by A.J.
David Cronenberg’s latest film pairs well with his previous
film, Cosmopolis. Both are steely portraits of wealthy, detached characters.
Both have a polished, glamorous look. Both feature Robert Pattinson in a
limousine. Both are obviously the work of a serious and skilled filmmaker, and
both films, while interesting, fall short of being a fulfilling experience.
Maps to the Stars is not quite the black comedy/Hollywood
satire certain critics and advertisements have made it out to be. It shows us a
hyperbolically dark Hollywood that only exists in nightmares. Sure, Hollywood
is rife with poorly hidden narcissism and depravity, but it is still
functional. Julianne Moore gives an excellent performance that borders on, but
never spills into, parody as needy, middle-aged movie star Havana Segrand, who
is desperate to star in the remake of the movie that won her actress mother an
Academy Award. John Cusack and Olivia Williams are the parents of the
self-absorbed, mean spirited Benjie, who is fresh out of rehab and has a major
movie franchise riding on his teenage shoulders. But the clear stand out in this
ensemble is the incredibly talented Mia Wasikowska as Agatha, who wears long gloves
to cover burns and speaks so softly of big things ("I’m friends with Carrie
Fisher") that we are inclined not to believe her, even though we feel like we
probably should. The movie brings all of these characters to a disturbing, if
not predicable, intersection.
Maps to the Stars fails at being a satire because neither
Cronenberg’s direction nor Bruce Wagner’s screenplay make any moral judgments
of the characters or their actions. Cronenberg’s style for this movie is to be
observational and neutral. The most interesting scenes of Maps to the Stars involve
the “ghosts” that appear bathed in cool, dreamlike light to certain characters
reminding them of past misdeeds. It is unclear if these characters actually see
ghosts or if they are hallucinating, bringing an eerie chill to an already dark
story. The tone for the entire movie is of a bad dream teetering on becoming a
nightmare. There are good performances -- a great one from Mia Wasikowska --
beautifully shot scenes of Los Angeles, and interesting themes that bubble just
below the surface, but unfortunately do not rise much further. Maps to the Stars
seeks to be more than exploitative sleaze sprinkled with tongue-in-cheek humor,
but ultimately falls short of being anything other than an interesting retread
of scenes and ideas from other movies about the dark side of the rich and famous.
I am a big fan of David Cronenberg and I believe that he is a master filmmaker.
What better proof is there than delivering a first rate second-tier movie?
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Classic Movie Picks: April 2015
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.)
4/5, 8 PM - Easter Parade (1948)
Besides religious epics, there aren't many films that we can call "Easter movies." However, I'm of the mind that a major holiday requires some sort of companion film to be watched, as a tradition each year. Not to slight the epics, but they're all over 2 hours long and, given the subject matter, a bit heavy. Luckily, there is at least one film appropriate for watching while snacking on Easter candy - the sprightly 40s musical Easter Parade. The holiday serves as a bookend for the film's story, beginning and ending with a grand parade down Fifth Avenue. The rest of the plot takes places over the course of a year as vaudeville star Fred Astaire grooms the green Judy Garland to be his new partner. There are some really fun musical numbers along the way, including Fred Astaire's prop-dance "Drum Crazy" and Ann Miller's signature rapid-fire tapping on "Shakin the Blues Away."
4/14, 8 PM and 11:30 PM - Robert Osborne 20th Anniversary Tribute
Robert Osborne seems to be one of those rare people who is universally beloved (I would put Project Runway's Tim Gunn in this category, too...but not many other people come to mind). As the host of TCM, his introductions are a highlight of watching the channel and many fans will tell you they sometimes tune in just to hear those anecdotes and bits of trivia. No, he doesn't write those intros, but Osborne's warmth and enthusiasm for classic films is clear. So, when TCM had its 20th anniversary, they had to give a special tribute to the man who has been the face of the channel since the beginning. Alex Trebek hosts the "This is Your Life" style tribute, filmed at the 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival, featuring Osborne's family and friends, as well as celebrity guests.
BONUS PICK: 12:30 AM, Mirage (1965) - In addition to the tribute special, tonight's schedule features films picked by Robert Osborne. Mirage stars Gregory Peck as a scientist who just can't remember why gunmen would be after him; Diane Baker (a guest at the Osborne tribute) co-stars along with a rogue's gallery of character actors of the era including Walter Matthau, Kevin McCarthy, Jack Weston, and George Kennedy. I haven't seen this film, but it has similar elements to other films from the era that I like -- North by Northwest, Charade, and Arabesque (also starring Peck) -- so, it seems worth a look.
By the way, Charade will screen on 4/12 and North by Northwest on 4/14 and 4/24.
4/25: Francis Marion
8 PM - The Wind (1928)
9:45 PM - Without Lying Down: Francis Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood (2000)
Francis Marion was a top screenwriter in the early decades of Hollywood and a two-time Oscar winner; however, her name is not as recognizable today as those of the stars she wrote for, among them Wallace Beery, Mary Pickford, Greta Garbo, and Lillian Gish. It is Gish who stars in The Wind as a young woman struggling to find her place in the wild west of Texas, and being driven to madness by an unrelenting wind. The second film tonight is a documentary about Marion and other female pioneers in the early days of filmmaking.
4/26, 2 PM - The Spanish Main (1945)
Avid viewers of TCM have likely seen the lovely short about Paul Henreid, narrated by his daughter Monika Henried. In her tribute, Monika gives special mention to The Spanish Main, a swashbuckler that shows off Henreid's athleticism. The clips caught my attention, so I was happy to see that TCM had scheduled the film again this month.
Henried's best known roles are resistance hero Viktor Laszlo in Casablanca and the dashing Jerry in Now, Voyager opposite Bette Davis. Typecast as "the lover," Henreid apparently wanted to prove he could do more than smoke cigarettes and make goo-goo eyes at his leading ladies. So, he devised a film about a Dutch pirate who is wrongly imprisoned in a Spanish port, then seeks revenge upon the port's corrupt governor. According to his daughter, Henried performed many of his stunts, putting to use his training in fencing, gun handling, and the like. The film also features Walter Slezak as the governor (he would play a very similar role three years later in The Pirate) and Maureen O'Hara as Henreid's love interest -- no reason to leave out romance completely!
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.)
4/5, 8 PM - Easter Parade (1948)
Besides religious epics, there aren't many films that we can call "Easter movies." However, I'm of the mind that a major holiday requires some sort of companion film to be watched, as a tradition each year. Not to slight the epics, but they're all over 2 hours long and, given the subject matter, a bit heavy. Luckily, there is at least one film appropriate for watching while snacking on Easter candy - the sprightly 40s musical Easter Parade. The holiday serves as a bookend for the film's story, beginning and ending with a grand parade down Fifth Avenue. The rest of the plot takes places over the course of a year as vaudeville star Fred Astaire grooms the green Judy Garland to be his new partner. There are some really fun musical numbers along the way, including Fred Astaire's prop-dance "Drum Crazy" and Ann Miller's signature rapid-fire tapping on "Shakin the Blues Away."
