Feb revivals: first half

Hi all. Mike here with a list of what to catch in the first half of Feb. I know I got carried away with the photos. But I liked some of them and once I got going, I didn't want to ignore the films I REALLY wanted to catch. And I know some of them conflict, but like I said before, not my problem unless someone really wants to catch something. A problem I rarely have, so here we go:

THE MISSION- Thurs Feb 1 at 6- MOMA- Part of the Ennio Morricone retrospective. In time for his acceptance of an honorary Oscar, we have a retrospective of his best scores, and the films that came along with them. This is part of MOMA's, but the only one at MOMA that I'll have any possible time for. A Jesuit mission is founded in South America in the 18th Century. But once Spain sells the colony to Portugal, allowing the natives to be sold as slaves, 2 men who helped the mission are in conflict as to how to help resist. The priest who founded the mission (Jeremy Irons) is sticking to his vows, while a former mercenary (Robert De Niro) is trying to set up armed resistance.

7 Oscar nominations, including Picture, Director for Roland Joffe, and Score for Morricone; an Oscar for Cinematography. Was labeled as nothing more then Masterpiece Theater-esque at the time of its release by some, and was lost in the Oscar buzz and news in general by the dominating Platoon. But still worth catching. Also, Adian Quinn and Liam Neeson in early roles.


INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION- Fri Feb 2 at 7 and 9:30 and Sat Feb 3 at 9:30- Film Forum- Part of the Ennio Morricone retrospective. In time for his acceptance of an honorary Oscar, we have a retrospective of his best scores, and Film Forum's last longer with choices as diverse as the films he worked on.

This is the first from the Forum's retrospective. Winner for Best Foreign Language Oscar in 1971, and nominated for its Screenplay in 1972. A famous detective from Rome, who specializes in cracking political dissidents, kills his mistress. He's put in charge of the murder investigation, but how much of his guilt and how much of his ego will come out? Obviously not a whodunit, but more of a whydunnit, with its heavy critique of police corruption.

This film is NOT available on DVD, is rarely played on American TV, and being screened in a new 35mm print. Never seen all of it, and would REALLY like to.


BATMAN- Fri Feb 2 and Sat Feb 3 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- The Tim Burton- Jack Nicholson version. Wouldn't put it above Batman Begins, but it's better then some Hollywood blockbusters today. It's Oscar winning art direction took the influences of Blade Runner and Brazil, and still managed to stand out on its own, with its decaying look of Gotham and impressive Batcave.


THE LAST WALTZ introduced by critic Thelma Adams- Sat Feb 3 at 4- AMMI in Astoria- Considered by some to be the best concert film ever made. After Taxi Driver, a change of pace for director Martin Scorsese, filming the farewell concert of The Band on Thanksgiving 1976. Mixed with recording sessions that also included working with Emmylou Harris and The Staples. They also had some friends performing with them, including Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Ron Wood, Dr. John, and Ringo Starr. Also includes interviews with members of the Band, days after the concert.

Also noteworthy is the cinematography of Michael Chapman, who also did Scorsese's Taxi Driver and Raging Bull. The first concert film to be photographed in 35mm. The film will be introduced by film critic Thelma Adams.


THE LION IN WINTER- Sat Feb 3 at 8 for 5 dollars- The Makor, Steinhardt Building, 35 W 67th St- Part of the Academy Awards®—You Be the Judge series. Never been to the Makor before, but very curious, considering this is a favorite of mine. They did a poll with people about what they thought was the best performances that deserved to win an Oscar, but didn't. Peter O'Toole's perf in the Lion in Winter was one of them. He plays the same role he did in Becket, King Henry II of England, but as an older man despite only aging 4 or 5 years himself. Henry wants to name his successor, and his scheming sons and plotting wife at times backstab each other, just to have the chance to curry favor or backstab Henry. Hardly the happiest Christmas Day movie you'll ever see, but definitely the bitchiest.

I've told some of you about films I watched a lot at home, back when we had a CED disc collection (bonus points and a possible free revival out of me for the one not named Bart who knows what I mean by CED discs). There were films I saw in heavy rotation, semi- heavy, and monthly. The Lion in Winter was one I tended to see seasonally; enough to enjoy without tiring of it.

Verbal fireworks from writer James Goldman (who adapted his play), played to terrific heights from O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn. Their scenes are the highlight of this film, and Kate probably was given the best lines of her career in this film. One of her better ones:

. . .even made poor Louis take me on Crusade. How's that for blasphemy. I dressed my maids as Amazons and rode bare-breasted halfway to Damascus. Louis had a seizure and I damn near died of windburn... but the troops were dazzled.

Also featuring Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton in their screen debuts, as Richard the Lion-Hearted and King Louis II of France, respectively. 7 Oscar nominations, including Picture, Director, and O'Toole. 3 Oscars; for the Screenplay, Hepburn for Actress (Hepburn became the third performer to win consecutive awards, the first to win three awards for lead roles and tied with Barbara Streisand for Funny Girl that year.), and John Barry's terrific score. A note about Barry. It was considered a bit of surprise that someone known for light scores like the James Bond theme would get the gig, but he was friends with director Anthony Harvey. Barry's score just feels like it belongs in the Middle Ages, and I mean that in a good way.

Best of all about this: only 5 dollars a ticket. If you've never seen it, go. Go now. Let me repeat:

If you haven't seen it,

GO NOW!!! THIS SATURDAY!!!!!


A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS- Wed Feb 7 at 3:50 and 7:30- Film Forum- Part of the Ennio Morricone retrospective. The first of the spaghetti Westerns, the first of the Man With No Name movies and the first role to put Eastwood on the film map. A rip off of Kurosawa's Yojimbo, for which director Sergio Leone was sued. He claimed both films were The Servant of Two Masters, plus some deaths.That didn't fly, and I believe an out of court settlement was reached. Nevertheless, this is worth catching. Not as good as The Good The Bad and The Ugly (which will appear on the next list), but still pretty good.


MY DINNER WITH ANDRE and SHAFT(1971)- Thurs Feb 8 at 6(Andre) and 8:30(Shaft)- MOMA- A double feature at MOMA, contrasting 2 films that were made entirely in NYC. Yes, they did this on purpose at MOMA. It's not paying to see one film and walking over to see another. You go to see the Louis Malle talkfest with Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn, and you stay for the Richard Roundtree blaxplotation classic. THIS IS INSANE, but I'm interested. Are you?


DEMON SEED- Fri Feb 9 at 9 and Sat Feb 10 at 1:15- Walter Reade theater at Lincoln Center- Part of the Donald Cammell retrospective, adapted from a Dean Koontz novel. An underrated sci-fi film that was a little ahead of its time in terms of computers and how they much use they are in our everyday lives. In the story, advances in artificial intelligence result in a computer more advanced then his creator expected. It's more interested in evolving then being taken over by the military, and will use his creator's wife (Julie Christie) against her will to do so. Christie is good, but Robert Vaughn stands out as the ominous voice of the computer, Proteus IV; he makes HAL 9000 sound like a benevolent choir boy in comparison.

One note from the filmlinc website about the film:
"We apologize in advance: the only existent 35mm print is slightly faded."


AMERICAN DREAM and SHUT UP AND SING, with pre and post film talks (depending on the film) with director Barbara Kopple- Sat Feb 10 at 4:30(American) and 7(Shut Up)- AMMI in Astoria- Part of the Critics Choice: Great Documentaries series. The liberal film network is on full effect with this pair of documentaries from director Barbara Kopple. All conservatives, run and hide, AMMI probable isn't the place where you want to be considered the enemy on this day.

First, American Dream, Oscar winner for Best Documentary. It covers how a small Minnesota town is ripped apart, due to a prolonged strike of a Hormel meat packing plant. The executives are not shown in a positive light to say the least. Michael Moore showed the GM executives in Roger and Me in a kinder light. Definitely on the side of the workers here. Critic Marshall Fine handles the post film Q and A with co-director Kopple.

Afterwards, Kopple will introduce Shut Up and Sing, that she co-directed with Cecilia Peck (Gregory's daughter). It follows the Dixie Chicks after they made their anti-Bush comment and the firestorm that followed. Really it was singer Natalie Maines who made the comment, the other two got dragged into the crap. Where they stopped, or were liberal martyrs created? And are they really down and out anyway? Watch and find out.


THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS- Sat Feb 10 at 4:30- Film Forum- Part of the Ennio Morricone retrospective. An excellent film that was studied in the Pentagon as an example of what to expect when invading Iraq. But as you see the film, you might wonder, at what point did those in charge forget what they learned by seeing this?!?!? For the rest, I'll just cut and paste from the Forum's website:

(1965, GILLO PONTECORVO) Algiers, 1957. French paratroopers inch their way through the Casbah to zero in on the hideout of the last rebel still free in the city. Flashback three years earlier, as the Algerian National Liberation Front decides on urban warfare. Thus begin the provocations, assassinations, hair-breadth escapes, and reprisals; and massive, surging crowd scenes unfolding with gripping realism: many of the sequences were shot and edited to the driving prerecorded score by Pontecorvo and Morricone. Winner, Grand Prize, Venice Film Festival.


THE DEER HUNTER- Sat Feb 10 at 8 for 5 dollars- The Makor, Steinhardt Building, 35 W 67th St- Part of the Academy Awards®—You Be the Judge series. They did a poll with people about what they thought was the best performances that deserved to win an Oscar, but didn't. Robert De Niro's perf in The Deer Hunter was chosed. Now I don't agree that De Niro should have won over Jon Voight for Coming Home that year. But if that's what it takes to get this film on this list, fine by me. The first Vietnam War film that was accepted by the public, despite massive controversy. 9 nominations, including Meryl Streep for Supporting Actress. 5 Oscars, including Picture, Director Michael Cimino and Christopher Walken for Supporting Actor.

Also, only 5 dollars a ticket.


I left out one film from the list: DAYS OF HEAVEN on Wed. Feb 14 at the Film Forum. Terrence Malick's film is less of a movie, and more of a well crafted work of art. But I already caught this last April. If you're really excited to catch it, let me know.

