movies

So Where is Albert Nobbs?

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:38:11 +0100

OK so the Oscar noms were announced this morning, and there were no surprises because all the nominees have been heavily campaigning for what seems like years but has actually been probably 3 months. I looked at the list of Best Picture nominees and thought it's been a pretty weak year. I haven't seen THE ARTIST yet which I know I'll love because it's a crowd pleaser but that doesn't mean it's good. I liked HUGO but it's far from Scorcese's best, a little bit meandering in fact. WAR HORSE, typical Spielbergian sentimentality wrapped up in one magnificent horse. It was so backward looking I thought I was watching Turner Classic Movies at times. And that last scene...ugh overkill. But what else is new? And let's face it, the true standout doesn't have a chance, Malick's been nominated just as a sort of acknowledgement that he's a great artist, but how many academy members can actually sit through his films? And what about TINKER, TAILOR? What I want to know though is, how come Albert Nobbs got to acting nominations for Glenn Close as Best Actress and Janet McTeer as Best Supporting Actress and I can't find it...and I'm in New York City. Are they planning on re-releasing it? If so when. Is it available On Demand. Why is there so little variety at even the art houses. I know money, they have to make money.

MELANCHOLIA: Von Trier Is My Favorite Living Director

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:10:19 +0100

With his latest film, MELANCHOLIA, Lars Von Trier confirms his place as my favorite living director. Every time I see one of his films, I feel as if I get him and he gets me. Now he's a chronic depressive, afraid to fly, with a tendency to say the wrong thing at Cannes and elsewhere, so what does that really say about me? Unusual worldview, maybe.

It doesn't matter whether you like him, hate him, or never heard of him, Lars has made what someone called the most beautiful film about the end of the world ever. In his version, Kirsten Dunst is a depressed bride who although sunny and shining in the opening scene, quickly starts falling apart. Her sister, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg, seems to be the one who rides to the rescue, the sane one...until everyone realizes that there seems to be a planet on a collision course with earth. With Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, beautiful tragedy on the soundtrack, and pristine cinematography, it's hard to reconcile what you see with what you know is coming. But most significantly, and this is what I love the most about Von Trier's work, you will not be able to stop thinking about it long after you have left the theater.

SHAME: Good But Not Good For You

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:59:29 +0100

I can see why the critics are split on SHAME, Steve McQueen's (the other one) latest starring his muse of sorts, Michael Fassbender. It's the kind of film that is truly a downer, but not necessarily in a good way. Not even the glorious albeit brief sight of the stars privates could save the day. It's a movie about sex that isn't in the least sexy, titillating or whatever description you might expect. I'm the type who likes to cry at films, and I even like to be saddened deeply. I'll offer Polanski's Tess (I film I used to rent when I was feeling like I wanted to indulge my depression) as an example of a film that wasn't tear-jerking melodrama but was overwhelmingly sad. I guess I like to have an emotional relationship with a film. And here's the problem with SHAME...there is no invitation to have any kind of relationship. It's about a man who is utterly incapable of connecting in any way. So it's sad on an intellectual level, but offers no way in for the audience. You aren't even alienated in the way that Von Trier purposely alienated us in say, Breaking the Waves. You won't be inspired to walk out in a storm of disgust. But you will feel kind of dirty when you leave.

DOGTOOTH

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:23:15 +0100

Dogtooth is the kind of film about which I'm not at all sure what to say. From the moment it begins you feel the walls closing in around you, it's that claustrophobic. All this despite being set in a compound with lots of open, outdoor spaces, a swimming pool, yard etc. But the actors are so tightly wound, or I should say their performances are so physically restricted that you get it. This is a family: mother, father, brother and two sisters. The parents have decided to raise the children without ever letting them set foot outside of the boundaries of their home. The dad goes to work in some factory-like setting every day while mom and the children stay at home, learning but mislearning. When the children ask questions, for example, the answers are often purposely incorrect. The children, although emotionally stunted, are already teenagers, so what we see has to do with the inevitable rebellions of adolescence. To say it's all weird is understatement and incomplete: it's absorbing and jaw dropping, all in the quietest way.