4/14, 8 PM and 11:30 PM - Robert Osborne 20th Anniversary Tribute
Robert Osborne seems to be one of those rare people who is universally beloved (I would put Project Runway's Tim Gunn in this category, too...but not many other people come to mind). As the host of TCM, his introductions are a highlight of watching the channel and many fans will tell you they sometimes tune in just to hear those anecdotes and bits of trivia. No, he doesn't write those intros, but Osborne's warmth and enthusiasm for classic films is clear. So, when TCM had its 20th anniversary, they had to give a special tribute to the man who has been the face of the channel since the beginning. Alex Trebek hosts the "This is Your Life" style tribute, filmed at the 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival, featuring Osborne's family and friends, as well as celebrity guests.
BONUS PICK: 12:30 AM, Mirage (1965) - In addition to the tribute special, tonight's schedule features films picked by Robert Osborne. Mirage stars Gregory Peck as a scientist who just can't remember why gunmen would be after him; Diane Baker (a guest at the Osborne tribute) co-stars along with a rogue's gallery of character actors of the era including Walter Matthau, Kevin McCarthy, Jack Weston, and George Kennedy. I haven't seen this film, but it has similar elements to other films from the era that I like -- North by Northwest, Charade, and Arabesque (also starring Peck) -- so, it seems worth a look.
By the way, Charade will screen on 4/12 and North by Northwest on 4/14 and 4/24.
4/25: Francis Marion
8 PM - The Wind (1928)
9:45 PM - Without Lying Down: Francis Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood (2000)
4/26, 2 PM - The Spanish Main (1945)
Avid viewers of TCM have likely seen the lovely short about Paul Henreid, narrated by his daughter Monika Henried. In her tribute, Monika gives special mention to The Spanish Main, a swashbuckler that shows off Henreid's athleticism. The clips caught my attention, so I was happy to see that TCM had scheduled the film again this month.
Henried's best known roles are resistance hero Viktor Laszlo in Casablanca and the dashing Jerry in Now, Voyager opposite Bette Davis. Typecast as "the lover," Henreid apparently wanted to prove he could do more than smoke cigarettes and make goo-goo eyes at his leading ladies. So, he devised a film about a Dutch pirate who is wrongly imprisoned in a Spanish port, then seeks revenge upon the port's corrupt governor. According to his daughter, Henried performed many of his stunts, putting to use his training in fencing, gun handling, and the like. The film also features Walter Slezak as the governor (he would play a very similar role three years later in The Pirate) and Maureen O'Hara as Henreid's love interest -- no reason to leave out romance completely!
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Classic Movie Picks: March 2015
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.)
3/11 - Daytime Thrillers
8 AM - Ministry of Fear (1944)
9:45 AM - Lured (1947)
You know you're a classic movie fan when...you consider taking a sick day from work to stay home and watch TCM. Yep, that's what happens when I see a line-up full of interesting films, like this one. I'd especially like to stay home and watch these two London-set thrillers by two directing masters, Fritz Lang and Douglas Sirk. Thank goodness for the DVR.
3/13: Roadshow Musicals, part 1
8 PM - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
10:45 PM - Oliver! (1968)
1:30 AM - Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
This month's Friday Night Spotlight is on "Roadshow Musicals." This film trend from the 60s and 70s is a foreign concept to today's movie goers -- these elaborate musicals were given advance openings in major cities with reserved seating and special ticket prices. Some were box office successes, but others flopped so badly they were blamed for bankrupting studios. All three of tonight's films are good, in my opinion, though Goodbye, Mr. Chips was one of the flops. This musical remake of the classic 1939 film changes the story a bit, but maintains the basic plot of a reserved teacher whose unexpected marriage opens him up to the world and his students. This version of Chips is worth seeing for Petula Clark as a vicious actress who eventually becomes "Mrs. Chips." I knew Clark could sing, but could she live up to the role (played to perfection by Greer Garson in 1939)? Turns out, she is delightful and really enlivens the entire film.
On the other hand, the musical adaptation of Oliver Twist was so popular it won the Oscar for Best Picture. I first saw Oliver! as a young child and it was a gateway drug into musical fandom (along with Seven Brides for Seven Brothers). Which may seem odd since the story is about an orphan living in horrible poverty surrounded by misfortune - but the songs, so catchy! I write this as a warning to anyone with small children: watching this film could result in your child becoming a fan of musicals. And speaking of the kids, do yours need some nightmare fuel? Then check out Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, specifically for the Child Catcher, voted by British audiences as one of the most frightening onscreen characters ever. Luckily, in this film about an inventor with a flying car that basically saves the world, he is a minor (but memorable) character.
3/15: Inside the Disney Vault!
8 PM - Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)
9:45 PM - I Captured the King of the Leprechauns (1959)
10:45 PM - Babes in the Woods (1932)
11 PM - The Story of Animated Drawing (1955)
12 AM - The Three Caballeros (1944)
1:30 AM - Walt & El Grupo (2008)
3:15 AM - The Fighting Prince of Donegal (1966)
In this trip into the Disney Vault, we'll split our time mainly between Ireland and South America. Darby O'Gill and the Fighting Prince of Donegal are live-action films set in Ireland, while the short I Captured the King of the Leprechauns goes into the folklore behind the Darby O'Gill story. Three Caballeros has always been a favorite of mine; Donald Duck's adventure across several countries with his friends Jose and Panchito is just pure fun. The documentary Walt & El Grupo tells the story of Disney's goodwill tour through South America as he and his team collected material for the Caballeros and other films.
3/20: Roadshow Musicals, part 2
8 PM - Darling Lili (1970)
10:30 PM - Star! (1968)
1:30 AM - Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
Tonight's line-up is for the Julie Andrews fans. While her films may not always be winners, I find that Julie is always on her game. For that reason, I'm excited to see Darling Lili for the first time. This musical, in which Julie plays a German spy romancing WWI flying ace Rock Hudson, was one of the big flops of the era. It will be interesting to see if the public and critics got it right at the time, or if this film deserved a bigger audience.
One film whose flop status was deserved is Star!, a biopic of British stage star of the 30s and 40s Gertrude Lawrence. Many of the musical numbers are fantastic -- "Jenny" is a real show stopper, truly something to behold -- but the story overall just sags. As someone who owns the Star! soundtrack and has seen this on a big screen, I think I can say with authority that it's for the hardcore only. Do you enjoy camp? (For example, does the image of a sequined-clad Julie riding a zip line through a ring of fire sound like something you NEED to see?) Then this one's for you.
On the other hand, I feel like anyone would enjoy Thoroughly Modern Millie. It's a zany comedy set in the Roaring Twenties with Julie as an independent flapper, guiding her more innocent friend (played by Mary Tyler Moore) through the most up-to-date fashion and dance trends, while also trying to seduce her handsome, but clueless, boss. This one is another gateway drug into musical fandom. You've been warned.
3/24, 9 PM - The In-Laws (1979)
"Serpentine! Serpentine!"
