Satisfaction from the Sith

Star Wars Episode III:Revenge of the Sith, was pure storytelling satisfaction for me. George Lucas has given us 28 years to enjoy and absorb a story that is filled with fantasy, love, action, friendship and political conflict. Not always the best acting, but the story is played out well, and the action and special effects make it all worthwhile.

Revenge of the Sith fills in the blanks, and ties all 6 films together, to tell a great story. I now know why Darth Vader was so convicted, and where Leia got that funky hairdo!!! Bravo to the sound crew, and John Williams for the dramatic score (I smell and Oscar nom). All in all a fun summer movie, and satisfying finale to the Star Wars legacy.

The Big Picture

In anticipation of the Newport International Film Festival I sat down with the Christopher Guest mockumentary, The Big Picture. This tongue-in-cheek look at filmmaking in Hollywood was very entertaining! Kevin Bacon's fantasy scenes were my favorite, a look into the creative mind. It was also fun to see Bacon and Terry Hatcher 15 years younger (they haven't changed much)!!

More on the film festival to come ... starts June 7th, boxoffice opens this weekend. Woo hoo!!!!!

DVD of the week

There is only one DVD release worth mentioning this week. The Aviator is out in DVD this week. Scorsese and DiCaprio put this passionate story on film, and it is a pleasure.

Shout Out

A little time out from movies for a quick shout out.

Congratulations to my daughter, Liza, on her graduation from Hofstra University yesterday. She is a frequent reader of this blog, and has been accepted to the NYC Teaching Fellows program. Well done!!

Anticipating Star Wars

As midnight, and the release of the final Star Wars installment approaches, I'll admit it here, I love all the hype that is Star Wars, and especially Revenge of the Sith! Yes it's cheesy, yes it's commercial, but after 6 films and 28 years, I say BRING IT ON!!!! I love the toys, the pajamas, the drink cups, the Pez dispensers, the plastic light sabers, the party decorations, the costumed fans, and on and on ..... It is marketing genius, and the movies are wonderful. Fantasy movie magic at it's best! I have been enjoying the adventures of the Star Wars gang for more than half of my life, and I can't wait for the final installment!! Thank you Mr. Lucas ....

Swingers

Swingers is a film from the mid 90's that I have often seen referenced, but never taken the time to watch. Written by, and starring John Favreau, and co-staring Vince Vaugn, these guys and their cronies crawl the LA nightlife looking for a good time. I was pleasantly surprised by the acting and the writing. There is a dance scene at a club near the end, that has couples swing dancing to the music of The Big Bad VooDoo Daddies. This scene was so much fun to watch, I had to rewind a couple of times! Favreau's character grows in such a way, that this film had a very satisfying ending for me.

Sex or Violence !?!?

They have always said the two things that sell are sex and violence, we have both in DVD release today. Team America:World Police is violent (yeah, violent puppets), vulgar, offensive and funny as hell. I was highly entertained by this political and social satire.

On a gentler note, Kinsey, is a biopic about Alfred Kinsey, a scientist, who approached sex as a research subject. The acting in this is wonderful, and the history and attitudes toward sex are interesting.

The Chorus

I saw The Chorus (Les Choristes) last night, and was very impressed. This Academy Award nominated, French film is the story of the impact of music on the young men and their teachers at a boarding school for delinquent and orphaned boys. I enjoyed the story, the music and the cinematography .... Bravo!!

Star Wars - Shortman Parallels

So, while watching a special about the history of Star Wars, I've discovered some very strange parallels between Star Wars movie releases and my daughters. When The Empire Strikes Back was released, in May of 1980, I was pregnant with Melanie. When Return of the Jedi was released, in May of 1983, I was pregnant with Liza. Episode II:Attack of the Clones was released the week of Melanie's college graduation in 2002. Now, Episode III:Revenge of the Sith, is being released the week of Liza's college graduation. Doesn't mean a thing, but I do love synchronicities .....

Local Film

The Last Shot is a film about an FBI sting, using the guise of making a film, to lure the felons. My favorite line is at the beginning of the film, when the agent asks "They've got mobsters in Rhode Island??" Yes, Rhode Island stars along with Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldwin, Tony Shalub, Toni Collette and Calista Flockhart. This film entertained me, and it was a hoot to watch these big stars wander around the state landfill and re-routed river. Not bad.

Pillow Promotion

My favorite morning radio show has a strong entrepreneurial spirit. They are always trying to come up with the next great business idea. There was talk of a toast store a while back (they even bought a toaster).

Some poor sleeping postures, got them thinking of a store that just sells pillows. They have come up with an initial investment of $113.65 (unless there's another trip to Ben & Jerry's). They could be well on their way to success! The discussion this morning was primarily about a great name for the store. Of course, my mind immediately turned to the 1959 film, Pillow Talk, (excellent romantic comedy with Rock Hudson and Doris Day).

While brainstorming their advertising strategy, they asked if I would promote their store on this blog. So for all you folks in southern New England, who madly dashed to a pad to write down this blog address, keep an eye out for the biggest sensation to hit the bedding industry!!! When they land on a name you can read it here first!!

Big Names

There are big names in DVD releases I like this week. Al Pacino stars in The Merchant of Venice. This version of the Shakespeare classic is well done. Bill Murray leads an all-star cast in the silly film The Life Aquatic. Cate Blanchette, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Angelica Huston and Jeff Goldblum bring us this cute homage to Jacque Cousteau. Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace and Scarlett Johansson headline the film In Good Company, an early release this year, that should do very well in DVD.

Crash

Can a man go from successful TV writer (Facts of Life, Love Boat, One Day at a Time, Diffr'nt Strokes, LA Law, thirtysomething....) to movie screenwriter?!?! Oh yeah!!!! Paul Haggis was the screenwriter on Million Dollar Baby (need I say more?) and has hit a home run with me, with the new release, Crash. Along with Robert Moresco, he wrote a gloves-off look at race and human relationships. The quick pace between scenes and stories worked well. The acting was top notch, not a weak performance in this large cast. This is not easy stuff to watch, but well worth the ride. I'll be thinking about this film for a while.

Phantom DVD

Awesome costumes, colors and cinematography, in the latest version of The Phantom of the Opera, make this movie worth seeing. I'm not a huge fan of the story, but visually, this is a beautiful film. Joel Schumacher brings style and energy to this classic musical.

The Interpreter

I wanted to see The Interpreter with a New York audience, so I ventured uptown on Friday to the Lowe's on 19th Street. I like to watch a film when I'm familiar with the filming location. From Brooklyn to Chelsea, New York played it's part well. I've never been to the UN, it looks beautiful inside. Have to put that tour on my list for future NYC visits. This was a solid political thriller, well written, well acted and directed.

Tribeca Recap

I'm back from my week at the Tribeca Film Festival, it was a great time!!! These are the films and faces I saw ....

Five Children and It is a charming British film about a family of children that discover the dangers and wonder of wishes. Henson productions is involved in this project so not only is the writing and acting great, but the special effects and "It" are enchanting! The screenwriter and his family were there.

The Tenants is a film adapted from a novel by Bernard Malamud. It is a drama, a love story and thriller all in one. Dylan McDermott, Snoop Dogg, Seymour Cassel and Danny Greene were all there for the Q&A. I was sitting among the production cast, so the eavesdropping was great!!

Reeker was a great horror film that was a nice blend of slasher and humor. The director and 2 of the actors were there.

Based on a True Story is a documentary about the actual robbery that Dog Day Afternoon is based on. It was a very interesting film. Famous faces there were Walter Stokman (the director of the film), Sidney Lumet (director of Dog Day Afternoon), Frank Pierson (writer of the screenplay for Dog Day Afternoon), the bank robber's ex-wife and two of the bank hostages. It was a very interesting Q&A.

