Best Pictures #33:
2016 (89th) Academy Awards Best Picture Nominee La La Land
La La Land is one
of best reviewed, most lauded, and most loved movies of 2016. It has already won
several awards and is very likely to win more. It received 14 Oscar
nominations, tying the record set by All About Eve (1950), though All About
Eve’s 14 nominations was done with fewer categories, which seems slightly
more impressive. La La Land is the front runner to take home the Best Picture Oscar. Let’s get
one thing straight: I like La La Land.
I might even really like it, but I did not love it, at least not the way
everyone else did.
The plot is simple enough: Struggling jazz pianist Sebastian
(Ryan Gosling) meets and falls for aspiring actress Mia (Emma Stone). Together
they sing and dance through some of the loveliest scenes of Los Angeles on
film. This is a side of L.A. not often seen movies. The center of American
filmmaking is most often the setting of action and crime movies or it is meant
to be a nonintrusive background. In La La
Land, Los Angeles is stylized and romanticized. It is a city of purple
sunsets, cool, blue nights, and hills and canyons and highways for song and
dance numbers. I would not say that Los Angeles is a character because sets
aren’t characters, but it is at the forefront of La La Land.
It’s no surprise that Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone have good
chemistry; this is their third movie together after all. Each does a fine job
in their respective roles. They sing and dance well enough, though they sing
and dance like nonprofessionals that have been taught specific, not too
challenging choreography. Each has a signature song: Sebastian has the
melancholy “City of Stars” and Mia’s “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” serves as
the film’s climax. Both songs have been nominated for the Original Song Oscar.
La La Land takes
place in a daydream world and writer-director Damien Chazelle seeks to
transport the audience to this wonderful musical world. He succeeds, to a
point. La La Land is meant to be a
loving, enthusiastic tribute to the musicals of the 1950’s and 40’s. The
misstep it makes is this: instead of taking inspiration from the great musicals
of the past to create a new, fresh take, it simply lifts from and imitates
those films instead. Action and science fiction are the genres most often
criticized for being derivative, but musicals can be derivative too. There are
numerous visual references to other musicals (enough for a side by side video comparison). Some are indirect: the bold, bright color pallet of costumes and
sets is reminiscent of the musicals of Jacques Demy. Others are more direct: Gosling
jumps up on a lamppost just like Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain. Unfortunately, since I’ve already seen most of
the movies La La Land references (Jacques
Demy’s Umbrellas of Cherourg, Young Girls of Rochefort; Fred Astaire
musicals: Shall We Dance, The Band Wagon, Funny Face; and, most of all, Singin’
in the Rain, An American in Paris,
and every other Gene Kelly musical), subtly and not so subtly, it comes off
less as a tribute and more as a hollow imitation.
There’s a lot to like in La
La Land. It’s a nice story about aspiring performers falling in love and
trying to achieve their dreams. From the pink and purple sunsets to Stone’s bright, yellow dress, La La Land is filled with bold and vibrant
solid colors that cannot help but catch the eye. The songs are pleasant and
enjoyable, even if you don’t like jazz (and I don’t). Some of the musicals
numbers are very visually appealing—I’m thinking of Sebastian and Mia’s dance
at the observatory specifically—but others never open up to be as grand as I
was expecting. The opening number plays like generic tableau of what someone
that hasn’t seen a musical thinks a musical is like. I suppose I just can’t
help but be reminded of the classic musicals with undeniably better performers
and songs and wonder why I’m not just watching one of those again. I didn’t get
the feeling of unabashed joy and love and wonder that I get whenever I watch
Truffaut’s Day For Night, Gene
Kelly’s Singin’ in the Rain, or even
Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous (all
about performers in the entertainment business). But still, I enjoyed this
movie.
