Tuesday, April 30, 2013

TCM Classic Film Festival 2013



Another year, another TCM Film Fest! Unfortunately, once again Craig's work schedule only permitted us to attend the last day, and once again we were not passholders. The good news is that if you get there early enough, you can hop in the standby line and get in without too much trouble, which is how Craig and I found ourselves outside the Egyptian at 8:30 in the morning. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be at 8:30 in the morning, really.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Double-Bill: Deux Meurtriers Noirs par Jim

Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai and The Limits of Control

The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943)

Follow Clive Candy (Roger Livesey) as he lives, laughs, loves and fights his way through forty years of British military history.

*      *      *

The sheer visual power of this film is something that simply cannot be denied. It's a style so lush and enveloping that there is no way to escape it. The colors and emotions are so intense that they are able to leap from the screen and take you over, both body and soul. Those simple shots of floating leaves near the end of the film are just as powerful and resonant as anything Yasujiro Ozu ever concocted. Add to this the stellar performances on display and resistance is futile. I know people love to trumpet The Dark Knight as the high water mark in terms of cinematic adaptations of comics, but this film did it better. Twenty-seven years before  Christopher Nolan was even born, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were able to create a cinematic masterpiece by taking a "silly" two-dimensional comic-strip character, and making him both human and tragic. 
You laugh at my big belly, but you don't know how I got it. You laugh t my mustache, but you don't know why I grew it. How do you know what sort of fellow I was when I was as young as you are, 40 years ago?
Watch this movie and you will understand.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Friday Quote: The Perks of Being a Wallflower


"I know these will all be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs. We'll all become somebody's mom or dad. But right now these moments are not stories. This is happening, I am here and I am looking at her. And she is so beautiful. I can see it. This one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive, and you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you're listening to that song and that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment I swear, we are infinite."

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Shadow of a Doubt (1943)


I've been trying to watch more Hitchcock recently. Some of his films are absolute favorites of mine that I watch annually (The Birds, Psycho, Rear Window), others are also undeniably great (Vertigo, North by Northwest, Dial M for Murder), and some I've had just a "meh" reaction to (Suspicion, To Catch a Thief). The other night Craig suggested we watch Shadow of a Doubt, one of those films whose title I of course was familiar with but hadn't seen for some reason or other. And I kinda loved it.

Shadow of a Doubt is about a sweet family whose Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) comes to stay with them, trailed by two mysterious men. He's deliberately vague about his sudden arrival or what he's been up to, and his beloved niece Charlie (Teresa Wright) begins to notice his oddly secretive and sinister behavior.

I love the tension in this film. Hitch was so good at creating tension...it's obvious in this film (his personal favorite) that he was a master at it. He also had a great sense of humor, juxtaposing Joseph Cotten's foreboding presence with young Charlie's father and his friend gleefully discussing hypothetical situations in which they murder each other. An eerie waltz connects the scenes, the two Charlies have an almost incestuous chemistry. She loves him but she's afraid of him...this film is DARK. Oh Hitchcock, you did it again!

If you're a Hitchcock fan and you haven't seen this one, get on it! Hitch's trademarks are all here, and I highly recommend you give yourself an evening to enjoy it!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Hostel (2005)


A trio of Americans backpacking in Europe head to a small Slovakian town which promises to fulfill their wildest dreams. What they find instead, is their greatest nightmare.

*      *      *

Say what you will of me, but I do not hate Eli Roth. Am I tired of seeing him pop up in movies like Inglourious Basterds and Piranha 3D? Of course I am, but his crappy acting has nothing to do with it. The reason I'm sick of seeing him in movies is because his true vocation is to be making movies. As far as I am concerned, he has yet to direct a bad film. Sure he's directed some bad television (Hemlock Grove) but then again, who wouldn't be rusty after six years away? Don't you remember the first time you saw Cabin Fever? Or Hostel? Or Hostel: Part II? Those are great horror films! They're scary, they're funny, they have subtext, they're film-literate and it hurts when someone gets killed because you give a damn about the characters who are being butchered. In a genre founded on the idea of "cheap thrills", that specific combination of ingredients is rather hard to come by. I guess that's why auteurs as diverse as David Lynch, Quentin Tarantino and Lloyd Kaufman have all taken a shine to this kid. He knows what he's doing and he does it well. I personally cannot wait for The Green Inferno.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

A Wes Anderson Soiree!

