Hollywood Babylon

The Oscar on Oscar Night!

2010-03-05T10:13:00.000-08:00

If you've a penchant for glorious movie badness, make sure you check out 1966's super campy The Oscar, on TCM March 7 at 8pm (Yes, Oscar night). Considered to be one of the best Bad Movies around (up there with Valley of the Dolls, Can't Stop the Music and Mommie Dearest), it has yet to be released on DVD. So tune in to see Stephen Boyd step over and abuse just about everyone in Hollywood in his quest to get the coveted statue. And if you will be planning on watching the real deal Sunday night, tape it, DVR it, or TiVo it. But don't miss it, you can thank me later.

Grading the 10 Best Picture Nominees

2010-03-01T04:02:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled and amazed that I have actually been able to see all this year’s Best Picture nominees. I have to say other than two films, the nominees this year are a great crop. Here are my grades on all the films, only two films (The Blind Side and Avatar) didn’t deserve a spot in the nominees. I personally would have like to see those spots go to either Where the Wild Things Are, In the Loop or Moon.

Up in the Air

Grade: A+

An amazing performance from George Clooney anchors this soulful and reflective film. The story could have been an over the top melodrama, but thanks to a remarkable cast, solid script and Reitman’s restrained direction we have a remarkably honest film. Out of all the nominated films, this is the one that should take home the prize. But it won’t.

Inglourious Basterds

Grade: A

Tarentiono’s re-imagining of World War II has to be one of the most enjoyable, exciting and well-crafted films this year. Tarantino sheds his penchant for montaging various film styles and comes out with a fun action-caper flick that is clean and focused.

District 9

Grade: A

It’s everything that Avatar isn’t. Science Fiction that relies on a well-crafted plot, rather than flashy special effects and as a result is a wholly more enjoyable film. Time will tell, but I suspect that District 9 will also hold up better than Avatar.

Precious

Grade: A

On the page it sounds like it would be a completely depressing film. A 16 year-old girl sexually abused by her father, emotionally abused by her mother, pregnant with her second child (by her father) and it doesn’t get much better. Taking the idea that life isn’t what’s dealt you, but how you deal with it; Precious achieves the rarity of being uplifting, without being overbearing.

The Hurt Locker

Grade: A-

An honest and neutral look at the lives of American soldiers in war torn Iraq. No statements or declarations, just simple glorious storytelling. I really wish it resonated more for me. I admire everything about it, but it didn’t connect with me on an emotional level the way the top four did.

A Serious Man

Grade: B+

The Coen brothers’ retelling of Job, is hysterical and depressing at the same time. An amazing feat to be sure. Not quite up to their Fargo or No Country for Old Men gold standard, but a great and rewatchable film none-the-less.

Grade: B+

The first ten minutes of this film, certainly justify its place as a nominee. I love the fact that Pixar has not developed a formula for its films. The result has been some of the most original and exciting animated films to come out in a long time. I just wish they had a better developed villain for the film. A little more screen time would have been a plus.

An Education

Grade: B

Based on Lynn Barber’s memoirs, this is a lovely and yet devastating coming of age film. Truly an actor’s movie, as the film’s straight-forward story is elevated by the gorgeous performances of Carey Mulligan and the underappreciated Peter Sarsgaard. We pretty much see where the story is going to go, but Mulligan and Sarsgaard are so captivating we don’t care.

The Blind Side

Grade: D+

Plays more like a Lifetime movie-of-the-week than a Best Picture nominee, with its earnest feel good message and movie cliches. It probably would have earned a C grade if it did not feature the most obnoxious child actor to come round the bend. And I probably would have left it at a D, but the film’s trite dialogue makes it Margarita worthy and garners it a plus.

Avatar

Grade: F+

Though the special effects on this film are off the hook, it can’t overcome its terrible story and stock characters. If this is the future of movie-making, I weep. I probably would have given the film a solid D, if were not for the legions of critics wetting themselves over the amazing special effects.

new site!

2010-02-22T09:36:00.001-08:00

OK - it's been a blast hanging out here this past year and all - but I can't post the oscar ballot here and the old site refuses to work, so here's a spanky, new site with the ability to post nominees (I've already tested it out!) as well as a blog, so adios blogger - and hello Yola! Please be kind to us next February.

Nominations are almost here!

2010-01-31T11:07:00.000-08:00

OK, so Oscars nominations will be announced in TWO Days: Tuesday, February 2 at approximately 8:45 am EST. Shortly thereafter, I will update the website with the full list of nominees at: http://www.angelfire.com/film/oscarnazi/noms.htm

Yes, this is the same site we've used in years past. If you are havinng trouble logging picks this year, call or email me and I can send you a simplified form over email.

Remember, picks must be recieved by me by 11:59 pm on the evening of February 3. You must pick one winner for EVERY category. At the end you will be allowed to pick a second winner for one category. A $5 entry fee will be required per entrant, even if they are toddlers (John).

Also remember, if you don't play, you suck.

Questions? Let me know before Tuesday. Know someone who might like to play? Feel free to spread the word!

Looking forward to receiveing your picks,

Oscarnazi J

Guest Columnist: Gianna reviews Avatar

2010-01-23T05:18:00.000-08:00

Unless you’ve been under a rock for the last year, you’ve heard that James Cameron’s fantasy epic Avatar has been hailed as the future of movies. Critics have been touting this movie as amazing and visionary, and I’d like to know what kool-aid they’ve been drinking quite frankly. Is Avatar a bad film? No it’s not. But it is no where near the cinematic masterpiece that we’ve been led to believe. Yes, technically it’s overwhelming. However, that does not make up for the fact that the characters are cardboard, the dialog is awful and its story is boring and has already been told.

The main story concerns itself about the planet Pandora. Evidentially, planet Pandora houses a mineral called ‘unobtainium’ (think un-obtainable) which we never really find out what its purpose or function is; only that it’s expensive and some corporation from Earth wants it badly. However, wouldn’t you know that those pesky indigenous aliens’ village (a giant tree, named Home Tree) is smack dab on the top of one of the largest supplies of unobtainium. Enter Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and the Avatar program, in which real-life avatars allow us humans to interact with the Na’vi (the aliens on Pandora). Despite the fact that you evidentially have to train for years and years to get in this program, Jake (a paraplegic ex-marine) gets in sans any training. Why? Because Jake’s twin brother (who had trained for years and years) was killed and avatars are so damned expensive, that’s why. To add to the fun, Jake is also part of the military action at Pandora that is concerned with containing, or killing off, the local aliens. As you can guess Jake soon finds himself immersed in the Na’vi culture. Before you know it he is accepted as part of the tribe and finds himself a Na’vi girlfriend ( Zoe Saldana). In the end Jake must decide whether he wants to side with the human world, in which he’s paralyzed and the other soldiers call him ‘meals on wheels’; or with the Na’vi where he’s 9 feet tall, practically indestructible and worshiped by all. Guess which side he joins.

That is the basic story of Avatar, and that is where its problems lie. Yes the visuals are impressive. At 300 million dollars, they should be. The film has been art-directed within an inch of its life; and while the forests of Pandora are beautiful, after a while it starts to remind one of a Kincaid painting. The Na’vi aliens are a step up from the usual CGI humanoids that have been created in the past, but there are still those herky-jerky movement issues. Also the design of the aliens reminded me too much of the character animation from a Canadian film Rock ‘n Rule. When we strip away all the pretty spectacle what we are left with is a film that is essentially a re-tread of Dances With Wolves that is populated by stock characters and bad dialog. What’s infuriating about this movie is not the movie itself, but the fact that so many critics have been willing to overlook its mediocrity because the effects are so cool, and elevating what is, at heart, a summer blockbuster to Citizen Kane status. Go read some of the reviews; you’ll find almost every critic admitting that the core of the film (its story) is not very good, but those visuals are just amazing! Well, I’m not buying it. It very well may go on to win a ton of Academy Awards come March 7^th. Most Oscar watchers have confirmed that its winning Best Picture is already a done deal. Which is a shame, when you consider that films like Hurt Locker, Up in the Air, Precious, Up, hell even Inglourious Basterds (all far better films) will be steamrolled at Oscars for this bloated over-hyped mess. Avatar shows that if you have a big name and some fancy special effects, you can fool most anyone.

Guest Columnist: Gianna's Worst of the Decade

2010-01-23T05:04:00.000-08:00

Here is the Worst of the Decade. Please not that I only list the films I actually watched, which is why some of the truly terrible are not on the list. Instead of me giving my opinion, I decided to let the critics do it for me.

The Worst of the Decade

An American Carol (2008, Dir: David Zucker)“about as funny as an exploding toilet seat for hemorrhoid-induced senior citizens”

Battlefield Earth (2000, Dir: Roger Christian)“watching Battlefield earth is to a movie-watching experience what having a yeast infection is to having sex.”

Beyond the Sea (2004, Dir: Kevin Spacey)“one of those labors of love, that reminds you that love is blind.”

Cat in the Hat (2003, Dir: Bo Welch)“The best argument yet for extending artists rights beyond the grave”

Contender (2000, Dir: Rod Lurie) “The most offensive film of the year”

Crash (2004, Dir: Paul Haggis)“How many racists does it take to screw in the point?”

Family Stone (2005, Dir: Thomas Bezucha)“A miserable misfire that might explain why so many people take their lives during the holidays.”

Four Christmases (2008, Dir: Seth Gordon)“The acrid, wince-worthy Four Christmases may well be part of the war on Christmas Bill O’Reilly’s always foghorning about.”

