Maya, it is the CIA; for Audrey Hepburn’s novice nun, it is the Catholic church. And each woman is unable to shake the inner feeling that she is right.