Last Saturday we threw a Wes Anderson theme party...part costume party, part art show! I had a lot of fun putting it all together, trying to include little details that really drove home the theme. Add some very creative friends, great films, and a s'mores station, and I think it was a success! Hopefully our guests had as great a time as we did!


Monday, April 22, 2013

Double-Bill: L.A. Go Boom!

Kiss Me Deadly and Miracle Mile

Repo Man (1984)

Young punk Otto (Emilio Estevez) has just stumbled into the most intense new job - repossessing cars! Oh and what a time to join the profession as everyone in Los Angeles is on the trail of a mysterious Chevy Malibu with something even more mysterious in the trunk.

*      *      *

As historian Carey McWilliams stated, “God never intended Southern California to be anything but desert…Man has made it what it is.” Prior to irrigation, Southern California was a veritable blank slate. Gradually over the course of decades, numerous villages/neighborhoods spread, bled and merged with one another forming one giant un-unified sub/urban sprawl. Here it is possible to find Spanish next to Tudor next to Mid-Century. Here one can eat in a restaurant designed after a parasol. Via the freeways you can travel from a small Mexican village to the year 3000 in a matter of minutes (traffic permitting). Living in Southern California, one gradually comes to accept strangeness as a part of everyday life. Eventually that which was once strange becomes…common...or at least to we native Angelenos. God bless British ex-pat Alex Cox  for making Repo Man and reminding us how weird it all really is. And with one hell of a soundtrack too! If you love this movie, please pick up the new Criterion blu-ray. It's the most intense packaging I've ever seen, but then again Repo Man's always intense.

Friday, April 19, 2013

She's All That (1999)


Who misses the 90s? I know I do! I miss the nonsense of the teen movies, the questionable fashion, the sense of fun, the music, sigh! I was feeling particularly nostalgic the other day and decided to watch this (it's streamable on Netflix!)...so here's a little post on why this awful movie is also the best ever!

1. Rachel Leigh Cook and Freddie Prinze Jr.
Remember when they were in stuff? I used to looooooove Freddie Prinze Jr. Not so much anymore. And I love how awkward Rachel Leigh Cook is supposed to be. Like ugh, not that tortured artist with GLASSES!

2. "High Schoolers"
Because they all walk around like they're on their way to the beach, and talk like this: "One second, you're Zach Siler, class president, stand-out athlete, all-around bad-ass mamba-jahamba; the next thing you know, you're Zach Siler, bitch-boy."

3. Scary Performance Art
"Be silent! Be still!"

4. Bitchy McBitchFace!
I miss mean girls in movies. Like...unrealistically heinous horrible people like Taylor Vaughan. For example, here are her thoughts on her chances of being crowned prom queen: "Careful of what? OK, I could win this thing in fluorescent lighting, on the first day of my period, cloaked in T.J. Max. Ok? My mother was prom queen in '71, my cousin - prom queen in '82, and my sister would have been prom queen in '94 if it wasn't for that scam on the Conway Bed tour bus, okay? I am a goddamn legacy, all right? And besides, not to be a bitch, but who's gonna beat Taylor Vaughan?" And she totally does win! I love it.

5. The casting of Usher as some kind of student/DJ/announcer who supposedly taught the entire student body this dance: 



6. The casting of other awesome people!
Clea DuVall! Anna Paquin! Kieran Culkin! Yay!

7. Happy ending set to that Sixpence None the Richer song!
Yeah I totally slowdanced to that song at my wedding. 90s kid 4 life!

Here's to a nostalgic weekend!

Friday Quote: Tiny Furniture



"Poems are a very stupid thing to be good at. Poems are basically like dreams. Something everybody likes to tell other people but stuff that nobody actually cares about when its not their own."

