Everyone Loves A Story ...... NIFF 2007

I always say that volunteering at the Newport Film Festival is kind of like summer camp. You have a really intense, really fun week with a bunch of people you really don't know, and then you go away from it ... for a year. When you return the next year it is like old home week and we do it all over again.

In the six years I have been involved with this festival, I have met people from all different walks of life that have one thing in common, a love for film and the love of a good story. In the process we tell stories, we collect stories, we get to know people through stories. We socialize over stories we pass the time with stories. It's pretty interesting, and I have my share of stories.

I've met a lot of new people in the last few days at the film festival. Really interesting people. And I've come to realize that I am having a better time listening to stories, this year, than telling them. Don't get me wrong, anyone who knows me, knows I love to talk and love to have someone listen to my oh-so-interesting anecdote, but I have really enjoyed being on the receiving end of the tales this time around.

Because we are dealing with the entertainment industry a lot of the stories are about celebrity encounters. Those larger than life people, in situations with the rest of us. In just two days I have heard wonderful yarns about the likes of Audry Hepburn, Steven Spielberg, Sylvester Stalone, Sean Connery and others. Though I know I will tell my share of stories this week, I'm enjoying the listening too!

It Begins ... NIFF 2007

Newport International Film Festival had it's opening night last night. I'm volunteering at the transportation desk again this year. It is a fun way to be in the middle of all the activity. When I arrived at the office last night, people were hustling in from the train station and airport, calling from hotels to get over to the theater for the opening night film In the Shadow of the Moon. The director, Davd Sington, was there, and from all reports, conducted an interesting, informative Q&A after this fascinating documentary. Familiar faces in the halls of the festival offices, Rachel Dratch and David Wike, both jurors and past festival attendees. David is the director/writer of last year's closing film, Champions. Tonight there's an outdoor screening of E.T, under the stars at Fort Adams.

Fun to see all the staff and volunteers again, opening night is always a bit of a reunion. The film schedule is packed with good stuff, let the festival begin!!!!

Knocked Up

Knocked Up is one of the most well structured comedies I've seen in a while. A smart, professional woman gives in to a drunken night of sex with a man who could not be less of a match for her. The surprise pregnancy could be tragic, but the tone of the characters and their willingness to change, for each other, and the baby, sets up an interesting situation. It doesn't come easy, it's pretty realistic. Events take a predictable course, but the dialogue and delivery held the key to comedy for me. In the tradition of Wedding Crashers and The 40 Year Old Virgin, the goofy friends and caring family are funny, off color, and endearing. This film exhibits a firm grasp of the use of the word f**k for comedic effect and realism, well done. And who would have thought a rant from Ryan Seacrest would be funny?

PS (Stay for the credits, they show baby pictures of the cast and crew .... very cute!)

NIFF Box Office

Newport Film Festival starts Tuesday, June 5th and the box office is open! You can buy tickets and look at the schedule online, or you can visit the box office at 42 Spring Street in Newport, starting June 1st. Great films and a great time, stay tuned ......

The Good German

Four months after the 2006 Oscar nominees were announced, I have finally seen all of the nominated films. The Good German was nominated for Best Original Musical Score. This film did not play in a theater near me before the Oscar ceremonies, so I waited for the DVD release. This is an OK war film. In Steven Soderbergh's signature muted tones (in this case, black and white) we explore post World War II political corruption in Berlin. George Clooney, Cate Blanchete and Toby Maguire give it their all. I thought I would like this film more, but the most memorable facet, for me, is the music. A contemplative look at this period in history.

This Is Spinal Tap

Over 20 years ago, three young men made a mockumentary called This Is SpinalTap. I first saw this film in 2002. Several years ago, I had the privilege of meeting these gentlemen at the Newport Film Festival. When I saw the film on the shelf at the library this weekend, I grabbed it to see what I thought of it with a new familiarity.

At the film festival, I spent most of my time with Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest. Guest and I had a funny conversation about why women have so many pairs of shoes. (We were picking up a few pair for his wife and daughter at one of the sponsor stores, support your local sponsors). After I made my case for women, and their relationship with shoes, he sheepishly admitted he had a similar weakness for guitars (the man is an amazing musician). In the film, there is scene with Reiner and Guest, where Guest's character shows off his guitar collection. I got it.

There is also a jubilant scene at the end of the film, where the boys are reunited on stage after Nigel's (Guest) disgruntled departure from the band. Mike McKean, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest were all very kind, polite and charming with me and other festival folks, but when the three of them came together, there was a magic and a "click" that is hard to describe. These men have known each other most of their lives, and that chemistry blasts on the screen in that scene. Fun to watch this film having met these talented guys.

At a Q&A someone asked if they would ever perform again as Spinal Tap. They chuckled and said they are happy to perform the Spinal Tap material, but were pretty much over the wigs and makeup. It has been reported that they are performing in London, as Spinal Tap, on July 7th, as part of Live Earth. I'm dying to see if they don the wigs and makeup, cuz no matter what they look like, they always sound great!!

Pirates of the Caribbean:At World's End

I have been looking forward to Pirates of the Caribbean:At World's End from the moment I saw Captain Barbossa walk down those stairs at the end of Dead Man's Chest. I literally clapped my hands with glee! In honor of Disney's request of journalists and bloggers not to reveal plot twists and resolutions, I'll just make a few observations:

Know your pirates
Stay through the credits
Pirates are great when they are making fun of being a pirate.
The acting is stellar
Visual effects, A++++++
Dialogue is cheeky, pay attention ...... arrrrggggh

Can't wait to see it again, yo ho!!!!

The Loveable and the Laughable in DVD

In DVD this week is the lovable Peter O'Toole in Venus. A dark comedy, with a lot of heart. O'Toole deserved the Oscar nom. In Letters from Iwo Jima, even at war, soldiers stay in touch with loved ones as best they can. A beautiful piece from Clint Eastwood.

In the ridiculous film Apocalypto, we are supposed to buy this as a historical drama. The dialogue is awful and the film tiresome. If you're curious, I suppose DVD is the best way to see this film. *ugh*

Away From Her

Alzheimer's is a cruel disease. It effects the entire family. In Away From Her, a woman assists her husband in choosing where she will spend her last days, as it becomes apparent she has the disease, and is deteriorating. Once in a facility, Fiona gets to the point where she cannot recall her husband, but develops a relationship with one of the gentlemen at the home. As difficult as this is for the husband, he is respectful of the disease, and works hard to be understanding while coping with his own emotions. This is a multi-layered story with great emotional depth. Julie Christie is amazing in her performance as Fiona. A realistic, warm look at aging, marriage, elder care and love.

The Year of the Dog

The Year of the Dog is a wonderful story of love and self discovery. Centered around a woman who loses her beloved dog, and searches for herself. There are bumps along the road, but she deals with them, and ultimately finds herself, and figures out where her true love lies. The cast is small and strong. Molly Shannon is masterful as the main character (who knew). John C. Reily, Peter Sarsgaard, Laura Dern, Thomas McCarthy, Josh Pais and Regina King all develop their characters well. This film was a pleasant surprise for me, really enjoyed it.

Shrek the Third

I went to see this early in the weekend so I could see it with as little preconceived notion as possible. The theater was packed, I had popcorn AND soda, the film began, I was bored. What, huh!??!? I loved the first Shrek, liked Shrek 2 even more, Shrek the Third was such a disappointment for me. The story was weak, Shrek trying to get out of being king and scared of becoming a father. The first few scenes were such downers, a funeral, a bar room brawl and a visit to a high school with all the angst hanging out. The only mildly funny part, for me, was an encounter with Merlin the Magician (yet a little disturbing, as he had no pants) with a little spell gone wrong that gave Donkey and Puss something to work with. There are attempts at creativity and humor that fall flat, and I'm guessing from the lack of laughter in the theater, went right over the heads of the kids I saw this with. The narcoleptic Sleeping Beauty still cracks me up, but there was not enough of her. Best I can say is that Shrek the Third is OK. The redeeming quality is that the animation is still stellar, this is a great looking movie.

