Classic Movie Picks: April

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.)

4/3: Rarely-Seen Gems
8 PM – Fragments (2010)
10 PM – Unseen Cinema (2006)
Fragments is a collection of restored segments from “lost” silents and early sound films, including a clip of Emil Jannings’ Oscar-winning performance in The Way of All Flesh (1927). As many as 80% of the films made before 1930 are thought to be lost forever, mostly due to badly-preserved film stock. This compilation is as much a celebration of the important work of film archivists as it is to the art of film itself. Unseen Cinema is another treat for cinephiles, featuring examples of avant-garde cinema by filmmakers in the US and Europe from 1894 to 1941.
BONUS PICK: 4/17, 8PM – The Mysterious House of Dr. C (1976)
This film, part of TCM’s Lost and Found series spotlighting films that have long been unseen or unavailable, is an American remake of a Spanish adaptation of the ballet Coppelia in which an inventor creates a beautiful mechanical doll.

4/6, 1 PM: American Madness (1932)
This is a film by Frank Capra which deserves to be better-known. Walter Huston stars as banker Tom Dixon, who must fight to protect his customers from panic and the bank’s Board of Directors in the face of the Depression. The tense scene of a panic-fueled run on the bank is especially memorable. Capra recycled some of the ideas from this film, such as Dixon’s basic business philosophy, 14 years later in It’s a Wonderful Life.

4/10: In Memory of Elizabeth Taylor
6 AM – Lassie Come Home (1943)
7:30 AM – National Velvet (1944)
10 AM – Conspirator (1949)
11:30 AM – Father of the Bride (1950)
1:15 PM – Father’s Little Dividend (1951)
2:45 PM – Raintree County (1957)
6 PM – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
8 PM – Butterfield 8 (1960)
10 PM – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
12:30 AM – Giant (1956)
4 AM – Ivanhoe (1952)
Like many, I was saddened by the recent death of Elizabeth Taylor. She was one of the last great stars of the studio era, and one of the first who achieved even more celebrity due to her turbulent personal life. However, younger generations may know her better for her iconic (I’m not joking) commercials for White Diamonds perfume. They may not understand how her dazzling beauty fascinated moviegoers in the 1950s, or how her undeniable talent kept audiences’ attention for nearly 70 years. Today’s tribute includes many of Taylor’s career high-points, from her early triumph in National Velvet to her Oscar-winning roles in Butterfield 8 and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. If you only know Taylor as a pop culture figure, today is a great opportunity to discover her films. And if you're already a fan, then maybe there's something here you havne't seen before. I am especially fond of the heart-warming Father of the Bride and it’s sequel Father’s Little Dividend, but I’ll also be tuning in for the rarely-shown spy thriller Conspirator.
Other Elizabeth Taylor films this month:
4/1, 2AM – Secret Ceremony (1968)
4/4, 12 AM – Raintree County (1957)
4/6, 2:45 AM – Little Women (1949)
4/16, 2 PM – National Velvet (1944)

4/15: Prison Break!
8 PM – The Wooden Horse (1950)
10 PM – The Colditz Story (1955)
12 AM – The One That Got Away (1958)
I love a good “prison break” movie, Grand Illusion and The Great Escape are two of my all-time favorites. Many of the classic Hollywood prison breaks take place in POW camps during WWI and WWII, which mitigates any sense of wrongdoing on the part of our escaping heroes – they’re breaking out so we can win the war! Tonight’s lineup starts with two such films about Allied POWs, one incorporating gymnastics and the other taking place at a special prison for high-risk escapees. The third film of the night breaks the mold as it is about the only German POW to escape the British during WWII, and told with an air of neutrality uncommon to this genre.
(Note: The April edition of Now Playing lists Breakout (1959) at 12 AM; however, the TCM website lists The One That Got Away, so I’ve chosen to go with what I assume is the more current web schedule.)

4/29: Royal Romance
8 PM – Royal Wedding (1951)
10 PM – Roman Holiday (1953)
12:15 AM – The Glass Slipper (1955)
2 AM – The Swan (1956)
4 AM – The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927)
In honor of the impending marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, (almost) all of tonight’s films involve romance between a royal and a commoner. The exception is Royal Wedding, the romantic mismatch here is between an American and a Brit; however, it is set in London during the 1948 wedding of Prince William’s grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip. I’m especially looking forward to The Glass Slipper, a musical adaptation of Cinderella showcasing Leslie Caron’s dancing alongside a fine supporting cast of non-dancers including Michael Wilding, Keenan Wynn, Estelle Winwood, and Elsa Lanchester.