Georgia Rule (2007, Dir: Gary Marshall)“If Hollywood keeps cranking out movies like Georgia Rule, specially tailored for the second Sunday in May, we should probably just cancel Mother’s Day.”

Gigli (2003, Dir: Martin Brest) “It’s a sorry statement when the most subtle performance is the kid with tourettes.”

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000, Dir: Ron Howard)“Watching it approaches the disturbing experience of being bedside as a loved one expires from a terminal disease.”

I Am Sam (2001, Dir: Jessie Nelson)“There are few films that imprint a sense of complete and utter violation on the viewer like I Am Sam, easily the worst film of 2001.”

I Know Who Killed Me (2007, Dir: Chris Siverston) “Horror/thriller/pile of excrement.”

Isn’t She Great (2000, Dir: Andrew Bergman) “Here is a movie that needed great trash, great sex and great gossip, and at all the crucial moments Susann is talking to a tree.”

Lake House (2006, Dir: Alejandro Agresti) “I couldn’t spoil the plot if I wanted to, since I have no idea how it all ties together.”

Million Dollar Baby (2004, Dir: Clint Eastwood)“After his wildly over-praised Mystic River, Eastwood delivers another sucker punch, and the critics have fallen for it again.”

New Moon (2009, Dir: Chris Weitz) “Oh God…make it stop.”

New York Minute (2004, Dir: Dennie Gordon)“part of our ongoing national lobotomy.”

Pay it Forward (2000, Dir: Mimi Leder)“No wonder Arlene keeps a bottle of vodka in the chandelier. You would too with this demonic, passive-aggressive, New Age munchkin trying to run your life.”

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004, Dir: Kerry Conran)“A 70 million dollar novelty item.”

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002, Dir: George Lucas) “Yes it’s better than Phantom Menace. Think for a minute how little that means.”

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005, Dir: George Lucas) “The good news is that Lucas promises that this is the last Star Wars movie. Hallelujah.”

Stepford Wives (2004, Dir: Frank Oz) “Would I see it again? I’d rather pass a kidney stone.”

Surviving Christmas (2004, Dir: Mike Mitchell)“Ben Affleck needs to stop making movies.”

Transformers (2007, Dir: Michael Bay) “A sensory attack that drives us into tiny little fetal balls on the ground, whimpering that we must have liked it because the car effects looked cool.”

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009, Dir: Michael Bay) “Fallen indulges Bay’s excesses well past the point of reason to deliver the male teenage cinematic equivalent of snorting cocaine off a hooker’s ass.”

Twilight (2008, Dir: Catherine Hardwicke) “I’m glad I saw Twilight for one reason: it made the phrase ‘jump the shark’ obsolete, to be potentially replace with ‘the vampires are playing baseball.”

Upside of Anger (2005, Dir: Mike Binder) “Binder’s film is a raging morass of misogyny, a self-congratulatory exercise in mental masturbation.”

The Women (2008, Dir: Dianne English) “Abandon hope all ye who enter here: Strange casting and a lousy script make The Women the sort of film that’s pure torture to sit through.”

Wicker Man (2006, Dir: Neil LaBute)“This is the kind of film for which Golden Raspberries were invented.”

Guest Columnist: Gianna's Best of the Aughts

2010-01-13T10:51:00.000-08:00

Adaptation (2002, Dir: Spike Jonze)-Brilliant take on writer’s block and a scathing look at the workings of Hollywood. One of the rare films that Nicolas Cage was actually good in.

Amelie (2001, Dir: Jean-Pierre Jeunet)-A frothy, gorgeous confection of a movie whose one of many highlights was the performance of Audrey Tantou.

Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007, Dir: Andrew Dominik)-A breakout performance by Casey Affleck, tops this wonderful, if somewhat overlooked film.

Before Sunset (2004, Dir: Richard Linkletter)-The sequel to Linkletter’s Before Sunrise, catches up with the Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke now in their 30’s, and there’s still a lot to be said.

Billy Elliot (2000, Dir: Stephan Daldry)-A wonderful joyous film about discovering who you are.

Bowling for Columbine (2002, Dir: Michael Moore)-Love him or hate him, Moore’s examination of our country’s gun culture still raises many questions.

Coraline (2009, Dir: Henry Selick)-Selick’s master work of stop-motion animation was one of the most creative films of 2009.

Dogville (2003, Dir: Lars Von Trier)-The first of Von Trier’s ‘America’ trilogy, a thinly veiled commentary on US foreign policy, strips cinematic devices bare and produces a raw hard-hitting film.

Eastern Promises (2007, Dir: David Cronenberg)-This tightly woven crime mystery fully benefits from Cronenberg’s restrained direction and Viggo Mortensen’s fantastic performance.

Elf (2003, Dir: John Favreau)-An instant classic from the moment it was released. Quite frankly there is nothing more difficult than creating a Christmas film that succeeds and endures.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, Dir: Michael Gondry)-A wonderful examination of a failed relationship, accompanied with haunting visuals. (Jami's note: meh.)

The Fall (2006. Dir: Tarsem Singh)-Singh’s wonderful fairy-tale fable is all the more impressive when you learn that all the visuals were achieved without any CGI whatsoever.

Finding Nemo (2003, Dir: Andrew Stanton)-First of three Pixar films on this list. Finding Nemo was a wonderful tale of letting go. Featuring the hallmarks of Pixar exquisite animation and a fantastic story.

Hard Candy (2005, Dir: David Slade)-What could have been a run-of-the-mill torture porn flick, Hard Candy became a taught psychological thriller. Two fabulous leads and strong direction elevated this film to a classic suspense film.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001, Dir: John Cameron Mitchell)-One of the many great musicals to come out of the decade. Cameron Mitchell’s film adaptation of his one-man show is something special, though not for all tastes.

History of Violence (2005, Dir: David Cronenberg)-An intricate study of who an individual is. Cronenberg at his best.

Hot Fuzz (2007, Dir: Edgar Wright)-This wicked send-up of Hollywood action films has what Hollywood parodies do not: humor.

In America (2002, Dir: Jim Sheridan)-A beautiful and heartbreaking story of one family’s introduction to America. (Jami's note: I think I'm still crying over this one!)

Inside Man (2006, Dir: Spike Lee)-A taught, well-crafted crime caper. Filled with great twists and turns. Wonderful entertainment.

Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003, Dir: Peter Jackson)-A daring gamble of shooting all three books at once paid off in spades. One of the most enjoyable movie-going experiences of the decade, hands down!!

Man on Wire (2008, Dir: James Marsh)-A wonderful tribute to one man’s unique quest. Unnerving, funny and ultimately inspirational.

Memento (2000, Dir: Christopher Nolan)-Nolan’s breakout film of a tale told backwards, was one of the most well-crafted mystery films of the whole decade.

Moulin Rouge (2001, Dir: Baz Lurhman)-The one that kicked off the great revival of movie musicals. Its strengths far out-weigh its weaknesses. (Jami respectfully disagrees with this choice)

No Country for Old Men (2007, Dir: Joel & Ethan Coen)-A true masterpiece from beginning to end.

O Brother Where Art Thou (2000, Dir: Joel Coen)-A great example of when critics simply get it wrong. One of the best and most quotable comedies of the decade.

Ocean’s Eleven (2001, Dir: Steven Soderbergh)-Unfortunately the subsequent sequels have tarnished this film. Still, it stands out and one of the cleverest films in a long time.

Once (2007, Dir: John Carney)-This wonderful love story, hits an emotional core that few films have ever hit.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006, Dir: Guillermo Del Toro)-Del Toro’s fantastic horror/fairytale. Unique and beautiful.

Shattered Glass (2003, Dir: Billy Ray)-The best film you didn’t see, detailing the Stephen Glass/New Republic plagiarism scandal. If you missed it, rent it.

Slither (2006, Dir: James Gunn)-Yes, sometimes you have to grade within the genre. Slither was the best horror film to come out this decade.

Slumdog Millionaire (2008, Dir: Danny Boyle)-Why I personally love going to the movies. A great story from beginning to end; completely satisfying.

Spirited Away (2001, Dir: Hayao Miyazaki)-The film that brought Miyazaki to the mainstream.

Touching the Void (2003, Dir: Kevin Macdonald)-A taught and thrilling account of a mountain climbing expedition gone horribly wrong. The fact that you know how everything turns out and you’re still on the edge of your seat, speaks volumes.

Tropic Thunder (2008, Dir: Ben Stiller)- From it’s scathing indictment of all things Hollywood to Robert Downey Jr.’s inspired performance, it ended up one of the funniest comedies of the decade.

25^th Hour (2002, Dir: Spike Lee)-Another great, and largely forgotten Lee film. One of the first NYC based films to acknowledge its post 9/11 status.

Up in the Air (2009, Dir: Jason Reitman)-A fantastic internal character study of one man’s established life. George Clooney ends the decade with one of the most subtle layered performances.

WALL-E (2008, Dir: Andrew Stanton)-Another crowning achievement in Pixar’s impressive roster of films. Sweet, touching, funny and with an environmental message that doesn’t hit you over the head.

Where the Wild Things Are (2009, Dir: Spike Jonze)-A heartful and insightful exploration of the psyche of the lonely child. Beautifully shot and heartbreaking.

My thoughts on this year's Oscars

2009-11-16T10:40:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-10-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-09-11T09:46:00.001-07:00

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!

