Cool and rainy here in Albany today, which is perfect happy dance weather for me. Good writing weather as well, and definitely good reading weather for later in the day. Not good walking in the park weather, so must do without my daily duck fix for the time being.
Since I do live under a rock, I haven't seen Wreck-it Ralph yet (looks really fun, though, and do I spot an inter-game romantic subplot in there? Because if so, I am all over that) but Owl City is always good for some bouncy fun, so here we go:
Okay, I'm spotting some fun graphics, a hero's journey, and gaming. Yep, I'm in. Must add to the library list.
Who's going to the movies this weekend? What are you seeing?
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Friday, April 12, 2013
Monday, December 10, 2012
Son of Saturday At the Movies: Colin Firth x2; A Single Man and Dorian Gray
All right, so it's been a while since we've had one of these entries, so no number for now. It's been a big few months, some of the big stuff good, some not, but one of the good things is finding the library system in Albany is amazing when it comes to movies, and I am once again gorging myself. This week, it's period dramas, no surprise there. This week, I borrowed two Colin Firth films and one Firth-less classic I've been meaning to see for literally decades, but more on that later.
Set during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, A Single Man doesn't dwell much on that world event, keeping the tight focus instead on the title character, George Falconer, a British college professor living and working in the US. George, when we meet him, is in deep grief over the death of his lover, Jim, some months past. Time has moved on, but George has not, the loss of Jim still as sharp and keen as when he first got word of the accident. George gets through his days but everything is empty, and the day that we meet George is in fact the day that he plans to make his last.
George methodically gets his affairs in order, says things he's always meant to say, everything so that he can be done with the never ending grief. The matter of fact tasks George performs are interspersed with vivid memories of life with Jim, which makes George's state all the keener. Life continues to pull at him; an inquisitive student, adult and child neighbors he's kept at arms' length, a chance encounter with a stranger, dinner with a female friend who deals with her own torment by different means. Colin Firth is amazing, and this is one film where every shot counts. The use of color, the incidental music, the blocking, set design, everything has a role in telling us George's story, and when the resolution comes, we can understand how it got there. Definitely have to buy this one for multiple viewings.
You know the story; Dorian doesn't age, but his picture does, and appearance is hugely important in this story, but it's not about looks. Oh sure, we have Ben Barnes and Colin Firth, and a gorgeous set with the right feel of opulent claustrophobia at all the right moments, but as the not-yet-corrupted Dorian says early on in the film, what about a man's soul? Colin Firth's Lord Henry scoffs at the very notion and commits his own soul to hell, later asking Dorian if he'll do the same. Wrong choice, Dorian. Wrong choice, but amazing story, courtesy of Oscar Wilde.
This is another one I have to own, so I can see it by myself and catch the multiple layers. Both lead actors do a marvelous job, and where Dorian throws himself into sybaritic excess, it's Henry who finds growth. Though he takes fatherhood lightly at first, the daughter born soon after Dorian makes his fateful choice, gives Henry the heart he'd always denied. Seasoned readers/viewers know where this is going. Dissolute Dorian, who has already had blood and everything else on his hands, falls for Henry's daughter, Emily. This is not a romance, and Dorian reaps what he sowed, big time. The climax is horrifying, both in what's shown and what's not, and even as we know this is how things have to end, there's still a smidge of sympathy for Dorian, who can't find a way to turn back from what he's become. The final scene with Henry, alone, haunts. I loved the way this movie handled the passage of time; motor cars, telephones, Henry ages, Dorian does not, the hissing breaths from the shaded portrait. There's tragic loves, grief, despair, gorgeous sets and costumes, friendships that go through hell, tasteful and yet visceral historical gore, all combining to leave me one very, very satisified viewer.
Neither of these are for the faint of heart, but for those who want to dive in deep into emotional viscera, two thumbs up. Next up for me: Dr. Zhivago.
Set during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, A Single Man doesn't dwell much on that world event, keeping the tight focus instead on the title character, George Falconer, a British college professor living and working in the US. George, when we meet him, is in deep grief over the death of his lover, Jim, some months past. Time has moved on, but George has not, the loss of Jim still as sharp and keen as when he first got word of the accident. George gets through his days but everything is empty, and the day that we meet George is in fact the day that he plans to make his last.
George methodically gets his affairs in order, says things he's always meant to say, everything so that he can be done with the never ending grief. The matter of fact tasks George performs are interspersed with vivid memories of life with Jim, which makes George's state all the keener. Life continues to pull at him; an inquisitive student, adult and child neighbors he's kept at arms' length, a chance encounter with a stranger, dinner with a female friend who deals with her own torment by different means. Colin Firth is amazing, and this is one film where every shot counts. The use of color, the incidental music, the blocking, set design, everything has a role in telling us George's story, and when the resolution comes, we can understand how it got there. Definitely have to buy this one for multiple viewings.
You know the story; Dorian doesn't age, but his picture does, and appearance is hugely important in this story, but it's not about looks. Oh sure, we have Ben Barnes and Colin Firth, and a gorgeous set with the right feel of opulent claustrophobia at all the right moments, but as the not-yet-corrupted Dorian says early on in the film, what about a man's soul? Colin Firth's Lord Henry scoffs at the very notion and commits his own soul to hell, later asking Dorian if he'll do the same. Wrong choice, Dorian. Wrong choice, but amazing story, courtesy of Oscar Wilde.
This is another one I have to own, so I can see it by myself and catch the multiple layers. Both lead actors do a marvelous job, and where Dorian throws himself into sybaritic excess, it's Henry who finds growth. Though he takes fatherhood lightly at first, the daughter born soon after Dorian makes his fateful choice, gives Henry the heart he'd always denied. Seasoned readers/viewers know where this is going. Dissolute Dorian, who has already had blood and everything else on his hands, falls for Henry's daughter, Emily. This is not a romance, and Dorian reaps what he sowed, big time. The climax is horrifying, both in what's shown and what's not, and even as we know this is how things have to end, there's still a smidge of sympathy for Dorian, who can't find a way to turn back from what he's become. The final scene with Henry, alone, haunts. I loved the way this movie handled the passage of time; motor cars, telephones, Henry ages, Dorian does not, the hissing breaths from the shaded portrait. There's tragic loves, grief, despair, gorgeous sets and costumes, friendships that go through hell, tasteful and yet visceral historical gore, all combining to leave me one very, very satisified viewer.
Neither of these are for the faint of heart, but for those who want to dive in deep into emotional viscera, two thumbs up. Next up for me: Dr. Zhivago.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #88 - I saw the Decoy Bride
Short review: I loved this movie.
Longer review: This is exactly the kind of romantic comedy that works for me. David Tennant and Kelly MacDonald played their parts to perfection, the scenery was gorgeous, the supporting cast relatable and firmly rooted in the setting. What sticks with me most, though are the characters and the romance.
Aspiring guidebook writer Katie returns home to the tiny isle of Hegg after breaking up with her bad boy ex-fiance, right in time for the wedding of another ex, the last single man on the island. She's also right in time for another wedding, that of British author James, whose famed novel, The Ornithologist's Wife, is set on Hegg, making it the perfect venue for James' wedding to American actress Lara. The media gets wind of the nuptials and Lara's people hatch a plan; they'll stage a fake wedding, using Katie as the faux bride.
Problems ensue when Lara goes missing and both James and Katie sign their real names in the register, which is, as Katie puts it, "the legal part." Add in a lovesick paparazzo and Katie's terminally ill mother, whose illness takes a back seat to a serious case of wanderlust, and a neglected bathroom that may or may not be haunted by a cow. With the press in pursuit, James and Katie (aka John Johnson and Toilet Girl, as they know each other) go on the lam together.
As a romance writer, watching a romance where both principals are writers was a special treat. James' writing anxieties and Katie's determination will strike a chord, and the subplot of James finding his muse in the most unlikely places is absolutely heartwarming. A scene with an elderly couple who mistake James-in-disguise for a favorite bagpiper could melt a heart of stone. The road to happily ever after isn't easy for James and Katie, but that's the charm of it. This film gives them the room and time to grow, make mistakes and make things right.
Long story short, I am snapping this puppy up the very first second I see it on DVD, and wil leave you with this clip of one of the lovely musical selections, "Hide You Far Away" by Will Nott.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #87 - The Decoy Bride
Pretty much my reaction when I saw the trailer for The Decoy Bride on the Heroes and Heartbreakers blog. How much do I love this? Let us count the ways.
One: David Tennant. I fell madly for him in Blackpool, referenced here, as well as here and though I'm not a regular follower of Doctor Who, I loved "The Girl in the Fireplace" and Ten will always be "my" Doctor. So of course, the chance to see Mr. Tennant in a straight romantic lead, especially in a role that looks like something Hugh Grant could also pull off, and tell me his character is an author? Say no more, but wait, that's not all....