Tiny Furniture (2010)

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Le Havre (2011)

A young African refugee (Blondin Miguel) hiding out in a small seaside town is befriended by an old Bohemian (André Wilms) who rallies the community to help the boy evade capture by the local immigration officials.


*      *      *

From the perspective of history, film is a fairly new art form. While painting, dance, music, etc. have all existed for millennia, cinema has been around for little more than a century. Back when the French New Wave critics were writing for Cahiers du Cinema in the 1950s, it was even conceivable for an individual to attempt to watch the entirety of film history. Nowadays this would be a fool's errand to even attempt. Film is no longer a rich man's game. Nearly anyone can make a movie and nearly every country has its own film industry with its own stars and auteurs. There is just so damn much to see. As a result, curators have become increasingly important in this day and age. Like many cineastes, one of the first places I go for an opinion on film worth watching, is The Criterion Collection. Sure there are some Criterion titles that have me scratching my head over their inclusion (Armageddon), but how else was I supposed to know that a charming French fable, directed by a Finn, with a rhyming name (Aki Kaurismäki) is worth my valuable time? And now it's my obligation to let you know that this film is worth your valuable time. See how this works?

Monday, April 15, 2013

The Streetfighter (1974)

After turning down a kidnapping job because the money isn't good enough, mercenary Terry (Sonny Chiba) becomes a marked man and must take down his would-be employers.

*      *      *

If you only know Sonny Chiba from his brief role as samurai swordsmith Hattori Hanzo in the Kill Bill films, boy are you missing out. For my money Chiba can stand toe-to-toe with the great Toshirô Mifune when it comes to sheer charismatic bad-assery. If you find yourself looking for a good entry point to this living legend's fifty-year career, look no further than the classic that is The Streetfighter, the first film ever rated X for violence! Need more incentive? This is the film Clarence is watching in True Romance when he first meets Alabama! I knew that last bit would really sell you on this!

Now when you finally decide to inject this movie into your life, be careful you aren't acquiring either of the awful live-action adaptations of the similarly titled Street Fighter video games. If you start the movie and see either Jean-Claude Van Damme or Kristin Kreuk on your screen, you fucked up royally. Actually, let me make things easy for you. Since the film is public domain, not available on Netflix and can most often be found in the dollar bin, here's a link to the entire film on Youtube. Surely not the ideal way to experience any film, but until Criterion or somebody issues a pristine, anamorphic, Blu-ray transfer, this will have to do. Now don't say I never gave you anything. You're welcome.

Double-Bill: Love On The Run

Badlands and Natural Born Killers

Friday, April 12, 2013

Friday Quote: Paris is Burning


"I always had hopes of being a big star. And then I looked - as you get older, you aim a little lower. And I just say "Well yeah, you still might make an impression." Everybody wants to leave something behind them, some impression, some mark upon the world. Then you think, you've made a mark on the world if you just get through it, and a few people remember your name. Then you've left a mark. You don't have to bend the whole world. I think it's better to just enjoy it. Pay your dues, and enjoy it. If you shoot an arrow and it goes real high, hooray for you."

Paris is Burning (1990)

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Slither (2006)

When a meteor crashes to earth and turns middle-aged schlub Grant Grant (Michael Rooker) into a grotesque vessel for planetary take over, it's up to a small band of survivors to save humanity.

*      *       *

Now I know this might come as a shock to you but: 'Becca'lise and I do not make a living off of this blog. Yep, we are in fact mortal and we do in fact have day jobs. And they're not even  particularly glamorous ones either. She teaches preschool and I work retail. Fun, right? Anyhow, working retail inside a mall subjects me to a whole lot of easy listening music. Until recently the mall soundtrack was smooth jazz so this is a marked improvement. Occasionally there is even a song that I know and enjoy. And then there is "Every Woman In The World" by Air Supply. Thanks to the sick and twisted mind of James Gunn, I cannot hear that song without visualizing something akin to the photo accompanying this blog post. And rather than revolt me, it makes me smile. It makes it a little easier to get through the day. Knowing that something this demented exists is like a  warm comfort blanket. I could not be happier with the knowledge that Mr. Gunn is going to be directing Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy film.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

How To Be Dee Dee (aka Annette Funicello)


Dee Dee (played by Annette Funicello in the beach party movies) is a fun-loving girl who can often be found hanging out at the beach with her friends. In honor of our darling Annette, I'd thought I'd write up this little how-to so you can bring a little carefree beachy-breezy style into your own life!