2009-08-14T04:54:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-08-14T04:11:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-08-07T14:39:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-07-31T09:25:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-07-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

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

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?

2009-07-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-07-03T10:26:00.001-07:00

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.

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?

2009-06-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-06-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-06-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-08T13:11:00.000-07:00

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!

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.

Netflix Fridays: What Are We Watching Now?

2009-06-05T11:50:00.001-07:00

OK - let me say this about Noam Chomsky. He's brilliant, frustrating, thought-provoking, maddening... but he's certainly not succinct! Manufacturing Consent was at times enthralling as well as mind-numbing and at a total running time of 2 hours & 45 minutes, we had to take two nights to complete it... and those two nights were 5 days apart. Ooof! We also finished Bones season 3 this week (great, but the stupid writers strike rushed an already unsatisfying ending). Born into Brothels was amazing and a definite must-see for all of us spoiled Americans who sit in our huge houses, eating our 3-squares a day, watching our cable TV in a house with clean water coming to us through indoor pipes and yet complain about how poor we are (Sean & I included). It's one thing to know that you are still better off than a lot of people, but it's quite another to see it presented so graphically for you. Truly, we are blessed.

So that leaves us with, you guessed it: Battlestar Galactica- Season 4, Disc 3. We always seem to shift this series down to the bottom of the pile. And to add insult to injury, Disc 4 just came in the mail! Yikes! The good news is that I do believe these two discs represent the end of this season and then we need only wait until Season 5 is released to complete the series. Don't get me wrong, we really do enjoy the show, but it always does seem to be a bit of an effort to begin a disc.

We are also expecting The Ultimate Carson Collection, Disc 2. We loved Disc one, which featured the ultimate Ultimate Carson moment: Ed Ames throwing the tomahawk. I have come to revise my opinion of Carson a bit. I grant that he was a master of improvisation and relating to his guests in a natural and spontaneous manner - but I still don't care as much for his scripted jokes or bits. Sue me.

Guest Columnist: Gianna reviews "Up"

2009-06-03T05:33:00.000-07:00

Up, Pixar’s 10^th feature film is another fantastic addition to their already impressive canon of films. It follows the late-life adventure of Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner), a newly widowed elderly man, who dreamed with his wife of going to live in South America’s Paradise Falls-a jungle wilderness discovered by their childhood hero explorer Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer). When the threat of being ejected from his beloved house looms, Carl decides to tie millions of helium balloons to his house and set off for his beloved South American destination. Of course along the way there are a few problems thrown his way; an unwitting stowaway, an electrical storm and his old childhood hero: who has been living in Paradise Falls along with his army of dogs.

Up, strongpoint is Pixar’s always-stellar animation. The storm sequence is particularly stunning animation achievement. The wordless opening piece of Carl’s life with his wife is sweet and touching. Voicework and character design blend seamlessly together, as opposed to other animated films that like to draw attention to their famous voice actors. Especially impressive is the detail and thought done to the animating and execution of the dog army. However, Up is not without its shortcomings. Mainly I felt the some of the story might have been lost to edit it down to a more kid-friendly time of 96 minutes. There’s a lot going on in Up, but we rarely do more than scrape the surface. The character of Charles Muntz suffers greatly from his limited screen-time, not really allowing us to get invested in him as the villain of the film. There are also some issues of improbability, but I guess it’s hard to really argue that as a detraction of a film who’s main plot is flying a house to South America with helium balloons.

In all Up is still a charming, wonderful film. It’s not a masterpiece like Toy Story, Finding Nemo or WALL-E, but it is far better than the mass-produced animation junk that is so prevalent nowadays.

Guest olumnist: Gianna's Top 100 Films Every Film Buff Should See Pt. 6

2009-06-01T05:27:00.000-07:00

Here you go - I'm still at 7 for 10!

Ju-on(2002, Dir: Takashi Shimizu, Wr: Takashi Shimizu)-One of the scariest flicks I’ve seen in the last decade or so; a sublimely creepy ghost story that gets its chills from sound effects and lighting. Awesome!

King of Comedy (1982, Dir: Martin Scorsese, Wr: Paul D. Zimmerman)-Scorsese’s excellent examination of our culture’s obsessession with fame. Robert DeNiro’s performance as Rupert Pupkin is humorous, touching and deeply disturbing.

Kiss Me Kate (1953 Dir: George Sidney, Wr: Dorothy Kingsely)-Another one of the interesting uses of 3D in the 50’s. A great musical in it’s own right, it also features a fantastic dance sequence with Bob Fosse and Carol Haney that explodes off the screen.

Kiss of the Spiderwoman (1985, Dir: Hector Babenco, Wr: Leonard Schrader)-An evocative film of an unlikely friendship between two radically different men. Tour-de-Force performances by two fantastic actors.

Longtime Companion (1990, Dir: Norman Rene, Wr: Craig Lucas)-One of the first films to examine the first decade of the AIDS crisis, it follows the lives of several gay couples from the early outbreaks through to the early 90’s.

Manhunter (1986, Dir: Michael Mann, Wr: Michael Mann)-Before Silence of the Lambs, there was Manhunter, Michael Mann’s much overlooked adaptation of Red Dragon. Gritty and low-budget, Brian Cox delivers a more understated and restrained Hannibal Lector.

Marat/Sade (1967, Dir: Peter Brook, Wr: Adrian Mitchell & Geoffrey Skelton)-An almost literal screen translation of Brook’s fantastic stage production; it has an unusual quality of being highly theatrical and amazingly filmic at the same time.

Metropolis (1927, Dir: Fritz Lang, Wr: Thea von Harbou)-For me Metropolis remains one of the most amazing accomplishments of early cinema. The art direction, effects and acting are quite accomplished and stunning. Bridgette Helms’s portrayal of the robot is one of the most disturbing and creepy performances caught on film.

Metropolitain (1990, Dir: Whit Stillman, Wr: Whit Stillman)-This mid 90’s gem about about over-privileged New Yorkers in the winter deb season is completely charming. Stillman’s strongest film, it features some of the most well-thought out characters put to screen.

Mildred Pierce (1945, Dir: Michael Curtiz, Wr: Randal MacDougall)-It’s a little sad that for most people the mention of Joan Crawford brings up images of Faye Dunaway’s over-the-top portrayal of her, for she really was an accomplished actress. Mildred Pierce is soapy and melodramatic, but Crawford’s portrayal of the mother-who-will-do-anything-for-her-daughter is a relatively anchored and understated performance for its time.

Netflix Fridays: What Are We Watching Now?

2009-05-29T08:02:00.001-07:00

Hello everybody! We had to hold off on our Bones Marathon this week s we're waiting on one disc so we've been plowing through our Netflix queue. We finally made it through Disc 2 of BSG. Good, but - as usual - needs more yucks. Wendy & Lucy was very good - nothing bad happened to the dog but it still quite sad. Quantum of Solace wasn't as disappointing as we expected (though I did fall asleep) but it defintely was not as good as Casino Royale. We also watched Happenstance, a french movie staring the lovely Audrey Tatou. We both fell asleep during that one. Enough said.

Here's what we've getting to this week:

Born in Brothels - This should be interesting to watch after seeing "Slumdog Millionaire." It's an Oscar-winning documentary about several children who live in Calcutta's red-light district, where their mothers work as prostitutes. Spurred by the kids' fascination with her camera, Zana Briski, a photographer documenting life in the brothels, decides to teach them photography. As they begin to look at and record their world through new eyes, the kids awaken to their own talents and sense of worth.

It's sure to leave me in tears....

Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky - Funny and provocative, this 1992 documentary explores the political life and ideas of Noam Chomsky, the world-renowned linguist, intellectual and political activist. Chomsky illustrates how the media tacitly manipulates public opinion to further the agendas of the powerful.

It's sure to leave me depressed for weeks.

Battlestar Gallactica: Season 4, Disc 3 - I really wish that we were able to watch this show as it aired originally. It's funny watching it on DVD... I have to really get myself worked up to watching it - and I always enjoy the shows after I've watched them, but each time we get a new disc, I have to almost convince myself I like this show again. It'd be so much easier if it just came on once a week and I had to watch it then. No debates, no procrastination. Oh well... we are enjoying it, it just needs a teensy weensy bit of levity injected into it every once in a while.

Netflix Fridays: What Are We Watching Now?

2009-05-22T07:19:00.000-07:00

You'd think with network TV into reruns, we'd have nothing to do but watch all our Netflixes in a row, but that has not been the case this week. As you've no doubt noticed, we actually were released from our house arrest this week and got out to see a movie in the theater! After that, we've been shirking our Netflix duties by cruising through Season 3 of Bones which was lent to us by our good friend Stephanie. Season 3 has my all-time favorite episode, "The Mummy in the Maze" which contains all the elements of any good Bones episode - with some awesome Halloween costumes to boot! So, long story short, we haven't touched Battlestar Gallactica this week. But we do have coming up this weekend:

Quantum of Solace - We've heard this was nowhere near as good as the awesome Casino Royale - and we've had to wait about 3 months for it to become available on Netflix, so I am guessing we're probably going to end up being disappointed a little by it. Still, Daniel Craig and Judi Dench are always worth watching!

Wendy & Lucy - A sad movie about a down on her luck woman with nothing but her dog. I've heard that Michelle Williams gives a heart-breaking performance in this far-from-a-feel-good film. All I have to say is nothing had better happen to that damn dog! I do not do well with sad dog movies - sad human movies, yes. Sad dog movies, no.