The Dead Girl

When people die, they tend to be raised to a status that is a bit skewed. In The Dead Girl, we see the life of a woman passed, from four perspectives. It paints a well rounded portrait of the girl. The inspiration was a murder trial the writer/ director sat on the jury of. The chapters are short, real and gritty. This is a cool film.

Brooklyn Rules

I took more away from Brooklyn Rules than just a wonderful film experience. I also took away the spirit of a film maker. Michael Corrente is the director on this film, he's worked four years to put it in front of audiences. The film opens in limited release on Friday, but Corrente brought the film to his home turf a week early. The Columbus Theater in Providence, RI, is the perfect setting for this homecoming. He introduced the film tonight, and spoke to the power of word of mouth, with a passionate plea for appreciation of quality film.

This is the story of three young men growing up in Brooklyn in the 80's. There is the mob, there are girls, there is family and there are life choices. This film tells a good story, has a strong cast, looks great and has a cool soundtrack. Well done Mr. Corrente! A film well worth seeing, I enjoyed it!! Look for it in a theater near you soon.

Mind Games in DVD

Both films I've seen out in DVD this week, have to do with tricks of the mind. The Fountain deals with the stress of a doctor's wife's terminal illness. Pan's Labyrinth shows us the horror of war and how a young girl's mind might cope. Both beautiful films, well worth renting.

Waitress

If you've been reading here for any period of time, you know that I love to make going to a film an event. Today, Mother's Day, Fox Searchlight was running a promotion with it's latest release, Waitress. This gem from Adrienne Shelly, has opened in limited release, and was showing in select locations with the promise of Mother's Day bliss and gift bags! There were magazines, body wash, lipstick and all kinds of coupons. Fun stuff!! My daughter and her boyfriend entertained my wish to see this movie at the Criterion Theater in New Haven, CT. Thanks guys!!

Oh yeah, the film ....... in a word, fantastic!! The story of a young waitress at a pie diner, who finds herself pregnant in an abusive marriage, is poignant, funny and heartfelt. The values of friendship and self worth are held high. This film is well written, acted and shot. Once again, we have a small budget film, with a big heart and a strong message. Well done and worth seeing!

Local Love for Brooklyn Rules

Director Michael Corrente paid a visit to my favorite morning radio show this morning. The occasion is the release of his new film, Brooklyn Rules. Corrente, a native Rhode Islander and veteran film maker, has chosen his home turf to open the film on Friday, May 11th, at the Columbus Theater in Providence. Should be quite an event! On May 18th, the film goes to limited release in New York, Boston and Los Angeles and, hopefully, wide release after that.

This film is set in Brooklyn in the 80's and Corrente described it as a cross between Stand By Me and Goodfellas. He gave a lot of insight to the film and film making. Gio and Kim asked great questions, it was fun to listen! Gio and Will had seen the film, and they loved it. Can't wait to see it myself!

My favorite Corrente films are Federal Hill, Outside Providence and American Buffalo. Check them out in DVD, and see Brooklyn Rules when it comes to your town!

The Nice and the Nasty in DVD

A smattering of "nice" films, and a few that drift toward the nasty, are out in DVD today.

Catch and Release is a good treatment of grief, unexpected discovery and friendship. I think this film will be more satisfying in DVD than the theater. I liked it.

Music and Lyrics is a sweet story of a cute girl helping a cute guy do his job .... oh yeah, and they fall for each other. Pretty predictable, but Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore do such a good job, I really didn't care.

Starting at nice, moving toward nasty, we have The Painted Veil. A couple meets, falls in love (the nice), falls out of love (the nasty) and fall back in love (oops, too late). Beautiful film and fantastic acting, this is an interesting story.

A little more nasty, is Breaking and Entering. Business partners suffer break ins at their office, and trauma at home. A good story, presented in a subtle style with strong performances and a few good twists.

Spiderman 3

Spiderman 3 is a nice addition to the Spiderman franchise. The characters now have depth, we get to know them a little more in every instalment. The special effects are stunning, though I will say darker, with Spiderman, Harry Osborne and Venom, all in black. Loved the Sandman character, his visual was very cool. Mary Jane has real life issues, and screams less. Peter Parker's still a dork, but we get in his head more. Now for a little point - counterpoint. I thought the dramatic scenes were too long and too many. My friend said it told more of the story of Peter Parker ... she's right. I said rent it and fast forward on all closeups, my friend said the action scenes deserve the big screen ... she's right. Always good to have folks to discuss with after a film. This Spiderman is the most complex, the chase scenes become fight scenes. When Harry cracked his head in an early scene, a small voice said "that's gotta hurt!" Though there has always been ironic humor in the Spiderman films, this one does it best, so many very funny moments. Who knew Spidey could make fun of himself?!?! The great moments are great, and the dramatic a bit slow, but effective. All in all, a decent start to the summer blockbusters ..... $148 million, yikes!

Kentucky Derby

A little time out from film here, to comment on the Kentucky Derby. My daughter is there, the Queen of England is there, I have money on the race, what could be better?!?!!? I have a nostalgia for horse racing for several reasons. College pals and I enjoyed the infield at the Preakness in 1977, I attended Royal Ascot (yeah that's England folks, and the Queen was there that day too) in 1999 and I saw Cigar run at Suffolk Downs in 2000. Not a huge equestrian history, but I get a kick out of elite horse races, and the races are described as (and I agree) the most exciting two minutes in sports. The excitement is often fueled by money. I won a Derby purse years ago. A $42 win had me all about horse racing. I lost the next year, and declared I was out on betting. A call from my daughter, at the track today, had me back in the game. I had my money on Nobiz Like Showbiz, but Street Sense kicked my ass!! My horse finished 10th. Great race .... on to the Preakness!

If you are looking for a film reference here, I highly recommend Seabiscuit, both the film and the book. The film is good, the book has so many amazing stories, and breathtaking reenactments of the races.

Kontroll

While waiting for post-time of the Kentucky Derby, I had time to watch the Hungarian film Kontroll. This award winner, from the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, was shot in the Budapest underground subway system. The camerawork is masterful, this film is a visual experience. Mike Russell, reviewer for the Oregonian recommended this film, and it did not disappoint. A rag-tag group of railway officers are in charge of order in the underground. All kinds of chaos ensues, and their own bodily harm is constant. Oh yeah, and they're chasing a murderer and career mischief-maker. The pace shifts, about half way through, as the plot turns to romance. It feels like a welcome break. When the action returns, it is startling and satisfying. Good stuff, great film!

By the way, I had my daughter put five bucks on Nobiz Like Showbiz at the Derby ... wish me luck!

Tribeca 2007 Day Five (final chapter)

The day started with breakfast at Bouley Bakery. We took a table on the sidewalk so my friend's dog could hang out with us. Got myself together and headed up to Chelsea. My choice for lunch was a funny little place called Trailer Park. From the toilet on the sidewalk next to the front door to the rolls of paper towels on the bar for napkins, this place was pretty kooky. The food was excellent and I saved the little silk flower on the toothpick that was stuck in my sandwich. My final screening was Normal Adolescent Behavior. A good film about the emotional seesaw of the teen years. When I came out of the film I had a text message from my daughter, telling me she was in the neighborhood. We met and shopped our way up 7th Avenue. She even found a hat to wear to the Kentucky Derby this weekend! We met my other daughter and her husband at 44 SW in Hell's Kitchen. Yummy Italian cuisine was enjoyed by all. After dinner we jumped in a cab and tried to catch the end of a show my daughter's friend was playing at the Cutting Room. We missed the show, but got to chat with the musicians before we headed home. It's been a great time here in the Big Apple ...... thanks TIFF!!!

