Sometimes what I love the most seems to be the most difficult to put into words. I watched the BBC mini-series Cranford – based on Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel
Wonderful Cranford
Funny, heart-wrenching brilliance
Awesome Judi Dench
The Lost Child was a 2002 Hallmark movie starring Mercedes Ruehl. Based on the novel Looking for Lost Bird
Mercedes Ruehl stars as Rebecca Hoffman, who was adopted as a child by a loving Jewish couple. When her adoptive mother dies, her cold stepmother casts her out of her father’s house and Rebecca spends most of her life feeling alienated and lost.
Now a middle-aged wife and mother, Rebecca finally finds her real family on a Navajo reservation in Arizona. There she learns that her real name is Odette Marie and that she and her still missing twin brother were stolen by the government as babies.
As Rebecca/Odette becomes acquainted with her biological family and their culture, she discovers her true self and a previously unknown sense of belonging.
Her new found happiness is short-lived, however, as she experiences familial opposition and culture clashes. While her husband and children become increasingly discontent in the face of local prejudice and hostility, Rebecca struggles to balance her old life with the new.
It’s a sweet, poignant film with a very beautiful setting replete with majestic Western mountains and breathtaking sunsets.
Don’t let the cheesy title deter you, Sweet Nothing in My Ear is a surprisingly dramatic and captivating Hallmark film. Marlee Matlin and Jeff Daniels star as a married couple grappling with the incredibly difficult and intensely emotional decision of whether to have their deaf son implanted with a cochlear device to restore his hearing.
Directed by Joseph Sargent and based on the play by Stephen Sachs, Sweet Nothing in My Ear moves between the couple’s current custody battle and the events that led to it.
Jeff Daniels plays the hearing father in favor of the device, and Marlee Matlin is the deaf mother who believes strongly in deaf culture and views the device as something that would isolate her son between his parents’ two worlds.
The film elegantly examines the challenges and prejudices that deaf people face and the debate over deafness as identity versus disability. But the heart of the matter is the breakdown of a previously happy marriage due to a lack of communication and refusal to see another point of view.
Unlike some Hallmark movies, the plot and dialogue is not overtly sentimental and the acting is top notch. It’s one of the better films I’ve seen in years.
The DVD’s special features include a “Making Of” documentary. The production crew was made up of both hearing and deaf workers, and actress Marlee Matlin said it was the most deaf-friendly set she’d ever been on.
The playwright and director discuss the subtle differences in acting technique between hearing and deaf actors, the work Jeff Daniels did to learn sign language for his part, the research that went into the story, the controversy surrounding cochlear implants, and how Hallmark’s insistence on the film’s neutrality helped put the focus on universal issues within the family dynamic.
Thanks to the Oscar nomination of star Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart finally opened in my local cinema last week. I wrote the following review after seeing the film Friday night, and I’m happy to report Jeff Bridges won the Best Actor award at last night’s Oscars. Based on Thomas Cobb’s novel and directed by Scott Cooper, the film adaption of Crazy Heart was even better than I expected. And The Dude most definitely deserved the Academy Award.
Jeff Bridges brilliantly portrays formerly successful country singer-songwriter Bad Blake, who is now a middle-aged, alcoholic, dive bar (and occasional bowling alley) performer. His classic country songs are better known now as covered by his young country superstar protégé Tommy Sweet – played by an uncredited Colin Farrell.
Bad seems to have accepted his fate as a washed up hasbeen destined to end his days crawling from one bad gig to the next with his only pleasure being found in a whiskey bottle. But things change when he falls for a young, openhearted music journalist named Jane (the incomparable Maggie Gyllenhaal).
Gyllenhaal is impressive as single mother Jane, who struggles to balance the responsibilities and fears she feels for her young son against the dreams and desires she experiences with Bad Blake.
The movie’s soundtrack features classic country tunes and new, original music by T Bone Burnett. It was Burnett’s creative involvement in the film that ultimately convinced Bridges to accept the role.
The combination of Burnett’s substantial Western compositions and Bridges’ gritty vocals results in songs that sound as authentic as if they’d been recorded by The Highwaymen themselves.
Speaking of which, Bridges’ grandly natural performance of Bad Blake seems to blend elements of “Outlaw” country stars Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, and Waylon Jennings. And of course, The Dude.
Buy @ Amazon (not yet available)
Moon is a brilliant, suspenseful, and very unusual film directed by Duncan Jones and starring Sam Rockwell. It boggles my mind that the formulaic, gaudy crapfest Avatar was nominated for an Oscar while this superior work of science fiction went unnoticed. Sam Rockwell should have been nominated at least, if not the entire film.
In Moon, Sam Rockwell plays what must have been one of the more challenging roles any actor could take on. His emotive performance as isolated lunar miner Sam Bell would be captivating enough if the sole focus of the film was only the psychological effects of his solitary assignment on the moon.
But wait, there’s more! Sam soon finds that he isn’t alone after all, and that is just the first in a riveting series of chilling discoveries about his environment, his work, and his very life.
I don’t want to spoil this astounding plot, so I can’t say much about the progression of the story. Not since Donnie Darko have I been so impressed by and engrossed in such an innovative and expertly crafted sci-fi film. See it!
Adam is an unconventional love story about two strangers falling in love and experiencing some unique complications in their relationship. Written and directed by Max Mayer, Adam stars Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, and Amy Irving.
Rose Byrne plays school teacher and aspiring writer Beth, who has just moved into a new apartment building. Beth soon finds herself drawn to an extremely intelligent, but socially awkward neighbor named Adam (Hugh Dancy).
Both characters are lonely in their own way, and are struggling with different father issues. Adam is mourning the recent death of his father, while Beth’s father is being charged with a white collar crime.
The main obstacle to this sweet romance comes when Adam explains the reason behind his seemingly odd behavior – he has Asperger’s Syndrome.