Nominees: Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz, Marc Platt, producers
Director: Damien Chazelle
Screenplay: Damien Chazelle
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend
Production Companies: Black Label Media, TIK Films Limited,
Impostor Pictures, Gilbert Films, Marc Platt Productions
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Release Date: December 9th, 2016
Total Nominations: 14, including Best Picture
Other Nominations: Director-Damien Chazelle,
Screenplay-Damien Chazelle, Actor-Ryan Gosling, Actress-Emma Stone,
Cinematography-Linus Sandgren, Editing-Tom Cross, Costume Design-Mary Zophres,
Production Design- David Wasco, Sandy Reynolds-Wasco (set decoration), Sound
Editing- Ai Ling Lee, Mildred Iatrou, Sound Mixing- Andy Nelson, Ai-Ling Lee,
Steven Morrow, Original Score-Justin Hurwitz, Original Song-Audition (The Fools
Who Dream): music by Justin Hurwitz, lyrics by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul,
Original Song-City of Stars: music by Justin Hurwitz, lyrics by Benj Pasek,
Justin Paul
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.)
It's award season in Hollywood, which means it's time for TCM's "31 Days of Oscar" programming. Each day in February (and a few in March, too) will feature films which were Academy Award winners or nominees. This year, the films are being shown from A to Z starting with Abe Lincoln in Illinois on February 1 and ending with, well, Z on March 3. The alphabetical order creates some interesting programming blocks of films you might never see on a double feature except during 31 Days of Oscar. I've chosen a few of my favorite groupings this month.
2/1: A is for archetype 8 PM - All About Eve (1950) 10:30 PM - An American in Paris (1951) 12:30 AM - Annie Hall (1977) What better way to start the month than with the film which holds the record for most Oscar nominations, All About Eve? It's 14 nominations have since been tied by Titanic and this year's awards frontrunner La La Land; however, there were fewer categories in the 50s, so All About Eve's record is even more impressive. The film won 5 awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Supporting Actor for George Sanders. In his autobiography Sanders said of winning an Oscar, "I was grateful and flattered to get mine, but apart from making my already large ego one size larger it did absolutely nothing for me." The film's star, Bette Davis, might disagree. Davis and co-star Anne Baxter were both nominated for Best Actress, the first time two lead actresses had been nominated for the same film; however, the award that year went to Judy Holliday for Born Yesterday. The film is the ultimate backstage story, centering on an established stage actress threatened by an ambitious younger woman with her sights set on stardom. Davis's powerful performance as Broadway star Margo Channing and Baxter's equally good turn as the cunning upstart Eve Harrington, plus the bitingly witty dialog by writer /director Joseph Mankiewicz, make this one of the best of all time. Though musicals had been popular since silent films became talkies, it was rare for a musical to win best picture. An American in Paris broke the trend garnering 8 nominations and 6 wins, including Best Picture. Gene Kelly stars as an American painter living in Paris who has a complicated romance with a French girl. The charming performances of the cast, particularly Kelly and love interest Leslie Caron, beautiful dances choreographed by Kelly, and the iconic music of the Gershwins, make An American in Paris a true delight. One of the most memorable sequences is the 17-minute "dream ballet" which ends the film. The power of this sequence must have stuck in the minds of the Academy voters because while director Vincente Minelli lost out to the director of A Place in the Sun, George Stevens; Gene Kelly was given an honorary award "in appreciation of his versatility as an actor, singer, director and dancer, and specifically for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film." I would give credit to both Minelli and Kelly for the creative vision which made this film one of the crowning achievements of MGM's golden age. Annie Hall received 4 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Woody Allen's direction, the screenplay by Allen and Marshall Brickman, and Best Actress for Diane Keaton. The only nominated category it didn't win that year was Best Actor, in which Allen lost to Richard Dreyfuss for his performance in The Goodbye Girl. Comedy is another genre which is not often recognized by Oscar. Annie Hall was the first comedy since 1963's Tom Jones to win Best Picture (beating out Star Wars along the way); and I'm not sure there's been another since then...maybe Shakespeare in Love? The story is a simple one in which boy, comedy writer Alvy, meets girl, aspiring singer Annie, but the two quickly complicate matters with their neuroses and insecurities. With this film, Allen created the blueprint for modern romantic comedy.
