:: Monday, July 28, 2003 ::

Last week I had an incredible urge to see Disney's "Pirates". I saw it. It was okay. Mikometer Rating: 7 of 10. This is the kind of movie where it is useless to try to keep up with the plot, as one could probably pilot a couple of frigates through the holes. It wasn't a very pleasant experience, however, because two "family units" in front of me had 3-5 year old kids whining and screaming throughout the film, which at 2.5 hours, is quite a buttsleeper.
The good news is the second film I saw in the theater this weekend. Although only "No. 5" in this mornings "tout sheet", the excellent "Seabiscuit" directed by Gary Ross, whose first film,"Pleasantville" is one of the underrated films of all time, is, at least for me, the first Oscar worthy film out of the gate this year. I'm writing a "full blown" review. (I actually started it on Saturday after coming home from the theater, I'm not kidding.) I saw it without checking out Ross's credentials. I really enjoyed "Pleasantville" back in '98, and thought it showed remarkable heart and soul. "Seabiscuit" shows for sure that this wasn't a fluke. As a screenwriter, he has written some heartstring tuggers, besides "Pleasantville", and "Seabiscuit", which he adapted from Laura Hildenbrand's book, he wrote "Big" and "Dave".
"Seabiscuit" is definitely the answer to the age old question, "Why don't they make movies like they used to?" This one doesn't have careening freeway crashes, snappy with it dialogue (except perhaps for William H. Macy
s "Tick Tock McLaughlin" radio announcer) or modern cultural references. This is a film for the ages, made "as they used to" with older filmic conventions (including the first montage I've seen in years) fantastic acting, and it gallops at a reasonable pace. 10 of 10 on the Mikometer. I can't deny that "Seabiscuit" is so far the best movie this year!
:: Michael Nyiri 6:56 AM Leave a Comment on this Post ::
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1. "Pirates of Perserverance, Part II" I just saw my Tivo'd copy of Ebert and Roepper from two weeks ago, with their Pirates review, Ebert loved Depp's performance, gave a nod to Geoffrey Rush's over the top acting, and gave it thumbs up. I never pay particular attention to Roepper. No, he gave it thumbs down, I do believe, and thought the "swashbuckling" went on forever. I'm just so sure I'm going to love this movie. This weekend I'll be going for sure. Still probably will want to see Ahnold before he goes straight to DVD, too.

Last night I pulled out a laserdisc title I didn't remember I had. The Coen's "The Hudsucker Proxy" from 1994. A few weeks ago, I had rented their excellent "Miller's Crossing" from Netflix, and asked my roommate:"What do you think is the quintessential Coen Brothers film BESIDES "Fargo". His pick was "Blood Simple". Mine is "Miller's". But I had forgotten ("Sure, sure") just how inventive, funny, and well made "Hudsucker's" is. Besides wonderful turns by Tim Robbins as Norville Barnes ("You know....for kids"), and Paul Newman as Vice President Sidney Mussburger ("Yeah, yeah"), plus would be Muncie girl but actually hard bitten career girl reporter Rosalind er', I mean, Jennifer Jason Leigh as Amy Archer ("Only a numbskull thinks he knows things about things he knows nothing about."), there is an angelic performance by Charles Durning, who exits the movie (almost) in the first scene, and Charles Buscemi, Peter Gallagher, and Bruce Cambell put in appearances. I was surprised a few weeks ago when a friend told me Sam Raimi had a hand in the film, co-writing the thirties screwball /fast talking newsroom/boardroom comedy along with Joel and Ethan. This was post Sonnenfeld, and I was equally surprised to find that Roger Deakins had done the cinematography.