The movie often takes a pretty, simplistic approach to the disorder, but certain scenes contain subtle glimpses into Adam’s inner turmoil. The emotion on Hugh Dancy’s face is enough to convey the anguish and frustration born from Adam’s social limitations, and the anxiety and fear he suffers in the face of change. And the film doesn’t shy away from Adam’s ugly burst of anger or Rose’s insulting reaction during a simple disagreement.
The muted colors and intimate direction add to the poignancy of the film. It may lack the style of (500) Days of Summer, but it makes up for it in substance.
I don’t understand why Adam hasn’t receiveed more attention. It pulls the heart strings as much as Romeo & Juliet, Titanic, and Jerry Maguire without any cringe-inducing melodrama.
And like all classic love stories, the two lovers are separated by both their own misgivings and the condemnation of family. The ending isn’t quite what I would have liked, but it does fit with the rest of the story and allows the audience to draw their own conclusions.
The Good Fairy is a fantastic classic film that starred Margaret Sullavan and Frank Morgan of The Shop Around The Corner. Margaret Sullavan seems to have been the Amy Adams of her day – a vivacious, adorable actress who infused an innocent, childlike charm into each of her characters.
In The Good Fairy, Sullavan plays an orphan named Luisa who struggles to make it on her own in the big city. Poor but optimistic, Luisa grows into a somewhat materialistic gal who fends off the unwanted advances of various suitors by claiming she’s married.
Things become complicated when this tactic elicits a bizarrely generous offer for her imaginary husband from a rich businessman (Frank Morgan). In a misguided attempt to play “The Good Fairy” to a stranger in need, Louisa plucks a random name from the phonebook to be the recipient of this unexpected, lucrative opportunity. She then sets off to find the stranger in hopes of sharing in his new found wealth.
Being that this was a romantic comedy, Louisa of course fails to confess her deceit to her clueless beneficiary or their eccentric benefactor until it is too late and the three have become embroiled in a hilariously awkward love triangle.
The comedic talents of Margaret Sullavan and Frank Morgan are on brilliant display throughout this delightful film, making even the more predictable aspects of the plot seem fresh and extremely entertaining.
I’d never even heard of The Good Fairy until this week, but it is a new (classic) favorite of mine. It also had one of the sweetest, most romantic endings ever.
American Wake was a 2004 independent film about a small, mostly Irish-American community in Boston. The film featured a cast of unknowns (including folk musician Sam Amidon) and a beautiful soundtrack
Seamus Egan’s lovely music, which features vocals by Antje Duvekot, is what really carries film. The score and the pretty Boston scenery create a warm, comfortable atmosphere.
While the main focus of the film is the romantic relationship between an alcoholic ex-firefighter and a Thai shop girl, I found the plot involving a a middle aged Irish immigrant struggling to support his family and his musically gifted son (played Sam Amidon) far more compelling.
The stories are a little simplistic and most of the acting is amateurish, but the intimacy of the direction makes the more awkward moments seem realistic. As as the movie progresses, whatever flaws it initially possessed fade or at least appear to be a natural part of this heartfelt little story.
Live traditional Irish music, the poetry of Greg Delanty, the sound of seagulls flying over water, gorgeous views of harbors and city streets, and especially the subtle beauty of the score give the film an atmospheric but totally organic feel.
Judging from The Brothers McMullen
Flash of Genius is a surprisingly spirited little movie starring Greg Kinnear that tells the true story of one inventor’s battle with the big corporation that stole his greatest idea.
Set in the 1950s, Flash of Genius begins with the revelatory moment in which Dr. Kearns (Greg Kinnear) first conceives of his “blinking eye” intermittent windshield wiper.
The film soon follows the naive but proud Dr. Kearns from the joyous moment when his mind’s invention becomes a reality through his troublesome dealings with Ford Motor Company that ultimately lead to the powerful automobile corporation’s theft of Kearn’s invention.
We then watch as Kinnear brilliantly portrays Kearn’s heartbreak and mental breakdown after losing his life’s work, his determination to seek justice at the expense of his family, and his tenacious refusal to accept the greedy company’s offers of monetary compensation in lieu of vindication.
I mistakenly expected the film to be boringly pleasant at best, but the second half was particularly riveting. Despite his obvious flaws and the pain he caused his family, I felt emotionally invested in the outcome of Dr. Kearns’ case.
200 Cigarettes is a vastly underrated comedy that I watch at least once every year. Set on New Year’s Eve in 1982, this retro comedy is driven by a soundtrack of early ’80s hits by The Go-Gos, Cyndi Lauper, Soft Cell, Queen, The Cure, Blondie, and Dire Straits. It featured an all-star cast of then small stars that included Paul Rudd, Courtney Love, Dave Chappelle, Christina Ricci, Casey Affleck, Janeane Garofalo, Ben Affleck, Martha Plimpton, Jay Mohr, and Kate Hudson. There’s also a brief and bizarre cameo by Elvis Costello.
Before movies like Knocked Up and I Love You Man gave Paul Rudd’s career a second wind of success, I knew and loved his comedic side in 200 Cigarettes. Rudd plays Kevin, a broken-hearted guy who spends his 1982 New Year’s Eve being dragged around New York City by his best friend Lucy (Courtney Love). The two are the first of the movie’s various characters to take a wild ride with an eccentric taxi driver played by Dave Chappelle.
As the evening progresses, Kevin and Lucy contemplate becoming friends with benefits until an awkward encounter with Kevin’s ex-girlfriend (Janeane Garofalo) complicates their relationship.
Meanwhile, playboy Jack (Jay Mohr) takes a nervous, accident-prone one night stand (Hudson) on a terrible date. And elsewhere Val (Christina Ricci) and Stephie (Gaby Hoffman) wander lost through a dangerous neighborhood in search of Val’s cousin’s party.
