:: Sunday, July 13, 2003 ::

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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