This classic buddy comedy stars Alan Arkin as a father-of-the-bride dragged along on a series of crazy adventures by father-of-the-groom Peter Falk, who claims to be a CIA agent. Arkin's mild-mannered dentist finds himself thrown into an espionage plot complete with shoot outs and shady dictators, causing him to question whether his daughter should be marrying into Falk's family.
BONUS PICK: 3/24, 4:15 AM, Hearts of the West (1975)
I'm intrigued by this comedy starring Jeff Bridges as an aspiring novelist who, through a series of misadventures, ends up in 1930s Hollywood making low-budget Westerns. The cast includes Alan Arkin as a temperamental director, as well as Andy Griffith and Blythe Danner.
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.)
3/11 - Daytime Thrillers
8 AM - Ministry of Fear (1944)
9:45 AM - Lured (1947)
You know you're a classic movie fan when...you consider taking a sick day from work to stay home and watch TCM. Yep, that's what happens when I see a line-up full of interesting films, like this one. I'd especially like to stay home and watch these two London-set thrillers by two directing masters, Fritz Lang and Douglas Sirk. Thank goodness for the DVR.
3/13: Roadshow Musicals, part 1
8 PM - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
10:45 PM - Oliver! (1968)
1:30 AM - Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
This month's Friday Night Spotlight is on "Roadshow Musicals." This film trend from the 60s and 70s is a foreign concept to today's movie goers -- these elaborate musicals were given advance openings in major cities with reserved seating and special ticket prices. Some were box office successes, but others flopped so badly they were blamed for bankrupting studios. All three of tonight's films are good, in my opinion, though Goodbye, Mr. Chips was one of the flops. This musical remake of the classic 1939 film changes the story a bit, but maintains the basic plot of a reserved teacher whose unexpected marriage opens him up to the world and his students. This version of Chips is worth seeing for Petula Clark as a vicious actress who eventually becomes "Mrs. Chips." I knew Clark could sing, but could she live up to the role (played to perfection by Greer Garson in 1939)? Turns out, she is delightful and really enlivens the entire film.
On the other hand, the musical adaptation of Oliver Twist was so popular it won the Oscar for Best Picture. I first saw Oliver! as a young child and it was a gateway drug into musical fandom (along with Seven Brides for Seven Brothers). Which may seem odd since the story is about an orphan living in horrible poverty surrounded by misfortune - but the songs, so catchy! I write this as a warning to anyone with small children: watching this film could result in your child becoming a fan of musicals. And speaking of the kids, do yours need some nightmare fuel? Then check out Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, specifically for the Child Catcher, voted by British audiences as one of the most frightening onscreen characters ever. Luckily, in this film about an inventor with a flying car that basically saves the world, he is a minor (but memorable) character.
3/15: Inside the Disney Vault!
8 PM - Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)
9:45 PM - I Captured the King of the Leprechauns (1959)
10:45 PM - Babes in the Woods (1932)
11 PM - The Story of Animated Drawing (1955)
12 AM - The Three Caballeros (1944)
1:30 AM - Walt & El Grupo (2008)
3:15 AM - The Fighting Prince of Donegal (1966)
In this trip into the Disney Vault, we'll split our time mainly between Ireland and South America. Darby O'Gill and the Fighting Prince of Donegal are live-action films set in Ireland, while the short I Captured the King of the Leprechauns goes into the folklore behind the Darby O'Gill story. Three Caballeros has always been a favorite of mine; Donald Duck's adventure across several countries with his friends Jose and Panchito is just pure fun. The documentary Walt & El Grupo tells the story of Disney's goodwill tour through South America as he and his team collected material for the Caballeros and other films.
3/20: Roadshow Musicals, part 2
10:30 PM - Star! (1968)
1:30 AM - Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
Tonight's line-up is for the Julie Andrews fans. While her films may not always be winners, I find that Julie is always on her game. For that reason, I'm excited to see Darling Lili for the first time. This musical, in which Julie plays a German spy romancing WWI flying ace Rock Hudson, was one of the big flops of the era. It will be interesting to see if the public and critics got it right at the time, or if this film deserved a bigger audience. One film whose flop status was deserved is Star!, a biopic of British stage star of the 30s and 40s Gertrude Lawrence. Many of the musical numbers are fantastic -- "Jenny" is a real show stopper, truly something to behold -- but the story overall just sags. As someone who owns the Star! soundtrack and has seen this on a big screen, I think I can say with authority that it's for the hardcore only. Do you enjoy camp? (For example, does the image of a sequined-clad Julie riding a zip line through a ring of fire sound like something you NEED to see?) Then this one's for you.
On the other hand, I feel like anyone would enjoy Thoroughly Modern Millie. It's a zany comedy set in the Roaring Twenties with Julie as an independent flapper, guiding her more innocent friend (played by Mary Tyler Moore) through the most up-to-date fashion and dance trends, while also trying to seduce her handsome, but clueless, boss. This one is another gateway drug into musical fandom. You've been warned.
3/24, 9 PM - The In-Laws (1979)
"Serpentine! Serpentine!"
This classic buddy comedy stars Alan Arkin as a father-of-the-bride dragged along on a series of crazy adventures by father-of-the-groom Peter Falk, who claims to be a CIA agent. Arkin's mild-mannered dentist finds himself thrown into an espionage plot complete with shoot outs and shady dictators, causing him to question whether his daughter should be marrying into Falk's family.
BONUS PICK: 3/24, 4:15 AM, Hearts of the West (1975)
I'm intrigued by this comedy starring Jeff Bridges as an aspiring novelist who, through a series of misadventures, ends up in 1930s Hollywood making low-budget Westerns. The cast includes Alan Arkin as a temperamental director, as well as Andy Griffith and Blythe Danner.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
My Favorite Performances of 2014
by Lani
The Oscars will be handed out tonight. So, before the 2014 awards season comes to a close, I'd like to give a nod to some of the performers who I enjoyed this year (but who won't be taking home a statuette tonight).
Favorite Tom Hardy Performance: Locke
In 2010, Tom Hardy made a big impression in Inception and since then, every time that I make a round-up of favorite performances, I've found a reason to recognize him. He just continues to be on of the most watchable actors working today, and that's only reinforced by his performance in Locke. This film is basically a one man show as the audiences rides along on a late night journey with Hardy's Ivan Locke as he attempts to sort out personal business while also negotiating a complex concrete pour -- all via his car phone. As Locke remains behind the wheel, moving ever closer to his final destination, the tension builds as we wait for the next call. Hardy doesn't overplay his part in an attempt to keep things exciting; he maintains a level of control, despite the escalating stakes. (He is simultaneously driving a car the entire time, so he has to keep a level of physical control or he'll crash.) The premise may seem a bit mundane, but the filmmakers are able to create something highly dramatic, due in large part to the magnetic actor at the center.
Most Overlooked by the People Who Hand Out Awards: David Oyelowo, Selma
Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the most charismatic people to ever step out on the public stage, but he was also a complex and flawed human being. Any actor taking on this role needs to be able to show both sides - the larger than life icon, as well as the man. In Selma, Oyelowo was able to meet this challenge and I found it riveting. Apparently, I was in the minority since Oyelowo has been overlooked by every major award-giving body this season and that's a shame. The portrayal is so rich and multi-faceted, you see how King was able to deftly navigate the streets of Selma, as well as Washington, and juggle multiple agendas and factions. And when he delivers a speech, the film just sings.