Deep Blue was a wild underwater documentary with some hypnotic camera work, beautiful film. I had the pleasure of a running commentary from a little boy going on behind me that was priceless!

Melanie and Liza joined me for the film The Sisters on Wednesday night. This film was based on a Chekhov play, The 3 Sisters. A star studded dysfunctional family story, well done and the director and screenwriter were at the Q&A.

On Thursday I saw 2 short film programs. In Side Effects May Vary there were 7 films with all kinds of gross things going on. Not for the weak of stomach, but very entertaining. Got to chat with the filmmaker, Bill Plimpton before the screening. His film "Guard Dog" was nominated for an academy award this past year. Triggerstreet Shorts was a collection of 12 short films from the Triggerstreet folks who promote and support fledgling filmmakers. All the filmmakers were there and a lot of suits from the website's sponsor, Budweiser. You can see and submit films at triggerstreet.com

It was a great week, can't wait for next year!!!

Tribeca Bound

So I'm watching Access Holywood last night, and Robert DeNiro said "come to the Tribeca Film Festival", I felt invited!!! Off I go today, a week in New York City with tickets to 6 films at the film festival, and plans with friends and family!!! This is going to be a great vacation. If I can find internet access I'll post while I'm gone .... if not , tune in next week. Tribeca here I come!!!

Mad Hot Ballroom

I had the privilege of attending a film screening that melds two of my interests, film and ballroom dancing. The documentary Mad Hot Ballroom chronicles a ballroom dance program in NY public schools. The dancers are 10-12 years old, and the program culminates in a city-wide competition (Ann Reinking was one of the judges). The film delves into the heart and motivation of this program, which is to better the self esteem, poise and social skills of these young people through ballroom dancing. Watching these young people learn to merengue, swing, rumba, fox trot and tango is amazing. They progress from awkward (ewww touching), to graceful and confident. Stories of the dancer's progress in behavior and academics is interwoven nicely. The insight to the psyche of adolescence was also fascinating. The kids explain what it's like to be 10, 11 years old and share their dreams, thoughts on family and the opposite sex. One of the boys goes as far as saying that dance is "like a sport that nobody knows is a sport".

I also had the pleasure of attending an event with the filmmakers and several of the cast members, and found them charming and fun in person. The kids are wonderful dancers, and one of the teachers, Rodney Lopez, even gave me a twirl on the dance floor!!

Bobby Long

A Love Song for Bobby Long is the story of 3 people forced to be a family for a year. When a girl's mother dies, she returns home to claim the house and her history. It's an interesting story, with a gritty performance from John Travolta. He plays an alcoholic intellectual, trying to help a former student finish his book. And of course he has a dance scene with the lovely Ms. Johansson!

Fockers and Daggers

Meet the Fockers is out in DVD today. A fun watch, those crazy Fockers made me laugh. Streisand really seemed to have fun with this character.
House of Flying Daggers is beautifully filmed. I was bored by the story.

Film Festival Update

One week from today, I will be in New York City for the Tribeca Film Festival. This tribute to lower Manhattan has become an annual event for me. I love to visit this vivacious and comfortable neighborhood, and they put on one heck of a film event!! The films are diverse, the mood celebratory, and there are filmmakers and actors galore!! I have been to many screenings where most of the cast is in attendance with the filmmakers, the Q&A sessions are great!!!

As a bonus, the Newport Film Festival is hosting their spring fund raiser on Friday night, April 22nd, with a screening of Mad Hot Ballroom (which is showing at the Tribeca Film Festival also). This film is sold out in NY, so I'm excited to have the opportunity to see it in Newport, and help raise a little cash for my favorite local film festival. I'll be selling raffle tickets at the film and the gala ... look for tickets at newportfilmfestival.com

Fever Pitch

I am a casual Red Sox fan. When it comes to sports, I usually don't pay attention until the playoffs of any given series, especially baseball. I didn't get on board with the Red Sox this year, until August! Growing up in New England, I am jaded from a childhood of rooting for a team , only to see them lose. The last few years have been very confusing, with the Patriots dominating football, and now the Red Sox win the World Series!?!?! I say "Yahoo!" but also "What-huh!?!?!"

The Farelly brothers have given us another romantic comedy, this time with the Red Sox as an actual character. These guys do a great job making the male lead vulnerable, lovable and all guy... Jimmy Fallon does a great job in this role (I was pleasantly surprised).

In general, this is a cute, well done romantic comedy. For this pedestrian Red Sox fan, getting to relive the excitement of the 2004 World Series, was worth the price of admission. GO SOX !!!

Film Fun

Thanks to all who shared their film favorites. It was fun for me to see what you've been watching over the years. This is a quiet time for film release, so I was happy to add some of your favorites to my rental list!

Heists and Heart

Oceans Twelve brings the Oceans Eleven gang back together. Much of the humor is tongue-in-cheek, as they put together a heist to pay off the first heist (huh?). The con is on the audience half the time. Ocean's Eleven is the better of the two movies, but this is a fun rental. Nice eye candy too!!

Another heist remake out in DVD this week is Criminal. The remake of the Argentinean film Nine Queens (which is well worth renting) has a strong cast and twists and turns nicely. Cons conning cons with millions at stake.

On a more serious subject, Hotel Rwanda is out in DVD this week. This is a story of the horrors that occurred in Rwanda, and how it affected a brave hotel manager and his family. A real eye opener.

Millions

Millions is the story of a boy who finds a pile of money. He wants to help the poor, and his brother sees it as a vehicle to possessions and power. Everyone who comes in contact with the money has a different agenda. Danny Boyle brings his beautiful technique, and an air of fantasy and suspense to this film. I really enjoyed it.

Favorites of All Time

I love hearing what people think of films. My favorite morning radio program posed an interesting movie question, and I'd like to put it out there to my friends (thanks K). Has anything you've seen recently made it on to your all time favorite movie list? I posted my Top 10 movie list at the beginning of this blog back in November. The only "recent" films on that list were Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind and Lost in Translation (sadly displacing My Cousin Vinny and Shawshank Redemption). The most recent film I've seen that comes close to the Top 10, but is number 11 right now, is The Upside of Anger.

As of this date my all time favorite list approaches 50 films, but a little less than half were made in the last 5 years. Kind of interesting to me. I'd love to hear your all time favorite movie(s) and what recent film you've seen that has made it to the top!! Response can be in comment or e-mail ... look forward to it!

Get Inside the Characters

In DVD releases today are 2 films that do a good job helping the viewer get inside the characters.

All in all, Sideways is a wonderful film. Great writing, great acting, and characters with dimension. Some of them you may not like, but you understand them. Payne uses techniques that help us. There is a scene where the characters are drinking, that is shot all wobbly and out of focus, and then you realize he's trying to make you feel drunk to empathize with the character.

In Spanglish one of the characters speaks Spanish most of the time and there are no subtitles. I think this is done so the audience will experience the frustration of the non-Spanish speaking characters that can't understand her ..... very effective!!

Sin City

Sin City is a highly stylized adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novels. I know nothing of the man's work, but this film blew my socks off!! It was a creative filmwork collaboration from the master, Robert Rodriguez, and Miller. Mob men chase good guys, chase bad guys, throw in a few prostitutes and, voila, a crazy thriller is born!! I think that the reason the violence doesn't bother me, is that he makes it so obvious that it's fantastical and, by no means, real. The effects are cool, and the use of black and white, with bits of color, are so creative. Every character has it's purpose and, in most cases, menace. I found this film VERY entertaining!

Upside of Anger

Terrific acting, a great script and a story with a bit of a twist, makes The Upside of Anger one of my favorite films so far this year. Joan Allen plays a woman who has to deal with 4 daughters and her own feelings when her husband disappears. Her neighbor gets involved, and relationships are born and progress. The audience I saw this with laughed out loud throughout, but at the moment of high drama, you could have heard a pin drop in that theater.