Normal Adolescent Behavior

My last film at TIFF was Normal Adolescent Behavior. A creative look at a group of high school students as they deal with their relationships with each other. The director, Beth Schacter, conducted the Q&A, and gave enthusiastic answers to questions about her creative editing, music placement and casting. A good film for my film festival finale!

Gardener of Eden

In The Gardener of Eden, a young man who has little direction, becomes an unwitting hero. The more I think about this film the more I like it. Directed by Kevin Connoly (Eric on Entourage), this film looks at the lives of young men, with no direction, at a point in life when they should be getting a clue. Often violent, in ways you would not expect. Lukas Haas, Giovanni Ribisi and Erika Christensen turn in solid performances. Another Rhode Island connection, Christensen's character goes to Brown University.......

Tribeca 2007 Day Four

I'm sitting in my pajamas, watching TV, goofing around on the computer this morning, and I get a text message from my daughter. She's early for work, and do I want to go for coffee? Goodness, didn't know I could get dressed and up to Canal Street in 15 minutes!! (Granted, she got me in the lovely state of ball cap, slapdash makeup, sweatshirt and sunglasses, but hey, I made it). We had a lovely visit in a Starbucks. She went to work, I strolled back to the hotel, smiling to myself as I walked down the street that served as the location for the film I had seen the night before. Properly showered and sans ball cap, I head up to Union Square to meet a friend for lunch at the Blue Water Grille (chocloate fondue for dessert, yum!). The east village was my daughter's home her freshman year at NYU, I haven't been up there much since. I was pleased that I remembered where things were and got around easily. There was a protest going on in the park (there often is) so we stuck to the streets for our walk to the theater. The film was the Gardener of Eden. We got to the theater and the line was going in. I thought this was odd, because we were pretty early. We showed our tickets at several points along the way, and when we sat down in theater I looked at the ballot I had been given for the audience choice award. We were at the wrong film! The guy who tore my ticket looked right at it. I think the volunteers are getting tired. We collected our ticket stubs, found the right line and had a good laugh. When we came out of the film, it had begun to rain, and neither of us had an umbrella, so we crossed the street and ducked into the closest pub, the Village Pourhouse, for a beverage. When the rain let up, a quick walk through Washington Square Park brought us to my favorite restaurant in NYC, Rocco. A wonderful little Italian restaurant on Thompson Street. The food is always tasty, the service warm and homey. I've been going there for years, and it never disappoints. When we finished dinner a thunderstorm was brewing, so we dashed to the subway, said our goodbyes and I headed back to the hotel. This city really wears me out. For two nights I have tried to watch Letterman. The night he had Kirsten Dunst on (on her birthday), I fell asleep during the monologue, the night he had Toby Maguire on, I think I fell asleep as he walked out for the monologue ..... yeesh!! Haven't seen many celebrity interviews since I've been here. Though I did use Youtube to watch Ellen interview Ryan Gosling. He told this great story about his Mom at the Oscars, that involved Meryl Streep. Very cute!

Punks, Pervs and Primadonnas in DVD

In a break from Film Festival talk, there are several DVD releases worth noting today.

Alpha Dog is well worth look. Young punks in LA get into their share of trouble. Intense, well written and good performances.

Little Children spent very little time in theaters in Rhode Island, which is a shame, because this is one of the best films from 2006. Seeing Patrick Wilson in person last night, I noticed that he is as hot in person as on the screen!

Dreamgirls hits stores today, and I predict this one will fly off the shelves. Worthy of being in any film collection.

Tribeca 2007 Day Three

No screenings until later today, so I slept in. Felt great, I love being on vacation! Lunch was at The Cupping Room. Got to read my newspaper and relax. Since I had the day to myself, I decided to do a little shopping. It was pretty windy out, and as I was walking down the street, I spotted a policeman's hat in the street. I looked up, and saw a police car with one of New York's finest, looking under the car. I scooped up the hat and returned it to it's flustered owner. He said, "the wind just took it right off my head!" (he was very young, and very cute). Later, after the screening of Purple Violets, as I'm walking out of the venue, I hear "hello Miss", I turn around and see a very young, very cute policeman smiling at me. Same guy!?!!? I'll never know. I said hello and kept moving with the crowd. In another "encounter in NYC", I'm walking down the street and I see a woman talking on the phone and think, "hey I know her". It was the festival manager of the Newport Film Festival (she lives in NY), whom I have become friendly with over the years. We chatted on the sidewalk for a while, and a young man with TIFF credentials overheard me talking about The Education of Charlie Banks. He invited me to text message a review of the film to the big screens they have on the streets all over the city. Pretty cool! Dinner was at City Hall, a wonderful restaurant in Tribeca. My friend had been to a wine tasting there a few months ago and wanted to go back. The owner waited on us, and the food was outstanding. So was the company!!!

Purple Violets

I have always enjoyed films made by Edward Burns. Though he has enjoyed success with big studio films like Saving Private Ryan, 15 Minutes and The Holiday, he likes to make small, independent films based on people's heart stories. At the screening of The Groomsmen last year, he mentioned the film Purple Violets. I attended the premiere screening of this film last night. The story of a successful author in a writing slump is not new, but throw in a reunion with some college friends, and rekindling of some old romances and we've got a good story. Burns gives us great dialogue and his cast brings it to life with style. Once again new York City is a character in the film. Many of the scenes were shot on the streets I've been walking for the last few days, funny to watch the characters move on familiar ground. I kept thinking, "I was there today ...... and there ....... and there .... hmm". Just a pleasure. The whole cast was at the screening, and we were siting right across the aisle from them. Debra Messing, Selma Blair, Patrick Wilson, Donal Logue and Dennis Farina all look fantastic, I hope I didn't stare too hard! Burns' enthusiasm and candor during the Q&A really showed how much he loves making films.

TIFF 2007 Day Two

First thing Sunday morning, and I'm off to a screening of the new documentary, Brando. The 2 hours and forty five minutes it took to tell Brando's story was well spent. Then to Mary Ann's, one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, for lunch. Have to be quiet in this town when the Red Sox are kicking Yankee butt, and the TV in the bar was right over my head! At the Tribeca Talks panel, five very smart, very funny women talked comedy and working in the industry. I had my first experience with Turkish food when I joined a friend of mine for drinks and eats at Turks&Frogs in Soho. I love eating in this town!

Brando

A documentary about Marlon Brando was next on my film schedule at TIFF. Friends and colleagues were assembled for this film, to discuss and pay tribute to the artist. It was interesting to hear Brando's history. His early work was great for the film fan, but I had no idea the impact it had on the careers of his costars and peers. Near the end of his life, comments from his family and close friends, like Johnny Depp, give insight and dimension to a film legend as a father, grandfather and friend. This film will be broadcast on Turner Classic Movie channel on May 1&2. Worth checking out!

Look Who's Laughing

The Tribeca Talks panel discussions are the most interesting feature of this event. I have had the pleasure of hearing Martin Scorsese, Peter Jennings, Steven Soderbergh, J.J. Abrams and others, up close and personal, discussing different aspects of film and film making. Today it was five of the the most successful women in comedy, talking about comedy in regards to gender. It was an interesting discussion. The more I listened to them, the more I realized how hard-wired men and women are, in regard to how we react to art. Yes, I believe comedy is an art. Humans love to laugh, we all want to feel better. Comedians and comic writers search for the elusive laugh anywhere they can find it. Sometimes it is smart sometimes it is crude. Samantha Bee, Rachel Dratch, Susie Essman, Rachel Harris and Debra Messing tossed the topic around for about an hour, and gave some interesting insight to the fact that they don't regard gender when they work. It's just a competitive business in general, for both men and women. The more interesting discussion was about networks reaction to comedy and how far they can go, with language and topics, as opposed to the pay channels where there are no limits. These women were very generous, smart and funny. Director Jay Roach was the moderator, and did a good job keeping this lively group on topic.

