Cinema Then and Now

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.

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

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

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

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.

6. Guardians of the Galaxy

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

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).

4. The Grand Budapest Hotel

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.

3. Selma

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.

2. Boyhood

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.

1. Interstellar

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

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)

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!

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Classic Movie Picks: January 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.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Classic Movie Picks: December 2014

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.)

While looking through this month's TCM schedule, I was drawn to several films from the mid-70s and later. This got me wondering -- how old is "old enough" to be considered a classic? 10 years? 20 years? I know there are some purists who define the "classic era" as films made before 1970 (give or take a few years). I'm not so rigid about when a film was made; I prefer to focus on quality. However, I'll admit it's a bit jarring to see a movie from 2008 on the TCM schedule. It's a bit like when "oldies" radio stations started playing Madonna songs: depending on when you were born it might seem completely out of place or perfectly normal (or if you were born in the 80s, it might make you contemplate your mortality).

I've been writing these blogs for a few years now, and I try to keep it fresh by not picking the same films over and over again. So this month, I've decided to pick "new classics" which interest me, the oldest film being from 1976. If you're in the mood for something of a less recent vintage, you might enjoy Star of the Month Cary Grant on Monday nights. You really can't go wrong with The Awful Truth and My Favorite Wife, two slices of perfection with a side of Irene Dunne. Also, check the schedule for this month's Friday Night Spotlight which shines on Charles Walters, a choreographer and director whose name I didn't recognize, but whose films I've enjoyed for years. His speciality seems to be delightful musicals like Summer Stock, High Society, and The Belle of New York. And, of course, TCM will be showing holiday-themed films throughout the month.

12/17: Nastassja Kinski Double Feature

10:45 PM - Paris, Texas (1984)
1:15 AM - Tess (1980)
Actress Nastassja Kinski had quite a good run in the late 70s and early 80s, working with several critically-acclaimed directors and making some very unique films such as Cat People, One From the Heart, and tonight's two films. Paris, Texas (a pick from guest programmer, actor Jason Lee), directed by Wim Wenders and written by Sam Shepard, won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Harry Dean Stanton stars as a mysterious drifter who attempts to reconnect with the young son and wife (Kinski) he lost years before. The film is notable for Stanton's mostly mute performance and striking visuals of the American Southwest.
Tess is an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's novel Tess of the D'Urbervilles directed by Roman Polanski. I was moved by Hardy's book back when it was required reading in high school, and I even like the TV movie from 1998, so I'm interested in seeing how Polanski's version, which is still probably the most high-profile film version, compares. Kinski plays Tess, a naive farm girl in Victorian-era England who attempts to move up in the world and receives mistreatment at the hands of the men who control her fate. The film received Academy Awards for cinematography, art direction, and costumes.

12/25: Mel Brooks Film Parodies
8 PM - High Anxiety (1977)
10 PM - Silent Movie (1976)
This Christmas, TCM offers a prime time line up of Mel Brooks films. I've recommended Brook's films before, and while the humor can be hit-and-miss, I couldn't resist this pair of movie parodies. In High Anxiety, a spoof of suspense thrillers, Brooks plays a psychiatrist who takes over a mental institute after the mysterious death of its director. Fans of Hitchcock should recognize the story which combines plot elements from Spellbound and Vertigo, among other Hitchcock classics. For a slight change of pace from the high volume of High Anxiety, see Silent Movie, a parody of...well, take a guess. While technically a "sound" film, Silent Movie has only one line of dialogue; Brooks uses visual gags, music, and sound effects to get laughs in this story of three filmmakers (Brooks, Dom DeLuise, and Marty Feldman) attempting to make the first silent picture in 40 years.

12/30: Is it "classic" yet?
2:15 AM - Good Will Hunting (1997)
4:30 AM - Doubt (2008)
I was surprised to see Doubt and Good Will Hunting on the TCM schedule, not because they aren't good films, but because they are so recent. It's what got me thinking about how much we factor in the age of a film when declaring it a "classic." I think that in a few decades time, both of these films could easily wear the classic label; though, it feels a bit soon to be seeing them in regular rotation on TCM. However, tonight's programming is a special tribute to notable actors, actresses, and filmmakers we lost in 2014. Good Will Hunting features Robin Williams in his Oscar-winning role as the therapist who helps Matt Damon's Will reach his full potential. It was my favorite film of 1997 and, I think, one of Williams's best roles. Doubt features Philip Seymour Hoffman as a priest who is suspected of abusing a student at the Catholic school overseen by an imposing nun played by Meryl Streep. Writer/director John Patrick Shanley adapted the story from his own play and the strength of this film lies in the strength of the story (it's not as clear cut as you might think) and the performances of Hoffman and Streep, as well as Amy Adams and Viola Davis in smaller roles.