Something for Everyone

DVD releses this week have something for everyone.

For those up for serious drama, there is Vera Drake. This British film is interesting and well acted, but in the end, very sad.

Looking for something intense, try Closer. This story involes 4 characters that take love, sex, betrayal and decite on an emotional ride. This was one of my favorite films from 2004. Graphic and vulgar at times.

Light action adventure can be found in After the Sunset. Amusing heist film that I found very entertaining.

Ashton Who?

I have experienced Ashton Kutcher in film for the first time, and I think I'm smitten! Guess Who? is an entertaining, comedic remake of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? I liked Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher together, I was surprised how much I enjoyed this film. A very romantic moment (to me) was the dress Marilyn chose to wear to the party. There were many laugh out loud moments, too! Fun stuff.

Bridget Jones vs Bridget Jones

Sequels are tough. Bridget Jones's Diary was one of my favorite films from 2001. From that opening scene of her singing "All By Myself", to the fight scene in the restaurant, to getting the guy, this is one of the few romantic comedies I've enjoyed. The temptation to revisit the lovable Ms. Jones is understandable, but Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason is flat and disappointing. I kept waiting to be entertained, but it never happened. Hugh Grant is a breath of fresh air, Daniel Cleaver is still a cad. Another fight scene is the high point. I'll stick with the original.

Neverland and Julia

Out in DVD today are two gems from 2004. Finding Neverland is a quiet story of what may have been the origins of Peter Pan. It is a story of JM Barrie's life before Peter Pan. The story is well written, acted and filmed. Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet are outstanding.

Being Julia is a great story of midlife crisis of a London theater actress. Though Annette Bening got a lot of attention for this film, the whole cast is strong, especially Jeremy Irons as her husband.

Shakespeare on Film

I am a pedestrian fan of Shakespeare. Though I don't always understand his plays, I always feel entertained by them. Today I saw Michael Radford's version of The Merchant of Venice. This is a beautiful film. From the cinematography, to the costumes to the settings and locations, the visual is impressive. A relatively unknown cast is strong, and Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes flex their acting muscles nicely!

Incredible DVDs

There are some great releases to DVD this week. First and foremost we have The Incredibles. This is one of my favorite feature films of 2004, real life or animated. The story is clever, the animation dazzling and the whole experience just plain FUN!!!

On the theme of fun we have Alfie. Jude Law is total eye candy, and yes, the man can act. He has the pleasure of tangling with Marisa Tomei, Nia Long, Jane Krakowski and Susan Sarandon ..... and suffers the consequences. A warning; this film starts out light, and ends up a little on the heavy side. Alfie pays with his heart.

End of the Century is a great documentary about the punk rock band The Ramones. I wrote about this film about a month ago, it is well worth seeing.

On the TV front, Hogan's Hero's hits DVD. Another childhood favorite of mine. I had a crush on Col. Hogan for many years, always jealous when he flirted with Helga!! Worth seeing again!!

Robots Rule

I am going to try to ignore the celebrity factor they have tried to attach to the new animated movie, Robots, the voices are irrelevant. Robots is a cute story of a boy chasing his dream. The robot element is great, losing body parts, and only being able to use upgrades instead of getting repairs. Adults can read political and social implications if they like, the kids just have fun!!! There are many references to other films, especially in chase and fight scenes. A little boy sitting near me knew them all!! The visuals are great, I especially liked the colors and futuristic style. The music is well done too, all in all an animated feature I really enjoyed!!

The lead-in to the film, is a teaser for Ice Age 2 that cracked me up!!

Ladder 49

Ladder 49 is more about people and their relationships, than fires. I enjoyed this more than expected. The light moments balance the intense. All performances are strong, and of course, there is a dance scene for Travolta!!

Brewster's Million

I hope this isn't too morbid, but after watching Brewster's Million I realize how nicely film imortalizes people. This light, fun, Richard Pryor film is about a man whose inheritance hinges on him spending 30 million dollars in 30 days. Made 20 years ago, a large part of the cast is no longer with us. It was great to see the likes of John Candy, Hume Cronyn, David White (Larry Tate from the series Bewitched)and Jerry Orbach on the screen. All wonderful performances!! Thanks to J for recommending this film, though I found myself mentally trying to keep track of the money as he was wildly spending ... got a little stressed out!!

DVD Phenom

An odd phenomenon has occurred. For the first time in a long time, I have not seen any of the films being released in DVD this week. So all I have to offer is my anticipation, this is what's on my list.....

When Ladder 49 was released, I had a full movie plate, so I never got to see it in the theater. I understand this is a film with a lot of heart, look forward to it.

Stage Beauty played at the Tribeca Film Festival last year. This is supposed to be an excellent period film about theater.

Woman Thou Art Loosed, the story of a woman on death row, met with incredible reviews and played in RI briefly. I missed it, so I look forward to it in DVD.

Thank goodness for on-line rental service!!!!

Be Cool

Being a big fan of Get Shorty, I was glad to see the return of Chili Palmer and the gang in Be Cool. The story is way too loose, a lot of inside references, and there are many moments where you wonder "what the heck??", but the entertaining moments won me over, and Travolta is hot as ever!! My new fantasy is one dance with JT, lucky Uma!!! James Woods, Harvey Keitel, Robert Pastorelli and Cedric the Entertainer give solid performances. Christina Milian shows off her vocal talent, and The Rock is hilarious!! Don't know how they got Aerosmith to do this film, but Steven Tyler holds his own. There are times where it looks like it's an effort to deliver his cheesy lines with a straight face, but he pulls it off. All in all an entertaining film, and will be a fun rental.

Spongebob

Now that the dust has settled on the award season for cinema of 2004, the DVD releases today are much lighter fare. This weekend I was in the company of my young nephews, and was introduced to Spongebob Squarepants ..... holy moly!!!! All I know is the kids were constantly giggling, and apparently you must shout the theme song. The feature film comes out in DVD today, I wish I had seen it in theaters with a screaming crowd of kids (and a bottle of Tylenol). On the other hand, the classic Disney film, Bambi, is being released in a special edition DVD. Two ends of the spectrum in animated entertainment.

Also out in DVD today is the 3rd season of Lost in Space. When this show was on TV, I was a kid, and we watched on the edge of our seats every week. I was fascinated with the concept of space travel, and loved the adventures of the Robinson family and the evil Dr. Smith!! This campy show is a gem of 1960's television programming.

Oscar Recap

Of the 24 categories on my Oscar ballot, I picked 13. Million Dollar Baby and Jamie Foxx worthy of their awards! As I watched the Oscars, these are my observations:

Best Dressed: Hillary Swank, blue is the new black

Best entrance: Kate Winslet

Best Makeup: Penelope Cruz (once she got her hair out of her face)

Best Acceptance speech: Jorge Drexler (Motorcycle Diaries, best song) for singing his acceptance speech

Notables:
Men in straight ties
Blue was the color of the night.
Serious eye makeup and nude lip shades.

Tasteless remark by Chris Rock:
Introduced Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz as " ..... four presenters"

Felt bad for Emmy Rossum introducing Beyonce.

Oh yeah, and I made the best mess of popcorn in the kitchen, nice even spray, it went everywhere!!!

Oscar Picks 2005

OK folks, here are my picks for Sunday's festivities. I'm listing who I think will probably win the Oscar, and my best guess for a surprise winner. I'm not listing EVERY category, because that would be just plain boring. All nominated films and performances were Oscar worthy .... tune in on Sunday!!!