Mini Review: Star Trek

2009-05-20T04:29:00.000-07:00

Hooray for Grandparents! We have a few days off from parenting and saw our first in-theater movie in a long time! I should start by saying I am not a Start Trek fan. And when I say that, don't think I mean "I'm not a Trekkie" (or is it Treker?) No, I mean I really don't enjoy Star Trek. I watched "The Next Generation" a tiny bit in high school, but that's about it. I was always firmly in the "Star Wars" camp. So imagine my surprise when the second wave of "Star Wars" movies sucked ass while the reboot of "Star Trek" kicked major ass! This movie is everything it should be (and, for me, everything "Star Trek" usually isn't.) It was fast, exciting, funny, and interesting. God bless J.J. Abrams (and producer Damon Lindelof) for knowing exactly what this franchise needed. He assembled a pitch perfect cast (especially the sublime Simon Pegg!), threw in a few winks for the true fans, and crafted a thoroughly enjoyable thrill ride for the masses. No geek-cred required. Simply put, it's the perfect Summer movie.

Guest Columnist: Gianna's Top 100 Movies Every Film Buff Should See, Pt 5

2009-05-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

Here's the next10 film recommendations, we're at the half-way point! I'm 7 for 10 again and this list has another of my all-time favorites: Holiday!

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001, Dir: John Cameron Mitchell, Wr: John Cameron Mitchell & Steven Trask) A rock musical, that actually features a great rock score. Cameron Mitchell’s tale of a young East German man’s struggle to find his identity after a botched sex-change operation, is humorous, touching and uplifting.

His Girl Friday (1940, Dir: Howard Hawks, Wr: Charles Lederer)-The great Roslind Russel in yet another amazing comic performance. One of the countless versions of the Front Page-this is my favorite.

Holiday (1938, Dir: George Cuckor, Wr: Donald Ogden Stewart)-Yes, everyone knows Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story, but I am at a loss as to why this exquisitely charming Hepburn & Grant film is completely neglected.

Hope and Glory (1987, Dir: John Boorman, Wr: John Boorman)-John Boorman’s semi-autobiographical film of early World War II England. Hope and Glory illustrates that even amidst the horrors of wartime, children can find the most joyous aspects of absolute destruction.

House of Games (1987, Dir: David Mamet, Wr: David Mamet & Johnathan Katz)-A thoroughly absorbing mystery/suspense flick. Though you have to endure the always wooden Lindsay Crouse (what can you say, she was married to Mamet at the time) House of Games is a tightly crafted film that keeps you mesmerized until the very end.

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994 Dir: Joel Cohen, Wr: Joel & Ethan Cohen)-Joel & Ethan’s Cohen’s wonderful comedy about the invention of the Hula Hoop. Fantastic performances by Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Paul Newman, superb art direction and cameo’s from Bruce Campbell and Steve Buscemi make for some fun viewing.

Imitation of Life (1959, Dir: Douglas Sirk, Wr: Eleanor Griffin & Alan S)-Douglas Sirk is too often dismissed as a director. True all his films are over-the-top, highly melodramatic and filled with Bad-Movie-We-Love moments. Still, he is a director that made every effort to push the envelop in tight 50’s production code days. Imitation of Life, with its themes of identity of race and prejudice, is one of my favorites.

Inside Moves (1980, Dir: Richard Donner, Wr: Valerie Curtin)-A totally forgotten film from the early eighties, about patrons of a local bar that caters to the handicapped. Instead of being a hit-you-over-the-head ‘See what we can do’ type of movie; Inside Moves is a small film with a sweet and human tone.

Iron Giant (1999, Dir: Brad Bird, Wr: Tim McCanlies)-Brad Bird’s wonderful animated film is stunning to watch. Utilizing a great 50’s look, this charming and entertaining film is a must for any film library.

Island of Lost Souls (1932, Dir: Erle C. Kenton, Wr: Waldemar Young)-One of the earliest and best adaptations of The Island of Dr. Moreau-there is nothing creepier or scarier than Charles Laughton.

Music & the Movies

2009-05-15T12:17:00.001-07:00

So Sean and I have an ongoing discussion about what constitutes a "Musical" and what is just a "Movie with Music." It is my firm contention that not only are movies like "Footloose" and "Flashdance" which heavily feature original musical sequences not musicals (as they were often categorized in the 80s when traditional musicals died), but I go so far as to say that many films about a non-fictional group or performer (Walk the Line, A Hard Day's Night) which feature their music in full musical sequences don't count either.

Here are my basic rules:

A "Musical" must feature music written specifically for that project.

Musical sequences must be performed by the characters, preferably in character.

There should be at least one big dance sequence.

Songs should serve to further the plot and/or character development.

Sean loves to try to trip me up citing certain movies and asking whether or not they would count. Ray? Nope. Help? Close, but no cigar. What about Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Dreamgirls? They're about performers! Yes, but some songs are sung in character and all songs are about the plot/characters.

Every now and again he stymies me. Truthfully, some movies are tougher to argue for or against. Some are very much on the line. I don't consider Ray a musical, but do I consider Yankee Doodle Dandy one? Probably. It's tough. Is it just because George M. Cohan's music is more traditional and therefore more befitting a musical? Or is it because many of the recreations of his performances are theatrical presentations instead of a singer singing into a microphone in a nightclub? My carefully chosen rules don't always work. Sometimes for me it comes down to what feels like a musical and what doesn't.

Some of my favorite musicals:

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - dated, but adorable

Singing in the Rain - Pure, unadulterated joy

My Fair Lady - A movie I never cared for a t first, but continues to grow on me more & more (but it's not a romance!)

Dreamgirls/ Chicago - all hail to re-birth of the movie musical!

Some of my favorite "movies with music:"

Once - simple & sweet, with a tremendous soundtrack

Almost Famous - Cameron Crowe & Martin Scorsese are probably two of the best directors for knowing how to use music.

A Hard Day's Night - Come on, it's the Beatles! How can you top that?

The Commitments - Perhaps one of the best soundtracks ever created for a film.

Netlfix Fridays: What Are We Watching Now?

2009-05-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

We've managed to watch quite a few movies this week - even sandwiched in between lots of season finales (Lost: amazing, 30 Rock & The Office: awesome!, House: meh, Bones: horrible!!) Goodbye, TV - see you again in September!

Battlestar Gallactica: Season 4, Disc 2 - Still plodding along through this series. As well done as it is, it certainly doesn't have the adrenaline rush of watching 24, or the maddening puzzles of Lost which keep you breathlessly waiting for the next disc. The first disc of this season was really just a 2-hour movie about mostly unknown characters, so to me this will really be the setting off point for Season 4. Hope it's going to be a good one!

Dr. Katz, Disc 7 - We're still working our way through Dr. Katz as well, but his is much more fun! We're about halfway through the entire series at this point and it's still damn funny! Can't wait to see how many times they get Ray Ramono on this time. He's practically a supporting character he's on so often! Nothing wrong with that, of course, because he always brings the funny.

Crazy Love - I've been waiting to see this one for a while. Here's what Netflix has to say: "This documentary from director Dan Klores chronicles the disturbing true story of an obsessive relationship gone awry in 1950s New York between Burt Pugach, a married lawyer, and his twenty-something mistress, Linda Riss. In a shocking reversal of the traditional "woman scorned" formula, it was Pugach who came unglued when Riss broke up with him -- and the subsequent fallout made headlines across the country. " I mean, just look at this guy! He's got whack-job written all over him!

Guest Columnist: Gianna's Top 100 Movies Every Film Buff Should See, Pt 4

2009-05-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

Here's your latest installment... Cool, I'm up to 7 out of 10 this time!
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Dial M for Murder (1954, Dir: Alfred Hitchcock, Wr: Frederick Knott)-Another great Hitchcock film, and the only one of his films that was filmed in 3D. Interesting to watch with that knowledge, as you’d never know it (unlike other 3D films of that era) and it makes you appreciate the cinematography even more.

Dogville (2003, Dir: Lar Von Trier, Wr: Lars Von Trier)-The first of Von Trier’s America trilogy. Filmed on a sound stage with minor set pieces, it features Nicole Kidman as a young woman hiding out in a small town. Serves as an interesting commentary on America’s foreign policy.

East of Eden (1955 Dir: Elia Kazan, Wr: Paul Osborn)-In his short career James Dean shot three pictures: Rebel Without a Cause, Giant and East of Eden. Everyone has seen Rebel and Giant is, well, it’s long and it has Elizabeth Taylor. East of Eden, I feel, captures his best performance.

Ed Wood (1994, Dir: Tim Burton, Wr: Scott Alexander)-Tim Burton’s biography of Ed Wood is just heaven. One of the best Burton/Depp films, its celebration of the mediocre makes it one of the most joyous film bios made.

Eight Men Out (1988, Dir: John Sayles, Wr: John Sayles)-A great sports movie about one of the most infamous scandals in baseball. One of my favorites Sayles’s films.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988, Dir: Isao Takahata, Wr: Isao Takahata) A touching film of children in post Hiroshima Japan. An unusual subject for animated film, it executes the story beautifully.

Grey Gardens (1975, Dir: Albert & David Maysles)-This documentary, about Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edie was shot shorty after they were ordered to clean up their crumbling home Grey Gardens. No voice over narration or commentary and little background info make this an interesting documentary.

Harold and Maude (1971, Dir: Hal Ashby, Wr: Colin Higgins) The ultimate May/December romance, this film has some of the most amusing and equally touching moments I’ve seen. You also can’t beat the wonderful performances and chemistry of Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort.