Two: Kelly MacDonald. Loved her with Bill Nighy in The Girl in the Cafe, as well as in Gosford Park, and am looking forward to Brave and Anna Karenina.
Three: Inhabitants of a small UK locale band together to put one over on outsiders. In this case, a Hollywood actress and her fiance, a British writer played by Mr. Tennant, who apparently has set his books on this particular isle...without ever visiting it. Cue media frenzy, cue marketing people arriving to put a spin on things, part of which involves a decoy bride to attract attention away from the real nuptials. Add in one accidental actual wedding, and hijinx ensue. With, it would seem, love as a byproduct.
Four: The music in the trailer inspired me to hunt down the composer, Julian Nott, who has more musical samples available here. Gorgeous instrumentals, though still no clue who does the snippet of the bit with vocals. On with the hunt.
Five: Can you resist this trailer? Can you really?
So what do you think, faithful readers?
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #85 - Ironically Oscar
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I say "Ironically Oscar" (different from "Ironically, Oscar," which would be an interesting opening line for something) becuase I opened this file at exactly the time the Oscars coverage started. Without, might I add, planning it that way, and with the exception of The King's Speech, which was eligible for last year's awards (oh, Colin Firth, you are excellent at everything in that movie)I don't remember the last Oscar-nominated film I've seen. Yep, still live a five minute walk from the multiplex and still very rarely go. In full disclosure, I must admit that I am watching last year's Puppy Bowl at this very moment, specifically Kitty Halftime.
The last week has seen sick hubby, recovering hubby, laptop that is either suicidal or showing its age, the final week of CORW's Book in Six Weeks program (my first time co-running the same) as well as judging the Golden Heart entries sent to me for this year (and looking forward to CORW's Golden Acorn, which will be landing on my desk soon)as well as crits for a long term critique partner, and that writing thing I've been told I do. Phew. Sounds like exactly the right time to sit in the dark with a tasty snack and have somebody tell me a story.
I don't watch the Oscars, and I'm not sure I can say why. I do get excited about the nominations (also the Emmys and People's Choice Awards) and envision which actors wait anxiously for the fateful phone call to announce their nomination, staring at the phone with a running chant of "ringringringringringringringringring,(expletive deleted)you (expletive deleted)" and which slumber peacefully on, because really, there are so many wonderful people doing so much amazing work that they themselves don't stand a snowball's chance in....huh? Who could be calling at this time of morning....OMGOMGOMG, this is THE phone call!
Ahem. Not that I've ever imagined which of the above I would be, should I somehow ever be eligible for the Academy's attention. Seeing as how I write romance novels, write about romance novels, and tell people who kissed on TV (the current way I describe my occupation when asked by new acquaintances)that is not likely to happen, but I have learned never to say never. Besides, who doesn't love a good period drama, especially one with a British setting? Nor have I ever mentally planned what I would wear to walk the red carpet...but if you're asking, I'm going to say vintage-inspired black lace over nude satin with patent leather ankle strap stilettoes, statement earrings and a fuschia clutch bag for a splash of color. Nothing the Fashion Police would pick to death or put in their worst dressed spotlight. Just to be sure, though, I would want to walk the carpet after Bjork and in front of whoever showed up in a sweatshirt and jeans. I call it the palate cleanser effect, and that would be heightened even further by my DH's classic tux. The man does know how to dress.
But I digress, and this is getting long, and yes, I do know that the image at the top is for last year's awards, but it's been that kind of week. Nobody's bleeding or on fire, so I'm calling it a good one...and keeping an eye out for the who-wore-whats of tonight's festivities. Okay, and who actually got to take home the statues. How about you, faithful readers? Do you watch the Oscars? Do you agree with this year's winners or nominees? Any predictions for next year?
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Saturday at the Movies #76 - Neverland and beyond (or run, idea hamster, run)
Pretty much my reaction to watching BBC America's Neverland, billed as a prequel to the story of Peter Pan. First off, 18th century pirates, and the slums of Edwardian London? I am there, corn popped, notebook in hand and anybody who touches me while this is on will pull back a stump. Seriously. There's also a female pirate named Bonny (and only Bonny, buuuuut being the pirate geek that I am, I know darned well that the historical figure, Anne Bonny, was a pirate who disappeared from a prison in Port Royal in 1720, so I see what you did there, writers, and I approve) and a gang of child thieves; two more points in Neverland's favor. Then there's Peter, signalling his fellows by playing tunes on his pipe from the rooftops above, and the adult leader of the group, the magnetic, enigmatic James "Jimmy" Hook, oh swoon. Then we have the relationship between Jimmy and Peter, who has plans to become Jimmy's partner in crime as adulthood approaches, so life can always, always be the same.
Life doesn't work like that, though, and we have the promise, foreshadowed by one of Peter's friends planning for a future Peter finds downright abhorrent, that things are about to get very, very different. Peter gets a wee bit ahead of himself and takes on a job for which he is far from ready, and Jimmy isn't at all pleased. Events transpire.
Corinna Lawson remarked at last week's CORW meeting, where I'd given highlights from my From Fanfiction to Fantastic Fiction workshop, that she found it interesting how I liked to watch fantasy movies and then file off all the speculative elements to get historical ideas. It's not a conscious thing, but that's how my mind works.
Sure, there's the travel to a magical dimension where pirates and Indians (that's the term used in the film, and the term a former co-worker preferred, so that's what I'm using)coexist and there's tree spirits who can fly and curses and, well, we all know how Peter Pan turns out. For me, it's not about any of that.
Okay, the time travel, I like, and since 18th century and Edwardian are both among my favorite historical eras, that part is right up my alley. The chemistry between Jimmy and Bonny leaps off the screen, so major, major props to Rhys Ifans and Anna Friel. Especially since Mr. Ifans has previously appeared in another film in my collection:
Yep, mind blown.
What gets me here is the relationships. Peter's coming of age (or not) story, the past relationship Jimmy had with Peter's parents, and Jimmy and Bonny could make a truly spectacular partnership. There's betrayal, loss,love, secrets, tough decisions, and life altering consequences. While my creative plate is full at the moment, that doesn't mean I don't stuff some of this in the idea crock pot and let it simmer to see what rises to the surface. There's time for that yet, and more ingredients needed to cook the idea soup. For instance, though I know Steve Valentine isn't in this movie, Bonny's first mate bears a strong similarity, and really, could any movie be made worse with Steve Valentine in it? Not from where I'm sitting. I'll have what I need when I need it, and in the meantime, a few dozen more viewings can't hurt.
Sunday, December 04, 2011
Saturday at the Movies #75 - The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
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Sunday edition this week, as yesterday found me giving my very first live and in person version of my From Fanfiction to Fantastic Fiction workshop at Charter Oak Romance Writers, where a wonderful time was had by all, but we're here for the movies today, and once again, I have stumbled upon a remake, so now the search begins for another movie and the novella from which it sprang.
I first spotted The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone at a library book sale, and couldn't at the time remember why the title jogged the "out of my way, I must have this movie" urge, but it did, and I snagged it. Quick glance at the cover - aha, Helen Mirren spotting, so that had to be part of it. Midcentury setting? Also good. Still, the title, where did I know that from? Flip case over...aha, adapted from Tennessee Williams novella (what, he wrote novellas? Apparently so.) Scan cast list. Rodrigo Santoro's name jumped right out at me, as he was in Love Actually, my favorite comedy ever ever ever. Also this visually gorgeous bit of commercial indulgence:
Yep, okay, I can tell already that this is going to be good. Now for the plot. Retired actress moves to Rome after the death of her husband and becomes involved with a...with a what, now? :ahem: A gigolo. As in male prostitute. Played by Mr. Santoro? Nope, he plays likely the most gorgeous homeless person in the history of history, and it's not even a speaking role, but essential and pivotal. Instead, the intriguing and dangerous Paolo is played by Olivier Martinez, who also has a fragrance ad to his credit:
Add in Anne Bancroft as "the Contessa" (aka madam) and Brian Dennehy as the soon to be deceased Mr. Stone and send the under eighteens out of the room because this is a movie for grownups.
