Yes, we still have no second senator. Some might say that's a good thing. Here's some quickies of the past few weeks.
Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
We finally saw this on video after Tish recommended it. We liked it. Very sweet. Not as much gratuitous sex as Amy Adams had in Enchanted (2007) with P. Dempy and and a bath towel. Remember the father in Breaking Away (1979)? The same actor has the same role in this movie. And he doesn't look any older. His work in Breaking Away was heartbreaking especially when he tries to sell the car. Also, Alan Arkin is always good.
Le voyage du ballon rouge (2007) or the Flight of the Red Balloon for those who forgot.
It's French so there's smoking. It's also 79 minutes longer than Le ballon rouge (1956) (or the red balloon, nevermind). This new one is not a sequel or a remake but "inspired" by the original. It's also extreeeeeeemly slow. If you like Franz Lizt then it should be easier to stay awake. Bear in mind that the movie is not about anything happening but more about what goes on in people's lives. The balloon acts as a support figure for one of those people. It's a must-see if you love the Red Balloon or if you love super-indie Chinese directors.
For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (2000)
Andy Garcia does a great job as does the rest of the cast especially Mia Maestro, who looks like a young Katherine Hepburn, and Charles Dutton as Dizzy Gillespie with the amazing chops and cheeks. Great music, great propaganda film depending on who you ask or just a good movie (originally for HBO TV). Good line about how worthless free education is if you can't read what you want.
Mad Max 2 (1981)
aka "The Road Warrior"
I saw this in the theatre when it first came out in downtown Chicago during a late-morning layover on a cross-country Greyhound bus ride. Walking out of the theatre into the streets of Chicago at noon on a weekday! If only I'd known about Joseph Campbell back then what I still don't know now. I bet Mel's wishing he'd known about pre-nups back then.
Fast & Furious (2009)
A newspaper reviewer said that in honor of Earth Day Vin Diesel is changing his name to Vin Biodiesel. That would help. This is a movie only for teenage boys and their fathers who love the drive-in. It's manipulation of the rating system is shameless. But only one f-word to listen to isn't so bad except Diesel uses the "aint" word in every sentence. Shameless.
Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)
Also a drive-in theatre movie and surprisingly good. Funny, sweet. Clever jokes about weight issues (wait, I mean heavy jokes). Best use of a shopping mall since Woody Allen did Scenes From a Mall. Beautiful choreography of the robbers inside the mall. Any movie where the name in the title is one letter away from being a famous name can't be all bad. That's why you gotta love Yahoo. The CEO is named Bartz.
Tuya (Tuya de hun shi (2006) or Tuya's Marriage
Beautiful Mongolian film. Tammy Wynette and Johnny Cash could have gotten several albums from the themes in this film.
Transporter 3 (2008)
Jason Statham does his own stunts! And allows himself to be objectified at the hands of a beautiful woman! And can't act any better than the Biodiesel guy! Who cares!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Quickie time
Quickie time
Great news, folks! We have a decision in the US Senate re-re-re-re-re-count. Both contestants agreed to concede. Hallelujah, as Leonard Cohen would say who is going on tour and if anyone wants to send me lots of money then I would go see him but the tix are like too much.
The only other alternative, according to the judge, was to have Jesse Ventura referree a match between the two. They were going to rassle until the judge said they had to fight under their stage names: Self-Righteous Liberal and Never-Wrong Conservative.
Speaking of Conservatives, I would be amiss if I didn't mark the passing of a true friend of Joe (McCarthy), Paul Harvey, age 90. I did enjoy listening to him, however, when I hitchhiked around the country years ago. It seemed like most people who gave me a ride had Harvey on the radio.
For some people, Harvey could be as irritating as that person in the theater who laughs louder than anyone and who always laughs before the joke gets finished or even started. It must be even more irritating if you happen to married to me. I mean, him. Sorry, Linda. Speaking of irritating, we saw this one in the theater.
Marley & Me (2008)
Directed by David Frankel of The Devil Wears Prada (2006) fame but not related to Viktor Frankl of Man' Search for Meaning fame. Cute, funny at times, extraordinarily poor dog parenting. I know the book is much different and that Marley actually ends up passing the obedience school in real life, but the movie is what most people are seeing. A simple Gentle Leader collar can work wonders. Lots of other issues I would love to nitpick on but will spare you. However, we have a dog we love and would hope we could all be involved in what happens at the end instead of the really stupid way the movie has it end. Great scene with Kathleen Turner (she has rheumatoid arthritis and has changed a good bit due to the steroids, in case you were worried). OK, some of you probably loved this movie and we did to. It's just easy to pick on. Linda's probably going to get mad at me because she seemed to have an emotional response to it but she's probably more concerned with how she can avoid sitting next to one of those irritating laugh-a-matics who hasn't had an emotional response since Whoppie Goldberg was a ghost.
The Wings of the Dove (1997)
Beautiful adaptation of the Henry James novel with a screenwriting by an Iranian. (just thought I would throw that in for anyone who has a connection to Iran). Helena Bonham Carter makes it hot in a brief R scene.
The Revengers' Comedies (1998)
A very strange Helena Bonham Carter made-for-cable movie set in England but with no f-words. Interesting premise. Hard to follow. I'm not sure I finished it. Hard to tell.
Honeydripper (2007)
Directed by one of my favorites, John Sayles. OK movie but I was expecting more music. Not enough scenes with Keb' Mo' as the blind guitar player.
Righteous Kill (2008)
Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Hey, what could go wrong? Mostly the movie. It seemed like an excuse for two great actors to have a buddy film together.