Said cousin is quirky Monica (Martha Plimpton) and her party will be the eventual destination of all of the characters. But until then she frets and preps in fear that no one will attend, and has her most dreaded conversation with her Scottish ex-boyfriend.
Ben Affleck is a bartender who serves a few of the wouldbe party people, and his brother Casey is a punk with a heart o’ gold who latches onto Val but ends up with someone else by morning’s light.
Were it set in any other decade, I don’t think 200 Cigarettes would work. But like The Wedding Singer, it fits perfectly into the 1980s.
The Shop Around The Corner is a charming 1940 black and white film about a love born from the correspondence between two strangers. Set in a Hungarian gift shop, the classic film starred James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan as pen pals who fall in love with each other through their letters.
The twist to the story is that the two love letter lovebirds are sparring co-workers who are both totally unaware that the object of their written affection is also their workplace nemesis.
Sound familiar? The Shop Around The Corner (itself based on a 1937 play called “Parfumerie”) was the basis for Nora Ephron’s 1998 movie You’ve Got Mail
Neither of those modern adaptions successfully recreated the wistful melancholy and sweet romance of the original.
Aside from the comedic and romantic central storyline, what I love best about the film is Frank Morgan. If the name Frank Morgan means nothing to you, he was the actor who played The Wizard of Oz
The Shop Around The Corner is a beautiful, funny, heartwarming classic that should receive as much recognition and repeated airings as It’s a Wonderful Life, if not more.
(500) Days of Summer is a wonderful, unusual, funny romance (sorta) starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. I paid to rent the DVD last Wednesday and then came home to find a review copy in my mailbox. I thought it had better be good. It was.
(500) Days of Summer tells the story of greeting card writer Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who falls hard for his boss’ quirky assistant, Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel).
We’re told at the beginning that “this is not a love story,” and the movie begins with Summer’s Sid & Nancy
The first half of the film is full of “indie” clichés – Amélie
These gimmicks seemed primed to repel those of us suffering from “indie” burned out, but each element is presented in such a charming manner that they seem like completely new ideas. And the fresh perspective of a good director breathes life into what could easily have been a mess of a movie. Rather than the trendy pseudo low budget flick appearance, this film is flush with elegant angles and pans of Los Angeles architecture.
There’s plenty of humor, both subtle and overt, as well as atmospheric vignettes of romance. Best of all is a beautiful, painfully realistic contrast of expectation v. reality in what is possibly the most brilliant use of a split screen ever.
But the strength of the film really lies in the acting talent of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who brings a great deal of poignancy and humanity to every single scene -including the humorous ones.
The story is also propelled by a soundtrack
The DVD (the purchase version, not the rental) features commentary by director Marc Webb, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, writer Michael Webber, and co-writer Scott Newstator, who reveals that the story was inspired by and many of the scenes were taken directly from his dating experiences.
Before Jerry Maguire put Renée Zellweger on the Hollywood map and before Vincent D’Onofrio became Detective Gorem on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, the two starred in one of my favorite films of all time: The Whole Wide World. Based on Novalyne Price’s memoir One Who Walked Alone
This simple but powerful true life romance was beautifully directed by Dan Ireland, and features some breathtaking cinematography of the Texas landscapes and sunsets that surrounded the filming location.
If you dislike post-Bridget Jones Renée Zellweger, don’t let that prevent you from seeing this remarkable film. The young, mostly unknown, brunette Zellweger was charming and fiesty as aspiring writer/teacher Novalyne Price.
And if you’re at all familiar with Vincent D’Onofrio’s work, you won’t be surprised to know that his dynamic, volatile portrayal of the artistic and often tormented “Conan the Barbarian” creator Robert E. Howard steals every scene he was in.
The Whole Wide World has been referred to as “an unrequited love story,” but I think that’s an inaccurate description of the intense emotional bond that existed between Price and Howard…or at least the bond between their fictional counterparts. I always though D’Onofrio’s Robert was very much in love with Novalyne, he just didn’t think he deserved her love due to his distorted view of himself.
Rewatching the not so happy ending, I can’t explain why I always think of this as a love story. Perhaps it’s simply the beauty of the film as a whole or the chemistry between the actors. Either way, I love it and think it deserved far more praise and attention than it ever received.
The DVD contains commentary by the director and Vincent D’Onofrio, as well as a recent interview with Renée Zellweger about the movie. The film also features a lovely soundtrack
In addition to my usual year end lists, I’m also doing decade lists. Following are my favorite films that were released between 2000-2009…
20. Mama Mia
I didn’t expect to include this musical on the list until my husband reminded me how much we enjoyed it. When it comes to favorite movies that I watch again and again, I tend to lean toward happy flicks. Whatever the Abba-centric Mama Mia lacked in substance, it made up for in fun and catchiness. And I just adore Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan.
19. Tape
Everyone always remember Robert Sean Leonard’s performance in Dead Poets Society
18. Psycho Beach Party
This one might be higher on the list if I saw it again, but it’s been nearly a decade since a quirky friend of mine introduced me to his favorite film and I haven’t had the pleasure of watching it since then. Charles Busch’s twisted parody of 1960s surfing movies starred then unknown actors Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under) and Nicholas Brendon (Buffy) as beach-lovin’ kids embroiled in a series of murders.
17. Starting Out in the Evening
As I said in my 2008 review, the wonderful film adaption of Brian Morton’s novel
16. Vanilla Sky
I think my husband and I are in the minority in loving Cameron Crowe’s 2001 remake of Open Your Eyes
15. 2 Days in Paris
Actress Julie Delpy wrote, directed, and starred in this 2007 comedy about a couple’s wacky and awkward two days in Paris. As I said in my 2008 review: “Delpy’s characters are painfully, amusingly authentic and relatable. Especially for those of us that are one half of a transatlantic couple.”
