Maps to the Stars: Review

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?

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!