On Other Websites...

by Lani

A new film adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's classic novel Jane Eyre is now in limited release. Despite a story which centers on the May-December romance between a plain governess and her grumpy, unattractive employer, this story has been brought to the screen a surprising number of times, both on film and television. If you are wondering how the latest version compares, check out this list courtesy of Slate, which analyzes each film based on casting and "creep" factor.

And speaking of dubious literary adaptations, Red Riding Hood is also now in theatres. This film, from Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke, reworks the fairytale about a girl, a grandmother, and a wolf as a story of teenage hormones run amok. I personally find the concept of this movie to be a bit ridiculous, but I haven't seen it. Roger Ebert has seen it, has found it wanting, and has written a suitably hilarious review.

On a more somber note, Jane Russell, Hollywood's brunette bombshell of the 40s and 50s, died on February 28. Many of Russell's film roles were little more than a showcase for her voluptuous figure, and consequently, she didn't have much of a chance to develop into a serious actress. However, her natural warmth, intelligence, and wit shine through and make even the flimsiest vehicles worth watching. Her depth of character and feisty spirit are eloquently conveyed in her obituary on TCM.com. If you've never seen Jane Russell film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), co-starring Marilyn Monroe, is a great place to start.

Classic Movie Picks: March

by Lani

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

3/4, 12 PM – Between Two Worlds (1944)
This fantasy story about 10 passengers on a boat to the afterlife is a unique example of the World War II-era “communal effort” film, in which people from disparate backgrounds must band together for a common goal – in this case reaching the hereafter. The cast includes John Garfield and Eleanor Parker in early lead performances.

3/6, 10 PM – The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975)
This film introduces us to Sigerson Holmes, the little-known younger brother of Sherlock, who feels he must constantly prove himself to be smarter than his famous brother. Sigerson is played by Gene Wilder, who also wrote and directed this film. His solemn need to outdo Sherlock (just once in his life!) would be enough to make me laugh, but the presence of the sublimely funny Madeline Kahn pretty much guarantees it.

3/10, 6 PM – Living in a Big Way (1947)
Gene Kelly is probably my all-time favorite movie star. So, while I love watching his famous musicals over and over again, I also like discovering his lesser-known films like this early “semi-musical” about a returning GI getting to know his war bride. Though the film was not originally intended to be a musical, Kelly and enlisted Stanley Donen to help create 3 inventive musical numbers, including one in which Kelly “duets” with a dog.
BONUS: 3/14, 9 AM – The Cross of Lorraine (1944)
Another Kelly “deep cut,” this film about Allied POWs in France allowed Gene to stretch his dramatic chops in a non-dancing role.

3/13: Saint Joan
8 PM – Joan of Arc (1948) starring Ingrid Bergman
10:30 PM – Saint Joan (1957) starring Jean Seberg
12:30 AM – The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) starring Renee Falconetti
2 AM – Le Proces de Jeanne d’Arc (1962) starring Florence Carrez
Tonight’s schedule appeals to the film nerd in me - 4 different approaches to the same basic story, starring 4 diverse actresses portraying the same historical figure. Any film students out there in need of a term paper topic? How about “Saint or Sinner: Depictions of Joan of Arc in Film” - you can do the bulk of the research in one night! I’m particularly interested in The Passion of Joan of Arc, a silent film directed by Carl Dreyer. Renee Falconetti’s performance as Joan is still celebrated for its emotional intensity and it is almost all achieved through close-ups of her face.
BONUS: 3/13, 3:15 AM - The Story of Mankind (1957)
When scientists develop a world-destroying weapon, The Spirit of Man (Ronald Colman) must argue before The Supreme Tribunal in favor of the survival of the human race. The film is ultimately a hodge-podge of sketches about historical events, but it’s worth a watch for the eclectic cast of Hollywood stars – including Hedy Lamarr as Joan of Arc, Francis X. Bushman as Moses, Dennis Hopper as Napoleon, and Harpo Marx as Isaac Newton.

3/19, 6 AM – The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)
In this musical biography, Debbie Reynolds plays Molly Brown, an orphan who set out to find a rich husband, struck gold in Colorado, and then made headlines as a survivor of the sinking of the Titanic. Reynolds had to fight for this role, the studio and director initially wanted Shirley MacLaine; however, she proved she was the perfect choice when Molly Brown became a big hit and earned several Oscar nominations, including Best Actress for Debbie (the only nomination of her career).