14. Enchanted
Disney’s 2008 romantic comedy that starred Amy Adams as a cartoon princess transported to real world Manhattan is probably a recent enough release that I don’t need to say much here about the actual movie. It was sweet, funny, and fun to sing along with.
13. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Charlie Kaufman wrote the script for this strange 2004 film that starred Kate Winslet and Jim Carey as a recently broken up couple who literally have their memories of each other erased from their minds.
12. Amélie
The 2001 French romantic comedy about shy waitress Amélie Poulain introduced the world to adorable Audrey Tautou and is one of the most beautifully directed films ever.
11. Up
In my review of Pixar’s animated film Up last June, I called it “Wizard of Oz awesome.” I think that says it all.
10. The Anniversary Party
I don’t know if any of the old readers are still around, but I raved The Anniversary party on the old Muruch site back in 2002 (the archives of which were lost when I switched domains). The indie film was written and directed by Alan Cumming and Jennifer Jason Leigh, who starred as a troubled semi-famous couple hosting an anniversary party to celebrate their post-separation reunion. The ensemble cast included Parker Posey, John C. Reilly, Gweneth Paltrow, Kevin Kline, Jennifer Beals, and featured a hilarious cameo by Phoebe Cates.
9. High Fidelity
The 2000 John Cusack movie is one of the best book-to-film adaptions ever. The secret to its success was the completely American transformation of the very British characters and setting of Nick Hornby’s brilliant novel
8. Elf
This adorable comedy 2003 comedy about a human (Will Ferrell) who thinks he’s an elf was funny, sweet, and also paved the way for She & Him by showcasing the beautiful voice of Zooey Deschanel.
7. Best in Show
Christopher Guest’s parody of a dog show is one of the funniest comedies ever, thanks to a brilliant ensemble cast that included Parker Posey, Catherine O’Hara, Fred Willard, and Glee‘s Jane Lynch.
6. O Brother Where Art Thou?
Only The Coen Brothers’ would think to set an adaption of Homer’s Odyssey in 1930s Mississippi, let alone transform the epic into a quirky road picture comedy centering around three chain gang escapees. This is a film that has gotten even better with each viewing over the years, and its soundtrack brought bluegrass and folk music to the mainstream.
5. Hedwig & The Angry Inch
John Cameron Mitchell’s outrageous 2001 musical about a transgendered punk-rocker from Berlin is not for the easily offended, but it’s hysterical if you have a good sense of humor. It also featured some of the best rock songs ever recorded.
4. Zoolander
If the order of this list were based solely on how many times I’ve watched and/or laughed at a movie, Ben Stiller’s bizarre 2001 flick about a dim male model would be #1. It seems to have become somewhat of a cult favorite in recent years, but I still don’t think it gets enough credit for being a great comedy. Sure, it’s silly and more quotable than respectable. But it’s hilarious and unique, and I love it.
3. Wonder Boys
I rewatched and reviewed this 2001 gem about an aging novelist earlier this year, and as I wrote then: “It’s a rare film in that it is equally poignant and hilarious, and impossible to compare to anything else..”
2. Before Sunset
Richard Linklater’s 2004 sequel to Before Sunrise
1. Almost Famous
I loved Cameron Crowe’s film about a young music journalist following a classic rock band on tour when it was first released in 2000, but now I absolutely adore it. Back then I enjoyed the music, humor, and Kate Hudson’s hippie-fairy “band-aid” character Penny Lane. Now I find myself relating to William’s (Patrick Fugit) evolution from wide-eyed music enthusiast to conflicted music writer. And the best part of the film is its mood and style. It has that rare quality that all great classic movies posses – atmosphere. Instead of feeling like you’re watching actors play their parts, you find yourself so completely drawn into this fictional world that you forget it’s a movie. It’s a beautiful, funny, artistic piece of cinema and has become one of my favorite films of all time.
Yes, I’m one of the crazy people tackling Best of the Decade lists. In addition to my annual year end lists, I’ll be sharing my favorite Albums, Books, Movies, and TV Series of the past decade. First up, my favorite ten television shows that aired between 2000-2009…
10. Firefly
As you’ll see below, Joss Whedon dominates this list. There were several shows that almost edged out Firefly – most notably The Sopranos
9. Absolutely Fabulous
AbFab remains one of the funniest, most bizarre shows I’ve ever seen. What was so great about the show is that the two overindulgent main characters Eddy and Patsy (played by Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley) were unabashedly vapid and unlikable, but you loved watching and laughing at them anyway. The show originally aired on BBC in the late 1990s and early aughts, but was rebroadcast on Comedy Central here in the U.S.
8. Once & Again
If you don’t remember Once & Again, it was a poignant little ABC drama by the creators of Thirtysomething and My So-Called Life. The show initially centered on the romance between a single mother played by Sela Ward and a single father played by Billy Campbell, and the struggles they faced from their respective kids and ex-spouses. But as the series progressed, it was the shy, awkward, teenage character Grace (played by Julia Whelan) who drew me in most. It also introduced a then unknown Evan Rachel Wood as Grace’s little sister Jesse. The show only lasted three seasons, but it was one of the best scripted dramas that has ever aired.
7. Arrested Development
I think Arrested Development was to the U.S. what AbFab was to the U.K. The hilarious Fox sitcom centered on The Bluths, a rich, despicable, and totally lovable family. The show itself was bizarrely clever and outrageous, but it was the perfect casting of actors Jason Batemen, Will Arnett, David Cross, and a then unknown Michael Cera that made the show so brilliant. I’m tempted to quote some of my favorite lines, but I don’t know that they would be as funny if you haven’t seen the show. My favorite moment was Will Arnett’s Gob “Final Countdown” entrance to his magic show. Or his duet with his puppet Franklin. Oh and when Tobias (David Cross) joined Blue Man Group. And…well, you get the point. It was all very weird and very funny.
6. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I remember everyone I knew made fun of me for watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer during its cheesy first season. I was one of the few people who actually liked the Kristy Swanson movie
5. Angel
When my least favorite character on Buffy got his own spinoff, I didn’t think I’d bother to watch it and certainly didn’t expect to end up liking it better than its predecessor. Angel was often a much darker program, but it also had its share of humor – especially in the puppet-centric episode Smile Time. Though it featured many of the characters and actors first created for Buffy, it really came into its own during the final season. Actors Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker were particularly riveting as their characters drastically evolved over the years. Denisof’s Wesley went from an annoying, by-the-book geek to a haunted loner in various shades of gray. And Acker not only portrayed the many moods and quirks of resident geek girl Fred, she tackled the entirely different character of Illyria in the final season. Also entertaining in that final season was the banter between Angel and new cast member James Marsters as Spike. And Angel‘s final episode was possibly the best series finale ever.
4. The Office
Yes, I’m cheating and combining the British and the American versions of The Office. When NBC’s remake first aired, I thought it was huge mistake since they’d obviously failed to capture the painfully realistic mood of the BBC original. But by the second season, the U.S. version stopped trying to mimic the Ricky Gervais vehicle that spawned it and instead found its strength in its new side characters played by actors Creed Bratton, Angela Kinsey, Mindy Kaling, Brian Baumgartner, and Phyllis Smith. The BBC version had bite, the NBC version has heart. And both versions of the show are so hilarious that I can no longer distinguish which I like more. I’m still waiting for a Cousin Mose spinoff…
3. Friday Night Lights
I think I’ve written enough about Friday Night Lights (especially in my first post about it two years ago) for you to know how much and why I love the show. Every episode of the series has been so brilliantly written, acted, and directed that it’s been like watching a feature film every week.
2. Freaks & Geeks
I pretty much listed everything I loved about Freaks & Geeks in my 2008 review of the new DVD set, from which here is a brief quote: “Set in 1980 Michigan, the show centered on aspiring freak Lindsey Weir (Linda Cardellini) and her little geek brother Sam (John Francis Daley) as they traversed the nightmarish landscape of high school, the precarious loyalty of friends in their respective cliques, the anguish of unrequited love, the transitory nature of relationships, the mortifying affection of their parents, and the sheer humiliation of the teen years.“
1. Lost
Was there any doubt? After My So-Called Life, Lost is probably my favorite TV show of all time. The final season begins on February 5, 2010, and I’m both excited and very sad. No other series has so wonderfully trusted, engaged, and challenged the intelligence and imagination of its audience in the way Lost has with every episode. I remember vividly when I first watched the pilot, which was the summer before it first aired on ABC (aw, the innocent days of Bittorrent). I, like so many others, was hooked from the very first second. The first two seasons were excellent, but I think the last two seasons have been the strongest for the show thanks to addition of characters like Desmond, Ben, Daniel, and Richard, the increased focus on Locke, and the deliciously convoluted mysteries woven throughout each season. I’ve also appreciated how enthusiastic the actors seem about their characters in interviews, and how the writers have so intensely utilized the internet to stir up interest in the show. There has never been a show like Lost, and I fear there never will be again.
Of Time And The City is a unique film directed by Terence Davies that impressed occasional Muruch writer Brendan (Vic’s Irish husband) so much that he was finally inspired to write another review…
Brendan says:
Terence Davies directs and narrates this eulogy to his hometown of Liverpool. It’s a deeply personal film with universal themes, a montage of music, images, and archival film footage, and snippets from literature and poetry.
Davies won me over within the first ten minutes by featuring Franz Lizst’s glorious “Consolation no. 3 in D Flat Major,” and quoting from James Joyce and Shelley’s “Ozymandias.” The passion the director holds for classical music and classic film is evident, as is his derision for the Catholic Church and Britain’s Royal Family, but this is a film about people.
There is something profound about the human moments captured here – the companionship of an elderly couple, the roar of the crowd at a football game, people washing windows and doorsteps, warming their hands at coal-burning stoves, wiping sleep from their eyes.
The music is also wonderful. For more about the film’s music, see the post at Caught by the River.
If I had to choose one film to represent the twentieth century for future generations, Of Time And The City would be it.
Impromptu depicts the turbulent affair of convention-defying author George Sand and gifted pianist Frederic Chopin. The film stars Judy Davis and Hugh Grant as the artistic lovers, along with Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Emma Thompson, and Julian Sands as Franz Liszt.
Impromptu focuses on the boldly passionate George Sand as she pursues the elusive and reserved Chopin through one awkward encounter to another. The film is elegantly comedic, reminiscent of the more humorous moments in Dangerous Liasons.
As a great fan of Sand’s novels (not to mention her refusal to conform to the oppressed female role dictated by society inher time) and the music of Chopin, I was definitely predisposed to enjoy the movie. But I think it would be entertaining even to those who have no knowledge or particular interest in either historical character.
The writing and direction are clever, and the acting is top notch – especially the awesome Mandy Patinkon as Alfred de Mussett.
Eroica is a BBC film that depicts the first public performance of Beethoven’s Third Symphony, which is credited with having ushered in the Romantic Era of classical music. Ian Hart stars as the temperamental and brilliant composer.
The film presents Beethoven’s Third Symphony in its entirety, showing the individual responses (each intense in their own way) of various people who made up that first audience…from the royalty walking around the orchestra to the servants hearing the music through the walls.
The actors did a fine job of portraying the most subtle expression of reaction and the direction artfully blends these human palattes of music-evoked emotion with the musicians struggling to play the brilliant “monster” of a symphony.
In The Great Buck Howard, John Malkovich deftly portrays a washed up, prima donna “mentalist” who hires law school dropout Troy (Colin Hanks) as his personal assistant and road manager.