Anything that's on the list, with an emphasis for what's coming up this weekend, is what I'm interested in. And you can't top 5 dollar screenings in Manhatten or if you join me at Film Forum at a reduced price. Let me know. Later.

Oscar noms: the damage left behind

Now we see how well I did in my picks. Let's start with Picture. First, the actual nominees:

BABEL, THE DEPARTED, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, THE QUEEN

Then my first picks in this category:
Babel, Departed, Dreamgirls, Iwo Jima, Queen

Then my revised picks:
Babel, Departed, Dreamgirls, Sunshine, Queen

Then Hollywood Say's picks: Babel, Departed, Dreamgirls, Iwo Jima, Queen

Hey, what the hell happened to Dreamgirls? I managed in both my picks to be both right and wrong at the same time. Doesn't matter, I can only claim 4 out of 5, and only the revised choice at that. I wonder how many Oscar voters who picked Chicago have since died? Or is it that the newer members added over the years don't like musicals? Or perhaps one other dirty secret; that maybe Dreamgirls isn't a better musical then Chicago, despite fitting the traditional format better, plus having better singers?

Now, Best Actor. First, the nominees:

Leonardo DiCaprio - BLOOD DIAMOND, Ryan Gosling - HALF NELSON, Peter O'Toole - VENUS, Will Smith - THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, Forest Whitaker - THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

Then my picks: DiCaprio for Departed, O'Toole, Smith, Watanabe, Whitaker.

Then Hollywood Say's picks: DiCaprio (Departed), Whitaker, Smith, O'Toole, Gosling

Kudos for Hollywood Say for having faith that some members would actually pick up the Half Nelson DVD and watch it. And gee, no wonder Leo wasn't nominated for Best Actor for The Departed, Warner Bros only submitted him for Blood Diamond here. Does this mean I have to watch Blood Diamond now? DAMNIT!!!! I already saw Dances With Wolves, Cry Freedom and The Last Samurai, what makes this different?!?!? Oh, the extreme lack of chemistry between Leo and Jennifer Connelly, as seen in the trailer. I FEEL MUCH BETTER NOW!!!!

Best Actress, we both got right. So easy. I guess the same people who touched the Half Nelson DVD, wouldn't touch the Sherrybaby DVD with a 10 meter cattle prod. Sorry, Maggie G.

Now on to Best Director. First, the nominees:

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - BABEL, Martin Scorsese - THE DEPARTED, Clint Eastwood - LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, Stephen Frears - THE QUEEN, Paul Greengrass - UNITED 93

Then my picks: Condon, Eastwood for Iwo Jima, Frears, Inarritu, Scorsese.

Then Hollywood Say's picks: Scorsese, Condon, Eastwood, Inarritu, Greengrass (I'm going with my gut here, not to mention the one who deserves it the most. Academy also has a history of nominating directors from films that they themselves won't nominate, as a way of throwing a bone. I'm guessing that will be the case here.)

Nice call with Greengrass, but I told you Frears was going to ride the wave of Old People comfort food with The Queen. That being said, where's Bill Condon? Is Dreamgirls really considered that weak?

Next, Best Sup. Actor. First the nominees:

Alan Arkin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, Jackie Earle Haley - LITTLE CHILDREN, Djimon Hounsou - BLOOD DIAMOND, Eddie Murphy - DREAMGIRLS, Mark Wahlberg - THE DEPARTED

Next, my picks and Hollywood Say's, which were one and the same: Arkin, Haley, Murphy, Nicholson and Sheen

While I guess some SAG members felt the same way I did about Jack; that when he started to rat noises, was when his Boston gangster Mephistopheles perf started to go down in quality a little. SAG chose not to nominate him, but I thought the Academy would think otherwise. Oops.

Anyway, did I mention I still don't want to see Blood Diamond? You couldn't force this down my throat during Christmas, and you think now you will, eh Time Warner. You can't make me! Yeah, take that, you multi-billion dollar conglomerate you! I'm not in your pocket! Just because I get my cable from you. Including HBO and Skinemax, I mean Cinemax. And I get my internet too . . . And I liked The Departed a lot, as well as Flags of our Fathers. Also I liked Little Children, which is from a division of Time Warner. Also, For Your Consideration, which is from Warner Bros.' art house division. . . . Oh boy . . . Oh, I liked Superman Returns and V For Vendetta , and I liked the comics they originated from which, uh, which came from DC Comics, which are also owned by . . . Oh forget it. I'm just a tool for Time Warner. Just change my name to THX-1138 and get me to work. No wait, that was from Warner Bros. too. DAMMITT!!!

Now for Best Supporting Actress: First the nominees:

Adriana Barraza - BABEL, Cate Blanchett - NOTES ON A SCANDAL, Abigail Breslin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, Jennifer Hudson - DREAMGIRLS, Rinko Kikuchi - BABEL

Next, my picks: Barraza, Blanchett, Breslin, Hudson, Kikuchi.

Next, Hollywood Say's picks: Hudson, Blanchett, Kikuchi, Breslin, O'Hara

What do you know? I didn't screw this one up. I kept myself from talking myself out of not picking Barraza and Breslin. Hollywood Say, I understand the sentiment in terms of Catherine O'Hara (For Your Consideration); she or Emily Blunt (Devil Wears Prada) would have been preferable in the 5th slot. Like I said before, the toughest to cut down to 5.

Next, Original Screenplay. First, the nominees:

BABEL, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, PAN'S LABYRINTH, THE QUEEN

Next, my picks: Babel, Sunshine, The Queen, Stranger Than Fiction, United 93.

Next, Hollywood Say's picks: Babel, Little Miss Sunshine, The Queen, Iwo Jima, Pan's Labyrinth.

Yup, I screwed the pooch on this one. Stranger Than Fiction; I thought being Charlie Kaufman lite would be a helpful thing. As for United 93, I thought the tossing of a nomination bone to Paul Greengrass would happen here, not for Director, as Hollywood Say predicted.

Next, Screenplay Adaptation. First, the nominees:

BORAT, CHILDREN OF MEN, THE DEPARTED, LITTLE CHILDREN, NOTES ON A SCANDAL

First, my picks: Children of Men, Departed, Dreamgirls, Flags of Our Fathers, Little Children.

Next, Hollywood Say's picks: Children of Men, Departed, Dreamgirls, Little Children, Notes on a Scandal

Screwed up again, but I partially don't mind if Patrick Marber gets a nod. Makes up ignoring his script for Closer.

That being said, of course I messed up with Flags of our Fathers, Warners supposedly never submitted it for the major nominations! To make Clint feel better after Flag's financial failure, they withdrew Flags from consideration for the major categories, and put all thier publicity eggs into Iwo Jima.

Also, Borat? BORAT?!?!?! A series of story ideas with little or no dialogue, loosely linked together, and that passes as a script? Thanks, Writers Guild. The worst nomination for a script since Beverly Hills Cop in 1985 (the funniest lines were improvised or ad libbed by Eddie Murphy). I liked Borat, but I'm not buying it as a script. Sorry.

I lost this again, but that's ok. The real losing, I mean real competition comes Sunday Feb 25.

Other notes:

A surprising number of noms for Pan's Labyrinth. Now I'm really interested in catching it.

The only actor to be nominated from The Departed is Marky Mark. Really?

Nice to see Jesus Camp wasn't ignored for a Best Documentary nomination. Now it's out on home video, so rush to rent it. It's facing heavy competiton in this category, so please don't let this get lost in the shuffle.

The only nomination Volver could manage was for Penelope Cruz? Did Pedro A. do something to tick off the Academy, aside from Bad Education (my favorite film of 2004)? And does this mean we can no longer make fun of Cruz's voice when she speaks English?

3 song nominations for Dreamgirls, but no love for Prince's song for Happy Feet?

If Al Gore wins for Best Documentary, and Happy Feet wins Best Animated Film, you'll hear more louder screams from conservative households since Clooney gave his acceptance speech for Syriana last year. All that would probably be nothing if Iraq In Fragments wins. After they hear the director's speech, the same number will probably shoot the TV, like Elvis did once.

Later all.

Oscar nom picks.

Every year for the past couple of years, thanks to the internet, I've done a little thing with several friends, where we make our Oscar picks. For the purposes of this blog, I'll post them here. 1 or 2 minor edits, one major change on my end, and 2 name deletions made by me, otherwise it's the same. Here it is in cut and pasted form. And if you have any bright ideas, comments, corrections, wish to tear me a new one based on the picks made, don't be afraid to let me know. Remember, they need to be in by 8:30AM EST, Tuesday Jan. 23 2007. No prizes, sorry. Also, do note that none of us have any special knowledge, insight or secret files. We're just talking. Here we go. First, me:



Subject: Oscar predictions
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 05:09:07 -0500


Mike here with our annual let's try to predict the nominations. As usual I use the Hollywood Stock Exchange website as a guide, and break them down into probables, possibles, maybes, and longshots, followed by my pick. I believe 3 years ago I outdid J.C., 2 yrs ago we tied (with some different picks), and last yr, JC did better then me. {NAME DELETED}, I don't want to talk about, poor man. Anyway, here we go:


Best Picture:
Probables: Little Miss Sunshine, The Departed, Babel, Dreamgirls, The Queen

Possible: Letters From Iwo Jima

Maybe: Little Children

Longshots: Volver, United 93, The Pursuit of Happyness, Flags of Our Fathers, The Good Shepard, World Trade Center, Pan's Labyrinth, Children of Men, Note on a Scandal, Blood Diamond, The Devil Wears Prada, Half Nelson, Thank You for Smoking, Borat, Bobby

My picks: Babel, Departed, Dreamgirls, Iwo Jima, Queen

The Queen is so lucky that it's Movie Comfort Food for old people. And as much as i liked sunshine, i would be surprised if Clint was ignored by Oscar. As long as it isn't Booby, I mean Bobby. I mean, how the hell did those nutjobs in SAG vote Booby as Best Ensemble? Didn't they notice Sharon Stone and Ashton Kutcher were in the cast? Didn't they see the TRAILER?!?!?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Editor's note: I originally had Sunshine 4th in the probables category, and I left it unpicked. Since then, Sunshine won the Producers Guild award. As far as I'm concerned, not only should it be listed as the number one probable, it now has a good chance to win if nominated. So I guess we'll have to throw out Clint in this category. I so much prefer to see Queen not make it in this category, but it doesn't look likely. So here are my revised picks:

My picks: Babel, Departed, Dreamgirls, Sunshine, Queen

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Best Actor:
Probables: Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland, Leonardo DiCaprio - The Departed, Will Smith - The Pursuit of Happyness

Possibles: Peter O'Toole - Venus, Ryan Gosling - Half Nelson, Sacha Baron Cohen - Borat

Maybes: Ken Watanabe - Letters from Iwo Jima, Leonardo DiCaprio - Blood Diamond

Longshots: Aaron Eckhart - Thank You for Smoking, Matt Damon - The Good Shepherd, Derek Luke - Catch a Fire, George Clooney - The Good German, Jamie Foxx- Dreamgirls, Clive Owen- Children of Men, Greg Kinnear- Little Miss Sunshine, Edward Norton- The Painted Veil, Daniel Craig- Casino Royale, Patrick Wilson- Little Children, Nicholas Cage- World Trade Center


My picks: DiCaprio for Departed, O'Toole, Smith, Watanabe, Whitaker.