2/8: F is for force 12 AM - The French Connection (1971) 2 AM - Friendly Persuasion (1956) The French Connection was the big winner of 1971, with 8 nominations and 5 wins, including Best Picture. The film, which follows two Brooklyn narcotics detectives tracking a drug kingpin, is memorable for a breathless car chase sequence and Gene Hackman's forceful portrayal of brutish cop Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle. No surprise then that the film picked up Oscars for Best Editing and Best Actor, in addition to awards for its director, William Friedkin, and screenplay by Ernest Tidyman. Friendly Persuasion proves that you can also make an impact through the rejection of violence, a sentiment echoed by this year's Oscar nominated film Hacksaw Ridge (ironically, an extremely violent film). The story centers on a Quaker family in Indiana whose commitment to peace is tested during the Civil War. The film received 6 nominations for Best Picture, Screenplay, Sound, and Director, as well as for the featured song "Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love)" and supporting actor Anthony Perkins. Though set against the tumult of the Civil War, this is also a sentimental film about a family kept together by their strength of will and faith. But despite box office popularity, able direction by William Wyler, and strong performances by Gary Cooper and Dorothy McGuire, Friendly Persuasion lost the big prize that year to the star-studded spectacle of Around the World in 80 Days filmed in ultra wide screen Todd-AO.
2/11: H is for hysteria 10 PM - A Hard Day's Night (1964) 11:45 PM - Harvey (1950) Put together quickly to capitalize on worldwide Beatlemania, A Hard Day's Night is much better than it has any right to be and ending up getting two Academy Award nominations. The filmmakers were secretly worried that the Beatles could be a passing fad; therefore, the film needed to get to theaters quickly. The filming was completed in six weeks and the finished product premiered only three months after filming began! The hilarious, and Oscar-nominated, screenplay by Alun Owen focuses on a day (or so) in the life of the band as they talk to the press, evade hordes of screaming fans, and generally goof around, all in the lead-up to a performance on a television show. The screenplay is further helped by the innate charm of John, Paul, George, and Ringo, as well as a crack supporting cast of British character actors, most notably William Brambell as Paul's crotchety, mischievous grandfather. Of course another big reason to watch the film is the music, including the title song and other hits like "Can't Buy Me Love" and "All My Loving." Producer George Martin received the film's second Oscar nomination for the score. (Note: the category of "musical score - adaptation or treatment" was only around from 1963 to 1968, and most nominees were films which had been adapted from Broadway musicals with existing scores.) Harvey received two Oscar nominations, Best Actor for star James Stewart and Best Supporting Actress for Josephine Hull (which she won). However, it's a shock to me that the screenplay, adapted for film by Mary Chase and Oscar Brodney from Chase's Pulitzer Prize winning play, was completely overlooked. The concept -- that a small-town eccentric (or drunk, depending on your opinion) is accompanied everywhere by a 6'3" invisible rabbit to the embarrassment and dismay of his family -- is so out there, it takes a masterful touch to make it work. Stewart gives one of his most memorable comedic performances as the gentle iconoclast Elwood P. Dowd, though he lost the Oscar to Jose Ferrer's starring performance in Cyrano de Bergerac. The play had been a hit on Broadway for five years and the filmmakers imported most of the original cast, including Hull as Dowd's increasingly desperate sister. A couple of interesting facts about the film -- though it is implied that Elwood is an alcoholic, due to the film production code he is never shown taking a drink; many of the shots in the film are intentionally wider than they need to be to allow room for the invisible Harvey.