12/31, 5 AM - The Total Balalaika Show (1994)
This hour-long concert film by Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki caps off a New Year's Eve line-up of classic rock films (including one of my personal favorites of any genre, A Hard Day's Night featuring The Beatles). Kaurismaki is known as one of the most interesting filmmakers working today, so his name on the film got my attention. Plus, the film's description intrigues me: "The Leningrad Cowboys, the self-proclaimed World's Worst Rock n' Roll Band, perform with the Red Army Chorus before an audience of 70,000 in Helsinki's Senate Square." Could be a fun way to welcome the new year!

BONUS PICK: Treasures from the Disney Vault, 12/21
TCM and Disney have created a new partnership to show classics from the fabled Disney Vault including animated shorts and features, live action films, nature documentaries, and TV shows. Of course, I love the cartoons, but I also really enjoy the old TV shows like Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. The TCM website says that they'll be showing these several times a year, so I'm looking forward to the next installment in 2015.
8 PM - Santa's Workshop (1932)
On Ice (1935)
Chip An' Dale (1947)
8:30 PM - The Disneyland Story (1954)
9:30 PM - the Reluctant Dragon (1941)
11 PM - Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (1955)
12:45 AM - The Vanishing Prairie (1954)
2 AM - Third Man on the Mountain (1959)
4 AM - Perilous Assignment (1959)

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Classic Movie Picks: November 2014

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.)

11/17, 8 PM - The Last Command (1928)
TCM's November Star of the Month is technically many stars -- the notable names of the silent film era. Emil Jannings, the star of my pick for tonight, was a popular silent film actor and even won the first Academy Award for Best Actor in 1928. However, his thick German accent made the transition to talkies problematic and his Hollywood career ended soon after the advent of sound. Starring alongside Jannings in The Last Command is an actor who was not held back by the change over to sound, and would become a huge star in the decades to come: William Powell. Jannings plays a former Russian Imperial general who, 10 years after the Russian revolution, is scraping by a living in Los Angeles as a movie extra. Powell is a famous film director, and former Russian revolutionary, who recognizes Jannings as a bully from the old country and casts him in a film as an act of revenge.

11/21, 8 PM - Duel (1971)
This month, TCM's Friday Night Spotlight features "Road Trip" movies hosted by comedian Bill Hader. The featured movies run the gamut from romantic comedy (It Happened One Night) to crime drama (Detour). I'm especially interested in this thriller starring Dennis Weaver as a lone motorist menaced by a mysterious truck driver. Though it was originally made for television, an extended version of Duel was released in theaters overseas, making it director Steven Spielberg's first major motion picture. I've always heard that it's a fun and suspenseful film which marked Spielberg's debut as a filmmaker to watch, so I'm looking forward to finally seeing Duel!

11/23, 8 PM - Plymouth Adventure (1952)
MGM gave the epic treatment to the Pilgrims' journey from England to America with this film centering on the captain of the Mayflower, played by Spencer Tracy. The Captain must deal with sea storms and a forbidden romance with Dorothy Bradford (Gene Tierney), wife of the Pilgrim's leader William Bradford. The film won an Oscar for its special effects, but ultimately was not a big hit. There aren't many movies with a Thanksgiving theme (granted, this one doesn't even really about the first Thanksgiving, just the Pilgrims), so I'm willing to give this one a try for the sake of getting in the holiday spirit.
If you are looking for some movie picks to build up your appetite in anticipation of the turkey dinner, check out my previous blog "A Filmable Feast."

11/25, 8 PM & 11:15 PM - A Night at the Movies: George Lucas and the World of Fantasy Cinema (2014)
9:15 PM - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)
This installment of TCM's "classic film 101" documentary series, A Night at the Movies, looks at the broad category of fantasy film, featuring an interview with filmmaker George Lucas and clips of films through the decades, from King Kong and The Wizard of Oz in the 30s to Back to the Future and Labyrinth in the 80s, and of course a discussion of Lucas' Star Wars series.
The evening's (and next day's) line-up includes notable films from the fantasy genre, starting off with a favorite of mine, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty starring Danny Kaye as an average man with a better than average imagination.