I'm just finding it doubtful that enough Academy members picked up the Half Nelson DVD and watched Gosling.

Note: Warner Bros. tried to have DiCaprio nominated for Best Actor for Blood Diamond and Supporting Actor for Departed, because the Academy doesn't allow one actor to be nominated twice in the same category. Don't think WB will succeed with that, but if it the category looks a little funny when announced, you'll know why.


Best Actress:
Probables: Helen Mirren - The Queen, Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada, Kate Winslet - Little Children, Penelope Cruz - Volver

Possible: Judi Dench - Notes on a Scandal

Maybes: Maggie Gyllenhaal - Sherrybaby, Naomi Watts - The Painted Veil

Longshots: Juliette Binoche - Breaking and Entering, Beyoncè Knowles - Dreamgirls, Sienna Miller - Factory Girl, Renee Zellweger - Miss Potter, Cate Blanchett - The Good German, Annette Bening - Running with Scissors, Anne Hathaway- The Devil Wears Prada, Ellen Page- Hard Candy


My picks: Cruz, Dench, Mirren, Streep, Winslet.

I still believe Streep's perf is only a supporting role, not a lead. But oh well . . .


Best Director:
Probables: Martin Scorsese - The Departed, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - Babel, Bill Condon - Dreamgirls, Clint Eastwood - Letters from Iwo Jima

Possible: Stephen Frears - The Queen

Maybes: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris - Little Miss Sunshine, Paul Greengrass - United 93, Alfonso Cuarón - Children of Men, Todd Field - Little Children, Pedro Almodovar - Volver, Gabriele Muccino - The Pursuit of Happyness

Longshots: Clint Eastwood - Flags of Our Fathers, Robert De Niro - The Good Shepherd, Oliver Stone - World Trade Center, Robert Altman- A Prairie Home Companion, Gulliermo del Toro- Pan's Labyrinth


My picks: Condon, Eastwood for Iwo Jima, Frears, Inarritu, Scorsese.

Like I said, it's a good thing The Queen is old people comfort food, otherwise Greengrass would be nominated over him. And yes, Eastwood over the Sunshine directors. Yes, they got the DGA nomination over Clint, but at least a third of the Guild membership is comprised of video directors, where Dayton and Faris started as. But Clint will not be ignored by the Academy this year, especially in this category. Others years might have seen Altman get a posthumous nom, but not this year.


Best Supporting Actor:
Probables: Eddie Murphy- Dreamgirls, Jack Nicholson - The Departed

Possibles: Jackie Earle Haley - Little Children, Djimon Hounsou - Blood Diamond, Mark Wahlberg - The Departed, Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine

Maybes: Brad Pitt - Babel, Michael Sheen - The Queen, James McAvoy - The Last King of Scotland, Steve Carell - Little Miss Sunshine

Longshots: Ben Affleck - Hollywoodland, Adam Beach - Flags of Our Fathers, Michael Pena - World Trade Center, Bill Nighy- Notes on a Scandal, Stanley Tucci- The Devil Wears Prada


My picks: Arkin, Haley, Murphy, Nicholson and Sheen.

The toughest of the acting categories, in terms of many choices to fill the 5th slot. Sheen is my dark horse; here's hoping the idea of The Queen being old people comfort food actually works in this case over Blood Diamond. For all the deserved attention toward Mirren, we wouldn't empathize with Queen Elizabeth nearly as much, if Sheen's portrayal doesn't allow us to. It almost gives us permission to feel at least a little sorry. Sorry Beach and Carell (in that order), no room.


Best Supporting Actress:
Probable: Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls

Possibles: Cate Blanchett - Notes on a Scandal, Rinko Kikuchi - Babel, Adriana Barraza - Babel, Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine

Maybes: Emily Blunt - The Devil Wears Prada, Phyllis Somerville - Little Children, Vera Farmiga - The Departed

Longshots: Catherine O'Hara - For Your Consideration, Carmen Maura - Volver, Shareeka Epps - Half Nelson, Emma Thompson - Stranger Than Fiction, Jill Clayburgh - Running with Scissors, Maggie Gyllenhaal - World Trade Center, Luminita Gheorghiu- The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, Meryl Streep- A Prairie Home Companion, Vanessa Redgrave- Venus, Katie Holmes- Thank You For Smoking

Just kidding about Holmes!! Just making sure you're still awake! God, Katie has become a joke at this point . . . .


My picks: Barraza, Blanchett, Breslin, Hudson, Kikuchi.

After Hudson and Blanchett, just try to cut the list down! That being said, I really tried to think of an alternative that I thought the Academy would pick over Barraza, but no such luck. I have a bias over her storyline in Babel; my least favorite. But not enough of a bias to think she won't get the nod. Personally, I would really want to put in Farmiga, and either O'Hara or Blunt, over Barraza and Breslin, but that's not happening.


Best Original Screenplay:
Probables: Little Miss Sunshine, Babel, The Queen

Possibles: Pan's Labyrinth, Stranger Than Fiction

Maybes: The Good Shepherd, Half Nelson, The Lives of Other, The Pursuit of Happyness, Letters from Iwo Jima, United 93

Longshots: Volver, Bobby, World Trade Center, Sherrybaby


My picks: Babel, Sunshine, The Queen, Stranger Than Fiction, United 93.

United here is another dark horse, otherwise I'd put Iwo Jima here. Greengrass not getting anything would be a bit of a surprise.

Best Screenplay Adaptation:
Probables: The Departed, Dreamgirls

Possibles: Children of Men, The Devil Wears Prada, Thank You for Smoking, The Last King of Scotland, Little Children

Maybes: The History Boys, Notes on a Scandal, Flags of Our Fathers, The Illusionist, The Painted Veil

Longshots: A Prairie Home Companion, The Good German, V For Vendetta, Running With Scissors


My picks: Children of Men, Departed, Dreamgirls, Flags, Little Children.

Sorry I don't see Flags as having only a small chance, I'm feeling the adaptation for Smoking is probably not a major improvement, Prada is too lightweight, and despite some people knowing Patrick Marber, that the positive credit for Scandal is going to remain with the female leads.


Ok. Those are mine, let's see if you can do any better?


Now the first response I got was not someone picking, but someone who didn't like to be refered to as poor man by me in regards to his picks. His thoughts:

"Poor man" !?! A pox upon you, {Word deleted}. I pick those I think deserving, not what the low-brow, mouth breathing, knuckle draggers will likely pick.



Sorry man, didn't mean to refer to you as poor. Would have said sorry earlier but getting band-aids for my knuckles, then getting them over the keyboard takes a lot of my time.


However, someone else did respond, and with nominations. One of the guys listed on the left hand side, known as Hollywood Say, making his first contribution here. Here are his thoughts:



Sent : Saturday, January 20, 2007 12:10 PM

Picture: Babel, Departed, Dreamgirls, Iwo Jima, Queen

Actor: DiCaprio (Departed), Whitaker, Smith, O'Toole, Gosling

Actress: Cruz, Dench, Mirren, Streep, Winslet

Supporting Actor: Murphy, Nicholson, Haley, Arkin, Sheen (ditto on Sheen)

Supporting Actress: Hudson, Blanchett, Kikuchi, Breslin, O'Hara

Director: Scorsese, Condon, Eastwood, Inarritu, Greengrass (I'm going with my gut here, not to mention the one who deserves it the most. Academy also has a history of nominating directors from films that they themselves won't nominate, as a way of throwing a bone. I'm guessing that will be the case here.)

Original Screenplay: Babel, Little Miss Sunshine, The Queen, Iwo Jima, Pan's Labyrinth

Adapted Screenplay: Children of Men, Departed, Dreamgirls, Little Children, Notes on a Scandal


It's okay, you can post my picks on your blog without annonimity. I don't really care. At the end of the days, just post the final Oscar results, in which the good money should bet on me. Lol!


Yeah, I've made bets with Hollywood Say over who actually wins; with either a dinner or DVD as a prize. And if my memory is correct, I haven't beaten him once. I've been close once or twice, but never victorious.

Not once.

Not


one


single


solitary



time . . . . . .

No bitterness here, of course. If there was, why would I keep doing this? It's not like I'm banging my head against the wall. That's a different sort of pleasure all together. Later all.


P.S. : Hollywood Say, nice contribution. Please don't hesitate to contribute again in the future around here. Strenik, the door is open to you as well.

