My thoughts on this year's Oscars

There have certainly been a lot of changes to his year's Oscars and I think it's time Ye Olde Oscarnazi weighs in on them.

10 best picture nominees: I can't believe this hasn't gone over better. Most Oscar pundits and Entertainment reporters are chastising this as a move to simply include more "crowd pleasing fare as well as diluting the honor of being one of the nominees. I may change my mind when I see what gets nominated, but I think it's a great move! If this is what it takes for the Academy to recognize wonderfully made films which simply don't have the "pedigree" an Oscar nominee needs to have these days, so be it. Let's not forsake "Up" simply because it is Animated, or "Star Trek" simply because it is a Blockbuster. Don't forget that the likes of "Jaws," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "The Right Stuff," and "Star Wars" were all Best Picture Oscar nominees. You really shouldn't begrudge a well-made movie just because it doesn't have the "I never learned to read" moment. It's easy to say "Does 'Star Trek' really deserve a Best Picture nomination?" But really, why doesn't it?

New rankings system for voting on the 10 nominees: This year, instead of selecting the Best Picture from the nominees, the Academy Members will rank them from 1 -10 and the most popular choice will win. I really don't see how this will change anything. If only enough people voted for "Up" to make it the 7th choice amongst the 10 nominees, do we really think that it - now being one of 10 choice -will suddenly rank higher? Not likely.

Steve Martin & Alec Baldwin to host: This one I'm still on the fence about. Steve Martin always does a fine job, but I've never been blown away. Alec Baldwin is a hysterical actor, and a fine SNL host, so he should do fine. Still, it's going to be a hard job following Hugh Jackman's stellar performance from last year. Of course, what do I know? I liked David Letterman.

Betty Draper: Oppressed Female or Evil Disney Mother?

I'm a huge fan of Mad Men. I love the slow pacing, the top notch acting, the extreme attention to detail, and the superb writing. I also love the fact that the writers are brave enough to present well-rounded, pretty unlikable characters. Not one of the characters is all good or all bad. These complexities are not lost on the show's fans when discussing the inscrutable Don Draper, but what bothers me is that when it comes to discussing the character of Betty Draper, two words inevitably coming spewing forth almost immediately: bad mother.

This bothers me for so many reasons. Disliking Betty Draper because she is cold to her children negates so much of what is going on with her character, so much of which leads to her treating her children in such a way. It is almost unfathomable that at this point in our social landscape, some 45 years after the fight for women's rights began in earnest with the publication of Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique," that we can still judge a woman's "goodness" or "badness" in so much as how she rears a child. As if this is a woman's sole purpose in the world and her net worth is established by the amount of attention she lavishes on her progeny.

So much of Mad Men revolves around commenting on the differences in our country from just 45 years ago. Everything is shown, sometimes subtly, sometimes not, through the filtered haze of retrospect. Still, no one seems to quantify that Betty is living the quintessential empty, unfullfilling existence so many housewives were in the late 50s and early 60s (for that matter, well before that!). Don's dissatisfaction with his privileged existence leads him to adultery, lying, and manipulation. No one seems to remark on this. That's just ducky. Don is "troubled" and "complicated." But Betty, who has no outlet, no purpose other than to be the "perfect wife and mother" is vilified for her disinterest in domesticity.

Even in a recent interview with the Chicago Tribune, my beloved Jon Hamm (who should know better!) copped to the same attitude:

Jon Hamm: Don is sort of trying to play at this role of the father and caregiver and husband that he has no role model for. He literally has no skills in this and he’s learning them as he goes along and he knows what not to do, because that’s how he was raised. -- terribly.

Tribune: Yeah. I have to say that some of the most disturbing things for me to watch is when Betty is dismissive or contemptuous of her children. She’s kind of not a great parent, you know?

JH: She’s a terrible parent.

Trib: Yeah. And it breaks my heart because -- you know, it’s just hard to watch.

JH: Well, the saving grace is that’s the only reason why I think people are even giving Don a half a pass, because Don’s at least with good with kids.

Well, Jon Hamm, screw you. Between his day-to-day work, commute, business trips, and string of adulterous interactions, Don Draper is an absentee parent at best. Simply because he doesn't hit his kids when Betty asks him to discipline them, does that make him a hero? Ummm.... no. Betty has even explained to him about feeling "trapped" with the kids all day, "outnumbered." Clearly a comment like this, made by a privileged housewife in 1962, would not be given due consideration. In 2009, we should know better.

Netflix Fridays: What are We Watching Now?

Wow - it's been a while. Let's see, since we last blogged:

We finished Battlestar Gallactica. The finale was a bit of a mixed bag, but on the whole the final season was stellar: exciting, fast-paced, full of lots of character-driven drama, even had a few jokes and moments of slight levity... basically what we felt was lacking in the previous seasons.