The Education of Charlie Banks

Seeing The Education of Charlie Banks, in a film festival setting, was an experience. I chose this as my first film at TIFF this year, because a lot of it was shot in Rhode Island this summer. A coming of age story, with a protagonist who was lethal with his bare hands, played against type, by Jason Ritter. It was a solid story with an excellent cast and location *ahem*. The Q&A was attended by Peter Elkoff (the writer), Fred Durst (the director) and two of the principle actors, Jesse Eisenberg (Charlie Banks) and Eva Amurri (Mary). The group was charming and answered all questions thoroughly. Durst even shared a little story about finding a house in Barrington that they shot vacation scenes in, the day before they needed to shoot. At one point, a small voice asked Durst if he was planning on making more films, and what was his next project. Durst started to chuckle and pulled the young actor who played Charlie Banks, as child, out of the audience .... a plant! It was a cute moment. As everyone was taking their seats before the film, a guy came into my row and said (I'm not making this up) "Is this seat taken?". I'm sure I looked pretty silly, sitting there grinning to myself .........

PS This film won TIFF's "Made in NY" narrative film prize 5/5/06. Well done!

TIFF 2007 Day One

This is my fifth year attending the Tribeca Film Festival, in New York City. This film festival was started as an effort of the film community(specifically Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenberg) to help the rebuilding of lower Manhattan after the devastation of 9/11. I fell in love with lower Manhattan when my daughter attended NYU 1998-2002. Cities can be pretty hostile, but I've always been so impressed with this area and it's residents. I feel safe, there's a lot to do and the food is great! When I came back to the area in October and November of 2001, the area was a shell of what I had seen in August. The quiet and ash were sobering. The progress here has been amazing. Though the site of the towers is still pretty much a hole, the area around it is alive. People fill the shops, parks and restaurants. There is new construction everywhere, and I notice new growth and strength every year I have returned.

The film festival itself has evolved. The panels are varied. And the programmers try to get the latest and greatest in documentary, short and independent film here. They do a good job. One thing I notice, is that many of the artists attached to the films either live in NYC or are happy to come here. The Q&A sessions after the films usually are well attended.

I arrived in Manhattan mid-day, got rid of my luggage and the car and headed to the box office. It felt good just to be walking down the sidewalk, and I reoriented myself to where the coffee shops, restaurants and delis are. After my tickets were in hand I checked into the hotel and went off in search of lunch. Up West Broadway there is a funny little place called Edwards that makes a tasty turkey burger and delightful Bloody Mary.

Off to the film, The Education of Charlie Banks (more on this later) and on the way home I stopped at the pizza place and picked up a slice of lasagna pizza (yum). A good start to the 2007 experience.

Cure Kid's Cancer Radiothon

The fine folks at 92ProFM let me talk about movies, on the air, every Friday morning. This week, their attention turns to something more important. For the next few days, they are involved in a radiothon to raise money for Cure Kids Cancer. Hasbro Children's Hospital, here in Rhode Island, is an amazing facility for children's health, and treats children's cancers. The money raised goes to research to find cures and treatments for cancer, so if you can, give us a hand. To donate, you can call 877-719-5437 or click here Cure Kids Cancer Radiothon. Thanks for your support, the radiothon runs from now until Saturday. Tune in to 92.3 FM to hear the inspiring stories of these brave kids and their families, as they deal with the devastation of cancer and it's treatments ..... give now!

Queens and (K)Nights in DVD

More good DVD out today. The Queen not only brought an Oscar-winning performance from Helen Mirren as Elizabeth II, it's also an interesting look at the days following Princess Dianna's death from the royal perspective.

What if things in a museum came to life at night? Night at the Museum is a solid comedy that explores this what-if. Set in the Museum of Natural History in NYC. Good stuff!

Rhode Island at Tribeca 2007

I've finalized most of my plans for Tribeca Film Festival in NYC, I leave next Saturday!! There are some interesting Rhode Island connections to some of the films and events I'm attending.

The first film I'll see is The Education of Charlie Banks. Fred Durst, of Limp Bizkit fame, directed this film and did a lot of the filming in Rhode Island. This film created quite a stir while it was here, the students on the east side were spectators and the local news folks were all over it.

The last film I'm seeing is Normal Adolescent Behavior, with Amber Tamblyn. The filming shut down the small town of Wickford for a few days. Traffic is unheard of in Wickford, so it was quite an event. (Yeah, traffic is an event in RI .... it's a small place).

I love comedy, so I got a ticket to a panel titled, "Look Who's Laughing". Women in comedy are the topic. Rachel Dratch, of SNL fame, is on the panel. She has come to the Newport Film Festival several times, and rumor has it she has relatives in the area. I met her a few times, and saw her show with the Upright Citizen's Brigade last year. Also on the panel is Debra Messing, of Will & Grace and film fame, who lived in RI in her teen years. She was a RI Junior Miss and hailed from the town next door to mine. Nothing like making TIFF feel like home!!

Hot Fuzz

Hot Fuzz is a creative comedy. From the folks who brought us Shaun of the Dead (best zombie movie parody, ever) we now have a cop movie parody that is off-the-hook funny! Simon Pegg is pitch perfect as Nicholas Angel, super cop in London. He is transferred to a rural town that is not as perfect as it appears. Laugh out loud funny, with every cop movie cliche a target. Fantastic editing creates a pace that just runs the gauntlet of comedy. Oh yeah, and when the promo says "Big cops. Small town. Moderate violence" keep in mind, the violence involves spewing blood, lots of bang-bang-shoot-em-ups and one real ewwwww moment at the end. A fun romp as only the Brits can do.

Fracture

In the final scenes of Fracture, Ryan Gosling shows us just what kind of actor he is. He holds his own with Anthony Hopkins, and almost steals the scene. This is a nice, tight courtroom drama - murder is the crime - that has the prosecution winning, then losing, then .... well, I won't ruin the end. This is a film with wonderful acting and interesting camera work. I was thrilled to see Xander Berkeley play one of the judges (hardly recognized him without the beard, but oh those eyes). Well worth seeing.

Brits and Bad Guys in DVD

I really enjoyed the British films History Boys, Notes on a Scandal and The Last King of Scotland. These were some of the best films of 2006.
Smokin' Aces is a mob vs cops, racing the assassins film (got that?), with a bang, bang shoot em up ending. All worth a look in DVD.

Meet the Robinsons

After Meet the Robinsons I realized that I sell kids short. In discussion with my 8 and 10 year old nephews after the film, I learned that they could define minion. Fabulous!! We saw the film in 3D which was cool. This is the story of a boy in search of family. A creative, clever, funny script gives us another story that involves time travel. In this adventure, everything was explained, and made sense.

They showed a short film first, that was made in 1953 with Donald Duck, Chip and Dale. Working for Peanuts was made in 3D back in the day, it was great!

Disturbia

Well, color me surprised at how much I enjoyed Disturbia. I love a good thriller, and this one delivers. A young man is restricted to home confinement, and his boredom has him watching the neighbors. Is he observing criminal behavior, or is he the victim of an active imagination and cabin fever? This story develops effectively. Though the climax of the film uses all the cheesy thriller devices, thunder, lightning, grainy video images, foreboding violin music, even duck tape, it worked for me. Keep an eye on young Shia LeBeouf, who carries this film well.

Slow Burn

Ray Liotta gave a great interview on my favorite morning radio show this week. He talked about his latest film, Slow Burn. I don't know if it was due to the interview, but I liked this film more than most critics. A story of mistaken identity, with Liotta as a DA trying to get gang domination out of his city. But who is he chasing, and who does he believe? I was guessing right to the end.