3/29, 8 PM – Dinner at Eight (1934)
With this film about a classy dinner party gone awry producer David O. Selznick set out to surpass 1932’s all-star showcase Grand Hotel, produced by MGM’s previous head of production Irving Thalberg. Jean Harlow (TCM’s Star of the Month for March) nearly steals the film among a cast which included Marie Dressler, Wallace Beery, Billie Burke, and 2 Barrymores – Lionel & John. Selznick and director George Cukor championed relative newcomer Harlow for the part of a brassy wife of a tycoon and it paid off. This film made Harlow, and her white satin evening dress, a huge star.

3/29: Pete & Dud
2:45 AM – 30 is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia (1967)
4:15 AM - The Bed Sitting Room (1969)
This double feature showcases the talents of former comedy partners Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. 30 is a Dangerous Age… is a comedy about a man who tries to achieve his dreams – writing a musical & getting married – in the 6 weeks leading up to his 30th birthday. In addition to starring in the film, Moore wrote the original story and also composed and conducted the music. This film may have been an attempt by Moore to come out of the shadow of his partnership with Cook, their best-known film Bedazzled came out the previous year. Moore and Cook reunited in The Bed Sitting Room, a surreal farce about the aftermath of World War III.

3/31, 10:30 PM – The Last of Sheila (1973)
A must for mystery fans, this complex whodunit set among the California jet-set, was a flop at the box-office, but has since acquired a cult following. Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim and actor Anthony Perkins co-wrote the screenplay, drawing upon their shared love of game-playing and puzzles.

Top 10 of 2010 (A.J.'s Picks)

by A.J.

The Academy chose to stick with 10 Best Picture nominations and I'm excited about that. It shines a light on a broader range of movies and we get a pretty good idea of what movies were highlights of that year. Movies like 127 Hours get a second chance in the theaters and smaller movies like Winter's Bone get a spotlight shined on them. On Sunday the Academy will pick one as the Best Picture of the Year from the list of 10 nominations. It took me a while, but I finally saw enough movies from last year to feel confident enough to make a 10 Best list for 2010. There's actually some overlap between my picks and the Academy's nominees. Of course, in the end awards matter little, but recognition for good work is always nice, especially when the right work gets recognized.

10. The King’s Speech

I used to stutter when I was a little kid, it wasn’t severe or debilitating, but it was frustrating not being able to communicate with those around me. The King’s Speech is everything I expected it to be, which is a good thing, actually a great thing. So we've seen the story of the reluctant pupil and the flamboyant teacher, we know where it is going but it’s done very well. Well-acted by Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter and well-directed by Tom Hooper. The story and the performances, from the lead and supporting cast, thoroughly humanize the royals.This film is not only a well-done historical period piece, it’s also a genuinely inspirational story that never slips into melodrama.

9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

This is The Empire Strikes Back of the Harry Potter series. As the story of the kids at Hogwarts has progressed, the films in the series have also progressed in quality and substance. Maybe it’s the filmmakers behind the movies or the ever-darkening path J.K. Rowling has set for Harry Potter. The stakes are higher than they’ve ever been and things are very serious, but this movie doesn’t get any darker then it needs to be. The story follows Harry, Hermione, and Ron as they search for the Horcruxes and learn about the Deathly Hallows and some of the best moments of the film are the ones focused on the young characters dealing with matters far beyond their age. I wasn’t a Harry Potter fan when these movies first started coming out but I am now, a fan of the movies anyway, and I can’t wait for the next one.

8. 127 Hours

Yes, James Franco is stuck in one place for just about the entire movie; yes, the scene where he frees himself is intense to say the very least. But, when you put the talents of James Franco together with the high energy level of Danny Boyle you get a very entertaining movie. 127 Hours is based on the true story of Aron Ralston, so when he gets stuck in a crevice in Utah with his right arm caught under a boulder you know that he escapes and it becomes pretty obvious right away how he manages that. Don’t let that one scene put you off from seeing this movie. James Franco gives an amazing performance and Danny Boyle’s high-energy filmmaking techniques never allow a dull moment. This movie was overlooked the first time around and now that 127 Hours is back in theaters I definitely recommend checking it out if you haven’t already.