Step One: Oh I'm sorry, did I say carefree? I meant that you'd better have your big teased sprayed 60s hair on, beach or no beach!

Step Two: That goes for makeup too. You'd better be wearing it!

Step Three: Thou shalt not wear a bikini. EVER. You are allowed one tiny strip of skin and a wee bit of cleavage. That is all.

Step Four: Dee Dee is always up for a challenge. Try something that scares you a little, like sky diving! It'll be a great story to tell later, if nothing else!

Step Five: Brush up on your performing skills. You may need to break into song at any moment. And make sure you know the Rock-a-Cha!

Step Six: Be pointlessly jealous of the girls around your boyfriend. Wait around patiently for him to finish flirting with whatever new girl comes along, and be there for him when he decides to come back.

You know what? Screw that. You're too good for him, Dee Dee! I say you leave Frankie's ass in the sand and go hang out with your girlfriends. You don't need that slob!


And try all you want, but you just won't reach this adorable perfection. 
R.I.P. Annette

Monday, April 8, 2013

Double-Bill: Horrific Deconstruction

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil and The Cabin In The Woods

The Tree Of Life (2011)

An architect (Sean Penn) reflects upon his childhood, the death of his brother and the universal implications of it all.

*      *      *

I know that among certain cineastes, the style of Terrence Malick is something to be mocked. Wide-angled, magic-hour shots of nature overlayed with ponderous philosophical voice over is very easy to imitate, but it is also impossible to truly replicate. If it was truly so easy, wouldn't everyone be doing it? Wouldn't every film school brat have their own Palm d'Or by now? What sets the cinema of Terrence Malick apart from any of his imitators, is the fact that he genuinely sees the world this way. It's not a style. Look back at his first film Badlands and it's all there right from the get-go. Terrence Malick knows no other way to make a film, it's purely instinct. His films are the cinematic equivalent of a Bruce Springsteen or Jim Steinman song: small, human melodramas given the grandeur of an epic with universal importance. Nowhere is this more the case than in The Tree Of Life. A family's loss placed within the context of the forming of our universe? Who even thinks that way? Terrence Malick does! And boy am I happy that he does. Don't ever change Terry, don't ever change.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Friday Quote: On Roger Ebert


"Michelle and I are saddened to hear about the passing of Roger Ebert. For a generation of Americans - and especially Chicagoans - Roger was the movies. When he didn’t like a film, he was honest; when he did, he was effusive - capturing the unique power of the movies to take us somewhere magical. Even amidst his own battles with cancer, Roger was as productive as he was resilient - continuing to share his passion and perspective with the world. The movies won’t be the same without Roger, and our thoughts and prayers are with Chaz and the rest of the Ebert family."

President Obama on Roger Ebert's passing

Thursday, April 4, 2013

R.I.P. Roger


A few months ago when I heard about the death of film critic Andrew Sarris, I stopped for a moment to reflect on the ways in which Mr. Sarris had changed the world of film criticism. An hour ago when I heard about the death of Roger Ebert, I nearly wept. Had I not still been at work and in the presence of co-workers and customers, I probably would have let the tears flow. I wanted desperately to relate this horrible and tragic news to everyone within earshot, but down inside I knew that they would either not know the name or (even worse) not care. But then why should they care? They have no personal connection to the man. I on the other hand, would not be who I am today without him.

Roger Ebert has touched my life in so many ways. He was the first critic to recognize greatness in my favorite director Martin Scorsese way back when both men were just starting out. He also wrote the screenplay to the camp-classic Beyond The Valley of The Dolls which became a seminal film in the lives of 'Becca'lise and I after a viewing early in our relationship. The commentary track he recorded for Citizen Kane helped me to better appreciate that film for the classic that it is. And most importantly, his Great Movies series inspired the creation of this very blog.

