Muruch

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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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 by Amidon’s band Assembly and Seamus Egan of Solas, who has a brief cameo.

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 and American Wake, I’d say Seamus Egan is a great assett to any film.

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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.

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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.

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Part-time Muruch writer Brendan recently saw the new George Clooney movie Up In The Air, and enjoyed it enough to write the following review. Adapted from novel by Walter Kirn, the film stars George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride, Melanie Lynskey, and Sam Elliott among others.

Brendan says:

Jason Reitman’s third film is a work for the modern age, but tackles timeless themes. George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a man who flies from city to city firing people. He claims to like his life “up in the air” – unencumbered by messy human relationships. But then he meets Alex, played impeccably by Vera Farmiga, and the weightlessness of his life no longer seems so appealing.

Also complicating things is Natalie, the new college grad who intends to ground Bingham by reducing his job to one in which he’s dealing with people through a video-conferencing program. There’s an interesting juxtaposition between Bingham’s genuine compassion for the employees he deals with and his apparent disregard for romantic and familial relationships.

This is an intimate film, the kind we rarely see in cinemas these days. The relationship between Bingham and Alex is utterly believable, and its culmination is sure to move you.

I was also captivated by the non-actors in the film, downsized people reprising their reactions to those words most of us fear.

Another highlight of the film for me was the composition of the frames. This is a sublimely directed movie and I eagerly await the director’s future work.

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, which starred Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan as competitive bookstore owners who meet anonymously online and unwhittingly fall in love via email. And the British sitcom Are You Being Served? was also partially based on The Shop Around The Corner.

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. Morgan is wonderful as the blustery owner of the shop, who is hiding his own secret pain and plays a key role in the more dramatic scenes of the film.

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.

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(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-referencing breakup with Tom on Day 290. The rest of the movie scrolls back and forth through all 500 days of Tom’s roller coaster relationship with Summer.

The first half of the film is full of “indie” clichés – Améliesque narrated film clips for flashbacks and a Garden State-like musical bonding when the two main characters first meet (substituting The Smiths for The Shins). Not to mention that She & Him’s Zooey Deschanel not only stars in the film, but also sings in it.

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 sprinkled with rising indie stars like Regina Spektor and She & Him, a few 1980s tunes by The Smiths and Patrick Swayze, and one Simon & Garfunkel song. There’s even a street dance number set to Hall & Oates that’s as cute and jubilant as Enchanted.

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.

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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, the film depicts Price’s tumultuous relationship with infamous 1930s pulp-fiction writer Robert E. Howard.

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 courtesy of composers Hans Zimmer and Harry Gregson-Williams.

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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.

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19. Tape

Everyone always remember Robert Sean Leonard’s performance in Dead Poets Society, but I think the best role of his career was in Richard Linklater’s claustrophobic 2001 film Tape. The film co-starred Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman as high school friends who have a bitter reunion with Leonard’s character in a motel room. The acting was so authentically tense and uncomfortable that I don’t think I’d rewatch the film. But it is unquestionably brilliant.

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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.

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17. Starting Out in the Evening

As I said in my 2008 review, the wonderful film adaption of Brian Morton’s novel “stars Six Feet Under’s Lauren Ambrose as Grad student Heather Wolfe, who is writing her thesis on Leonard Schiller (Frank Langella), the reclusive novelist whom she adores.“

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16. Vanilla Sky

I think my husband and I are in the minority in loving Cameron Crowe’s 2001 remake of Open Your Eyes. It’s a surreal fantasy and thriller about the misadventures and romances of an egotistical rich brat played by Tom Cruise.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. The film made a star of Tenacious D’s Jack Black, but what I loved most about it was the authentic portrayal of a couple trying to decide if love is enough to keep them together when it seems they want different things from life. And of course I love the way music is woven throughout the story, the Top 5 lists, and the protagonist’s comical encounters with ex-girlfriends.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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..”

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2. Before Sunset

Richard Linklater’s 2004 sequel to Before Sunrise is even better than the original. Not only do we finally find out if star-crossed lovers Celine and Jesse were ever reunited, but the film is lovely and intelligent in its own right. It’s beautifully directed and brilliantly acted by Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, whose characters have much more substance and scars than when we first met them nine years before.

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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.

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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.

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Of Time And The City Official Site

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.

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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.

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Whip It! stars Ellen Page as Bliss Cavendar, a shy Texas teenage girl who finds her calling with a misfit band of Roller Derby girls called The Hurl Scouts. Bliss breaks free of her overbearing, old fashioned mother and repressive pageant life to become Babe Ruthless, a hellcat on wheels.

Directed by Drew Barrymore (who plays stoner derby chick Smash) and based on the novel by Shauna Cross, Whip It! is every bit as warmhearted, funny, and realistically inspirational as Juno. I can only guess the lack of hype elsewhere is due to the absence of popular indie bands on its soundtrack. Instead, Whip It!’s soundtrack is mostly provided by The Section Quartet, singer-songwriter Landon Pigg (who plays Bliss’ rockboy love interest), and a few older songs such as “Cannonball” by The Breeders. Though there are a few indie acts on the album, too.

