Millie at the Pictures

My Random Weekend, Episode 83

2011-05-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

Rainy weekends often find Millie and me nestled on the couch, laps warmed by a blissful kitty, plenty of Barbara's Organic Raspberry Fig bars on hand, ready to watch whatever strikes a chord. Our selections are rarely premeditated and as an unwritten rule quite disparate.

This weekend's fare proved to be no different. It's an unlikely mix, and yet, oddly enough, each film deals almost exclusively in class issues, two grasping at the silver spoon, the other spitting it out all together. Come, see for yourself . . .

The Landlord (1970), dir. Hal Ashby

Starring: Beau Bridges, Lee Grant, Pearl Bailey

The film's star, a very handsome Beau Bridges

Oscar winner Lee Grant

Hal Ashby's directorial debut - the story of a uncommonly wealthy twenty something who buys a tenement building in the soon-to-be-gentrified Park Slope - is engrossing, discomforting, and exceedingly sharp. It also plants seedlings that blossom in another Ashby film, quite possibly our favorite film . . . in our humble opinions, The Landlord deserves your time.

Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 9

Working Girl (1988), dir. Mike Nichols

Starring: Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver

The film's magnetic star, Melanie Griffith

Epic hair. Epic.

Even Mike Nichols' less successful films remarkably better than your average fare, and with lauded notches such as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966) and The Graduate (1967) on his dance card, not to mention thoroughly enjoyable fare such as The Birdcage (1996) and Postcards From the Edge (1990), it's unlikely you'l be sitting bored on the bleachers in your party dress. Working Girl is not only entertaining, but infectious, boasting an admirable heroine one simply can't help but root for. And it's an fashion sarcophagus of the most wonderful and unrelenting kind.

Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 7.75

Alfie (2004), dir. Charles Shyer
Starring: Jude Law, Sienna Miller, Marisa Tomei, Susan Saradon

Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): film - 5, Jude Law - 11

Gloria and Lillian

2011-05-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

Hello darlings! Millie and I are absolutely thrilled to announce the debut of our brand new blog, Millie loves B. This exciting venture is a collaboration between Millie, myself, and the inimitable event planner Belinda Norris of Belinda Norris Events. We're so pleased beyond punch that Millie and I just had to share a post from this blogenue. Gloria and Lillian and an inspiring new path . . .

: Lillian Gish, October 14, 1893 – February 27, 1993

: A surge of divine. Gloria Swanson, March 27, 1899 – April 4, 1983

Foul Play (1978)

2011-03-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already seen this gem, aren't you at least intrigued?

In our minds, eternal: Elizabeth Taylor, February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011

2011-03-23T06:54:00.000-07:00

My Weekend in 12,000 Words

2011-03-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

Paul
Director: Greg Mottola
Starring: Nick Frost, Simon Pegg, Seth Rogan, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Jo Lo Truglio, Jason Bateman
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Released: 2011
Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 7.75 bees

Reservoir Dogs
Director: Quentin Taratino
Starring: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen, Sean Penn
Distributor: Miramax Films
Released: 1992
Millie's Bees to Knees Meter: 10 bees!

Oldboy
Director: Chan-wook Park
Starring: Min-sik Choi, Ji-tae Yu, Hye-jeong Kang
Distributor: Show East
Released: 2003
Millie's Bees to Knees Meter: 10 Bees!

The Road From Oscar: An Eclectic Celluloid Jaunt

2011-03-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

Oscar nominated goddess Julianne Moore

In the days since the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences bestowed its highest honors on such deserving winners as Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Colleen Atwood, Aaron Sorkin, and a slew of visionaries over at Inception, Millie and I have found ourselves watching a treasured handful from Oscars past.

There's such frenzied fervor when late February arrives, a palpable energy that deflates almost instantly, and what's left are two categories: the exceptional and the popular. And so it is that Millie and I set out along these cinematic cobblestones to determine which is which . . .

. . . so slip on those you cine-wellies, we're taking a stroll!

Wikus Van De Merwe commanding in the slums of District 9

These first few steps find us at Neill Blomkamp's District 9, nominated for no less than 4 Oscars, including Best Picture. For some reason we'd decided to miss this picture when the zeitgeist blew through town in 2010. Honestly, not a single person I spoke to said anything less than "see District 9 immediately" but somehow, when Millie and I are in right snarky moods (that can even last weeks) an overwhelming endorsement incites the opposite reaction: to our own disadvantage, we make a point of not watching.

Recounting this cancerous quirk makes me realize how odd it really is. I mean, who would want to miss a film that everyone is raving about? Particularly filmies I respect? Even more particularly my nerd coven that I trust to know solid sci-fi? Well readers, I can't always speak for Millie, but I vow here and now to say "Yes!" to these films. Yes I say!

The memorizing Sharlto Copley

Well, now that that page has been turned we can get back to gushing about this unmissable film!

Exceptional, that is most certainly the category in which this past Oscar pick resides. District 9 . . . my goodness, where to begin . . . my jaw was dropped literally the entire film, so speaking wasn't really an option, and since Millie and I have beome so accustomed to watching instantly, typing wasn't really one either. So, mouth gaping, we simply let this alien allegory wash right on over us . . . and friends, we haven't taken as satisfying a shower since.

This piece, shot partly as a documentary, partly as a straight narrative, is easily one of the most stirring meditations on what it means to be good I've ever had the pleasure of seeing, reading, or experiencing. It's so simple and clever, using alien protagonists to impart not merely what it means to be human, but what it means to be kind, to be understanding, empathetic, courageous and exemplary under the most unlikely of circumstances. Blomkamp shows the absolute best and worst of what our species is capable, and not in that Spike Lee manner that makes you feel guilty for things out of one's control, but with an almost impartial (though blind to nothing) eye that encourages light, betterment, grace and fortitude.

Christopher, my new favorite alien!

An original film richly deserving of its ranks among Raging Bull and Apocalypse Now (I commend Spielberg and/or the Oscar writers for calling these films out the other night), we can say without a moment's hesitation that this would-be Best Picture is one of the greatest films Millie and I have seen in ages (okay, since The Fighter which was only two weeks ago, but you know, before then).

Oh, look there, down the path a bit, I think there's another one!

The lusciously lipped Max Minghella

Somehow, after scanning through page after page of Watch Instantly options, I stumbled into "Watch It Again", which happens to be ripe with films we've seen so long ago all that remains are distant musings and broken snapshots of most likely figment scenes. One such cinugget is Terry Zwigoff's 2006 satire Art School Confidential (2006), with a Oscar sweet hearts Jim Broadbent (Best Supporting Actor, Iris), Anjelica Huston (Best Supporting Actress, Prizzi's Honor), and John Malkovich (Best Supporting Actor nominee, In The Line Of Fire).

Alright reader you've got me, it also boasts a cameo from this year's Paul Dano, the most recent delectable cupcake in our delicious gentleman bakery, Adam Scott.

I can honestly say that all I truly remember from my first screening of ASC is a lackluster response; I genuinely wanted it to be better. Millie doesn't find the film appealing in the least and has gone off to mix drinks.

And why shouldn't this film be great? We have underrated American director Terry Zwigoff, the beautiful brain behind Ghost World as well as the perverse sadist responsible for Bad Santa, plus a stellar cast rounded out by (the angelic) Sophia Myles, Steven Buscemi, and Max Minghella. How could all this right actually be wrong? Reluctant as I wish I were to admit it, the mark was missed.

Or perhaps I'm missing the point entirely. Maybe Zwigoff is actually one-upping me because I found the film to be shallow and ultimately unsatisfying . . . much the way the art can be . . . I guess . . . ? Perhaps the entire film is a send up to this (arguably) vapid community and so it needs to wear the skin it satirizes? But isn't that really too obvious? For a time I thought this overkill intended to be ironic (hippy chick gets out of the car barefoot and immediately steps on glass, har har), but as the film progressed, for a second time, I realized in leiu of nuance I'd have to settle for intriguing overarching themes and captivating, however limited, performances. The most memorizing of which belongs to Msr. Broadbent. His alcoholic, murderous, passionate never-was is truly sublime.

Jim Broadbent

I'm in no way disappointed in trying this film again - past loved-it-the-second-time-though-not-the-first include noteables like Lost in Translation (2003) and Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) - but sadly I must report to you, dear reader, that unless I need a Broadbent fix, three times will most likely not be the charm.

Not to worry valiant walking pal! I had the good fortune to watch yet another Oscar winning picture that ends our post, and delightful stroll, on terrifically high note. These last few cobblestones finds us at Stephen Daldry's 2002 film The Hours, nominated for count them 8 Oscars!

Two time Oscar winner Meryl Streep (and a prop Millie and I would kill for!)

How a film with three titans of the modern screen escaped Millie and me for so long is irrelevant, or at least it simply must be because to think on it is too dreadful. Thankfully, some months ago we requested it from Netflix and lo and behold, one day, without even thinking about it, The Hours arrived.

It may interest you to know that in the past I've been remiss to sing Nicole Kidman's praises. I found her pretty but vapid, though today, having seen this exceptional work, coupled with a delicately timed role in Flirting and her superb transformation in To Die For, I can say confidently that Nicole Kidman is quite a talent indeed. It just took a prosthetic for me to detach enough to realize it.

Kidman (and her brilliant costume piece) as Virginia Woolf

The Academy Awards are of course notorious for giving the nod to the most popular actors, albeit not the most deserving: Gwenyth Paltrow (who beat out Cate Blanchett for Elizabeth, my goodness!), Omar Gooding, Jr, and the one who made me lose my faith until Monique won, Julia Roberts. Please don't misunderstand, these artists are certainly talented (I actually rooted for Gwenyth, lovely in her pink satin Ralph Lauren, because Shakespeare in Love remains a favorite), but I doubt this honor awarded them. And I believed Ms. Kidman's performance to be among of this school. I thought, well, she donned this fake nose, they had to give it to her.

Oh dear, when haughty filmies make assumptions (unless they are about Jerry Bruckheimer films) we can often be so wrong! Kidman's Virginia Woolf is a dark powderkeg, courageous, fragile, thoroughly complete.

Kidman with Holywood royalty Miranda Richardson

We mean no injustice to the other talents in the film, including the screenwriters and director, in praising just Kidman. In our (most often) humble opinion, both Julianne Moore (nominated for Best Supporting Actress) and Meryl Streep are magnetic. It's a divinely acted piece, more literary than most popular scripts, with sumptuous costumes, that lovingly meditates on those great unifiers: life and death. Honestly, what more can one ask for? (Well no, there's no nudity, so you have me there I suppose. Just watch Short Cuts!).

And now, the scores!

District 9
Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 10 bees!!!
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Starring: Sharlto Copley
Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Released: 2009
Oscar Nominations/Wins: 4/0

Art School Confidential
Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 5
Director: Terry Zwigoff
Starring: Max Minghella, Sophia Myles, John Malkovich, Anjelica Huston, Steve Buscemi, Jim Broadbent
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Released: 2006
Oscar Nominations/Wins: 0/0

The Hours
Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 8
Director: Stephen Daldry
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Claire Danes, Miranda Richardson, John C. Reilly, Toni Collette, Jeff Daniels
Distributor: Miramax Films and Paramount Pictures
Released: 2002
Oscar Nominations/Wins: 8/1

Oscar, darling! Has it really been a year?

2011-02-27T08:02:00.001-08:00

Best of luck to all of tonight's nominees, enjoy the celebration!

(There are simply so many deserving artists, but Millie I sure would be tickled rosy pink if Msrs. Bale and Firth were among the winners. Melissa Leo and Natalie Portman are counted among our favorites as well, good luck!)

Who Knew? Conversations with Other Women (2005)

2011-02-25T16:50:00.000-08:00

Who knew? is a segment on our program dedicated to great films that are widely known or (almost certainly) the opposite. What they possess is a favorable response from this first time viewer.

So often we watch films specifically for that director's eye. Personally, I can't possibly throw in Nashville without aching for Altman (and Keith Carradine's "I'm Easy") or watch Bottle Rocket without feeling Wes Anderson is sitting right next to me, feverishly taking notes. However, it's rare one sees how said director feels about the same situation in varying contexts. What I mean to say is, so infrequently are we given two perspectives on the same happening, a shared moment or touch, the same awkward pause or dropped joke, an identical entrance or exit. What if someone actually split the screen for the entire film so that one could see how two different characters experience the same event? Wait a tick . . . Hans Canosa's 2005 film Conversations with Other Women does just that!

You know I detest being anything less than terrifically candid with you, so I must admit when the clever title sequence passed, leaving two perfectly square frames, I thought better of the drugs I'd taken. However then I remembered not having taken any, there were simply two frames that had no intention of blending. As you may imagine, I resisted, but within moments the choice became obvious, for Conversations is no one trick pony, no isolated parlor trick, no Cloverfield meets My Best Friend's Wedding. Shame my even saying so in jest!

No no dearests, this film is a captivating chamber play performed at a seminar on psychosexualism for a host of enticed voyeurs. The luminous Helena Bonham Carter plays Woman against Aaron Ekhart's sweet puppy of a Man. Through the film we learn about the relationship between these two, past and present, and through Canosa's unusual choice, are given the two sides to this very same story.

Eckhart and Carter, in a rare role that shows how truly beautiful she really is

What results is an intimate understanding of the two extremely different, extremely complex characters around whom the entire film is based (really, there are interactions with very few other people). What at first reads like a fun party trick so clearly reveals itself to be, truly, the most successful way in which to tell the story of these lovers. Canosa's work as Oz, coupled Carter's superb timing and Eckhart's charm, makes Conversations unmissable.

Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 Bee = blah, 10 Bees = hoo-rah!): 8.5

Director: Hans Canosa
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Aaron Eckhart, Nora Zehetner, Erik Eidem, Olivia Wilde, Thomas Lennon
Distributor: Fabrication Films
Released: 2005

Smitten Kitten Cat (The) Fight(er)

2011-02-25T04:41:00.000-08:00

A brief letter to David O. Russell (film director) and Smitten's Bassist David Zacharis (film deliverer).

Dear Davids,

There are not enough expletives in a Bob Saget's lexicon to emphasize how truly wonderful The Fighter is.

Thank you both ever so much.

With admiration,
Milred Levine and her granddaughter Jennifer

Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 Bee = blah, 10 Bees = Hoo-rah!): 10

Director: David O. Russell
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Amy Adams
USA Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Released: 2010

Shall I compare thee to a Summer Blockbuster? The Valentine's Issue

2011-01-31T17:57:00.000-08:00

With Saint Valentine's Day a mere fortnight away, Millie and I have been meditating on the first films that come to mind when we ponder l'amour. Despite its commercial entanglements, one cannot deny that Valentine's Day has inspired some veritably sigh-worthy tales.

We don't so much mean the films that happen on or around Valentine's Day, wherein the holiday itself plays a role, just the one's that that makes us think of love.

It should be noted (on tea stained paper perhaps) that while Millie and I are huge fans of the concept, like many we've experienced palpable heart bruising (which has in now way affected our love of puns). In creating a list of the red velvet cupcakes we also offer you raw brussel sprouts. So pick your poison and antidote, in whatever order so pleases your heart, and of course, Happy Valentine's Day!

The Baxter (2005), dir. Michael Showalter
Starring: Michael Showalter, Michelle Williams, Elizabeth Banks, Justin Theroux

It Happened One Night (1932), dir. Frank Capra
Starring: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert

Husbands and Wives (1992), dir. Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Liam Neeson, Judy Davis, Sydney Pollack, Juliette Lewis

Strictly Ballroom (1992), dir. Baz Lurhmann
Starring: Paul Mercurio, Tara Morice

Now, Voyager (1942), dir. Irving Rapper
Starring: Better Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Reins, Gladys Cooper

We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004), dir. John Curran
Starring: Naomi Watts, Marc Ruffalo, Laura Dern, Peter Krause

Beautiful Thing (1996), dir. Hettie MacDonald
Starring: Glen Berry, Scott Neal, Linda Henry

Before Sunrise (1995), dir. Richard Linklater
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy

Oldboy (2003), dir. Park Chan-wook
Starring: Choi Min-sik, Yun Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong

Dogfight (1991), dir. Nancy Savoca
Starring: River Phoenix, Lily Taylor

The Panic in Needle Park (1971), dir. Jerry Schatzberg
Starring: Al Pacino, Kitty Winn

Buffalo '66 (1998), dir. Vincent Gallo
Starring: Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, Anjelica Huston, Ben Gazzara

Stardust (2007), dir. Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert de Niro

Delicatessen (1991), dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro
Starring: Pascal Benezech, Dominique Pinon, Marie-Laure Dougnac

Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And Summer's lease hath all too short a date;
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines;
And oft' is his gold complexion dimm'd
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal Summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Harold and Maude (1971), dir. Hal Ashby
Starring: Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon

From the VHS Vault: Buffalo '66 (1998)

2011-01-25T15:42:00.000-08:00

As told through Vincent Gallo's pictures and the film's soundtrack.