Best Picture
The Aviator-Pick
Million Dollar Baby-Surprise

Best Actor
Jamie Foxx / Ray-Pick
Leonardo DiCaprio / The Aviator-Surprise

Best Actress
Hillary Swank / Million Dollar Baby-Pick
Kate Winslet / Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind-Surprise

Best Director
Clint Eastwood / Million Dollar Baby-Pick
Martin Scorsese / The Aviator-Surprise (love to see this happen)

Best Supporting Actor
Clive Owen / Closer-Pick
Morgan Freeman / Million Dollar Baby-Surprise

Best Supporting Actress
Natalie Portman / Closer-Pick
Cate Blanchette / The Aviator-Surprise
Virginia Madsen / Sideways-Surprise (sorry, needed 2 here)

Best Screenplay (original)
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind-Pick
The Incredibles-Surprise(and deserving)

Best Screenplay (adapted)
Sideways-Pick
Before Sunset-Surprise

Best Animated Feature
The Incredibles-Pick
Shrek-Surprise

Best Foreign Feature
The Sea Inside-Pick
The Chorus-Surprise

Best Documentary Feature
Born Into Brothels-Pick
Tupac:Resurrection-Surprise

Fear and Loathing

On the passing of writer Hunter Thompson, I thought of the movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. My daughter M left this movie laying on my TV one weekend, so I gave it a look. She didn't think I would like it, but I thought it was brilliant!!! Funny, edgy and just plain crazy! Johnny Depp plays the best stoner I've ever seen, and the all star cast just shines!!! Not for everyone, but I thought it was damn funny!!

I (Heart) Tough Guys

The good news is, there are new DVD releases this week of Heat and Get Shorty. I like tough guy movies, and these are two good ones.

Heat is a star studded heist film that Michael Mann helms in his glorious style. Pacino and DeNiro do some great work here. Well done good guy / bad guy story.

Get Shorty is full of action and clever dialogue, the cast is amazing. I always watch Hackman in awe. There's also a scene where DeVito descends a staircase oozing menace and presence. Can't wait for the follow-up film, Be Cool.

What About Huckabees?

My views on the DVD release of I (heart) Huckabees this week are, regrettably, negative. I like to find something good in all film, but this one makes it tough. I (heart) Huckabees, to me, is a slow, silly waste of time. I love the previous work of all the cast, but as I sat, and sat, and sat, and sat, and sat through this movie, I realized I was just plain bored. I got it, most of it was very predictable, but it just didn't do it for me.

Uncle Nino

I had a unique movie experience today with Uncle Nino. This is a film that has no explosions, violence, sex, nudity, swearing or bathroom scenes ..... and it is a good one.... imagine!!!! Uncle Nino is the story of a family with 2 kids, working mom, workaholic dad, and old Uncle Nino comes to visit from Italy. His presence has a wonderful effect on each member of the family, and makes them look at their relationships with each other. This story is well written, we don't even find out the real reason for Uncle Nino's visit until the end. Very satisfying film.

The Sea Inside

Javier Bardem is unrecognizable for most of this film (his makeup is flawless) .... until he smiles, and oh those eyes *sigh*! The story of Ramon Sampedro, a quadriplegic, who fought a 30 year battle for legal assisted suicide in Spain, is a beautiful story. The story is told gently and respectfully of Ramon and his family. A pretty film too.

The Last Supper

Following my request for film suggestions from the kids (thanks M), I saw The Last Supper. I love stories of situations gone awry. One needs to remember that it's just a movie at times. The more outrageous it becomes, the more plausible it seems .... hmmmm. A group of friends, appalled by unsavory political postures, take matters into their own hands. Things get out of control, and they bring about their own demise. Good black comedy.

An Architect and a Motorcycle

Two wonderful movies from 2004 come out in DVD this week. My Architect is a documentary about the life and art of architect Louis Kahn. His son explores the life of his father, who was not a very nice man ... but a brilliant artist. Interesting piece, touching in places.

The Motorcycle Diaries is a great road trip film, depicting the young adventures of Che Guevara and his pal Alberto on a road trip through South America. The motorcycle doesn't last long, but the young men accomplish their journey. This film was made on location in South America, and many scenes are breathtaking. This was one of my favorite films this year !!

Hitch

In my ongoing fan-fest for Will Smith, I saw Hitch today. It is a cute romantic comedy, that gets a little slow at the end, but recovers right before the credits. The bright spots are Smith, Kevin James (so lovable)and Eva Mendez (nice surprise). The script is clever, the acting right on and , as I said, aside from one slow spot, a fun film!!!

Eulogy

In this story of a dysfunctional family reunion for a funeral, the deceased man's granddaughter struggles to write his eulogy. This is your typical black comedy, crazy family film, but the characters are SO nuts, and the acting SO good. Zooey Deschanel, Hank Azaria, Ray Romano,Debra Winger and Famke Janssen play the core members of this wacky family, as they uncover family secrets and lay grandpa to rest ... such as it is!!

Raging Bull

Raging Bull is finally being released in DVD today. The rise and fall of Jake Lamotta's boxing career is a story of professional and personal struggle. I borrowed the video from the library this summer, after seeing Martin Scorsese speak at the Tribeca Film Festival, and was reminded that this is a real work of art. From the music, to the cinematography, and those performances!! When it was released in 1980, this is the first movie I saw as a "film". A real cinematic gem!!

A Lovely Valentine

One of the best love stories on film from 2004 comes out in DVD this week. The Notebook is the story of a young couple, as retold by the man of the couple, in his golden years. There's a small twist that's pretty obvious early on, but it is still a great love story, with a very poignant ending. The performances are strong, especially James Garner. Have the tissues ready!!

End of the Century

End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones is another great documentary about a form of music with which I am unfamiliar. I'd always heard of the Ramones, but am just old enough to have missed the whole punk rock thing. As with Metalica:Some Kind of Monster, Obstinato, Growing up on Tour:A Family Portrait and Tupac:Resurrection, I like learning about these music forms from the artists themselves, in documentary film style. This film was well made, and gave many points of view of the 20 plus year career of the Ramones. I was surprised that I liked the music too!!

Oh Vera

Vera Drake is cinema of the heart. The story of a kind, generous, well meaning woman in 1950's London, collides with the law's view of assisting abortion. How the discovery of her activities effects her, and her family, is heart wrenching. The cinematography and performances are outstanding. A very sad story.

Top 10 of 2004

I have finally committed to a top 10 list for the films of 2004. This was SO hard!!!! I wanted to enter a contest in Film Comment magazine so I had to whittle my list of almost 30 films down to 10. I realized my problem is that I like to find something good in every film I see. Here is the list I sent to Film Comment:

1. Million Dollar Baby
2. Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
3. The Incredibles
4. Garden State
5. Ray
6. Motorcycle Diaries
7. Sideways
8. Closer
9. The Aviator
10. Finding Neverland

Of course, I have to have an honorable mention list which includes Beyond the Sea, Spiderman 2, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Shaun of the Dead, Lemony Snicket, Hotel Rwanda and Before Sunset.

Recommendations

I've declared a new contest, "Recommend a Great Film"!!!! I take film recommendations from friends and family all the time. On the whole, I enjoy them. Films like Dick, The Croupier, Godfather 2 and Shall We Dance? (Japanese version), are all films I really enjoyed, and would not have seen, were they not recommended to me. Recently, I have encouraged my kids to recommend films for me, and they do not disappoint. First Melanie and Joe encouraged me to see Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. I was skeptical, but loved it!! Funny as hell and a great social commentary. Then Liza recommended Employee of the Month (a Sundance 2004 film) outstanding black comedy, fabulous twists and turns, be sure to sit through the credits for the real ending, hehe!!!!

Keep those recommendations coming!!

Ray, Shall We Dance?

The original version of Shall We Dance? is out in DVD. For years this film has sat in the bargain bins in video stores, but this charming Japanese film enjoys new popularity thanks to this year's remake with big names Gere, Sarandon and Lopez. Looking for a little variety in his life and routine, a shy accountant signs up for a ballroom dancing class. The people in his class, the instructors and a dance competition show him, and his family, a side of him they did not know.