The Happening was wonderfully, horribly awful and I enjoyed every mintue of it!

I discovered a new wonderful Cary Grant movie, People will Talk.

We started Dexter Season 3, but have had to wait a Bible's length for Disc 2.

Psych is a throroughly enjoyable - if very silly - way to spend your time.

Flash of Genius is quite possibly the most depressing "feel good" movie ever made.

The $5 movie bin is a foul temptress, and Grease 2 now resides in our movie collection. Margaritas anyone?

Coming up this week, we're looking forward to screenings of Alfred Hitchock Presents, which in my opinion is the perfect thing to watch on these cool, dark evenings of early Autumn. We also have Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room on its way, a documentary sure to make Sean angry and me depressed. Que sera sera.

Next week we're on vacation and plan to spend the majority of it cruising our way through the entire series of The Vicar of Dibley. Until then...

Jami's 100 Film you should see... or not.. I don't know, do as you please!

So, inspired by Gianna's List of 100 Movies Every Film Buff Should See, I've compiled my own list of 100 movies you may not have seen for one reason or other. I tried to stay away from AFI's top 100 films, as well as Gianna's list of recommendations. Not all are "unknown" or even "unappreciated" films, but all are worth a glance if you've missed them.

2001 - Trippy, weird, and supremely cool! Don't expect it to make sense.

28 Days Later - One of the best horror movies I've seen in a long time.

84 Charing Cross Road - A sweet, simple, completely forgotten film.

A Hard Day’s Night - A hugely influential film - and really funny (but use the subtitles!)

About a Boy - Hugh Grant gives a stellar performance here

After Hours - The best film to watch after a bad day.

All of Me - Silly, funny film from the 80s.

All Quiet on the Western Front - Early Best Picture winner, but I bet you haven't seen it!

Almost Famous - Great script, great music, great performances.

Amelie - French film about the single most adorable human ever.

Arsenic & Old Lace - Cary Grant gives his best comedic performance. Ever.

Babette’s Feast - For anyone who loves food.

Barton Fink - Complex and confusing, but gorgeous and thought provoking.

Blood Simple - Another great Coen brothers movie. Their first - and possibly best.

Born on the 4th of July - It's a shame how underrated an actor Tom Cruise is.

Brazil - Watch the director's cut. You'll still be confused, but also amazed.

Central Station - Overshadowed by "Life is Beautiful," but so very touching.

Charade - Audrey Hepburn. Cary Grant. Need I say more?

Clash of the Titans - Bad, but awesomely so.

Crimes & Misdemeanors - Woody Allen's best. The ending is perfect.

Deathtrap - Twisty & turny. It'll keep you guessing.

Diabolique - So often ripped off, this was completely shocking in its day.

Die Hard - Best. Action. Movie. Ever.

Dog Day Afternoon - Pacino when he could still act.

Dogma - Kevin Smith's best, even with Linda Fiorentino and the Crap Monster.

Elmer Gantry - Burt Lancaster's hair could've won the Oscar alone.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - A perfectly light, fluffy confection of a movie.

Finding Nemo - Not just for kids. This is powerfully moving as well as funny.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Marilyn Monroe saves the day with reasoning. How's that?

Get Shorty - A great film for anyone who loves movies.

Groundhog Day - So underrated in its time, thankfully is better appreciated now.

Hairspray (1988 & 2007) - Both wonderful in their own right. It's Madison time!

Harvey - Classic Jimmy Stewart.

Heathers - Dated, but still awesome.

High & Low - A Kirosawa film? Yep.

Hot Fuzz - Another classic send up from Simon Pegg.

How to Succeed in Business… - VERY dated, but so freakin' cute!

In America - Such a beautiful film. Bring your hankie!

In Cold Blood - Bleak, stark, and cold.

Inside Man - Really great caper movie.

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang - Great tongue in cheek action flick.

Limbo - The Great John Sayles sticks to his guns and gives a move which lives up to its name.

Little Shop of Horrors - An early indication that musicals were not finished - despite "Annie"'s best efforts.

Lost in Translation - Not for everyone, but a beautiful piece about two people forming a connection.

Malcolm X - Spike Lee's best.

Michael Clayton - Slow and somber, George Clooney is amazing in this.

Midnight Run - Often overlooked, this film is too funny and quite sweet.

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town - Adorable. Just adorable.

Notorious - My favorite Hitchcock.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? - Endlessly quotable.

Ocean’s 11 - Groovy!

Open Water - a great low budget "horror" film. uncompromising.

Paper Moon - Beautiful black & white film with tremendous performances.

Parenthood - Another forgotten gem.

Passion of Joan of Arc - Amazing what was accomplished in its day.

Persepolis - Gorgeous animation and an important story for all to see.

Pinnochio - Not one of Disney's "princess" movies, so it's often forgotten how amazing this is.