FRIGHT NIGHT: Old school Vampires

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:57:44 +0100

Before there was TWILIGHT and TRUE BLOOD but after DARK SHADOWS there was Chris Sarandon and Roddy Macdowell in FRIGHT NIGHT. It was low budget and a somewhat satirical take on slasher movies and all things 80s, with it's big hair and shoulder pads. Normally I wouldn't care about a remake of something like this but when I heard COLIN FARRELL, TONI COLLETTE and, and, and DAVID TENNANT I decided it didn't matter what the source material was I wouldn't miss it. It does not disappoint. Now I did look at COLIN FARRELL as Jerry the Vampire, and briefly think he shouldn't even be in this movie, his acting, look everything is of such high caliber. But then why can't he have fun and as far as scary, menacing, terrifying he had me. Although he looked gorgeous in his tight t-shirts and jeans, once he got those fangs out there wasn't anything sexy about him. Anton Yelchin is Charley the teen with the vampire next door and Christopher Mintz-Plasse is former nerd best friend Ed. Imogen Poots (what a name!) is cute as Charley's girlfriend. By the time Charley realizes the Jerry really is a vampire, it's almost too late, until he pays a visit to Peter Vincent a strange Russel Brand/Criss Angel Vegas magician. Tennant loves to walk on the border of camp and here he gets to do things like walk around shirtless in leather pants, like a latter day Mick Jagger except complaining about the crotch problems that those sorts of garments inevitably create. He's hilarious and a injects the film with the appropriate amount of humor when it needs it most. It's more gross than scary and quite funny, I hope it makes more than CONAN.

LET'S TRY AGAIN, BAD TEACHER...

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:37:21 +0100

Wasn't as bad as it could have been but, sadly, did suffer from the not funny enoughs. It had the stench of too many (producer') notes all over it. When is Hwood going to stop making movies by committee? They just turn out to be so bland and spineless it's pathetic. Cameron Diaz has all the slapstick willingness to make an ass of herself that Lucille Ball or even Jennifer Saunders/Joanna Lumley have yet she's not given truly funny material. Here she's kinda funny but she's held back from being too, too broad. She does drugs, doesn't teach, steals car wash money, but somehow it's not outrageous. Lucy Punch steps into the silly though and steals some scenes, but then again, British.

BAD TEACHER ....

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:31:46 +0100

THE DOUBLE HOUR and BRIDE FLIGHT

Sun, 22 May 2011 19:46:49 +0100

I haven't been to a press screening in ages as my NYC contact list is woefully undeveloped but then again I don't miss feeling obligated to write about hoe hum movies for free. Thus I found myself watching BRIDE FLIGHT a Dutch film about a foursome who emigrated to New Zealand from The Netherlands in the early 1950s. A noisy critic who was at the screening I attended described it as "Dutch Schmaltz" not a bad thing necessarily. One of the best things about it was the 5 minutes or so of screen time given to Rutger Hauer, also presently appearing in HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN, presumably for more than 5 minutes however. Although there are 3 brides in question and one handsome man, there is no triangle just some dramatic misunderstandings, miscommunications, secrets and lies. Unfortunately, it's a bit shallow in it's exploration of some serious issues, and in the character development generally, nonetheless it's pleasant enough to watch, particularly if you enjoy period costumes and lovely scenery. As for THE DOUBLE HOUR, this is a little Italian film that seems to be slowly gaining traction here in the U.S. It was actually playing at my local 86th street cineplex. It's got all the ingredients of a certain type of neo-noirish romantic thriller. So I can't discuss the plot without giving too much away. I will say that the entire film hangs on the very quietly passionate performances of the leads. An excellent thriller always leaves you wondering exactly what happened and I can certainly recommend this film in that respect.

Bridesmaids

Fri, 13 May 2011 19:19:46 +0100

If there are any film files fans left in the world, I ask your forgiveness as we are in a transitional phase, inspired mostly by my attempts to do the majority of my writings and posting via my IPad. I also have less time to write reviews and don't want to write about things I detest for free just so some publicist will keep me on their screening invite list. Anyway the point of this post is supposed to be the Kristin Wiig film BRIDESMAIDS, which I did just pay to see (albeit only $6 for a bargain matinee.) I was laughing so hard that the person in front of me kept turning around but not in a mean "you're being too loud" way but in the "yeah that was so funny" way. The first scene involves Wiig and Jon Hamm in the very funniest sex scene ever recorded, really underscoring the utter ridiculousness of such scenes in general. It goes on from there. You've probably heard about the food poisoning at the bridal shop event, but there is loads more. Wiig and her cohort clearly have no problem humiliating themselves, one of my pet peeves about women and comedy in the U.S. Wiig mostly looks like a mess throughout and Melissa McCarthy is a raucous scene stealer as the bridegroom's nut ball sister. Lot's of good jokes, nice girlfriend stuff, no pat happy endings. I wish Chris O'Dowd as the nice guy had been allowed to unleash a little more of his weirdness (put THE IT CROWD on your Netflix queue) but he was just so cute with his soft features and light brogue, it doesn't really matter. Hamm on the other hand was a perfectly wretched scoundrel, the type that you know you should have stayed away from but couldn't...and he plays it for laughs. All in all, well worth the money, haven't had as many deep belly laughs since THE OTHER GUYS.