7. Please Give

Nicole Holofcener’s latest is the kind of movie about New Yorkers that you would expect from Woody Allen circa the 1970’s or 80’s. Catherine Keener and Oliver Platt play a couple who run an antiques store. They get antiques for their store by buying them from the family members of recently deceased people. They’re also at odds with the granddaughters of the old lady next door whose apartment they plan to buy once she dies. But they’re not bad people, though Catherine Keener’s character feels she must atone for her lifestyle. We get to see the couple and the granddaughters move through their lives in a non-theatrical way but it’s never boring, never pretentious. It’s funny, a little off-beat, and just a little melancholy and definitely worth watching.

6. Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go is about the tragedy of mortality. The characters in the movie have nearly fixed life spans. It’s not a spoiler to say that the kids at Hailsham boarding school aren’t exactly human, or maybe they are; who gets to decide such things anyway? It’s the same question posed by Blade Runner and while that subject is science fiction in nature the story told here is much more personal and introspective. The original score by Rachel Portman wonderfully underscores the emotions being portrayed on screen. It’s a drama about three people dealing with their lot in life. It’s not depressing, but wistful and a good film.

5. Toy Story 3

The tagline for Toy Story 3 could be “it will make grown men cry.” I’ll admit, there were a lot of emotions flying around while I watched this movie. I wonder if it’s because these movies have more or less coincided with my generation’s growing up and leaving behind our toys. Toy Story 3 doesn’t feel like a sequel; it’s the continuation of the story of Andy’s toys. The toys find themselves facing a bleak future but when they’re donated to a local daycare things get even bleaker since it is run by a corrupt stuffed bear that smells like strawberries. So in addition to being an emotional story about growing up and leaving things in your life behind, it’s also an exciting prison break movie. Pixar has still yet to make a bad movie.

4. True Grit

‘True Grit’ is just an old-fashioned way to say ‘American Badass’ but what you might not expect is that the main badass in this story is a 14-year-old girl named Maddie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld). She’s the show stealer in this movie. In one of the most memorable scenes, and funniest in that Coen Brothers sort of way, Maddie essentially hustles a livestock trader into re-buying horses he doesn’t want. I haven’t seen the 1969 John Wayne version, but the general consensus is that this is the better version of the two. I find it to be truer to the Westerns of Sam Peckinpah and Clint Eastwood than the more classic John Wayne, adventure Westerns. Jeff Bridges is plenty badass too as Marshall ‘Rooster’ Cogburn. The journey in this movie is Maddie’s story, and it’s a personal one, so this doesn’t really feel like an adventure movie. There’s some beautiful imagery in this movie which the Wild West is always apt to provide.

I very seriously thought about having a three-way tie for my pick for best movie of the year. Every time I think about these movies I still get really excited and talking about them makes me want to watch them again. They do the things a movie should do and make me feel the way movies should make me feel:

Black Swan

I’ve already written some about Black Swan in a previous post, so I’ll be brief here. When someone hears that the new Darren Arronofsky film is about a ballerina, how could they expect anything different? The handheld camerawork and over the shoulder shots, which have been overused in recent years, are used with purpose in Black Swan. I can understand (almost) every complaint people might have about this movie. I can see how it would be frustrating to watch scene after scene if you figure it’s all in her head, but even that serves a purpose too. This is a well-made, well-acted film that deserves to be given a chance.

InceptionHeist movie, thriller, drama, action, science fiction, meditation on dreams and reality and our perceptions thereof, first-rate cast, unique and substantial story, amazing visual/special effects mixed incredibly well with real locations and actors, and all executed extremely well. What more could I ask for from a movie? I had high expectations for the latest Christopher Nolan movie and my expectations were exceeded. That doesn’t happen as often as it should. The subject matter, dreams, gives Nolan a lot of possibilities to follow; but he restrains the story, which makes such a sci-fi/fantasy premise manageable, because it is for the most part a heist movie and a great one at that. There are dreams within dreams within dreams each with its own landscape and plot points but it’s never hard to follow. It’s also never difficult to understand, but Inception doesn’t dumb anything down, never underestimates the audience. Inception rightfully deserves its Best Picture Oscar Nomination and I’m still trying to understand how Christopher Nolan was overlooked for a Best Director nomination, but hopefully he’ll get recognized for Inception’s original screenplay.