Favorite Quarterlifer in Crisis: Keira Knightley, Laggies
In the little-seen romantic comedy Laggies, Keira Knightley plays a young woman with an advanced degree, a long-time boyfriend, and a close-knit circle of friends (not to mention a face like Keira Knightley's)-- yet she feels like a loser, unable or unwilling to take the next steps into adulthood. I find Knightley so likable that even when she makes very questionable decisions, I'm still rooting for her. Exhibit A: she agrees to buy beer for a some teenagers she's never met, then later attempts to hide out from her friends and family at the home of one of these teenagers, Annika (Chloe Grace Moretz). Annika's dad (Sam Rockwell) is at first dubious of this grown woman hanging out with his daughter, but eventually everyone warms up to each other. Now, if you've seen her Chanel commercials, you know that Knightley can look absolutely beautiful. However, she is seemingly without vanity when playing a role; she moves and dresses in a completely natural way, not like an actress made up to look like the best version of herself or posing in the optimally flattering way. She's believably real, and that makes me just like her. When she starts to hit it off with Rockwell, I said (out loud), "I just like them both so much, I want everything to work out." And isn't that what we should be thinking when watching a romantic comedy?
Oh, hi, Jake Gyllenhaal: Nightcrawler
I'll admit that Jake Gyllenhaal is an actor that I've probably underestimated. Until Nightcrawler, I'd say that Zodiac was probably my favorite of his films, but even though he was the lead, he didn't really stand out above the rest of the cast. The problem is that Gyllenhaal is a character actor with a leading man's face; so, while he's most interesting when playing characters who are just a bit off-kilter, he's more often cast in a traditional leading man role. So, it's exciting to see him taking on quirkier roles like the inscrutable Detective Loki in last year's Prisoners and the truly weird lead character in Nightcrawler, an ambitious autodidact determined to break into the cutthroat world of local TV news. His character is not a likable guy and he does some very bad things, but he's never uninteresting. Anchored by Gyllenhaal's performance, Nightcrawler was one of my favorite films of the year.
Most Valuable Player: Tilda Swinton
This year, in supporting roles as an elderly client of the Grand Budapest Hotel and a cruel official aboard the Snowpiercer, and particularly in the leading role of Eve, one half of the vampire couple at the heart of Only Lovers Left Alive, Swinton shone. As the warm, practical, and patient Eve, she is the anchor around which the rest of the cast floats. Just think about this, she turns a scene about making airline reservations over the phone into something completely captivating. It's easy to see why acclaimed and innovative directors like Wes Anderson, Bong Joon Ho, and Jim Jarmusch are eager to work with Swinton; she's a chameleon, incredibly talented, and seems to be game for anything.
The Oscars will be handed out tonight. So, before the 2014 awards season comes to a close, I'd like to give a nod to some of the performers who I enjoyed this year (but who won't be taking home a statuette tonight).
Favorite Tom Hardy Performance: Locke
In 2010, Tom Hardy made a big impression in Inception and since then, every time that I make a round-up of favorite performances, I've found a reason to recognize him. He just continues to be on of the most watchable actors working today, and that's only reinforced by his performance in Locke. This film is basically a one man show as the audiences rides along on a late night journey with Hardy's Ivan Locke as he attempts to sort out personal business while also negotiating a complex concrete pour -- all via his car phone. As Locke remains behind the wheel, moving ever closer to his final destination, the tension builds as we wait for the next call. Hardy doesn't overplay his part in an attempt to keep things exciting; he maintains a level of control, despite the escalating stakes. (He is simultaneously driving a car the entire time, so he has to keep a level of physical control or he'll crash.) The premise may seem a bit mundane, but the filmmakers are able to create something highly dramatic, due in large part to the magnetic actor at the center.
Most Overlooked by the People Who Hand Out Awards: David Oyelowo, Selma
Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the most charismatic people to ever step out on the public stage, but he was also a complex and flawed human being. Any actor taking on this role needs to be able to show both sides - the larger than life icon, as well as the man. In Selma, Oyelowo was able to meet this challenge and I found it riveting. Apparently, I was in the minority since Oyelowo has been overlooked by every major award-giving body this season and that's a shame. The portrayal is so rich and multi-faceted, you see how King was able to deftly navigate the streets of Selma, as well as Washington, and juggle multiple agendas and factions. And when he delivers a speech, the film just sings.
Favorite Quarterlifer in Crisis: Keira Knightley, Laggies
In the little-seen romantic comedy Laggies, Keira Knightley plays a young woman with an advanced degree, a long-time boyfriend, and a close-knit circle of friends (not to mention a face like Keira Knightley's)-- yet she feels like a loser, unable or unwilling to take the next steps into adulthood. I find Knightley so likable that even when she makes very questionable decisions, I'm still rooting for her. Exhibit A: she agrees to buy beer for a some teenagers she's never met, then later attempts to hide out from her friends and family at the home of one of these teenagers, Annika (Chloe Grace Moretz). Annika's dad (Sam Rockwell) is at first dubious of this grown woman hanging out with his daughter, but eventually everyone warms up to each other. Now, if you've seen her Chanel commercials, you know that Knightley can look absolutely beautiful. However, she is seemingly without vanity when playing a role; she moves and dresses in a completely natural way, not like an actress made up to look like the best version of herself or posing in the optimally flattering way. She's believably real, and that makes me just like her. When she starts to hit it off with Rockwell, I said (out loud), "I just like them both so much, I want everything to work out." And isn't that what we should be thinking when watching a romantic comedy?
Oh, hi, Jake Gyllenhaal: Nightcrawler
I'll admit that Jake Gyllenhaal is an actor that I've probably underestimated. Until Nightcrawler, I'd say that Zodiac was probably my favorite of his films, but even though he was the lead, he didn't really stand out above the rest of the cast. The problem is that Gyllenhaal is a character actor with a leading man's face; so, while he's most interesting when playing characters who are just a bit off-kilter, he's more often cast in a traditional leading man role. So, it's exciting to see him taking on quirkier roles like the inscrutable Detective Loki in last year's Prisoners and the truly weird lead character in Nightcrawler, an ambitious autodidact determined to break into the cutthroat world of local TV news. His character is not a likable guy and he does some very bad things, but he's never uninteresting. Anchored by Gyllenhaal's performance, Nightcrawler was one of my favorite films of the year.
Most Valuable Player: Tilda Swinton
This year, in supporting roles as an elderly client of the Grand Budapest Hotel and a cruel official aboard the Snowpiercer, and particularly in the leading role of Eve, one half of the vampire couple at the heart of Only Lovers Left Alive, Swinton shone. As the warm, practical, and patient Eve, she is the anchor around which the rest of the cast floats. Just think about this, she turns a scene about making airline reservations over the phone into something completely captivating. It's easy to see why acclaimed and innovative directors like Wes Anderson, Bong Joon Ho, and Jim Jarmusch are eager to work with Swinton; she's a chameleon, incredibly talented, and seems to be game for anything.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Best Films of 2014: A.J.'s Picks
by A.J.