" . . . all my life I've been this lonely boy . . ."

"when we met, I felt my life begin, so open your heart and let this fool rush in"

"lonely moonchild, dreaming in the shadows of a willow"

"she brings the sunshine to a rainy afternoon. she puts the sweetness in, stirs it with a spoon"

Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 9

Director: Vincent Gallo
Starring: Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, Ben Gazzara, Anjelica Huston
Distributor: Lions Gate Films
Released: 1998

Three of a Kind, or the Aces I watched before, during and after a trip to Sin City

2011-01-15T14:39:00.000-08:00

This past week Millie and I had a trade show to attend in Vegas, which just so happened to coincide with three dazzling screenings of one gem after another!

The Ace of Spades: Wendy and Lucy (2008), dir. Kelly Reichardt

Starring: (a truly captivating) Michelle Williams, Lucy

Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 10. This film is, as they say, pitch perfect.

Before

The Ace of Clubs: The Social Network (2010), dir. David Fincher

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield

Millie's Bees to Knees: 9. An intelligent, poetic response to this uncontrollable zeitgeist.

During

The Ace of Hearts: Flirting (1991), dir. John Duigan

Starring: Noah Taylor, Thandie Newton, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts

Millie's Bees to Knees: 9.5. Perhaps the most clever, tender, and Australian meditation on adolescence these gals have ever seen, plus it has a really neat soundtrack. This film is not to be missed!

After

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

2011-01-03T16:54:00.000-08:00

"At first I thought they wanted me for some kind of sex thing, but they've turned out to be like real grandparents!"

It had been ages since I'd seen Roman Polanski's beloved nursery picture Rosemary's Baby. The middle child to his apartment series triplets - alongside Repulsion and The Tenant (both exceptional for a drugless trip) - Rosemary's Baby is easily Polanski's most known work (outside of the richly deserving Chinatown of course). Whether it's popular for being a masterful horror film or a campy exploitation pic on the perils of misjudging the elderly I can't rightly say, but given this is our show we're certainly willing to give it a try! (We recommend you open this link in a new tab and listen along while reading, Krzysztof Komeda's score is tre creepy!)

Ro (Farrow) and Guy (Cassavetes) in happier times

Based on the 1967 novel by Ira Levin, Rosemary's Baby tells the story of Rosemary Woodhouse (a sublime Mia Farrow) and her husband, the somewhat successful actor Guy (award winning director John Cassavetes). The cooing couple move into a new Manhattan apartment and almost immediately meet the loud but thoughtful Castevets, Minnie and Roman (played deliciously by Oscar winner Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer). Though harmless at first, the Castevets quickly worm their way into the Woodhouse's daily lives, eventually playing a dominating role in Rosemary's pregnancy, not only by providing vitamins, insisting she see their doctor (Ralph Bellamy), and mixing daily supplement shakes, but also in summoning "Satan from the depths of Hell" to instigate the whole darn thing!

Alright, I know, it's unfair to be so glib. The film really is successful, particularly in its playful and frightening observation of society's descent into madness. But with some forty years distance it can be tricky to disengage the more dated elements (like hand puppet Satan) from the relevant ones (the timeless self serving that hand puppet Satan represents). However dear reader, I highly encourage you try, for this film is important not only in Polanksi's canon, but for late 60's cinema and the horror genre in general. Despite the occasional chuckle worthy bits, Rosemary's Baby is really quite chilling, particularly how it prods us to examine this human propensity towards accessing and excusing evil, be in with a spouse, neighbors, progeny, or the capacity within our own hearts of accepting or even welcoming "Satan" into our lives.

Satan, such a tiger in the stolen sack . . .

Be honest with me, is it strange that I find the actual rape less unsettling than Guy's agreeing to it? Is playing den mother to Satan's baby really worse than having your uterus sold to the devil for a part on Broadway? I suppose if I were a more religious person, or rather a better Satanist, I'd acknowledge that the big S is responsible for betrayal in the world, but since I'm just so darn secular I can't help but know that the most despicable characters are the earthly ones. Murder, greed, desire, how delightfully human! Of course, this makes perfect sense in keeping with the other two films; Repulsion and The Tenant both possess an eerie supernatural undercurrent, much less blatant that their sibling, but all three meditate deeply on the very human conditions of psychosis and delusion.

The one and only Ruth Gordon (as nosy, devil worshiping Minnie)

For those still uncertain, know that Polanski is an exceptional storyteller and terrific architect of suspense. Plus you've got to hand it to him, I can't think of another film where the titular character has a conversation with the Pope while the devil's furry paw covers her swaying upper body. How perfectly titillating!

The devil's bedroom eyes, I always pictured them a bit more Jude Law blue myself . . .

If you consider yourself a horror or suspense fan and haven't seen Rosemary's Baby we'd say it's imperative you amend that fact soon. For those who tend to shy from those genres, as an apprehensive horrorpense watcher myself I still recommend you see this film. Despite his . . . hmmm . . . what's the best phrase . . . dramatized entanglements, Polanski is easily one of the most daring, imaginative, and underrated directors of the last century. Judge this film not against criteria it simply could not foresee, but against any gut reaction you have to its content. And if you find it truly upsetting, redeem your evening and love of Mia with the best unicorn chaser imaginable.

It should be noted that the worst husband award actually goes to Frank Sinatra, who served Farrow divorce papers on the set, in front of all the cast and crew, because she refused to give up her career and become Mrs. Frank Sinatra. Millie is disgusted by my saying so, but come on Frank, dick move.

Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 8.5

Director: Roman Polanski
Starring: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer
Released: 1968
Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Who Knew? - Twice Upon a Yesterday (1998)

2010-12-29T05:34:00.000-08:00

Who knew? is a segment on our program dedicated to great films that are widely known or (almost certainly) the opposite. What they share is a favorable response from this first time viewer. Read on darlings!

" . . . those were the days of roses, poetry and prose, and Martha all I had was you and all you had was me . . . " - Tom Waits

Oh reader, I do find it curious how easy we fall into romanticizing past loves. You know, how comfortable we can be replaying dreamy (often fictional) memories of the happiest times, as if they were all that existed. So perhaps it won't surprise you that I'm intrigued by our propensity towards regret: "What if I had acted differently? What if I hadn't made those comments or supported that theory or believed then what I believe now?"

And friends this is how Twice Upon a Yesterday caught our eye, for while Maria Ripoll's late 90's romcom is steeped in pondering these "what if?"'s, it hinges on the chaos inherent to actually answering them, if one were given the chance . . .

Twice is the story of unemployed actor Victor Bukowski (Douglas Henshall, very handsome despite himself) whose recent ex-girlfriend Sylvia (Lena Headay) is just about to marry her new boyfriend (Mark Strong), a man Sylvia mayn't have met had Victor not been honest eight months earlier about cheating on her. Through a series of mysterious whiskey laden happenings, inspired by passages from Don Quixote and two magical Fortunato-types, Victor is able to go back and start over from the day he told Sylvia about his infidelity.

(Henshall and Headay)

In case the description made you think otherwise, this picture is no tidy Shakespearean comedy reader. My goodness it's quite the opposite really (outside of being British and delightfully entertaining, of course). Boy discovers that despite reliving and even renouncing regret there is no tidy resolution with Girl. Athena is off in the wings having a smoke while the characters flounder among circumstance and "what is". Just as I suspected, karma, chaos, and the higher self (why yes, Millie and I did practice yoga this morning) combine to alter any future memory the mind creates.

I suppose I'm misleading you when I say "this is how Twice Upon a Yesterday caught our eye" (you know, a paragraph or two ago, when I wasn't thinking about transition studied in 10th grade English class). The film caught our eye because it seemed quirky and British (which it is), stars Mark Strong (barely recognizable at first) and features a very young, absurdly adorable Penelope Cruz (cause enough to see the film I should think). For these reasons alone I suggest you see this charming little romance, but also because I do it injustice by labeling it a "charming little romance", for it offers a plausible outcome to an oft desired, impossible situation.

To be completely honest, while Millie and I will always appreciate juicy psycho-intellectual musings, I find this belaboring "what if?" mentality counterproductive, for what purpose does regret really serve? Our reactions and experiences are products of mood, environment, timing, the price of gasoline, I don't know, any temporal tidbit that brushes coattails with our lives. Is there really something beyond random pairings of one's moral code and kismet (or anarchy, fate, god, etc)?

Still, the film is undeniably quaint and the nuggets of truth, of which there are many to nibble, add a depth that is always gratifying when asking oneself "what if I actually like romantic comedies?".

And while I'm being candid, I actually watched the film because I really wasn't in the mood to think too hard. Twice actually delivered food for thought, enough to share with you in fact, and the satisfaction of exploring believable romance. It must have been fate . . . but more than likely it was a young, bespeckled Penelope Cruz?

Millie's Bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 7.5

Director: Maria Ripoll
Starring: Lena Headay, Douglas Henshall, Penelope Cruz, Mark Strong
Released: 1998
Distributor: Trimark Pictures (1999, USA)

Bestill My Beating Vascular Organ

2010-10-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

The other day a few lady friends and I were sitting around dishing about some handsome gentleman of the silver screen. In the day or two since I've been all aflutter thinking on Hollywood's most dashing; more specifically, the men who steal my heart over and over (and over and over and over), no many how many times I have school girl giggled my way through the picture. The irony is that I can't for the life of me remember the conductor who started this whole train of thought, he must not hold a candle to the tantalizing and steamy cupcakes below . . . (floaty sigh) . . .

Robert Donat as Richard Hannay
The 39 Steps (1935), dir. Alfred Hitchcock

James Spader as Dr. Daniel Jackson
Stargate (1994), dir. Roland Emmerich

Clark Gable as Peter Warne
It Happened One Night (1934), dir. Frank Capra

Ethan Hawke as Troy Dyer
Reality Bites (1994), dir. Ben Stiller

Jude Law as Dickie Greenleaf
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), dir. Anthony Minghella

James Dean as Jett Rink
Giant (1956), dir. George Stevens

Kevin Costner as Lieutenant Dunbar
Dances with Wolves (1990), dir. Kevin Costner

Paul Newman as Luke
Cool Hand Luke (1967), dir. Stuart Rosenberg

Style Eyes

2010-10-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

Definitions of "style" have been running rampant across my brain lately. I suppose, if we've ever met, you might say the concept has a permanent stamp on the ol' nerve center, but this recurrent thought, that of thorough stylization, set me to wonder: which films are so unanimously stylized - more meticulously detailed than an obsessive's Victorian dollhouse - that each and every still is unmistakeably linked to them?

When one thinks on the canon, it's clear the list is endless, so below are simply a few that come to mind.

Oh! Let's make it a game, shall we? To try and prove my point I shall not give you the titles. Don't be shy, what come to your mind's eye?

Comfort Films

2010-10-06T06:25:00.000-07:00

"A lot of people enjoy being dead. But they're not dead really, they're just backing away from life."

Rainy mid-week days often fill me with a sense of listlessness. Well, truth be told, that's only partially true: on the one hand these weepy afternoons instill an unshakable sense of calm and belonging, while on the other, a distinct and anxious foreboding.

It's melancholy moods like these that make me, typically a chipper and upbeat individual, gravitate towards the films that feel like home. You know the ones. The warm peanut butter and butter on a toasted English Muffin films. Homemade macaroni and cheese films. Star Wars blanket and a hot cup of Peppermint tea films. Those pictures that, without fail, make one feel as though they've walked through some magical gate to an intimate and familiar place that exists whenever it's needed. For me this singular film has been, and I imagine always will be, Harold and Maude.

Shot in the early '70's in San Francisco's Bay Area, Hal Ashby's Harold and Maude (1971) is the story of a young, half heartedly-suicidal teen who meets a vivacious, life affirming Octogenarian (at a funeral they are both attending, despite not knowing the deceased). It's a beautiful, modest, terrifically funny film that hinges on our obsession with death as a means to escape living. First time screenwriter Colin Higgins (the quirky comic genius who later gave us Foul Play and 9 to 5) delivers that most allusive of Hollywood tales: an exquisite, original story full of universal dilemma.

To boot, the entire soundtrack is performed by (then named) Cat Stevens. From "I Think I See the Light" "Where Do the Children Play" and "If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out" to my very personal favorite "On the Road to Find Out", Stevens' tunes are the ideal compliment to H & M's sweetly-holding-your-hand optimism.

It's a film unlike any that has come before or since and receives my highest recommendation.

Tell me, what films are home to you?

Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort

Bees to Knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 10

Starring: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort
Director: Hal Ashby
Released: 1971
Distributor: Paramount Pictures

My Wild and Crazy Weekend, or The Movies I Watched While Not Playing Outside

2010-10-04T09:04:00.001-07:00

FRIDAY

Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens (2008)

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bes - hoo-rah): 8
Keywords: Part decadent, part bare bones, thoroughly inspired
Starring: Hilary Rodham Clinton, Kirsten Dunst, Anna Wintour, Tina Brown, Whoopi Goldberg, Demi Moore, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Mick Jagger, Patti Smith, to name a mere few
Director: Barbara Leibovitz (Annie's sister)

Saint John of Las Vegas (2009)

Bees to knees: 7
Keywords: Surprising, dry, clever
Starring: Steve Buscemi, Romany Malco, Peter Dinklage, Sarah Silverman
Director: Hue Rhodes

SATURDAY

Goodfellas (1990)

Bees to knees: 9
Keywords: Brilliant, Bloody, Pasta
Starring: Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino
Director: Martin Scorsese

Underworld (2003)

Bees to knees: 6
Keywords: Black, leather, An American Werewolf in Transylvania
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy
Director: Len Wiseman

Open Forum: The Anniversary Party (2001)

2010-09-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

Well reader, what do you think?

Directors: Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming
Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Alan Cumming, Phoebe Cates, Kevin Kline, Jane Adams, Parker Posey, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Beals, Gwyneth Paltrow
Released: 2001
Distributor: Fine Line Features

A Blast from My Past: The Cutting Edge (1992)

2010-05-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

Trolling thrifties isn't just great for pumps and blazers. Oh no dear reader, it's the best place to take an inexpensive trip down magnetic-memory lane, care of the VHS. Whether it's a film I've been intrigued by but never seen or one of those "oh, I don't need it on DVD but really love this movie" the VHS allows me to own classics like The Great Outdoors, Hook, and Big Business without breaking the bank. Plus most of these films don't need the BluRay bells and whistles. In fact, one aspect I find particularly charming is this medium's ability to remind me so precisely of the age in which these films were released. And today's score: Paul Michael Glaser's The Cutting Edge.

He's a plays-from-the-gut no nonsense hockey player from Minnesota (D.B. Sweeney), she's a figure skater living somewhere between vanity and Greenwich (Moira Kelly), could it work out? You want to hear the sad part reader? This time around I really didn't care.

I don't think I even knew the word contrived let alone understood its meaning in my pre-tween years. Or maybe this time I was just too wasted on montages to fully appreciate the story (Oh. my. montage. They simply wouldn't stop). If the leggings and shoulder pads couldn't save this one for me, the barrage of unoriginality and predictability certainly wasn't going to. Even Emmy winner Terry O'Quinn's character (and performance I dare say) was disappointing.

In short, this pic is no Troop Beverly Hills.

And if you can believe it, they actually made three of them!

Millie's Bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 3

Back in the Habit, Part One

2010-03-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

And so it goes that when unemployed I struggled to write and now employed it seems to be an even more allusive activity. Reader, you are so patient. And if you are just finding this blog, well, lucky you, no wait.

I assure you it was not out of neglect that I have been remiss. Okay, of course it is, what I mean to say is that not only you have been ignored, but the pastime itself. Before a marathon weekend we are just brimming over to dish about, I had seen all of 2 films in the past months: Teen Witch (1989) and Percy Jackson and The Olympians, the search for something or other. Despite amazing crimping (the former) and an all star cast (the latter, really, Sean Bean, Steve Coogan, an unstoppable Pierce Brosnan, and more) I didn't feel you needed to know my lukewarm feelings for either film.

And so it went. I stopped watching movies.

Why I really can't say. Sometimes in life we avoid the things we love because we are human and humans are for the most part incredibly irrational. What I can tell you is that my silent streak is over and I have not one, not two, not even just three, but four films to whet your whistles with!