Heaven Can Wait (1978, Dir: Warren Beatty & Buck Henry, Wr: Elaine May) One of my all time favorite comedies. Warren Beatty is at his most charming and endearing in this film. A stellar supporting cast hits all the marks.

Heavenly Creatures (1994, Dir: Peter Jackson, Wr: Peter Jackson & Fran Walsh) From the opening scene, to the roll of the credits this film grabs you and never lets go. Up until this film, Jackson was mainly known for horror-comedy gore-fests. An incredibly faithful retelling of one of New Zealand’s most shocking crimes, it features the screen debut of Kate Winslet.

Margarita Movies: Mommie Dearest

2009-05-09T11:25:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day, everyone! To celebrate the magical and joyous bond of Motherhood, why not pop in one of the all-time best Worst Movies: Mommie Dearest. This is right up there with Xanadu in its extreme awfulness! You have Faye Dunaway, single-handedly killing her career so thoroughly that it still hasn't recovered over 25 years later, you have creepy kids making cocktails, you have unfair swim races, and you have dialogue... oh my, do you have dialogue! What's your favorite line?

"Don't f**k with me, boys! This isn't my first time at the rodeo!"

"I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at the dirt!"

"But I'm not ONE OF YOUR FANS!"

and, of course, "No Wire Hangers.... EVER!"

Does it get any better than that? The truly funniest thing to me is that poor little Christina comes off almost as someone you'd want to hit! Even when I see the actress (who played older Christina) in other projects (not too long ago, she even showed up on Lost!), I can't help but envision her getting bitch-slapped by Faye Dunaway.

And then I smile.
A little.

So make yourself a heaping Margarita, take that leftover steak out of the refrigerator, slather your face in cold cream, strap your little brother into his bed and enjoy the greatest Mother of them all!

Netflix Fridays: What are we watching now?

2009-05-08T04:20:00.000-07:00

Good week for movies - Roman Polanski and Frost/Nixon were excellent. Battlestar was a bit uneven - but only because it began its fourth season by focusing on a completely new story with completely new characters. Took a while to warm up. So here's what we've got on deck:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Our last of the Oscar nominees from this past year and by far the worst. We just watched this last night and - oh my God - does someone owe the guy who wrote Forrest Gump some serious money! There are so many parallels it is truly dizzying. Except - of course - for the whole "being interesting" part. Let me tell you something, Benjamin Button, I have seen Forrest Gump. I own Forrest Gump. You Sir, are no Forrest Gump.

Last Chance Harvey - I really am so excited to see this movie. It looks like one of those little gems which - while probably a little slight - just makes you smile. And how can you go wrong with Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson? I ask you!

Ace in the Hole - Perhaps one of the best filmmakers of all time, Billy Wilder, brings us our last viewing option. This was recommended to us by Netflix, based on our ratings. I had never even heard of it before and am quite intrigued. As Netflix describes it: "After being fired from several major newspapers, reporter Charles Tatum (Kirk Douglas) tries to reestablish himself in New Mexico. When a local store owner is trapped in a cave-in, Tatum turns the victim's misfortune into a media frenzy to further his own career. A local sheriff agrees to help prolong the rescue efforts, thereby helping build up the story. This classic film has been touted as director Billy Wilder's sharpest, most uncompromising piece of work." Sounds good, yes? And also sounds like one of those movies which was way ahead of its time.

Guest Columnist: Gianna's top 100 Films a Film Buff Should see Pt 3

2009-05-05T04:13:00.000-07:00

Jami's note: Ok, I guess I never saw the thing about "60 FILMS" in Gianna's previous posts... ooops! Still, who can't use a few more recommendations? Also - out of today's 10, I've seen 6. More respectable, indeed - plus 3 of today's are some of my all-time favorite films. Enjoy!
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Okay, it took me a little while to send the third installment. This was due to the fact that I had only done a list of 60 films, but the titles of the last two installment promised 100. So I went back and assessed some more films and came up with the additional 40. In a way it was a good thing, there were some titles that I had forgotten and there some titles that I had debated on that now got into the cut. I also want to clarify that this is not a ‘Best of’ list or ‘My Favorite’ list. These are films that I feel are worth seeing, but for whatever reason don’t get the same ink that other films do.

The Accidental Tourist (1988, Dir: Lawrence Kasdan, Wr: Frank Galati)-This fantastic adaptation of Anne Tyler’s wonderful novel of the same name, tends to suffer from the inaccurate billing of being a romantic comedy. Though, the film does have numerous light moments, it really is more of an examination of loss and the inability to connect with people.

Alice (1988, Dir: Jan Svankmajer, Wr: Jan Svankmajer)-A completely surreal and disturbing version of Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland. Czech animator Svankmajer utilizes stop-motion animation to create a unstable and frightening Wonderland.

Allegro Non Troppo (1977, Dir: Bruno Bozzetto, Wr: Bruno Bozzetto & Guido Manlui)- Essentially Italy’s version of Fantasia, it’s a more adult take and features some stunning and heartbreaking animation.

American Movie (1999, Dir: Chris Smith)-Chris Smith’s film of amateur filmmaker Mark Borchardt, is supremely funny. So funny that you almost think it’s a mockumentary - but it’s all true. A fantastic account of one individual who lives in his own world, not always to his own benefit.

Beauty and the Beast (1946. Dir: Jean Cocteau, Wr: Jean Cocteau)-One of the most gorgeous live-action fairy tales put to the screen. Beautiful and haunting cinematography frames this stunning French film.

Before Sunrise (1995. Dir: Richard Linklater, Wr: Richard Linklater & Kim Krizan)-Perfect in its simplicity of story of two young people who meet on a train in Europe and spend the rest of the night talking. Refreshing and honest.

Before Sunset -(2004, Dir: Richard Linklater, Wr: Richard Linklater & Julie Delpy) The sequel to Before Sunrise. This film takes up nine years later, with our twenty-somethings now in their 30’s. One can only hope that Linklater and his two stars-Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, will revisit these characters every 10 years.

Blood for Dracula (1974, Dir: Paul Morrisey, Wr: Paul Morrisey)-Sometimes a movie doesn’t have to be a great or even good film to be a must for viewing. Andy Warhol’s Blood for Dracula is one of those films. Filled with bad acting, copious sex scenes and a rather blah script, there is something joyous is it’s badness. The cherry on the cake is Joe Dallesandro’s Brooklynese dialect amongst the all European cast.

The Changeling (1980, Dir: Peter Medak, Wr: William Gray)-This fantastic ghost story shows that atmosphere and a good creepy story can be as scary as anything. Starring George C. Scott as a recent widower who moves into a house that is occupied by the ghost of a young boy; the film’s non-use of special effects is a rarity in horror.

Cry in the Dark (1988, Dir: Fred Shepisi, Wr: Robert Caswell)-Unfortunately, this film is only known for it’s infamous line ‘The dingo ate my baby!’ However, this excellent Australian offering thoroughly examines how the media manipulates a story, how public obsession clouds truth and how quickly the truth gets lost in the quest for sensationalism.

Netflix Fridays: What are we watching now

2009-05-01T05:07:00.000-07:00

Another busy week, but we managed to finish out John Adams (that good-for-nothing John Quincy...) and The Wrestler (Not bad, but one of those "saw the whole movie in the trailer" kind of experiences for me) and are on to fresher fare. Here's what we have lined up:

Frost/Nixon - It's funny how I'm seeing the Best Picture nominees in about the same order I had interest in them (leaving Benjamin Button for last). Still, I have hope that my lackluster feeling about his year's Oscar crop can still be turned around by a terrific film. If Opie can't pull it off, who can?

Battelstar Gallactica: Season 4, Disc 1 - So we're beginning the penultimate season and hopeful won't have too long a wait until Season 5 is released so that we can cruise to our (hopefully) satisfying ending. They continue to delve into a lot of religious psycho-babble in here and I wish they would just embrace the sci-fi (and political parallels to our current world-state) a bit more. We'll see what this season brings.

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired - A documentary examining the controversial director. It touches on his career as well as his tumultuous personal life including the rape charges which made him flee America and the murder of Sharon Tate.

Guest Columnist: Gianna's review of Azur & Asmar - Indescribably Gorgeous

2009-04-29T03:32:00.000-07:00

French animator Michael Ocelot’s latest film Azur & Asmar is a film that every animation buff should seek out, filled with some of the most beautiful and intricate animation we’ve seen in a long-time.

Azur’s Middle-Eastern nurse raises him alongside her own son Asmar. Treated as brothers, she regales the young boys with a story about the Djin fairy, imprisoned in a country across the sea and who awaits a prince who will free her from plight. As the boys grow-up Azur’s father decides to separate them, sending Azur off to school and Asmar and his mother back to their own country. When Azur reaches adulthood, he decides to cross the sea on a quest to free the Djin fairy. He is eventually reunited with Asmar and his mother and the two young men join together in their quest.

Composed of vibrant jewel tones, and intricate backgrounds Azur & Asmar is a joy to watch. The story is told simply and devoid of the usual American conventions of creating snappy characters and pop-culture references. Ocelot’s stunning animation actually becomes a sort of narrator and washes over the viewer. Some viewer’s may be put off by the odd computer animation techniques. Much more attention and detail is given to the backgrounds, than actual character animation. And while the physical details of the character’s faces and bodies are nicely achieved, the clothing for the characters is flat and block-y.