The Oscars are just around the corner and before the Academy gets the final word on the best of last year's movies, I thought I'd have my say. They only found eight movies to nominate for Best Picture of 2014, but I found 10, and in some cases we actually agree. It's a little late, but here are my picks for the best movies of 2014.
10. The Rover
There is no post-apocalyptic thriller quite like The Rover.
Even though it shares the same setting with Mad Max (the barren, dusty
Australian Outback of the not-too-distant future), The Rover is about as far
away from the full-bore action of the Mad Max trilogy as a movie can
get, while still being a thrilling adventure. This is a sparse, low key movie. The
story is very simple: a man pursues relentlessly the band of thieves that stole
his car. Guy Pearce is excellent as the ultra-determined, largely silent main
character who rarely, if ever, is called by name. The landscape may be desolate,
but the film is not. It is a subtle adventure punctuated by bursts of violence
amid the strange familiarity of the not-too-distant future.
9. The Lego Movie
Edge of Tomorrow was not widely seen in theaters
and now, I fear, may continue to be underseen on video since the movie
unofficially changed its name to Live.Die.Repeat (which is only slightly better
than the title of the Japanese novel the film is based on, All You Need is
Kill). That is unfortunate because this is one of the best action sci-fi movies
of the year, and probably also one of the best action sci-fi movies of the past
few years. As a
charming, but cowardly, army spokesman forced onto the frontlines, Tom Cruise commits fully (as he always does).Only by reliving the same day again and
again does he finds it in himself to help repel an alien invasion. Yes, this
movie has the same plot device Groundhog Day, and, as in Groundhog Day, that
device is used for comedy. However, Edge of Tomorrow also uses it for tension
and suspense. This movie puts a fresh spin on the action genre, is thoroughly
entertaining, and surprisingly funny.
7. The Babadook
The Oscars are just around the corner and before the Academy gets the final word on the best of last year's movies, I thought I'd have my say. They only found eight movies to nominate for Best Picture of 2014, but I found 10, and in some cases we actually agree. It's a little late, but here are my picks for the best movies of 2014.
10. The Rover
9. The Lego Movie
This is the best kind of kid’s movie: one that is actually
entertaining and engaging for viewers of all ages. The Lego Movie is very funny and very
smartly written. It never condescends or panders to children or adults. The pop
culture references are charming and not overdone. There is a real heart to the
story, and it is obvious that the movie cares about and values every character,
even the villains. The humor stays sharp the whole way through. The voice
talents do a great job. The Lego Movie is pure fun at every moment.
8. Edge of Tomorrow
8. Edge of Tomorrow
7. The Babadook
I’m fond of saying that there is only one really good horror
movie for every five to seven years; that movie for this current cycle is The
Babadook. From Australia, this horror film, about a mother and son plagued by a
shadowy monster from a disturbing children’s book, is a slow burn that builds
and builds to a tense and frightening climax. The titular monster does not
appear in the movie very much, but when he does it is terrifying. The
strained relationship between the mother and her young, troubled son is the
real focus of the movie, which is thick with their anxiety. The Babadook is a
smart movie that plays with our expectations and delivers more by doing less.
I can’t believe how much fun I had watching Guardians of the
Galaxy, twice. I'm always a bit wary of whatever new movie Marvel
has unleashed upon us, but Guardians of
the Galaxy ended up being the best movie that brand has made. This movie
reminded me of Star Wars: there were humans, aliens, characters with ridiculous
names of all kinds and colors, talking animals, and it is all taken seriously,
but not too seriously. There is not a hint of pretension or cynicism anywhere
in this movie. The characters aren’t just likable, they’re lovable and cast perfectly. This movie is rich with
humor, great action sequences, and pure fun from beginning to end.
5. Inherent Vice
5. Inherent Vice
Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film is an
intriguing and hilarious neo-noir that has the sprawling feel of an epic. Joaquin Phoenix is great as Doc, a hippie private detective that is our guide through
the people and places of Los Angeles circa 1970. Though Doc is very funny and
unconventional as far private detectives go, the people and situations he
encounters while investigating the disappearance of a an ex-girlfriend and a wealthy businessman are so bizarre that he essentially plays the straight man to
these flamboyant and strange supporting characters. The word “indecipherable”
has been used a lot to describe the plot of this movie, and while I could not
explain it in detail now, I understood it well enough to enjoy the movie, and I
think most people will too. If you ever wondered what L.A. Confidential crossed
with The Big Lebowski and directed by Stanley Kubrick would be like, you should
watch Inherent Vice (probably a few times).
This is Wes Anderson’s most Wes Anderson-y movie yet, and is
by far his most melancholy. It is the story of a memory of someone else’s
memory. Each time period is shot in a different aspect ratio evoking the look
of the movies of each time period. The production design and color palette are bolder and
more stylized than they have ever been in any Anderson movie, but the
characters are just as rich. Ralph Fiennes is excellent and hilarious as M.
Gustav. It's a rare comedic role for Fiennes and he pulls off Wes Anderson whimsy as well
as he does heavy drama. The world around the characters of The Grand Budapest
Hotel is changing and though we know where the arrow of time is taking the
world, the characters simply live their lives as best they can. There are many
funny scenes and visual gags and great skill and care were put into each character and
plot point. The result is a very funny drama, equal parts whimsy and
wistfulness, elation and sorrow for a time and place long since passed that now
only exists inside the memory of a memory.
Equally powerful and painful, Selma is history on film at
its best. This is due in no small part to the masterful and deft direction from Ava DuVernay and the excellent performances from the cast.
Selma might prove the long-held Hollywood notion that the best actors to play American Southerners
are British. David Oyelowo gives the best performance of any actor from any film of the past year as Dr. Martin
Luther King. He doesn’t look exactly like King or sound exactly like King, but
this actually helps Oyelowo humanize the iconic historical figure instead of
just giving us an impersonation. He captures Dr. King’s speaking cadence
perfectly, but the speeches in Selma are not the actual words Dr. King spoke.
The rights to Dr. King’s speeches currently belong to Steven Spielberg for a
King biopic that will likely never happen, so screenwriter Paul Webb and
director Ava DuVernay had to create paraphrased versions of the speeches.
Unless you know those speeches by heart, you would never know the difference
thanks to Oyelowo’s delivery. Playing President LBJ, Tom Wilkinson once again gives a great
performance as a wily American statesman (he also played
Benjamin Franklin in the HBO mini-series John Adams). Another great British actor,
Tim Roth, plays fervent segregationist Governor George Wallace, who is one of many
obstacles that must be overcome to secure voting rights. However, Selma is much
more than recreations of historical people and events. It is the human story of the
real people on the ground in Selma, Alabama working together against seemingly
insurmountable forces to make our country a better place.