I don't know how many other laserdiscs I still have in virgin shrink wrap. I picked up a lot at bargain prices at Ken Crane's when they became DVD Planet. Just as I had picked up scads of CEDs and Beta tapes when those formats went bust. One thing about my love of the movies. I used to love to say "I own it" when talking about a title in my CED library so long ago. When you own these films that mean so much, repeat viewings are always a treat. And even though the laserdisc format was analog (albeit with digital sound) I remember thinking that DVD's would never be as good. Now, of course, when I see a particularly pleasing film on either laser or Tivo, and "really want to see it" on HDTV, of course I rent it at Netflix, and see it in an even better shape. My Hudsucker's laserdisc, fresh out of the shrinkwrap, and a relatively new title when offered, I believe, has a fairly sharp picture. The transfer was pretty good, so I don't need to rent the DVD just now. Over on the IMDB site, I noticed that a lot of people treasure "Hudsucker's Proxy". I didn't think it particularly "worthy" when I first saw it. Normally, a Coen brothers film release is a must see for me. I think they are incapable of turning out a bad film, although their low points for me are (and I'm sure many will disagree) "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou" and " Barton Fink". "Miller's" is a masterpiece, and "Hudsucker" made me guffaw with pleasure. At the end, when Bill Cobb's "Moses the Clock Man" mentions that someone once tried to jump off the 45th floor of the Hudsucker building....but....that's another story..." I began laughing out loud....as, of course, does the Clock Man.
"Hudsucker Proxy" is the story of big business, big scams, and big disappointments, salvaged by big breaks and big dreams. The script is excellent. The wordplay between the actors, especially any repartee involving Leigh's Kate Hepburn affectations or Newman's gruff stoicism is giddy. Tim Robbins is just Jimmy Stewartish enough in his role without being cloying or annoying. I don't believe "Hudsucker's" is mentioned too much in the Coen's canon, but it should be. An excellent "thirties screwball comedy" as would have been directed by Billy Wilder or Preston Sturges. Sure, Sure. Yeah, yeah. You know.....for kids......!!!

:: Michael Nyiri 6:44 PM Leave a Comment on this Post ::
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Another of the hot summer weekends passes, and I haven't been to see a movie in a theater since summer began. Am I perhaps, showing my disrespect for the summer of sequels by not patronizing the local AMC? Hmmmmm. There are two films out right now I want to see in the theater, and perhaps next week I'll catch either "28 Days Later" (not, as you might suspect, a sequel to the Sandra Bullock movie) what looks to be a worthy successor to Gerorge Romerodom by Danny Boyle or (and here's one I just can't wait to see) "Pirates of the Carribean". It's always been my favorite Disneyland ride, and the previews looked fantastic. I love the official website, too.

I'm a sucker for the pirate genre, and loved the wondrous "Cutthroat Island" which was one of the biggest flops in history. I still think it's a great swashbuckler. The Disney animated "Treasure Planet" is a delight. I'm looking forward to a hearty time with Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Geoffrey Rush, but wanted to wait until enough teenage girls had already caught the flick a few times and had emptied from the theaters. Over the weekend, my biggest epiphany was while watching the 1990 Best Picture, "Dances With Wolves" by Kevin Costner. When I originally screened that film in 1991, it was on a VHS tape rental. As usual, and as I've mentioned many times, to see a well made widescreen movie on TV (my top of the line is 1991 was a 32" Toshiba direct view) in pan and scan is to miss half the movie. Besides the fact that the DVD release, which is relatively new, is fantastic, the visual elements which wash over me from my HDTV prove that I didn't even see the movie when watching VHS in '91. I was merely seeing a "copy".

Costner has directed a new western, for which I saw previews a few weeks ago. He excells in the genre, and "Dances" is surely a "movie that matters". I feel as if I have seen it for the first time on the big screen, even if that screen is in my "media room" instead of at the local multiplex. They can be content to show "Bad Boys II" (I'm guessing at least 40 mil opening, maybe more) on four or five screens. I can watch art in my shorts and try to beat the heat.

