 An online diary of the movies that matter, as I see
them,explained and explicated daily (hopefully), at least weekly, and
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:: Saturday, February 28, 2004 ::
Finally caught up with "Something's Gotta Give" this past weekend. Title is always confusing me, becuase of course, there is already a 1962 movie called "Something's Got to Give" which of course was the unfinished film Marily was working on at the time of her death. "Something's Gotta Give" is Nancy Meyer's humorous and touching take on middle age romance, with Jack Nicholson, who's getting better as he gets older, and Diane Keaton, who is now (along with Charlize Theron) my pick for Best Actress this Sunday night. Diane is lustrous, exciting, and still beautiful. (Major female stars of the seventies, as they age, usually pile on the botox and collagen, to somewhat startingly frightening effects. Witness Goldie Hawn, for example, who tends to look these days like the character she played in Zemeckis' "Death Becomes Her". But Diane Keaton has "aged well" and still looks beautiful. I've always said that Susan Sarandon is the most beautiful 53 year old gal I've ever loved, and Diane Keaton certainly gets my vote for the most beautiful 58 year old.:: Tuesday, February 24, 2004 :: Oscars this Sunday.:: Saturday, February 21, 2004 :: I just rented "Open Range", as it has been "rented out" at Hollywood Video. This is one I will eventually own. I watched the "shootout scene" in toto twice over the past two days. This is a magnificent film, and a great western, with nods to everyone from Sergio Leone, to Clint Eastwood, to John Sturges, to John Ford, to Sam Peckinpah. Kevin Costner is fantastic, and he did win an Oscar, it might be remembered, for "Dances with Wolves". Kevin, as Charlie Waite, Robert Duvall as "Boss" Spearman, Annette Bening as Sue Barlow, Michael Gambon, Michael Jeter. The cast is magnificent. The scenery, shot by James Muro, who steadicamed on "Titanic", and "X2" among other films, is lush and painterly. The production design, by Gae Buckley, always lets the viewer know exactly where he is in regards to location in the town. It seems somewhat futile to mention this, but why didn't "Open Range" get nominated for any Oscars. Kevin is a past winner. The film is much more than the "standard oater". I am always looking for good westerns, and this shall be a classic. I can't get enough of "Open Range." My roommate even liked it, and he doesn't like anything.:: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 :: Much has been said about the fine film "Bend It Like Beckham" which I finally got around to seeing. I love sports movies which take me somewhere I haven't been, because I don't particularly like sports. This is more a "culture clash" movie, and ties in with my Bollywood tastes, being the tale of 'Jess' Bhamra, a Indian girl living in England who happens to be a fantastic soccer player, but is stuck in a "traditional" family, who do not think it proper for her to pursue her dreams. Directed by Gurinder Chadha, this is a heartfelt movie which, like "Real Women Have Curves", takes the viewer into a foreign subculture, and immerses us in this culture. It's also a neat sports movie, and Keira Knightly is more stunning here than in "Pirates of the Caribbean. ":: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 :: I don't think I can honestly call myself a "movie buff" after seeing the documentary "Cinemania", one of the gems I picked up through Netflix. Jack, Eric, Bill, Roberta, and Harvey are the true "movie buffs" or "cinemaniacs". Not satisfied with "real life", this group of eclectic cinefiles forsake human relationships, family, work, etc. for the hectic life of a true cinemaniac. The documentary follows these people, who harbor a need to see at least three to five movies a day, in theaters, and not on video. Thier tastes are eclectic. They like foreign films and classic b&w's but they see them in art theaters in New York City. I don't even think there could be this subculture in L.A. We don't have enough theaters showing classics on a regular basis, besides Landmark theaters, the Bing, and the Egyptian. New Yorkers have quite a pallete to choose from, and this is a film I couldn't take my eyes off of. Roberta, the only female, is an outspoken individual, who gets impressively peeved if anyone "misunderstands" or "disagrees" with her tastes. Harvey collects film soundtracks on vinyl, but doesn't have a turntable on which to play them. Jack is the "main narrator" and seems to be the most "sane" (that's the best way to put it.) But all these guys are pretty weird. Harvey, for example, knows the running time of every film he sees, and gets upset at the projectionist when the film runs over or under. Don't even think of digital video with these folks. I was awestruck at this document of a subculture I guess I knew existed, but didn't really know about. I recommend it highly for anyone who considers themselves a movie buff.:: Sunday, February 01, 2004 :: This past week I saw a couple of John Frankenheimer flicks which I Tivo'd from Turner Classic Movies. "Birdman of Alcatraz", which is probably thought of along with "The Manchurian Candidate" when the director's name is mentioned. And "The Young Savages" sort of like "West Side Story" without the dancing and music. "Savages" is from 1961, and "Birdman" from 1962. Both star Burt Lancaster. Both are excellent. I hadn't seen "Birdman" since I was a kid. "Savages" tells an inner city youth tale, from a book by Evan Hunter, who wrote the similarly themed "Blackboard Jungle". Burt gets to laugh in "Savages" Hahahahaha. But as lifetime prisoner and bird buff, he's mostly very serious. Frankenheimer started as a television director, and his "signature" shot would have to be where one character is in almost closeup near the front of the screen, and another or a group of others is behind, yet still in focus. He likes to frame from below eye level, with the camera looking "up" at it's subjects. He also filmed wild car chases, but there aren't any in either movie I just lensed. "Birdman' looks wonderful in letterbox, even though it is only 1:85 to 1 because of the framing. Burt's performance is mannered, and wonderfully bristly. He's a D.A. in "Savages" in which he chews a bit more scenery.
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