Jan revivals: second half

Mike here with a list of revivals to catch for the end of Jan. Among the titles, 2 of them are NOT on DVD. And who knows when they's see the light of video day. Here we go:


BRIDE OF FRANKENSTIEN- Wed Jan 17 at 8- MOMA- 11 W. 53 St., between 5th and 6th ave.-Once again, I bring up this horror comedic (though not too campy) classic, and I bring it up again. I've talked about it on previous lists, so I won't repeat myself again. Would like to catch it.


ERASERHEAD and 8 MILE- Fri Jan 19 at 6(Eraserhead) and 8 (8 Mile)- MOMA- Here's a unique double-feature; I would do both, or only just the former, but not only the later. First, Eraserhead, in a 35mm print that was restored by MOMA itself, with the director's help.

Highly experimental David Lynch film that took 5 years to make, shot on weekends and basically by piecemeal, with funding only coming in through family and friends. Became such a labor of love, that lead actor Jack Nance was content with only 25 dollars a weekend and a room and a chair for comfort during shooting. Such a labor of love that the set designer's girlfriend, Sissy Spacek, worked the slate while the boyfriend acted (they later married). Became an almost instant midnight movie staple in the late 70's and early 80's. Was interesting enough for Mel Brooks to hire Lynch to direct The Elephant Man.

An example of a Lynch film where narrative barely exists, but the visuals hold your interest. Mullholand Drive wished it was this good. And don't you waste my time, bringing this up in the same breath as Lynch's current unwatchable, Inland Empire. Some shots will fascinate, others will disgust, just go with it.

Double feaured with Eminem's 8 Mile, a slightly autobiographical take of his struggles with hip hop, his girlfriends and his mother in Detroit. Basically, Rocky for rappers was the early description of Curtis Hanson's (L.A. confidential) film. Came almost out of nowhere to break the 100 mil mark, lift Eminem from the A list among musicians to A list period, and win him an Oscar for Best Song (he refused to attend after the Oscar producers wanted to edit his lyrics).


3 WOMEN- Fri Jan 19 at 7 and 9:15- IFC Film Center- W. 3rd St. and 6th Ave- Part of the Robert Altman retrospective. Definitely a 70s film, but one heavily influenced by Bergman's Persona. Lots of obsession and some switching of personalities. Hard to describe a film that had no screenplay, but was completely influenced by some dreams Altman had. Gone are the days when a major director and the head of a major studio (in this case, Alan Ladd Jr. of Fox) could have an exchange possibly resembling something like this:

Altman: Hi, Alan. I just had some dreams, and I'd like you to give me some money to make a movie about them. I promise I won't write a screenplay.
Ladd: Oh. Ok.
Altman: I don't need much.
Ladd: How about 1.5 Million? (the actual estimated budget)
Altman: Great. I've got a plane to catch. Will call you later.
Ladd: Have a good flight. (The situation actually happened, minus this dialogue, according to the book "Easy Riders" by Peter Biskind).

Starring Sissy Spacek and Shelley Duvall. Never seen all of this and I'm very curious.


McCABE AND MRS. MILLER- Sat Jan 20 at 7:40- IFC Film Center- Part of the Robert Altman retrospective. A Western that must have heavily influenced at least the look of HBO's Deadwood, as well as Unforgiven. Warren Beatty (cast for box office purposes, over Altman's original choice of Elliot Gould) plays a gambler/hustler type who sets up a whorehouse/saloon with the help of Julie Christie (Oscar nominated). When mining companies try to buy out their successful business, things get bloody. But since we're in 70s Altman territory, expect some revisionist changes to the usual formula.

This film got lost in the shuffle back in 71; released in the summer around hits like Klute and Shaft, and with influential films like French Connection, A Clockwork Orange and Last Picture Show coming later on, forget remembering this back then. Over the years, it's developed a cult following, among Western fans and Altman fans. Vilmos Zigmond (Close Encounters, Heaven's Gate, The Deer Hunter)'s Cinematography and Leonard Cohen's songs certainly helped. Also filled with a lot of actors from other Altman films, including Keith Carradine, Rene Auberjonois, and Shelley Duvall. Would really like to try to catch this.


A WEDDING and HealtH- Mon Jan 22 at 7:25 (A Wedding, introduced by A.O. Scott) and 9:50 (HEALTH)- IFC Film Center- Part of the Robert Altman retrospective. A double feature, consisting of one of Altman's underrated 70s film, and one of Altman's film that never received a proper threatrical release, and is not on DVD. First, A Wedding, one of the last Altman studio film to receive a proper release. Basically, it covers the story of a wedding, the 2 families that come together, and the secrets, lies and other contrivances that come forth in this social event that doesn't run smoothly. Over the top at times, but likeable. Strong ensemble acting, including Carol Burnett, Mia Farrow, Lillian Gish, and a number of others who had appeared in previous Altman films.

Movie critic for the New York Times, A.O. Scott, will introduce the 7:25 screening.

Next, HealtH (the way the title is spelled; no typo.). Inspired by (his feelings of anger toward) Watergate, HealtH depicts a convention, where several people battle to win an election for president of a health organization that lobbies Washington. Lauren Bacall plays one candidate, who claims that every orgasm takes 28 days off a woman's life, while she occasionally slips into a coma. Glenda Jackson plays another candidate who can't talk without lapsing into a bored speech. How you can tell if she can be effective when she doesn't know how to present herself (a topic Altman would later cover on HBO's Tanner 88). Paul Dooley (co-writer and frequent actor for Altman) plays an independent candidate who claims to be for the little guy, but you have to wonder . . . James Garner plays bacillus campaign manager, and Carol Burnett plays the Presiden'ts personal observer ("I just want everyone to know the President is very pro-health!"). A young Alfre Woodard plays the hotel manager, and Dick Cavett plays himself.

The film was supposed to send up the condition of the American political process in the 70s. Bacall playing a variation of an empty platitude Dwight Eisenhower, and Jackson play a variation of the useless Adlai Stevenson. It was supposed to be released during the 1980 presidential campaign, but after one disaterous screening, 20th Century Fox essentially buried the film and called it "unrealeasable". One week in L.A. in Sept 1980, one week at the old Film Forum in 1982, and then mostly buried. A 1983 summer screening on CBS, and the rare screening on Fox Movie Channel, plus several showings at Film Forum and similar type of revival houses. Not the best Altman, but pretty decent.

If you're an Altman fan who's just discovering his films, this is a good night to go.


BECKET- Fri Jan 26- Mon Jan 29 (tentative for Mon on my end) at 8:20, plus Sat Jan 27 and Sun Jan 28 at 5:20- Film Forum- 209 west houston bet. 6th and Varick- The following is a forgotten film from 1964. NOT on DVD in North America, and only available on long out of print VHS and laserdisc (the later has sold as high as 80 dollars on Ebay). It's almost never shown on TV and it's being screened for the first time in NYC in decades, in a new 35mm print. If you consider say, Glengarry Glen Ross, to be Acting 101, then consider Becket as Acting 101: British Male Edition.

Not to dismiss the rest of this finely crafted film, adapted from Jean AnouilhÂ’s play. This could be considered among the best examples of opening up a play for film, and not just the wonderful use of various sites in Northumberland, England. If you watched this without knowing it was based on a stage play, you'd never know it.

What this film may best be remembered as, is as an acting duel between Peter O'Toole (in his first post-Lawrence of Arabia role) and Richard Burton (1 year after Cleopatra). This a historical drama, with O'Toole and Burton playing childhood friends Henry and Thomas Becket, repectively. You see them as friends; and we see them later, as O'Toole's character becomes King Henry II of England, and Burton's character becomes Archbishop of Canterbury. We also see the conflict, as Becket chooses to follow God's will as opposed to his King's.

12 Oscar nominations, including Picture, Actor for both Burton and O'Toole, Supporting Actor for John Gielgud, Director and Cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth (Cabaret, 2001, Superman, Tess). It won only one Oscar, for Screenplay Adaptation. Which might lead to why this film has gone away to many film buffs minds (or never entered them to begin with.). For a film about ideas, featuring lots of talking, it came out around the time of more popular films both critically andculturallyy: Dr. Strangelove, A Hard Day's Night, My Fair Lady, Goldfinger and Mary Poppins. They're remembered and Becket isn't. I'm pretty sure most of you who read this don't know Becket, and I strongly suggest this changes now. It will also play on Thursday Feb 1, butI'll list that (maybe) in Feb.

The thing that might decide when I see this is if my mother wants to go. She is a HUGE Becket fan, and in this one case, I may have to bend to when she can go (if she does have the time). More on that if you say yes.


EASY RIDER- Fri Jan 26 at 10:40- Two Boots Pioneer- E. 3rd St., between Avenues A and B (closer to A)- Once again, I pitch this film. Let's see if there are any takers this time.


NASHVILLE- Sat Jan 27(tentative on my end) and Sun Jan 28 at 6:30- AMMI in Astoria- 35 Ave. at 36 St- Once again, I pitch the Robert Altman classic in hopes of catching this. I'm beginning to regret not catching this at AMMI back in March 2003 when I had the chance. Don't prove me wrong. Though when I see BECKET will decide when or if I can catch Nashville.


Lots of good (or unique) choices. In case you didn't notice, HealtH and BECKET were the 2 not on DVD. Throw in at least Bride of Frankenstien, the MOMA double feature this coming Fri night, McCabe and Mrs Miller, and (time permitting) Nashville, you have an idea of what I really want to see. But then again, I wouldn't mind catching all the films on the list, otherwise I wouldn't bother typing them out. Let me know. Later.

Possible list of Oscars films to catch up on

Mike here. Happy New Year all. I've seen films with some of you over the past 2 weeks. A lot of it is mainly to play catch up with films that might be possible Oscar nominees. Some of you told me what you're planning on catching, while being surprised at a few titles that might require attention. Others just plain asked.

So I'll give an unofficial list of probable and possible nominees for some of the major awards. It'll help form a top 10 list of the year for yourself. It's not a complete list; how could it be with no nominations out yet? I consider major nominations to be the following for our Top 10 purposes: Picture, Director, the 4 Acting categories, the 2 Screenplay categories, Foreign Language, Documentary, and Animated Film. For what I think you might believe to be questionable choices, I wrote something in parenthesis explaining.