It all started when I was babysitting last Friday eve . . . (perhaps you're thinking, a gal babysitting on a Friday night, it's a wonder she isn't blogging everyday . . . )

1.) Foul Play (1978), dir. Colin Higgins

Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase, mee-oowww

While the knippers were in bed and I waited for papa to arrive home, there was little else to do but eat ice cream and watch tv (I like to play the part you see), and while scrolling through the miss-able chatter happened upon this forgotten gem. Foul Play, written and directed by the deliciously perverse Colin Higgins (who wrote and produced a little film that may just be my favorite EVER, Harold and Maude), is a true blue Hitchcockian farce. How many times do you get to say that? Hitchcockian farce. Two I guess.

Costarring Burgess Meredith, Dudley Moore, and Brian Dennehy and filmed in the intoxicating San Francisco (the shots of the '70's city alone merit a screening, but then again, so does a bra-less Goldie Hawn), Foul Play delightfully taps around the lines between suspenseful mystery, absurdist theater, and good old fashioned slapstick. It somehow embraces all and without fumble deftly executes each. Chase hones Ty Webb and is dreadfully handsome, Hawn is like an apple blossom sprung to life, plus there's the murderous albino, an opera sequence, the assassination attempt, a pet boa constrictor, I could just keep going. Seriously, rent or download or steal this film, you won't regret it. (PS there is a rumor that Kate Hudson is going to do a remake and take on mama's role, and I have to admit, there are times when you watch Foul Play and think she already has).

Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 8

Now the reason I took said babysitting gig, if getting paid to play and then watch tv is not appealing enough, is that I had to get up at 6:15 am the next morning to drive to Montpelier and volunteer from 8:30am - 7pm at the Green Mountain Film Festival. Oh reader, it was marvelous! All I had to do for a day in our lovely state capital, in order to watch movies and catch up on me time, was smile, read a number, and pick up a popcorn case or two. It was the easiest 8.5 hours I have ever worked, and amidst strolling the quaint Montpelier streets I also had the privilege of watching some truly wonderful films!

The first of which was Seraphine.

2.) Seraphine (2008), dir. Martin Provost

Yolande Moreau

One obvious reason why film is so darn appealing is that human beings love escape. And to be entertained. We love escapism and entertainment, and when entertainment allows escapism, why, that's simply wonderful. What's even better is when this entertaining escapism actually makes its audience feel as though they have accomplished something, like they have truly experienced another world entirely, and because of this are infinitely richer. If you haven't been picking up what I'm putting down Seraphine is just such a film. It is the story of famous painter, house keeper, and asylum inhabitant Seraphine de Senlis. Yolande Moreau, in the titular role, gifts to us a performance so method Marlon Brando would be cheering in the aisles. Epic and quite lengthy, Provost's film explores the artist before, during, and after her creative successes and failures.

There is a gracious stillness to Seraphine and consequently the film is extremely meditative, though rarely tedious. Provost films sun filtering through leaves and an old woman sitting under a tree and smiling without pretension or superfluity. And the paintings! My goodness the paintings! There are so many reasons why this film has made it to festivals all over the world and won not only their audiences, but their awards by the dozen. It is luscious and pristine and heartbreaking and inspiring, all the things the greats are made of. By which I mean: do see it.

Millie's Bees to Knees Meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 8

I think that's enough for tonight, but stayed tuned, the naming of the other two films is just around the corner!

Alright, true to my nagging fondness for neglecting this delightful exercise I have lost my stamina with these last two and in fact find myself months later writing this explanation. The two other films are Mary and Max and Glengarry Glen Ross. Should you see either? See both. The former if you feel like a shot of red poking through endless, oppressive gray and the latter if you haven't been to the theatre in sometime and hunger for truly exceptional acting.

Hello again . . .

2010-03-10T17:18:00.000-08:00

. . . though it's been a long time since we've said hello at all. For those who have stopped by in the hopes of breaking up their day, we're sorry for having little new. I am transitioning, but look forward to being back with you all soon.

Mildred is mixing drinks. She waves.

The (terrifically belated) Bees Knees Films of 2009

2010-01-03T11:11:00.001-08:00

Due to a reinforced effort to find work, committing to a new diet, and good old fashioned laziness, I have neglected for weeks to present my Best of 2009 List. But I can avoid it no longer - it's nearly February, even the unemployed should set some sort of deadline - so without any further ado, I present to you this collection of the best new-to-us movies of 2009. Enjoy!

10.) Grey Gardens (1975), dir.Ellen Hovde, Albert Maysles, David Maysels, Muffie Meyer

Though a relative few receive (inter)national attention, for every saccharine Hollywood romance, every gluttonous action flick, every overacted remake of a great foreign film, there are dozens of documentaries with more guts and imagination than all these mainstream films on steroids (ironically enough, only one makes our List). Grey Gardens is just such a documentary. The film, off which the musical and HBO special are based, follows Big and Little Edith Bouveir Beale, Jacklyn Kennedy Onassis’ cousins, who exist in a kind of distorted, freakish carnival. Once wealthy debutantes on the Manhattan scene, the Edith’s have grown old, decrepit, and psychotic and the result is a disturbingly entertaining trip to the Hamptons. The Maysel’s critically acclaimed documentary is nothing short of brilliant, lending a kind, if not forgiving eye to its subjects, exposing their dramatic fall without judgment, but a modesty and grace befitting the memory of its subjects. Literally jaw dropping (it’s not only the number of cats, but raccoons they live with), this film should not be missed. Check out my review for greater detail!

Starring: Edith Bouvier Beale, Edith "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale Distributor: Portrait Films

9.) Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009), dir. Lee Daniels

Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) is 16, a thief, illiterate, obese, pregnant with her father's second child, and subject to daily beatings from her welfare collecting, chain smoking seemingly heartless mother (a devastating Mo’nique. She should win the Oscar, but knowing those shifty awards, probably won’t. At least she took home the Golden Globe. Months later, I can say she did indeed win, go you Mo'nique!). If you haven’t seen this film, then perhaps you’re among the many I’ve talked to that, knowing this basic plot outline, think it’s too disturbing or unpleasant to watch. Let me assure you reader, this is not gruesome simply for gruesome’s sake, and therein lies Daniel’s genius. Precious in no way sets out to illicit tears or pity, but the sublimely executed narrative, combined with tremendous acting and intelligent color play, simply does. Despite some truly hard-to-watch scenes, there exists an overwhelming positivity, an uplifting spirit that soars above the Bronx, above standardized tests, above incest and the need for love in any form, just thinking about it now brings a new set of tears to my eyes. It’s an exceptional film, sparse on big names and make up, but full of a rare, irrepressible tenderness.

Starring: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey Distributor: Lionsgate

8.) Inglourious Basterds (2009), dir. Quentin Tarantino

Love him or hate him, I imagine it’s tricky for any filmie to write off Quentin Tarantino simply as a thief prone to absorbing hot storylines and characters. Though I have more of his films to see, what some call plagiarism I'm prepared to name homage: Tarantino is a film lover. Sure, aren’t most directors? I mean, they are in the business after all . . . it just seems that this one in particular is a learned junkie and his films, no matter the content, are a constant offering to the medium that seems to love him too. That being said, it’s hard for me to dislike any film that concerns itself so sincerely with one of my favorite pastimes, let alone one in which an ancestor killer is shot in face over 100 times.

Inglourious Basterds centers around a group of aggressive WWII Yanks (for the most part) who love scalping Gerrys and aim to kill every high ranking Nazi officer - including the Chaplin-moustache-stealing-Jew-burning dictator himself. The film’s success is multifaceted: brilliant cinematography, tremendous acting (Christop Waltz’s Nazi officer is the best villain of the year, no question. Sorry Eric Bana.), and its attitude toward the moral conflict established. The opening scene is pure screen magnificence, painstakingly precise, captivating, and rife with a masterfully timed tension. Athough it establishes a style difficult for Tarantino to maintain throughout, Basterds remains a bevy of visual stimulation. It also presents immense moral conflict for Millie and me. We’re a couple of film loving Jews, so this movie was immediately appealing (that and Tarantino's admiration for beautiful ladies, Melanie Durant and Diane Kruger are stunning), however the oft heard hypocrite argument does weigh on me.

Is it “bad” that I was elated to see every high ranking Nazi official burned to death in the way millions of Jews were murdered? Am I no better than any old anti-Semite who wants nothing more than my own death or destruction when I also wish ill to Nazis? I have no idea, and Inglourious Basterds sure isn’t going to tell me, though it certainly isn't condemning us blood lusters either. Jewish or no, this film isn’t just a Hollywood darling (lots of muscle, Brad Pitt, and hot chicks), it’s the brainchild of an artist and probably the most fun I had at the movies all year (ok Bana, Star Trek was up there too).

Starring: Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, Christoph Waltz, Melanie Laurent, Diane Kruger

7.) Titus (1999), dir. Julie Taymor

A sumptuous rending of Uncle's Bill's most gruesome play (murder - please - try rape, mutilation, cannibalism, and a grossly immoral use of twigs), Julie Taymor's luscious opti-feast is an exceptional triumph. Expertly cast with none other than Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Harry Lennix (the only actor from Taymor's staged version) and (personal favorite) Alan Cumming, Titus offers in spades that which any Hollywood Shakespeare epic requires: an experienced company who understands every inch of iambic pentameter rolling off their tongues (a naughty pun if you know the play). Taymor, a visionary whom I had the pleasure of meeting in 2004, directs her piece with graceful, unrelenting intensity, offering her audience constant reward. Her modern additions are clever, intriguing, and that which so many fail to achieve when updating Shakespeare: appropriate. If like Millie and me you love a (very) healthy dose of violence with your beauty, and want to feel smarter, see Titus post haste!

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Alan Cumming, Harry Lennix

6.) Dead Man (1995), dir. Jim Jarmusch

Dead Man floored me, so much so that Millie and I were rendered speechless and there was nothing do but post an Open Forum and hope that you would be able to articulate that which I could not. And yet nearly one year later I still struggle to define this film, afraid my girlish adoration might cheapen Jarmusch's picture. Millie said "get over it" so here goes: Dead Man is among the most exquisite series of moving pictures I've ever seen. It is pristinely shot by Robby Muller and treated to a haunting original score by Neil Young. A unique film in story and scope, it's as though Dead Man was born to create and dominate its own genre. Not for the impatient, this carefully timed slow mover will steal some air and bust your ticker, but oh my, is it worth it.

Starring: Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Crispin Glover, John Hurt, Gabriel Byrne

5.) The Station Agent (2003), dir. Thomas McCarthy

Ah, the Hollywood friend flick: from Fried Green Tomatoes and Thelma and Louise to Strangers on a Train and The Women, there are a multitude of ways the silver screen captures those (somewhat) asexual relationships. But if you've seen any of the aforementioned, you'd know each example requires action, intrigue, and pomp to drive the story. The Station Agent remains one of the few films in the friendship film canon focused almost exclusively on the individuals involved and how their relationships develop. McCarthy's mellow, modest film explores that time-old coincidence/fate cocktail that brings us to whatever station in life we find ourselves. The simplicity of the story and its telling, paired with the complexity of each character, makes for a fascinating meditation on human relationships, attachment, kindness, stereotyping, and filmmaking. Honestly, if it doesn't make you smile I know a Grinch who's looking for someone to walk his dog . . .

Starring: Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale, Josh Pais, Michelle Williams

4.) The Panic in Needle Park (1971), dir. Jerry Schatzberg

For some reason, films with excessive drug use play a large part in my top ten and what list of exemplary drug films could possibly be complete without Schatzberg's frightening heroin flick The Panic in Needle Park? Al Pacino and Kitty Winn expertly play Bobby and Helen, two lovers whose relationship begins as a healthy pair of New York City lovebirds and ends with prostitution, arrests, disease, starvation, and of course, inescapable addiction. I have much to say about this film and condensing it is pointless when I have an entire post for you to read, so please move your cursor here and brush up on the many reasons why Panic easily makes the top 5.

Starring: Al Pacino, Kitty Winn

3.) The Anniversary Party (2001), dir. Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh

Written and brilliantly directed by Leigh and Cumming, The Anniversary Party seamlessly masters the less-than-24 hour period epic. Sally (Leigh), an famous but aging Hollywood starlet and her bi-sexual director husband Joe (Cumming) are throwing a party for their closest friends, some associates, and the grouchy neighbors to celebrate 6 years of being together. Viewed on a complete whim (perhaps the best way to see a film) The Anniversary Party was probably my biggest treat of the year. Think The Big Chill meets Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf with touch of The Player and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Unquestionably rewatcheable for its bevy of inspired performances, nuances, and complexity, you'd be shooting yourself in the foot to miss this film.

Starring: Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates, Kevin Kline, Jane Adams, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Parker Posey, Jennifer Beals

2.) The Comedians (1967), dir. Peter Glenville

Well before the devasting earthquake decimated Haiti, Papa Doc did his best to rip apart the island. The Comedians is exceptional and its silver medal was very nearly gold before much deliberation. Again, having such a high rank means I have more than fits this space, so please have a glance at this.

Starring: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Alec Guiness, Peter Ustinov, Lillian Gish

1.) Christiane F. - Wir Kinder vom Banhof Zoo (1981), dir. Uli Edel

If this film beat out hundreds of others you can bet I have lots to say about it. Take a little trip if you will . . . .

Starring: Natja Brunkhorst, Thomas Haustein

On a mildly less stellar but still outta this world note, here are the Runner's Up:
An Education (2009), Away We Go (2009), Broken English (2007), Do The Right Thing (1989), In the Bedroom (2001), Serial Mom (1994), Star Trek (2009), The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), Dogfight (1991), The Big Chill (1983), Strictly Ballroom (1992)

God Bless Them, Everyone

2009-12-28T11:14:00.000-08:00

In preparation for the upcoming Bees Knees of 2009, which we are super pleased as punch to present, Millie and I have gathered a list of each and every film we've seen this year. Wheee! From 16 Candles to X Men, from those we can wait to rave about to those that bring a slightly embarrassed pink to our cheeks, here they are, our complete list of movies screened in 2009. (Of course, those we watch in the coming days will be added accordingly, after all, a day without a movie is like a day without sunshine. Or chai.) Perhaps you'll venture a guess as to the cat meowiest? Or rant about those gems that have slipped through our jade and plastic jeweled fingers?

And don't forget - stay tuned for Millie's Bees Knees of 2009 (we get giddy just typing it), our list of the best movies new to us this year, regardless of release date. If you have any guesses, we'd love to hear them . . .

Notes on the format:
An italicized film is one that I have seen before.
A film with an * is one I watched multiple times throughout the year.
Films coloured in the holiday spirit were released in 2009.
This color links to a corresponding post.

16 Candles - 17 Again - 40 Year Old Virgin - 2012 - A Christmas Tale - Adventureland - All About Eve - American Splendor - An Education - The Anniversary Party - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - Arlington Road - Anchorman - Another Woman - Avatar - Away We Go - The Ballad of Jack and Rose - The Baxter - Beaches - Beautiful Thing - Before Sunrise - The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas - Big Business - The Big Chill - Boondock Saints - Breakfast at Tiffany's - The Breakfast Club - Bringing Up Baby - Broken English - Caddyshack - Carrie - Carrington - The Children's Hour - Christiane F. - Clockwatchers - Close Encounters of The Third Kind - Clueless - The Comedians - Coraline - Crimes and Misdemeanors - Cry Baby - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Dancing Lady - The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys - Dead Man - Death To Smoochy - Death On the Nile - Deconstructing Harry - Do The Right Thing - Dogfight - Donny Darko - Dreamgirls - Ella Enchanted - The Empire Strikes Back* - Enchanted - Eulogy - Fast Times at Ridgemont High - The Family Guy Movie - Fanboys* - Fantasia - The Fantastic Mr. Fox - Foot Fist Way - Franklyn - Frost/Nixon - Gigantic - Go To Prison - Gosford Park - The Great Outdoors - Grey Gardens (1975) - The Hangover - Hannah and Her Sisters - Harold and Maude - Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince* - Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone - Heathers - Heavenly Creatures - Hot Fuzz - How To Marry a Millionaire - I Love You, Man* - Igby Goes Down - In & Out - In The Bedroom - In The Mouth of Madness - The Informant! - Inglorious Basterds - Jaws - Jumanji - Jurassic Park - King Kong (2005) - L.A. Confidential - The Last Days of Disco - L.I.E - The Life Aquatic - Little Miss Sunshine - Little Murders - Madagascar - The Man in The Iron Mask - Mean Girls - Mermaids - Muriel's Wedding - New York Stories - Nightmare on Elm Street - Nine - Now, Voyager* - One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - The Panic in Needle Park - PCU - The Pleasure Seekers - Precious - Pretty In Pink - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - Rambling Rose - Reality Bites - Role Models* - The Royal Tenenbaums - Ruthless People - Safe Men - The Secret Life of Bees - Serial Mom - Shaun of the Dead - Shakespeare in Love - Sleeper - Sliding Doors - Some Like It Hot - The Station Agent - Star Trek - Stardust* - Still Breathing - The Squid and The Whale - Super Troopers - Terminator - Termintor 2: Judgement Day - Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - Terms of Endearment - Tommy - Titus - To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar - Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen - Troop Beverly Hills* - Twilight - V for Vendetta - Volver - Waiting for Guffman - Wall Street - Waltz With Bashir - Wet Hot American Summer - The Witches of Eastwick - The Wrestler - You Can Count On Me - X Men

Now, we all know this a movie blog, but if this list seems short in any way (after all there are not 365 films on it) it's because Millie and I simply cannot resist a saucy series or two on the small screen. Okay, maybe we've been ensconced in more than one or two . . .