2/19: N is for nominee 6:30 AM - North by Northwest (1959) 9 AM - Now, Voyager(1942) 11 AM - The Nun's Story (1959) They say it's an honor just to be nominated. Sometimes a really great film can pick up a few nominations, but in the end lose to that year's juggernaut. That's what happened to Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller North by Northwest, which picked up 3 nominations for Art Direction, Editing, and Screenplay; unfortunately for Hitch, his film was up against Ben-Hur which would set a record that year with 11 wins. (The record still stands, but is shared with Titanic and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.) The original screenplay award that year would go to the Doris Day-Rock Hudson comedy Pillow Talk. Combining many of Hitchcock's signature elements -- mistaken identity, a glamorous blonde, diabolical villains, and fear of those people and institutions we should trust -- plus favorite leading man Cary Grant, North by Northwest is the quintessential Hitchcock picture. The famous crop duster scene is so well done, it is suspenseful no matter how many times I watch it. However, one of the best parts of the movie didn't even get a nomination: Bernard Hermann's memorable score. Also coming up empty at the 1959 Oscars was The Nun's Story, directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Audrey Hepburn. This moving portrait of a nun who must repress her natural independence first as a novice, and later on a mission to Africa, was one of the most popular movies of the year. The strength of the film lies in the star power of Hepburn, and she gives a superb performance as Gaby/Sister Luke; playing against her fashion-plate image, she spends most of the film covered up in a nun's habit. Hepburn was nominated for Best Actress, but lost to Simone Signoret, the polar opposite of a nun as an unfaithful wife in Room at the Top. The film received 8 nominations in all, including Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Editing, Sound, Score, and Adapted Screenplay. I'll admit that the film might sound dull at first, but The Nun's Story is so well-crafted it will pull you in and keep you captivated. Now, Voyager is an emotional drama about a plain, put-upon woman who comes into her own through the help of a psychiatrist and her chaste love for a married man. It was Bette Davis's biggest hit of the 1940s and provided many quotable lines, including "Don't ask for the moon, we have the stars." The brilliant Bette Davis was again nominated for Best Actress, but did not win. (Lest you're feeling sorry for her now, she had already won the award twice in the 1930s for her performances in Dangerous and Jezebel.) Gladys Cooper, who played Davis's domineering mother, received a Best Supporting Actress nomination. Both the Best Actress and Supporting Actress Oscar would go to the stars of that year's big winner Mrs. Miniver, Greer Garson and Teresa Wright, respectively. However, Now, Voyager did manage one win for the elegant score by Max Steiner.
2/22: R is for romance 8 PM - Roman Holiday (1953) 10:15 PM - A Room with a View (1986) Roman Holiday is an effervescent romp through the streets of Rome which made Audrey Hepburn a star. She plays a princess on an official tour of Europe, who runs away from her duties and has an adventure with an American reporter (played by Gregory Peck). The film received 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Editing, Art Direction, Screenplay, and Supporting Actor for Eddie Albert. It won in three categories: Best Actress, Costumes, and Motion Picture Story. It is interesting to note that, at the time, "motion picture story" was a separate category from screenplay; so, Dalton Trumbo's original story (perhaps inspired by England's rebellious Princess Margaret) won the Oscar, but the completed screenplay did not. Hepburn's chic, modern clothes and gamine haircut were copied by women around the world, which probably helped costume designer Edith Head grab the win over other films with more elaborate costumes. It's back to Italy with A Room with View, a delightful period comedy about a young Englishwoman torn between her straitlaced fiance and an impetuous Bohemian she meets in Florence. The film received 8 Oscar nominations, tying that year's ultimate Best Picture winner Platoon. It won in three categories: Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction, and Costume Design. A Room with a View was the first worldwide hit for producer Ismail Merchant, director James Ivory, and writer Ruth Prawer-Jhabavala, who adapted the story from the E.M. Forster novel. If you think "Merchant-Ivory film" means a stuffy costume drama, this film may surprise you. It pokes fun at the buttoned-up aspects of Edwardian culture, but never dips into farce; while the romance is handled with deft delicacy.
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.)