Taken (2008/I)
Liam Neeson in one of the best suspense, action, thriller movies I've seen in long time. I'm really glad they kept it PG-13 which means there's no stupid love scenes to mess up a good car chase scene. Just the action. That's all a grown man needs.
Happy Birthday to Annie yesterday which is when I started writing this. Next up, Alex. Thanks, FaceBook. Or whatever it's called.
The Arrowhead
The Reader (2008)
OK, I suppose everyone else is watching the Oscars. Well, forget it. It's already sewn up. I do want to see Jerry Lewis, though. I've always loved his movies. But so do the French which possibly explains why they've never won a war unless they were fighting themselves. Sorry, bad hold-over joke from the Freedom Fries War.
We saw this incredible movie in the theatre the other night. Partly why it's so good is that it is so controversial and thought-provoking. The themes carry way beyond the post-Holocaust, German guilt/angst issue. It's hard to say too much without giving away some key plot lines. When they come up, it's a surprise and an emotional one. Teachers will find a particular emotional response separate from the other issues. People looking for sex will be disappointed. It really isn't that big a part of the movie. Although the possibility that there is anal sex involved does add another layer to the issues.
We read the book several months ago. It's a very good book and the movie is, too. But the movie can highlight several things that would have been hard in the book. Look at the scene where the defendant is asked why she did what she did. Then she asks the judge, "What would you have done?" The judge's response tells the whole story about what the movie feels any German would have done. Also, look carefully at the scene in the outdoor cafe when she looks at the group of children doing what she can't. Also, the apartment scene towards the end. The elegance of the decorations contrasted with the tin box. And where she puts it.
Next up is a movie about American guilt. What did we know, when did we know it, and why in the hell didn't we bomb the train tracks?
The beginning of the movie has a scene in an English classroom. The teacher says something like the sum of all literature is the secret that each character carries throughout the story. I think the whole movie is about each person's secret. Listen to the emotional question posed by the law professor.
Mary Oliver's collection of poems, When I Wake Up In the Morning includes this poem. I happened to read it the day after watching the movie. It pretty much sums up all the issues in the movie for me.
The Arrowhead
by Mary Oliver
OK, I suppose everyone else is watching the Oscars. Well, forget it. It's already sewn up. I do want to see Jerry Lewis, though. I've always loved his movies. But so do the French which possibly explains why they've never won a war unless they were fighting themselves. Sorry, bad hold-over joke from the Freedom Fries War.
We saw this incredible movie in the theatre the other night. Partly why it's so good is that it is so controversial and thought-provoking. The themes carry way beyond the post-Holocaust, German guilt/angst issue. It's hard to say too much without giving away some key plot lines. When they come up, it's a surprise and an emotional one. Teachers will find a particular emotional response separate from the other issues. People looking for sex will be disappointed. It really isn't that big a part of the movie. Although the possibility that there is anal sex involved does add another layer to the issues.
We read the book several months ago. It's a very good book and the movie is, too. But the movie can highlight several things that would have been hard in the book. Look at the scene where the defendant is asked why she did what she did. Then she asks the judge, "What would you have done?" The judge's response tells the whole story about what the movie feels any German would have done. Also, look carefully at the scene in the outdoor cafe when she looks at the group of children doing what she can't. Also, the apartment scene towards the end. The elegance of the decorations contrasted with the tin box. And where she puts it.
Next up is a movie about American guilt. What did we know, when did we know it, and why in the hell didn't we bomb the train tracks?
The beginning of the movie has a scene in an English classroom. The teacher says something like the sum of all literature is the secret that each character carries throughout the story. I think the whole movie is about each person's secret. Listen to the emotional question posed by the law professor.
Mary Oliver's collection of poems, When I Wake Up In the Morning includes this poem. I happened to read it the day after watching the movie. It pretty much sums up all the issues in the movie for me.
The Arrowhead
by Mary Oliver
The arrowhead,
which I found beside the river,
was glittering and pointed.
I picked it up, and said,
"Now, it's mine."
I thought of showing it to friends,
I thought of putting it-such an imposing trinket-
in a little box, on my desk.
Halfway home, past the cut fields,
the old ghost
stood under the hickories.
"I would rather drink the wind," he said,
"I would rather eat mud and die
than steal as you still steal,
than lie as you still lie."
Quiz Show
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Well, John Wayne didn't like this either but for different reasons. Here's what Robert Mitchum had to say about Wayne: "Sure I was glad to see John Wayne win the Oscar ... I'm always glad to see the fat lady win the Cadillac on TV, too."
This movie is considered "ground-breaking" and "classic." It was and is but I still couldn't sit through the whole thing. I know it's supposed to be about old men and how their world is changing
Quelques jours en septembre (2006)
The Revengers' Comedies (1998)
Defending Your Life (1991)
Defending Your Life (1991)
Happy Birthday to Shirley MacLaine who had a hilarious cameo in this very funny and thought-provoking Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep comedy which Linda and I saw when it first came out and she was due to deliver Peter so we went out to hot and spicy Thai food which was supposed to help induce labor but didn't work although it was delicious and the movie afterwards was very good. So here it is 17 years plus 9 months later and it's Shirley's birthday and Peter has landed in Israel. So see the movie, eat some Thai food, and remember, if the only thing we have to fear is fear itself then we better get our fears in order unless we want to be like Albert Brooks' character who was bought his Beamer before MP3s came out and had to face all his fears before he could finish this sentence.
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