Boyhood is unlike any other movie from 2014. Director
Richard Linklater filmed this movie over 12 years with the same cast, so the
actors actually age, slowly, over the course of the film. It is a gimmick, and
a very interesting one, but it is not why the movie works so well. The film
does not make a big deal of its gimmick. There are no title cards indicating
how much time has passed. Boyhood underplays the leaps in time it makes. We
barely notice the years passing by until, before you know it, the boy is old enough
to drive. The real effect of watching the actors age is to make the audience
feel the permanence of time passed and the inevitability of an unknown future
that has become the immediate present. This is one of those “life” movies that
has sentiment and pathos woven into every fiber, but it avoids sappiness. It
captures, especially in the early scenes, the peripheral, partial understanding
children have of the decisions adults make that determine the course of their children's
lives. Richard Linklater is a filmmaker that is not afraid to underplay scenes
and avoid melodrama. He is also not afraid to trust the audience. There have been
countless coming of age films and though Boyhood treads on the same material as
many of them, it manages to feel new. Twelve years of care and deep thought
went into this movie; that’s what sets it apart.
If our world, our only home, was dying, fading away silently, what would we do? How far would we go to survive? To make tomorrow a certainty and not a possibility?
Interstellar is the most
incredibly entertaining, exciting, thrilling, emotional, and thought-provoking film of the
past year. Physicist Kip Thorne had an idea for a science fiction movie which
did not violate the laws of physics and in which all of the ideas and
speculations sprung from established science. He is credited as an executive
producer and worked closely with Christopher and Jonathan Nolan while they
wrote the science based screenplay. You might think that would take all the fun
out of a sci-fi movie, but there are more incredible things in science than are dreamt of
in fiction and fantasy. The more bizarre effects of the laws of relativity are
used not to bend minds, but for emotional effect. The scope may be vast and the
subject matter heavy (the survival of the human race in a bleak, but realistic
future), but the real drive of the movie is emotional: it is about a father’s
love for his children. In the most emotionally powerful scene in the movie
Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) watches his children grow up in a series of video
messages. They have aged 23 years on Earth, but because of the effects of relativity
Cooper has only aged 3 hours.
Interstellar is easily the best looking film of
2014. The special effects and scenes in space, on other worlds, and even on Earth are dazzling.
There is a wondrous sense of adventure throughout the film. There are tense, thrilling, and even frightening set pieces that are staged for maximum
effect and scored perfectly by Hans Zimmer. I didn’t understand everything in
this movie the first time I saw it, but that did not take away from my
enjoyment. The plot of Interstellar, even the mysterious third act, is not as
complicated as some people have made it out to be. The concepts may be
difficult to grasp at first, but Interstellar does not go out of its way to make
you think it is clever and it also never talks down to the audience. Christopher Nolan is a filmmaker whose primary
concern is to entertain; every aspect of this film is as enjoyable as possible.
This is an immensely enjoyable and emotional story about our place in the cosmos, the human
determination to solve problems and survive no matter how insurmountable the odds, and about
family and love across time and space.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Classic Movie Picks: February 2015
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.)
This month marks the beginning of TCM's annual "31 Days of Oscar" tribute to Academy Award winning and nominated films. Each day's programming focuses on a particular genre, while the primetime schedule features a chronological history of nominated films beginning with the first ceremony in 1927 and ending with films from 2006-2011. As the month goes on, and the films get more current, we'll see many TCM premieres; however, the daytime schedule is still packed with favorites from the classic era. As is tradition, I've connected by picks for the month to this year's Best Picture nominees. Even if you don't put a lot of stock into which films win awards, it's interesting to see what themes show up in acclaimed films past and present.
Boyhood
2/6, 12 PM - The 400 Blows (1959)
American Sniper
2/9, 8 PM - The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
American Sniper, based on the story of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, reminds us that support for the troops doesn't end at "mission accomplished" and the scars of war are mental as well as physical. I think that no film has portrayed this issue more beautifully than The Best Years of Our Lives, which follows three veterans returning to small town life after the end of WWII. The film won seven Academy Awards -- Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Music, Best Actor (Fredric March), and Best Supporting Actor (Harold Russell). While Best Years ends happily, the film doesn't gloss over the very real mental and physical challenges faced by the soldiers and is not overly sentimental. Harold Russell, a real-life vet who had lost both hands, gives a memorable performance as Homer, a former football star who fears his high school sweetheart can't cope with the reality of his injuries. However, all the performers --including March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, and Hoagy Carmichael -- bring subtlety and warmth to the film. The Best Years of Our Lives is a film I can watch again and again and never ceases to effect me.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
2/21, 5:45 AM - Cabaret (1972)
A young man befriends a charismatic libertine against the backdrop of the rise of European fascism -- it could describe the plot of both Wes Anderson's melancholy comedy Grand Budapest Hotel and Bob Fosse's musical drama Cabaret. Anderson's film contains the remembrances of Zero, a lobby boy and protege to the magnetic concierge M. Gustave (played by an excellent Ralph Fiennes). M. Gustave and the grandiose hotel he oversees represent a dying era of opulence and gentility, subsumed by the harsh violence of a fascist regime in the fictional eastern European Republic of Zubrowka. The decadent Kit Kat Club at the center of Cabaret becomes a metaphor for 1930s Germany, from the point of view of a young writer who bonds with the club's over-the-top singer, Sally Bowles. As directors, Fosse and Anderson are exact -- the former's precision with the flick of a wrist matched by the latter's attention to the bow on a Mendl's pastry box. Cabaret won eight Academy Awards, though not Best Picture, which went to The Godfather: Best Director, Best Actress (Liza Minnelli), Best Supporting Actor (Joel Grey), Cinematography, Editing, Score, Set Direction, and Sound.
Whiplash
2/25, 2:45 AM - Fame (1980)
Both Whiplash and Fame are about students striving for excellence in their art form -- in Whiplash it's a jazz drummer at an elite music academy persecuted by an overbearing teacher, while Fame focuses on the experiences of several students at New York City's High School for the Performing Arts. In both cases, the musical sections are where each film shines. Fame received Academy Award nominations for its screenplay and editing and won awards for its score and title song sung by Irene Cara. Fame was made at the beginning of the MTV era and it's musical numbers feel like music videos, full of quick cuts and dynamic angles. While the melodrama of the students lives can feel predictable, those moments when they are able to show off their talents for dancing and singing bring the film to life.
Selma
2/27, 10:15 PM - Gandhi (1982)
Selma and Gandhi are both about famous activists who used non-violent means to spread their message. However, while Gandhi is a sweeping epic that follows its main character over decades, Selma focuses on one event in the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. -- the civil rights march through Alabama, from Selma to Birmingham. Gandhi received Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Editing, Screenplay, Art Direction, and Costume Design, as well as several more nominations. Unfortunately, Selma won't have a chance to match that achievement since it is only nominated in the categories of Best Picture and Best Song.
