Best of 2012, So Far

by A.J. and Lani


It's about halfway through the year, so a recap of the cinematic highlights so far feels appropriate. 2012 had a slow start, and though we haven't been to the movies as often as usual, there have still been some pretty good ones, such as:

Damsels in Distress

A.J.: The previous film from writer-director Whit Stillman, The Last Days of Disco, was released in 1998, and at last after 14 years his 4^th film, Damsels in Distress, made its way to theaters in April. I had been eagerly awaiting this film for quite some time and even with all that built up anticipation Damsels in Distress did not disappoint. It follows a group of girls at a college in the Northeast that are trying to raise the level of sophistication of the other students. It takes place in a world that reminds me of movies from the 30's and 40's. Violet, played by Greta Gerwig, thinks that best way for her to change society for the better is to create an international dance craze. There's off-beat but substantial characters, Fred Astaire references, smart comedy, and not one but two dance numbers at the end. This is movie is simply a great time.

21 Jump Street

A.J.: I went to see 21 Jump Street in part because I had not been to the movies in so long that I just needed to go, and this big screen comedy version of an 80s TV show seemed like the best bet. I was expecting a dumb but funny movie, but what I saw was a pretty solid comedy. I laughed out loud many, many times. Jonah Hill is funny as you might expect, but Channing Tatum is the real comedic stand out here. You might think that adults going back to high school in disguise has been done a lot, and it has, but as the characters quickly learn a lot has changed since the start of the millennium, like which clique is the popular one and which ones are looked down on.

Bernie

Lani: Richard Linklater's latest film uses a semi-documentary style to tell the story of Bernie Tiede, a funeral director in small-town Carthage, Texas, his friendship with a local widow, and her shocking murder at Bernie's hand. The film is based on true events; however, this is not The Thin Blue Line. Bernie is played by Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine plays the widow Mrs. Nugent; however, many of the characters are played by actual residents of Carthage. Their often hilariously candid thoughts are captured in talking-head segments which make up a good portion of the film. Linklater smartly realized that this is the kind of stuff you just can't make up and the town's genuine love of Bernie and dislike of Mrs. Nugent comes across loud and clear. Bernie, while dealing with a dark subject, maintains a light tone in keeping with the sunny personality of its title character.

Safety Not Guaranteed

A.J.: I was skeptical, but intrigued by the premise of Safety Not Guaranteed. A journalist takes two interns to investigate a classified ad seeking a partner for time travel. Aubrey Plaza is one of the interns and though her character doesn't stray too far from the moody-outsider she's played before, this role does let her play a more realized character. She finds and befriends the person that placed the ad, played by Mark Duplass, and as they train for a journey back in time she begins to wonder if his claims about time travel might be serious. Safety Not Guaranteed is a funny, offbeat character movie that doesn't fall into the traps that stunt so many other indie movies.


The Five-Year Engagement
Lani: When I heard the title of this film I groaned a bit. Great, another romantic comedy about people who can't "commit," perhaps my least favorite film cliche of recent years. However, this film surprised me by portraying a couple who were so comfortable in their commitment that they weren't afraid to cancel their wedding, often the mark of death for a movie couple. After their engagement is announced, Tom and Violet (played by Jason Segel and Emily Blunt) find that a cross-country move, the rigors of a post-doctorate program, and other family events prevent them from planning their perfect wedding. In our culture obsessed with elaborate weddings, the couple becomes completely overwhelmed by party planning and loses sight of what they really want--just to be together.


Lockout
Lani: As the resident action connoisseur around this blog, I have to give some love to Lockout, a fun and scruffy film which doesn't take itself seriously for a moment. Guy Pearce plays former CIA agent Snow, who is tapped to break in to a maximum security prison in space, rescue the President's daughter, and do all this in the middle of a massive prison riot. Pearce is delightfully wry, never missing an opportunity to crack a joke whether he's under interrogation, performing first aid, or beating up crazed killers. Among the overblown action films this year based on comic books & board games and pseudo-intellectual sci-fi bores, Lockout stands out for knowing exactly what it is (a fun 90 minutes at the movies) and getting the job done.

Classic Movie Picks: June 2012

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.)

A few weeks ago, disaster struck. I spilled a full glass of iced tea on my copy of Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide for June. How could I make my picks without the guide? It was surely an omen that this month's post would be a challenge. And sure enough, as Now Playing lay drying on the fireplace, my mind was diverted by work, houseguests, and attempts to knit one blasted sock (at this rate I should have a matched pair sometime next spring). Yesterday, when I received the July issue of Now Playing and realized that I still hadn't written my post for June, I considered taking the month off, but that felt too much like quitting. If I can't bring myself to finish typing up some movie suggestions, how will I ever finish that sock!

6/3, 2 AM - A Man and a Woman (1966)
An unprecedented hit with American audiences, this romantic drama from France won two Oscars, Best Screenplay and Best Foreign Film. This type of story was a staple of classic films - a glamorous romance between two mature adults (almost anything seemed more glamorous in a classic movie). Romances like Now, Voyager, An Affair to Remember, or A Man and a Woman which all deal with characters well past the blush of youth don't seem to get made as much anymore.

6/6, 3 AM - Eat a Bowl of Tea (1989)
Part of TCM's June spotlight on the immigrant experience, this comedy about Chinese families in New York is directed by Wayne Wang and based on a novel by Louis Chu. The story is set during the 1940s following the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act which prevented immigrants from bringing their families to the U.S. I really enjoyed Wang's film The Joy Luck Club, another literary adaptation which also deals with the experiences of Chinese immigrants in America. However, Eat a Bowl of Tea takes a more straightforwardly comedic approach to issues like arranged marriage and the politics of a Chinatown community.

6/7, 6:30 AM - The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1957)
Speaking of romance...here we have the legendary love story of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, an invalid held back by her overbearing father, and Robert Browning, the dashing fellow poet who gave Elizabeth the strength to break free from her family. This is the Metrocolor remake of MGM's 1934 black & white version starring Norma Shearer, Fredric March, and Charles Laughton. The 1957 version was shot on location in England with mostly British actors, including Bill Travers as Browning and John Gielgud as patriarch Edward Moulton-Barrett. Jennifer Jones leads the fine cast as Elizabeth Barrett.
Fans of Virginia Woolf's Flush: A Biography will be happy to know that Barrett Browning's cocker spaniel has also been well-cast. Flush even merited a mention by critic Bosley Crowther in his New York Times review: "played to perfection by a charming spaniel not named in the cast."

6/17, 8 PM - Rio Bravo (1959)
You know what's a pretty good little movie? Rio Bravo.While not officially part of this month's Teen Idols programming, this is probably the best film Ricky Nelson ever made. Rio Bravo is also part of TCM's Essentials, Jr. series this summer, so why not watch with the whole family. 

6/30, 9:45 PM - Christmas in July (1940)
It was actually radio which made me a Dick Powell fan. Like many movie stars of the 40s and 50s, Dick Powell also appeared in radio dramas. I was born several decades too late to hear these shows on the radio; however, I'm grateful to the dedicated fans who have made old-time radio shows available via podcast. I especially enjoy the detective shows and Powell's apperances on Rogue's Gallery and Richard Diamond: Private Detective are some of my favorites. It doesn't hurt that he usually finds an excuse to sing at the end of each episode, either. I'm also on a bit of a Preston Sturges kick after watching Sullivan's Travels and The Palm Beach Story in May, so this film directed by Sturges and starring Powell sounds like a winning combination.
(Visit RelicRadio.com for lots of old-time radio goodness.)