Wedding Weekend = Movie Break

Well Melanie and Joe's wedding is this weekend, so no movies for me. Plans include a beautiful ceremony, a kick-ass party, then wish the happy couple off on their honeymoon. It's going to be great!!

One of my favorite photos is in this post from Melanie's wedding blog. This motherofthebride is very happy to be getting a new son, and I can't wait to get this party started!!!

Elysian Fields

IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base) is one of my favorite sources for movie info. One of the features on their homepage is Movie of the Day. Today that movie is The Man From Elysian Fields. This is a wonderful film, with an incredible cast (Mick Jagger is great), interesting story and characters that actually suffer consequences for their actions. I saw this film soon after James Coburn passed away, which was a little poignant for me, he is wonderful in this film.

Robots in DVD

Robots comes out in DVD this week. This is a fun, animated story that should be watched more than once, because there are so many subtle jokes and asides.

Corpse Bride

In an interview a while back, Johnny Depp said that one of the most important things he had learned in his acting career, was that when Tim Burton asks you to work on a project, always say "yes". Corpse Bride is Burton's latest fantasy tale. A visual delight, and an engaging story, make this fun to watch. Danny Elfman's music sets a jovial tone, and the land of the dead has never been so alive!!!

One Last Dance

I enjoy watching dance performance, especially strong, athletic, technical dance. One Last Dance is a come-back story of three retired dancers, to pay tribute to a deceased choreographer. Patrick Swayze and his wife Lisa Niemi (who wrote and directed) were both trained at Swayze's mother's dance school. Their style and technique are so in tune, it is a pleasure to watch them dance together. George De La Pena plays the 3rd dancer, and was a soloist with the American Ballet Theater, another strong, impressive dancer. The heart of every dancer is evident in their performances. The choreography is outstanding, and all the dancers, so talented! This film was a treat for this dance fan!!

Happy Birthday Melanie

Today is my daughter Melanie's birthday!! Since I can bring anything back to the movies, I decided to see what movies we went to see the year she was born, 1980!

Star Wars, Raging Bull, The Elephant Man, Ordinary People, Private Benjamin, Fame, Nine to Five, Coal Miner's Daughter, Brubaker .... whew! Now that's a list of classics! 1980 was pre-video for me, so all of these films were seen in the theater. At the risk of sounding like an old codger, at our local cinema, on Tuesday nights, ladies paid $1. Ahhh, those were the days!!!

Happy Birthday Melanie!!!!

Just Like Heaven

I don't often seek out a romantic comedy, but the trailers for Just Like Heaven, had me from the first. Reese Witherspoon and Mark Rufffalo do a nice job with the story of a man who rents the apartment of a woman near death, and falls in love with her spirit, who can't seem to leave him alone. There is a touch of fantasy, I don't think it is meant to be realistic, or believable, it is meant to be enjoyed. Many times I laughed out loud, and the end is what I wanted to happen .... sappy as it was.

A side-note to my favorite morning radio program, when Elizabeth (Reese Witherspoon's character) is driving in the car, her radio is tuned to 92.3 FM!

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

When the earth is destroyed, two survivors thumb their way around the galaxy. I like films that poke fun at the human condition, and this one does it well. Just the premise that the earth has been destroyed to make way for a galactic bypass, is great! Towels as weapons, alien soldiers that can't shoot straight and a terminally depressed robot, all make for a silly romp through the galaxy. The cast is outstanding, and that wry, British humor, works for me. Though a little too long, this was a fun ride.

Weddings in Film

With the date of my daughter's wedding quickly approaching, I decided to see how many films I've seen with weddings in them. I got through the C's and realized that so many films either have a wedding scene in them, are about the demise of a marriage or are a look at the road to marriage. It was too much!! So I decided to narrow it down to favorite wedding references in films I've seen.

The Godfather - my favorite movie wedding
My Best Friend's Wedding - love the cell phone conversation at the reception at the very end
Four Weddings and a Funeral - making fun of the meringues
Wedding Crashers - the betting at the ceremony, we all think it, they just did it
Monsoon Wedding - tradition, flowers and family in a vibrant culture
Father of the Bride - I dissolve during the scene when they play one on one in the driveway

Above all I always love the wedding dresses!!!!!

Men and Baseball On DVD

Film released to DVD this week are at 2 ends of the spectrum.

Winter Solstice is a wonderful drama about men who have suffered loss, and how they deal. The dialogue is sparse and the actions strong. I saw this film at the Tribeca Film Festival, and the writer/director, Josh Sternfeld, addressed this simply by saying, men are of few words. For a woman who babbles, incessantly at times, it was a little frustrating to watch, but I got the message. A good film!

On the other end of the spectrum we have Fever Pitch, which is all about communication and expressing passions and desires. Jimmy Fallon's character is a rabid Red Sox fan who has to figure out how to fit his love for a woman into his life. An entertaining film, watch with a Red Sox fan if you can!!!

Bride and Prejudice

When my daughter gave me the soundtrack to this film for my birthday, I had to see what kind of film had a song titled "No Life, Without Wife" in it. The color and joy of Indian culture are up front in this adaptation of Jane Austin's story Pride and Prejudice. Set as a musical, Bride and Prejudice is full of beautiful people, in colorful costume, singing and dancing through the story. This film is a visual delight, and the soundtrack has some fun songs, Ashanti has a cameo.

The Outsiders

Francis Ford Coppola is a true master of the camera. The cinematography in The Outsiders is just outstanding. Every shot is a visual pleasure. I liked the story, and seeing so many big-name actors, before they were big, is fun. Though I think this film is viewed as a pop classic, because of the cast, the music and cinematography make this an art film for me.

Katrina Relief Drives Continue

A Katrina relief drive local to RI. This one's easy, every little bit helps!!! Please give if you can!! Thanks!!

Crash into DVD

The film Crash is released to DVD this week. I really enjoyed this film. We get a complex story and strong cast. Ludacris and Matt Dillon (yes Matt Dillon) give exceptional performances. This is a strong, modern drama.

PS ... Was just saying that I wish that they would choose the next Bond, and I read that Paul Haggis has been chosen to write a new screen adaptation of Casino Royale, awesome choice!!! He wrote both Crash and Million Dollar Baby. My personal choice for Bond!?!?! Clive Owen ... stay tuned.

The Ballad of Jack and Rose

Jack is a father, living alone with his daughter on an island, away from the general population. Rose is Jack's daughter, a young girl who has not been to school since she was 11, and, when faced with people, has all the normal curiosities of a teenager. This is an interesting story of love and isolationism. It is touching and dramatic, in some ways, a little disturbing. The acting and writing are outstanding.

The Constant Gardener

Ralph Fiennes may be one of the finest modern actors. His portrayal of Justin Quayle, in The Constant Gardener, is poignant and powerful. This film is part love story, part murder mystery, part thriller, part consciousness raising. Multi-layered and beautifully shot, this film made me pay attention. Activism can have a price.

More Katrina Relief

This is another link for anyone who wants to help the people devastated by hurricane Katrina. It is a local relief drive in RI, that some of you may be able to help with. Scroll down a bit on the page for all the info.

Monster-in-Law

As light romantic comedies go, Monster-in-Law delivers, more for the comedy than the romance. Not hilarious, but a fun movie. Fonda and Lopez play off each other well, and Wanda Sykes is very funny!!