The Hoax

The story of Clifford Irving's fabrication of a Howard Hughes autobiography in the early 70s, makes for interesting film in The Hoax. Irving is a desperate author, who thinks writing about Hughes is the perfect project, because the recluse would never appear to defend himself. As the pressure of legitimizing the story intensifies, watching Irving decline and become delusional, is fascinating. He actually seems to start believing himself. Irving manipulates his wife, best friend and publisher. This is a wonderful performance from Richard Gere as Irving.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

About an hour into the Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, I was pretty bored. And then Bond, played by George Lazenby, unpacked a kilt! Yes, the man dons kilty formal wear and looks hot! Can we talk about the tailoring of his shirts? Yikes! A strange story, with Bond hiding inside a strange character. I'm either missing Connery, or I just wasn't crazy about this Bond adventure.

Bobby in DVD

The only DVD release I've seen this week is the film Bobby. A large ensemble cast captures the last hours at the Ambassador Hotel the night Robert Kennedy was shot. Worth a rental.

PS The power of Grindhouse. The DVD Vanishing Point was available on Netflix yesterday, today there is a long wait *grrrr*

Road to Tribeca 2007

The 2007 Tribeca International Film Festival starts 2 weeks from tomorrow!! This will be my fifth year attending, and I have come to adopt a few traditions. On-line ticket sales started Saturday. In my memory, every year but one, the website takes a dive the minute the box office opens. Traditionally, it all sorts out in a few hours and all goes well. My stress is that some of the things I want tickets to are popular, so I feel a frantic need to get my order in quickly (as it was, two films I wanted were sold out). My traditional "freak out when the website is down" happened Saturday morning, accompanied by the phone call to my daughter who traditionally assures me "everything will work out fine". It always does.

Today I got the confirmation e-mail, assuring me that my ticket choices are now secure, with the cheery line at the end, "See you at the festival!" I believe that is personally directed at me, and the folks at TIFF can't wait for me to arrive! Oddly enough, I traditionally do run into a few festival staffers. The films are often introduced by one of the programmers or staff members. They always introduce themselves. If you go to enough films, you see many of the same people over and over again. On a few occasions, I have run into these folks on the street, and stare with my "you look familiar, but who are you?" look. They are all so friendly, that when I do that they traditionally smile and say hello. For an event in such a large city, it's things like this, that make this festival so appealing to me. Can't wait! Funny thing is, the first film I'm seeing was filmed in RI! .... more on that later ......

Grindhouse

Top 10 things I liked about Grindhouse:

10 The super chatty girls sitting behind me left after the first feature.
9 The pace of the 2 films is so different, really drives home that you've seen a double feature. More of a cinematic experience than just going to a movie. Even the fake trailers are entertaining.
8 Fantastic cameo appearances from Nick Cage, Bruce Willis and Fergie.
7 Marley Shelton as a doctor in super high heels!
6 So well written and acted, all performances are fantastic!
5 Rodriguez is the master of the gross and the explosive.
4 Tarantino is the master of dialogue and the camera shot.
3 Sydney Poitier as a morning radio show DJ.
2 Kurt Russell as a creepy stalker who gets what's coming to him.
1 Cherry Darling as the best movie badass with a machine gun leg!

I had a blast!!

Aurora Borealis

Aurora Borealis is a coming of age film, not only for young adults, but their elderly grandparents. This film was a feature selection at Tribeca Film Festival. This story focuses on a young man who's father died when he was a teenager, his mother has moved away, so his parental relationship is with his grandparents. Grandma is in good shape, but Grandpa is in declining health. He was the boy's rock, now the roles are reversed. Sensitive, real and touching, this story is well written and acted. Well worth a rental.

What's a Grindhouse?

Two of my favorite directors, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez , have collaborated on the film Grindhouse, one of this week's major releases. These two have been friends for a long time, and the combination is movie magic for me. I have not been this geeked out about a movie in a long time. Scouring the Internet, and watching the entertainment shows like they are oh so informative, I have consumed as much hype as I can before I find my way to the theater this weekend. Yes, I'm middle aged and female, but I love a good action film with lots of bad guys, machine guns and car crashes .... throw in a zombie any time you want! This double feature promises to deliver!

Grindhouse films were b-level exploitation films of the 70's, that would run one after another in your local theater (no multiplex back then). The genre was horror, slasher, zombie .... shocking and bloody was better. I'm not a huge fan of the slasher variety, but this film promises zombies and a serial killer who uses a car as his weapon, so I'm in. The more ridiculous,the better.

Can't wait for this one, stay tuned .....

Women, Webs and Wonder in DVD

Three very different genres of film are out in DVD this week.

The foreign film Volver is a creative story of an interesting woman. Penelope Cruz turns in an outstanding performance.

The family film, Charlotte's Web, is a strong portrayal of the classic story of loyalty and friendship. This version is heartfelt and pretty clever.

The historic drama The Good Shepherd depicts the early days of the CIA. Star studded, this is a strong drama, with interesting insight to the effects of power and intelligence.

A good week for rentals!

Blades of Glory

The latest comedy starring Will Ferrell is Blades of Glory. Well written, with some very funny gags. In some cases ridiculous, but very fun. Not the greatest ever, but certainly satisfying. This is a comedy to relax and enjoy!
PS There's a funny bit in the credits.

You Only Live Twice

Impressive explosions, ninjas, astronauts and the iconic Blofeld, on which Dr. Evil from Austin Powers is based, appear in the fifth film in the Bond series, You Only Live Twice. Amazing to me that this film was made in 1967. The effects are so impressive, the dialogue snappy, the action non-stop! I'm having so much fun with his series!

The Lookout

In The Lookout, a young man suffers a brain injury in a car accident, and must relearn how to cope with everyday life. From the very basic elements of independence, to acceptance by peers that he really doesn't remember. Part of this acceptance takes an ugly turn when he is told he'll be part of a bank robbery. Well structured, this is not only a good heist film, but an excellent, character-driven, drama. The writing and acting are top-notch.

Candy

Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish play junkies in love in the film Candy. Well written, acted and shot, this love story is overshadowed and driven by their heroin addiction. Surprisingly poetic, though the drug is so cruel, the characters are endearing. Cornish plays Candy with an energy surprising to this subject. Desperate and fragile, they follow thier love, but the drug takes it's toll. Another outstanding performance from Ledger.

From Russia With Love

In the second Bond film, From Russia With Love, 007 dodges murder to get his hands on a Russian encryption device. Assassins are no match for the super spy as he allies with a beautiful woman to save the free world. I liked the sequence on a train, complete with secret knocks, and a variety of perils.

A Variety of Pursuits in DVD

In DVD this week we see all kinds of folks looking for something ......

The only pregnant woman in the world is pursued in Children of Men, awesome film!

Pursuit of acceptance is the theme in Happy Feet.

Pursuit of Happyness ..... well .... OK, this is about the pursuit of success (aka happiness)

And finally, the pursuit of love, and it ain't easy in Curse of the Golden Flower.

The Last Mimzy

The fantasy element of The Last Mimzy was lost on me. I'm either too old, too cynical or both. Throughout the film, I kept thinking "get to the point". The theory of time travel has always bothered me, so I'm not a good judge here. The kids around me in the theater seemed to enjoy this story about a brother and sister who find things on the beach that are from the future. These things have been sent to send a message to preserve humanity. The Last Mimzy is in search of a pure heart, to extend the message of hope for the future. The best part of the film is the portrayal of wonder in the children and confusion in the adults.

Shooter

In Shooter, Mark Wahlberg plays an ex-marine sharp shooter, who was done wrong on a mission in Ethiopia. His spotter is killed, he retires and withdraws from the world. Three years later he is approached to "help" save the President. I love the line "I don't like this President, and didn't much like the one before him".... here, here. Anyway, appears he's been had, and the route of chase and revenge are the bulk of the film. An OK action thriller, though the plot becomes very contrived. Eye popping pyrotechnics and Wahlberg's physique are the most redeeming qualities of this movie.