If you've noticed, all the reviews on here are of movies we love deeply and want to share with the world. That came directly from Roger Ebert and his Great Movies essays. If you have the opportunity to check out any of the three published volumes of these pieces, please do. They can also be found digitally on his website. Read any one of these deep-diving explorations and you will begin to understand the mantra by which he guided his life in criticism: A movie is not about what it's about; it's about how it's about it. Those words go through my head every time I sit down to type an entry.

God Bless you Roger Ebert for sharing your love with all of us. You were a true original and will absolutely never be forgotten. See you at the movies.

Arabian Nights (1974)

A bawdy and joyous adaptation of a few of the Arab folk-tails commonly known as One Thousand and One Nights.


*      *      *

When it was originally released in the early/mid-70's Pier Paolo Pasolini's "Trilogy of Life" (The Decameron, The Canterbury Tales and Arabian Nights) was meant as a celebration of humanity via the bodily functions we have in common. Taro Gomi got it right with the title to the classic children's book Everyone Poops. An alternate title for these films could easily have been: Everyone Pees, Poops, Farts and Has Sex. But as cool and hippie as this message was for its time, I would argue that it is even more important now. Since 9/11, anti-Muslim/anti-Arab sentiment has been at record highs. Conservative media and religious leaders add to this by spending so much time detailing the sundry ways in which the two cultures are different. It's much easier to hate someone you feel you have nothing in common with. During The Cold War we had The Reds to serve as the exotic "other" to be feared, now it's Muslims. Too bad Arabian Nights is rated NC-17, I think prudish, ignorant hate-mongers would really get something out of it. They'd finally learn the simple fact that everyone poops, everyone pees, everyone farts, everyone has sex, and (most importantly) everyone loves.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Rise of the Guardians (2012)


The children of the world are protected by immortal "guardians," defenders of those children who believe in them.  North (Santa Claus), the Sandman, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy must band together when Pitch Black, the Boogeyman, threatens the children with endless nightmares that will cause them to lose their innocent belief in their protectors. Things get interesting when the unlikely Jack Frost is chosen to join their ranks.

I haven't been so pleasantly surprised by a movie in a long time! My sister picked it to watch last Sunday night and I was kind of like "Okaaaaay..." but I got sucked right in! The story is creative, the animation is excellent and I loved the original take on our beloved childhood characters. Santa Claus with tattoos? An Australian Easter bunny? Yes please! I had a lot of fun watching this. I really appreciate when children's films aren't afraid to be dark and scary at times. It's good for them! I might have to add this one to my future child's collection of good-but-scary films, along with ParaNorman and Coraline. And now I want to read the books too!

If you're a fan of good animation or just like an interesting story, I very much recommend this one. It's not flawless, but it's surprisingly enjoyable and reminds us all to hold onto that sense of wonder we all had as kids! Enjoy!

Monday, April 1, 2013

Double-Bill: Hammett Up

The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man

All About My Mother (1999)

After her son is killed in a car accident, Manuela (Ceclia Roth) travels to Barcelona in order to inform the boy's estranged father. I'll just leave it at that...

*      *      *

This was my first Almodóvar film. I'd heard the name a few times, but my still-forming film brain hadn't really branched out into world cinema yet.  I went into this movie knowing absolutely nothing about Pedro's particular brand of cinema...which is why I brought my grandparents with me. They'd gone with me to see Life Is Beautiful the year prior and seeing as the film is in Spanish this seemed like a perfect fit for mis abuelos Mexicanos. Admittedly, things did get a little awkward during the first scene with Agrado (you couldn't help but notice my grandpa starting to squirm in his seat) yet surprisingly, we stayed through the entire film. Even more surprisingly, my grandparents really enjoyed it. This film is that good! The colors and the characters are so wonderful that audiences cannot help but get caught  up in their spell. I have not missed an Almodóvar film since. Though my grandparents did take a little bit of a "Pedro break" after this film, they did return to the fold for Volver.