A short list of the shows we watched in much detail during 2009:
30 Rock - Battlestar Gallactica - Carnivale - Community - Cougar Town - Freaks and Geeks - Glee - House - The Inbetweeners - The IT Crowd - It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Lost - Mad Men - Mercy - Moonlight - My So-Called Life - Parks and Recreation - Party Down* - Peep Show - Project Runway - True Blood - Ugly Betty - Undeclared

2012 (2009)

2009-11-29T11:49:00.000-08:00

I know what you may be thinking: Does Roland Emmerich's gazillionth world destruction movie deserve yet another review? And the simple answer of course is no. No, it doesn't. 2012 is completely, utterly, unapologetically over the top, makes no practical sense whatsoever and the script is full of cheesy puns, heavy handed biblical references, and laughably improbable scenarios. The characters are disappointingly simple: if you're good, you live, but if we can question your moral background in any way, sorry, but you're not going to make it to the arcs. Yes, you heard me, arcs.

Come on now, you didn't expect anything different did you? Well I did.

Meditate on that monks!

Yes reader, as bashful as I am to admit it, I went in expecting perhaps, just this once, the Hollywood action pic machine wouldn't think me a drooling, sappy idiot. Naively I wondered 'wouldn't it be wonderful to have an exciting, visually stunning apocalypse movie with complex characters and thoughtful dialogue? Oh and maybe an ambiguous moral core as icing on the cake?' I mean really, for what this film cost (a whopping $200 million plus) couldn't they have found some recent film grad Altman junkie to add some realism to the script?

Will he make it? I'll give you one guess . . .

You may be saying "Jennifer, honestly, the majority of Americans going to see this film couldn't possibly grapple with complex characters alongside the Vatican being blown to bits crushing every Catholic within a 100 mile radius! Get real." To that argument I contend one, this script panders to the stupid of the stupid, even a child would be offended by the lack of depth and two, I know plenty of smarty pants, discerning movie goers who went to see this 3 hour meditation on absurdity. We're not restricted to middle America here, but those leftist liberal intellectuals on the coasts should be factored in.

So Emmerich, who I will fully admit - despite the ridiculousness of this film - does know his way around a world-ender (hello Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow) - had the opportunity to take this action pic to the next level. As I was searching for blog worthy images, obviously I was reminded of the immense destruction offered. Literally everything on the planet is destroyed and in such an irresistible, aggressive fashion too, the Romans would be delighted.

Glib aside, think about that reader. Really think about it. You're out buying groceries, you know choosing between the generic yogurt or the Liberte, and suddenly a massive quake rips the floorboards wide open. Hysterical screams harmonize with the earth reclaiming itself. You're separated from your friends and family, you can't see anything because of the dirt, dust, and smoke, but you're certain most people around you are dead. Now honestly, that is frightening. The end of the world, if it really occurs as it does in this film, would be more terrifying than anything I can imagine. What potential! We could have had such heroism, such existentialism, such raw human courage, and while Emmerich toys with these ideas, they cannot possibly be actualized, for that would be too intense. It's funny, though we go in to see the entire world blown to bits and drowned in massive tidal waves, we couldn't possibly terrorize the audience. How uncivilized!

Am I asking too much? I am, and it's ironic really, because I'm part of the problem. As long as I buy a ticket in the hopes of seeing something truly mind blowing, I propagate the sub-par epic that will easily make its money back opening weekend. I'm also at fault for the plain simple fact that I really wanted to see things blown up. How often do you see California literally fall into the ocean?

No more In and Out Burger . . .

However, even the affects were pretty unsatisfying. I'm not saying they were dated or poorly done at all, they are obviously a labor of love. My apologies to the hundreds of people who worked really hard, they were certainly captivating, but at the end of the day, I had to suspend my disbelief so much I had little left to hang onto. Except John Cusack. He's awesome (we're suckers for John Cusack, he's just so loveable!) Oh, and of course the Brits - Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton - are great, despite their having to use American accents.

Being drawn to films like 2012 is tricky for me. I love action and escapism as much as the next guy and proudly admit my rewatching the 3's - Jurassic Park and Jaws - I like to see big ol' crazy creatures eating people. But I expect little from those relatively inexpensive films so they pay off. 2012 was so disappointing because it missed such a golden opportunity and in its wake left little to be enjoyed.

ooh - be sure to check out my friend Taylor's blog to read his witty thoughts on this hot mess.

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 3

Director: Roland Emmerich
Starring: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Danny Glover, Woody Harrelson
Released: 2009
Distributor: Columbia Pictures

The Best Movies You've (Probably) Never Seen: Now, Voyager (1942)

2009-11-16T16:01:00.000-08:00

If you are like a few filmies I know, there is little appetite in your celluloid tummy for the classics. For those who fall into this void Millie and I must issue a well intentioned "for shame!" So they seem dated and stagey at times, the transitions are literally fuzzy and the dialogue is so slick it may take subtitles to keep up, these films are Hollywood's backbone, my goodness, they are even the blood and guts too. They represent an extinct age (and for that reason alone are worth watching) and in these tombs reside a beauty and mysticism impossible for contemporary film to capture.

If there is any pre-1950 film you should rent post haste I submit Now, Voyager for immediate consideration. To start, it's CLASSIC Bette Davis. Frankly Millie and I think that should be reason enough to update your queue, but we acknowledge more convincing may be in order.

Our pleasure darlings . . .

Bette Davis and Paul Henreid

Davis is arguably the greatest American actress of all time. I'm not saying Streep, MacLaine, and Huston aren't high on the list, but I believe few critics will dispute the claim that Bette lives in a class all her own. A true actress, both on and off screen (see: Oscars and fiery attitude), Davis was known for her selective choices and sincere love of "uglying up." From Mr. Skeffington (1944) to What Ever Happened To Baby Jane (1962) it's no secret that Ms. Davis does some of her best work under layers of drab clothing and character make-up. However, to fully appreciate this silver screen goddess you've also got to see those gorgeous Bette Davis eyes in all their splendor. Prim and proper Bette.

Well chickens, Now, Voyager gives you both.

drabette

fabette!

The Basics: The wealthy daughter of a dreadfully domineering mother, Charlotte Vale (Davis) is on verge of a nervous breakdown when she meets Dr. Jaquith (a sublime Claude Rains) and heads off to "get well" at his Vermont clinic. Not ready to face her tyrannous mother, Charlotte embarks on her first ever solo vacation, aboard a steamship in South America. There she meets the gentle and dreadfully dashing Jerry Durrance (the scrumptious Paul Henreid). Swept up in a brand new world, Charlotte returns to Boston fully embracing the Walt Whitman poem "The Untold Want" from which the film takes its title:

"The untold want by life and land ne'er granted, Now voyager sail thou forth to seek and find."

Darlings, this classic has everything you could possibly want: opulent wealth, international intrigue, an unconventional love story, and Bette. Bette. Bette. Claude Rains and Paul Henried are simply divine!

guess who?

Plus there's the fun fact quotient. Now, Voyager was the very first to showcase the now signature, terrifically gallant move of lighting two cigarettes in one's mouth before handing the other off to your lucky duck companion. 10 bees for utter meowness . . .

Oh Msr. Henreid, are one of those for me?

And the film marks an early screen appearance of one Miss Mary Wickes. Look closely . . .

Davis and Wickes

You may recognize her from "I Love Lucy", "Dennis the Menace", The Music Man, or like me, as Sister Mary Lazarus from the Sister Act movies.

So reader please, do yourself a supreme favor and rent this movie, or download it, steal it, whatever you techno savvy cats do these days. Then make a very dry martini, grab your favorite throw, make two more very dry martinis and get lost in pure cinematic bliss.

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee - blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 9

Director: Irving Rapper
Starring: Better Davis, Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, Gladys Cooper
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Released: 1942

Dogfight (1991)

2009-11-10T17:48:00.000-08:00

The film's cover art featuring Phoenix and Taylor

Whatever your feelings on love, affection, and attraction, one cannot deny a chemically induced emotional hubbub erupts when two cutie pies get sweet on each other. Relaying this believably on film isn't easy. In fact most often the unfortunate movie goer is subject to indecent acts of gross fiction about l'amor. But every so often there comes along a film that lets us unashamedly relish in love's possibilities. Nancy's Savoca's 1991 indy flick Dogfight is just such a gem.

We're in California, 1963. Eddie (River Phoenix), a handsome young Marine about to ship out to Southeast Asia, picks up Rose (Lili Taylor) in the hopes of winning $100 in San Francisco's "Dogfight" - a Marine tradition where soldiers throw a party and the one with the ugliest date wins. Pretty simple rules really, unless your clever, albeit not classically attractive date gets hip to your heartless jive and punches you in the face. Determined to redeem himself, and curiously drawn to his feisty companion, Eddie spends the evening romancing the proud, but gentle Rose. Shot in the city and terrifically romantic, Dogfight presents a blushworthy new take on the never judge a book by its cover genre.

What can we say? Grandma Millie and I are absolute suckers for a love story. From Stardust and It Happened One Night, to The Baxter, Before Sunrise, and The Philadelphia Story we're chronically a pair of smitten kittens! So it should come as no surprise that finding a shiny new romance sincere enough to garner a silent smile (our highest form of appreciation) merits a post.

So, why is Dogfight unusual?

Two basics: story and acting. I will not spend too much time on these as I know you are extremely intelligent reader and have already deduced that since we like the film, it stands to reason that's because talented actors are manning the helm of a frightfully well scripted ship. All I will say is this: River, I really miss you. You had such great things ahead.Lili , a strong, non nonsense characters that isn't a 90 lb. blond? Groovy.

Moving on.

Its period is one of Dogfight's greatest strengths (I should hope you didn't laugh). A college professor once told me period pictures rarely "[get it right] because directors aren't willing to fully immerse their actors in another generation." The dead give away, he contends, is hair style. Swayzamples: Dirty Dancing seems much more 80's than 60's, and goodness knows the epic Civil War era mini series North and South is terribly dated. To me, Dogfight in no way looks early 90's. This keen ability not to betray its release date significantly adds to the transcendental nature of the romance. From costumes, to environment, and especially sound, Dogfight is in every way a jarhead, no crocheted beanie.

Phoenix and Taylor

And oh the music!

As some have fallen in love with Wes Anderson for Bowie, Nick Drake, and The Kinks or had their hipster heart alight with Sofia Coppola's brilliant use of Siousie, New Order, My Bloody Valentine, and Air, Dogfight's score hits a major Millie home run. If Music Supervisor Jeffrey Kimball had raided my record collection he couldn't come closer to a who's who of Jenny loves: Joan Baez, early Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Odetta, Van Morrison, even Leo Kottke for the closing credits.

When Rose races home after punching a deserving Eddie in the face she puts on Joan Baez's mournful "Silver Dagger" a song I have worn out on my vinyl! Reader, I simply cannot tell you how many times, whether content or melancholy, I have put on Joan Baez Vol. 1 (bless you Vanguard) and been brought to tears by this particular tune -

"all men are false, says my mother/
they'll tell you wicked, lovin' lies/
and the very next evening they'll court another/
leave you alone to pine and sigh"

- and then how many times have I followed my Baezing with Dylan's The Freewheelin', and while "Corrina, Corrina" is my favorite song, "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" is a very close second and also appears in the film! Then of course there's Rose's bedroom, littered with pictures of Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Malvina Reynolds, Baez, Odetta, and Dylan. Holy fitting soundtrack Batman! Ideal for setting the scene AND making Jenny fall in love with you.

Phoenix and Taylor

Another chord Dogfight strikes on my pulmonary banjo is its sheer, unadulterated San Francisco-ness. (I grew up visiting the city and ended up moving there in 2004. Millie lived across the bay for almost 30 years.) And I'm not only talking Golden Gate or Haight Street shots readers, but lesser known spots you'd have to know to appreciate: Chinatown side streets, City Lights bookstore, the Tunnel Top bar. Oh, The Tunnel Top. The sign hasn't changed since 1963 when the film takes place and it was one of the first bars I ever visited when I moved to the city. I remember they were projecting Jacques Tati's Monsieur Hulot's Holiday and the place was completely empty, save the handsome tattooed bartender. It was heaven. But I digress . . . city = backdrop = scenic manna from the gods.

Perhaps my only qualm, which after this emphatic review may surprise, is with the actors' chemistry. While the romance is trustworthy, I have to admit wanting some deeper connection between the two. I know, I know, I'm asking for Before Sunrise here and that bond is "so rare you can by it at Tiffany" (Twin Peaks, wish I could take credit), but there is a certain something, I can put a finger on but not quite articulate, that could have scored just one more bee . . . still, the main deterrent from my enjoying every square inch of Dogfight was the poor tracking on my VHS, not that extra little lovin' between two otherwise very convincing leads.

Reader, let me be perfectly clear: Dogfight is not a good movie because environment and soundtrack resonate with this particular critic. It's a tenderly acted, well immersed, carefully written film. Dogfight is simply enchanting. While some of the other VHS from my recent stash will live forever as magnetized tape, this one most certainly deserves an DVD upgrade.

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!) 8

Director: Nancy Savoca
Starring: River Phoenix, Lili Taylor
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Released: 1991

V.ery H.appenin' S.tash: Jenny and Millie Go VHS Crazy

2009-11-04T12:36:00.000-08:00

Hello there reader! If you've visited with us before, perhaps you remember our mentioning the cat's meowtastic sale local video hocker Waterfront Video has been tantalizing Millie and me with for months? Well, it's buy one VHS tape, get one free. Oh yes reader, you heard me correctly, find one incredible title and get a second at no charge! Even in our unemployement, Millie and I simply can't miss a week without visiting this ridiculous sale, and have been amassing quite a collection (I'll have to move my soundtrack and instrumental vinyl soon just to make room!). Now we have 8 new films to add to our collection. Wheeeeee!!!!

Rambling Rose (1991), dir. Martha Coolidge
Starring: Laura Dern, Robert Duvall, Diane Ladd (Dern's mama), Lukas Haas
*Haven't seen

Muriel's Wedding (1994), dir. P.J. Hogan
Starring: Toni Colette, Rachel Griffiths, Bill Hunter
*Haven't seen

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), dir. Beeban Kidron
Starring: Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, JOhn Leguizamo, Blythe Danner, Stockard Channing

Terms of Endearment (1983), dir. James L. Brooks BEST PICTURE 1983
Starring: Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson
*Haven't seen

Beaches (1988), dir. Garry Marshall
Starring: Better Midler, Barbara Hershey, John Heard

Dirty Dancing (1987), dir. Emile Ardolino
Starring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach

Dogfight (1991), dir. Nancy Savoca
Starring: River Phoenix, Lily Taylor
*Haven't seen

Eyes Without a Face (1959), dir. Georges Franju
Starring: Pierre Brasseur, Edith Scob, Alida Valli
*Haven't seen

If any strike a chord you know we'd love to hear your tune . . . goodbye for now reader!

Open Forum: Titus (1999)

2009-11-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit overwhelmed after watching Julie Taymor's titillating adaption of Uncle Bill's Titus Andronicus, which may have a little something to do with a darn cold Millie and I picked up celebrating All Hallow's Eve, but more than likely has to do with this sumptuous eye banquet!

So, tell us your thoughts. I know Titus is exceedingly popular with filmies and theatre nerds alike so please enlighten us with your interpretation. Or perhaps you can guess which bit has officially entered Jenn Jarecki's Favorite Scenes of All Time? Here's a hint: three quarter turn.