The Host

Do the words Korean monster movie send you running to the theater? Me neither........ I needed the recommendation of one of my favorite film critics, Mike Russell, to get me to see The Host. Thanks Mike! In the year 2000, toxic chemicals are disposed of in Seoul's Han River. In 2006, a mutated fish, terrorizes the people of that city looking for lunch. The fish is one great movie monster! A young girl is captured by the monster, and her dim-witted father gets a call on his cell phone that tells him she's still alive. The government doesn't believe him, so her bumbling family sets out to rescue her. The political satire is excellent, this film is often funny. Every shot is a work of art, and rich with detail. The special effects are great! This film goes on my list of all time favorites, well done!

Reign Over Me

Grief, friendship, loss, coping, understanding and family are all subjects in Reign Over Me. A powerful post 9/11 drama, that addresses the emotions of the survivors. There have been a handful of sensitive films on this subject. The Guys, The 25th Hour, The Great New Wonderful, United 93 and World Trade Center among them. A man loses his family on one of the planes on 9/11. He withdraws from his career as a successful dentist, and escapes to old music, video games and rides through the city of New York on a motorized scooter. His college roommate spots him on the street one day, and chases him down. The man claims no memory of college or his family but the old roommate draws him out. This movie has a lot of heart, and is an excellent examination of grief.

Come Early Morning

In Come Early Morning, a young woman tries to come to peace with her life and herself. She is desperate for love, and actively pursues the attention and approval of her emotionally distant father. By day, she is productive and valued at her job, yet spends her evenings prowling the local bars and going home with whatever man pays attention to her. The relationships in her life are interesting. A supportive house-mate, she's close to her grandparents (Nana is played by my pal Diane Ladd) and actually takes a shot at a relationship with a decent man. A solid drama I enjoyed.

Live Free or Die

ThinkFilm sponsored a screening of Live Free or Die in Providence tonight. This film was screened at the Newport Film Festival this summer, but I didn't get a chance to see it, so I jumped at the chance to see it before it goes into distribution. One of the writer/directors, Andy Robin, gave a little intro before the film. He and Gregg Kavet were writers on Seinfeld for about 6 years, and this film was a stab at another sitcom. Instead, it became a movie. This is an off-beat comedy that plays off the humor of dim-wits and reaction to misinformation. It's a little slow, but has it's moments, some damn funny. The distribution strategy is interesting. The film was made in New Hampshire, so they're doing the limited release in New England, then wide. Who needs New York and LA??

Pirates in a Trailer

I usually don't get geeked out about trailers, but they ran the trailer for the new installment of Pirates of the Caribbean on TV last night, and it looks amazing!! They just keep crankin' up the visuals, and layin' on the drama .... and then there are the snarky remarks! I was pretty excited when the last scene of Dead Man's Chest set us up for At World's End .... can't wait for May 25th to see the gang in action again!!!

Stories with Heart in DVD

In Blood Diamond, a mercinary helps a man regain his family in exchange for a valuable stone. The Nativity Story, well, you know .... Rocky Balboa, again ..... well, you know..... Good rentals this week.

The Wind that Shakes the Barley

War is a popular topic for films. In The Wind that Shakes the Barley, we see the clash between Irish rebels and the British army in the years following WW I. It is emotional, violent and loud. A rag tag group of Irish rebels stand up to the British army with a lot of shouting and shooting. Two brothers end up on opposite ends of the conflict. Cillian Murphy turns in another wonderful performance, with a great cast. Beautifully shot, this film is a good portrayal of the passions of war.

I Think I Love My Wife

I Think I Love My Wife is an interesting look at marriage, infidelity and male / female friendships. A remake of the French film, Chloe in the Afternoon, this modern adaptation says Chris Rock all over. His use of humor, race, language, sex and parody are effective. At times, it seemed like I was seeing Rock's stand-up, played out in the scenes of the film. I was very entertained.

Premonition

I respect Sandra Bullock's choice of film projects, so went to see Premonition. A little misnamed, this film, for me, was more about how the brain deals with devastating tragedy and guilt. An OK time-fold film that bounces around between reality, and the mind of a woman whose husband is killed in a horrific car accident.

Dr. No

Dr. No is the first Bond film in the famous Eon series. Sean Connery establishes Ian Flemming's Bond as dashing, debonair, tough and sexy. Dr. No is a crazy scientist, with a flame-throwing dragon truck, messing with NASA rocket launches. This is also the film that establishes the "Bond girls", as Ursula Andress makes her iconic entrance from the sea, as the shell collecting Honey Ryder.

The Holiday

One would think that the romantic comedy, The Holiday, would be another slam dunk for director Nancy Meyers. Great cast (Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Eli Wallach, Jude Law), good story, (two women swap homes to escape unpleasant personal situations), but (and I hate to keep harping on this) can you say "edit"!?!? Two hours and sixteen minutes of romantic comedy, c'mon!!!! I liked this movie, but there were thirty minutes that could have been cut. A decent rental.

Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont

In Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, an older widow moves into a residence hotel in London to be near her daughter and grandson. Unfortunately, they are not interested in her company. Through a chance meeting, she befriends a young man, who poses as her grandson to get the residents to stop teasing her (they accuse her of making up the grandson since he never comes around). A friendship ensues, and serves as a perspective on life goals, aging and relationships. The tongue in cheek look at what is "proper" is cute, and makes a good story.

The Ultimate Gift

The Ultimate Gift is a drama that puts perspective on life. The patriarch of a wealthy family dies with billions to leave to his heirs. These spoiled, entitled folks are impossible to like. Turns out the old man had a favorite grandson who he sends on a life changing series of tasks, to become a contributing member of the human race, and his chosen heir. Predictably, the young man goes from obnoxious to angelic in the course of a few months. There's a lot to this movie, and most of the tasks play out well. The middle of the movie drags, but the end is satisfying. I would have edited at least 15 minutes out of this film, but performances are solid and it is a good story. I'd recommend this as a solid rental.

Bond Returns in DVD

The remake of Casino Royale is a triumph for the 007 film franchise. After several tepid Bond adventures (World is not Enough, Die Another Day *ugh*), the spy is back with flair and intensity. Some of the best chase scenes . ever.

300

300 is a highly stylized film, depicting of the battle at Thermopylae in 480 BC ,where 300 Spartans square off against 100,000 Persians. The film is an adaptation of the Frank Miller graphic novel, based on this battle. The film style and color makes most of the scenes look like a comic book. It's an impressive visual. The testosterone runs rampant, right down to the Spartans talking shit to both the enemy and each other (which I thought was kind of funny). The battle scenes are incredibly violent, yet there are attempts at a story through scenes with the strong, beautiful queen. The audience I saw this with was predominantly male, and they all had huge smiles on their faces walking out of the the theater.

Hard Luck

So I'm driving down Route 2 a while back, and I come upon the Beacon Diner ablaze in movie lights. It was the filming of Hard Luck, which is out now in DVD. This crime thriller is a little wacky and sometimes outrageous. Wesley Snipes an Cybill Shepherd give star cred to this crazy story. I had fun recognizing all the Rhode Island locations!

Naked Men in DVD

Borat was a lot of fun in the theater, and I have a feeling it will be a runaway hit as a rental. ** Beware the naked men ** The Full Monty is also out in DVD. ** Enjoy the naked men ** A great comeback story, it was Oscar nominated for Best Picture. When I saw this film in the theater, I couldn't decide what was more fun to watch, those crazy guys dancing on the screen, or the women in front of me that were laughing uncontrollably!!