The Imitation Game
3/2, 8 PM - Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Dark forces threaten from afar and the world's best hope is a motley team of unlikely heroes, led by the least likely of all. When you start to think about it, the parallels between The Imitation Game, which follows Alan Turing and his Bletchley Park colleagues as they struggle to break the Enigma code and stop the Germans' advance in WWII, and the Fellowship are numerous. Mark Strong plays a Gandalf-like authority figure, watching the team's progress and interfering only when necessary; there's even a Boromir-esque traitor among group. At the center is Turing, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, who like Frodo displays weakness, determination, hopelessness, and triumph along his journey; alongside Turing is his own "Samwise" (Frodo's trusted companion) in the form of Keira Knightley's Joan. Fellowship was nominated for 13 Oscars and won four for visual effects, makeup, cinematography, and score. TCM is showing the full Lord of the Rings trilogy tonight, so if you want to see how Frodo's story ends, get comfortable and enjoy all 558 minutes of it!
The Theory of Everything
3/3, 1 PM - Dodsworth (1936)
The Theory of Everything is the story of world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking and his wife Jane, from their courtship as university students through the difficult years of their marriage. As time goes by, Stephen's health deteriorates drastically, making him dependent upon Jane, while his work as a scientist becomes more and more celebrated. I think a message one can take away from this film is that even when love exists, relationships are constantly evolving as the needs of each person change. I think this is a lesson at the center of Dodsworth as well. Fran Dodsworth (played by Ruth Chatterton) has spent her whole adult life supporting her husband Sam (Walter Huston) as the perfect wife and mother to their daughter, allowing Sam to achieve professional success. Now, upon reaching 40 and becoming a grandmother, Fran yearns for the adventure that her life has lacked. While Sam is the hero of the film and we are glad that he finds love with Mary Astor's Edith, Fran is not without our sympathy, too. Dodsworth received seven Oscar nominations, but won only for Art Direction; with five nominations, Theory's best chances for a win might be lead actor Eddie Redmayne or the original score.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
3/3, 8 PM - The Artist (2011)
You can probably imagine that at first it was a bit difficult to find a "classic" parallel to Birdman, a surreal fantasy about an actor (portrayed by Michael Keaton) known for a superhero role who desires to be taken seriously as a Broadway stage actor and is simultaneously suffering an existential crisis -- the surreal part is that he hears the voice of Birdman (his iconic character) goading him on and occasionally flies around New York City and makes things move with his mind. The parts of Birdman that I enjoyed the most were the more realistic scenes about putting on the play. Then it was obvious, the Academy loves show business stories that reveal the drama that goes on backstage, and Birdman was another entry in this genre. At its core, Birdman reminds me of a recent Oscar Best Picture winner: The Artist. In this film set in 1920s Hollywood, Jean Dujardin plays a successful silent film actor whose career declines with the advent of sound. Since he defines his personal worth by his fame and stardom, his professional troubles lead to depression. Dujardin won best actor for this role which is almost completely silent and the film also received awards for direction, score, costume design, and of course Best Picture. With nine Oscar nominations, Birdman is also a front-runner in the best picture and actor categories.
I'll be watching the Oscars on Sunday, February 22 to see which film gets the top prize! Hope you'll join me!
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.)
This month marks the beginning of TCM's annual "31 Days of Oscar" tribute to Academy Award winning and nominated films. Each day's programming focuses on a particular genre, while the primetime schedule features a chronological history of nominated films beginning with the first ceremony in 1927 and ending with films from 2006-2011. As the month goes on, and the films get more current, we'll see many TCM premieres; however, the daytime schedule is still packed with favorites from the classic era. As is tradition, I've connected by picks for the month to this year's Best Picture nominees. Even if you don't put a lot of stock into which films win awards, it's interesting to see what themes show up in acclaimed films past and present.
Boyhood
2/6, 12 PM - The 400 Blows (1959)
Writer-director Richard Linklater's film Boyhood is a lovely portrait of growing up in America, but what makes it truly remarkable is that the actors age over the course of real time -- in this case 12 years -- and by the end of the film you feel as though the main character of Mason is a boy that you've known his whole life and seen grow up before your eyes. Other filmmakers have achieved a similar effect through a series of films following a person or character over the course of many years; for example, Michael Apted's eight Up documentaries have chronicled a group of Londoners since age seven through the latest installment at age 56. In his Before trilogy, Linklater himself checks in with characters Jesse and Celine as they meet, reunite, and settle into a life together. However, French director Francois Truffaut's series of semi-autobiographical films starring Jean-Pierre Leaud feels like the closest cinematic ancestor to Boyhood. The first of Truffaut's films about Antoine Doinel, The 400 Blows, stars Leaud at age 12. It is a portrait of an adolescent in a world of adults, struggling through the confusion that we all experience at that age. This very personal story earned Truffaut and co-writer Marcel Moussy an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.
American Sniper
2/9, 8 PM - The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
American Sniper, based on the story of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, reminds us that support for the troops doesn't end at "mission accomplished" and the scars of war are mental as well as physical. I think that no film has portrayed this issue more beautifully than The Best Years of Our Lives, which follows three veterans returning to small town life after the end of WWII. The film won seven Academy Awards -- Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Music, Best Actor (Fredric March), and Best Supporting Actor (Harold Russell). While Best Years ends happily, the film doesn't gloss over the very real mental and physical challenges faced by the soldiers and is not overly sentimental. Harold Russell, a real-life vet who had lost both hands, gives a memorable performance as Homer, a former football star who fears his high school sweetheart can't cope with the reality of his injuries. However, all the performers --including March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, and Hoagy Carmichael -- bring subtlety and warmth to the film. The Best Years of Our Lives is a film I can watch again and again and never ceases to effect me.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
2/21, 5:45 AM - Cabaret (1972)
Whiplash
2/25, 2:45 AM - Fame (1980)
Both Whiplash and Fame are about students striving for excellence in their art form -- in Whiplash it's a jazz drummer at an elite music academy persecuted by an overbearing teacher, while Fame focuses on the experiences of several students at New York City's High School for the Performing Arts. In both cases, the musical sections are where each film shines. Fame received Academy Award nominations for its screenplay and editing and won awards for its score and title song sung by Irene Cara. Fame was made at the beginning of the MTV era and it's musical numbers feel like music videos, full of quick cuts and dynamic angles. While the melodrama of the students lives can feel predictable, those moments when they are able to show off their talents for dancing and singing bring the film to life.
Selma
2/27, 10:15 PM - Gandhi (1982)
Selma and Gandhi are both about famous activists who used non-violent means to spread their message. However, while Gandhi is a sweeping epic that follows its main character over decades, Selma focuses on one event in the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. -- the civil rights march through Alabama, from Selma to Birmingham. Gandhi received Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Editing, Screenplay, Art Direction, and Costume Design, as well as several more nominations. Unfortunately, Selma won't have a chance to match that achievement since it is only nominated in the categories of Best Picture and Best Song.