The film Ray is another charmer that tells the story of the early life of Ray Charles. Jamie Foxx gives an amazing performance as the music legend, and Taylor Hackford steers this story masterfully. The supporting cast is strong. This is one of this year's "must see" films.

Also out in DVD today is Vanity Fair. If you like period films, or Reese Witherspoon this is an ok story of social climber Becky Sharp. A little long, but I liked the costumes and Ms. Witherspoon's shot at an affected accent.

Being (Annette) Julia

In my quest for Oscar, I traveled to Boston today to see best actress nominee Annette Bening in Being Julia. In a small theater, with an enthusiastic audience, I saw a gem of a film. The story of a successful stage actress, in 1930's London, was funny, clever, sexy and entertaining. Jeremy Irons and Juliet Stevenson shine in a strong supporting cast. Well worth seeing, it comes out in DVD in March.

Come Out, Come Out

There are a handful of actors that have such a presence and talent, I would watch them read the phone book. Robert DeNiro and Dakota Fanning are 2 of them. Hide and Seek is a decent mid-winter movie, mostly because of these 2 actors. A thriller that had me fooled, right to the reveal of the twist. A little dark and drawn out, but Fanning and DeNiro make it work.

A Camel and Tupac

I saw 2 films nominated for Oscars in the catergory of best documentary film. Documentary film is a great way to observe real life depictions of parts of the world, or lifestyles, you normally wouldn't see.

The Story of the Weeping Camel takes you to Mongolia. A camel is born and the mother, rejects it. The tribe that owns the camels uses creativity to get the camel to accept her newborn colt. Beautifully filmed, not all the dialogue is subtitled.

Tupac:Resurrection is about the slain rap artist Tupac Shakur. I know very little about the rap world, so I found this film interesting. The whole film is archive footage of Tupac, put together to tell his life story. Interesting to see his perspective of the short life he lead. Some of the footage is prophetic of his demise ... a little erie. Kind of a sad story.

Oscar Noms

The Oscar nominations are out!! Oscar.com has a printable ballot if you want to play along. I have never been able to predict more than half of the winners, but I do love seeing all the films and following the coverage.

As I have said before, I love the dark horse nominees. There are not many this year. The only ones I see for acting noms are Catalina Sandino Moreno for Maria Full of Grace, a powerful, haunting performance, and Sophia Okonedo for Hotel Rwanda, plays so well opposite Don Cheadle.

I was thrilled to see Lemony Snicket and I Robot acknowledged. I was disappointed for Meryl Streep (Manchurian Candidate), Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind), Paul Giamati (Sideways), Kevin Spacey (Beyond the Sea) and Zac Braff (Garden State) .... but that's the way the Oscar tumbles!!

We'll see the results on February 27th, must go dust off my tiara!!

Metalica and the Sky

Two films I've seen are out on DVD, and they are both worth seeing.

Metalica: Some Kind of Monster is an interesting documentary about the therapy sessions for the band Metalica. As time, fame, age, family and addictions caught up to them, they sought professional help to stay together. It is an interesting journey. I really like Metalica's hard rock, but if you're looking for their music, buy a CD, there is more talk than music in the film. Wonderful insight to the band.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a fun ride. The tongue is firmly planted in the cheek. The script, of this sci-fi fantasy, is clever and sarcastic. All performances are as you would expect. Giovanni Ribsi has a supporting role that he carries off quite well (helps that he's so cute!) The special effects are amazing, it's a fun film!!

Million Dollar Snow Storm

I was with my daughter Liza in NYC this weekend to see the Broadway show Rent on Friday night (thanks Liza!!) The weather report for Saturday was snow. What would you do!?!!? We went to the movies!!!

Our first film of the day was Million Dollar Baby. My comment, as the credits rolled, was "wow" (through my tears). This was a great story, incredible acting and rip-your-heart-out emotional ride. Both of us enjoyed this film immensely!!!

When we came out of the theater, there was about 3" of snow on the ground, so we trekked down the street to see the documentary Born into Brothels. Film is a great way to see parts of the world you can't travel to. The footage of the way the children are raised in these brothels in Calcutta, and an outsider's efforts to rescue them make you want to jump on a plane. The effort to better these children's lives is admirable, but the eye-opening influence of family and culture is powerful.

On Sunday the sun was shining bright, but the snowfall overnight put off our travel for a day, so we headed for the theater to see Hotel Rwanda. Another eye opener to the atrocities that occur in the world, and the people who try to make a difference. Wonderful film.

We did watch both NFL playoff games, so we weren't totally movie obsessed. Both games were great, and though I know Liza is torn I've gotta say it "GO PATS !!!!"

Friday Night Lights

Out in DVD this week is the film Friday Night Lights. This is the story of a high school football team, in Texas, and their journey to a championship. Billy Bob Thornton plays the central character of the coach, Tim McGraw plays one of the parents of a player. There is plenty of drama and passion in this story. It is more about the characters than the sport. The game sequences are graphic, shot almost doucumentery-style. This is a good human drama.

Golden Fields

After watching the Golden Globes last night, one of my favorite films came to mind. The Man from Elysian Fields is a morality tale with a cast that movie lovers, like me, dream of. Check out this cast, Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Angelica Huston, Mick Jagger, James Coburn and Olivia Williams. Seeing Mick, Julianna and Angelica at the awards, I was reminded of their strong performances in this film. Garcia plays a writer, who is having trouble selling his second book. In need of money, he turns to Jagger's character for employment. I really enjoyed this story about life choices, and their consequences.

House of Flying Daggers

I was first introduced to the genre of martial arts film by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2001. It interests me visually, but I was not impressed with the story. Then, I saw Hero. The creative story and visual was incredible, one of my favorite films from last year. House of Flying Daggers follows in those footsteps, but fails to fill the shoes. The visual is great,but the story is boring. I was most interested in knowing that the last scene was filmed in the snow , because the weather was such on location. Unfortunately, the scene dragged so badly, I was grateful for the credits. Pretty film, but no story.

Six Degrees of Will Smith

OK, I'm admitting it here, one of my guilty pleasure film actors is Will Smith. I have seen many a mediocre movie because he is in it. And , yes, I love The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ... His first feature film was Six Degrees of Separation, where he plays a con man, looking for substance in his life. The dialogue gives away the fact that this is an adapted play, but it translates nicely to the screen. Stockard Channing and Donald Sutherland play the central couple, on whom, Smith's character works his charms. Sutherland's character is an art dealer, and the art collection in the couple's apartment is impressive. Well worth a look if you like stage translated to screen, or.....Will Smith!!

In Good Company

I had the pleasure of seeing In Good Company last night. Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace put in awesome performances (the whole cast is very strong). The story is a little predictable, but there are enough "moments" to keep it interesting. This is a story about a corporate takeover, and the human relationships it effects. I saw this in a packed theater, and the audience response was great, laughter, gasps and a few "oh no's"!!! Good flick to ease the winter blahs!

SAG Award Noms

The Screen Actors Guild has announced it's nominees for excellence in movies and television for 2004. All the usuals are there, but I always enjoy seeing a dark horse in the crowd. There are three that I see, and well deserved. I had the same reaction to all of these actors in the roles they were nominated for, the screen lit up when they were in a scene. Freddie Highmore, in Finding Neverland, has an amazing screen presence for such a young actor. Cloris Leachman in Spanglish, commanded every scene she was in. And James Garner, In the Notebook, ripped my heart out in one of the best love stories on screen this year! Congrats to all the nominees!!!

It Takes a Village

Out in DVD today is The Village. There was so much talk about this film when it came out this summer, I wasn't going to see it. Then I heard someone say that if you went in to it with no expectations, the film entertains. I tried it, I liked it. Nuff said.

Another DVD released today, is a deluxe edition of The Fifth Element. I saw this sci-fi thriller recently, and really liked it!! Bruce Willis carries this wild ride, and all the furturistic stuff is pretty cool.