Comment away!

Gigantic (2008)

2009-10-13T07:29:00.000-07:00

Reader, are you aware that I'm completely enamored with Paul Dano? Millie thinks my schoolgirl crush is footnote-able, but the truth is, without my sincere admiration for Msr. Dano there would have been no renting of Matt Aselton's Gigantic and probably much less enjoyment of it. Gigantic, a fine addition to the pregnant indyrom genre (yea, we made it up), is first and foremost a Dano vehicle. And trust me reader, I am so. on. board.

The basics: Brian Weathersby (Dano) is a mild mannered 28 year-old salesman in an upscale Manhattan mattress warehouse. Despite a violent, vindictive homeless man on his trail (Zach Galifianakis) and an innate, lifelong desire to adopt a Chinese baby, Brian's life seems relatively simple - and somewhat lonely. After selling her eccentric father a bed (played by a saucy John Goodman), Brian becomes involved with the effervescent, though complicated and ironically named Happy (Zooey Deschanel). The stage is set, so turn off your Air France vinyl, stowe that knitting, and put away the latest Nylon, we're reviewing an indy pic!

Deschanel and Dano, oh to switch places with that gal for just a scene!

Oh dear, did that sound cynical? Gigantic is certainly no ephemeral Garden State (a film Millie and I obviously dislike), but rather a mostly-successful Broken English type, exceptional in a few categories, very capable in others, and rather predictable in what remains. What I mean to say is, Gigantic will be watchable and impressive for years to come, but is not (entirely) timeless.

What works is Dano. And not simply because he's a walking-talking Jenny turn on, but because he's one of the most talented actors of his generation, a fact made abundantly clear since L.I.E, holding his own against Brian Cox at the ripe old age of 13. Dano executively produced Gigantic, and while I'm speculating, one has to think Aselton either had him in mind or built the film around him. The role is clearly meant for Dano, not that he's typecast as Weathersby, rather he casts the type.

Dano's timing is perfection, and let me tell you, timing and subtly are two traits most young American film actors rarely master. One could argue editor Beatrice Sisul (who's Hollywood tried and true) did her job better than Dano, but there are certain things one simply can't edit. You cannot edit in precise timing and precise timing is born of good intuition and good intuition breds a finely crafted performance. Dano's Weathersby is complex and intriguing, and something most indyrom protagonists aren't: grounded and courageous. To my mind, this performance will be a legacy of the film and Dano's career, certainly not in its severity like There Will Be Blood or its quirkiness like Little Miss Sunshine, but in its meticulousness. And yet it's clear Dano continues to grow and mature, so it comes as no shock that Millie and I are pleased as punch to witness his future choices (and hear him in Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are in one short week!).

Now, I have directed enough shows to know that one fine actor does not a successful piece make, and Deschanel, Goodman, and Ed Asner are all quite good. However, there is nothing particularly revelatory about any of their performances.

The "Happy" couple: Dano and Deschanel

Deschanel is Deschanel. How descriptive. If you have never seen a film of her's she is adorable, quirky, stylish, sincere, and borderline annoying. I actually don't find her annoying, I mean she played Trillian in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for goodness sake, she can't be all bad, but many people find her to have the Bjork-Joanna Newsom-Sofia Coppola affect: you just have to be in the right mood.

I often find her quite lovable and think she's done a very capable job here. I was a bit concerned Deschanel might go overboard with the quirk, but she is actually restrained, though on the whole her performance lacks the depth and believability of Dano's. Rather than inspiring Holly Golightly timeless, vulnerable, eccentricity, the performance feels like an 80's mummified Winona role, much more effective in its here and now. Perhaps I sound harsh, and trust me I do like this actress and think her talented, but she also strikes me as so quintessentially perfect for this indy movement (She & Him, short black bangs, a primarily vintage wardrobe) that her casting in Gigantic feels almost trendy. (If you like Deschanel, or want to be won over by her, I suggest Winter Passing, not necessarily a critical favorite, but full of great performances by Deschanel, Will Ferrell, and Ed Harris.)

Dano, Goodman, and Sean Dugan

Goodman, who really should be renamed Greatman (oh come on, you love it), is a joy to watch as Happy's flamboyant father, but it's so easy for him. He's John Goodman for goodness sake! He could do this role in his sleep, not that he's cashing it in, Mr. Goodman is far too professional for that, but to give you a Coen brothers meter this performance is much more O' Brother Where Art Thou and much less Barton Fink. For those readers who have seen neither film, or only one, here's some theatre jargon: more background than foreground, but titillating scenery nonetheless.

The last two successful elements I'll discuss? Music and symbolism. Aselton made a very wise decision to incorporate original, old, and new music, lending this relatively new film an antique quality. From Edith Frost's "A Mirage" , to Animal Collective's "Did You See The Words", and Richard and Linda Thompson's "I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight" (smart, smart choice), we have a bevy of hipster-riffic artists that match an equally cool moving picture palate, complimenting and enhancing the story, rather than scene stealing. Gigantic in no way suffers from awesome music being thrown in for awesome's sake (no "New Slang" problems here Zach Braff), which to my mind encourages the film's endurance.

Symbolism: there is a healthy amount, and while not all of it is entirely clear, this only entices rewatching. Adam Nagata's script is intelligent, funny and, with Aselton's direction, becomes appropriately stark amidst vivid slice of life elements. I will not get into a lengthy detailing of the film's symbolism or what Millie and I think it all means, as we've kept you long enough, but if you see Gigantic we're happy to discuss it over commenting.

As an addendum, I have no idea what heart and soul went into the making of this film, though I am sure ample amounts of both were applied. Most critics tend to focus on the big pictures - actors, cinematography, story - but we have no idea the great chasms crossed to make these 2 hours of entertainment. I don't have a filmmaker's background and there are certain elements I cannot speak to with any knowledge, just an overall view from a onetime screening. Why am I writing this? Perhaps I feel a bit guilty for categorizing Gigantic so cleanly when there is so much to the story I don't know. To say that Paul Dano is this movie takes out of the equation hundreds of people that allowed him to shine. Perhaps I should say he is the crown jewel in a great achievement, one that is not sublimely brilliant, but heartfelt and quite honestly, depending on my mood, that may be preferable.

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 7.25

Director: Matt Aselton
Starring: Paul Dano, Zooey Deschanel, John Goodman, Ed Asner
Distributor: First Independent Pictures
Released: 2008

Carrington (1995)

2009-10-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

Lytton Strachey (Jonathan Pryce) and Dora Carrington (Emma Thompson)

As I've mentioned in passing, Burlington's best independent rental spot Waterfront Video is unloading a score of well maintained VHS tapes with their tempting "buy one get one free" sale. In our unemployed state Millie and I have perhaps been overzealous, but there are simply too many good titles resist! L.I.E., Hilary and Jackie, Rope, Rebecca, Strangers on a Train, Basquiat, and those films I haven't seen but purchased on a whim. And that, dearest reader, is how I found Christopher Hampton's Carrington.

I had never heard of this film before, have you? It's certainly not a household name in the circles in which Millie and I run, my word, it's not even a whisper. Perhaps you know the famous Dora Carrington off whom the story is based? The VHS spine immediately grabbed my attention: it has unusual typography, scrawly and uneven, with the "C" encased in a hand drawn woodblock adorned with a woman's face. I flipped it over to find the extremely young and intense visage of Emma Thompson, in the arms of a heavily bearded Jonathan Pryce. The cover reads "Emma Thompson's finest performance" and the word sex was mentioned at least three times on the back, so I thought "it's free, why the Earl Grey not?" Plus the name Christopher Hampton kept ringing a bell . . . which of course, I found out later, is because he wrote the screenplay to a little sleeper movie few poeple have heard of, Atonement I think it's called . . .

For most of her post-pubescent life, gifted British painter Dora Carrington (Thompson) was madly devoted to homosexual writer Lytton Strachey (Pryce). Defying convention, they built a life together, engaging in affairs and Carrington even a separate marriage, but never denying their oft spoken, oft misunderstood bond. Despite the lovers they took and the challenges they faced, Carrington and Strachey were thoroughly committed to one another, until they both passed away in 1932, he of cancer, she of suicide 2 months later.

Carrington's portrait of Strachey (1916)

Carrington is one part period piece, one part biography, and five parts love story. I know the math doesn't add up, but what do you expect, I'm a film junkie, not a numbers gal. The point is, more than anything this film is about the big L, defining it in rare fashion: exposing not only the sublime and excruciating, but the ebb and the flow, the excitement and the ennui, the relationship. While driving in the car today, Waterfront Video-er Seth Jarvis said it's uncommon that a film shows relationships that aren't either just beginning or in some chaotic state. Infrequent is the "hey, here's a relationship midstream, plugging along" or as Seth put it "two people committed to each other moving forward." Well Seth, as you know, Carrington is such a film.

And one of the best parts? It's very well researched and quite accurate. Carrington and Strachey shared many years together, living in multiple country homes, and though she married and had multiple affairs, as did he, it's widely know that they were virtually inseparable.

Thompson sporting Carrington's signature bob

Thompson's finest performance? I'm cannot say for certain, because there are so many performances of hers I've not seen, but she is exquisite. Thompson fully embodies this clearly well researched character and delivers to us a nuanced character full of fault, hypocrisy, and great intensity. Dora Carrington, it seems, never cared for people's opinion of her. She wore her hair the same way for almost 20 years (a severe bob with bangs that would later become all the rage) and riding pants or shapeless dresses (that Millie and I simply adore). She loved a man who lusted after men; she doted on him like a wife, she planned a future that would always include him, and she made a home with him. And it all inspired her to paint beautifully. I know this not from my own hours of endless research, but a committed performance. One instantly trusts that Thompson is Carrington. It is so.

Pryce is, oh dare I say it . . . Pryceless. Oh I did it! I couldn't resist . . . though in all seriousness he is method method method and it's bliss. Though Lytton Strachey and I never had the pleasure of an afternoon's tennis match, Pryce's performance is so thorough, so seemingly effortless, I have to believe he nailed it.

A photo of Carrington (far left) and Strachey (far right)

When you have an actor driven piece, design and directorial elements must be equally and seamlessly stellar, or the film, and its lead performances, will surely suffer. Period pieces have all the more places to drop the cricket ball so to speak, but quite marvelously Carrington holds together these elements so that Thompson and Pryce shine brighter than pale English skin on holiday in Corsica. Art Director Frank Walsh, Costume Designer Penny Rose, and hair and make-up guru Christine Beveridge (who worked wonders in The Informant!, Legends of the Fall, Twelve Monkeys, and on oodles of other noteworthy Hollywood coifs), execute their charges with such modest precision that one immediately grasps time and place, attentive to the heavy hitters of stage and screen.

Carrington and Strachey. Look at both of these pictures and tell me the art department didn't do its homework - bravo!

In fact, Hampton's crew did such a perfect job with quintessential Britishness that this film, quoted on its back cover as having "sexual pursuits which erupt again and again in angry passion", is actually as dry as a pack of stale crisps. Let me clarify, Carrington is not bereft of passion, love, or sex but any means, in fact its depiction of a long-term working relationship is quite rich, it's just the actual sex scenes are shot with traditional British reserve. I suppose there is one somewhat racy scene, but for this Yank, it's positively tame (good old Hollywood desensitizing, there's just no coming back from 8mm). It is a British film with British actors shot in Britain about British artists, I guess I have no basis to complain that it's awfully proper. Though I'm glad to have set the record straight, Carrington is very good film, albeit not a lusty one.

Enjoy this artwork, we certainly do.

Tidmarsh Mill

Farm at Watendlath (1921)

Bookplates for Lytton

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 8

Director: Christopher Hampton
Starring: Emma Thompson, Jonathan Pryce, Steven Waddington, Rufus Sewell, Samuel West, Alex Kingston, Jeremy Northam
Distributor: Universal Pictures France
Released: 1995

Post-Employment, what a month it's been . . .

2009-10-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Oh reader, why has it been such a long time since we've reminisced about the pictures? Well, perhaps you're reading this far in the future, or have just found us (welcome friend), but if you fall into that modest but discerning group of steadfast fans you'd know that Millie and I have been dreadfully absent. Maybe it's because of my annual Carnivale watching, or the CSI meets True Blood meets Magnum PI series Moonlight. Most likely it's because one short month ago my parents lost their stationery business of fifteen years.

After making the final decision, we closed a hectic fourteen days later and I found myself without a job, health insurance, and a certain something I had taken for granted would simply always be there. But you know what reader? Richard Burton died of alcoholism, Greta Garbo stopped making films during the height of her career, and Wes Anderson used to make original movies, so everything changes. In a matter of minutes one's whole world can irrevocably shift, and in the course of my changes have left me with a just a touch of ennui.

Despite the fact that I've been watching plenty of movies, I just couldn't muster the enthusiasm to write. Even Millie has been in mourning. But you know what? Writing to you fine folks about our picks and pans has always been such a light, so let's just jump right back in the critical saddle shall we? I have seen so many films, and many too long ago to write as inspired a post as I'd like, so I shall list and bee rate all the films we've seen since in the past few months. Get ready, away we go . . .

August 1: Away We Go (2009) dir. Sam Mendes
Starring: Maya Rudolph, John Krasinski

Quirky and heartfelt without being overly melodramatic, plus it's way funnier than any other Mendes on the market. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Allison Janney are irrisistable. Oh yes, and Dave Eggers co-wrote the screenplay. A smart, sweet treat.
Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 7

August 2: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), dir. Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner

I've seen this one more times than I care to admit, but you know what, now that I know it's not as funny I want it to be, 60% of the time it gets funnier everytime . . .
Bees to knees: 6.5

August 3: All About Eve (1950), dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Starring: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, Celeste Holm, George Sanders, Marilyn Monroe

We're huge fans of this Bette Davis classic about falling and rising stage stars and so was the Academy. Ms. Davis, Ms. Baxter, and Ms. Holm were all nominated for their performances, and the film went home with Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writer, Best Supporting Actor (Sanders), Best Costumes (bless you Edith Head!), and Best Sound. So grab your stole, a very dry martini, and buckle your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night . . .
Bees to knees: 9

August 6: Heavenly Creatures (1994), dir. Peter Jackson
Starring: Kate Winslet, Melanie Lynskey

Kate Winslet's first film? Honestly that should be reason enough, but that it's a Peter Jackson sci-fish biopic about a gruesome murder by two young girls in love, well, doesn't that just heap on the must-see-e-ness? Yes, so see it.
Bees to knees: 8

August 10: Broken English (2007), dir. Zoe R. Cassavetes
Starring: Parker Posey, Melvil Poupaud, Gena Rowlands, Drea de Matteo

John's daughter definitely has some chops. Lighter on the heart and soul than her pops' pics, but no less genuine. Worth multiple watchings and we're not just saying that because Poupaud is like filet mignon, veuve clicquot and creme brulee on legs . . .
Bees to knees: to start 7.5, but I think that may increase . . .

August 14: Arlington Road (1999), dir. Mark Pellington
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, Hope Davis

I'm not sure what's creepier, Tim Robbins' character or Joan Cusack as maybe the bad guy? It's just a suspense thriller about terrorism in the States (pre-9.11 which gives a startlingly, unanticipated twist). Intriguing, earns its fast pace, but no doubt lesser Bridges (not performance wise, film wise)
Bees to knees: 6

August 14: The Breakfast Club (1985), dir. John Hughes
Starring: Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall

Whatever you may say about this classic, Millie and I think it's arguably the best of its genre. Long live John Hughes, and you know what, with this film there is no question he will.
Bees to knees: 9

August 15: The Witches of Eastwick (1987), dir. George Miller
Starring: Cher, Michelle Pfieffer, Susan Sarandon, Jack Nicholson

This movie, based on a John Updike novel, is completely ridiculous. But oh my goodness do the leading ladies look good . . . super steamy . . .
Bees to knees: 5 (9 for gorgeous ladies though!)

August 29: Clockwatchers (1997), dir. Jill Sprecher
Starring: Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, Alanna Ubach

It's like the Office Space version of "Sex in the City" during the reign of Singles and Kurt Loder. Slow paced and dated, but in its way, a bit of a gem (especially if you're a Collette fan).
Bees to knees: 6.5

August 31: New York Stories (1989), dir. Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Woody Allen
Starring: Nick Nolte, Rosanna Arquette, Heather McComb, Woody Allen, Mia Farrow

Three shorts by three greats? The idea is better than the execution, except for Scorsese's, whose piece is nothing short of amazing.
Bees to knees: 5 (Scorsese's "Life Lessons" would get a perfect score!)