The Social Network

Some friends raised the question of whether a movie about a social networking website, about college kids, would appeal to anyone outside of “our generation." Other people in “our generation” (current twenty-somethings) I’ve talked to about The Social Network didn’t like it or weren’t even interested in watching (granted that's only a small pool of a large group). You don’t have to be a part of any generation to understand or enjoy this movie. The founding of the website facebook.com is a McGuffin for a movie about a lawsuit. It’s also about ambitious young men eager to stand out in an institution of already well-accomplished young people. Jesse Eisenberg has gotten a lot of attention for playing Mark Zuckerberg, and rightfully so, but Andrew Garfield also gives a great performance as Eduardo Saverin, Zuckerberg’s friend and the co-founder of Facebook. This movie is very dialogue-heavy, but that’s okay with a script this good by Aaron Sorkin and direction by David Fincher. I can watch this movie again and again and I like it more and more. There’s so much more I can say about this movie, about the acting, the writing, the seamless use of special effects, the underlying motivations that drive these characters. Perhaps what I like most about The Social Network is that though Zuckerberg is the main character your sympathies aren’t always for him. Every character has his say about what happened; every character gets to be presented in a light that lets us see all the qualities and flaws that make someone who they are.

Not-So-Fresh New Releases #5

by Lani

The Oscars are just around the corner and, if you are lucky, your local theater may still be showing some of the nominated films. All of the Best Picture nominees are worth seeing; however, I can't say the same for most of the new releases this month, and according to the Rotten Tomatoes "freshness ratings" the critics agree with me. So, here is a round-up of some of the not-so-fresh offerings in theaters right now and suggestions for what to watch instead.

Just Go With It - 18% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes

• The French stage farce that inspired the plot of this sour Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston romantic comedy was also the source material for the 1969 film Cactus Flower. Goldie Hawn won an Oscar for her role as the young girlfriend of dentist Walter Matthau, a bachelor who has fabricated a wife in order to avoid commitment. When Matthau enlists his mousy, middle-aged nurse, played by Ingrid Bergman, to portray his soon-to-be ex-wife, she blooms into life and finally catches his eye.
• For a witty romance of mistaken identity, it doesn't get much better than Midnight (1939). In this light, clever comedy a millionaire helps a penniless showgirl (Claudette Colbert) pose as a glamorous baroness, in order to turn the attentions of a handsome cad away from the rich man's wife.
• Wait until March 16 and you can watch Sunnyside Up (1929) on Turner Classic Movies. In this upbeat musical, a rich society man cozies up to a charming store clerk to make his flirtatious flapper fiancee jealous.

The Roommate - 6% freshness rating

• The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) is a stylish thriller about obsession that has everything The Roommate doesn't: great performances, stunning locations, and a truly unsettling story.
• Perhaps The Roommate's Leighton Meester could have picked up some pointers from watching Bette Davis portray a twin who steals her sister's identity in the melodramatic A Stolen Life (1946) and again in the twisty thriller Dead Ringer (1964).

The Eagle - 36% freshness rating

• The Eagle, which tells the story of a Roman soldier on a British campaign and his native slave, has been described as a throwback to the classic "sword and sandal" epics that just doesn't quite work. To see how it's done, watch Spartacus (1960) starring Kirk Douglas as a Roman slave who leads an uprising. It combines straightforward, robust action with a slightly subversive point of view.
• Another film that portrays the clash between indigenous peoples and foreign invaders, as well as warring tribes and cross-cultural romance, is The Last of the Mohicans (1992). Daniel Day-Lewis is electrifying as a frontiersman raised by the Mohican tribe - Eagle's Channing Tatum just doesn't compare.

Sanctum - 30% freshness rating

• This thriller about cave divers was produced by James Cameron, so the obvious comparison could be another Cameron film, The Abyss (1989). However, Sanctum is basically a film about an adventure gone awry. If that's what you're in the mood for, why not go whole hog and rent the quintessential "bad trip" film Deliverance (1972), in which 4 men must fight against the elements, and some unfriendly locals, on an ill-fated canoeing trip.
• Or, watch Gene Hackman and Ernest Borgnine struggle to stay dry in The Poseidon Adventure, in which a capsized cruise ship traps the most star-studded cast of 1972 in an underwater maze.

Classic Movie Picks: February

by Lani

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

We all know that the Oscars will be awarded February 27th, but this month classic movie fans may be even more excited to see TCM's "31 Days of Oscar." All the films scheduled February 1 through March 3 have won or been nominated for an Academy Award. To bridge the gap between "then" and "now" I've picked some classic films that relate to this year's Best Picture nominees.