All Aboard !

I know I'm a little late to the party, but I finally saw The Polar Express. What a visual treat!! I would love to see this in IMAX 3D someday. The story was fine, being so classic, it will be a perennial favorite for years. The animation was very cool, there were times when I forgot it wasn't real. The North Pole was a little wacky, all that bounding and flipping around. I really liked the depiction of Santa, he was the man in charge. The train crew was great comic relief, there were intense moments when it was needed. A good ride, bravo Mr. Zemeckis!

Football or Film?

This time of year is, for me with film, like the Superbowl is to football fans. As I have said, I do not think the Oscars are the be-all and end-all determination of film excellence, but they get a lot of press, so it is a high profile barometer of the past film season. Several years ago I started to use the Oscar nominations as a basis for selecting films to see. I try to see as many nominated films as I can before the gala event. This is a project, because by the time the nominees are announced, many of the films have left theaters, and may not be out in DVD in time ... a dilemma. I try to be diligent during the year, but I usually get trapped by one or 2 films. It's usually some awful film nominated for something obscure like sound or costumes. Nominations will be announced on January 25th, then I'll be making my clean-up list. I already fear I'll have to see The Day After Tomorrow, as it is being considered for a nom in sound editing *sigh*

Listmania

This time of year everyone is publishing Top 10 film lists. The usual suspects always end up on those lists, but I love finding the odd film someone enjoyed and found list-worthy. I tried to make my own Top 10 list, but found the number of films I enjoyed this year approached 30 (and I still have about 10 to see)! Not to bore you with a list, I'll offer a few thoughts:

1. Films from 2004 that made it into my DVD collection; Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, Spiderman 2 and Coffee and Cigarettes.

2. Sports-theme films that surprised me; Miracle and Friday Night Lights.

3. Love stories that enthralled me; De'Lovely, Before Sunset, A Home at the End of the World, The Notebook, A Very Long Engagement and Garden State

4. Biopics that wowed me; Beyond the Sea, Ray, Finding Neverland, The Motorcycle Diaries, Kinsey and The Aviator

5. Action films that entertained me; Collateral, I Robot, The Incredibles, Criminal, Shaun of the Dead and Kill Bill 2.

6. Films I just enjoyed, but can't think of categories; Sideways, Closer, Mean Girls, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Maria Full of Grace.

See what I mean!?!?!?

Hotties of the Week

Though I have always thought Brad Pitt was cute, I never got the "hot " factor, until I saw him as Achilles in Troy. Out in DVD this week, this film was better than I expected, and Brad Pitt's buff look certainly made the character. There is a beach battle scene that is impressive also. Not a great film, but worth a look.

Another group of macho guys can be seen in Riding Giants, a documentary about surfing giant waves. The footage is mesmerizing, and the history of surfing, interesting. This film was screened at the Newport Film Fesitval this summer, and I must say these gentlemen are easy on the eyes in person. Awesome documentary.

And my favorite, of this group of hotties, are Harold & Kumar, in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. This film is very funny, a great social commentary and even a love story. This was another film I enjoyed more than I expected, especially a scene where they steal a car and rock out to the unexpected music found in the tape player.... hilarious!!!

Do you Spanglish?

Spanglish is the latest Adam Sandler vehicle. He plays a successful chef, with a bored wife (Tea Leoni), and a couple of kids, hires a Mexican woman (Paz Vega) as domestic help, she speaks no english. The first hour and a half of this film is great, the character development is good. There are no subtitles when Flor speaks, which helps the audience experience the language barrier, and the story is interesting. The last 45 minutes limp along, well meaning, but heavy and dragged out. The acting is wonderful (Sandler, Vega, Steele and Leachman shine), the concept is fine, but I feel like the director got bored before the movie was over.

Oh those Fockers

Yes, it has finally happened, the fateful meeting of the parents of Greg (Gaylord) Focker and Pam Byrnes. I thought this was funnier than Meet the Parents ... no, I did not care for the original film. Hoffman and Streisand, as the Fockers, are great! The plot is a little choppy, and until Jack (DeNiro) returns to CIA operative, it drags. This is nice, light fare and will be called "OK" by most Meet the Parents fans. As a stand alone film it is good holiday comedy, stay for the credits.

Cousteau and Zissou

The Life Aquatic is a tribute to Jacques Cousteau. I was raised on his work and adventures and I think he would like this film. It is a tongue in cheek look at ocean exploration. Often silly, sometimes dark, this film entertains nicely. A strong cast and clever script give Wes Anderson another dark comedy to be proud of.

Let's talk about sex

If you have an aversion to blunt talk about sex you may not like Kinsey. This frank, well done story of the man who first dared to study sex as a science AND publish the results, is no nonsense and honest. Liam Nelson, Laura Linney and Peter Sarsgaard shine as the main characters of this film. Al Kinsey approached sex and human sexuality as a science. This is the story of his struggle to be treated as a scientist, and get respect and funding for his work. His efforts to link the scientific with sociological were way before their time .... though his work is probably part of the reason we view sex the way we do today.

Phantom

For many years I have resisted the Broadway show Phantom of the Opera. I could not understand the allure of the story of a disgruntled, disfigured guy hanging out back stage reeking havoc .... how does that require 3 hours of story telling?? So today I decided to check it out on film, oh dear !! The performances were OK, but for me, this is the most boring story on the planet. Joel Schumacher put out a great visual, the actors tried hard, but this is a damn dull story. I was impressed with Emmy Rosum in Passionada, and I understand it is her voice singing ... well done at her young age. Other than that, a good time for a ten dollar nap.

Beyond the Sea

On New Year's Eve I try to see a movie of note. In the past it has been Lord of the Rings installment and last year, In America. Today a worthy film joined the ranks, I saw Beyond the Sea. I had read a lot about this Kevin Spacey project. I'm a little too young to be a Bobby Darin fan, but Spacey brought the man alive for me. I am a huge fan of dance, and film usually falls short in this genre. The production numbers were brilliant and the filming no less. The story telling was enthralling and the actors were amazing! Bravo to Spacey, and his production company, it was awesome from script, to technical, to acting, to heart .... fabo!!!!

Jersey Shore

Out in DVD today are a couple of films I really enjoyed.

Open Water is a story of a couple's vacation that goes bad when they are left behind after a scuba trip. The fact that they are in tropical waters inhabited by sharks,was played up in the trailers, but the film is really about human emotions that take over when people are in a desperate situation. The film is about the people, not the sharks. Well worth seeing, but not a happy film.

Zach Braff's Garden State is one of the best films released this year. A dark comedy about a guy who comes home after his mother's death, and deals with himself and his life, and falls in love. Braff wrote, directed and stars in this film ... quite a debut!! Natalie Portman plays his love interest and leaves Star Wars far behind!

Another nice love story is Wimbeldon. Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany play a pair of love-struck tennis players, in a forbidden affair. The dialogue is clever and the story well written. This film was a pleasant surprise.

On the New Jersey theme, another movie I liked from this summer, was Jersey Girl. I know, I know, Ben and Jen..... silly light comedy, but it has its moments. Raquel Castro, who plays Afflek's daughter, steals every scene she's in, it's a cute story. Will Smith has a great cameo appearance and Lopez has a meltdown scene that is the only acting I have ever seen her do (she's crying about looking fat at 8 months pregnant). A silly movie, but not bad if you are in the mood for something light.

Holiday Viewing

The Christmas weekend did not leave much time for movies, but I did see a few.

We Don't Live Here Anymore is a story of matrimonial betrayal. Not a pleasant topic, but the acting and writing are topshelf. I had the pleasure of meeting the director, John Curran, at the Newport Film Festival this summer .... very nice guy (good looking too)!