The character of Buck Howard is loosely based on magician The Amazing Kreskin, a Tonight Show regular who once employed writer/director Sean McGinly as his assistant and appears in one of the dvd’s bonus features. The film also includes cameos by Tom Hanks, Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart, Tom Arnold, George Takei, and Jay Leno.
As the story unfolds, Buck’s career enjoys an unexpected revival – unexpected, that is, to everyone but the egotistical and eccentric Buck.
Jay Leno unwittingly becomes Buck’s nemesis by first refusing to book the magician on The Tonight Show, then by bumping him in favor of Tom Arnold – an act that results in the film’s funniest scene, during which Buck calls Jay “Satan!”
The movie lags when Malkovich is absent from the scene, but it is worth seeing him play such an uncharacteristically flamboyant character.
Fanboys is a comedy set in 1998 that centers on four friends obsessed with Star Wars who journey to George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch with the intent of stealing a print of the then unreleased Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
The general tone of Fanboys is very much in keeping with Judd Apatow movies, but it never quite lives up to its comedic potential or grab hold of a certain sub-plot’s poignancy. Rumors about interference from the producers, re-shoots, and release delays may be to blame for the disjointed nature of the film. Still, it’s a solid enough comedy.
The film is rife with humorous Star Wars references as well as derogatory allusions to Star Trek – resulting in a fight scene between members of the two fandoms. There’s also a brief quote from Highlander
There are cameos from cast members of The Office, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, Seth Rogen, Danny McBride, William Shatner, Carrie Fisher, and Billy Dee Williams. And Kristen Bell co-stars as the boys’ sarcastic gal pal.
Regular readers know that I rarely post about the lives and deaths of celebrities here. But I was sad to hear that writer-director John Hughes died yesterday of a heart attack. I don’t know much, if anything, about the man himself. But I am one of many whose memories are bound up in his films, some of which I consider to be just as classic as Casablanca or The Wizard of Oz. While my generation and older folks are well acquainted with his work, I thought I’d give a brief summary of my favorite Hughes films for the younger crowd…
The name John Hughes is pretty much synonymous with the term “Brat Pack” and the name Molly Ringwald. Ringwald starred in what were probably the most famous and beloved of Hughes’ films: Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, and The Breakfast Club.
Sixteen Candles
Pretty in Pink
Despite my undying love of Ducky, it is The Breakfast Club
Hughes also wrote one of my other favorite films of the 1980s, Some Kind of Wonderful
Other ’80s flicks I like that John Hughes was involved in creating include Weird Science
Image Entertainment just released Elvis Presley: The Ed Sullivan Shows: The Performances, a DVD collection of Elvis’ three appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956 and 1957.
Young, gorgeous Elvis first performed on The Ed Sullivan Show on Sept. 9, 1956, during the filming of Love Me Tender. Backed by The Jordanaires, Elvis sang a beautiful rendition of “Love Me Tender” as well as “Ready Teddy” and “Hound Dog”. In my opinion, Presley’s energy, charisma, and vocal power remain unmatched.
The special features on the disc include a segment explaining the events that led up to that first appearance. Sullivan initially refused to book the singer, but eventually gave into pressure when he fell behind in ratings. Sullivan was in the hospital at the time of the show, so actor Charles Laughton guest hosted.
Presley’s second and third appearances on the show were good, but not quite as captivating for me personally. He returned on Oct. 28, 1956 to sing “Don’t Be Cruel”, “Love Me Tender”, “Love Me”, and “Hound Dog”.
His January 6, 1957 performance began with a medley of “Hound Dog”, “Love Me Tender”, “Heartbreak Hotel” (which alternates with with “Don’t” as my favorite Elvis song), and “Don’t Be Cruel”. Later he sang “Too Much”, “When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold”, and a soulful rendering of “Peace in the Valley” (I don’t usually like gospel, but this is the exception!).
Other “Elvis Moments” included on the disc are various brief mentions of the singer during Sullivan’s monologues, promos and introductions from the show, a clip from the film Love Me Tender, the first moving images of Elvis captured on 8mm film during an early outdoor performance, and home movies of Elvis and Priscilla riding horses. There are also several interviews, including a 1992 interview with Sun Records founder Sam Phillips.
I’m one of the many crazy, rabid fans of MTV’s cult comedy sketch series The State that have waited over a decade for the show to receive a proper DVD release. Our wait is finally over, as the DVD set of The State is now available with a plethora of extras.
While I gleefully watched the original airings of The State on MTV in the early 1990s, my husband (like many of you readers) was most familiar with the actors from Wet Hot American Summer and Reno 911 (Michael Ian Black and Thomas Lennon are probably the best known of the lot). But he seemed as amused by the show’s humor as I was the first time around, and even compared it to British comedies like The Fast Show
Like most television shows from that era, The State was forced to replace the popular songs that made up its soundtrack due licensing issues. But the new score fits into the skits well enough that it doesn’t detract from the series. The only time the change in music was glaringly apparent to me was on the bonus disc during the “Miserable Crap” promo. As I recall, the ad – which cleverly promoted their show by quoting their worst reviews – originally featured the song “I Started a Joke”. The new ballad doesn’t fit into the gimmick nearly as well. But that will only matter to old fans like me, and maybe not even to them.
If you’ve seen the show before, you know it is not high brow entertainment. Many of the sketches are unquestionably bad, so much so that not even I can sit through an entire disc in one sitting. Even the good skits were unapologetically camp and often self-deprecating. But that’s always been the show’s charm, and also the quality that seems to have propelled the cast through other projects throughout the years.
In addition to cast commentaries on each season, there’s an entire disc of bonus features including promotional ads, unaired sketches, and interviews. There’s also a brief appearance by the cast on The Jon Stewart Show – yes, my generation first came to know The Daily Show host by his stint on MTV.