127 Hours
2/7, 3:15 PM - The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952)
2/19, 6:15 PM - Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
Like 127 Hours protagonist Aron Ralston (James Franco), the main characters in these two films encounter some bad luck. In Snows, American writer Gregory Peck falls ill while on safari in Africa; as he lays dying in the jungle, he reflects upon his past mistakes and finds a will to live. As for Black Rock, well I'll just say that Spencer Tracy's WWII veteran has more in common with Ralston at the end of his 127 hour ordeal.

Black Swan
2/7, 1:45 PM - Black Swan (1942)
2/26, 2:45 PM - Frances (1982)
3/1, 10 PM - All About Eve (1950)
3/2, 4 AM - Obsession (1976)
Black Swan is the story of a talented, but timid ballerina (Natalie Portman) who is driven mad by too many thematic elements. So, I've had to pick several films to cover each of Swan's themes. In Frances, based on the life of Frances Farmer, a young actress cannot cope with the pressures of her career and her domineering mother. All About Eve is the quintessential backstage drama, in which an ambitious newcomer sabotages a star's career. Of course, there are two constants in Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky's films - obsession and pretty, dark-haired women. Obsession has both these elements, in the forms of Cliff Robertson and Genevieve Bujold, respectively, as well as the theme of the "double" which is so central to the plot of Swan.
And I couldn't leave out 1942's Black Swan, which shares a title with the 2010 Best Picture nominee, but that's where the similarities end. Nevertheless, both films have earned Oscar nominations for Best Cinematography. Leon Shamroy won in 1942, can Matthew Libatique win this year with his Swan?

The Fighter
2/4, 11:30 AM - The Champ (1931)
3/1, 2:45 AM - Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956)
The Academy loves films about boxers - think Rocky, Raging Bull, Million Dollar Baby - and often awards the actors who step into the ring. In The Champ, Wallace Beery fought his way to the Best Actor award as a washed-up boxer trying to care for a young son. Somebody is a boxing biopic (The Fighter is based on the life of boxer Mickey Ward), the story of world champion Rocky Graziano's rise from street fighter to prizefighter.

Inception
2/12, 10 PM - The Wizard of Oz (1939)
2/15, 2:30 PM - Alice (1990)
2/21, 4:30 AM - A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)
After watching Inception audiences were left to wonder, "was it all a dream?" My three classic picks feature very different characters (a Kansas farmgirl, a Manhattan housewife, and a quartet of young Greeks) who are all transformed by dreamlike experiences.

The Kids Are All Right
2/2, 10 PM - Terms of Endearment (1983)
2/14, 4:45 AM - Cousin, Cousine (1975)
2/15, 4:15 AM - Two Women (1961)
When the two children of a lesbian couple try to form a relationship with their biological father in The Kids Are All Right, jealousies threaten the bonds of their tightly-knit family. Familial conflict like this provides ample opportunities for an actor to emote, and Kids's Annette Bening has been nominated for her performance as one of "the moms." Marie-Christine Barrault scored her Oscar nomination as one of two cousins whose close friendship inspires jealousy in Cousin, Cousine. Terms and Two Women both deal with the relationship between a mother and daughter earning their respective leads, Shirley MacLaine and Sophia Loren, Best Actress awards for their portrayals of strong mothers.

The King's Speech
2/1: "3 Films about Henry VIII"
8 PM - The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
10 PM - A Man for All Seasons (1966)
12:15 AM - Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
2/19, 1:30 AM - The Last Emperor (1987)
The one profession Oscar loves more than boxer? Royalty. The King's Speech, about King George VI's efforts to overcome a speech impediment, garnered 12 nominations this year, including one for Colin Firth's lead performance. Charles Laughton won Best Actor for his portrayal of a king in The Private Life of Henry VIII; A Man for All Seasons received 8 nominations with 6 wins; Anne of the Thousand Days received 10 nominations, but only won for its costume design. However, the real ruler of the Oscars might be Pu Yi, the titular Last Emperor - his film was nominated for and won 9 Oscars, including Best Picture.