Primary Colors - A great commentary on politics.

Reversal of Fortune - Great scripting and direction with a great "who dunnit" story.

Run Lola Run - Frenetic and fun.

Running on Empty - A small film about 60's radicals raising a family on the lam.

Say Anything - Cameron Crowe's best.

Seabiscuit - Dismissed as not as good as the book, this is quite wonderful.

Sense & Sensibility - There are no words. If you haven't seen it, do it now!

Shall We Dance? (1996/ Japanese) - Adorable & touching.

Shallow Grave - Another great twisty, turny one that keeps you guessing.

Shaun of the Dead - Great Zombie send up.

Sleeping Beauty - Disney goes all hip and cinematic.

Snatch - Hip and fun comic caper movie.

Stagecoach - Yes, it's John Wayne, but it's also good.... I was surprised, too!

Swing Time - My favorite Astaire & Rogers picture.

Talented Mr. Ripley - So underrated in its time. A beautifully shot and crafted film with one of Matt Damon's best performances.

The African Queen - Charming, funny & filled with adventure.

The Apartment - Sad & sweet, romantic & funny. This film has it all!

The Bicycle Thief - A classic.

The Bishop’s Wife - Simply oozing charm. Stay far away from the remake.

The Bourne Trilogy - Action flicks don't get any smarter or better shot.

The Butcher Boy - Little-seen Neil Jordan film. Not for everyone, though.

The Great Dictator - A Charlie Chaplin talkie about World War II.

The Great Escape - The perfect Sunday Afternoon movie.

The Lady Eve - One of my very favorites. Henry Fonda & Barbara Stanwyck heat things up.

The Lives of Others - A quiet little film that sticks with you.

The Manchurian Candidate - The original please. Really ground-breaking - even watching it now.

The Professional - As amazing as everyone says.

The Pursuit of Happyness - Surprisingly mature film. It makes me cry buckets.

The Red Violin - Completely unique film whose main character is a musical instrument.

The Return of the Seacaucus 7 - John Sayles first film and just a good time.

The "Road" Pictures - Hope & Crosby were great together. See at least one.

This is Spinal Tap - What's wrong with being sexy?

Times of Harvey Milk - Great, affecting documentary about the slain activist.

Tootsie - Possibly the funniest film ever.

Truly, Madly, Deeply - Great romantic comedy with Alan Rickman.

United 93 - Not one everyone is rushing to see, but extremely well crafted.

Visions of Light - Everyone who loves movies should appreciate this documentary on cinematographers.

Wag the Dog - Robert DeNiro's best performance? I think so.

Waking Ned Devine - Movies don't get much more adorable.

Wallace & Grommit: The Curse of the Wererabbit - a towering achievement in stop-motion animation.

Whale Rider- A tremendous performance by Keisha Castle Hughes makes this a must watch.

White Heat - Made it Ma, top of the world!

Zelig - Black & White Woody Allen. A great pre-cursor to Forrest Gump.

Netflix Fridays: What are We Watching Now?

So, Nixon sucked. Out loud. And for all 3 1/2 hours. Sucked. How it ever got any Oscar recognition is beyond me. Anyhow, here's what's up:


The Happening - One of last year's worst movies comes to our doorstep. Margaritas will be involved. Having thoroughly enjoyed many of his earlier movies, I had hoped the M. Night could get his Mojo back after the disastrous Lady in the Water, but as it seems that is not the case - I can giddily enjoy his downfall from afar.





Dexter: Season 3, Disc 1 - Tom got us hooked on this show which sports the amazing Michael C. Hall. He just blows me away in this show. The rest of the cast is stellar as well. Seasons One & Two were wonderful, funny, and tension-filled and I'm hoping they can keep up the quality for a third straight season.






Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5, Disc 2 - OK, I want major recognition that we had the first disc in our house for all of 24 hours before it was watched and nestled safely back in its envelope. That has to be a personal record for us. Then this morning I hear a bout a Gallactica movie in the works, plus a new Spin off, Caprica, starring Eric Stolz. Sorry,m BSG, we'll make it through the series, but that's were I get off. You're good, but I'm just not invested in your characters enough to keep on watching.

Netflix Fridays: What are We Watching Now?

OK - A week later we are 2/3 of the way through the atrocious Nixon. God, this thing sucks. It's like Oliver thought to himself, "Gee, everyone seemed to like the cinematography and editing techniques in JFK, why don't we quintuple it... then they'll REALLY love it!" Seriously, Baz Lurhman watches this film and thinks, "Too much, Stone, too much!" Still, we are determined to make it through to the end. But seriously... 3 1/2 hours? Gah! Curse you Oliver Stone!!

Here's what we'll actually be enjoying this week:

Flight of the Conchords: Season 2, Disc 1 - You've just got love this show.New Zealand. Better than Old Zealand.