The film costars Marcia Gay Harden as Bliss’ pageant-obsessed mother, Daniel Stern as her doormat dad, and Aria Shawkat (Maybe on Arrested Development) as her as best friend Pash. Minor characters are played by Saturday Night Live’s Kristen Wiig, Ari Graynor (the drunk chick in Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist), rapper Eve, and Jimmy Fallon.

But best of all is actress-singer Juliette Lewis as derby vixen and Bliss’ nemesis, Iron Maven. I kept thinking I probably wasn’t supposed to like her character as much as I did, but I thought she was awesome.

Star Ellen Page finally breaks free of the “playing herself” accusations. Though Bliss becomes more sarcastic and confident as the story progresses, she begins as and mostly remains a quiet, awkward, sweet girl with a somewhat fragile view of herself. Her newfound passion helps solidify her sense of self, but she never becomes the wry, abrasive island of self-acceptance of Page’s previous personas and Page plays this softer (on the inside at least) character well.

What I liked best about the film was the theme of finding your own version of happiness and friends who accept you for who you are, without forsaking the love and history of family and old friends. And for guys who are wary of chick flicks, there are plenty of bruises, bloodied noses, cat fights, and hot girls in miniskirts and fishnets on roller skates.

Whip It! is my favorite film of the year.

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.

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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 – in which Molly plays a teenage girl whose parents forget her birthday – is my least favorite of the trilogy. It’s funny and quotable (“Auto-mo-bile”, “I can’t believe my grandma actually felt me up”), but lacks the emotional impact of the other two Ringwald movies.

Pretty in Pink is the sappy one. Molly plays a poor, artistic outcast who falls for a rich kid (Andrew McCarthy). However, it is not this central romantic plot that made the movie so memorable. Rather it was the adorable, quirky, Otis Redding lip-syncing, unrequited loving sidekick character Ducky (Jon Cryer) that burned the film into so many of our hearts.

Despite my undying love of Ducky, it is The Breakfast Club that remains my favorite John Hughes movie, is one of my favorite films of all time, and truly deserves to be called a classic. The movie throws five stereotypical high school students (“a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal”) together for one Saturday in detention. It is even more hilarious and quotable than Hughes’ other movies, but is also at times painfully realistic in depicting the various social classes (and clashes) in American high schools. Though the archetypes portrayed in the film are too general to represent every individual, most of us can relate to at least one of the characters. It also features one of my favorite movie quotes: “It’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social.”

Hughes also wrote one of my other favorite films of the 1980s, Some Kind of Wonderful. I and many others felt that Hughes righted a certain Pretty in Pink wrong with the ending of Some Kind of Wonderful. Like Pretty in Pink, the movie involves a poor kid (Eric Stoltz) pining for a rich one (Lea Thompson) and the most interesting character is the protagonist’s sidekick, spunky tomboy Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson). Watts inspired me to coin the term “best friend girl” to describe any supporting character who is tragically overlooked by their beloved in favor of a less worthy object of affection – this term applies to girls (Joey on Dawson’s Creek, Willow on Buffy) and guys (Ducky, Brian on My So-Called Life). But my personal favorite part of this particular film was Duncan (Elias Koteas), the skinhead with a heart of gold.

Other ’80s flicks I like that John Hughes was involved in creating include Weird Science (silly comedy about geeks creating their dream woman), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (silly comedy about a kid skipping school for the day), and Planes, Trains and Automobiles (silly but poignant comedy about two strangers thrown together while travelling).

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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.

I hope to publish some album reviews soon, but in the meantime wanted to mention a couple of things (other than my Lost DVD marathan) that cheered me up during what has been a very difficult time: starting with Pixar’s new animated 3D movie Up!.

Up! was my first 3D movie experience and I loved it! It was The Wizard of Oz awesome. This isn’t just a cartoon for kids. There’s an entire prequel – an epic, heartwarming, heartbreaking romance – in the opening sequence alone, and that’s before the central plot is even introduced.

My only real gripe about the film is that it was a little too long – and I say this only because the silly animal characters in the middle of the story detracted from the the poignancy that bookended the movie…and also because the non-action scenes were kinda blurry due to the 3D effects. Yet I still think it’s worth seeing in 3D just for the scenes of the house and balloons, which were spectacular.

Otherwise, the film was charming, funny, pretty, uplifting (no pun intended), and unexpectedly emotional. Michael Giacchino’s score was also very nice. I’m not including plot details because I think it’ll be more enjoyable as a surprise. I usually try to avoid revealing personal details on this site, but I will say that my family suffered a big loss last week and seeing Up this week was just what we needed.

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This weekend I re-watched Wonder Boys, the 2001 film adaption of Michael Chabon’s novel. It’s a movie that is definitely one of my favorites of all time, but somehow I always forget how good it is until I watch it again. Directed by Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential) and adapted for the screen by Steve Kloves (The Fabulous Baker Boys), Wonder Boys stars Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire, Frances McDormand, Robert Downey, Jr., and Katie Holmes. It’s a rare film in that it is equally poignant and hilarious, and impossible to compare to anything else.

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.

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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 with the less seductive elements of Stealing Beauty. The film isn’t as brilliant as it could’ve been, but it is very enjoyable.

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