The Aviator is the latest biopic in theaters this week. Leonardo DiCaprio gives an awesome performance as Howard Hughes. The emotional energy consumes the viewer. The dinner scene with Katherine Hepburne's family, and a plane crash scene are true art, Scorsese should be proud. Some scenes are drawn out, I think the film could afford about 20 minutes, but it's worth it.

De-Ve-De

Out in DVD today is the film De-Lovely. In this year of the biopic avalanche, this story of Cole Porter's life and loves is one of the good ones. Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd portray Cole and Linda Porter in this love story, which does address his attraction to men. I liked the way the story was told, the music is wonderful and the makeup and costumes are great.

Last week I forgot to mention the latest Harry Potter release. It is the first film on my Oscar list for art direction. This is a beautiful film, and contains all the normal Harry Potter hijinx. The kids are starting to act like teenagers, which is fun to watch.

Over the weekend I saw The Door in the Floor, a good example of don't see the film if you enjoyed the book, though Jeff Bridges gave a nice performance. I also saw Badasssss, another biopic. This one is about Melvin Van Peebles' experience making a film in the early 70s. Anyone interested in this very volatile time in film history (late 60s through the 70s) should check out the documentary Easy Rider to Raging Bull, the book is interesting too.

One of the funniest films I've seen this year is out in DVD. Shaun of the Dead is a spoof of the zombie movie genre. This movie is gory and funny, and is also about love and friendship. I know this sounds weird, but this is a fabulous film!!!1

Snicket is for Kids

Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events is a great romp for the kids. This is a film version of the popular children's books. Count Olaf pursues his orphaned nieces and nephew for their family fortune, after the death of their parents. The sets and costumes create a grim background to a fanciful story that has both adventure and humor (actors and realtors are the butt of several jokes). The acting is rock solid, right down to the baby! Fans of animation should sit through the credits, they are almost as entertaining as the movie!

Holiday Squeeze

If I can squeeze one film in between all the holiday activities this weekend, my choice would be Lemony Snicket. The reviews are good, and it sounds like a fun film. Spanglish and Being Julia are on my list too, but I probably won't have time till the New Year's weekend. My recommendations for anyone looking to hide in the theater this weekend would be, Finding Neverland, Oceans Twelve, Sideways or The Incredibles. Enjoy!!

Quality vs Boxoffice

What is the measure of success? To some it is praise, to others the almighty dollar. When it comes to film, there are all kinds of measures of success. Every week we see the boxoffice numbers, and this time of year we see the daily parade of awards for the year's work. In many cases boxoffice hits will be big award winners, but this year we see two films with very modest boxoffice takes walking away with all kinds of praise. After the rampage that was Return of the King last year, I am refreshed by this.

Finding Neverland is a quiet, well acted, well written, well filmed piece that is a pleasure to experience. The film and it's cast are being showered with awards, yet this film has only grossed 14.2M.

Sideways is another gem that, interestingly, has grossed the same amount, and is probably neck-in-neck with Finding Neverland in the awards department. The magic? A good story, strong acting, clever writing and brilliant filming. You have to hunt this one down in the more obscure theaters, but it is worth the effort. (Did I mention that it's damn funny!?!?)

I think these two films show that quality film does not necessarily equal big bucks, but those who experience it are better for it.

My Friend Meryl

In light of the opening of Lemony Snicket this week, I thought I would tell you about my friend Meryl. Yes, Meryl Streep.

In the summer of 2000 my daughter was visiting colleges. We were sent outside to join another young lady and her mother for a tour. Before we set out, the guide asked us to introduce ourselves. The mother turned to me, extended her hand and said "Hi, I'm Meryl", I was shaking the hand of Meryl Streep!! It was all I could do to maintain a straight face and reply, "I'm Linda".... My brain was going a million miles an hour, I was meeting my all time favorite actress, and I've got to stay cool and act like she's just another mom, with me on a college campus tour with our daughters. Yeesh!!! Believe it or not, I maintained my composure for the afternoon, mostly because I didn't want to embarrass my daughter, and also because my friend Meryl is so charming and easy going. We chatted kids, computers, dorms and (my favorite) she explained black box theater to me. As we parted ways, she was digging in her purse for her keys (drove the Subaru wagon herself), she looked up at me and said "It was a pleasure to meet you." I hope I run into Meryl again some day ..... you never know!!!

Films worth seeing my friend Meryl in ... Kramer vs. Kramer, Silkwood, The Hours, Adaptation, The River Wild, Sophie's Choice, Marvin's Room, Death Becomes Her, Postcards from the Edge (she sings!) and Angels in America. Enjoy!!

A Little Old, A Little New

DVD releases today have a little bit of old and a little bit of new!

An anniversary edition of Mary Poppins brings us one of the true technical film masterpieces from 40 years ago.. I remember my Grandfather taking me to see this in the theater, when I was a little girl, at the Majestic Theater in downtown Providence! I thought it was genius on film then as I do now, and for a long time I thought Julie Andrews was the most beautiful woman in the world, even had a little crush on Dick Van Dyke!

Also released today is Top Gun, good action-love story with fantastic flight sequences. There is a special, expanded version on The Return of the King. DVD is probably the best way to see the Lord of the Rings films. It was my New Years Eve movie for three years, and after falling asleep in the first one, I was sure to always go early in the day!! These are brilliant films, but the DVD allows you to fast forward through the boring stuff, and the behind the scenes footage can be more interesting than the actual film. Lord of the Ring fanatics will be in their element!

New out today is I Robot, a clever sci-fi action vehicle for Will Smith. It's a pretty good story, and the action is good ... just fun to watch. Other fun film out today is The Princess Diaries 2. I took my niece H to see this in the summer, and was pleasantly surprised. It's your standard love story, told with humor and physical comedy.. it also throws in a gentle dose of feminism. Worth a look.

I know 2 of these films are already out in DVD, but in light of yesterday's Golden Globe nominations, I feel compelled to recommend 3 films featuring the wonderful Jamie Foxx. In Collateral he plays all range of emotion and becomes the unwilling hero in this crime drama. In Redemption he plays Tookie Williams, an LA gang member in jail for murder. I have trouble sympathizing with convicted criminals, but it is an interesting true story, and Foxx is brilliant. And then there's Ray. Still in theaters, this telling of the early life of Ray Charles is beautifully shot, well written, and Foxx gives an incredible performance (the whole cast is very strong but Foxx really shines). I'd be surprised if the Hollywood Foreign Prees would give him 3 awards, but the nominations are very deserving.

Weekend viewing

The weekend started on Friday, with an early matinee of A Very Long Engagement at the Landmark Sunshine Theater in NYC. It is an excellent French film set in World War I. A young girl pines for her fiance and searches for him after the war. Beautiful cinematography, and awesome acting. The details of war are pretty graphic, but it ends up being a classic love story, I really enjoyed it. By the way, the Sunshine Theater is great!! The day was cold and wet, so I headed to Rocco for a bowl of their minestrone soup, hearty bread and , of course, a strawberry dessert. Then I headed uptown for a later matinee so I'd be near the train station when it was time to meet M, but the theatre was having trouble with the sound on the film so they weren't showing it .... Thwarted, I tried to do a little Christmas shopping.

That night J, M and I watched The Wedding Singer, which is a very cute romantic comedy about the ironies of love and marriage. Adam Sandler was excellent in this movie.

Saturday I was treated to an early Christmas present from M&J, a Broadway musical, Pacific Overtures. The show was very good, and the real treat was meeting J's cousin H who was in the show. It was a great night of theater and spending time with J's family.

On Sunday we saw Oceans Twelve!!!! I was not disappointed. The heist in the film was minor, compared to the characters, the jokes and the twists. A very fun movie with the best male eye candy I've seen in a while. Brad Pitt and Scott Caan were looking good!!

A successful weekend of theater, film and family .... Bring on Christmas!!!