Battlestart Gallactica: Season 4.5, Disc 1 - Aaaaaah, the beginning of the end. Any bets on how long it will take us to make it through this "half" season?

Netflix Fridays: What are We Watching Now?

First let me start off by saying, poor Henry Selick. Last week I incorrectly attributed the direction of "Coraline" to Tim Burton, when in actuality Mr. Selick was at the helm. Why did I make such an assumption? Because it was billed as "From the director of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas!'" That was Tim Burton, yes? Nope! Burton only came up with the story for "Nightmare," thus why it is entitled, "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" but Mr. Selick directed that one, too! Man, does this guy get the SHAFT! Anyhow, my apologies and I shall never trust Mr. Burton again. How could I ever have trusted the man behind the "Planet of the Apes" remake, anyway?

Here's what we're watching this week:

Layer Cake - One of the films that made Daniel Craig, "Daniel Craig." It's the story of a drug dealer who longs to ditch his illegal trade. But he can't do that without wrapping up just one more job involving a gargantuan stash of purloined ecstasy. Wackiness - or at least gun play -ensues!

Shoot 'em Up - So here's the deal: We had a date to go to our friend Stephanie's house to watch movies last weekend. She giddily described the awfulness of this particular choice knowing how partial we are to "Margarita Movies." But we got to chatting and somehow or another, the night got away from us ...as did "Shoot 'em Up." Next day, we decide to look up the trailer to post on our Facebook "Margarita Movies" page and Shazzam! This movie has it ALL! Carrot guns, Oscar Nominated actors, Michael Bay worthy explosions, and a small child that needs protecting. Needless to say, it was quickly added, and rocketed up to the top of, our Netflix queue.

Mini- Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Jami's Take

So Sean & I finally got out of the house and saw "Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince" and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the fact that it was critically very well received, I had only personally know 2 people who enjoyed it at all! Couple that with the fact that it was being directed by the same man, David Yates, who I thought had ruined the film adaptation of Book 5, and I went in very skeptical that I would get much enjoyment out of this new film at all. Still, while I had a few quibbles with things here and there, I wasn't nearly as bothered by Prince as I was by Phoenix.

Why not? My problems with Phoenix were much more sweeping: the whole tone of the film felt off for me, I hated the performance of the usually wonderful Imelda Staunton as Delores Umbridge, and it felt so rushed and chopped that I felt there needed to be at least another half hour to properly tell the story the way Yates was choosing to. Prince felt much more properly paced to me and the with the lack of Imelda Staunton and addition of Jim Broadbent, the performances were mostly pitch-perfect.

While there were a lot of cuts again, I felt that the cuts made were acceptable in the scope of the film. The small additions, save one egregiously erroneous scene, didn't feel as though they were distracting us from the story at hand. The Half-Blood Prince story line was seriously trimmed down to nearly-nothing, but even this is forgivable in my book as the bulk of that storyline involves Harry using it in classes, which would have been hard to fit into a film without sacrificing alot of time better spent on plot. It's sad that this makes the reveal loose al ot of its punch, and that the very title of the book/ movie becomes more or less of an afterthought, but so it is.

Bottom line for me is that Rowlings books are so dense with action and plotting, that it is impossible for anyone to squeeze it all in without a lot of allowances. For me, this movie is right in league with the film adaptations of Books 3 & 4 - not as great as the first two films, but an acceptable adaptation.

Netflix... ahem ... Fridays: What are We Watching Now?

Schedules were a bit wonky this week and most of yesterday was spent painting, so sorry for the delay (all of you breathlessly waiting to see what we've got from Netflix... that's right, I know you're all dying to know!)





Grey Gardens – One of Gianna’s recommendations we’re finally getting around to! I have no idea what to expect after seeing just 30 seconds of this documentary on an episode of “Gilmore Girls.” Looks like some trippy stuff!






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Coraline – Always up for a good stop-motion animation tale and this one got particularly good reviews. It’s nice to see Tim Burton somewhat returning to form after a somewhat disastrous period of films from the late 90s to the mid 00’s.





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Nixon – Boy after recent viewings of Watchmen and Frost/Nixon, we’re really on a Nixon jag! Still, neither of us have seen Oliver Stone’s opus to tricky Dick and it’ll be fun to see which Nixon had the worst make-up (though I think the Dude in Watchmen has this sewn up!)

Guest Columnist: Gianna's Top 100 Movies Every Film Buff Should See, Pt 10

Note from Gianna: The 10th and final installment of Movies You Should See! Hopefully, this has provided people with some new titles to check out or reminded them of forgotten gems they can check out again. I think I’ve finally sent a list of films that Jami has seen all of. Happy viewing.