If I had to sum up this movie in one word, it would be "gorgeous." Helen Mirren was gorgeous, in acting and appearance, even though her character's arc was one of an actress with more beauty than talent, who found even the beauty beginning to fade. Anne Bancroft was gorgeous in the Contessa's shrewd, shabby elegance that masked a brittle and desperate soul. Italy was, well, Italy; gorgeous scenery, gorgeous sets, gorgeous atmosphere. Olivier Martinez and Rodrigo Santoro both provided their share of the pulchritude, but more importantly, both men can act. Mr. Martinez' Paolo is one complex character, cunning manipulator, vulnerable boy, suave seducer and ruined aristocrat all at once, and his relationship with the titular Mrs. Stone is as volatile as Vesuvius, with equally disastrous results. The final scene is a giant, intriguing question mark that I'll have to mull over for a while. Definitely have to watch this again to get the most out of it; I can tell there are layers yet to be found.
Also yet to be found is the previous version of this movie, filmed in 1961 with Vivien Leigh in the lead.
In the meantime, I have a sudden urge to re-read Broken Wing by Judith James, to help me figure out what happens to Mrs. Stone's Young Man (Mr. Santoro's character is credited thus)after the cameras stop rolling. Have you ever had the need to fill in the gaps left by a favorite film?
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Saturday at the Movies #74 - There's Always Next Year
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Climbing back into consciousness after Second Thanksgiving and tree trimming with friends, which acutally, wonder of wonders, included movie viewing. Love Actually, which has to be my favorite Christmas movie and favorite comedy at the same time. As one can expect, discussion of movies ensused. During an ideal holiday season, I'd get in a few good movies, but this year, I'm not seeing too much in theaters that appeals. Next year, though, looks very promising. YouTube still not cooperating, so apologies for flubs in advance.
Let's start out with Sean Bean in a historical horror story that adds a supernatural twist to the Black Death (because the plague wasn't horriffic enough?)
For those who can't get enough winter adventures, follow Liam Neeson to Alaska in The Grey
The Woman in Black looks spooky and gorgeous, with an adult Daniel Radcliffe in the lead.
Tanner Hall's release date seems elusive, but coming of age story at a private school? I am there, whenever it's available.
What movies are you looking forward to this holiday season or into 2012?
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Saturday at the Movies #73 - Reading the Movies
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We've all seen books adapted for the big screen, some successfully, sometimes not, but this week, we're looking at something different here. Namely, reading scripts or screenplay. When I was in high school and college, I did a lot of theater, so reading in the script format is very natural for me. I have had plays of my own performed, and it's something special to see the written word come to life through the interpretations of actors and director. Give two different actors the same script, or the same actor and the same script with a different director, and you'll come away with two totally different results. For that matter, different set design or costume choices will create yet different environments for the actors and spur the director to steer his/her ship in an entirely different direction. So, for me, reading a script or screenplay shows me the writer's vision at a purer form, like an acoustic performance of a song with an elaborate music video.
I spent the morning at a library book sale, where I picked up, among other items, a book covering the Kenneth Branagh film adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
While this dovetails nicely with my acquisition of Rowing Into the Wind, a film about Mrs. Shelley's writing of her famous work, and there will be a post on that later, but since the book includes the actual screenplay, I'll need to read that first. It got me thinking, though. I have the screenplay for my all time favorite romantic comedy, Love Actually, and read it about as frequently as I watch the movie.
During the time I spent in Star Trek: The Next Generation fandom, I bought several fanzines, many of the licensed novels, but only two scripts, and they are parts of my collection that I will not be parting with anytime soon. Both have romantic plots. but since they are main character/guest character pairings, neither can end well.
"The Outcast" provides, hands down, my favorite canonical relationship for the dashing Commander Riker.
While the complex romantic geometry of "The Host" means beautifully written heartbreak for all involved:
I do reread the scripts that I have, and have found that when I write my blorches (first very rough drafts)they follow screenplay format very closely. Since I always made notes in the margins on the scripts that I used, I'd love to have a peek at a script used by one of my favorite actors - what stood out to them, and what did they question? What did they want to change? Where did they need to give themselves reminders and why?
What about you? Have you read any scripts or screenplays? If you could have any script used by a favorite actor in a tv or movie productions, which one would you choose?
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Saturday at the Movies #69 -Luther, Bedlam, zombies and kittens
Oh, BBC America, you know you have me. You know I love you, and nobody feeds my inner Briton like you do. I can even forgive you for what happened to Jamie Bamber's character in Law and Order UK, because then you go and give me Luther.
No, not Martin, but a taut, gritty, psychological crime drama starring Idris Elba.
I blame author Zoe Archer for bringing Luther to my attention, as she cites Mr. Elba as partial inspiration for the character of Catullus Graves in her Blades of the Rose novels. That's Catullus on the cover of the fourth title, Stranger. Personally, I've always imagined Catullus along the lines of this gent, but Luther is Luther, dedicated detective with more than a bit of an edge, and apparently a very interesting relationship with the murderous Alice. I won't pretend to understand that, as I'm new to the Lutherverse, but not to worry, I'm sure all will be revealed in time, or at least the season one DVDs.
As if that weren't enough, BBC America also brings me Bedlam. I've always had a thing for two of the less savory historical sites in England - Bethlehem Royal Hospital, aka Bedlam, and Newgate Prison. Show me a historical romance with at least one scene set in either place, and I must have it. Natural settings for drama if ever there were such a thing. So of course, when I found out there would be a drama set in the famed hospital, turned into apartment units for the up and coming, I had to investigate. Seems like not all of the patients have entirely left the building, if one catches the drift.
Not on BBC America, but another cable series I'm arrving at fashionably late is The Walking Dead. I haven't dipped my toes in the water (or should I say ichor?) yet - advice appreciated if I need to find the season one DVDs first or if it's okay to jump in at season two- but we have Andrew Lincoln from Love Actually (my favorite comedy ever) as a sherriff determined to do good in the wake of a zombie apocalypse. I. Am. So. There. Yes, I know it will be gory, but once I saw our hero riding a horse into postapocalyptic Atlanta, it started the push and pull in my mind and the intrigue has prevailed over trepidation. Cover me, I'm going in.
Then there's Puss In Boots. I have not seen any of the Shrek franchise and don't plan to change that, but if Puss' adventure can be viewed on its own, I loved the original fairy tale, love the mixture of bold adventurer who is still a very catly cat (">true, it's been done before) but I would listen to Antonio Banderas read the phone book, and his films bring back fond memories of a dearly loved and much-missed aunt. Puss may seem like a departure from the above three, but he does have the total committment to what he's doing, and that's always going to catch my interest.
No, not Martin, but a taut, gritty, psychological crime drama starring Idris Elba.
I blame author Zoe Archer for bringing Luther to my attention, as she cites Mr. Elba as partial inspiration for the character of Catullus Graves in her Blades of the Rose novels. That's Catullus on the cover of the fourth title, Stranger. Personally, I've always imagined Catullus along the lines of this gent, but Luther is Luther, dedicated detective with more than a bit of an edge, and apparently a very interesting relationship with the murderous Alice. I won't pretend to understand that, as I'm new to the Lutherverse, but not to worry, I'm sure all will be revealed in time, or at least the season one DVDs.
As if that weren't enough, BBC America also brings me Bedlam. I've always had a thing for two of the less savory historical sites in England - Bethlehem Royal Hospital, aka Bedlam, and Newgate Prison. Show me a historical romance with at least one scene set in either place, and I must have it. Natural settings for drama if ever there were such a thing. So of course, when I found out there would be a drama set in the famed hospital, turned into apartment units for the up and coming, I had to investigate. Seems like not all of the patients have entirely left the building, if one catches the drift.
Not on BBC America, but another cable series I'm arrving at fashionably late is The Walking Dead. I haven't dipped my toes in the water (or should I say ichor?) yet - advice appreciated if I need to find the season one DVDs first or if it's okay to jump in at season two- but we have Andrew Lincoln from Love Actually (my favorite comedy ever) as a sherriff determined to do good in the wake of a zombie apocalypse. I. Am. So. There. Yes, I know it will be gory, but once I saw our hero riding a horse into postapocalyptic Atlanta, it started the push and pull in my mind and the intrigue has prevailed over trepidation. Cover me, I'm going in.
Then there's Puss In Boots. I have not seen any of the Shrek franchise and don't plan to change that, but if Puss' adventure can be viewed on its own, I loved the original fairy tale, love the mixture of bold adventurer who is still a very catly cat (">true, it's been done before) but I would listen to Antonio Banderas read the phone book, and his films bring back fond memories of a dearly loved and much-missed aunt. Puss may seem like a departure from the above three, but he does have the total committment to what he's doing, and that's always going to catch my interest.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Happy Dance Friday #69 - Julianne Hough and Stuff
First, a confession: A) I did not see the original Footloose movie. B) I would gladly pay good money to watch Julianne Hough do the hokey-pokey because she is my favorite female DWTS pro, which leads to C) I am definitely planning on catching the new version of Footloose, which releases today. So likely a Saturday at the Movies post on that after I view, though not sure when that will be.