First I put up those currently in theaters as of this writing. Listed in the order of how I found them in the NY Post:

Notes on a Scandal
The Queen
Children of Men
Dreamgirls
Little Children
The History Boys(for Screenplay Adaptation, maybe)
Volver
Pan's Labyrinth
Letters From Iwo Jima
Happy Feet
Babel
The Departed
The Last King of Scotland(1 or 2 theaters right now, but more in mid-Jan.)
Curse of the Golden Flower(for Foreign Language, maybe)
Venus
Flags of our Fathers
The Pursuit of Happyness(for Will Smith for Actor, maybe)
Stranger Then Fiction(Screenplay only, probably)
Blood Diamond(for Djimon Hounsou for Supporting Actor, maybe)
For Your Consideration(for Catherine O'Hara for Supporting Actress, maybe)


I left out some released films not in New York theaters or on DVD as of this writing: The Lives of Others, Days of Glory, Running With Scissors, Half Nelson, Iraq in Fragments, Shut Up and Sing, Sherrybaby, Flushed Away, Deliver Us From Evil and Hollywoodland.

I also left out some films not in New York yet, but qualified in L.A.: Breaking and Entering, Factory Girl, Arthur and the Invisibles, The Flying Scotsman and Miss Potter(please not this one; this and Blood and Chocolate are the least appealing trailers out there now.).

Any films I left out that are currently in theaters, either won't be nominated, or (in my opinion only) won't receive one in the above mentioned categories.


The next list are those now available on DVD:
United 93
Little Miss Sunshine(both films are currently playing in one theater each, but probably not for long. Easier and definetly cheaper to catch on DVD at this point.)
The Devil Wears Prada
Cars
Monster House
A Scanner Darkly
An Inconvenient Truth
Thank You For Smoking
Wordplay
Jesus Camp(out on video in late Jan)
A Prairie Home Companion(either for Screenplay or a posthumous nom for Altman, both maybes)


One more film to put on this list:

Army of Shadows

This one won't be Oscar nominated, because it was made in 1969. But it finally received a U.S. release last May, and has been in the top 5 of many a critic's list this winter. If you see it, it will be hard to keep it off yours. Currently in Film Forum thru Jan 11, Symphony Space in late Jan, and AMMI in Astoria on Feb 23 and 24.


Trust me, I realize it's borderline impossible to catch all these films by feb 25. I know I won't be able to, but I will go for as many as possible ( I've caught almost half of them going back to May.). There are plenty of films here to help form a top 10 for yourself. I left out some, but that's for another time. Myself, i won't cough up a list until around Feb 25. But here's your handy reference guide of stuff to catch. Print it, write a few titles down. Whatever, here you go. Later.

Jan revivals: first half

Mike here with a list of Jan revivals for the first half. But first, some unfinished business.Thanks for those of you who saw the following revivals throughout the past calender year: LOST IN LA MANCHA, GIMME SHELTER, THE WARRIORS, THE WRONG MAN, ROPE, VERTIGO, THE FALLEN IDOL, INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, DR. ZHIVAGO, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ, THE SHOOTIST, DIRTY HARRY, DAYS OF HEAVEN, ARMY OF SHADOWS, FULL METAL JACKET, LOLITA (1962), DR. STRANGELOVE, THE BIRDS, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION, THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, A SHOT IN THE DARK, CAPTAIN BLOOD, THE MALTESE FALCON, THE AFRICAN QUEEN, MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, AGUIRRE: THE WRATH OF GOD (not every revival was a winner), TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THE RULES OF THE GAME, KING KONG (1932), INFERNAL AFFAIRS and WALKABOUT. Only one less then last year. Not shabby, so thank you. I know some of you were not always gung ho about some of the films going in, or gung ho about going out in general, so I am serious when I say, thank you. Special thanks to Ed for catching more then half of them. Several of the above films will re-appear on the list over the next 2 months for those of you who missed them, plus the good the bad and the ugly in Feb for J.C. to get another chance. Meantime, here we go:



SLEEPER and BANANAS- Mon Jan 1 at 4:35 (Bananas), 6:15(Sleeper), 8(Bananas) and 9:45 (Sleeper)- Film Forum- 209 west houston bet. 6th and Varick- Part of the Woody Allen retrospective. I've done this double feature before. But most of you haven't and this is a terriffic double feature. The first, Bananas, with Allen as a revoultionary, has some excellent set pieces, including taking on a pre-Rocky Sly Stallone as a mugger. Ending with a mockery of a trial that would make Donald Rumsfeld proud.

The second, Sleeper, is technically sci-fi, but one of Woody's best slapstick comedy. Waking up 2000 years later to a world run by a police state, consider this one part The Fugitive, one part Woody slapstick. With Diane Keaton.

If you're the type who prefers Woody's funny film as opposed to his serious ones, Sleeper and Bananas are Exhbits A and B.


ARMY OF SHADOWS- Wed Jan 3- Thurs Jan 11 at 6:45 and 9:45- Film Forum- I've done this before, but those who put Top 10 lists for 2006 must get around to this 1969 French war film. A surprise winner of this year's NY Film Critics award for Best Foriegn Language Film. Ordinary French citizens fighting in the Reisitance against the Nazis, unsure of who they can trust, who can be effective, and essentially on their own. Builds slowly, but hits powerfully in the end, and leaves you with much to think about for days afterward, if you're inclined to think after seeing a film. It can be caught again on Feb 23 and Feb 24 at AMMI.


MANHATTEN- Fri Jan 5 at 7:30 and 9:30- Film Forum- Part of the Woody Allen retrospective. Once again, I bring up what some consider to be Woody's last standout film (depending on what you think of Hannah and her Sisters and Crimes and Misdemeanors). Possibly, his best looking film. Neil La Bute recently compared this to Rules of The Game; a well done portrait of a community in slow decay, and that the film makes you want to be a better person. Take that as you will.


TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN and(maybe) WHAT"S UP TIGER LILY?- Mon Jan 8 at 6:15 (Tiger), 7:50(Money) and 9:35 (Tiger)- Film Forum- Part of the Woody Allen retrospective. If you're the type who prefers Woody's funny films asopposed to his serious ones, Take the Money and Run is Exhibit C (scroll up for Exhibits A and B). The first film to be (co)written, directed and starring Allen. Shot in an early mockumentary style, you see the Woody character screwing up as he tries to be a career criminal, yet is even worse at going straight.

Double featured with What's Up Tiger Lily?, sort of a pre-cursor to MST3K. To quote the IMDB plot outline:

In comic Woody Allen's film debut, he took the Japanese action film "International Secret Police: Key of Keys" and re-dubbed it, changing the plot to make it revolve around a secret egg salad recipe.

Wouldn't mind catching it, but I don't have to.

THOTH and MARJOE- Mon Jan 8 at 7 for 5 dollars- Followed by a post film discussion from the film's directorAcademy Theater at Lighthouse International- 111 E. 59th- 2 Oscar winning documentaries from the same director, Sarah Kernochan. Also include is footage of her accepting her Oscars, and post film interviews with her. If there's any interest, I need to know ahead of time so that I can try to reserve. For the rest of the info, I'll cut and paste from the Oscars' website:

Thoth: Stephen Kaufman, aka Thoth, is a performance artist in Central Park. Dressed in nothing more than a gold loincloth and warrior headdress, Thoth performs his one-man operas, or "prayformances," with violin accompaniment, to bring divine inspiration and healing to the world. Amateur Rabbit Production. 16 mm. 40 minutes.

Academy Award winner: Documentary Short Subject (Sarah Kernochan, Lynn Appelle).

Marjoe: Marjoe Gortner, an extraordinarily charismatic fire-and-brimstone preacher, candidly reveals the tricks of his trade and his personal belief that religion is really just another business. Cinema X Production; Cinema 5, Ltd. 35 mm. 88 minutes.

Academy Award winner: Documentary Feature (Howard Smith, Sarah Kernochan).


STARDUST MEMORIES and INTERIORS- Tues Jan 9 at 6:40 (Stardust), 8:30 (Interiors) and 10:20 (Stardust)- with Mary Beth Hurt appearing at the 8:30 screening of Interiors- Film Forum- Part of the Woody Allen retrospective. 2 of Woody's first three films where he was getting away from his "funny" films. First, Stardust, the least comercially successful of all of Woody's United Artisits films, and yet is a favorite for some hard core Allen fans. Woody has repeatedly said this was not autobiographical. But writing, directing and starring as a director who has obsessive fans, none of whom appreciate his first 'serious' film, and a love life filled with gorgeous ex-lovers, you gotta wonder . . . With Charlotte Rampling, plus Sharon Stone in her (silent) film debut.

Next, Interiors, Woody's homage to Bergman. You might find this THE most depressing film you've ever seen. But if you stick with it, you will have seen a well crafted drama following three sisters' reactions, when their father divorces their psychologically damaged mother, and then remarries. 5 nominations, including Director and Screenplay for Allen, Best Actress for Geraldine Page as the mother and Supporting Actress for the late Maureen Stapleton as the new woman in Dad's life. Diane Keaton, Mary Beth Hurt and Sam Waterson also in the cast. Hurt herself(pictured above from Interiors) will be attending the 8:30 screening. No idea if her appearance will be pre- film, or post.


ZELIG and THE FRONT- Wed Jan 10 at 6:15 (Front), 8:10 (Zelig) and 9:50 (Front)- Film Forum- Another double feature from the Woody Allen retrospective. First, Zelig, the art house hit of 1983. Another faux documentary from Allen as he plays Leonard Zelig, a man who became a celebrity with no discernable talent (times have changed, hasn't it Paris?), except for being able to look and act like whoever he is with at the time. Mia Farrow as the doctor who tries to treat him. Is it another examination of celebrity? A homage to Peter Sellers and the type of acting he did? Forrest Gump's precursor? Something else entirely? You decide . . .

Successfull in getting Allen in many old time clips and newsreels WITHOUT any CGI magic. Nominations for Cinematography and Editing.