Jami says: At last! I truly have seen every film listed here! - And heartly recommend all of them, too! - And just in the nick of time!
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Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964, Dir: Jaques Demy, Wr: Jaques Demy, Music: Michel Legrand)-Jaques Demy’s and Michel Legrand’s lovely French musical is a wonderful lost gem. From its gorgeous score to its candy-colored art design it is a piece of European cinema that is worth discovering.

The Up Series (7 up, 7 plus 7, 21 up, 28 up, 35 up, 42 up and 49 up) (1964, 1970, 1977, 1984, 1991, 1998, 2005- Dir: Paul Almond/ 7 up Michael Apted/7 plus 7 and on)-What started out as a couple of BBC television specials has transformed into one of the most intriguing pieces of cinema ever. Using the phrase ‘Give me the child at seven and I’ll give you the man’ as its inspiration, a film crew assembled British school children from every class system. Since then every seven years they have revisited these children to see where their lives are. Fascinating, touching and heartbreaking; it will be interesting to see how long this series continues. And yes, even though I lumped them all together-they count as seven films.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988, Dir: Robert Zemeckis, Wr: Jeffrey Price)-I am constantly flabbergasted as to why this film does not get more adulation. Maybe because it was a summer blockbuster, maybe because its plot is rooted in animation which tends to be easily dismissed; or maybe people simply don’t get it. Every time I re-watch this film I am continually impressed with the skill and technique that this film demands. It should also be noted that the animation in this film, including the great opening sequence were all directed by Richard Williams of the previously mentioned Thief and the Cobbler.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf (1966, Dir: Mike Nichols, Wr: Ernest Lehman)-Mike Nichols directing debut and boy is it strong. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor bring a rawness to Edward Albee’s wonderful classic stage play. Probably Taylor’s best film performance ever.

Guest Columnist: Gianna's Top 100 Movies Every Film Buff Should See, Pt 9

OK - So cleary, I'm not meant to see more than 7 out of each list. Jeez!
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Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993 Dir: Steve Zaillian, Wr: Steve Zaillian)-Based on the true story of a young chess prodigy, Searching for Bobby Fischer is beautiful in its simple execution. Whereas most family-aimed films tend to go down a saccharine path, Bobby Fischer roots itself in pure honest storytelling.

Send Me No Flowers (1964 Dir: Norman Jewison, Wr: Julius J. Epstein)-The third and final film Rock Hudson and Doris Day made together. All their films are wonderful, but this one where Hudson plays a hypochondriac who believes he is dying, is adorable.


Sophie’s Choice (1982 Dir: Alan J. Pakula, Wr: Alan J. Pakula)-Of all the amazing performances Streep has turned in, nothing is better than this particular role. Excellent performances by Kevin Kline and Peter MacNicol enhance this film that always packs an emotional wallop.

Thief and the Cobbler (1993 Dir: Richard Williams, Wr: Richard Williams & Margaret French)-Veteran animator Richard Williams spent over 30 years in production making this film, only to have it taken away from him and re-edited at the eleventh hour. The official DVD release only gives you glimpses of the absolutely stellar and intricate animation that was produced. To fully enjoy Williams original intent, a restored work print is available for viewing on YouTube in 11 ten-minute spots.

Time Bandits (1981, Dir: Terry Gilliam, Wr: Terry Gilliam & Michael Palin) -Terry Gilliam’s wonderful time-traveling romp is pure joy to watch. A young boy meets up with a band of little people who have stolen a map to the universe and are using it to rob people throughout time. Time Bandits also features some great cameos by John Cleese as Robin Hood, Ian Holm as Napoleon, Sean Connery as Agamemnon and Michael Palin and Shelley Duvall as a pair of doomed lovers.

Touching the Void (2003, Dir: Kevin MacDonald)-One of the most thrilling documentaries I’ve seen. The harrowing true story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, two mountain climbers who encounter un-fathomable disaster and tragedy on their descent. The story will have you on the edge of your seat, despite the fact you know how it will all turn out.

Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988, Dir: Francis Ford Coppola, Wr: Arnold Shulman & David Seidler)-Francis Ford Coppola’s forgotten gem about the ill-fated Tucker automobile. Jeff Bridges plays Preston Tucker a man who designed a car so good that the auto-industry turned around and killed his car before it even went into mas production. A slick-looking piece of filmmaking, that makes wonderful use of creative edits.

Twice Upon a Time (1983 Dir: John Korty & Charles Swenson, Wr: Bill Couterie)-An adorable, yet snarky, animated tale about a dastardly plot to give the wonderful never-ending nightmares. Twice Upon a Time uses an animation technique called Lumage, a process of using cut out pieces of plastic on a lighted table. The effect is stunning and unique animation.

Valley of the Dolls (1967 Dir: Mark Robson, Wr: Helen Deutsch)-One of the grand dames of Bad-Movies-We-Love cinema. Over the top and ridiculous, it has to be seen to be believed.