It's Friday, though, not Saturday, so this isn't about the movie, this is about the dancer, and the inherent happy dancing when multiple things I love collide in a big mess of awesome. Still not able to work out how to fit DWTS into the regular viewing schedule, so I'm catching as catch can on that one, but with Julianne making a return to the show as a guest performer, I had to hie myself over to YouTube right quick. Julianne on her own is enough (yes, a girl dance crush, what of it?) but then make the song a new arrangement of "Holding Out For A Hero" (originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler, written by Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford, and I have a huge, huge music crush on Jim Steinman, aka the guy who writes Meat Loaf's songs) - that makes it positively covered in Anna-bait, and perfect romance writer inspiration:
One of the reasons I like ballroom dance as much as I do is the challenge for the dancer, much like the challenge for a writer who writes within a genre, is to exercise their creativity within the requirements of the particular dance.:
Then there's the art of dance in the movies, where the movements are choreographed to develop character and/or story:
Anybody who can pull off both, and do it that well, has my immediate respect. If that's not enough, the gal can sing, and she's making waves in style circles.
While I have absolutely no idea if the Brothers Fairbrass are even aware Ms. Hough exists, the bouncy optimism of the Right Said Fred song, "Julianne" certainly fits. Okay, and watching the audience is fun, too.
Speaking of RSF, their official YouTube channel now includes footage from their live acoustic Night of the Living Fred shows. I would be willing to write the script myself if ""Stop The World" could be played over the opening sequence of a Richard Curtis-directed film about eccentric British people with relationship problems. Is Hugh Grant busy? For the record, I would be fine with collaborating with Nick Hornby. (Yes, I do often come up with hypothetical collaborations like that. Doesn't everybody?)
It's Friday, though, not Saturday, so this isn't about the movie, this is about the dancer, and the inherent happy dancing when multiple things I love collide in a big mess of awesome. Still not able to work out how to fit DWTS into the regular viewing schedule, so I'm catching as catch can on that one, but with Julianne making a return to the show as a guest performer, I had to hie myself over to YouTube right quick. Julianne on her own is enough (yes, a girl dance crush, what of it?) but then make the song a new arrangement of "Holding Out For A Hero" (originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler, written by Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford, and I have a huge, huge music crush on Jim Steinman, aka the guy who writes Meat Loaf's songs) - that makes it positively covered in Anna-bait, and perfect romance writer inspiration:
One of the reasons I like ballroom dance as much as I do is the challenge for the dancer, much like the challenge for a writer who writes within a genre, is to exercise their creativity within the requirements of the particular dance.:
Then there's the art of dance in the movies, where the movements are choreographed to develop character and/or story:
Anybody who can pull off both, and do it that well, has my immediate respect. If that's not enough, the gal can sing, and she's making waves in style circles.
While I have absolutely no idea if the Brothers Fairbrass are even aware Ms. Hough exists, the bouncy optimism of the Right Said Fred song, "Julianne" certainly fits. Okay, and watching the audience is fun, too.
Speaking of RSF, their official YouTube channel now includes footage from their live acoustic Night of the Living Fred shows. I would be willing to write the script myself if ""Stop The World" could be played over the opening sequence of a Richard Curtis-directed film about eccentric British people with relationship problems. Is Hugh Grant busy? For the record, I would be fine with collaborating with Nick Hornby. (Yes, I do often come up with hypothetical collaborations like that. Doesn't everybody?)
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Saturday at the Movies #45 Arthur
Here's a sentence I never thought I would utter: Russell Brand made me cry. I did not see that coming,but there it is. I should state up front that I only have seen portions of the 1981 Dudley Moore original, so apart from knowing the general gist of the story, was able to take this remake on its own terms.
Same general story, richer than rich, eternally childlish, alcohol-soaked playboy must marry to repair the family reputation, but falls in love with poor but principled girl from the other side of the tracks. Will he do as he's always been told or man up and choose what's right? Classic plot right there, so the potential for originality is going to be in the interpretation and performances.
I have long had a soft spot for Englishman-in-New-York stories, so combine that with a lively, engaging performance by Russell Brand as the big little boy, with Dame Helen Mirren and Luis Guzman as his nanny and chauffer, only friends in the world and perfect foils, plus the new-to-me Greta Gerwig as Arthur's love interest, Naomi, an unlicensed tour guide with a passion for the little known sights of New York, and I found Arthur a fun, touching and pretty darned satisfying experience. Though I wouldn't count myself a Jennifer Garner fan, her character, Arthur's would-be wife, Susan, came across as clear and relentless as Susan's quest to nab Arthur's name for her own. Wind in the Willows references are a bonus. "She's my Toad," said in an earnest British accented male voice can be incredibly romantic.
Again, Russell Brand made me cry; that's worth saying twice. I'd expected the madcap insanity of Arthur's typical hijinx, taking the Batmobile out for a spin, outrageous partying, and depending on his lifelong nanny, Hobson to coddle him from the realities of grownup life. I hadn't expected the touching moments, like emptying Grand Central Station so he could give Naomi the fantasy date he'd fabricated earlier, or the love and care he puts into becoming Hobson's caregiver, reversing the roles in the most dependable relationship he'd ever known. The aborted wedding reminded me slightly of Four Weddings and a Funeral, a big favorite of mine, and Arthur and Naomi's next scene after that struck me as both tragic and hopeful that Arthur would accept the wakeup call for what it was.
The grand romantic gesture that is one of the conventions of the romantic comedy has its place here, and I was surprised to find it a more subdued version than I had expected. Then again, Russell Brand does really well when playing off children, so I'm not going to object on this one.
What I am going to object to is one of my pet peeves. Naomi may start out the movie as a tour guide, but what she really wants to do is write children's books. Publishing. Does. Not. Work. Like. That. Naomi's picture book goes from a haphazard bundle of notes, to fully illustrated manuscript popped off in a manila envelope, to Naomi telling Arthur she'd sold her book in such short order that the only explanation is that she sent it via Tardis. Sure, Arthur bought the publishing house and told them to publish the book, but my big question was, how did they find the ms in all that slush? Then again, if Naomi really can go from idea to publishable ms complete with her own illustrations that are professional quality in a couple of days, that's a smart business decision. Get her under a lifetime contract, pronto.
I also want Naomi's publicist, because they were able to get her a reading and signing at the New York Public Library less than six months after she first sent her book out into the world. I'll settle for the DVD of the movie instead.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Saturday at the Movies #40 - Jude Law times two
Thanks to a recommendation from my friend, Carol, I jumped on The Holiday as soon as I saw it in the library's DVD section.
Carol, I owe you one. This was fantastic, and I am now the proud owner of a copy, planning some Christmas all year round double features with Love Actually. I've only had good experiences with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet and the more recent Alfie had put me on a Jude Law kick anyway, so the big surprise here was how much I liked Jack Black's performance, as his type doesn't usually work for me. Here, it most definitely did. Give me pretty much anything with "England" and "Christmas" in the synopsis and I am there in a flash. Adding a good love story to the mix makes it even better. This one has two.
Both heroines, Amanda (Diaz) and Iris (Winslet) are at romantic lows when they switch houses for the holiday with a stranger halfway across the world, which puts them in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. Californian Amanda hopes to find refuge in an idyllic English cottage, while English Iris dives into the sun and glamour of Hollywood, to the surprise of Iris' brother, Graham (Law) and Amanda's colleague, Miles (Black.) The two unlikely couples find themselves perfectly suited, though not without realistic issues that must be dealt with before they can find their happy endings. The feel of old classic romance films is present here, with a modern flavor, and even the secondary characters are endearing. Iris and Miles' friend, a retired screenwriter, and two special young ladies in Graham's life provide exactly the right sort of support to further the love stories.
Moonlight fans may experience flashbacks, as the first few minutes include both Alex O'Loughlin and Shannyn Sossamon:
Continuing the Jude Law love, when I discovered that Alfie wasn't the only remake where Jude Law performed a role played by Michael Caine in the original, I had to find Sleuth.
Mr Law is now three for three with me. Loved this one. Taut, suspenseful, and while I've read some critics that called the film's look "claustrophobic," I count that as a plus, as it fits the story of two men locked in a battle of wills perfectly. I can easily see the roots of this story in its original play form and would love to see the play someday.
Andrew Wyke (Caine,) suspense novelist, and Milo Tindle (Law,) an actor and Andrew's wife's lover, meet at Andrew's high tech stately home so that Milo can persuade Andrew to give his wife, Maggie, a divorce so that Milo can be with her. It quickly escalates into something much more sinister when Andrew devises a plot for Milo to fake a jewel theft within the house, which will get Andrew a return on the insurance on the jewels and fund Milo and Maggie's new life abroad. From there, we get a game of cat and mouse, with cat and mouse switching roles more than once on the way to a chilling finish. Before long, Maggie isn't even the issue as the two men battle to see who will be the last man standing.