September 1: Inglourious Basterds (2009), dir. Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christopher Walz, Diane Kruger, Eli Roth

All of the films on this list, with perhaps the exception of Arlington Road and The Witches of Eastwick, this one deserves its own post. Though I'm not well versed in Tarantino, I thought it was excellent. You'd think most successful directors are cinephiles, but it's not until you watch a Tarantino film that you realize just how obsessed he is, and man, it sure is fun to watch. Some may call him a thief, but any way you slice it it's still beautiful. Yes, there is the whole eye for an eye moral argument, but you know what, seeing Hitler's face blown to bits is cathartic. CATHARTIC. Take that Nazi scum!
Bees to knees: 8

September 22: The Informant! (2009), dir. Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Matt Damon, Melanie Lynskey, Scott Bakula

Matt Damon is incredibly gifted, but unfortunately he's way better than this film, and so is Soderbergh for that matter. The theme is obvious and well maintained, I'm just not sure why the heck he chose it . . .
Bees to knees: 6 (it's only over the hump because Damon is so. darn. good.)

September 25: Bringing Up Baby (1938), dir. Howard Hawks
Starring: Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant

Love it. Love it so much.
Bees to knees: 8

September 26: The Last Days of Disco (1998), dir. Whit Stillman
Starring: Chloe Sevigny, Kate Beckinsale, Chris Eigeman, Matt Keeslar

I had rented this film on a complete whim with the intention of finally being own over to Sevigny. The result: I was. And I got Stillman in the process! Extremely intelligent and ripe with symbolism this is one smarty pants pic not to be missed.
Bees to knees: 8.5

September 29: The Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), dir. Wes Craven
Starring: Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss

So if I have sex a partially dead pervert will invade my dreams and slice me to death? Still, sex with babyfaced Johnny Depp just might be worth it . . . seriously though, what can I say, this film is special. Whatever that means. (Millie and I don't like horror movies, did we mention that?)
Bees to knees: 5

October 4: Stardust (2007), dir. Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert de Niro, Sienna Miller

Pitter patter my heart flutters for this film! I have seen it so many times, but each time fall so madly in love as though it were my first. Sigh . . .
Bees to knees: 9

And there it is reader, I have been busy watching, just too sad to write I guess. I promise to amend it, after all, since Millie and I are looking for jobs we have little else to keep us creatively occupied.

It feels good to be back.

New York Stories: Rank n' File Cinephile

2009-09-03T21:01:00.000-07:00

The 1989 collection of shorts about dreary old Manhattan directed by three greats. Here's what Millie and I think, how would you rate them?

1.) Life Lessons, dir. Martin Scorsese (obvious winner)

2.) Oedipus Wrecks, dir. Woody Allen (the soft spot)

3.) Life Without Zoe, dir. Francis Ford Coppola (the so-much-Sofia-insight caboose)

The Panic in Needle Park (1971)

2009-08-06T19:51:00.000-07:00

The other day I had a brilliant idea. I mean, go ahead and take your source on that one, but it was pretty darn bright . . . a friend and I went to Waterfront Video (our locally owned, richly stocked video store) and instead of roaming the isles with consistent "ooooh, I just saw that not too long ago" or "um, that seems a little heavy for tonight", I suggested that we each go in, not say one word to each another, pick a movie and head to the car. Only after we've arrived safely at home do we share.

Perhaps retrospect encourages me to admit the plan was brilliant; because of it I saw a movie so far off my radar I question if it would ever have blipped: Jerry Schatzberg's 1971 heroin film The Panic in Needle Park.

The basics: Bobby (a young and fearless Al Pacino) falls for the angelic, mild mannered Helen (Kitty Winn). Soon the two are inseparable, but Bobby's persistent heroin use puzzles Helen and (obviously) makes it difficult for them to communicate. Her solution? Try heroin too. What follows is a wayward spiral of disturbingly common proportions, but nonetheless dismal, as their pleasant, peaceful life becomes one of inescapable drug use, prostitution, and jail.

Helen (Winn) and Bobby (Pacino)

The Panic in Needle Park is an exceptional film, in as pure a definition as possible. It's captivating, unrelenting, and refreshingly rare.

The film has absolutely no music in it whatsoever. Sound, in abundance yes, but music, not a speck. Bold choice, especially when you consider that most drug films pride themselves on sexy soundtracks by artists as strung out as the characters. Certainly this works for Christianne F. and Trainspotting, even Dazed and Confused would have a gaping hole without its timely tunes, but then again, Panic doesn't attempt to be enticing in the way these films aspire to.

Instead, it uses one of the world's greatest cities for background noise, so much so that it's tricky to distinguish actors and extras from regular folk going about their lives. Sirens blaring, sidewalks bustling, drunks on stoops mumbling about the Apocalypse, anything that could audibly define New York in the early '70's is the only soundtrack Schatzberg requires. And to steal a spot on phrase from across the pond, it's a bloody brilliant choice.

Bobby and Helen: the good times

This lack of seductive music enables Panic to stray from its classmates into a whole new campus altogether. If it's not alone in this school please tell me, you know, fictional films that skip over the glamorizing of the drug to the indescribably miserable part. There is never a moment in Panic when shooting heroin is cool. Ever.

However, in the beginning it's not as though it's uncool either. It simply is. And it's not sexy in the slightest. Gritty, faceless, and bleak, like the city itself, heroin is just another mark on the scene and this is just another love story. The only way in which this film reminds me of others in the genre is that universal chord they all seem to strike: drug addicts are really unhappy folks.

I realize that sounded glib, and I really shouldn't be, because The Panic in Needle Park is as sobering as it is depressing, and not because the lives of these two characters are completely destroyed, but because they aren't. They are just incapable of change. No matter how much time passes, how many seasons ebb and flow unnoticed, there is nothing outside of getting the next fix, johns, shakes, withdrawal, well, you get the picture.

Helen's transformation is shocking, from cardigans and showering to leather and whoring.

Pacino and Winn are phenominal: subtle, meticulous, and thoroughly convincing. Watching Pacino is a thrill because he was still tuning his craft and working to impress an audience. He hadn't made it big enough to simply mail it in they way he has done so many films since (my apologies Mister Pacino, you are an incredible actor, but there are brief moments in this film that are more genuine than each and every reel ever produced of Gigli). Also the make-up artists excel, taking Winn from a woman with life and vitality (imagine the cover of a Judy Collins record) and turning her into, well, Keith Richards.

If you consider yourself a filmie there is no excuse great enough for avoiding this film. Panic's impressive assests will not be lost on you. Or time for that matter. The Panic in Needle Park is one of those rare gems that remind me how truly great film for film's sake can be. And that heroin sucks.

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah): 9

Director: Jerry Schatzberg
Starring: Al Pacino, Kitty Winn
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Released: 1971

The Children's Hour (1961)

2009-07-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

For years, anytime I admitted my love for the inimitable Audrey Hepburn, folks would say "well Jenn, have you seen that movie . . . the one with Shirley MacLaine . . . you know, where they play lovers?" Audrey Hepburn! You don't say . . . amused as I was to hear my own little funny face starred in such a controversial film, I'm sure it pales in comparison to what most 1961 audiences felt when they first saw William Wyler's film The Children's Hour.

The basics: Best friends since college, Karen (Hepburn) and Martha (MacLaine) decide to open an up-and-coming school for girls. One student in particular proves especially difficult to reprove, and when she's punished harshly, little Mary tells her grandmother that the two headmistresses are lovers. What follows is a tragic descent marked by defamation, deceit, desire, with irreparable consequences. Based on Lillian Helman's 1934 play of the same name, The Children's Hour became one of Hollywood's more noteable gay themed mainstream films.

MacLaine and Hepburn

Dear reader, shall we discuss the difference between a great film and an important one? I suppose from my tone there you can see where I'm headed, and I know you're hyper intelligent anway, so it probably needn't be covered. Suffice to say, The Children's Hour is an important film, though I must admit, in this gal's very humble opinion, not a great one.

It does mark one of the first times a Hollywood darling portrayed a character accused of lesbianism (though apparently Hepburn and MacLaine never talked about the relationship between in the two characters in those terms). Also, Hellman's play, based on the true story of two Scottish teachers whose lives were ruined by the aforementioned accusation, was only allowed to play on Broadway because the reviews were so positive and it seemed like a money maker. At the time it was actually illegal to even mention homosexuality on the New York stage, can you believe it?

A similar issue arose when Samuel Goldwyn bought the rights. The Hays Code, which Hollywood adopted from 1930-1968, specifically restricted "references to alleged sex perversion (such as homosexuality)." Since the film took so long to produce after the initial right were purchased, being released just seven years before the code was abandoned for good, screenwriter John Michael Hayes returned to Hillmen's orginal intentions after they were removed to suit less open-minded audiences.

A more open-minded audience, my goodness how liberally I use that phrase. What these women are put through because of an alleged accusation to homosexuality is positively nauseating. You think "girls' schools" and knee length tweed skirts are out of style? Try losing your job as a prominent doctor because your fiance was accused of being a lesbian. Within minutes of Mary slandering her teachers, girls are pulled from the school in frantic hoards, with parents refusing even to speak to the "abominations" they hold responsible. To be honest, it's frightening. I mean, a mere fifty years ago it was popular to think homosexuals were deviants, perverts, and rapists. At the very least, The Children's Hour is a relic reminding contemporary audiences, especially those that have never known otherwise, that freedom of sexual expression is a relatively new social development.

Why am I resisting the urge to say this film isn't great? I mean, Hepburn's performance is breathtaking, although she has never once failed to take my breath away. She is delicate in features but strong in conviction, never demanding that your gaze never wander when she's on screen, but without pressure or pretense, earning it. She is without question the heart of this film, the one honest character, and it couldn't have been cast with more perfection. For her part, Shirley MacLaine is excellent. Martha is easily the more controversial role and MacLaine rises to the challenge quite well. I imagine it's not easy to play against the stunning, demure Hepburn, especially as a character less liked by those around her, prickly and misunderstood, but MacLaine is convincing and highly engaging. She took the greatest risk in this film and her career has been rewarded for it (like the fact that she took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress that year).

MacLaine and Hepburn

Again I ask, why then is this not a great film? We're talking William Wyler here! William "Roman Holiday, Mrs. Miniver, Wuthering Heights, Ben Hur" Wyler. Although the framing is delicious (you just don't see such deliberate framing these days), unfortunately The Children's Hour falls prey to campy, dated techniques making it less accessible to modern audiences. The bulky orchestration cued up before any dramatic moment is overused and completely unnecessary (the actors are doing their job, we get it). Plus there is only so far this film is willing to go. In some ways, it's as afraid of the subject matter as the audience is, and you really can't blame it I suppose, for being so mainstream and needing to attract ticker buyers rather than alienate them. The heterosexual relationship between Karen and her fiance (James Garner) is so heavily and concretely established. Although Wyler does an excellent job having us question both women's intentions, we can always trust that good old Karen adheres to god-fearing Christian values.

Regardless, there are some incredibly compelling scenes. In one, the grocer walks into their home just after news has hit papers. He stalks through the house, like a deliberate cat charming his prey, staring at Karen and Martha as if they are unicorns in a zoo, no, not so mythical and revered as unicorns, though the same marvel is there. The intention is more that they are filthy swine in a pen. The moment is eerily meditative, even to think on it now makes me sick.

William Wyler and Lillian Hellman

Ultimately, in the end, though its impact on gay cinema is indisputable, The Children's Hour is not terribly liberating. Yes, it brought to a mass audience something previously whispered in dark secret (in fact, the film was released in Britain as "The Loudest Whisper"), but it does so with apprehension and fear. Though, despite its dated shortcomings, The Children's Hour did make certain waves that have since caused much needed storms, and for this we can all be grateful.

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bee = hoo-rah!): 7

Director: William Wyler
Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, Fay Bainter
Distributor: United Artists
Released: 1961

Who Knew? - The Comedians (1967)

2009-07-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

What an exciting post today! Not only is it the first in long time about a film released decades ago, but it's also the first ever to feature our brand new segment: Who Knew? Who Knew? will cover two types of films, the obvious and the obscure that share two things in common: they're highly remarkable and I'd never seen them. To get us started in true Who Knew? fashion we turn to Peter Glenville's 1967 historical drama The Comedians. Three cheers for the new installment! (you may do this inaudibly if you like, though I most certainly exclaimed for both kitties to hear)

The basics: Based on Graham Greene's novel (and filmed from his subsequent screenplay) The Comedians is set in a deteriorating Haiti, teeming with fear, suspicion, and death under the despotic control of "Papa Doc" Duvalier. The film follows the trials of disillusioned hotel owner Brown (Richard Burton). Disgusted by the hatred and ruin spreading through Haiti, indifferent to the powers behind it, and dangerously proud, Brown waffles between his desire to rebel, resolve to cower, and instinct to flee. Caught between a shifty British officer (Alec Guinness), Papa Doc's secret police, and his love for a European Ambassador's wife (Elizabeth Taylor), Brown must decide which role he's meant to play in such an irrational and unstable scene. The Comedians also stars Peter Ustinov, James Earl Jones (who's so young he looks like Laurence Fishburne), and silent film superstar Lillian Gish.

Some of the worst films are based upon amazing books, on this we can all agree, but on rare occasion there comes along a film of equal if not better quality to its source material, particularly when the screenplay is written by the author (Kubrick's Lolita comes to mind immediately, in which Vladamir Nabokov wrote the screenplay). Not only are well developed characters readily available, but these novelists turned screenwriters are, to be frank, damn good writers, so we're not just talking excellent twists or clever storylines, but complex scripts that produce films of exceedingly high visual and literary quality. The Comedians is just such a film.

The subject matter is quite simple really: what are the roles we play and what is the point of playing them? Love, laughter, violence, passion, agony are hard to distinguish though they live mere moments apart. Each character is tortured by this unbalance: "It's a horrifying world [and each of us] is just playing a part." These fine lines we walk between love and hate, comedy and tragedy, patriotism and self preservation are placed under the microscope, with nearly 3 hours of sex, religion, politics, and philosophy to drive them home.

Burton and Taylor. Wow.

The scenes between Brown and Martha (Taylor) exemplify this divide between heat/passion and destruction/death, with Taylor's character being the more keenly aware. In one scene Martha comments that she and Brown are "lying side by side like two bodies in a morgue." In another she speaks perhaps my favorite line of the film when she tells Brown "you fling yourself at me like a suicide onto the pavement." Isn't that exquisite? There is no separating love from pain, passion from disgust, vitality from impotence. We are as much one as the other, it's merely which mask we choose to parade publicly in that dictates our action.

From the title sequence this objectivity, this relativism, is implanted. To the haunting beats of some fairly intense drumming, hazy pictures float in the background until, after practically the entire crew have been named, the camera focuses and we learn the fuzzy black spots are limp, lifeless bodies with giant red "x's" run through their image. The result is an unrelenting tension that almost never fades.

The Comedians touches upon the most debated of issues: life, what is the point? In fact, Brown sums it up beautifully when he says "I have no faith in faith" but what we can all agree on is that debating the relative importance of life and death is a fantastic exercise. I should be clear that while the story toys with allegory and existentialism, it is in no way biting off more than it can chew. Though I have here praised it's complexity, this film is patient, careful, and clever, like Apocalypse Now or Rashomon, skillfully and without aires exploring these century old mysteries.

I think we should bring back the shadow box, don't you? craft project!

And if the intellectual angle isn't hooking you, The Comedians is, at the very, very least, worth seeing for its celebrated cast. Burton is sublime. I must admit, I've never actually seen a film of his, and this one blew my doors right off, he has major chops! [Since the writing of this entry I have seen more Burton films] Then there's Peter Ustinov (who played Hercule Poirot in quite a few Agatha Christie films and I happen to be quite a fan of those indeed), delivering a precise, inspired performance as the cuckholded Ambassador. James Earl Jones, awesome. Lillian Gish? That was a delightful surprise! She stole my heart last year when I watched Orphans of the Storm, and to see a screen legend, aged, in techncolor, and speaking, is an unbelievable treat. And then of course she's sharing the screen with quite possibly the most iconic actress of the past century, Elizabeth Taylor. Though her German accent is perhaps too heavily influenced by French (the primary language of Haiti), she is always, always a treat to watch. And then of course Alec Guinness. If you haven't seen the previous post just scroll on down to see why this casting choice gets my goat . . .