Vanishing (1988 Dir: George Sluizer, Wr: Tim Krabbe)-A wonderful mystery/suspense film worthy of Hitchcock. The ending of this film sticks with me to this day. If you search it out, make sure you are getting the original Dutch film and not the horrendous remake.

Guest Columnist: Gianna's Top 100 Movies Every Film Buff Should See, Pt 8

Newman! I'm still stuck at 7 for 10! Maybe I can eventually go 10 for 10 in one of the last two installments!

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Peeping Tom(1960, Dir: Michael Powell, Wr: Leo Marks)-Another great forefather of the modern horror slasher flick. Michael Powell’s unnerving film about a serial killer who films his victims as they are being killed. Not appreciated in its time, Peeping Tom effectively killed Powell’s career.

Picnic at Hanging Rock(1975, Dir: Peter Weir, Wr. Cliff Green)-The story of several girls who simply vanish on a school trip to Hanging Rock. Unlike most American films, no answers are given to the fate of the girls. Haunting and lyrical, a fantastic example of how great Australian cinema truly is.

Purple Rose of Cairo(1985, Dir: Woody Allen, Wr: Woody Allen)-One of my all-time favorite Woody Allen flicks. Mia Farrow plays a depression era housewife obsessed with movies. After numerous repeated viewings of one film, the main character leaves the screen to be with Farrow. Sweet, charming and very funny. (One of Jami's Top 100 of all time!)

The Red Shoes(1948, Dir: Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, Wr: Emeric Pressburger)-Powell and Pressburger’s wonderful film about life in the ballet. Interesting to note that the Red Shoes ballet sequence was an inspiration for Martin Scorsese in shooting the boxing sequences in Raging Bull.

Repulsion (1965, Dir: Roman Polanski, Wr: Roman Polanski & Gerard Brach)-Polanski’s gripping and disturbing portrait of a young sexually repressed woman descent into madness.

Richard III (1995 Dir: Richard Loncraine, Wr: Ian McKellan)-This broke down some of my Shakespeare snobbery. I personally hate ‘concept’ Shakespeare and get fits watching American actors not ‘get’ how to act it. This film adaptation of Ian McKellan’s wonderful stage production is fabulous! Setting Richard III in a pseudo-Nazi type setting is brilliant and the cast which includes Robert Downey Jr., Annette Benning, Jim Broadbent and Kristen Scott Thomas are fantastic.

The Right Stuff (1983, Dir: Phillip Kaufman, Wr: Phillip Kaufman)-I have no idea why this excellent film of the early days of the Mercury Space program, continually get overlooked when people craft ‘Must See’ lists. Based on Tom Wolfe’s excellent novel of the same name, The Right Stuff has it all, great story, great direction and a superb cast. If you haven’t seen this film yet, rent it today! (One of Jami's Top 10 of all time!)

River’s Edge (1986, Dir: Tim Hunter, Neal Jimenez)-Based on a disturbing true story of a teenager who kills his girlfriend and then brings their friends over to view the body. An interesting and honest depiction of the apathy and disconnect of the American teenager.

Rope (1948, Dir: Alfred Hitchcok, Wr: Hume Cronyn)-A lesser know Hitchcock, interesting in that it was shot with only 15 edits. Based very loosely on the Leopold and Loeb murder, it features a great Jimmy Stewart speech at the end.

Santa Sangre (1989, Dir: Alejandro Jodorowsky, Wr: Alejandro Jodorowsky & Roberto Leoni)-Legendary cult filmmaker Jodorowsky spins a creepy and surrealistic tale of a young man who essentially becomes arms for his limbless mother. Has to be seen to be believed.

Netflix Fridays: What are We Watching Now?

OK - so no new update from last week because... well, we still pretty much had the same slate of movies awaiting us. What can I say? We've had a lot of company - and a lot of Margarita Movie vierwings lately. Mmmmmm... Margaritas. So here's what's (finally) new this week:



Nine Lives - A series of revealing vignettes from writer-director Rodrigo Garcia (Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her) peers into the private lives of nine women who are each pointed toward a different destiny. Thankfully, I don't think that this is one of those "random people's lives intersect one whacky day for seemingly no reason" movies Sean & I have grown so tired of lately.





Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season 1, Disc 2 - More fun with cool, but unsuccessful criminals (come on - it WAS the 50's!)









Dr. Katz: The complete Series, Disc 10 - I just love that Ben!

Guest Columnist: Gianna's take on Harry Potter and the Half-Assed Prince

Editor's note: Sean& I have yet to see this and reserve the right to counter this argument later on.