I am aware there are differences from the 1972 version where Michael Caine played Milo and will be on the lookout for that one. Would love to hear his take on having played both roles in different versions in the same story and if his former portrayal of Milo affected any of his choices in playing Andrew. I am grateful that the clown mask didn't make it into the remake. Never did like clowns, even before Stephen King and It.
What other Jude Law films would you guys recommend?
Carol, I owe you one. This was fantastic, and I am now the proud owner of a copy, planning some Christmas all year round double features with Love Actually. I've only had good experiences with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet and the more recent Alfie had put me on a Jude Law kick anyway, so the big surprise here was how much I liked Jack Black's performance, as his type doesn't usually work for me. Here, it most definitely did. Give me pretty much anything with "England" and "Christmas" in the synopsis and I am there in a flash. Adding a good love story to the mix makes it even better. This one has two.
Both heroines, Amanda (Diaz) and Iris (Winslet) are at romantic lows when they switch houses for the holiday with a stranger halfway across the world, which puts them in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. Californian Amanda hopes to find refuge in an idyllic English cottage, while English Iris dives into the sun and glamour of Hollywood, to the surprise of Iris' brother, Graham (Law) and Amanda's colleague, Miles (Black.) The two unlikely couples find themselves perfectly suited, though not without realistic issues that must be dealt with before they can find their happy endings. The feel of old classic romance films is present here, with a modern flavor, and even the secondary characters are endearing. Iris and Miles' friend, a retired screenwriter, and two special young ladies in Graham's life provide exactly the right sort of support to further the love stories.
Moonlight fans may experience flashbacks, as the first few minutes include both Alex O'Loughlin and Shannyn Sossamon:
Continuing the Jude Law love, when I discovered that Alfie wasn't the only remake where Jude Law performed a role played by Michael Caine in the original, I had to find Sleuth.
Mr Law is now three for three with me. Loved this one. Taut, suspenseful, and while I've read some critics that called the film's look "claustrophobic," I count that as a plus, as it fits the story of two men locked in a battle of wills perfectly. I can easily see the roots of this story in its original play form and would love to see the play someday.
Andrew Wyke (Caine,) suspense novelist, and Milo Tindle (Law,) an actor and Andrew's wife's lover, meet at Andrew's high tech stately home so that Milo can persuade Andrew to give his wife, Maggie, a divorce so that Milo can be with her. It quickly escalates into something much more sinister when Andrew devises a plot for Milo to fake a jewel theft within the house, which will get Andrew a return on the insurance on the jewels and fund Milo and Maggie's new life abroad. From there, we get a game of cat and mouse, with cat and mouse switching roles more than once on the way to a chilling finish. Before long, Maggie isn't even the issue as the two men battle to see who will be the last man standing.
I am aware there are differences from the 1972 version where Michael Caine played Milo and will be on the lookout for that one. Would love to hear his take on having played both roles in different versions in the same story and if his former portrayal of Milo affected any of his choices in playing Andrew. I am grateful that the clown mask didn't make it into the remake. Never did like clowns, even before Stephen King and It.
What other Jude Law films would you guys recommend?
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Saturday at the Movies #26 - to be seen for the season
With the advent of Thanksgiving comes my busy season for making Christmas presents. Most of which will be done while getting a chance to see many of the movies and DVDs that have been lingering in my to be viewed list. Some seasonal clasics for me, like About A Boy, Love Actually and Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, go without saying, as those are givens. Still, there's room on my list for some new entries.
Reader Aamba reminded me of an Emma Thompson movie I've missed, which looks completly delightful. Stranger Than Fiction has Emma Thompson as a writer whose main character, played by Will Ferrell, has a life of his own and creative differences with his author.
Hm, on second thought, I might have to class this under horror, as I shudder to think what my characters would have to say to me. Eep.
Since Nick Hornby wrote one of my all time favorite comedies, About A Boy, I was delighted to find that there is indeed a British version of Fever Pitch, adapted from his memoir about football obsession. I am aware of the Drew Barrymore/Jimmy Fallon US version but will pass on that one (sorry, Drew. A) Anglophile here, B) Yankee fan on principle and C) Colin Firth) and devote my energies to hunting down this.
Notes On a Scandal has all the ingredients for an Anna-pleaser. Bill Nighy, Dame Judi Dench, and Cate Blanchett all look like they'll provide powerhouse performances. Plus English school setting, twisted unequal relationships and tons of emotion. Yep, odds are good that I'll have been watching this while lovingly crafting gifts for friends and family.
Though I normally don't go for remakes, I've seen the second half of the Jude Law version of Alfie twice now, and that worked very well for me, so now I'm interested in seeing the whole thing. Michael Caine version someday but I'd like Jude's version for Christmas. I am a complete and total sucker for Englishman in New York movies.
Full disclosure: The book was a big DNF for me, and my sister actually phoned me to apologize for sending it, so I did not have high hopes for Bridget Jones' Diary as a movie. Still, after stumbling across it in bits and pieces at times when I was desperately starved for British comedies, I'm deciding to give it one more chance from start to end. The book may not have worked for me and Renee Zellwegger isn't a favorite, but the film does have Hugh Grant and Colin Firth and Christmas, so it goes on the list.
What movies are seasonal favorites in your house? Anything I might want to add to my to be viewed list? Suggestions welcomed with sugar cookies and eggnog hot chocolate.
Reader Aamba reminded me of an Emma Thompson movie I've missed, which looks completly delightful. Stranger Than Fiction has Emma Thompson as a writer whose main character, played by Will Ferrell, has a life of his own and creative differences with his author.
Hm, on second thought, I might have to class this under horror, as I shudder to think what my characters would have to say to me. Eep.
Since Nick Hornby wrote one of my all time favorite comedies, About A Boy, I was delighted to find that there is indeed a British version of Fever Pitch, adapted from his memoir about football obsession. I am aware of the Drew Barrymore/Jimmy Fallon US version but will pass on that one (sorry, Drew. A) Anglophile here, B) Yankee fan on principle and C) Colin Firth) and devote my energies to hunting down this.
Notes On a Scandal has all the ingredients for an Anna-pleaser. Bill Nighy, Dame Judi Dench, and Cate Blanchett all look like they'll provide powerhouse performances. Plus English school setting, twisted unequal relationships and tons of emotion. Yep, odds are good that I'll have been watching this while lovingly crafting gifts for friends and family.
Though I normally don't go for remakes, I've seen the second half of the Jude Law version of Alfie twice now, and that worked very well for me, so now I'm interested in seeing the whole thing. Michael Caine version someday but I'd like Jude's version for Christmas. I am a complete and total sucker for Englishman in New York movies.
Full disclosure: The book was a big DNF for me, and my sister actually phoned me to apologize for sending it, so I did not have high hopes for Bridget Jones' Diary as a movie. Still, after stumbling across it in bits and pieces at times when I was desperately starved for British comedies, I'm deciding to give it one more chance from start to end. The book may not have worked for me and Renee Zellwegger isn't a favorite, but the film does have Hugh Grant and Colin Firth and Christmas, so it goes on the list.
What movies are seasonal favorites in your house? Anything I might want to add to my to be viewed list? Suggestions welcomed with sugar cookies and eggnog hot chocolate.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Saturday at the Movies #14 - Movies I have slept through.
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Movies in this entry can only get a partial recommendation, because I have only seen parts of them. In order, yes, but ask me the actual plot and I can recall bits and snatches but nothing more. Why? I fell asleep. :hangs head: This is not to say that the movies were ones I found boring, only that I went when I was whimpering, curl-into-a-ball and cry tired. I should probably see most of these again, with a large dose of caffiene and give them another chance.
The year was 1986. I was a transfer student to Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. The Mission won awards at Cannes and I found myself swept along in a crowd of fellow students/church camp instructors/what the heck was that group I went with to a local theatre. It had DeNiro. It had Jeremy Irons. It had issues of faith and a historical setting and gorgeous scenery...and I remember assuming the fetal position in my seat and occasionally waking to loud sound effects.
Diner: I remember the football bet. I remember the rich girl on the horse (though I might be confusing that with Hair)I remember the popcorn box. I remember fries with gravy, and I think Mickey Rourke was in this. That's about it. The production date lists as 1982, so I would have been a junior in high school and I couldn't have seen this on my own, so my best guess is probably the second run theater in Montpelier, VT. Otherwise, I guess Santa Barbara again. Definitely need to see this one while awake; midcentury, slice of life, coming of age story and as a midatlantic girl at heart, I love these diners.