The Comedians is one of those rare cinematic treats that feel timeless and mummified simultaneously, impossible to detach from its time and place but unflinchingly relevant. "Thought provoking" only scratches the surface, but I will say this, if you're looking for catharsis this may not be the picture for you (The Poetics be damned), but if you fancy a story of labyrinthine proportion than I highly recommend you don your scholar cap, rent this film, then promptly comment on this post. Don't forget to check out the wonderful book covers I found, just below this handy information . . .

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah): 9

Director: Peter Glenville
Starring: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Alec Guinness, Lillian Gish, James Earl Jones
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Released: 1967

Fanboys (2008)

2009-06-29T20:09:00.000-07:00

First off readers (and I really don't know how many more of these I get) I apologize for the lapse in posts. I'm not sure what is going on lately, but I'm fairly certain it has to do with sunshine, going outside layer-less, and a renewed affinity for tennis doubles.

Second, what you may or may not know is that Millie and I are nerds. Perhaps some shake a stick, claiming we aren't really nerds, but I assure you, as a Stargate watching, Harry Potter reading, Battlestar Galactica enthusiast, I most certainly have a tried and true nerdy streak. However, the core of my nerdiness rests with a little trilogy you may have heard of called Star Wars (John Williams, you're on).

Still need some proof? Ok.

In high school my AIM name was Obijen (my other AIM account was Trillianjj, do we have any Hitchhiker fans out there?).
My friends took this one step further and renamed me Obijen Kenerdbi.
One entire wall of my fluorescent yellow bedroom was covered entirely in Star Wars pictures and paraphernalia (helped in part, of course, by tearing off expired pages from my Star Wars day planner).
I skipped school and waited 13 hours in line to get tickets for Episode One.
Depending on the time of day you're reading this, there is a 33.3% chance I'm tucked comfortably under the old Star Wars blanket I sleep with every night.

I'm not ashamed, these things are true, and I'm darn proud of them. Proud to say that I support the Rebel Alliance, that I've scored higher on Super Nintendo's version of A New Hope than any other video game I've ever played (ok, besides Super Tetris, I am a master of Super Tetris), and that I have not one, but two copies of the original Star Wars soundtrack on vinyl.

These are just a few of the reasons why Kyle Newman's Fanboys merits a post.

Marquette, Fogler, and Huntington at 'Java the Hutt"

The basics: It's 1998, six months before Episode One: The Phantom Menace is due to hit theatres. Four best friends from Ohio decide to drive across the country, break into Skywalker Ranch, steal a copy of the film, and see it before anyone else. Oh yea, and did I mention that one of them has terminal cancer? It's a road trip movie with a super-Warsy twist with a bit of dramah thrown in to push the plot along.

yea . . . why don't you take a look at the upper left hand corner . . .

From the onset, I was intrigued. Not only because Fanboys opens with classic Star Warsian title scrolling, but when the camera moves down to sweet little O-Hi-O it's to the unforgettable tune of Chumbawumba's "Tub Thumping." Oh 1998 . . . then we meet our nerds: Eric (Sam Huntington), Linus (Chris Marquette), Hutch (scene nabbing Dan Fogler), and Windows (Undeclared's true blue nerd Jay Baruchel), dressed as stormtroopers and declaring "Halloween just got awesome bitches."

Okay, so the tunes are timely and the costumes enticing, but between Jar Jar Binks, a gross lack of puppets and suped up trash cans, and a little scene sucker named Hayden Christensen, Star Wars fans have learned to be a skeptical bunch, so it wasn't until the following bit o' dialogue that Obijen was as wrapped up as that AT-AT Walker's legs during the schweet battle on Hoth:

Windows: "You guys have to stop perpetuating the myth that Boba Fett is awesome. He has a jet pack. Oooohhh. So did The Rocketeer. Real cool . . . all I'm saying is when it comes time for battle he's like Michael Bay - all style, no substance."

Fogler's shenanies are for the fans, all the way.

From that point on it's one righteous reference after another: Eric's older jerky brother calling the guys C3-Penis face and R2 dickhead, Windows exclaiming"what in Greedo's name?" when they come across a dive bar that Linus later calls "a wretched hive of scum and villainy", playing "Chewie" instead of shotgun, calling the masterbating Windows 'Admiral Jackbar', I mean the list goes on and on. Keep in mind too this is a movie made by geeks for geeks, so we're not only talking Star Wars references, but Terminator, Zelda, Stargate SG-1, Mario Kart, Jeri Ryan, Menudo, The Presidents of the United States of America, Top Gun, Big League Chew. Again, the list goes on and on.

Rogen leads a team of "Trekkers"

Like any good comedy we have our bevy of cameos as well and Fanboys doesn't disappoint, like Billy Dee Williams and Carrie Fisher to start! Then there's Seth Rogen (in two roles, one being some of the most inspired work I've seen since Undeclared), Danny McBride, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, William Shatner, Joe Lo Truglio, and even Ray Park (Darth Maul).

The trash area at Skywalker Ranch . . . could it be?!?

There is one scene where I literally bantha foddered in my pants. Incredibly, but predictably of course, our heroes have broken into Skywalker Ranch. Somehow they come upon the Archive Room. Reader: it's heaven, pure and simple. I think one character even says "this is where I want my ashes scattered." Literally, Wars fan heaven. We're talking original Vader, R2D2, C3PO, Han's costume with the blaster attached, a thermal detonator, even Indi's hat and Willow's book of spells. I have to admit, as silly as this may sound, a palpable hush came over me, and I thought "wow, even though this is fiction, I'm in awe."

Opening night! Kristen Bell in that Leia costume, shocking . . .

Is this a great film? Of course not. There's a bit too much sentimentality at the end, it's obvious Kristen Bell is a truer blond than nerd, and upon watching it a second time I can positively state it doesn't have the perpetual rewatching capabilities of a Wet Hot American Summer. But it's certainly a funny flick, and if you're a Star Wars fan, well, it's probably the only film that encapsulates that precious time before Episode One dashed our hopes and dreams. Fanboys takes us on the geektastic journey we all dreamed of, giving us the schweest van imaginable (complete with a Chewie sounding horn, custom detail job, and light speed . . . ), and encourages the Rogue Leader within to cheer out loud, homemade saber in hand.

I remember the magic. Cinema 9 baby!

No matter the decade you were born, whether you saw the originals in theatres or on vhs (all three in a row my first time), there was an indescribable, unrivaled excitement. I mean, this was epic. The clone wars? Darth as Anakin? Yoda as a young(er) Jedi? All finally revealed! This frenzied energy was unlike anything I'd ever felt for a movie opening and it wasn't really until those lights went down and that music came up that I thought the last line of the movie: "what if it sucks?"

Shame on you George Lucas but bless you Fanboys for reminding us why we could be so disappointed to begin with.

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): Millie: 6.75, Obijen: 9.5

Director: Kyle Newman
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Sam Huntington, Chris Marquette, Dan Fogler, Kristen Bell
Distributor: The Weinstein Company
Released: 2008

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

2009-06-21T20:25:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that until recently I had never seen Steven Spielberg's seminal sci-fi pic Close Encounters of the Third Kind? Perhaps Millie and I had been distracted all these years by another famous space flick that also came out in 1977 . . . Well reader, it's quite impressive, and if I may say, for a science fiction film made over thirty years ago, visually stands the test of time. There is one scene in particular that remains in a class all it's own. I've never seen anything made before or since to compare.

Now, one reason for watching Close Encounters, other than it being canonical in a genre I adore more and more each day, was to continue the heated debate raging about Spielberg's alleged assassination of Hollywood cinema. The debate, if you haven't been involved, began with our discussion of Jaws (here's a refresher). In it, some pretty hefty accusations were thrown at the director, the gist being that his outrageous blockbusters have exploited everything from great whites to WWII to the Holocaust and that nothing he made was every really worth a damn. Readers, especially those who have seen Close Encounters, can you really agree that Spielberg has added nothing to American cinema? Honestly?

I mean look at that sweet hat, he can't be all bad . . .

Close Encounters, written and directed by Spielberg, tells the story of a small town in Indiana that's suddenly turned into a hub for UFO's. Two folks in particular, Roy (Richard Dreyfuss, who's awesome, per usual) and Jillian (Melinda Dillon), are severely affected by the sightings and begin to hallucinate a particular image, the same image, as their lives deteriorate around them. Called to the place they imagine, as an invitation from the aliens themselves, Roy and Jillian are lead high atop a mountain for a close encounter indeed . . .

Okay, rereading that plot makes it sound a little cheesy, but here's where Spielberg's art - and yes, I'm gonna go ahead and classify him as an artist (whether he always hits his mark or no this remains true) - takes over. What could have been an otherwise run-of-the-mill alien story is originally recounted, subtly built, and tenderly filmed. By today's standards it's almost slow - the careful pacing creates an almost orgasmic build, slowly, deliberately, leading to this, as a friend watching put it, "bombastic" finish of symphonic proportion.

Plus Francois Truffaut is in it.

Nerds rejoice "this is awesome."

What makes this film truly stand out is the expert sound. Not only the quiet creaking of the ceiling lamp or careful steps of a three year old discovering intruders, but the unforgettable call sign of the aliens themselves and the righteous electronic tunes throughout. If I closed my eyes during certain scenes it was almost like attending a noise show! Human/alien communication is through music? Sweet, sweet music? I couldn't help but think of James Cameron's The Abyss, a film I simply love. Not that I feel one is a copy of the other, but rather how they compliment each other with this highly attractive concept of the intelligent, peaceful, well intentioned extra terrestrial.

And this brings us to my favorite scene. When the ship finally arrives, a keyboard player (center, above), operating the biggest synth I've ever seen, begins the tune the aliens originally used to signal the landing site. They respond. The keyboard player responds. The aliens begin to add notes, changing tone, and again the humans respond. With each note comes a corresponding colorful flash of light, like the biggest light bright you've ever seen connected to the sweetest keyboard 10-year-old-you could ever have envisioned. The result is an intoxicating, resounding symphony of noise and light wrapped up in the supernatural. It's like watching an unforgettable nerd concert, with every character in the film watching it with you, completely transfixed, completely enthralled.

Really though, did we need a line-up?

My one qualm with the film, and I hear this is perhaps to the director's distaste as well, is the physical representation of the aliens themselves. It is totally unnecessary and unfortunately becomes the one element, other than the sweet bellbottoms and feathered hair of course, that dates the film.

Okay, so readers, what say you of Spielberg now? I mean, this film is highly regarded as darn good for its genre. I mean, M. Night Shyamalan practically ripped the entire thing off for that monstrosity of a film Signs. Close Encounters is a good film, and not just a good Hollywood summer blockbuster of a sci fi pic, but a thoughtful, interesting, highly rewatchable film. It's not fluff. And just for the record, neither is Munich!

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 8

Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Francois Truffaut, Bob Balaban
Released: 1977
Distributor: Columbia Pictures

The Hangover (2009)

2009-06-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

Zach Galifianakis, a baby, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms

Well I suppose I've already reneged on a promise made that Millie at the Pictures would return to its art haus roots and start writing about anything less mainstream than we have been - you know, Twilight, Role Models, I Love You, Man. Alas, I set out tonight for some enjoyable Hollywood fare and ended up at Todd "Old School" Phillips' new comedy The Hangover . . .

If it means anything, I did watch 3/4 of Some Like It Hot, loving every minute, until my Netflix dvd completely stopped working with 30 minutes to go! I could have been posting about serious issues relating to gender identification and misogyny embedded in Wilder's screwball drag comedy, and the voluptuousness of a size 14 Marilyn Monroe (sex symbols can have hips and backsides ladies!), but instead I'm here chatting with you about the illustrious Vegas bachelor party comedy. At least there weren't any fart jokes.

quite the hangover indeed . . .

Wow, now that I say it I can't believe there weren't any fart jokes . . .

Cooper, Galifianakis, and Helms in a patch o' trouble

The basics: Doug (Justin Bartha) is getting married in two days, right after he and best buds Stu (The Daily Show's Ed Helms) and Phil (the yummy and talented Bradley Cooper) head for one wild and crazy night in Sin City. Oh yes, and his fiance's socially awkward, self titled "lone wolf" brother (scene stealer Zach Galifianakis) is also along for the ride. The lights go down, the first round of shots are thrown back, and before we know if the entire thing is over and they wake up with no knowledge of what happened the night before. Oh, and Doug is missing. In the search to determine exactly what happened the night before, and retrieve the missing groom hours before his wedding, shenanigans most certainly ensue . . .

Helms with just one of the random animals in this film

I went to see The Hangover on a total whim. Okay, you got me . . . you . . . that's only partially true. I had been jonzing for a big theater experience, and The Hangover had been on the back burner, but it wasn't until seeing an ad where Peter Travers called it the "surprise comedy of the summer" and said I should "see it before all my friends do because they won't stop talking about it" that I jumped. Travers and I are usually in sinc - I often respect his yays and nays - plus it's rated R and I find that no decent comedy these days is rated anything less.

Major scene stealer, not the baby, the bearded guy.

Here's your review: it's pretty funny. I mean, honestly, what else do you want to know about a laugh-out-loud comedy? Nuance? It's very well cast, so there's plenty. Political message? No, not really. Excellent score? Well yes actually, Randall Poster (Rushmore, The Squid and The Whale, Jarhead, The Savages to name a mere few) is the music supervisor, so you're in for a real treat there.

Here's what Millie and I feel you should know: stun gun, wolf pack, cameos (Jeffrey Tambor, Mike Tyson, Todd Phillips, Wayne Newton, Carrot Top), infant masturbation, "rapeies". If that doesn't wet your whistle then I suggest you head over to the bookshelf, pick up a dictionary, and look up the word "funny."

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah): 7.5
Director: Todd Phillips Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Ken Jeong Released: 2009 Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Twilight (2008)

2009-06-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson

Yes reader, you read the title correctly, I watched Twilight. In true Millie fashion, I've been aloof to this now waning tween craze until finally, by chance, I happened upon last summer's blockbuster that had nearly every 12 year old in the country wetting her low-rise stretch jeans. Actually reader, I love this. Well, not the sexual references to 12 year olds. I love reading or watching something that's frenzy has expired. I feel it allows me a truer, if not fuller, experience. My motto: see it opening night or hunker down and playing the waiting game. And now that I've convinced you I enjoy films most when I'm far from people's opinions of them, how's about you read this review?

The basics: Based on Stephenie Meyer's novels - best selling is an egregious understatement, - Twilight follows Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), a 16 year old who's recently moved from Phoenix to Fork, Washington. Although she's expecting little from the teeny, rainy town, Bella is soon thrown for a major love loop when she meets the pale, mysterious, almost fictionally handsome Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). He never eats, skips school when it's sunny, and is cold to the touch . . . oh dear, could she have fallen hopelessly in love with . . . a vampire?!

Well, well, well reader, so what do we make of Twilight? Is it worth the incredible buzz it stirred up, the gazillions it continues to make, and the overwhelming fanfare? Sure.. Why not?

First off, I have to admit that I have not read the book. Okay Twilight fans - I have not read the book - so I cannot speak to what's missing, Kristen Stewart's being miscast, or the fact that scaling a tree is a lot less humorous in prose. That major fact aside, yea, it's a pretty entertaining film with really hot leads that is thoughtfully directed.

Speaking of direction, I fully endorse Catherine Hardwicke, despite the fact that many fans felt she took wind out of the book's sails and was perhaps not seasoned enough a choice. To them I say, stick some garlic in it! The Thirteen alum is obviously dealing with a completely different beast here: the Harry Potter of vampire books instead of a shockingly raw indi pic. Does it work? For the most part, it sure as stake does. Although, you are talking to a couple of gals who so easily tire with the typical Hollywood output. Gals who are thrilled with something so simple as an extra crossing in front of the camera, covering our main star for even a brief second. There is something nontraditionally presentational about Hardwicke's "Hollywood" style and I firmly believe this adds some much needed street cred (by which I mean cinematic cred) to the movie. Her shot composition is literary, and by typical mainstream standards, almost complex. There's an eerie and (somewhat shrouded) gritty quality to this film - it's obviously nuanced - and for me, for Hollywood, I cannot complain.

Sure, there are some technical elements that come off as silly (the "speed running" up a mountain and aforementioned tree scaling look a bit foolish), and yes, this does distract from the overall success of the film. It gets knocked it down a few pegs, though remains on the top rungs of the really-not-so-bad ladder.

"Like two sparrows in a hurricane . . ."