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If you’ve never read any of the Harry Potter books, you will probably have a good time at the sixth installment of the saga. However, if you are a fan of the series you will most likely be dismayed by the copious amount of cuts and liberties that are taken with Rowling’s novel. I understand that turning a 650 page book into a 2 ½ hour film, many storylines will have to be cut or trimmed. But I always take issue when so much of the original story is cut only to make way for unnecessary scenes that have no bearing on the story. It always makes me feel that the screenwriter and/or director doesn’t care for the source material and that they know better how to make the story work.

I won’t go into much about the cuts and changes, because there are a lot of them and they give away the story. But suffice it to say that the film barely resembles book six and surprisingly leaves out some key plot points. I’m not sure who is more to blame, director David Yates or screenwriter Steve Kloves. Kloves has penned all but Order of the Phoenix, and most of his adaptations-to this point have been fairly solid. Yates had directed Phoenix, which I found to be the worst out the cannon to that point. I feel both are responsible. Yates clearly has no love for this series and it seems Kloves works with each director to give them a script they like.

Some of the cuts and changes might have been easier to take if Yates’s direction wasn’t so sterile. While the film goes crazy with art direction, it never inhabits Rowling’s world. Yates also has a heavy hand with camera angles that become more of a distraction than an enhancement. The cast is, as usual, excellent and we have two nice cast additions of Jim Broadbent as Horace Slughorn and Jessie Cave as Lavender Brown. Sadly though, a great deal of regulars are barely used and become little more than set dressing. The only weak spot in the cast is Helena Bonham-Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange, who has become completely obnoxious in her over-the-top performance.

After seeing the sixth film I worry greatly for Deathly Hallows. Yates is on board to direct and I am dreading to see what he and Kloves have in store for the last book. They have a good deal of exposition they will have to attack to make up for information cut from film six. My hope is that they will listen to the fans and make up for the crimes they committed in Half-Blood Prince.

Netflix Fridays: What are We Watching Now?

Wow - we've been a little busy lately and haven't had a lot to comment on other than our Netflix Queue. Hermm... That's summer for you! We're still trying to get up the gumption to watch "The Assasination of Richard Nixon", too. Despite it's slight running time (90 minutes) we just haven't been in the mood to tackle it - opting last night to watch reruns of "The Office" and "30 Rock" instead. So we have just two new rentals to discuss this week:

Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic - Sarah Silverman is so hit and miss with me. When she's on, she's freaking hysterical, but so often her humor falls flat for me. I have no idea where this film will fall for me but I think it will surely be worth the rental.

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Wedding Crashers - Yep, we've NEVER seen this. I know, I know - how much money did this make? How long ago did this come out on DVD? What can I say? We're not huge fans of the "Bachelor Party" era comedies that this is modeled after. And it stars Vince Vaughn. That was really enough to keep it at bay all this time. Still, we're curious and we do love Owen Wilson, so I guess we'll see.

Netflix Fridays: What are we watching now?

One Day in September - A documentary about the Palestinian terrorists who interrupted the Munich Olympics by taking 11 Israeli athletes hostage. Besides footage taken at the time, we see interviews with surviving terrorist Jamal Al Gashey and various officials detailing how the German police, lacking an antiterrorist squad and turning down help from the Israelis, botched the rescue operation.



The Assasination of Richard Nixon - Based on real-life events, this arresting psychological drama is set in 1974 and centers on Samuel Bicke, an antisocial, unstable salesman with delusions of grandeur. As his life begins to disintegrate, Bicke decides to take extreme measures to achieve his warped version of the American Dream: assassinating President Richard Nixon.





Challenge of the Superfriends: Season 1 - This is the one we remember from our childhood and it is B.A.D. It is the perfect thing to watch when you barely haveenough grey matter to focus on the TV. Truly it is "Margarita TV."

Netflix Fridays: What are we Watching Now?

Jackman! JACKMAN!!!!! So I rented the wrong "Oklahoma." Sorry, Hugh, but I don't really want to see your version. I've heard it's good and all, but when I want to see "Oklahoma" for the first time I want to see... Gordon McRea? Is that right? Anyhow, I feel my first viewing should be the original movie. So back Mr. Jackman went - sight unseen. I only wish we hadn't let it sit on our TV for 4 days before I noticed the mix up. Grrrr..... JACKMAN!!!!

So here are the next discs due in (which I will be carefully checking over as soon as we receive them!):


The Who: The Kids are Alright - a 1979 documentary about the Who, including concert footage, interviews and footage from the last concert Keith Moon played before his death. I do enjoy the Who, but lets face it, this is a little gift for Sean sitting through so many musicals (And none of them were "Tommy") lately.




The Importance of Being Ernest - a 1952 adaptation of Oscar Wilde's famous play... which I have never seen in any form! Definitely a hole in my education which will soon be remedied! This one stars Michael Redgrave and Dame Edith Evans and was highly recommended to me by my brother - the biggest movie-snob I know.




and, of course,



Oklahoma - The real one. The Original. Surely an inferior version to the one I just sent back. Refer to last week's post for comments.