The Manitou: Yes, my parents took me to see this one. My father insisted. Yeah, Dad, take your twelve year old to an schlocky horror film about...oh, heck, watch the trailer. I think I slept through parts of this one out of sheer self preservation. btw, Dad loved it.
Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace: Okay, okay, please no pelting with rotten produce. The sole qualifier for this theme is the chase scene. I count the chase scene as two naps. I saw this with my DH and a friend and the friend regrets to this day that she did not use the chase scene as a bathroom break. Other than a much too long chase scene, this movie had a lot - the story of how a child takes the first steps to being one of the greatest movie villains ever, the whole epic feel, Liam Neeson, Ewan MacGregor. Everything execpt the chase scene deserves all the acclaim. If I ever rewatch this, I am skipping the chase scene.
Either Sixteen Candles or Pretty in Pink: Because I cannot differentiate between the two. Seriously. I have seen both all the way through since, and can't remember which one I fell asleep while originally watching. Possibly both, as I do remember one college roommate dragging me to a double feature at about the right time. So I'll include them both.
or
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Movies in this entry can only get a partial recommendation, because I have only seen parts of them. In order, yes, but ask me the actual plot and I can recall bits and snatches but nothing more. Why? I fell asleep. :hangs head: This is not to say that the movies were ones I found boring, only that I went when I was whimpering, curl-into-a-ball and cry tired. I should probably see most of these again, with a large dose of caffiene and give them another chance.
The year was 1986. I was a transfer student to Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. The Mission won awards at Cannes and I found myself swept along in a crowd of fellow students/church camp instructors/what the heck was that group I went with to a local theatre. It had DeNiro. It had Jeremy Irons. It had issues of faith and a historical setting and gorgeous scenery...and I remember assuming the fetal position in my seat and occasionally waking to loud sound effects.
Diner: I remember the football bet. I remember the rich girl on the horse (though I might be confusing that with Hair)I remember the popcorn box. I remember fries with gravy, and I think Mickey Rourke was in this. That's about it. The production date lists as 1982, so I would have been a junior in high school and I couldn't have seen this on my own, so my best guess is probably the second run theater in Montpelier, VT. Otherwise, I guess Santa Barbara again. Definitely need to see this one while awake; midcentury, slice of life, coming of age story and as a midatlantic girl at heart, I love these diners.
The Manitou: Yes, my parents took me to see this one. My father insisted. Yeah, Dad, take your twelve year old to an schlocky horror film about...oh, heck, watch the trailer. I think I slept through parts of this one out of sheer self preservation. btw, Dad loved it.
Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace: Okay, okay, please no pelting with rotten produce. The sole qualifier for this theme is the chase scene. I count the chase scene as two naps. I saw this with my DH and a friend and the friend regrets to this day that she did not use the chase scene as a bathroom break. Other than a much too long chase scene, this movie had a lot - the story of how a child takes the first steps to being one of the greatest movie villains ever, the whole epic feel, Liam Neeson, Ewan MacGregor. Everything execpt the chase scene deserves all the acclaim. If I ever rewatch this, I am skipping the chase scene.
Either Sixteen Candles or Pretty in Pink: Because I cannot differentiate between the two. Seriously. I have seen both all the way through since, and can't remember which one I fell asleep while originally watching. Possibly both, as I do remember one college roommate dragging me to a double feature at about the right time. So I'll include them both.
or
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Saturday at the Movies #13 - 50s and 60s
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Today would have been my father's eighty-eighth birthday, so we'll take a look at films he might have seen in the 50s and 60s, and I saw, alone or with parental supervision, on the small screen.
Irma La Douce: I have no idea why my dad thought this was an appropriate movie to watch with a twelve-year old, but I distinctly remember being called into the living room to watch this with him and my mom. Maybe because my mom's name was Erma? Happy little tale of a playground supervisor turned policeman turned pimp turned man in love, turned...well, that's another story. I wouldn't put it on the kiddy matinee, but a good couple hours in the underbelly of Paris for the grownups.
Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte: No idea if Dad saw this one, but odds are good. Horror seriously can't get much better than Bette Davis playing an aging southern woman, already teetering on the brink of losing it from being blamed for the murder of her married lover all those years back, and taunted over it, even by little kids, ever since. Then, when she's faced with possibly having her house torn down to make way for progress, events transpire to bring the past back to life, and Charlotte will either finally get her answers or lose what little she has left, both mentally and otherwise. Modern slasher flicks have nothing on this.
Psycho: I cannot mention horror without mentioning Psycho. Alfred Hitchcock directs a story by Robert Bloch, and Anthony Perkins provides a tour de force as Norman Bates, one of the most memorable bad guys on the big screen. Janet Leigh provides both misdirection and the iconic shower scene that flings open the door for the real horror to ensue. Classic doesn't begin to describe. The last scene still gives me chills.
To Sir With Love - This is the first movie I stayed up until insane hours of the morning to watch (long before the invention of the VCR)and still count it totally worth it to see Sidney Poitier as a young teacher in London's East end. More than a Cockney Welcome Back Kotter, this film provides us with Lulu's iconic titular song and pure brilliance by Sidney Poitier as his character faces professional and personal challenges. 60s aficionados will love the costumes and scenery, and the strong story at the heart of it all holds everything together.
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Today would have been my father's eighty-eighth birthday, so we'll take a look at films he might have seen in the 50s and 60s, and I saw, alone or with parental supervision, on the small screen.
Irma La Douce: I have no idea why my dad thought this was an appropriate movie to watch with a twelve-year old, but I distinctly remember being called into the living room to watch this with him and my mom. Maybe because my mom's name was Erma? Happy little tale of a playground supervisor turned policeman turned pimp turned man in love, turned...well, that's another story. I wouldn't put it on the kiddy matinee, but a good couple hours in the underbelly of Paris for the grownups.
Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte: No idea if Dad saw this one, but odds are good. Horror seriously can't get much better than Bette Davis playing an aging southern woman, already teetering on the brink of losing it from being blamed for the murder of her married lover all those years back, and taunted over it, even by little kids, ever since. Then, when she's faced with possibly having her house torn down to make way for progress, events transpire to bring the past back to life, and Charlotte will either finally get her answers or lose what little she has left, both mentally and otherwise. Modern slasher flicks have nothing on this.
Psycho: I cannot mention horror without mentioning Psycho. Alfred Hitchcock directs a story by Robert Bloch, and Anthony Perkins provides a tour de force as Norman Bates, one of the most memorable bad guys on the big screen. Janet Leigh provides both misdirection and the iconic shower scene that flings open the door for the real horror to ensue. Classic doesn't begin to describe. The last scene still gives me chills.
To Sir With Love - This is the first movie I stayed up until insane hours of the morning to watch (long before the invention of the VCR)and still count it totally worth it to see Sidney Poitier as a young teacher in London's East end. More than a Cockney Welcome Back Kotter, this film provides us with Lulu's iconic titular song and pure brilliance by Sidney Poitier as his character faces professional and personal challenges. 60s aficionados will love the costumes and scenery, and the strong story at the heart of it all holds everything together.
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Saturday at the Movies #12 - musicals
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I remember when I first heard of The Wiz, and being a wee little princess who would beg and plead to stay up late to see The Wizard of Oz on its then-annual showing, I was skeptical about messing with a classic. I came around. The visuals are beyond amazing, the "Brand New Day" sequence is one of my favorites, ever, and I love the sheer creativity involved in this adaptation. Dorothy might not be in Kansas anymore, but she is in NYC, and well, I'd like to remember Michael Jackson like this. No embedding on this one, so click here.
Dreamgirls - at the same time I was seeing advertisments for the movie The Wiz, I saw ads also for the stage version of Dreamgirls, but again, being too young, I had to wait for the movie. Boy, was that worth the wait. Jennifer Hudson was always a favorite of mine when she was on American Idol, and Simon Cowell was right on the money (heh, pun)when he told Ms. Hudson that songs for the movies were her forte after she sang "Circle of Life" from The Lion King. I know Beyonce got top billing, but for my money, this is Jennifer Hudson's movie, no doubt about it. The period feel, the delightfully dizzying ride through the 60s and 70s as seen through the eyes of three female singers has an amazing cast including Eddie Murphy in his finest hour, and Jamie Foxx whose performance let me see him in a whole new light.
Where to start with Little Shop of Horrors? The musical for the truly twisted, there is much perfection here, from Rick Moranis as Seymour, a very unusual lead, to the whole Skid Row aesthetic, Steve Martin's truly classic dentist song and the flawless use of a 60s girl group as Greek chorus. Only Frank Oz could direct a musical whose star is a bloodthirsty plant.