The film has had an extremely limited theatrical release, and will be very unlikely that you can go to your local multiplex and see it. However, it has been released on DVD recently and is worth seeking out. If you are lucky enough to encounter a movie theater that is showing it-GO! You won’t be disappointed.

How to Craft a Perfect Villain

2009-04-25T10:05:00.001-07:00

This past month, Entertainment Weekly came out with their list of Best Pop Culture villains. There was the usual collection of good, bad and "huh?" choices but it got me to thinking... what makes a good villain? As with any discussions of villains, my thoughts immediately turn to my gold standard of movie villainy: Hans Gruber. Now old Hans did make EW's list, but not nearly as high as he should have. Why is he my favorite movie villain? The answer is as easy as it is indefinable: He's cool!

I firmly believe the best villains are the ones you love to hate. My villains have to have some style, some panache, and hopefully a slight sense of humor. Take my favorite Disney villains: you've got Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, who is pure evil - she has a bad ass costume, an evil laugh, hell - she even has horns! Then there's Ursula from The Little Mermaid who has nothing if not presence. If you've created your villain correctly, your audience should be at least half-hoping that they succeed. (Unfortunately, Thomas Harris took this a little far and gave us the extremely ill-conceived Hannibal. Ugh!)

A calm, cool and collected presence helps, too. Other-the-top villainy doesn't work for me. I like Anton Chigurgh a lot better than Jack Torrence. Nurse Ratched... The Operative from Serenity ... Hannibal Lecter... these are people whose feathers don't ruffle easily and it makes them seem downright unbeatable. What more can you want in a villain?

Villains are also best when they don't have overly complicated motivations. Which was scarier, the original "Jaws" or "Jaws 4... this time it's personal" where Jaws' mother went on a revenge rampage? OK, maybe that's not a fair comparison, I mean who likes anything about Jaws 4, but let me ask you this: which is the better Batman villain, the bad ass Joker or Mr. Freeze, who has to be bad in order to save his dying wife? Or the Penguin who was horribly abused and abandoned as a child? The less you know about your villain's back story, the better. I'll take my villains' motives like Nicky Holiday's in The Great Muppet Caper: "Why am I doing this? I'm a villain! It's pure and simple." How can you argue with that?

So here's my advice: Don't work so hard at making your villain scary, or brutal, or "complicated," just make them memorable, stylish, and cool. They may not win, but everyone will be secretly wishing they did!

Netflix Fridays: What Are We Watching Now?

2009-04-23T10:59:00.000-07:00

How has another week gone by already? And why - at the same time - does it seem as if it was 12 weeks long? I guess I'll chalk it up to the joys of parenting and home ownership... oh, and being a working stooge! Never a dull moment. Gotta figure out how to become independently wealthy and retire to that island... Well, until that happens, here's what we're looking at watching this weekend:

The Wrestler - OK, I wasn't thrilled with The Reader and while Doubt was better that I had expected, it won't be making its way into my permanent collection any time soon. Here's the next big prestige picture of 2008 to make it's way to our home. We'll see how it fares. Part of me wants to be unimpressed because I just want Mickey Rourke, his tiny dogs, and his badly-in-need-of-being-washed hair to go away. But I think a bigger part of me just wants to be blown away by something truly good. We'll see..

John Adams: Disc 3 - Well, not to give anything away here, but he becomes President! Didn't see THAT coming! We'll have to see how things work out for him and his sullen sons... that John Quincy, nothing good is going to come of him, I guarantee it!

The Ultimate Carson Collection: Volume One - Sean was always a big Johnny Carson fan. I was more of a Letterman chick. To me, Carson was just some old guy telling lame jokes about Madonna and a bunch of young people he probably didn't even know anything about. Well, I was 12, and he was getting toward the end of his career. So we are exploring some of Johnny's "greatest hits" and I'm sure this will bring me around to appreciating the man for how funny he truly was.

But I still reserve the right to like Letterman better.

Guest Columnist: Gianna's top 100 Movies any Film Buff Should See, Pt. 2

2009-04-21T05:30:00.000-07:00

Here is the next 10 films on Gianna's list of films recommended for tru film buffs. I've only seen 4 of these 10, but you know - the deck is sort of stacked in Gianna's favor here.
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Commitments (1991, Dir: Alan Parker, Wr: Dick Clement) The Commitments is just one of those perfect little films. From the writing, to casting, to directing everything just clicks. Say it with me now- ‘I’m Black and I’m Proud!’

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989, Dir: Peter Greenway, Wr: Peter Greenway) Highly stylized, but compelling from beginning to end. It’s not a pleasant film to watch by any means, but the ending pays off in a big way.

Crumb (1994 Dir: Terry Zwigoff)-A great documentary about the life and career of comic artist Robert Crumb. Zwigoff examines not just Crumb’s amazing career, but his fully bizarre family as well. It’s fascinating and compelling and stays with you long after you see it.

Dark Crystal (1982, Dir: Jim Henson & Frank Oz, Wr: Jim Henson & David Odell) A thoroughly unappreciated film in its day and even now. The sheer artistry that this film demands is amazing. Though the screenplay is not especially strong, the artistic achievement of the film far out weighs it.

The Devil’s Backbone (2001, Dir: Guillermo del Toro, Wr: Guillermo del Toro)-A great creepy, atmospheric, ghost story. In an age where most Americans equate horror with torture porn, this wonderful gem is superior to anything Eli Roth is vomiting out.

Existenz (1999, Dir: David Cronenberg, Wr: David Cronenberg)-If there’s such a thing as an intellectual popcorn movie, Existenz falls into that category. Essentially written off as an imitator to The Matrix, Existenz delivers a far more satisfying ride. (Jami's note: That's not too hard in my book!)

Eyes Without a Face (1960, Dir: Georges Franju, Wr: Jean Redon, Pierre Boileau)-A completely disturbing horror picture. Considered a precursor to Psycho, Eyes Without a Face has one of the most haunting final scenes I’ve seen put to film.

Fantastic Planet (1960, Dir: Rene Laloux, Wr: Roland Topor)-This French animated Sci-Fi adventure is beautifully animated and completely trippy. One of the early films to make the case that animation is not just for children.

Forbidden Games (1952, Dir: Rene Clement, Wr: Jean Aurenche) An amazing little film about the effects of war and death from a child’s point of view. The film touchingly examines the way children deal with the realities of death and its religious rituals.

Girl Crazy (1943, Dir: Busby Berkley, Wr: Guy Boltan & Jack McGowan) There’s a reason Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland musicals were so damn popular-They’re FREAKIN' ADORABLE! Just about any of their films are fine to watch-I picked this one, because it was the only one that didn’t feature a minstrel show.

Movies & Sports Sell Out

2009-04-20T12:58:00.000-07:00

I recently got into a debate with my brother, Tom (can you imagine it?) about what new stadiums like Citifield reflect about the state of sports. I contended that Citifield represents everything that is wrong with professional sports today. It’s more about making money than it is about playing the game. Tom contended that the Mets’ parent company has every right to make money and to that ends, it’s all good. He’s right to a point (whether any inanimate object actually has rights, is another debate). But the debate brought up an interesting parallel of the world of sports to the world of film. Tom said that the sate of Hollywood was just as bad. And ya know, he’s kinda right. To a point.

You see, Transformers II is coming out this summer. That says it all right there. It seems that when making money becomes the focus, the art suffers just as much as the sport suffers. Both art and sports are about the doing. And they are about doing for doing’s sake. When it’s about money, you get Michael Bay and Nic Cage movies and you get MLB, NBA and NFL. Yes, there is entertainment value (of varying degrees) but it becomes more about product endorsements, high salaries, action figures and video games. It becomes more about the distractions from the game/movie than about the actual game/movie itself.

There is a level of making money on artistic endeavors like the Weinstein Company, Sony Classics or Focus Features. They make prestigious pictures that make a comparatively meager amount of money. This is kind of like minor league ball. It’s still a pure game but there’s still a commercial value to it ("Hit the bull and get a free steak").

Then you have the pick-up game in the park. The Whiffle Ball game in the back yard. Just people playing a game to play the game – that’s kinda how Kevin Smith made Clerks. They are playing for the pure joy of the game. Yes, they want to excel and be their best. But the most they hope to get for their effort is bragging rights.

I, personally, do not follow sports. I was close to being a die-hard Met fan, until they traded away their 1986 team before the 1987 season. I remember watching the ’86 series like it was yesterday. That, to me, was baseball at its greatest: you were truly on the edge of your seat as the pitcher and the batter were steeped in battle, flinching at every swing and literally jumping for joy when the fated ball passed through Buckner’s legs.

I was hooked. I couldn’t wait for the next season to start. Then the Mets traded Lenny Dykstra. That pissed me off. And it’s not about whether they made a good trade or bad trade. (You can discuss the merits of their trades with the Mad Dog. I don’t care.) It just made me realize that to root for the 1987 Mets would basically be rooting for a trademarked logo, not the group of individuals who made up a championship team. Suddenly, I didn’t care.

Going to a game at Citifield is less about enjoying a game and more about having the Heritage Pork Porchetta and a choice of six red wines. All this hoo-ha is taking the focus away from the experience of the game itself. People are coming to see the park more than they are coming to see a baseball game. Hell, the name, Citifield, is meant to make you think of a bank instead of a ball park. Plus, higher ticket prices: the addition of more luxury suites that rent for $250,000 - $500,000 each per season, an average ticket price of $170 for the lower level seats, make the game less accessible to the average Joe-lunch-pail. Sure, if the Mets are playing, I root for them (especially when they’re playing the Yankees). But ask me one of the players name and it’s like you’re asking Tom to highlight the mise-en-scene in a Kurosawa flick.