The Social Network
2/1, 1 PM - Citizen Kane (1941)
2/7, 12 PM - Libeled Lady (1936)
2/27, 12 AM - The Informer (1935)
The Social Network stars Jesse Eisenberg as a young entrepreneur who alienates his friends and incurs several lawsuits on his way to becoming a billionaire. Sounds a lot like the story of self-made man Charles Foster Kane in Orson Welles's masterpiece, Citizen Kane. The Informer, also about a man who betrays his best friend, won 4 Oscars - Best Actor, Director, Score, and Screenplay (Social Network has a good chance in all these categories, too). Libeled Lady offers a more comedic take on lawsuits, and contains fast-talking dialogue worthy of Social Network writer, Aaron Sorkin.

Toy Story 3
2/16, 6 AM - Grand Illusion (1937)
2/22, 7:15 PM - The Red Balloon (1956)
Ok, so at first glance the animated adventure of Toy Story 3 may not have a lot in common with French anti-war classic Grand Illusion. But these two films share lovely messages about friendship and coping with the march of time. They are also both "prison-break" films with exciting escape sequences! And, they are also both rarities among Best Picture nominees - Grand Illusion was the first foreign-language film to be nominated for the big prize, and TS3 is one of a handful of animated films to earn the nomination.
I'm also re-recommending my December "pick" Red Balloon, which is also a film about a child's toy come to life.

True Grit
2/11, 2:45 AM - Cat Ballou (1965)
2/19, 11:30 AM - Captains Courageous (1937)
2/25, 4 PM - The Search (1948)
The plot of Cat Ballou is remarkably similar to that of True Grit - a young woman hires a gunslinger to seek revenge after the death of her father. In Ballou, Lee Marvin's role as cantankerous drunk Kid Shelleen earned him the Best Actor award. Grit's Jeff Bridges won last year for playing a drunk in Crazy Heart, can he win again for his performance as cantankerous drunk Rooster Cogburn?
The other star of True Grit earning praise is 14 year-old Hailee Steinfeld. Her character's bond with Bridges's Cogburn is the center of the film. The Search and Captains Courageous also focus on a friendship between a young person and an older person. Captains stars Freddie Bartholomew, one of the most talented and popular child actors of all time; Bartholomew was 13 at the time he made this film - the same age as Steinfeld was when she made Grit. The Search's Ivan Jandl received a special Oscar for outstanding juvenile performance for his portrayal of a homeless boy who befriends a soldier.

Winter's Bone
2/1, 6 AM - Eskimo (1933)
2/16, 8 AM - Chang (1929)
2/11, 5:45 PM - Little Women (1949)
Winter's Bone paints a vivid portrait of a life of poverty in the Ozarks. In this respect, it follows in the tradition of films like Eskimo and Chang which examine "alien" cultures and show how people survive harsh living conditions.
Little Women is a quite different film tonally from Winter's Bone, but at the center of both of these films is a determined young woman who makes sacrifices for the sake of her family.

I hope you enjoy "31 Days of Oscar," but don't miss out on the nominated films from 2010! All of them are either in theaters now, or available on DVD!

On Other Websites...

by Lani

The balcony is open! I've felt a void in my life since the cancellation of At the Movies with Michael Phillips and A.O. Scott last August, so I am happy to report that Roger Ebert has resurrected the movie review TV show that made him famous - including the Thumbs! Due to his recent health problems which have left him unable to speak, Ebert will serve as a producer rather than co-host. The critics giving thumbs up or down each week are Christy Lemire, Associated Press, and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, mubi.com. Other critics, including Ebert, will also provide weekly segments about classic movies, the entertainment industry, and indie films. You can check for showtimes in your area on the Ebert Presents website.

One of the new releases reviewed on the first episode of Roger Ebert presents At the Movies is No Strings Attached, a romantic-comedy starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher as friends who attempt to have a relationship based on emotion-free sex (the essence of romance, no?). Portman's character is a doctor, one of the eight career options for modern rom-com heroines identified in this amusing slideshow by New York Magazine.

Also, amusing? Kevin Costner's array of cinematic accents, from "Massachusetts on steroids" to "just woke up from a nap twang," also courtesy of New York Magazine.

And finally, the 20/20 Awards are back! This Seattle-based revisionist awards ceremony looks back at the films released twenty years ago and decides, with the benefit of hindsight, whether the Academy got it right when awarding that year's Oscars. Looking over the list of Oscar nominees from 1991, it is a bit shocking to see how many nominations were given to Ghost and The Godfather III. Dances with Wolves won best picture and best director for Kevin Costner (though not best actor, maybe it was the accent?). However, I suspect that the 20/20 voters may reward infamous also-rans Goodfellas and its director Martin Scorsese.