What sort of historical romance writer would I be if I didn't include Camelot? I think this cemented my love of the medieval era and tortured love triangles.
I don't think I ever apologized to my parents for the countless number of times I played the soundtrack to The Muppet Movie in my room, but I probably should have. As a kid who grew up on Sesame Street (in English and Spanish, thankyouverymuch) twice a day, this was a true delight. Plus it has Kermit and Miss Piggy, a true couple for the ages.
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I remember when I first heard of The Wiz, and being a wee little princess who would beg and plead to stay up late to see The Wizard of Oz on its then-annual showing, I was skeptical about messing with a classic. I came around. The visuals are beyond amazing, the "Brand New Day" sequence is one of my favorites, ever, and I love the sheer creativity involved in this adaptation. Dorothy might not be in Kansas anymore, but she is in NYC, and well, I'd like to remember Michael Jackson like this. No embedding on this one, so click here.
Dreamgirls - at the same time I was seeing advertisments for the movie The Wiz, I saw ads also for the stage version of Dreamgirls, but again, being too young, I had to wait for the movie. Boy, was that worth the wait. Jennifer Hudson was always a favorite of mine when she was on American Idol, and Simon Cowell was right on the money (heh, pun)when he told Ms. Hudson that songs for the movies were her forte after she sang "Circle of Life" from The Lion King. I know Beyonce got top billing, but for my money, this is Jennifer Hudson's movie, no doubt about it. The period feel, the delightfully dizzying ride through the 60s and 70s as seen through the eyes of three female singers has an amazing cast including Eddie Murphy in his finest hour, and Jamie Foxx whose performance let me see him in a whole new light.
Where to start with Little Shop of Horrors? The musical for the truly twisted, there is much perfection here, from Rick Moranis as Seymour, a very unusual lead, to the whole Skid Row aesthetic, Steve Martin's truly classic dentist song and the flawless use of a 60s girl group as Greek chorus. Only Frank Oz could direct a musical whose star is a bloodthirsty plant.
What sort of historical romance writer would I be if I didn't include Camelot? I think this cemented my love of the medieval era and tortured love triangles.
I don't think I ever apologized to my parents for the countless number of times I played the soundtrack to The Muppet Movie in my room, but I probably should have. As a kid who grew up on Sesame Street (in English and Spanish, thankyouverymuch) twice a day, this was a true delight. Plus it has Kermit and Miss Piggy, a true couple for the ages.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Saturday at the Movies #10 - Across The Pond
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Over the years, I have developed a soft spot for British movies. Not merely any movie filmed or set in England, or any movie having British people in it. Nope, movies made in the UK for UK audiences, that may or may not cross the pond. Since it has been said that the British do things differently, and while my YouTube searching skills are indeed legend, I haven't been able to find trailers for everything, but clips will suffice.
Gideon's Daughter - Bill Nighy (the British actor, not the American science guy) portrays Gideon Warner, a public relations genius whose private relations are at the other end of the spectrum. At odds with his newly adult daughter who seeks both his approval and her own independence, and tasked with the Herculean feat of spinning the millenium, Gideon doesn't count on love coming into the picture. Especially not in the form of a grieving mother whose marriage crumbled in the wake of an unspinnable tragedy.
Fan-made (not me)trailer:
and scene:
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill but Came Down a Mountain - Long title, long clip, but a trailer could not do this story of post- WW1 Wales. Hugh Grant plays a land surveyor come to the village to verify that their one claim to fame, a mountain, is indeed that. He finds the object of his study to be a few inches short of the goal, but the populace bands together to distract the surveyor while they make up for their shortcoming. Truly delightful, atmopsheric and a truly inspiring ending. Extra points for Colm Meany and a plethora of ginger-haired babies.
The Girl in the Cafe - Bill Nighy portrays Lawrence, a man who has nothing at all in his life except his job as a civil servant. His job is his life, not because of grand passion, but because that's what he has. Everything goes by rote, until one fateful tea break when he shares a table with a stranger at the cafe near his office. Kelly MacDonald's Gina opens Lawrence to the fact that he has a heart at all, and his trembling, tentative blossoming is nothing short of art to watch. When Lawrence invites Gina as his guest to the G-8 summit on poverty, (Iceland being a perfect metaphor for Lawrence's life) both his professional and personal lives explode. The political message might have been handled more subtly, but the acting gets an A++++ and Lawrence's final dilemma can spark some interesting speculation.
Bright Young Things - The original 1980 miniseries of Brideshead Revisisted is probably my favorite movie ever ever ever, (okay, yes, technically miniseries, and it was on television, not in cinemas, but my blog so my rules and it counts)so when I found that another Evelyn Waugh novel had a movie treatment, I pounced on that sucker like a cat on catnip. Same result, too. Adapted from the novel Vile Bodies, we dive headfirst into a world both dazzling and desolate as we, along with the characters, spin wildly out of control in 1920s England. With Stephen Fry directing and a cast that includes James MacAvoy and David Tennant, this is one wild ride worth every minute.
Link to actual trailer here: http://www.clipland.com/Live/video/5701
and scene:
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
Over the years, I have developed a soft spot for British movies. Not merely any movie filmed or set in England, or any movie having British people in it. Nope, movies made in the UK for UK audiences, that may or may not cross the pond. Since it has been said that the British do things differently, and while my YouTube searching skills are indeed legend, I haven't been able to find trailers for everything, but clips will suffice.
Gideon's Daughter - Bill Nighy (the British actor, not the American science guy) portrays Gideon Warner, a public relations genius whose private relations are at the other end of the spectrum. At odds with his newly adult daughter who seeks both his approval and her own independence, and tasked with the Herculean feat of spinning the millenium, Gideon doesn't count on love coming into the picture. Especially not in the form of a grieving mother whose marriage crumbled in the wake of an unspinnable tragedy.
Fan-made (not me)trailer:
and scene:
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill but Came Down a Mountain - Long title, long clip, but a trailer could not do this story of post- WW1 Wales. Hugh Grant plays a land surveyor come to the village to verify that their one claim to fame, a mountain, is indeed that. He finds the object of his study to be a few inches short of the goal, but the populace bands together to distract the surveyor while they make up for their shortcoming. Truly delightful, atmopsheric and a truly inspiring ending. Extra points for Colm Meany and a plethora of ginger-haired babies.
The Girl in the Cafe - Bill Nighy portrays Lawrence, a man who has nothing at all in his life except his job as a civil servant. His job is his life, not because of grand passion, but because that's what he has. Everything goes by rote, until one fateful tea break when he shares a table with a stranger at the cafe near his office. Kelly MacDonald's Gina opens Lawrence to the fact that he has a heart at all, and his trembling, tentative blossoming is nothing short of art to watch. When Lawrence invites Gina as his guest to the G-8 summit on poverty, (Iceland being a perfect metaphor for Lawrence's life) both his professional and personal lives explode. The political message might have been handled more subtly, but the acting gets an A++++ and Lawrence's final dilemma can spark some interesting speculation.
Bright Young Things - The original 1980 miniseries of Brideshead Revisisted is probably my favorite movie ever ever ever, (okay, yes, technically miniseries, and it was on television, not in cinemas, but my blog so my rules and it counts)so when I found that another Evelyn Waugh novel had a movie treatment, I pounced on that sucker like a cat on catnip. Same result, too. Adapted from the novel Vile Bodies, we dive headfirst into a world both dazzling and desolate as we, along with the characters, spin wildly out of control in 1920s England. With Stephen Fry directing and a cast that includes James MacAvoy and David Tennant, this is one wild ride worth every minute.
Link to actual trailer here: http://www.clipland.com/Live/video/5701
and scene:
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Saturday at the Movies #8
When a local housing development was briefly dubbed "Howard's End," my first reaction was to turn to the friend I was with and mention that I thought that was a horrible name for somebody's home. Friend, who also appreciates Merchant-Ivory could only agree. Apparently somebody else did, as the development's name was changed to something generic. I should have taken a picture of the Howard's End sign when it was there. I will always regret that lack. :sniffles into handkerchief: Emma Thompson, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Helena Bonham Carter all in the same Merchant-Ivory movie cannot possibly go wrong (Academy also thought so and gave Ms. Thompson...oh when will I be able to type Dame Emma?... an Oscar for her unforgettable performance. It's 1910, and a pair of unmarried sisters think to help a young man in need, hold onto a family home also coveted by a wealthy older gentleman. Things go horribly, horribly wrong, but in a very proper manner.