Which brings me to the movie side of it all. Most people say that movies are worse than ever. This is somewhat true. And I say somewhat because there are great movies still being made: Michael Clayton, The Departed, Slumdog Millionaire, the Harry Potter movies. But the big difference is that studios have learned that movies don’t have to be good to make money. As a matter of fact, it can be a detriment. So, they put the big budgets behind pop-corn movies and crap that is faster and furious-er.

Again, there’s a lot of great pop-corn movies: Spider-Man I & II, The Dark Knight, the Harry Potter movies for instance. But there is a glutton of crap movies: The Hulk, the new Star Wars movies, anything with Shia LaBeouf, Daredevil, any of the “insert-genre-here Movie” movies (Scary Movie, Date Movie, Super-Hero movie, etc.) of course: Transformers I & II (I know the second has not come out yet, but if that is a good movie, I will eat a plate of dog crap in Macy’s window).

But even the good pop-corn movies are not exactly the most artistic endeavors. They loose a lot of purity, especially when they are focus-grouped to death. These movies are not made for the love of making movies, they are for the love of a paycheck.

And that is what is wrong with professional sports. It is not being played for the love of the game. Don’t get me wrong, the people who are talented enough to make it to the majors love the game. That’s just not their motive for playing any more. I’m sure Toby McGuire didn’t sign up for Spider-Man 4 because of his love of films. No, he did it for the big, fat paycheck.

Now, take a movie like 2005’s Good Night, and Good Luck. When George Clooney made that film, he did not expect to rake in $100,000,000 at the box office. Which is a good thing, because he would have gone postal over its $31,000,000 gross. Instead, Clooney had something to say. And through is knowledge of film, he said it better than anyone could have. He crafted an excellent, classic movie that said something because that’s what he set out to do. Not to make a boatload of money.

The same year, Star Wars Episode 3 came out and made $380,000,000 domestically. Now, which movie was better?

Take Slumdog Millionaire. This movie was made thinking that no one would even buy it. Talk about not being in it for the paycheck. But this gave Danny Boyle incredible freedom to make a great movie without having to worry how it would play in Peoria. Boyle made that movie for the pure love of it. He did it for the doing of it. Like playing baseball in the park and diving into second. The only motivation to dive is the almost-artistic experience of doing through competition.

When films are made for the money-making aspect, the joy and soul starts to get sucked out. Look at what happened to Disney movies. Disney reached a point where you could simply imagine people sitting in a board room saying that singing gargoyles would make a marketable addition to both the movie and the accompanying Happy Meal.

So, what is wrong with Sports today is very much the same thing as what is wrong with movies today. Both are endeavors about experience and accomplishment. This is truly the essence of artistic endeavor as much as it is athletic endeavor. But when they become mired in the attempts to capitalize on them, their point shifts from artistic or athletic endeavor to a money-making endeavor. And while people have the right to make money off of art and sport, it lessens the experience if just a little bit.

Netflix Fridays: What Are We Watching Now?

2009-04-17T14:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I knew we'd get a little back-logged this week and we did, but we did a lot of work this week (and rewarded ourselves with The Office, season 3 which made the perfect thing to have on while painting/ cleaning.) So we're actually between cycles right now.

But we did have the opportunity to see The Reader this week and I have to confess, we were underwhelmed. Kate Winslet did just hit it out of the park every mili-second she was on screen, but the writing felt very under-developed, especially in the first half which left the second half feeling very empty for me. I just didn't have a lot invested in these characters or their relationship, so there wasn't much emotional payoff when it was over. Hopefully Frost/ Nixon and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will fair better... but I'm not holding my breath. What can I say? I'm a very fickle Oscar Nazi this year!

"Romantic" Movies which Piss Me Off

2009-04-13T11:50:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while - OK, more often than not - some one's opinion on a film bugs me. Just start praising Clint Eastwood and incur my wrath! Still, I have an especially sore spot for people who willfully misconstrue certain films, turning them into ultra-romantic fantasy pieces instead of the real slaps-in-the-face to romance which they truly are. Here are a few of the top offenders in my book:

My Fair Lady - Let me start with one basic truth: There is nothing sexy about Rex Harrison. That being said, do not get me wrong: I quite love this film. Audrey Hepburn is at her best - despite the fact that her singing vocals are dubbed by Marni Nixon. However, there is NOTHING romantic about this film! When this made AFI's list of top 100 romances, I almost gagged. Even if you think that somehow the relationship that Eliza and Higgins have at the end of the film has deepened into a romantic one, that fact that Higgins never apologizes to Eliza is enough of a reason to put it on the list of worst 100 romances -especially considering Eliza so powerfully tells Higgins what he can do with his diphthongs in the scene before their reconciliation. That fact that she returns and he chides her pisses me off every time.

Forrest Gump - How does anyone find this film romantic? Poor Forrest spends his entire life pining for Jenny who only agrees to marry him when she's dying and needs someone to take care of their son... oh yeah... whom she never told Forrest about! There is never any evidence that Jenny thinks any more of Forrest than of a loyal dog who always seems to be there when you're feeling down. Truly, Jenny may have had a rough start of it, but any other man would have kicked her to the curb long ago. I guess stupid really is as stupid does.

Pretty in Pink - This one even pissed me off as I watched it the theater at the prime age for getting swept up in the angsty teenage love story. This one, too, comes down to a lack of apology situation at the end. Blaine, Molly Ringwald's rich, preppy boyfriend, blows her off come prom because he can't stand up to his jerk-wad friends. However, this film really sets itself apart from the likes of My Fair Lady because not only does Blaine not apologize for his dick-ish behavior, he puts the blame on poor Molly for "not believing in" him. And she takes it!! Harrumph, I say! To make matters worse, in the original cut, Molly told Blaine he was a coward and wound up with the ever faithful Duckie which is a far superior - and satisfying - ending.

Guest Columnist: Gianna picks 100 movies a real film buff should see (10 at a time)

2009-04-13T04:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a post from Gianna about some lesser known movies that rel film buffs should see. I mean, if a film buff needs to be told by a list that he or she should really see "Citizen Kane," that person is not really a film buff, right?

In case you're wondering - I've only seen 6 of the first 10. Guess I better get cracking!

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A few weeks back, Yahoo compiled a list of the "100 Films to See Before You Die." Many on that list were the same pool of films on every ‘Must See’ list: Godfather 1 & 2, Citizen Kane, Lawrence of Arabia, It’s a Wonderful Life - you know the drill. I decided to compile my own list of films that you should see. Some of these films are brilliant, some are good, some are flawed but interesting but all are worth checking out. I came up with 60 films that tend to fall in the ‘ugly stepchild’ category. They are in alphabetical order and will come in installements of 10. Here is the first group:

Age of Innocence-(1993, Dir: Martin Scorsese, Wr: Jay Cocks) I am at a loss as to why this film doesn’t have a bigger following. Even period drama fiends tend to pass this one by and they shouldn’t. Age of Innocence is a gorgeously shot, lush romantic picture that gives you a glimpse of Scorsese’s wonderful range as a director. (Jami's note....yes, "Range." Let's see Clint Eastwood make this picture!)

Auntie Mame-(1958, Dir: Morton DaCosta, Wr: Betty Comden & Adolph Green) One of the two Rosiland Russell films on my list. It’s a shame that some fantastic actors get forgotten by time. Russell was a brilliant comic actor and Auntie Mame features her best performance. I’ve watched it numerous times and each time I see new details in her performance.

Bedazzled-(1967, Dir: Stanley Donen, Wr: Peter Cook & Dudley Moore) This adorable little comedy features the great comedy team of Dudley Moore and Peter Cook. A reworking of the Faust legend, it is a hysterical, if dated, little comedy.

Bob Roberts (1992, Dir: Tim Robbins, Wr: Tim Robbins) This frighteningly funny first effort from Robbins, is a great indictment of our political system. Though we are all famously aware of Robbins’s own political leanings, I’ve watched this film with conservatives and liberals who both enjoyed it.

Breaking Away (1979, Dir: Peter Yates, Wr: Steve Tesich) This is what I call a perfectly charming movie and those of you who have seen it are probably going ‘Oh yes! I love that movie!’ Wonderful little flick on defining your own path in life, with a fantastic cast.

Champagne for Caesar (1950 Dir: Richard Whorf, Wr: Fred Brady & Hans Jacoby) A forgotten little comedy, it features one of the rare comic performance by Master-of-Horror Vincent Price. Price plays the president of a soap company that sponsors a popular game show. Know-it-All Ronald Coleman, who is turned down for a job at said soap company (for being too smart), decides to go on the game show and take the company for all it’s worth. A true lost gem.

Christmas in Connecticut (1945, Dir: Peter Godfrey, Wr: Lionel Hauser & Adele Commanding) Next Christmas, skip one of your numerous viewings of It’s a Wonderful Life, Christmas Story or Elf and pop this wonderful film in the player. A rather neglected charming Christmas film, it features the wonderful (and also somewhat forgotten) Barbara Stanwyck, as a Martha Steawart-esque columnist, who doesn’t have a Martha Stewart-y bone in her body. (Jami's note: do NOT skip watching It's a Wonderful Life, Elf, or A Christmas Story. Maybe just add this one to the rotation!)