Thunderball

In my quest for all that is Bond, my next film is Thunderball. What a ride!! The underwater sequences are amazing, and it's worth watching the "making of" doc to hear of the shark perils. This is the Bond film that introduces the jet pack. Connery could well be the coolest hero in film! Loved it!

Black Snake Moan

For me, in films the story does not have to be believable. Just give me a good story, well written and well acted. Black Snake Moan is that for me. Christina Ricci plays a nymphomaniac, whose boyfriend goes off to war. She is found half dead on the side of the road by a black man, whose wife has left him hurt and bitter. He decides to redeem her, and the first step is physical restraint, in the form of a big-ass chain. The two become friends, and their lives change. Though the chain is the focus of all the promotions, it is secondary to the plot and result. The acting in this film is great. The rookie, Justin Timberlake, holds his own with veterans, Ricci and Samuel L. Jackson.

Zodiac

David Fincher is another true artist in film. Fight Club, Panic Room, Se7en, The Game and now, Zodiac, among his best work. His films have an intensity of style that I really enjoy watching. The film Zodiac chronicles the investigation of the Zodiac killer in California, which has been an unsolved serial murder case since 1969. This is a long film, and the best advice I heard, before seeing it, was "be patient". Good advice, as this story covers almost 30 years of events and evidence, which is a task in itself. The involvement of the media, and portrayal of the murders, unfold well. Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards play the detectives pursing the serial killer. Robert Downey Jr. and Jake Gyllenhaal portray the journalists that become obsessed with the case, to the point that it effects their personal lives. Gyllenhaal takes the investigation of Robert Graysmith, to a frantic dramatic level. His character unravels slowly, but sticks to the investigation to the end. There's even a little comedic relief in the portrayal of his character. Excellent work in this film, both in front of and behind the camera.

Head Games in DVD

Out in DVD today, the story of Harold Crick is told by a voice in his head in the film Stranger Than Fiction. A strong drama / comedy with interesting views of life and love.

The Heart of the Game is based on the true story of a girl's basketball team, that also has a lot to say about life. A nice solid film.

Oscar 2007 : the Awards Ceremony

The Kodak theater in Hollywood is a glamorous setting for the Academy Awards ceremony. The statues were in place, I was prepped and ready to go when the telecast started. Dressed in my uber-glam GAP sweatpants and Isotoner slippers, here's how the evening went down for me.

The show was painfully slow. Not sure if I was too cranked up or what, but this was the slowest Oscars ever. It ran till 12:15, yikes! I have always defended this awards show, but damn, this one hurt. When the memoriam montage comes at 11:45 you know you're in trouble. It didn't get interesting until midnight. The Departed cleaned up, and I was happy that my Little Miss Sunshine grabbed 2 gold guys. The winners are here.

Here are my superlatives:
Best gown: Cate Blanchette
Best hair: Gwyneth Paltrow
Best entrance: Rachel Weisz
Best male presence: it's a tie between Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney *sigh*
Best sport: Clint Eastwood translating for composer Ennio Morricone
Best grace on stage: Beyonce and the Dreamgirls cast did the songs proud
Best acceptance speech: Helen Mirren

The good news is, Sofia champagne is yummy!!

Oscar 2007 : the Films

There is no question in my mind that the Best Picture Oscar this year should go to Little Miss Sunshine. Though it is a dramatic comedy, the layers and performances are outstanding. I'd say The Departed is the next strongest film, but the surprise winner could be Babel, All the nominees for Best Animated film are good. I'd say Cars is the most well rounded, Monsterhouse, the most creative. I haven't seen all of the Foreign or Documentary films, but I'll guess that An Inconvenient Truth and Pan's Labyrinth could win on Sunday.

Pop the popcorn, get comfy on the couch, and enjoy the awards show that can also be one of the best fashion shows of the year. A printable ballot is here so you can follow along. The festivities begin at 8PM, Sunday night on ABC. Tune in!!!

Oscar 2007 : the People

There were so many wonderful performances this year. Many skilled actors were handed interesting roles. In the acting category the Oscar winners are pretty much a lock. Helen Mirren, Forest Whitaker and Jennifer Hudson should all go home with the gold. Eddie Murphy has been receiving awards for months for his role in Dreamgirls. He could win on Sunday, but my pick for best supporting actor is Djimon Hounsou for his performance in Blood Diamond. I think his performance was deeper and very intense.

One of the most powerful performances this year was behind the camera. Martin Scorsese's work has thrilled me for years. I had the privilege of hearing him speak at the Tribeca Film Festival several years ago, on the topic of music in film. The man is so passionate and articulate about his work, it was quite an experience for me. He should win the Oscar for directing The Departed. The film is intricate, intense and kept me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed watching him bring together the writing, casting, camera shots and sets to tell this crazy story.

Oscar 2007 : the Stories

There were many good stories in film this year. Pirates, superheroes, royalty, infidelity, family, soldiers and history, it was quite the potpourri. I have trouble writing, so I have the utmost respect for those who do it well. All of the nominees for Best Original Screenplay are Oscar- worthy, but Little Miss Sunshine won my heart. It pokes fun so tactfully, the satire so subtle, the characters so endearing. Little Children would get the statue from me for Best Adapted Screenplay. Themes of infidelity and tolerance get provocative treatment, with a wow of an ending.

DVD Qick-Hit

Though this week is not ALL about Oscar, there are a few DVD releases too good not to be mentioned here. Flushed Away, just plain fun for the whole family, Babel, 7 Oscar nominations, For Your Consideration, a wonderful satire about, hmmm yeah, Oscars and The Prestige, Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, need I say more? Enjoy!!

Oscar 2007 : the Sounds

Then there's the sound in films. Music, narrative and sound effects create mood and help tell the story. For me, Sound Mixing goes to Dreamgirls for moving through all that music. Sound Editing I would give to Letters From Iwo Jima, the explosions and gunfire punctuated the film well. The Original Score in Pan's Labyrinth lingers in my mind. Dreamgirls generated three nominations for Original Song, the song Listen could give Randy Newman (Cars) a run for his money. I get chills every time I hear it.

Oscars 2007 : the Visual

The first thing our minds turn to when we think of film, is the visual. The Oscar for Art Direction is prestigious to me because it is about the overall "look" of the film. I think the Oscar should go to Dreamgirls. The color pallets, the lighting, the costumes, the way they created the feel of the era through the look. For me, Superman Returns had the best Visual Effects this year. It looked 3D to me in it's normal format. There were so many scenes and shots that seemed to jump right off the screen. In Children of Men the Cinematography created a world of the future through lighting and camerawork. The one-take shots alone were award-worthy. I'm torn on the award for Editing between United 93, where the editing gave continuity to an otherwise chaotic circumstance, and Babel, which moves between four stories seamlessly. I was impressed with the Costumes in Marie Antoinette and the Makeup in Pan's Labyrinth was just amazing.

My Top 10 : Revised

2006 was a good year in film. I haven't added a film to my personal Top 10 Favorite list since 2004. Before the Oscar's are announced, I want to add Little Miss Sunshine to my Top 10 (sorry Sofia, Lost in Translation is now #11). Now the list reads:
1. Godfather
2. Chinatown
3. Pulp Fiction
4. Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
5. Casablanca
6. Mary Poppins
7. Memento
8. Fight Club
9. Monsters Inc.
10. Little Miss Sunshine

This week I'll share my thoughts on the Oscar nominees in bite size pieces each day, and make my predictions for the award winners. Let Oscar week begin!!

Breach

Spy stories always seem so far fetched .... unless they are true. In the film Breach we are taken inside one of the largest security breaches in US history. The performances are strong and the story a little more than scary.

Factory Girl

In Factory Girl, Sienna Miller embodies the model - actress - socialite, Edie Sedgewick, in the 60's in NYC. She meets and befriends Andy Warhol. She acted, modeled, partied, abused heroin and died of an overdose at 28 years old. I thought this was an interesting look into the artist community of the 60's in NYC. In some snapshots during the credits, it is amazing how much Miller looks like Sedgewick.