Film Paradise

Well I'm off to NYC tomorrow to spend a day in the big city!!! I know I should do some Christmas shopping (I'll try), but I am most looking forward to the films I can see.

I have a soft spot for the independent films that either don't make it to RI, or just take forever to get here. In NYC, the theaters are everywhere, and so many of these great films are playing. It is truly Film Paradise.

I promised M&J that I would wait to see Oceans Twelve with them, so that's off the list for Friday (believe me, I'll see it before the weekend is over). I think I'll haunt lower Manhattan, where I can find films like Born into Brothels, Kinsey, Bad Education, House of Flying Daggers, Vera Drake and more!!! It makes my head spin!! I have all day, so I'm going to try to see a couple. A couple of years ago Landmark Theaters renovated the old Sunshine Theater on Houston St., I'd like to check it out.

Of course, when in NYC one must eat well. I see an afternoon break at Rocco in my future, and maybe a corned beef sandwich at Katz deli(famous location of the orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally). I think there's a Belgian french fry stand down on Houston too ... yum!!!!

R U Star Struck?

I thought I might look at celebrities on Wednesdays. I like to read and hear interviews that offer the insight of the people who make the films I love so much! From prospective projects, to old secrets, I like the inside scoop. I try to get my info from reliable sources, but in this age of sophisticated PR and the "sound bite" that ain't easy. I read a lot of magazines and web-sites, and I like the interviews on the TV entertainment mags and a local morning radio show.

Another interesting source is the first-hand conversation. I have had my share of celebrity encounters, and I'm working on forming intelligent conversation without looking like a prying idiot. I've had the opportunity to talk to filmmakers at film festivals and chance encounters, and it is an effort for a fan like me to be coherent. I tend to get a little star struck and tongue tied, but I'm working on it. More on these encounters later.....

The Movie Dollar

There is nothing worse than thinking halfway through a movie, "I paid money to see this?" Sure takes the fun out of it. There are a few things I do to try and maximize my movie dollar. First of all, thank goodness for the bargain matinee. The multiplex I go to most weekends has discount admission to all movies before 6 PM, an awesome value. The other great value is video/DVD viewing. The best value can be found at your local library, where you can find great home viewing selections for FREE, yes, I said FREE! My library has a great selection, and you can keep them for a week. This is where I'll grab films I don't know about or have a casual interest, it's low risk and you can find some real gems. You can also find obscure stuff video stores don't have. My favorites, old classics like Metropolis (first sci-fi film ever made... 1927) and King Kong!!! The other value is online DVD services. For a monthly fee, I can get DVD's in the mail for less than $2 per viewing. Any film I'm not sure is worth the theater dollar comes to me in DVD. They have incredible inventory and I'm not wandering aimlessly in the video store!

Out in DVD today is the Bourne Supremacy. This was a good action thriller, with Matt Damon returning to the role of Jason Bourne. Not as good as Bourne Identity, but still a good flick!

Deserved Hype

There are three movies set to be released in the next few weeks that are getting a lot of hype, and interestingly, it looks like it's deserved.

Oceans Twelve is one of my most anticipated movies this year. Oceans Eleven was so entertaining, and oh those gorgeous guys!!!! Ahem ... Oceans Twelve looks like a great heist romp and they've added more hunks, what more could we want!?!?

I thought the Aviator would be another overblown biopic, but it looks like it might actually be worth a watch. Though it does drive me crazy when the entertainmet TV mags ask the actors about Oscar buzz. That has to be embarassing (though flattering) when the film hasn't even come out yet.

In the tradition of Meet the Parents, please let Meet the Fockers be as funny as it looks. I always worry that we've seen the funniest stuff in the clips (hope not). Though my favorite moment of all the publicity for this movie was James Brolin saying that now he could call his wife Mother Focker!!!!! If nothing else, we find out that Babs has a sense of humor!!

From the Couch

Ever find yourself wandering around the video store for half an hour and leaving with nothing?!!? I used to, and it drove me crazy!! Then I started to link films. Take a film you have enjoyed, research the actors, director, producers and use those links to find other films you might like. imdb.com is an awesome resource for this information.

This weekend was linking heaven for me. With the opening of Closer, I picked up another Mike Nichols film at the library, Wit. Emma Thompson as a cancer patient, in an incredible portrayal of the humility of being a patient. Only she could make it uplifting. Seeing The Incredibles a few weeks ago, inspired me to see the only Pixar film I had not seen, A Bug's Life. Didn't rock my world, but it was cute, and Kevin Spacey as the voice of the evil grasshopper feeds right into a link to Beyond the Sea (in theaters soon). Seeing Ethan Hawke in Before Sunset recently linked me to The Newton Boys, directed by Richard Linklater, who also directed The School of Rock (whew .... long way to go to get to Jack Black!!!!) And further, if you look up the Newton Boys, imdb recommends Bonnie and Clyde, which they also had at the library ..... woo hoo!!!!! Tonight on TV is Five People You Meet in Heaven, which links me to the best thing I've seen Jeff Daniels do, Blood Work.

After being charmed by Clive Owen's smile in Closer, I'll rent Croupier, just for the eye candy!!! Hey, links don't have to be deep!!! hehe

Getting Closer

The latest work from Mike Nichols is not your traditional love story. Closer is the story of 4 people's emotional interaction over 4 years. These are self-centered, impulse driven people, who use love and sex as weapons in betrayal and revenge. Natalie Portman, Clive Owen, Jude Law and Julia Roberts give outstanding performances. In this dialogue driven drama, the language is vulgar, the reference to sex explicit. This is one of the best films I've seen this year. It is funny, sexy and intense, but as I said it is vulgar in parts, and sometimes uncomfortable to watch.

Weekend Watch

When my paper comes Friday morning, the first thing I do is grab the movie section and strategize my movie attendance for the weekend. A lot of independant film only comes to RI for a week or two so if you snooze you lose. Some weeks there is a lot to circle, others not so much. This week Closer, Primer and Eduring Love made the cut. I still need to see The Polar Express too.

What I'd recommend that I've already seen?
After the Sunset, Finding Neverland, The Incredibles, Ray and Sideways

On DVD I'm trying to catch up on past Pixar brilliance with A Bug's Life!!!!

Tis the Season

At the beginning of December most people turn their attention to jingle bells, shopping and parties. To my mind there's plenty of time for that in a few weeks, more important is the start of the film award season. I like to look at all the nominees from the various oganizations that bestow their laurels, and look for patterns and repeat nominees. I especially like to keep tabs of how many nominees I've seen, and then try to catch up!

The independent films will be the most interesting group this year, since the major studios appear to have taken the year off. Viva la indi!!! IFC has announced its nominees for the Independent Spirit Awards, it's a great group of films, I've seen about half. Keep an eye on Garden State, Maria Full of Grace, Motorcycle Diaries and Sideways.

The National Board of Review spread it's awards around, Finding Neverland receiving Best Film and Michael Mann and Zach Braff got directorial nods .... well deserved!! British Independent Film Awards gave Vera Drake a huge nod and the Gotham Awards loved Sidways.

The beauty of this season is that it runs through till the end of February woo hoo!!!

All Kinds of Heroes

The theme of DVD releases this week seems to be heroes.

The film titled Hero has been released. This martial arts film from 2002 is a beautiful visual and the story evolves nicely. Some of the fight scenes are mesmerizing, and there is a very creative use of color. Well worth a look. Then there is one of my favorite heroes, Spiderman, in Spiderman 2. This was my "must see" film of the summer. Great action, a good story and nice setup for "3" .... fun film. After the long winning streak of Ken Jennings on Jeopardy, he has become a bit of a TV hero. This prompts me to recommend the film Quiz Show. This is a great portrayal of the scandal that surrounded quiz shows in the 50's. Solid acting is the strength of this film.

And there is an article in the NY Times today about heroes .... the kind you eat ... yum!!