Enchanted April - 1920s England was a time of change for women, and for four women, strangers to each other, who all arrange to spend the month of April at a European villa, that change is deeply personal. Each woman comes from a different place in life and society, and each hopes to find something from this impulsive idyll. Through getting to know each other and themselves, they, and the men in their lives, go through lasting change in more ways than one. I went into this movie expecting a certain outcome, and was pleasantly surprised when the story went in a different direction.
Stage Beauty - The term "Dude looks like a lady" could apply to all of English theatre prior to the Restoration. With women forbidden from appearing on stage, all female roles were played by men, and the best actors who played female parts were superstars indeed. So what happens when Charles II decides that he would like to see women onstage? What does this do to a man whose sole means of livelihood has been banished with the stroke of a pen? Especially if his former dresser, a woman with her own talent and drive equal to his takes his place on the stage...and dares him to take his own, as a man? If Billy Crudup and Claire Danes, with Rupert Everett as Charles II are involved, this:
Somewhere In Time - some movies should never be remade becasue the original was so flat out perfect nothing else can come close. This may well be one of them. Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, two of the most stunningly beautiful people to ever draw breath turn in compelling performances as lovers separated by time but determined to do whatever it takes to find each other. In the modern day, Richard is knocked out of his everyday life when an elderly woman presses something in to his hand and begs him to come back to her. He later discovers a photograph of Elise, a young actress in 1912, and embarks on a journey into the unknown to return to the only woman he will ever love. This began my love for time travel romance.
To round out this week's film festival, we get one of them forge...forieg...French movies. The Widow of St. Pierre takes us back to the mid 19th century and the French island of St. Pierre in the north Atlantic. Juliette Binoche plays the noble Madame La, married to the common but sternly principled governor of the island, played by the spectacular Daniel Autuiel. Two vagrants engage another in a drunken brawl, and the man dies. The men go to trial, the one responsible for the death recieving the only proper penalty, execution. The only problem is that St. Pierre has no guillotine (the "widow" of the title) and no executioner. The governor must jail the prisoner until both of the above may be obtained. Madame La decides there is no sense in a man merely sitting there when he is big and strong and can't they put him to work? Well, yes, they could. The prisoner becomes a contributing member of the island, even falling in love and fathering a child. He wants to be able to leave his new wife and child something when he dies, as he knows he must. France finally sends a guillotine. A story of choices, consequences, redemption and justice that stayed with me for weeks afterward. Best watched in the original French with subtitles:
When a local housing development was briefly dubbed "Howard's End," my first reaction was to turn to the friend I was with and mention that I thought that was a horrible name for somebody's home. Friend, who also appreciates Merchant-Ivory could only agree. Apparently somebody else did, as the development's name was changed to something generic. I should have taken a picture of the Howard's End sign when it was there. I will always regret that lack. :sniffles into handkerchief: Emma Thompson, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Helena Bonham Carter all in the same Merchant-Ivory movie cannot possibly go wrong (Academy also thought so and gave Ms. Thompson...oh when will I be able to type Dame Emma?... an Oscar for her unforgettable performance. It's 1910, and a pair of unmarried sisters think to help a young man in need, hold onto a family home also coveted by a wealthy older gentleman. Things go horribly, horribly wrong, but in a very proper manner.
Enchanted April - 1920s England was a time of change for women, and for four women, strangers to each other, who all arrange to spend the month of April at a European villa, that change is deeply personal. Each woman comes from a different place in life and society, and each hopes to find something from this impulsive idyll. Through getting to know each other and themselves, they, and the men in their lives, go through lasting change in more ways than one. I went into this movie expecting a certain outcome, and was pleasantly surprised when the story went in a different direction.
Stage Beauty - The term "Dude looks like a lady" could apply to all of English theatre prior to the Restoration. With women forbidden from appearing on stage, all female roles were played by men, and the best actors who played female parts were superstars indeed. So what happens when Charles II decides that he would like to see women onstage? What does this do to a man whose sole means of livelihood has been banished with the stroke of a pen? Especially if his former dresser, a woman with her own talent and drive equal to his takes his place on the stage...and dares him to take his own, as a man? If Billy Crudup and Claire Danes, with Rupert Everett as Charles II are involved, this:
Somewhere In Time - some movies should never be remade becasue the original was so flat out perfect nothing else can come close. This may well be one of them. Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, two of the most stunningly beautiful people to ever draw breath turn in compelling performances as lovers separated by time but determined to do whatever it takes to find each other. In the modern day, Richard is knocked out of his everyday life when an elderly woman presses something in to his hand and begs him to come back to her. He later discovers a photograph of Elise, a young actress in 1912, and embarks on a journey into the unknown to return to the only woman he will ever love. This began my love for time travel romance.
To round out this week's film festival, we get one of them forge...forieg...French movies. The Widow of St. Pierre takes us back to the mid 19th century and the French island of St. Pierre in the north Atlantic. Juliette Binoche plays the noble Madame La, married to the common but sternly principled governor of the island, played by the spectacular Daniel Autuiel. Two vagrants engage another in a drunken brawl, and the man dies. The men go to trial, the one responsible for the death recieving the only proper penalty, execution. The only problem is that St. Pierre has no guillotine (the "widow" of the title) and no executioner. The governor must jail the prisoner until both of the above may be obtained. Madame La decides there is no sense in a man merely sitting there when he is big and strong and can't they put him to work? Well, yes, they could. The prisoner becomes a contributing member of the island, even falling in love and fathering a child. He wants to be able to leave his new wife and child something when he dies, as he knows he must. France finally sends a guillotine. A story of choices, consequences, redemption and justice that stayed with me for weeks afterward. Best watched in the original French with subtitles:
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Saturday at the Movies #7
I never know exactly where I'm going with these entries until I open the window to start the post, and then things start to suggest themselves. Today is no exception. I'd thought to theme things around the Fourth of July, but nope, British Isles historical dramas:
The Lion in Winter (2003 version) - Normally, I'm not one to advocate remakes of the classics. If the female lead was Katherine Hepburn, it's a good bet that the movie people got it right the first time around, but this historical tale of a real life dysfunctional royal family (that just so happens to be in charge of a good portion of the free world) is spellbinding from beginning to end. Patrick Stewart and Glenn Close in the same movie? Must be Christmas. No embedding on this trailer, so click here.
Atonement - in 1930s England, imaginative thirteen year old Briony sees something she doesn't understand and fills in the blanks. The wrong letter gets placed in an envelope and a child is sent to do an adult's job. This small series of events has long reaching and disastrous results for not only Briony's older sister, Cecelia, played by Kiera Knightley, and Cecelia's lover, Robbie, played by James MacAvoy, but for Briony herself as she grows older, wiser and tries desperately to make things right. This film is utterly gorgeous, lavish in detail of both stately houses and the horrors of war, and most of all the human heart. Child actor Saoirse Ronan's portrayal of 13 year old Briony is a classic.
The Duchess - Diana, Princess of Wales undoubtedly left her mark by combining beauty, intrigue and living a troubled life in the public eye, but her ancestress, Georgianna, Duchess of Devonshire, did it first. Putting Keira Kinghtley in period dress is box office gold, and if she's playing opposite Ralph Fiennes, whee doggies. Love, torment, drama,scandal, :ahem: unconventional relationships, two people who really really really did not suit, all amidst drop-dead gorgeous stately homes and the English countryside of the 18th century. This is a feast. I can't watch this without feeling how smothered the real life Georgiana must have been, even as I'm drooling over sets and costumes.
Moll Flanders (1996) - Full disclosure: this is not a faithful adaptation of Daniel Defoe's novel, but the flavor remains, and Robin Wright, Stockard Channing and Morgan Freeman own this. We get the high and low moments of this Moll's life, from her birth in prison, to the hard-earned freedom at long last, all amidst the squalor and spectacle that is Georgian England. There's no glamorization of the seedy underworld, and Moll's idyll with her true love, an artist with secrets of his own, is all the more beautiful for it. When that comes crashing down, she does what she does best - what she must. The final shot of the film is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen on the screen. Embedding was wonky with this one, so click here.
Tristan + Isolde - Sophia Myles and James Franco portray the classic pair of doomed lovers, bound together not only by their love for each other but their mutual regard for Lord Marke, played beautifully by Rufus Sewell, the man who mentors Tristan and becomes Isolde's husband. Obviously, something has to give here, and it's not going to go down easily for anybody. Bonus points for Thomas Sangster (Love Actually) as child Tristan. The scenery, from coast to forest, is breathtaking, and Sophia Myles is utterly gorgeous (as usual) especially in the wedding procession on the river, surrounded by glowing candles. This one hurts, but it's worth it. If you can find a copy with the Gavin DeGraw music video, watch that to get an extra level of the story. The library almost didn't get this one back. Must. Buy. Own. Copy.
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