:: Michael Nyiri 10:04 PM Leave a Comment on this Post ::
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Just walking down the aisles at Hollywood Video the other day, whilst looking for new films to rent, I was astounded by the amount of films I see but don't even mention in this blog. "Frida", for instance, the Salma Hayek starrer about Frida Kahlo, directed by "Titus" director Julie Traymor, at first didn't interest me when it came out in theaters in 2002. But the film, which I finally gave in and rented on DVD, is excellent. I give it an 9 of 10 on Mikometer and classify it as a "movie that matters." Besides showing that Salma is a fine actress, the "artistic" production design, by Felipe Fern?ndez del Paso (I), whom I don't know, but who designed John Sayle's "Men With Guns" in 97, and the art direction, by Bernardo Trujillo (whose only credit I know was "Blow" which isn't a very good film) is wonderful. Traymor, who also mounted the Broadway production of "The Lion King" describes on the DVD documentary on the making of "Frida" how she uses not computer generated imagery, but stage cheats to imbue the "lifelike" nature of the paintings in the shots. I totally glossed over this film, and now it has become one of my favorites.
Funny how perception can be negative, but when the film is actually seen, the perceptions can be blown out of the water. Other boxes staring back at me told me that I don't really pay attention to the fact that a lot of the films I choose to see are in fact masterpieces which languished at their time of release because of the blockbuster nature of the biz.
Although not a masterpiece, I viewed "How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days", starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey just yesterday. I feel I need to write an actual "review" of this picture. I wouldn't really call it a "movie that matters", and it was described to me by the woman who rented it to me at Hollywood Video as a "chick flick", but I wanted to see it because even though it was lambasted by critics, didn't do too good of business as I remember (but could be wrong) I do remember liking the preview, which was totally enjoyed by the theater audience, and I just love both Matthew and Kate. I like Kate even better than her mother, the always delightful Goldie Hawn. I don't like to call romantic comedies "chick flicks" although I believe this came from "Sleepless In Seattle" a few years back, where Meg Ryan's character is a big fan of "An Affair to Remember" and cries over it every time she sees it on video. There are a wealth of excellent romantic comedies, one of my latest favorites which disappeared from theaters really quickly was Peyton Reed's "Down With Love" with Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor which I might have already talked a little about when it was released. "How to Lose a Guy" is similarly delightful, and I cried (PLOT POINT ALERT) when McConaughey's Benjamin Barry grabs the dying "love fern" and straps it on the back of his motorcycle to go retreive Kate's Andie Anderson. But I'm giving away plot here, which I don't like to do. I just wanted to mention that I did get emotional during the film, and, as a "guy", I admit I am emotional during the best romantic comedies, and fully embrace the feeling, just like Meg's character in "Sleepless." Some romantic comedies are "cookie cutter" and seem to star either Julia Roberts or JLo, but some are wonderful and play as emotional triggers for me.
There were other boxes staring at me, and now that I want to remember them I can't as usual.
But at least I just got two mini reviews up here, and mentioned "Down With Love" (again?) That title and "Frida", plus "How to Lose a Guy" shall probably have at least a page each. Heck I still haven't finished my opus filmbook on "Phantom of the Paradise".
I did post some "comments" on the 20 Best Movies list but haven't seen any reciprocal comments on that site yet.


:: Michael Nyiri 8:22 AM Leave a Comment on this Post ::
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Movies this week:
"Tiger Bay" 1959 8 of 10
I was looking for Hayley Mills flicks, specifically "The Trouble With Angels" from 1966, and which doesn't seem to be on DVD yet, and got this early gem. It's a b&w English film also starring her father John, which interested Walt Disney in her prowess before casting her in "Pollyanna". My Hayley search also netted me "The Moon Spinners" which I hadn't seen since it aired on The Wonderful World of Disney when I was a child. I had never seen "Tiger Bay" until renting it at Netflix Hayley is Gillie, a 10 year old tomboy who witnesses a murder in her low class English housing tract, and later befriends the murderer, played by Horst Bucholtz. Although full screen, meaning I couldn't watch it on the HDTV, it is still mesmerizing and filled with suspense. There are a lot of old b&w English films which not many people have seen, and I recommend this one highly.
:: Michael Nyiri 6:03 PM Leave a Comment on this Post ::
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I'm going through files and folders on my server and trying to combine all the pertinent "blog entries" I prepared to different versions of many blogs I wish to destroy, and came upon the following from an unused page in 2002. Instead of deleting the entry, I will post it here. Perhaps I should post it closer to it's actual date, but then, who reads me except me anyway?