Next, The Front, the first film starring, but not written or directed by Allen. Underrated little gem. He plays a little man who agrees to be a front for blacklisted writers to get their work out there. Directed by Martin Ritt, written by Walter Bernstein and co-starring Zero Mostel and other formerly black listed people.


JULES AND JIM- Wed Jan 10 at 6:50- Two Boots Pioneer- E. 3rd St., between Avenues A and B (closer to A)- The Truffaut classic that I listed last time is now at Two Boots Pioneer in a new 35mm print.


CALIFORNIA SPLIT- Wed Jan 10 with showtimes TBA- IFC Film Center- W. 3rd St. and 6th Ave- Part of the Robert Altman retrospective. I listed it a few months back, so I won't repeat myself much. An underrated drama starring Elliot Gould and George Segal as struggling gamblers. Since no one here has probably seen it, now is a good time. Don't know the times right now, so if there's an interest, you'll have to tell me and we'll work from there.


THAT COLD DAY IN THE PARK and IMAGES- Fri Jan 12 at 8:10(Park) and 10:20(Images) - IFC Film Center- A double feature that's part of the Robert Altman retrospective. 2 films for 1 admission. First, That Cold Day In The Park, a now forgotten film from 1969. Based on a novel about a rich but lonely and disturbed man who brings in a street hustler to live with him. But Altman got passed any problems with the gay themes by changing the lead into a woman, then getting the queen of the quirks, Sandy Dennis, to play the role.

Double featured with Images, one of Altman's "little" films, from 1972. Altman goes into quasi Bergman/Lynch terriotory, as Susannah York plays a schizophrenic who goes after those she believes is trying to harm her. But wether they are figments of her imagination or they're real . . .


THE PRINCESS BRIDE- Fri Jan 12, Sat Jan 13 and Sun Jan 14 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- 143 East Houston St bet. 1st and 2nd Ave- A new 35mm print of the Rob Reiner romantic family classic.


THE THIN BLUE LINE(tentative)- Sat Jan 13 at 2- AMMI in Astoria- 35 Ave. at 36 St.- Part of a series of documentaries that won an award from the New York Film Critics. Archival 35mm print from the Academy Film Archive. Put director Errol Morris on the film map. For the rest I'll quote, from AMMI's website, critic Mike D'Angelo from Esquire magazine, who will introduce the film:

"As one of very few films that have literally changed the course of someone’s life, Errol Morris’s spellbinding murder investigation, which helped to free Randall Dale Adams from prison some twelve years after he was falsely convicted of killing a Dallas cop, is well assured of its place in film history. But The Thin Blue Line’s true legacy is aesthetic: no previous documentary had privileged form as much as content, and few since have come close."


NASHVILLE- Mon Jan 15 at 6 and 9:15- IFC Film Center- Part of the Robert Altman retrospective. You know about this, otherwise, what the hell kind of buff are you? If you've never seen it, this is the perfect chance. Considered, along with MASH to be classic Altman. If we don't catch it here, we can try again on Sun Jan 28 at AMMI.

Lot of choices, let me know. Later, and Happy New Year.

Apocalypto is in some ways, a typical Hollywood action film. Most of the dialogue is junk and most of the characters are two-dimensional. But place us among the world of the Mayans and have all the lines subtitled, and now you have some heft to your film, supposedly.

In this one case only, I will speak for the majority of Americans that I don't know a lot about Mayans. History classes tend to teach more about say, the Greeks, or the Romans as opposed to the Mayans. This is certainly a world that a studio hasn't covered with a depth. So I'm sure there will be people who think of this as authentic, perhaps accurate. But interviews with the film's director, everybody's favorite drunken anti-Semite, talked about this as more of a "could be" then fact.

Before I start bashing this film too much, I should state that this is the best looking DV film I've ever seen. The technology has improved to the point to the point that I almost couldn't tell the difference. I couldn't tell the difference in the majority of the film. This is 2 hrs, 19 min long, and it moved so fast I didn't feel it (something The Da Vinci Code can't say.). And the CGI enhances the look, not used in a showy look-at-me style.

The whole second half is one major chase sequence that for the most part works. Director Gibson owes much to cinematographer Dean Semler (The Road Warrior, Dances With Wolves) and editors Kevin Stitt (X Men) and John Wright (X Men, Speed). Any nominations for them, as well as for Sound Effects Editing would be well deserved.

I've told some of you that if you give me interesting visuals and a good score (Apocalypto's was done by James Horner), then I can overlook a lot of a film's problems. For a while, anyway. And I can say I was never bored. I was never unstimulated by the film's sights and sounds. And the acting is similar to say, Heaven's Gate. No one great performance, but the whole cast works.

This is definetly Gibson's bloodiest film. The scene involving the end of a jaguar's attack is as gruesome as Jesus getting whipped in Passion. And if you're into disembowlment, beheadings, and the occasional brain bleeding (see it and you'll know what I mean), this is the film for you. Gibson's got this one man martyr with buckets of blood film down pat.

Like I said, the characters are no better developed here then in say, a Die Hard film, or Snakes on a Plane. The finding of the jaguar causes a jump, but the chase . . . Let's just say Gibson must have found the one jaguar who's a member of AARP. How slow was IT?!?! Nice waterfall sequence, but if you've seen Romancing the Stone or The Fugitive, you know most of what's to come. I don't understand why a lot of Mayans were frightened by the total eclipse. Didn't they invent astronomy? Couldn't some of them have predicted this, and then tell the rest? And once a certain 3 ships start sailing in to visit this New World, the film is over and I'm left with a feeling of that's it? What was the point?

So let's see what lessons did we learn from this film. A nation that enslaves or attacks their weaker citizens, won't be able to stand up to a stronger force? A long way to go for that. There's always a bigger fish to swallow you up? Hell, we all learned that in Star Wars Episode 1, but at least we don't have to deal with Jar Jar Binks here.

I've been wondering wether to give this thumbs up or down. Despite its pluses, I have to give this a thumbs down. Just not substantial enough, as well as a little too heavy handed, to tell someone to pay 10 or 11 dollars to see this.

Caught it at the Fresh Meadows movie theater for free, with the help of a friend's SAG card. If I had pay to see it, would I feel any different? Doubtful.

P.S.: At fresh Meadows on Friday and Saturday nights, they apparently need a van full of cops to act as security. Why I wonder. Nothing happened, but still, cops? What the hell is going on in this area on weekends? It seems like a nice neighborhood. I don't know . . .

P.P.S.: Here's a link to YouTube's showing of a spoof of Apocalypto, using the trailer. It's funny, and only 65 seconds long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP2Fp7vJD4E

Dec. revivals: second half

Mike here with a list of what to catch for the second half of Dec. The more I saw this, the more I drooled at the possibile combos. Then I began to feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume. So to make things a little easier, I broke it down by dates. Some films you notice I am pushing harder than others. All you have to do is say what date you want to see a movie and I can tell what and when. I can't make this any easier. I know things conflict, so it's first come, first served. Here we go:


Fri Dec. 15:
THE PINK PANTHER- 6:15 at MOMA- 11 W. 53 St., between 5th and 6th ave.
21 GRAMS- 7:30 at AMMI in Astoria- 35 Ave. at 36 St.
ALL ABOUT EVE- Midnight- Chelsea Clearview Cinema for 7 dollars- W.23rd St. and 8th Ave.

I talked about these three last time, so you'll let me know.


Sat Dec 16:
THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN- 5:30 at MOMA- The James Whale- Boris Karloff horror classic that's probably better then the first film; a rarity among sequels. Famous for the final sequences involving Elsa Lanchester as the Bride.

JULES AND JIM- 9:40 at Film Forum- 209 west houston- bet. 6th and Varick- The Truffaut classic involving the love between two men and one woman (too long to try to go into detail) gets a week long screening, with a new 35mm print.

ALL ABOUT EVE (tentative)- Midnight- Chelsea Clearview Cinema for 7 dollars.


Mon Dec 18:
THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN- 4 at MOMA
JULES AND JIM- 5:20 at Film Forum

Only times I can do either Truffaut's best or Fassbinder's best on Monday. It's available on another day for both.


Tues Dec 19:
JULES AND JIM- 7:30 and 9:40 at Film Forum


Wed Dec 20:
THE PINK PANTHER- 8:15 at MOMA
JULES AND JIM- 9:40 at Film Forum


Thurs Dec 21:
BELL BOOK AND CANDLE- 7 at Two Boots Pioneer- E. 3rd St., between Avenues A and B (closer to A)- Fun romantic comedy from 1958. Witch Kim Novak casts a spell on mortal Jimmy Stewart, only she accidentally falls in love with him instead. Strong support from fellow witches Elsa Lanchester and Jack Lemmon, and mortal Ernie Kovacs. Stewart's last film as a romantic leading man.

JULES AND JIM- 7:30 and 9:40 at Film Forum


Fri Dec 22:
IT'S A WONDERFULL LIFE: IFC Film Center- W. 3rd St. and 6th Ave.- If you're not sick of this AFI Top 100 Christmas classic (to the post WW2-era people what A Christmas Story is today), it gets a rare weeklong screening for you to catch here. I don't have times, but if there's interest, you'll tell me. Showtimes should come out no later then Wed Dec 20th. But think evenings for this.

THE MAGNIFICENT 7: 8:15 at MOMA- Part of the producer Walter Mirisch's retrospective. Well made remake of Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai. Yul Brynner leads the group of hired guns, defending the poor Mexican village from despicable Eli Wallach and his evil henchmen. Served as a kind of template for future spaghetti Westerns. Also served as a springboard for the film careers of several of the 7: James Coburn, Charles Bronsan, Robert Vaughn, and . . . oh yeah, Steve McQueen. Also with one of the best film scores of all time from composer Elmer Bernstein(no exaggeration).