My personal favorite sketch of the entire series has always been “$240 Worth of Pudding”. There’s just something about Barry and Levon that makes me giggle uncontrollably.
The State – $240 Worth of Pudding (video)
The State Trailer (video)
More The State Videos
Great World of Sound is bittersweet dramedy directed by Craig Zobel and starring Pat Healy. The film centers on Martin (Healy), a new employee at a record label who is partnered with flamboyant Clarence (Kene Holliday). Martin finds his enthusiasm for his new job fading as he finds himself struggling with the moral dilemma of swindling money from poor artists.
Martin’s qualms are initially calmed by focusing on the goal of helping unknown talent begin their musical careers. But it soon becomes apparent that the higher ups at his label make no distinction between truly talented singers and painful karaoke acts, as long as they are able to scam money from the pockets of the gullible.
The first half of the film contains an excellent balance of humor, poignancy, and drama. Sadly, though, the latter portion loses its spark as we’re pulled into Martin’s growing discontentment. The ending seems weak compared to the beginning, but it’s worth watching the entire movie for the stellar performance by Kene Holliday as Clarence.
Young at Heart is a heartwarming, bittersweet, and highly entertaining documentary about a senior citizen choir in Northampton, MA who cover pop, rock, and punk songs by bands like Talking Heads, Sonic Youth, Coldplay, The Clash, and Ramones. Director Stephen Walker moves between scenes showing the choir’s rehearsals and stage performances, interviews with the aging singers, and impressive music videos featuring the group.
This weekend I re-watched Wonder Boys, the 2001 film adaption of Michael Chabon’s novel
Douglas plays Grady Tripp, an aging novelist, pothead, and college professor in Pittsburgh whose wife has just left him. Grady received some relative fame seven years earlier for his first novel, and has been toiling ever since on a seemingly endless second work.
A party serves as the catalyst for the wackiness that ensues. Grady’s wild editor (Downey, Jr.) crashes the party with his transvestite date, eager to see Tripp’s new novel. Grady’s young student and tenant (Holmes) throws herself at him at every opportunity. Grady’s mistress (McDormand) – who also happens to be the college chancellor as well as the wife of Grady’s boss – informs him that she is pregnant. And another student, the talented and seemingly suicidal James Leer (Tobey Maguire), creates a world of chaos when he rescues Grady from the Chancellor’s vicious dog by shooting it and then steals a jacket that once belonged to Marilyn Monroe.
My personal favorite subplot of the film involves a barfly that Grady nicknames “Vernon” (Richard Knox) who bears a striking resemblance to James Brown and Vernon’s pregnant cocktail waitress girlfriend Oola (Jane Adams). Vernon convinces himself that Grady has stolen his car in what initially appears to be a very comical but mostly unimportant encounter at the beginning of the film. However, this silly misunderstanding eventually results in what may be the funniest scene in modern cinema. I won’t spoil it for those that haven’t seen the movie, but it involves “Vernon”, Robert Downey Jr., the car, and Grady’s enormous manuscript.
As convoluted and fantastical as the plot is, the film amazingly never steps beyond the realm of belief. The writing, acting, direction, soundtrack, and overall execution of this bizarre story are sublime.
Bottle Shock stars Alan Rickman, Dennis Farina, Bill Pullman, Six Feet Under’s Freddy Rodríguez, Eliza Dushku (of Buffy and Dollhouse), and several other actors who I hadn’t heard of before. Based on a true story and directed by Randall Miller, Bottle Shock depicts the events leading up to the 1976 blind Paris wine tasting (“Judgement of Paris”) that put California wine on the map.
Rickman portrays snobby British wine connoisseur Steven Spurrier, who is challenged by flamboyant Maurice (Farina) to visit Napa Valley in search of competition for his beloved French wine.
Most of the film focuses on the owner and workers of Chateau Montelena in California, which is struggling to survive. Pullman plays the owner, Jim Barrett, who has a tempestuous relationship with his wayward son Bo. Jim is reluctant to suffer what he views as certain humiliation by entering his wine into the contest, while Bo is eager to take the chance.
I found the story of Mexican foreman Gustavo (Rodríguez) to be more interesting. Gustavo is a farmworker’s son who is fired by Jim when it is discovered he has been secretly making his own wine. I wish the film had shown more of Gustavo as an individual rather than his love triangle with blonde hippie chick Sam and Bo.
Most of the story unfolds at a leisurely pace, but the momentum of the film picks up as something seems to have gone terribly wrong with Jim’s entire stock of wine. Bo races to save the vineyard as well as his father’s career before the final competition in Paris.
While Rickman was not in the movie as much as I would like, he is the scene stealer. I hope his success with Harry Potter continues to allow him the freedom to make these wonderful little indie flicks (see my review of Snow Cake).
Bottle Shock combines the less annoying aspects of Sideways
Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America is now available as a three-disc DVD collection from Rhino Entertainment. The six-hour documentary series originally aired on PBS and chronicles the history of comedy in America. The set features host Billy Crystal and narrator Amy Sedaris, with a plethora of interviews and brief clips of comedians, films, and tv shows.
Make Em’ Laugh is divided into hour-long episodes that examine different genres of comedy, from slapstick and satire to stand-up and sitcoms. The first disc opens with cheesy jokes courtesy of host Billy Crystal, but quickly takes off with clips from various Judd Apataw films. The series eventually moves back to the silent film era and early slapstick comedy before progressing into McCarthy era censorship and groundbreaking standup comics, then onto the modern age with The Simpsons and Family Guy.
Among the many interviews, appearances, and clips shown are Charlie Chaplin, Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Sid Caesar, Judd Apatow, Woody Allen, Larry Wilmore, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Richard Lewis, Jon Stewart, Roseanne Barr, Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball, Joan Rivers, Bill Cosby, Cheech Marin, Lenny Bruce, and George Carlin. My personal favorite special feature of the DVD collection shows various comedians – including Jerry Seinfeld, Phyllis Diller, Richard Belzer, Lily Tomlin, and Mickey Rooney – sharing their favorite jokes of all time.