And the kids, you ask? Well, here's the ratio. For all of the film Pattinson is prettier. For most of the film Stewart's a better actor. They are both highly watchable, though I was left wanting a certain, hmmmm, maturity maybe? Perhaps their performances are ideal, for after all they are teenagers, but I'm almost speaking to their abilities as actors as much as anything else. Maybe they'll wow me in the upcoming The Twilight Saga: New Moon, but the trailer made them appear even a bit stagier than before! About a Boy and Golden Compass director Chris Weitz has large expectations to fill for sure . . . and maybe we can see some fangs this time?

Before I leave you to the meter, there is one thing that must be said. This film, and the story that inspired it I imagine, is a romantic's wet dream, especially if said romantic can easily recall those awkward days of high school where fantasy and day dreaming reigned supreme. There is an undeniable chemistry between Stewart and Pattinson that makes the naive-turned-super-intense-love between these two teenagers root-for-able. We all know I'm a sucker for a good love story (pun most certainly intended) but there is something all the more enticing about the teenage version. Something that reminds me of a place where nothing like the movies ever happened, but there existed a genuine belief that it might. A wide-eyed hope that fades pretty much as soon as that cap and gown are donned for the first and last time (or the first time you get in a B+ in college, ugh).

So, to recap, it's not Murnau by any stretch of the imagination, but it's arguably something to shake a stake at. Oh puns!

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bee = hoo-rah!): 6.5

Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli
Distributor: Summit Distribution
Released: 2008

Open Forum: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

2009-05-27T15:43:00.000-07:00

Jack Nicholson as R.P. McMurphy

Unlike me until recently, I'm sure you've seen this top-notcher! Why don't you tell us what you think about Captain Jack and his colorful crew?

I'm Sorry, it's the Vampires . . .

2009-05-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

Hello readers! I know, it has been a dog's age since I've posted and Millie and I are simply torn up about it. Our social calendars have been full as a church on Sunday and time spent blogging has been for work, not pleasure.

And then there's the vampires.

You see, I have become completely enamored with HBO's True Blood, a vampire series based on Charlaine Harris' books, starring Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, and a bunch of other ridiculously talented people. If you must know, I'm actually in love with Bill Compton (Moyer), a vampire turned in 1865 just after the Civil War, a true Southern gentleman, and one heck of a dreamboat!

I promise Millie and I will take up post again . . . once I've been bitten I'll have all the time in the world . . .

Before Sunrise (1995)

2009-05-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) moments before they part

Just the other day I was thinking 'Jenn, is there a movie so excruciatingly beautiful that it leaves you feeling both shattered and whole?' Alright you have me reader, I suppose that opening merits some context. I've been listening to so much Joanna Newsom lately - so much delicate, heartbreaking harp -that the hankering to watch a film of the same ilk has been ever so strong. So, what do you think reader? Is there a film that sears into your heart, perhaps to melt or maybe to scorch? To be quite honest, I had a really difficult time thinking of one . . .

The irreplaceable Joanna Newsom

(link)Later, while applying library cards to those dvds still lacking them (my collection now finally reorganized, I shall leave you in suspense as to how), I came across Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise. I had only seen it once, but enjoyed it enough to add it to a particularly particular collection. I remembered a very simple reaction (and I hope you don't balk at what might sound naive): it was chockful of truth and beauty. Oh! And I remembered that it was one of the most romantic films I've ever seen. I wondered 'is this perhaps the beautiful film I've been looking for? Could Linklater compare with "Sawdust & Diamonds" and "This Side of the Blue?"' (two I recommend listening to while reading)

The answer? Oh yes reader, most certainly, though Before Sunrise is more like a harp/cello duet, dreamy and indulgent, with a chord of unmistakable piercing, discomforting truth.

On a train to Vienna, Parisian Celine (the gorg Julie Delpy) and American Jesse (greasy-and-delicious-as-the-best-fries-you've-ever-had Ethan Hawke) find themselves across from one another and begin an easy, captivating conversation. Though she's heading to Paris, Jesse suggests that Celine get off in Vienna, spend the entire night walking around the city with him, and get back on her train in the morning. On one of those spontaneous whims you entertain only while traveling, when "you have ideas you wouldn't normally have"She agrees, they do, and the most wonderful shenanigans ensue . . .

Let me be frank with you reader. Before Sunrise washed over me so entirely because it hits startlingly close to home. Its two main characters grapple with the same life and love queries I've been debating since puberty (well, knowing me, I probably brought them up in the womb with my twin sister Jane). In fact, my astrological chart says I am ruled by air . . . constantly in the sky . . . in my thoughts . . . in another world . . . and here is a story of two people living as though in a dream, talking endlessly about fundamental wants and needs, knowing full well how temporal their situation is, while doing all they can to betray time's inevitable, perpetual curtain. Or as Newsom eloquently sings: "though our bones they may break and our souls separate/why the long face?/and though our bodies recoil from the grip of the soil/why the long face?"

Seamlessly, Before Sunrise articulates my every hope and fear about the big L and in doing so holds fast and tight onto my little Jenny heart. Like Celine and Jesse, I'm fascinated by the idea that everything is fleeting and yet we have a sincere desire to connect, to hold on, to plant our feet and deny these statutes of time to which we invariably, without choice, concede. Jesse quips "people have these romantic projections that aren't really based in reality" and later Celine wonders "isn't everything we do in life a way to be loved a little more?" Oh it can be so painful, the desire to be loved so completely, so unconditionally, and the fear that time will inevitably wear that love away.

Celine and Jesse in an nervous, awkward moment as they get off the train

The film succeeds in avoiding the maudlin and obvious because of Linklayer (yea, I said it), who expertly uses Vienna and it's own cast of characters to create a world in which the story is both primary and backdrop. Our characters' tale is one of an infinitesimal number, a mere speck on Vienna's storied canvas, and yet also indisputably singular. This paradigm is one of many in Before Sunrise: male/female, lust/love, philosophical/rational, awkward/natural - always the two sides to each coin.

Locations, people, and conversations drift by, one leading organically to the next, imbued with positive and negative. In the morning, when they part, in the quickest flash it's all over. In one swift moment that which seemed so real, so true, is mere memory. It's as though we've imagined the entire thing (only unlike the characters, and unlike life, we have the bizarre ability to rewind and relive). Though in truth, aren't all moments like this? Aren't they constantly ready to expire? No matter how honest, how real, or how true they feel to us in their time, moments never last.

And so I must ask, why do we ever get off the train? What is the point of starting anything, giving yourself to anything, if it's nothing but history waiting to happen? Jesse and Celine move on to their separate lives and I wonder: would it ever have worked anyway? Does it make their experience any less beautiful if the answer is no? Does the answer always have to be no?

Then I remembered that I am an eternal optimist! Although I know everything ends, I have no idea when that end will come, and I intend to enjoy as much as I possibly can until that which I have no control over occurs. Is it not better to feel the giddy and the gloomy rather than sit comfortably in a dining car watching it all speed terribly fast out of site? As it stands, these moments in which we "truly live" or "feel fully" are gone as quickly as those in which we sit passively back. If everything is going to end, and of course it will, I see no reason not to invest in life and love, no matter how long or short lived. Or as Joanna signs so eloquently:

"And the rest of our lives will the moments accrue
When the shape of their goneness will flare up anew
Then we do what we have to do(-re-loo-re-loo)
Which is all that you can do on this side of the blue"

For Millie and me, Before Sunrise enforces this skeptical optimism. It leaves my heart encouraged, enlightened, and a little melancholy. Honestly, what more could a hopefully romantic ask for?

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 9

Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Released: 1995

Where the Wild Things Are Trailer (2009)

2009-04-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

For those of your filmies who haven't had the pleasure, I encourage you to watch the trailer for Spike Jonze's upcoming Where the Wild Things Are. Our quivering fingers are crossed dear reader, as this story is near and dear to our hearts (Millie and I share a long standing passion for children's literature). But if he pulls it off . . . oh . . . how truly wonderous it will be . . .

i tear up.

Rudd Love Reaffirmed: Role Models (2008), I Love You, Man (2009)

2009-04-21T05:19:00.000-07:00

Paul Rudd and Jason Segel making some sweet Rush love in I Love You, Man

Jane Lynch, Sean William Scott, and Bobb'e J. Thompson in Role Models

Two weekends ago I had the misfortune of coming down with a 24 hour flu . . . or was perhaps good fortune actually smiling her celluloid grin, because I ended up watching a whopping 9 movies - 9!!! For sincere love of Keiran I did my annual Igby Goes Down and The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys routine, then indulged in some Dolly and Olympia with Steel Magnolias, and moved on to a double whammy Maggie Smith set with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Gosford Park. To prepare for my college reunion of a New York wedding weekend I rewatched Waiting for Guffman, then threw in a little Adventureland (and now have major warm fuzzies for Kristen Stewart, I admit it). Finally I decided that I wanted some new-to-me mindless comedy, so I rented Role Models on a Waterfront staffers behest and took myself to the movies to catch I Love You, Man. And of all of these films, at least one of which has hefty cinematic importance, I am choosing now to speak on behalf of the latter two.

Segel and Rudd buddy up

Now don't let the title of this post fool you reader (as though you could be duped, Millie readers are clearly an intelligent bunch), Role Models and I Love You, Man did not punctuate my love of garden stater Paul Rudd because of expert craftsmanship or an overwhelming genre-mind-blow quotient, but they are, well, pretty darn funny. Rudd, who has owned my heart since he played a little character named Josh in a little film called Clueless (this may have even been pre-braces Jenny, so we're talking quite a love affair) is completely, utterly (adorably) convincing in both films, even when he plays a total curmudgeon (Role Models) and the so-metro-he-may-be-gay-guy (I Love You, Man). Worth it right there, but wait, there's more!

Untrue to Millie form I'm not going to pepper you with exposition, it's just not that important. Neither story is all that original, and both are ripe with predictable Hollywood plot points, and yet there is something undeniably fresh about each one. I find the recent output of mindless comedies disappointing: though Superbad, Tropic Thunder and Knocked Up had their moments, each one left me wanting more. Now, I'm not saying that Role Models and I Love You, Man don't have their weaker moments, contributing to an imperfect whole, but since they're not trying to be the "best comedy ever" they come much closer to a fair worthier aims: actually being entertaining and funny. The result is consistent chuckling with highlights of all out laughter, and come on, what more can you really ask these Hollywood days?

Segel, Rudd, and Rashida Jones enjoying Rush

Oh and did I mention that Role Models is directed by none other than Wet Hot American Summer director and Stella alum David Wain? Oh yes reader! And that means other Wet Hot cast members (beside Rudd and Banks of course): Ken Marino (as Jim Stensal, finally we meet him), A.D. Miles, and the scene stealing Joe Lo Truglio. Joe Lo Truglio, who's also in a little film called I Love You, Man . . . which, dear reader, is directed by none other than John Hamburg who directed a little film called Safe Men. Safe Men, for those who don't know me as well, is on the all-time, top top, favorite comedies, without question! (Check out this blog post if you don't believe me . . . )

These films work because of smart directors, solid leading actors, and an excellent supporting cast. The latter is particularly key, for these actors are total glue and know it. Jane Lynch, Kerri Kenney, Matt Walsh, Andy Samburg, Jaime Pressley, Jon Favreau, J.K. Simmons - all really, really funny.

The one and only Jane Lynch, so underappreciated!

Andy Samburg (new tribe crush) and J.K. Simmons

Basically, worth it. I mean, no need to rush out to the theater, but sure, add them on Netflix, rent them, illegally download them, whatever blows your skirt up. If you're sorely, sorely disappointed, let me know!

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): for both 6.75

Jaws (1975)

2009-04-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

What many of you may not know is that I harbor an intense fear of and fascination with that most ancient of predators - the shark. For as long as I can remember, these prehistoric creatures have inspired within me an almost religious adoration. However the idea of being in open water near a hungry one is as frightening an idea to me as being buried alive or slowly tortured. The very first time that I saw Jaws I'm pretty sure I went straight past peeing my pants to pooping in them. I lived in California at the time and promptly took to anxiously looking behind myself while swimming in pools. Pools! And yet, I simply adore marine biology (I went to marine biology schummer camp for almoscht eight years in a row!) and have aquired a more than rudimentary knowledge on the feeding habits and mannerisms of sharks.

Which is probably why I don't think too highly of Jaws, the novel and the movie based upon it. Oh yes, that's correct reader, true to my claim to read the book before seeing the film, I promptly sped through Peter Benchley's virtually unresearched beach reader before renting Steven Spielberg's blockbuster movie (the first in cinema history to earn over $100 million by the by). Here's the thing, I was unexpectedly drawn into the book, and dare I say . . . couldn't put it down? Maybe that's because I had lots of time before a flight to New York and even more time taxing to fly out (and I certainly don't mean "sped through" with the same intensity and admiration as I did East of Eden for example) but outside of the gross misrepresentation of sharks, it was fairly entertaining. Like an Agatha Christie or Carl Hiasson novel (but without Hiasson's humorous and biting social commentary).

Fake white

Great White, for reals - can you believe the difference? incredible!

The gross misrepresentation? Sharks, even massive great whites like the one drawn up by Benchley, don't feed like fat Americans on a road trip, which is to say, constantly. These creatures swim and eat, but do a whole lot more of the former than the latter, and can go nearly three weeks between feedings. They don't continue eating humans day after day for the fun of it, even the idea is preposterous, they don't even know what fun is! Plus, humans, while edible, are certainly not the first choice food, and Jaws would have been a whole lot more plausible had Amity, Long Island been Monterey, California and all of wealthy tri-staters been hundreds of sea lions. Mmmmmmm, sea lions . . . (speaking of which, do you know the characteristic difference between a seals and a sea lion? Well, seal have ear holes and sea lions have ear flaps . . .)

So that brings us to Spielberg's film which, by the by, outside of there being a beach and a shark is NOTHING like the book. Okay, there are a few similarities, but for the most part, we're dealing with a different beast altogether . . . Benchley did co-write the screenplay, but I can almost see the Hollywood meeting where they told him it wasn't sexy enough, gritty enough, and that the two main characters needed to be completely rewritten.

Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss

While normally this would throw me into a tizzy, I have to admit loving three things about this film: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and the unmatchable Robert Shaw. Despite the fact that Scheider and Dreyfuss' characters are mere shadows of those in the book, I actually quite like the film rendition. In fact, Dreyfuss' character is downright despicable in the book, but in the film he's hands down my favorite: intelligent, animated, and taking the role just serious enough to make it plausible and entertaining.

Scheider and Shaw

Then there's Robert Shaw, who's monologue about the USS Indianapolis (which may be favorite addition, as it's absolutely not in the book), is downright Shakespearean in scope and execution! It's mesmerizing. These three lend an indisputable air of credibility to an otherwise kitschy summer megapic.

As far as the adventure of Jenny and the Shark is concerned, one of my ultimate fantasies is to go cage diving. Someday!

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah): 4

It's Good to Be Back (to a new) Home

2009-03-31T19:31:00.000-07:00

Dear, dear reader - HELLO! Oh how I have missed posting and our time together, it's just that Millie and I have been through a most exciting move! We are (finally) happily settled in a lovely little one bedroom apartment, situated on our favorite area of beautiful downtown Burlington in a terribly exciting old mansion. We are the fortunate benefactors of the original fireplace, it's exquisite! Any blogger worth their weight in narcissism should know to include photos of this precious place to enhance your experience, but I apologize, as I am frightfully sleepy and haven't taken photos yet (plus I'm afraid if I move the computer from this very position I will lose the coveted, stolen internet connection I've been lucky enough to snag). Pictures soon, we promise!

That being said, is this a movie blog or what? I have done little watching since the move commenced, well, of new films that is. I have watched a handful of stand-bys, comfort films that I've seen more times than I could begin to count. You know the kind, we all have them right? Many from our childhood, when watching a movie straight through and then watching it again the next night, and the next night, and the next night wasn't redundant. Others that bring us back to that special, warm fuzzy place in our hearts that make us feel like, well, like we're home.

Surrounded by boxes, in a new space, I gravitated towards these bread and butter films (or in my case pesto and potato movies), and I thought I'd share some with you, in the hopes that you'll share back of course! So here they are reader - a most likely incomplete list of movies I've seen too many times to count and make me feel right at home :)

1.) Delicatessen (1991)

2.) Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

3.) Harold and Maude (1971)

4.) Caddyshack (1980)

5.) The Lord of the Rings Triology

oh, and just one more, I must admit to . . .

6.) Major League (1989)

We can't express enough how wonderful it feels to be back with you, in a spacious, inviting new home, where lots of posts are sure to be born. We appreciate your patience with our move and, as always, your readership!

From a new home sweet home,
Jenny and Millie