"Here you are, supplying logic to a movie that defies it." Eric Roeper 9/22/02

The most intelligent thing Mr. Roeper has ever uttered, and it was to Roger Ebert, after Ebert tried to justify the existence of the American FBI in Vancouver while reviewing the movie "Ballistic" Often critics, and audiences, attempt to "explain" the inexplicable in an entertainment. Too often, I believe, this intrudes on the enjoyment of whatever art is being presented, so I prefer not to "examine too closely" or "interpret" the entertainment I see, and if there is a glaring mistake in exposition (or lack thereof) plot mechanics, continuity, or bad acting, it acknowledges a groan, and I try to let the movie wash over me again with whatever charms it exudes.
:: Michael Nyiri 1:07 PM Leave a Comment on this Post ::
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It's the day after the fourth of July, which wasn't that "liberating" for me since I spent the entire day "locked up" in my media room, which becomes a blast furnace during the summer time, importing images for and constructing my two page "appreciation" of "Gangs of New York", accessible through the image on the post below. Perhaps today will be a "movie day". I do really want to see the new "Terminator" film. My housemate even expressed an interest in going, but from early returns it looks like the crowds will be heavy. "Hulk" dropped last week, and I must say the only thing recommending that film to me is the director: Ang Lee. whose "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was my choice for Best Picture two years ago. (Was it that long ago?) He also has directed quite a few "classics" but I'll mention the seldom seen "Ride With the Devil" with Tobey McGuire, a rather eye opening look at the jayhawkers and bushwackers in Missouri during the Civil War. Back to "Ahnold", whose "Terminator II 3D" ride I caught when visiting Universal studios a few weeks ago, I only recently discovered that Claire Danes is in the film. I usually like her work a lot. However, Turan's review in the Times suggests that her role will be one of "the screamer", a genre part I don't care for at all. Makes me think of Tea Leoni in "Jurrassic Park III", Fay Wray in "King Kong", or the piercingly grating Ann Robinson in "War of the Worlds". The best line in the trailer for T3, Ahnold's "I'm an obsolete design" is getting a nod in almost every review.
Although strictly a future DVD rental for me, "Legally Blonde II" is out, and I sure am glad they made a sequel to "Blonde". I remember seeing the original on HBO or Starz a while back, and thought, "Now there are some people I'd love to visit in a future film. Why don't they make a sequel to this?" They must have listened to me!
:: Michael Nyiri 8:41 AM Leave a Comment on this Post ::
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Here are some choice quotes from "The Gangs of New York" by Marty Scorsese, written by Steven Zaillian and Kenneth Lonergan and Jay Cocks

"If only I had the guns, Mr. Tweed, I'd shoot each and every one of them before they set foot on American soil." Bill "The Butcher" Cutter
"Each of the five points is a finger. When I close my hand, it becomes a fist." Bill "The Butcher"
"The spirit of the law has to be upheld. Especially while it's being broken." "Boss" Tweed
"Suppose I help myself to everything." "Suppose you do." "Amsterdam Vallon
"The spectacle of fearsome acts. Somebody steals from me. I cut off his hands. He offends me. I cut off his toe. He rises against me. I cut off his head, stick it on a pike, raise it high up, so all in the streets can see.That's what preserves the order of things. Fear." Bill "The Butcher"
"Whattaya say, Jen? One more time for the sweet souvenier." Bill "The Butcher"
"My allegience is to the law. I'm paid to uphold the law." Jack............"What in heaven's name are you talking about? You may have misgivings, but don't go believing that, Jack. That way lies damnation....I want you to go out there, and I want...you...to punish the person....who's...responsible...for murdering this poor little rabbit.."Bill "The Butcher"
"The Earth turns, but we don't feel it move. And one night you look up. One spark, and the sky's on fire." "Amsterdam Vallon"
"The past is the torch that lights our way.Where our fathers have showed us the path, we will follow." "Amsterdam" Vallon
"I wonder if Miss Everdeen could angle her rifle in another direction." "Boss" Tweed
"All Right, Line Up. It's Election Day." Bill "The Butcher"
Bill: "Weapons?" Amsterdam: "That I leave up to you." Bill: "Bricks, bats, axes, knives...... pistols??"
Amsterdam: " No....pistols." Bill: "Good boy."
"For those of us what lived and died in them furious days, it was like everything we knew was mightily swept away, and no matter what they did to build up this city up again, for the rest of time, it would be like no one would even knew we was ever here." "Amsterdam" Vallon
The Gangs of New York page should be finished by the end of the holiday.....
:: Michael Nyiri 8:04 PM Leave a Comment on this Post ::
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I felt a particular loss yesterday when opening the newspaper and reading that Kate Hepburn passed at 96. Even though she hasn't made a feature in quite a few years, and she certainly qualifies as one of the last Black and White Stars to pass away, leaving behind her some of the Cinema's best work, I miaa her presence in this world. Just last month, I viewed one of my mini-festivals, including "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", her last film with the love of her life, "Philadelphia Story", where she plays the inimitable and purely original Tracey Lord, and "The Lion In Winter", in which she essays the part of a Queen. Kate is and has always been a Queen of the Cinema. As I wonder so often these days as the last Great Stars of Hollywood leave us. It is up to those who remember them to keep them in the Cultural Memory of Time, and to introduce the Work to new generations. The Art Is What Matters.

:: Michael Nyiri 5:18 AM Leave a Comment on this Post ::
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