Netflix Fridays: What Are We Watching Now?

So yes, we FINALLY finished Battlestar Galactica. We watched both discs in 2 consecutive nights and enjoyed them immensely. Now we only have to wait for Season 5 to be released and we will be off the hook. You know, I read an article once about "Netflix Guilt" where you rent things you know you should watch (The previous year's Oscar winning Foreign film is a repeat offender for a lot of people) and then keep it for months, shuffling other Netflixes ahead of it in your viewing rotation. I think BSG definitely qualifies as this for us! Hopefully these next ones won't hang around quite so long:



Oklahoma - So it's pretty well known that I enjoy musicals... if I "deem" it a real musical or not. But strange as it may sound, I've never seen "Oklahoma." Now I've never been a huge fan of Rogers & Hammerstein musicals - and this one IS THREE HOURS making it a mandatory 2-night viewing in our house- ugh - but I figured it was about time I finally checked it out. Poor Sean.






Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season 1, Disc 4 - How I love this show! This and the Twilight Zone are just the best things to watch - anytime, anywhere, for hours & hours on end. And - like the Twilight Zone - it's filled with actors who make you rush to IMDB to discover where you know them from!





Au Revoir Les Enfants - I first saw this story of a Jewish and a Catholic boy who attend a boarding school during World War II when I was in high school... except I never saw the last half hour! I had set my VCR to tape it overnight and the tape ran out before the movie did. And I never saw it again! And for some reason I never got back around to renting it before now... oops!

Guest Columnist: Gianna's Top 100 Movies Every Film Buff Should See, Pt 7

Hope you are all getting some good rental ideas from this - I know I am (except for those pesky anime choices. Uck!) I'm at 7 for 10 again... I seem to have plateaued!

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Millions (2004, Dir: Danny Boyle, Wr: Frank Cottrell Boyce)-Danny Boyle is fast becoming one of my new favorite directors, mainly because he displays such a range in the subjects he chooses. Concerning a little boy obsessed with saints, who literally has a bag of money dropped in his lap, is sweet and charming. One would never guess that it was from the same director who brought us Trainspotting and 28 Days Later (Both awesome flicks as well)

Much Ado About Nothing (1993, Dir: Kenneth Branaugh, Wr: Kenneth Branaugh)-Yes, there are countless Shakespeare films out there, all well done, but there’s something so enjoyable and exuberant about this particular film. From beginning to end, it’s pure joy.

My Dinner With Andre (1981, Dir: Louis Malle, Wr: Andre Gregory & Wallace Shawn)-Who would have thought that filming a dinner conversation between two friends would be so captivating. Of course when the friends are Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory and the dinner topics consist of experimental theater and the meaning of life, you’re bound to be mesmerized.

My Man Godfrey (1936, Dir: Gregory La Cava, Wr: Morrie Ryskind)-A lovely romantic comedy, featuring yet another forgotten actress Carole Lombard. Lombard was a fantastic comedienne and Godfrey is one of her best films. Had she lived to make more films, she’d probably be better remembered.

My Neighbor Tortoro (1988, Dir: Hayao Miyazaki, Wr: Hayao Miyazaki)-This charming little film from the Japan’s Master Animator Hayao Miyazaki is so sweet and touching. Recently moved to a new home and dealing with their mother’s ailing health, two young girls find totoros who help them cope with life. Yet another unusual story choice for an animated flim, it is a glorious little film.

Naked (1993, Dir: Mike Leigh, Wr: Mike Leigh)-Mike Leigh’s dark a disturbing tale about a drifter who is able to charm his way into almost anything. Leigh’s process of improvising the scenes with the actors creates startling realism.

Near Dark (1987, Dir: Kathryn Bigelow, Wr: Kathryn Bigelow & Erik Red)-Quite simply, one of the best vampire flicks ever.

One, Two, Three (1961, Dir: Billy Wilder, Wr: I.A.L. Diamond & Billy Wilder)-Cagney’s second to last film (his last was Ragtime-but we won’t go there), a hysterical film that displays how wonderful a comic actor Cagney was. Interesting side-note that this film achieved Rocky Horror cult-like status in Germany.

Overnight (2003, Dir: Tony Montana & Brian Mark Smith)-Every aspiring filmmaker should watch this film as a cautionary tale of how to 86 your career before you even start.

Patch of Blue (1965, Dir: Guy Green, Wr: Guy Green)-Elizabeth Hartman stars as an abused young women, who lost her sight in early childhood. She is befriended by Sydney Poitier who shows her that she is not as trapped as she may think. Obviously given the time it was shot, they really couldn’t go much futher than friendship with this couple. However, a romance would have ruined what it a lovely story of friendship and understanding of two people.