WALKABOUT- 9:10 at Film Forum- A terrific underrated film from 1971 in a new 35mm print. I wrote about it in Oct. I'll just repeat that it's best seen on the big screen and that if you've never seen it, go. There are multiple days to go, not just this night. For the rest, I'll just cut and paste from the Forum's website:

"Nicolas Roeg’s breathtakingly-shot solo directorial debut. Amidst the vast emptiness of an unending plain, a stressed-out Australian urbanite interrupts his family’s Outback picnic to kill himself and blow up their car, leaving his teenage daughter and six-year-old son… alone. Thus begins a memorable emotional and physical odyssey for a girl just old enough to take matters in her own, very proper hands — and for her little brother, zestfully plunging into this brand new game. But it's no game for the third member of the eventual trio: an Aborigine boy on his coming-of-age “walkabout.”

A Rousseauian evocation of Nature vs. Civilization, WALKABOUT ascends to a mystical, magical plain that transcends the banalities of what has become, in other hands, a threadbare genre. The first solo credit of Nicolas Roeg (who co-directed PERFORMANCE), his previous cinematographer career (including 2nd unit work on LAWRENCE OF ARABIA) evident in the luscious color and sweeping vistas and in the teeming, near-microscopic views of Outback life. And he evokes striking performances from his basically three-person cast of newcomers: his son Lucien John; Jenny Agutter, later British-Oscared for EQUUS; and David Gulpilil (an Aborigine from the greener North, and so nearly as at sea in the desert as the castaways themselves) with Agutter and Gulpilil feverish with an adolescent longing that breaks against the barriers of language and race."

THE DARK CRYSTAL- Midnight at Landmark Sunshine Cinema- 143 East Houston St bet. 1st and 2nd Ave.- If you're a fan of Lord of the Rings kind of fantasy, or a fan of 80's films, here's this effort from director Jim Henson. Puppetry effects at their height for this sword and sorcery film, with the Muppet-esque cuteness cut down very low.


Sat Dec 23 (all tentative):
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT and/or THE GREAT ESCAPE- 5(Heat) and 7:30(Escape) at MOMA- A potential double feature, both part of the producer Walter Mirisch's retrospective. Heat I talked about before. The Great Escape plays afterwards. A well-crafted mix of fact and just enough Hollywood(it lays that right out for you in the beginning) to create a rousing adventure-thriller. Depicting the true story of the mass escape of Allied POWs from a German stalag during WW2. Big cast includes James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Donald Pleasance, James Coburn and Charles Bronsan.

In retrospect, all of this has been pushed aside by the presence of Steve McQueen. With this picture, you can literally pinpoint the moments where McQueen goes from leading man, to American Movie Star, to International Film Icon, all in the course of 2 hrs, 57 min.
Both films are doable, but that's a long day into night, so be careful before speaking up about both films.

WALKABOUT- 7 and 9:10 at Film Forum
THE DARK CRYSTAL- Midnight at Landmark Sunshine Cinema


Wed Dec 27:
OLIVER!: 1:30 at AMMI in Astoria- From the director of The Third Man, this family musical adaptation of Oliver Twist plays for the entire holiday season at AMMI. 6 Oscars including Best Picture and Director.

IT'S A WONDERFULL LIFE: IFC Film Center
LAW OF DESIRE: 4 and 8:30 at the Walter Reade theater at Lincoln Center- Part of the Pedro Almodovar retrospective. Too strange to come up with my own writing here, so I will use the Walter Reade's website:

"Set against a backdrop of a mad, mad Madrid, this film swirls around a cast of characters we haven’t seen the likes of since What Have I Done to Deserve This? Our hero is absorbed in a cat-and-mouse game with an obsessive lover that before long entangles his transsexual brother/sister, father/son detective team and a mother who makes the Spider Woman look tame. Almódovar moves his story with a deft hand and a twinkle in his eye as he examines the idea and the attractions of absolute desire. A kind of preliminary sketch for the later masterpiece Bad Education . . ."

EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX (BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK) and/or LOVE AND DEATH: 6:15(Sex), 8(Death), and 9:45(Sex) at Film Forum- Part of the Woody Allen retrospective; a possible double feature of his 70's work. First, Sex, a series of sketches based on or inspired by the successful sex manual. The popular sketches include Gene Wilder falling for a sheep, Allen desperately trying to open Lynn Redgrave's chastity belt, Allen fighting a runaway breast, and Allen as a neurotic sperm cell. The cast includes Tony Randall, Burt Reynolds, John Carradine and Regis Philbin.

Next, Love and Death, a kind of spoof of Russian classics. Another re-teaming with Diane Keaton, the last of the pure comedies of Allen, before he turned to more serious work, starting two years later with Annie Hall.

WALKABOUT: 7 and 9:10 Film Forum


Thurs Dec 28:
WALLACE AND GROMIT IN THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT: 11AM and 1:30PM at MOMA- Winner of Best Animated film at this year's Oscars, and one of my favorites from 2005. For the kids and the kids at heart.

OLIVER!: 1:30 at AMMI in Astoria
LAW OF DESIRE: 1:45 and 6:45 at the Walter Reade theater at Lincoln Center
WALKABOUT- 7 and 9:10- Film Forum
BELL BOOK AND CANDLE- 7 at Two Boots Pioneer


Fri Dec 29:
OLIVER!: 1:30 at AMMI in Astoria
WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN: 2:15 and 6:30 at the Walter Reade theater at Lincoln Center- Part of the Pedro Almodovar retrospective. The first major U.S. art house hit for Almodovar. You've probably heard of this, so I'm not going into detail. Just don't feel like it. Next.

THIS IS SPINAL TAP: Midnight at Landmark Sunshine Cinema- I've done this before, but for those who are interested, here's the midnight screening of the best of Christopher Guest's mockumentary comedies, directed by Rob Reiner. And no, the theater will not have the volume turned up to 11. God, that was lame. I'm so burned out . . .


Sat Dec 30:
OLIVER!(tentative): 1:30 at AMMI in Astoria
WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY- 2 at Symphony Space in the Leonard Nimoy Thalia- W. 95th St. and Broadway- For once, the children's cult-hit musical starring Gene Wilder is being screened in a reasonable hour.

RADIO DAYS and/or BROADWAY DANNY ROSE: 6:15(Broadway), 8(Radio) and 9:45(Broadway) at Film Forum- Another potential double feature that is part of the Woody Allen retrospective. Both films nominated for Best Original Screenplay. First, Radio Days. Allen's look at his Far Rockaway's childhood, as influenced by Radio. Seth Green plays the young Allen-like person, with a cast that includes Julie Kavner, Tony Roberts, Mia Farrow, Dianne Weist, Larry David, Danny Aiello, Mercedes Ruehl, William H. Macy and Diane Keaton.

Broadway Danny Rose I talked about previously, so you know it, or you click back and read it again.

SAYONARA: 6 at MOMA- Romantic drama depicting culture clashes, surrounded by Marlon Brando's Korean war pilot in love with a Japanese woman.

EASY RIDER: 9 at Two Boots Pioneer
THIS IS SPINAL TAP: Midnight at Landmark Sunshine Cinema


So many choices, so little time. Let me know. Later.

And also, have yourself a Merry Kwanzaa and a Happy Festivus; tell me the holiday's date, what's done to celebrate it or as much as I think is enough, and where I heard of this holiday and I'll take you to one of these films for free. Unless it's AMMI; depending on who you are, I may have to figure out something else.

Dec revivals: first half

Mike here with a long list of films to catch for the first half of December. Some conflict with each other, and some might be difficult for me to catch. But in the end, I'll just throw a whole bunch if titles and let's see what sticks. Here we go:



IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT- Fri Dec 1 at 6:30- MOMA- 11 W. 53 St., between 5th and 6th ave.- Part of the producer Walter Mirisch's retrospective. As socially relevant as they come, but that ignores what at the core is a well crafted character study between black detective Sidney Poitier and white sheriff Rod Stieger, with a murder mystery that serves the social story and character work, not vice versa. Don't underestimate the importance and strength of this film. 7 nominations, including Best Director for Norman Jewison (lost to Mike Nichols for The Graduate). 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Actor for Stieger.


EASY RIDER- Fri Dec 1 and Fri Dec 8 at 11pm, and Fri Dec 30 at 9- Two Boots Pioneer- E. 3rd St., between Avenues A and B (closer to A)- I brought this up last time, so I bring it up again. Read the previous list for more info.


LOST HIGHWAY- Fri Dec 1 and Sat Dec 2 at Midnight- IFC Film Center- W. 3rd st. and 6th Ave.- In honor of the upcoming release of David Lynch's upcoming Inland Empire, IFC Film Center will have a midnight screening of Lynch's 1997 film. Similar to Mulholland Drive, where dreams push the film and put the "plot" on the back burner, not that far in the case of Highway. Better clarity of dreams and reality that combine more effectively I think. The best I've heard this described, was Lynch's idea of "O.J's dreams after he committed the murders" (it came out about a year and a half after the criminal trial's verdict). Note that Lynch himself never said this, but judge for yourself.

Strong cast includes Bill Pullman, Patricia Arquette, Balthazar Getty, Richard Pryor, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Robert Loggia, and in a post-film ironic twist, Robert Blake. He has the most outlandish role, and he is good. But since then, you could now replace O.J's name from the previous paragraph with Blake's. Gives the film an additional edge.


WEST SIDE STORY- Sat Dec 2 at 3- MOMA- Part of the producer Walter Mirisch's retrospective. If you want to re-read the hard sell I made in the first list I made in this blog, the details are there. I've already talked about how much better it is on the big screen as opposed to tv. Now we're not talking about the Ziegfeld, but MOMA's will do just fine. Especially if you've only seen it on tv. In my personal top 100.


INFERNAL AFFAIRS- Sun Dec 3 at 2- AMMI in Astoria- 35 Ave. at 36 St.- Martin Scorsese’s film, The Departed, is actually a remake of this character driven thriller from Hong Kong. I've never seen it and would like to. The first of a trilogy, the other two films only had small portions used by Scorsese for The Departed. With Tony Leung (Hard Boiled, The Lover, In The Mood For Love).