11/10: Norma Shearer in the 30s 8 PM - Private Lives(1931) 9:30 PM - A Free Soul (1931) 11:15 PM - Let Us Be Gay (1930) 12:45 PM - The Divorcee (1930) Norma Shearer is an actress I had never really heard of before I became a regular TCM-watcher, which is surprising considering the heights of her popularity during the 1930s. Costumed in slinky gowns by Adrian, she was an epitome of the glamorous Hollywood star. I think tonight's line up of films from 1930-31 represents a high point for her, evidenced by the Best Actress Academy Award she won in 1930. Shearer started her career during the silent era, but had no trouble transitioning to talkies and soon became the "Queen of MGM" -- a title she earned through her box office popularity, not simply because she was also the wife of MGM production chief Irving Thalberg. In fact, Thalberg almost didn't cast Shearer in her Oscar-winning role; he thought she wasn't sexy enough to play the title character of The Divorcee (what that says about their marriage, I'm not sure...). Shearer had a photographer take some shots of her in alluring poses which finally convinced Thalberg that she could pull off the role. Shearer's films during this "pre-code" period often dealt frankly with sexuality, which might account in part for their popularity with audiences; however, by today's standards the scandalous storylines seem a bit tame. In The Divorcee Shearer's character is branded as a sexually liberated "adventuress" by simply dating a string of men following her divorce -- mind you, she's not sleeping with any of them, just going to nightclubs and accepting expensive jewelry. Enjoy the films tonight for their glamour, wit, sexiness, and star power -- provided by handsome co-stars like Clark Gable and Robert Montgomery, but largely by Shearer herself.
11/13: Bob's Picks Double Feature 1 AM - The Wrong Box (1966) 3 AM - Make Mine Mink (1960) TCM host Robert Osborne has chosen to program two wacky British comedies, one which I've seen and one that I haven't. The Wrong Box is a film I recommend at every opportunity because it's simply one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Set in Victorian England, the story centers on two elderly brothers who plot to kill each other in order to inherit a large fortune. The farce builds at a frantic pace, combining witty dialogue with visual gags and physical comedy. John Mills, Ralph Richardson, Peter Sellers, Dudley Moore, Peter Cook, and Michael Caine are just the most recognizable names among the large cast. Make Mine Mink combines the comedy with a heist plot, which is pretty much impossible for me to resist. Terry-Thomas stars as an ex-military man who leads his neighbors at a boarding house as they hatch a scheme to raise money for charity by stealing mink coats.
11/16: Starring Victor Mature 8 PM - My Darling Clementine (1946) 10 PM - Kiss of Death (1947) 12 AM -The Egyptian (1954) 2:30 AM -Million Dollar Mermaid (1952) 4:30 AM - Easy Living (1949) Handsome and brawny, Victor Mature is well-known for sword-and-sandal epics like Samson and Delilah and The Robe; however, tonight's line-up shows his versatility with roles in a western, noir, sports drama, even an Esther Williams "aquamusical." No matter the role, Mature stands out for his intense, striking presence and subtle performance. I haven't seen a lot of his films, in fact of these five I've only seen Mermaid (go figure, it's the only musical of the bunch); but I've never seen Mature give a bad performance. Off screen, he was self-deprecating about his acting ability. However, his films stand as proof that he was one of the most dynamic actors of his era. 11/23, 1 AM - What a Way to Go! (1964) My favorite classic movie star Gene Kelly had a November birthday, so I wanted to pick one of his films this month. He's not the star of What a Way to Go! -- that's Shirley MacLaine as a wealthy widow recounting her experiences with four husbands who found success and riches, but met tragic ends. If you haven't seen it, I won't spoil the fun casting except to say that Kelly appears as one MacLaine's husbands doing a parody of his own image and his famous movie musical roles. Of course, the two stars get a dance number together, too! 11/28, 4 AM - All the Marbles (1981) I'll say up front that I haven't seen this movie and considering that it involves women's wrestling, I'm coming in very dubious. However, the female sports film is a genre with few entries and as a woman who spent many years playing various sports, I'm interested in these stories. In All the Marbles, Peter Falk plays a streetwise survivor and showman who manages a wrestling tag team called the California Dolls, played by Vicki Frederick and Laurene Landon, all the way to the championships in Reno. I'd watch Falk in anything. Director Robert Aldrich made one of my favorite films, The Dirty Dozen, and had success with another sports film, The Longest Yard. The costumes were even designed by the legendary Bob Mackie. However, I'm really interested to see how this film compares to other films of the genre such as Million Dollar Baby and A League of Their Own which focus on the sometimes paternal, sometimes romantic, relationships between the female athletes and their male managers. I'm really crossing my fingers that it's just not completely cringe-worthy.