As a child of the ’80s, I was able to see reruns of classic shows like The Honeymooners, I Love Lucy, and Carol Burnett. But a lot of younger generations seem to be missing out on the great comedies of the past. This is a great lil collection to introduce new fans to such shows and stir up nostalgia for the rest of us.
While I reviewed the Vicky Cristina Barcelona soundtrack back in August, I missed the film’s very brief run in the local cinema. So I was eager to finally see the Golden Globe winning film, which will be released on DVD on January 29th. From classics like Annie Hall
Vicky (Hall) and Cristina (Johansson) are American best friends who are spending a summer in Barcelona with an unhappily married aunt (Clarkson), Bardem plays charming womanizer Juan Antonio, and Cruz stars as his intriguingly deranged ex-wife Maria Elena. One thing leads to another, and the foursome find themselves tangled in a romantic…square?
The music and direction are lovely, but the narrator’s (Christopher Evan Welch) dry voiceovers are often distracting and seem harshly out of place in such a beautiful setting. Also, certain parts of the film move unevenly between short bursts of humor and longer sequences that languish to the point of tedium, their attempts at picturesque atmosphere thwarted by the aforementioned narration.
However, the film’s strengths amount to more than its weaknesses. Said strength lies in the script’s interesting characters and the life breathed into them by the talented cast. And once the plot progresses, it’s much easier to get lost in the picture.
We’re given brief synopses of the two girls’ clashing personalities and lifelong friendship before their differences become glaringly apparent when they meet flirtatious artist Juan Antonio. Their reactions to the stranger are opposing and intense – dreamy Cristina is instantly enamored, while the cynical Vicky is wary and immediately rejects the artist’s advances.
The encounter produces a crack in the friendship that eventually spreads to a chasm. As Vicky reluctantly follows along with Cristina’s pursuit of Juan Antonio, the tension slowly builds until the triangle is cemented. The arrival of Vicky’s fiance (make that a romantic pentagon?) quickly splinters the fragile triangle, followed by a major lull in the story. Vicky marries her intended, and Cristina seems to have Juan Antonio all to herself.
Enter Juan Antonio’s crazy ex Maria Elena to make things interesting again. After a failed suicide attempt, Maria Elena moves in with Juan Antonio and Cristina to recuperate and the real drama begins. Cruz is enthralling as the sultry and volatile Maria Elena, and her presence provides the film with some much needed spirit. So much so that I wished she appeared in more of the film, as the rest of it seems somewhat anemic in comparison to her scenes. Cruz has more chemistry with the other actors than any of them have with each other, and she is the key figure in the film’s climatic scene.
The DVD contains no special features, but the audio and visual quality of the film are superb. Vicky Cristina Barcelona just won the Golden Globe for Best Picture – Comedy.
Love In The Time Of Cholera is a slow moving, yet beautifully poignant screen adaption of the classic novel by Nobel Prize winning author Gabriel García Márquez. Directed by Mike Newell, the film stars Javier Bardem, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Benjamin Bratt, Hector Elizondo, Laura Harring, and John Leguizamo.
Bardem portrays love-obsessed, womanizing Colombian poet Florentino, who spends fifty agonized years pining for his heart’s true desire – the married Fermina (Mezzogiorno).
A lush production, restrained splashes of humor, and a bittersweet happy ending balance out what could otherwise have been a very dreary, heartbreaking tale of unrequited love, lost opportunities, the various paths life may take, and second chances at happiness even late in life.
I must admit that the novel is one of many classics on my endless to-read list, and other reviews indicate Márquez fans have been greatly disappointed with the movie. And there was definitely some unfulfilled potential in both the screenplay and the acting. But comparisons aside, it’s a unique and emotional work of cinematic art.
Romance & Cigarettes is a brilliant, coarse musical directed by John Turturro and produced by The Coen Brothers. The film stars James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Mary Louise Parker, Mandy Moore, Bobby Cannavale, Aida Tururro (real life cousin of director John and fictional sister to Gandolfini on The Sopranos), Christopher Walken, and Steve Buschemi. There are also cameos by Eddie Izzard and several well known character actors.
James Gandolfini and Susan Sarandon portray Nick and Kitty Murder, an unhappily married couple who live in Queens with their troubled sister (Aida Turturro) and two musician daughters (Moore and Parker). Cannavale gives an extremely entertaining performance that seems to be a bizarre parody of Prince and James Brown. Winslet’s character Tula initially pops up as a vampy redhaired figment of Nick’s imagination, the muse for his torrid poetry. Eventually the bawdy Tula appears in the flesh (no pun intended), and said poems serve as evidence of their affair to wife Kitty.
The film swings through scenes of mundane every day activities spiced up by hilarious dialogue, overtly sentimental prose, quirky fantasies, and humorous musical numbers. The mere thought of Tony Soprano breaking into song is amusing enough, but the oddly artistic direction, grandly eclectic cast, and yet another solid performance by Sarandon make for a riveting display. The gut busting climax comes in the form of a catfight between Tula and Kitty to the tune of Nick’s sing-a-long of “Redheaded Woman”.
My only real complaint is that the film mostly consists of sing-a-longs and lip-synching rather than being a true musical. This is understandable considering the less than stellar vocal talent of some of the actors, but Winslet’s fine voice is particularly wasted by an unnecessarily loud backing track. The dazzling visuals make up for the distracting audio, and Tula’s submerged swan song is lovely and unencumbered by music.
A bit of a warning: the film is rife with blue humor, explicit dialogue, raunchy sex scenes, and a strange subplot involving adult circumcision. Not the kind of film I would normally watch, but the lighthearted nature of the musical aspect made it irresistible.