11/26: Art Thefts
8 PM - Arsene Lupin (1932)
9:30 PM - Gambit (1966)
11:30 PM - The Fake (1953)
1 AM - The Happy Thieves (1962)
2:45 AM - The Light Touch (1952)
4:30 AM - Crack Up (1946)
I'm glad that this line-up of films about art thefts comes the night before Thanksgiving -- since I'm not going to work the next day, I'm free to stay up all night and watch movies! As a former art student and lover of a good heist, these films are right up my alley. Gambit, starring Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine, is a favorite of mine which takes a fresh approach to the story of a meticulously planned heist; however, the other films are new to me. The line-up features stars John Barrymore, Rex Harrison, Rita Hayworth, Stewart Granger, George Sanders, and Claire Trevor (just to name a few) and the stories include stolen sculptures, forgery rings, fake daVincis, and even murder - should be an exciting evening!

Friday, October 31, 2014

13 Nights of Shocktober: Matinee

by A. J.

Happy Halloween! The countdown is over and Halloween is finally upon us. Tonight, hopefully, you'll be relaxing, eating some candy, and watching a scary, or not-so-scary, movie. There are a lot of options for tonight and I hope I've been of some help. Here is my final recommendation to help bring an end to Shocktober:

Night 13: Matinee
Theater Manager: “The country is on red alert. People are already scared.”

Lawrence Woolsey: “Exactly! What a perfect time to open a new horror movie.”

Matinee, directed by Joe Dante begins with real images of actual horrors: stock footage of nuclear blasts annihilating a house, bending and breaking trees. This is what was on the minds of Americans in October of 1962 during the Cuban missile crisis, especially those in Key West, Florida where Matinee takes place. Film producer and showman Lawrence Woolsey comes into town to test screen his latest movie, MANT, a cheesy B-horror movie about a man turning into a radioactive ant monster. Woolsey thinks the atmosphere of nuclear hysteria that the town is feeling is perfect for the premiere of his film. He needs it to be a big success to impress a big time theater owner and get nationwide bookings. Luckily, Woolsey has a few tricks up his sleeve.

The other main character is a young teenager named Gene Loomis. His family just moved to Key West because his father is in the Navy and is serving on one of ships surrounding Cuba. Gene and his little brother, Dennis, spend their free time at the local movie theater watching low budget horror movies. When another boy that lives on naval base asks if they want to shoot frogs with an air gun, Dennis is excited until Gene politely tells the boy no and whispers to Dennis, “that’s disgusting.” Dennis immediately agrees. These boys only like horror and death when it is fake and on a screen.

The boys are both big fans of Woolsey and get to meet him outside of the movie theater when Woolsey shows up to address some men protesting his upcoming movie. Gene recognizes one of the protesters from Woolsey’s previous movie and realizes the protest is staged. When he brings it up to Woolsey in a later scene, Woolsey is impressed and befriends Gene. As they walk around town Woolsey talks to Gene about the appeal of horror and monster movies. He tells him that people that put their hands over their eyes for the scary parts aren’t getting the full experience of the movie. When the scare is over you feel safe and alive, you know you are alive. That’s what horror movies are all about.

Matinee is inspired by horror movie producer/director/promoter William Castle and the kitschy, but loveable, movies he made in the 1950s and 60s. John Goodman is great as the kid-at-heart Lawrence Woolsey, who is based directly on Castle. The first time we see Woolsey is in a trailer for his upcoming movie. He is in a pose recreating William Castle's famous silhouette (the second most famous silhouette in movies): sitting in a director’s chair with a cigar and looking up. Castle’s films succeeded largely because of the gimmicks he used to enhance the viewing experience and scare the audience. Perhaps his most famous gimmick is from The Tingler starring Vincent Price. Certain theater seats were rigged with buzzers to give the moviegoers in those seats a jolt, at just the right moment, and scare them out of their seats. Woolsey uses the same effect for MANT, along with a few others. He also hires someone to run out into the audience in an ant suit during certain scenes and requires everyone seeing MANT to sign a waiver in case they are scared to death (another gimmick Castle used for one of his movies).

The screening for MANT is the climax of Matinee and is over the top, to say the least. It’s the kind of showing that William Castle would’ve dreamed of having. However, the real heart of the climax is what is happening between Gene, his friend Stan, and their respective dates. Matinee does a great job of showing us the romanticized version of life in the early 1960s, but also the real fears and dangers of the era. The kids are just as worried about nuclear war as the adults, but they also have average teenage worries that keep them from slipping into hysteria.

Matinee is not just a movie about movies, a genre I happen to love, it is about moviegoers and storytellers. It is about how movies can be a type of catharsis and help us escape from reality, even if that reality is impending nuclear war. It is a rare love letter to horror movies and why we go to them, even bad ones. It does its best to try to show us the intangible experience of going to the movies. William Castle did his best to give his audiences a true and memorable experience and Matinee is a fitting and loving tribute to him and his movies.