11/30: Satyajit Ray - Apu and More 8 PM - Pather Panchali (1956) + short Restoring the Apu Trilogy 10:15 PM - Aparajito (1957) 12:15 AM -Apur Sansar (1959) 2:15 AM - Satyajit Ray (1982) 4:45 AM - The Music Room (1958) Indian director Satyajit Ray is best known for his acclaimed "Apu Trilogy" -- Pather Panchali, Aparajito, and Apur Sansar. A restored version of the three films was released earlier this year by Criterion, so if, like me, you've never seen Ray's films now seems like the perfect time. Pather Panchali (Song of the Little Road) follows a poor Indian family -- from children Apu and Durga to an elderly great-aunt -- as they struggle to survive through money troubles, monsoons, and illness. Aparajito (The Unvanquished) picks up the story of Apu as he comes of age and his mother grapples with sending him away to attend school. The third film, Apur Sansar (The World of Apu), shows Apu as a young adult confronting marriage and fatherhood. As a bonus, tonight's line up also includes a documentary about Ray and a non-Apu film, The Music Room. Thought by some to be Ray's greatest work, The Music Room is the story of an aristocrat unable and unwilling to acknowledge his dwindling fortunes. Ray's work is praised for its realistic portrayals of the lives of everyday Indians and not shying away from showing people in poverty. His films offer a stark contrast to the over-the-top spectacle of Bollywood cinema. I look forward to this chance to broaden my film education and become more familiar with Ray's work.
Gene Kelly could do it all. He could dance, that's for sure. He could also make you laugh one moment and tear up the next. He sang some of the most iconic songs in movie history. He not only starred in movies, he directed them. His choreography was exciting, athletic, and endlessly inventive.
Born in August 23, 1912, Gene Kelly would be 100 years old today. He first appeared on the screen in 1942's For Me And My Gal. Ten years later, he received an honorary Oscar for "his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography for film." Throughout his career he starred in some of the best musicals of Hollywood's golden age, including the back-to-back triumphs of An American in Paris in 1951 and Singin' in the Rain in 1952. You can see both those films, as well as 10 more classics, during Turner Classic Movies' day-long tribute to Kelly. Click here to see the line-up.
One of the things I love about Kelly's films is his unique choreography. With each project he seemed to take the opportunity to push the boundaries of dance on film. Here are some of the dances that make me say "Wow!" every time I watch them.
In 1944’s Cover Girl,
Kelly and Stanley Donen devised an ingenious number in which Kelly and his “alter
ego” dance together through the streets of New York.
It may not seem amazing to us now, but Gene’s duet with an
animated Jerry the Mouse in 1945’s Anchors
Aweigh was a cinematic first. This dance was another collaboration with Stanley
Donen and Kelly admitted that without Donen “calling the shots” the sequence
could not have been filmed.
Kelly takes a squeaky board and a sheet of newspaper and
makes them his dance partners in this solo set to “You, Wonderful You” from
1950’s Summer Stock.
The “I Like Myself” number from 1955’s It’s Always Fair Weather is an heir to Kelly’s iconic title dance from
Singin’ in the Rain. In both dances
Kelly expresses the joy that comes with new romance, but now he’s upped the
ante and put the dance on rollerskates.
But Kelly didn't always need innovative choreography to make jaws drop. In this clip from The Pirate (1948) the most amazing features are Kelly's bare legs - Yowza! If you needed proof that dancing requires strength and athleticism, just watch this. (The "sexy Gene Kelly Pirate ballet dance hot legs" of the video's title start at about the 4 minute mark.)
I hope you'll join me today in celebrating one of the true shining stars of dance, theatre, and film by enjoying a Gene Kelly film (or at least these film clips). It will definitely make you smile, and possibly make you say "Gotta dance!" yourself.