The Imitation Game
3/2, 8 PM - Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The Theory of Everything
3/3, 1 PM - Dodsworth (1936)
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
3/3, 8 PM - The Artist (2011)
You can probably imagine that at first it was a bit difficult to find a "classic" parallel to Birdman, a surreal fantasy about an actor (portrayed by Michael Keaton) known for a superhero role who desires to be taken seriously as a Broadway stage actor and is simultaneously suffering an existential crisis -- the surreal part is that he hears the voice of Birdman (his iconic character) goading him on and occasionally flies around New York City and makes things move with his mind. The parts of Birdman that I enjoyed the most were the more realistic scenes about putting on the play. Then it was obvious, the Academy loves show business stories that reveal the drama that goes on backstage, and Birdman was another entry in this genre. At its core, Birdman reminds me of a recent Oscar Best Picture winner: The Artist. In this film set in 1920s Hollywood, Jean Dujardin plays a successful silent film actor whose career declines with the advent of sound. Since he defines his personal worth by his fame and stardom, his professional troubles lead to depression. Dujardin won best actor for this role which is almost completely silent and the film also received awards for direction, score, costume design, and of course Best Picture. With nine Oscar nominations, Birdman is also a front-runner in the best picture and actor categories.
I'll be watching the Oscars on Sunday, February 22 to see which film gets the top prize! Hope you'll join me!
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Classic Movie Picks: January 2015
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.)
Happy New Year!
1/2, 3 PM - Joy of Living (1938)
This screwball comedy sounds like the perfect bit of escapism to start the new year -- Irene Dunne stars as a glamorous Broadway actress who falls for eccentric millionaire Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Lucille Ball co-stars as Dunne's younger sister. As the story goes, the film was originally called Joy of Loving, but the title was changed due to concerns that promoting the "joy of loving" could lead to corruption of the young (and possibly a visit from the stork!).
Here's to the joys of living and loving in 2015!
1/21: Tragic Romance (Robert Osborne's Picks)
8 PM - A Place in the Sun (1951)
10:15 PM - All This, and Heaven Too (1940)
From joy to tragedy - so much can change in a few weeks! This double feature is part of an evening lineup chosen by TCM host Robert Osborne. Though the setting for these two films are quite different -- 1950s Chicago in A Place in the Sun and 1840s France in All This, and Heaven Too -- the two films share several similarities. Both were based on popular novels and given the big-budget treatment by their studios; both touch on issues of class and social ambition; and both center upon love triangles which lead to tragedy. A Place in the Sun features Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor at the height of their beauty; see the accompanying photo for proof. (They look so good together, you sort of forgive Monty for dumping poor Shelley Winters.) All This, and Heaven Too stars Charles Boyer as a French duke who falls in love with his children's governess, played by the inimitable Bette Davis.
1/27: Star of the Month Robert Redford
8 PM - The Candidate (1972)
10 PM - All the President's Men (1976)
Tuesdays in January feature the films of Robert Redford, whose film career began in teh early 60s and continues today -- in fact, the man vs. sea drama All is Lost from 2013 may have one of his finest performances. Though I love 1967's Barefoot in the Park and 1992's Sneakers, I think the 1970s may have been Redford's most interesting decade. He was the top box office star, but that didn't stop him from taking on challenging films like tonight's politically-themed double feature. The Candidate offers prescient satire with Redford starring as a young idealist who becomes entrenched in the political machine. All the President's Men is a thrilling drama about the real-life journalists who uncovered the Watergate scandal and took down a president. Despite coming from an era when audiences were less media-savvy, both of these films feel relevant and exciting today.
1/28: Starring Lord Richard Attenborough
8 PM - The Sand Pebbles (1966)
11:15 PM - 10 Rillington Place (1971)
1:15 AM - The Angry Silence (1960)
3 AM - Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)
5 AM - The League of Gentlemen (1961)
Actor and Oscar-winning producer and director Richard Attenborough died in 2014, after nearly 70 years in the film business. Many film fans will remember his grandfatherly image as John Hammond, the affable, if misguided, founder of Jurassic Park; or Kris Kringle in the 1994 version of The Miracle on 34th Street. My favorite Attenborough film might be 1963's The Great Escape, in which he portrayed British officer Bartlett, aka "Big X," who leads the titular escape from a WWII POW camp.
The five films selected for tonight's tribute show the range that Attenborough could play as an actor -- from decent, working class family man in The Angry Silence to cold serial killer in 10 Rillington Place. The lineup also includes some of the films he made under his production company, Allied Filmmakers -- The League of Gentlemen, Seance on a Wet Afternoon, and Angry Silence.
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.)
Happy New Year!
1/2, 3 PM - Joy of Living (1938)
This screwball comedy sounds like the perfect bit of escapism to start the new year -- Irene Dunne stars as a glamorous Broadway actress who falls for eccentric millionaire Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Lucille Ball co-stars as Dunne's younger sister. As the story goes, the film was originally called Joy of Loving, but the title was changed due to concerns that promoting the "joy of loving" could lead to corruption of the young (and possibly a visit from the stork!).
Here's to the joys of living and loving in 2015!
8 PM - A Place in the Sun (1951)
10:15 PM - All This, and Heaven Too (1940)
From joy to tragedy - so much can change in a few weeks! This double feature is part of an evening lineup chosen by TCM host Robert Osborne. Though the setting for these two films are quite different -- 1950s Chicago in A Place in the Sun and 1840s France in All This, and Heaven Too -- the two films share several similarities. Both were based on popular novels and given the big-budget treatment by their studios; both touch on issues of class and social ambition; and both center upon love triangles which lead to tragedy. A Place in the Sun features Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor at the height of their beauty; see the accompanying photo for proof. (They look so good together, you sort of forgive Monty for dumping poor Shelley Winters.) All This, and Heaven Too stars Charles Boyer as a French duke who falls in love with his children's governess, played by the inimitable Bette Davis.
1/27: Star of the Month Robert Redford
8 PM - The Candidate (1972)
10 PM - All the President's Men (1976)
Tuesdays in January feature the films of Robert Redford, whose film career began in teh early 60s and continues today -- in fact, the man vs. sea drama All is Lost from 2013 may have one of his finest performances. Though I love 1967's Barefoot in the Park and 1992's Sneakers, I think the 1970s may have been Redford's most interesting decade. He was the top box office star, but that didn't stop him from taking on challenging films like tonight's politically-themed double feature. The Candidate offers prescient satire with Redford starring as a young idealist who becomes entrenched in the political machine. All the President's Men is a thrilling drama about the real-life journalists who uncovered the Watergate scandal and took down a president. Despite coming from an era when audiences were less media-savvy, both of these films feel relevant and exciting today.
1/28: Starring Lord Richard Attenborough
8 PM - The Sand Pebbles (1966)
11:15 PM - 10 Rillington Place (1971)
1:15 AM - The Angry Silence (1960)
3 AM - Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)
5 AM - The League of Gentlemen (1961)
Actor and Oscar-winning producer and director Richard Attenborough died in 2014, after nearly 70 years in the film business. Many film fans will remember his grandfatherly image as John Hammond, the affable, if misguided, founder of Jurassic Park; or Kris Kringle in the 1994 version of The Miracle on 34th Street. My favorite Attenborough film might be 1963's The Great Escape, in which he portrayed British officer Bartlett, aka "Big X," who leads the titular escape from a WWII POW camp.
The five films selected for tonight's tribute show the range that Attenborough could play as an actor -- from decent, working class family man in The Angry Silence to cold serial killer in 10 Rillington Place. The lineup also includes some of the films he made under his production company, Allied Filmmakers -- The League of Gentlemen, Seance on a Wet Afternoon, and Angry Silence.
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