INLAND EMPIRE- Wed Dec 6- Tues Dec 19 only- IFC Film Center- Times TBA- Not a revival, but this is the best way to mention this, and to find out if there's any interest in Lynch's new film. Will it be top tier like Blue Velvet, bottom of the barrel like the Twin Peaks prequel and Mulholland Dr., or smack in the middle like Wild at Heart or Lost Highway. You don't know until you see for yourself. Mondays and Thursdays are out for sure for me. Any other days are TBA. Performance times are unknown to me at this writing. Note that the film is 2 hrs. 59 min. long, so plan ahead if you're interested.

For the rest, I'll just quote from the IFC Film Center website:

"The latest hallucinatory vision from the iconoclastic director of Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks, INLAND EMPIRE stars Laura Dern in a tour-de-force performance as, perhaps, an actress who lands a dream role that quickly devolves into nightmare. Intrigued by the texture and freedom of consumer-grade DV, Lynch started out shooting tests with Dern; over the next two years, he grafted on scenes encompassing Hollywood machinations, conjugal intrigue, Polish curses, and even a rabbit-headed sitcom parody. The result is as dark, unpredictable, and utterly compelling as anything he's ever done, both a masterful recap of a career -- including appearances by Lynch veterans Justin Theroux, Laura Harring, Grace Zabriskie, Diane Ladd, and the inimitable Harry Dean Stanton -- and his most radical and experimental movie since Eraserhead."

William H. Macy, Jeremy Irons and Nastassja Kinski are also in the cast.


AMORES PERROS- Fri Dec 8 at 7:30- AMMI in Astoria- Part of the director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s retrospective. I'm tired, so I'll just quote from AMMI's website: "With Gael Garcia Bernal. Three stories, all including dogs, intertwine in the margins of Mexico City in Iñárritu’s dynamic debut film, which established him as a major international director."

The first of these types of inter-connecting films this director has done, like his recent "Babel". Note that this is a long one, 2 hrs 33 min, so plan ahead if you're interested.


SUNSET BLVD.- Fri Dec 8 at Midnight for 7.50- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- W. 23rd and 8th Ave.- For those who haven't seen this on the big screen, you now have a chance to catch this film at a reduced price. An AFI Top 100 film, 3 Oscars including Best Screenplay, 8 other nominations including Picture, Director for Billy Wilder, Actor for William Holden and Actress for Gloria Swanson. It lost to another film on this list. In my personal top 30.


MOONSTRUCK- Mon Dec 11 at 6 and Wed Dec 13 at 8- MOMA- Part of the Made in New York series. From director Norman Jewison. One of the better romantic comedies around, as well as one of the better made in New York films as well. Of the city and universal at the same time. Cher won an Oscar as the widow engaged to Danny Aiello, but in love her brother, the hammy but still interesting Nicolas Cage. Olympia Dukakis also won an Oscar as her mother, as did John Patrick Shanley for his screenplay (probably the only good screenplay he's ever written).


THE PINK PANTHER- Fri Dec 15 at 6:15 and Wed Dec 20 at 8:15- MOMA- Part of the producer Walter Mirisch's retrospective. Blake Edwards's hit comedy plays again. The David Niven vehicle, that ended up making Peter Sellers an international comedy icon instead. The rest of the film is funny too, but Sellers as Inspector Clouseau is on another level. With a memorable, Oscar-nominated theme from Henry Mancini, and a certain memorable animated cat, both in the opening credits.


21 GRAMS- Fri Dec 15 at 7:30- AMMI in Astoria- Part of the director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s retrospective. Another of the director's interconnecting story. Believe it or not, I still haven't seen all of this, so now might be a good chance. Assuming no one is interested in the pink panther instead. Oscar nominations for Naomi Watts and Benicio Del Toro.


ALL ABOUT EVE- Fri Dec 15 and Sat Dec 16(tentative on my end) at Midnight for 7.50- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- The acclaimed bitch fest starring Bette Davis that beat Sunset Blvd. for Best Picture. Try to pick between those two films; almost like which flavor satire you prefer, acidic with visual style, or acidic with verbal flair. If you've never seen it on the big screen, you can now at a reduced price. Sat is tentative for me at the moment.

6 Oscars. Most nominations in Oscar history, Titanic could only tie it. An AFI Top 100 film and in my personal top 30.


THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN- Sat Dec 16 at 5:30- MOMA- The James Whale- Boris Karloff horror classic that's probably better then the first film; a rarity among sequels. Famous for the final sequences involving Elsa Lanchester as the Bride.


THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN- Mon Dec 18 at 4 and Wed Dec 20 at 3:45- MOMA- Rainer Werner Fassbinder's biggest commercial success. Definitely his most assecisble and possibly his best. Imagine after the movie Downfall ends, a woman trying to survive and prosper in post WW2 Berlin. Career best from Hanna Schygulla in the title film.


Lots of choices, so you tell me. Coming up later in Dec and early Jan is a Woody Allen retrospective at the Film Forum. No time to break it down, so here's the link:


http://www.filmforum.org/films/woody.html

Let me know. And please don't be afraid to click the ads. No obligation to buy. Later all.

November revivals: second half

Mike here with films to catch for the second half of Nov. Not a lot of films, but very high in quality. Here we go:

KING KONG (1933)- Wed Nov 22, Thurs Nov 23, and Fri Nov 24 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- The original 1933 classic gets a midnight screening throughout the Thanksgiving weekend. An AFI Top 100 film. It use to be a big deal, when this film was screened every Thanksgiving weekend on the old Ch. 9. Now would be nice to do again, even on Thanksgiving night, maybe. For those who did The Warriors here at this theater last Thanksgiving weekend, this might be a good time to go again.


12 ANGRY MEN- Fri Nov 24 at 2:45 and Sun Nov 26 at 9- Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center- Part of the Dziga and His Brothers: A Film Family on the Cutting Edge retrospective. The story of several calmness-free humanoid males expressing displeasure as they serve as jurors on a murder case. The Henry Fonda film features Sidney Lumet in his first non-TV directorial effort. The film was a critical hit but financial disappointment. Fonda took it so hard that he never produced another film, but it launched Lumet's film career. His success in both casting and how to keep a film mostly trapped in 2 small rooms, has helped make this a classic today. Not on the official AFI Top 100 list, but on some of their other ones. Nominations for Picture, Director and Screenplay Adaptation.


SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS- Fri Nov 24 at 6:30, and Sat Nov 25 at 3- Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center- Part of the Dziga and His Brothers: A Film Family on the Cutting Edge retrospective. Probably one of the best tragic romance films ever made, from director Elia Kazan. Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty play a young couple who fall in love despite family objections. An Oscar for the screenplay for William Inge; a nomination for Wood.


ON THE WATERFRONT- Fri Nov 24 at 9- Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center- Part of the Dziga and His Brothers: A Film Family on the Cutting Edge retrospective. You all know this one. Brando classic, blah blah blah, Best Picture winner classic, blah blah blah, AFI Top 100 film, blah blah blah. You'll decide if you want to see it or not.


EASY RIDER- Sat Nov 25 at 11- Two Boots Pioneer- Another AFI Top 100 film, as 2 counter-culture bikers go searching for America in all the wrong places. Should have looking pu nub instead. Anyway, a classic and the first sleeper independent hit. Stars Dennis Hopper (also Director and co-Writer) and Peter Fonda (co-Writer), but co-star Jack Nicholson steals the show. His first Oscar nomination.


BROADWAY DANNY ROSE- Wed Nov 29 at 8- MOMA- Comedy-drama from Woody Allen, as an unsuccessful manager, trying to help his lounge act singer by posing as his mistress's (Mia Farrow) boyfriend. Leading to complications with the mob and his own feelings for her. Nominations for Allen, for both Director and Original Screenplay.

So plenty of choices for Thanksgiving weekend. Let me know. Later.

Death of a President: a review

Death of a President is a film that doesn't really deserve all the attention it's received. It's a British what if film, shot in the mockumentary style of something you find on A & E. I didn't have any intention of catching it, though I didn't appreciate hearing on TV how watching it supports anti US bias, or makes you anti-American yourself. But I don't want to go out of my way and pay for it. But in the end, I was paid for, so off I went. I comprised a tenth of the audience and based on the lack of word of mouth, I'm not surprised. Not a terrible film by any means, but I came away dissappointed.

Potentially interesting set-up, with various talking heads looking back on several years earlier, on the difficulties for the Bush White House in Oct 2007. Also interesting is the anti-Bush protest turning violent, reminicent of the Chicago riots in the summer of 68. The money shot of the assissination happens so fast, you'll probably miss it. Those who so the picture of the CGI Bush getting shot, saw it clearer then those of us who saw the movie.

But it only takes up a portion of the film. The filmmakers are more interested in depicting 3 strands; the investigation that's aided by President Cheney's Patriot Act 3, Cheney's efforts to get another war going, and the resolutions to the investigation. Almost all of this is depicted through actors playing talking heads (Cabinet people, investigators, cops, civilians, etc.); and your tolerance of this narrative device either keeps you interested, or bores you to tears. Personally, I was right in the middle. I bought all the performances, but they started to meld together, and my mind drifted in the middle of the film whenever a talking head came back on.

The resolution I didn't see coming, but I can't say all the pieces fit neatly. More like some puzzle pieces that get pounded in even if they're not an even fit. And this isn't so much anti-Bush, but anti-Cheney and those who want no objections to all of the Patriot Act. The filmmakers take the old Saturday Night Live joke from 1988 seriously: In the event President George Bush (Sr.) is killed, the Secret Service is to shoot Quayle. Replace father with son and Quayle with Cheney, and the filmmakers might endorse the sentiment. Anything to keep Bush alive and any crony or sub-ordinate out.

More then a little cynicism helps the film go down a lot easier. The naive or overly hopeful will have a hard time with the film. But this tone was what works best about the film; the naive or overly hopeful have to snap the hell out of it.

Not a bad film overall. But wait for cable or home video. Can I honestly tell someone to go to a theater and spend 9 ,10 or 11 dollars? No.