Bridge to Terabithia

Staying true to the Newberry Award wining novel, Disney gives us the first solid family film of 2007 in Bridge to Terabithia. I read this book last week because of all the on-line chat about the book vs the film. The book left me in a funk for the day, because of the death of one of the characters. Very well written, very emotional. The film stays true to the book, though the character developments are very different. I think they fleshed out the relationships between Jess and his father and sister better in the film. I thought the relationship between Leslie and her parents was better served in the book. The topics of bullying, family favoritism, adolescent crushes, guilt and escape through imagination are well done in this film. There is a CGI element that is awkward and misplaced. The acting and writing is so good, they didn't have to go hi-tech, but it was OK. All of the scenes in reality were so close to what I imagined when I read the book. Well done.

F*ck

F*ck is a documentary about the use of language and , specifically the word fuck. Why is it intriguing, offensive and even funny? This is explored through interviews with everyone from Pat Boone to Ice T. One of the subjects is Bill Plympton, who I run into at film festivals. He talks about the adult themes in animation. An interesting combination. Another interesting exploration is George Carlin's bit called "7 Dirty Words". Folks like Drew Carey, Janeane Garofalo, Alanis Morissette, Steve Bochco, Sam Donaldson, Ron Jeremy, Kevin Smith, Hunter S. Thompson and Bill Connolly chime in. This film is articulate and thought provoking

Music and Lyrics

The romantic comedy is alive and well in Music and Lyrics. Drew Barrymore has become a lovely force in this genre. Though her fame came from her childhood, she has matured nicely, and her performances have too. It started with 50 First Dates, grew stronger with Fever Pitch, and she brings it home in this film. A has-been pop star needs a lyricist to write a song for a current pop sensation, and Barrymore's character helps him out, the typical rom-com story arc ensues. Hugh Grant, Brad Garrett, Kristen Johnston, Haley Bennett and Jason Antoon give dimension to this clever, light film. Not sappy, not boring, a mere 96 minutes (perfect), I thoroughly enjoyed the performances in this film. A bright spot in the dismal film releases of 2007 so far.

Mob, Murder, Marie and a Man in DVD

Oscar nominees abound in DVD releases this week. The Departed, a Martin Scorsese concoction that is one of the best mob vs cop, cat and mouse stories ever told. Worthy of it's multiple Oscar nominations.

Marie Antoinette is an interesting history lesson, seen through the creative lens of Sofia Coppola. It's Oscar nomination is for the incredible costumes. I was partial to the shoes!

Half Nelson is an intense relationship drama about a drug addicted teacher and one of his students. Ryan Gosling's Oscar nominated performance gives this drama heart.

Infamous isn't nominated for any Oscars, but Daniel Craig is nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for his menacing performance, portraying one of the murderers in the crime that was the subject of the novel In Cold Blood. Truman Capote's life during the writing of that book is interesting stuff.

2007 Grammy Awards .... and Film

I have been a fan of The Dixie Chicks for many years. Their album, Fly, has kept me company on many a road trip, and my dear friend B, gave me their latest, Taking the Long Way Home, for Christmas, though she is not a fan (I know it pains her). These talented ladies won many Grammy awards tonight, and I stayed up because I was so psyched they kept winning! After seeing the documentary Shut Up and Sing, this album held all new meaning for me. It was one of my favorite documentaries from 2006. This was quite a night for these gals!

Beyonce was elegant and powerful in her performance of Listen, from Dreamgirls. There is nothing like Beyonce live, and it's one of my favorite songs from the film.

BTW Justin Timberlake is an amazing performer!!

Breaking and Entering

I enjoy a good, subtle, well acted drama. The film Breaking and Entering is just that. There are struggles and extreme circumstances, when a gang keeps robbing an office. The robbers and the victims, use each other in unique ways to get what they want. Relationships are at the core of their motivation. Well done.

Goldfinger

Goldfinger was the third Bond film with Sean Connery as James Bond, agent 007. In 1964 I was only 8 years old, so while my Grandfather was taking me to see Mary Poppins, adults enjoyed the thrill of Bond, the wicked Goldfinger and the menacing Oddjob. I've seen parts of it on TV over the years, but I finally sat down and watched the whole thing, what a pleasure! I've decided to go back in the Bond filmography and see the Bond films I've missed. A little rental actvity to entertain me .... stay tuned!

Soldiers, Scissors, Sleep and Superman on DVD

There are some great films out in DVD this week!

Flags of Our Fathers is the story of the soldiers that were on Iwo Jima in WW II. Three of them are chosen to go on a PR junket to promote war bonds. An interesting perspective on the war.

In Running with Scissors, we see the story of a young man who is coping with no family support in those all important adolescent years.

The Science of Sleep is a film that depicts dreams in relation to the real world. The lines become blurred, this is a very creative film.

And finally, in Hollywoodland we see the rise and fall of George Reeves, one of my favorite actors to play Superman.

Duel

In 1971, a young director was handed a "movie of the week" project by ABC, and turned a short story about a truck stalking a man on the Pacfic Coast highway, into a suspense classic. The director was Steven Spielberg, the film was Duel. I remember seeing (and loving) this film on TV back in the early 70's, so I grabbed the DVD when I saw it on the bargain rack. I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon watching the extra features, and then the film. It's still awesome! Spielberg speaks at length about making this film at the ripe old age of 24. It is fun for me to listen to a passionate director talk about camera shots, casting, studio politics and influences on subsequent projects. He tells a great story about using the same sound during the demise of the truck, as he did when they kill the shark in Jaws, as sort of an homage to his first feature length film.

Top 10 Films of 2006

I'm finally ready to post my Top 10 films of 2006. As usual, I had trouble narrowing it down, so I'll start with 10, then give you more films worth seeing from this year ...... enjoy!
(Click on the name of the film to read about it.)
1. Little Miss Sunshine
2. The Departed
3.Neil Young:Heart of Gold
4. The Queen
5. Babel
6. The Illusionist
7. Pirates of the Caribbean:Dead Man's Chest
8. A Scanner Darkly
9. Children of Men
10. Akeelah and the Bee

Oh, that was hard! These also made 2006 a good year in film .........

There's good family fare in Charlotte's Web, Monster House and Cars.
For the sports fan I liked Invincible, We Are Marshall, Glory Road, The Heart of the Game and Rocky Balboa.
Don't forget the action heroes in SupermanReturns, V for Vendetta and Casino Royale.
Highly entertaining, are The Devil Wears Prada, Kinky Boots, Talledega Nights, Dreamgirls and Borat.
My documentary darlings are Wordplay and Shut up and Sing!
And, oh, the drama! Blood Diamond, The Last King of Scotland, Volver, United 93, Find Me Guilty, Notes on a Scandal, Pan's Labyrinth, The Painted Veil, World Trade Center, Hard Candy, Little Children, Half Nelson and Venus will make you think.

Hey, it's less than 50, enjoy!!!

Groundhog Day

It took me more than a decade to see the film Groundhog Day. When I finally did, I was so impressed with the treatment of human growth and decency. A wacky time-fold story that finds an obnoxious man waking up on the same day over and over, with the promise of fixing mistakes he has made in the past. He stumbles a bit, but gets another chance each time that alarm clock goes off. On this Groundhog Day (or any day) this is an uplifting film.

Catch and Release

I liked the film Catch and Release more than I expected. A young woman's fiance dies just before her wedding. Her friends are grieving also, but they support her as best they can. It is soon reveled that her fiance has more money than she knew, and was involved with another woman. The story does not follow the typical romantic comedy formula, the characters actually have some dimension. Like The Breakup, I think the marketing for this film is off. This is a drama that looks at loss, coping, expectation and love.