Chocolate War-(1988 Dir: Keith Gordon, Wr: Keith Gordon) This wonderful adaptation of Robert Cormier’s fantastic young-adult novel, was the antithesis of the hip John Hughes-y teen flicks produced in the 80’s.

City of Lost Children-(1995, Dir: Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Wr: Gilles Adrien & Jean-Pierre Jeunet) Jeunet & Caro’s trippy visual feast is a must for fantasy fans. The final film of this French directing team is creepy, humorous and visually stunning.

Cluny Brown (1946, Dir: Ernst Lubtisch, Wr: Samuel Hoffenstein & Elizabeth Reinhardt) I’ll admit, this is kind of a mean one to put on the list. It’s yet to receive a DVD release and the VHS has been long out of print. However, if you can catch it on TV you’ll get to see a gem example of the famous ‘Lubtisch Touch’. A hilarious examination of social and sexual labels.

Netflix Fridays: What Are We Watching Now?

2009-04-07T10:36:00.000-07:00

OK - we haven't gotten through all our movies this week. What can I say? We've been busy and we watch more network TV these days (catch the season finale of the excellent "Friday Night Lights" tonight if you're looking for a new show to be addicted to. Skip "Dollhouse.") Plus, with Easter is this weekend we will undoubtedly fall further behind with mandated viewings on the "Grail," "Willy Wonka," and "Wizard of Oz" awaiting us. Still we'll do what we can. Here are our two new arrivals:

Vicky Christina Barcelona - I love a good Woody Allen movie. Which is to say, I love about half of Woody Allen movies. I think the last one I really enjoyed was "Match Point," the most un-Woody Allen movie ever to come from Woody Allen. He seems to have found a new muse in Scarlet Johansson (much to my husband's delight!) and we're hoping that this film continues his latest comeback streak.

Doubt - Yep, it's that time of year when we finally get to catch up on our Oscar nominees. First, we get to view Penelope Cruz's supporting Actress-winning turn, then we get to see this multiple-nominee. I was very intrigued to see the play, but I have been less than compelled to see the screen version - despite its stellar cast. It seems like you either love or hate this. We'll let you know. Of course, maybe a story of suspected altar boy molestation is not the best thing for this Catholic couple to be watching on Easter weekend. Hmmmm.... Happy Easter everybody!

A Sleepy Little Movie

2009-04-05T12:58:00.000-07:00

The other day, we noticed a link on IMDb about movies that cure insomnia. It’s a list of snooze-fests like “The English Patient” and “Out of Africa.” It should include Blade Runner... but, waddaya gonna do?
But the list got me thinking about a movie that I actually used, on multiple occasions, to induce sleep: Othello.
No, not the super-fun strategy game. But rather the gripping 1952 adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello starring Orson Welles.
Now, let me state emphatically that this is a wonderful production and it’s done really, really well. From what I’ve seen. Which isn’t much. I’d always tell Jami, “No, it’s really good.”
Let me also say that 99.999% of the time, I sleep fine. Log-like. So I don’t need any home sleep remedies (unless they involve copious amounts of vodka).
On the rare occasion when I couldn’t sleep I put it in my VHS and I was in a deep, drooly sleep within half an hour.
I don’t know what it is about it. Is it the exhaustion of trying to keep up with Shakespearean dialogue? Is it the haunting imagery that lulls me to sleep? I don’t know what it is but I always have a Mary-Hart’s-voice type of reaction to it every single time.
The last time I watched it, I was bound and determined to see the whole movie. I made sure that I had a full night’s sleep the night before. I brewed extra coffee. I sat in an uncomfortable chair. I carbo-loaded the night before. I put myself on a Red Bull I.V. drip. I did everything short of the Clockwork Orange eye-openy-thingies. When I sat down, I was like frickin’ Ricochet Rabbit (bing-boing-boing). And…
Babies don’t sleep that good.
I tried actually watching the movie three times. I used it as a sleep aid at least five times.
When I first bought the movie, I tried watching it and went right out. I didn’t think much of it. "Guess I was more tired than I thought."
The second time made me realize that this is a pattern. It wasn’t me being tired or extra-cozy on the couch. This was some sort of ingrained Pavlovian response.
After realizing this, I decided to hold onto the tape specifically as a sleeping aid. I could have stored it in the medicine cabinet.
Mostly I used the movie when I wanted to take an afternoon nap. When I was tired but not sleepy. I’d pop it in, lie on the couch and snuggle up under a blanket. BAM – visions of Scarlet Johansson & baby oil danced in my head.
But there was a time or two when it was 3:00 am and sleep was eluding me like a Matt Damon Oscar nomination. When I can’t fall asleep, I usually read. When I can’t fall asleep reading, I usually read The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. When that doesn’t work, I’d pull out the big guns.
Merk should market this movie.
Recently, in a semi-annual paring down of our movie collection, we got rid of Othello. I think I will come to regret that decision. Yes, it was rare that I “watched” it. But in losing this movie, I have lost my magic elixir. There will be a time, maybe not in the near future, where I’m tossing and turning like a salad spinner convention and I’ll have nothin’.
My safety net for that .001% of the time that I can’t sleep is gone, condemning me to either lying in bed as the seconds slowly slide by, or learning about how I really, really need a Little Giant ladder and I can get one today for only 12 easy installments of…
But for those of you with sleeping problems, put this one on your Netflix queue and give it a whirl. I’m telling ya: Babies don’t sleep this good.

Netflix Fridays: What are We Watching Now?

2009-04-04T05:11:00.000-07:00

Ok - It's not so much that I forgot yesterday, but we have had electricians crawling all over our house for the past three days which is just a teensy bit distracting and disorienting. So, anyhow, here goes:

John Adams: Disc 2 - I was surprised how engrossing this mini-series really was - especially as a reflection of our current political climate. The freedom and ferocity of expression by our founding fathers was truly admirable and something we will never see the likes of again. As with everything which is politically thought-provoking, I am now depressed.

Dr. Katz - The Complete Series: Disc 6 - Still freaking funny.

Due South: Disc One - This was a short lived series on CBS in the late 90s which was regarded as a bit of a rip-off of Northern Exposure, though it garnered a lot of critical praise. What really intrigues us is the lead actor, though. Paul Gross, from the hilarious Canadian series "Slings & Arrows" plays a Canadian Mountie who moves to Chicago and teams up with an American Detective and has a whole bunch of wacky crime-fighting capers. One thing we're sure of, no mater what the quality of the show is, Gross will undoubtedly give an amazing performance. When we saw "Slings & Arrows," we immediately sought out anything else this guy had ever done. You know that's a good sign.

A New Margarita Classic?

2009-03-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

After a string of ridiculously bad movies over the last decade, the release of a new Nic Cage movie is call for some sort of celebration for those of us in Margaritaville, and "Knowing" seems to be no exception. Just reading this review was almost enough to make me want to actually pay to see it! (We usually like to unleash our snarkiness in the comfort of our own homes, but hell, we had a blast at our first "in house" margarita movie experience, Oliver Stone's "W," so why not make it two?... Turns out it's pretty easy to smuggle margaritas into a theater!) Still, the thought that Mr. Cage might actually profit off our impatience is enough to make me reconsider. I guess I'll just have to re-watch Neil Labute's horrid remake of "The Wicker Man" to get me through until the DVD comes out. "HOW'D SHE GET BURNED?"

Netflix Fridays: What are we watching now?

2009-03-27T03:53:00.000-07:00

Wow... it seems as though we've hardly had time to return any of our discs since our last, belated, post. Still, we've managed to get through an entire cycle of our 3-at-a-time discs. Thank goodness we don't have to make time to exercise in our lives! So here's what's on our viewing agenda this weekend:

John Adams: Disc 1 - We've heard nothing but amazing things about this movie - and it's an HBO project with the amazing Paul Giamatti & Laura Linney, so how wrong can it go? And, let's face it, the acclaimed book it's based on... well... chances are I'm just not going to get around to reading it any time soon. So, this'll have to do.

Recount - My, it's an HBO theme! This film is about the infamous Florida recount which propelled George W. Bush into the white house... you remember him, right? He's the guy who broke the world? Aaaah, yes, that's the guy. It has a pretty cool cast and the best thing - in our eyes - is that it was written by one of our favorite incidental TV actors, Danny Strong. You may remember him as Jonathon from "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" or Doyle on "Gilmore Girls" and if not... skip the rest of this blog and GO RENT THOSE!

Battlestar Galactica: Season 3: Disc 6 - At long last, we're finishing this season up. I'm eager to start season 4 so that we only have the current season left. Once a series ends, you have a pretty limited window before everyone starts spilling its secrets to you!

OK, everyone, that's it for now, have a great weekend!

Yahoo's Top 100 Movies to see before you die

2009-03-26T04:48:00.000-07:00

OK - let's get the first question out of the way: I've seen 82. That's being pretty conservative, actually, as there are a bunch of movies like 8 1/2 and Wild Strawberries which I know I saw in high school but I don't remember a thing about them, so I'm not counting them. But let's get to the real point of reading any list at all: bitching. Bitching about what was included. Bitching about what was left off. Is there anything better? You can see the whole list here if you want join in the bitch-fest in the comments section but here are my initial thoughts:

The Movies I Can't Stand: Blade Runner (what a boring, over-praised piece of crap), Princess Mononoke (Not a fan of anime. At all. HATE it), The Searchers (Every time I hear someone praise this movie I try re-watching it to see what I'm missing. I've come to the firm conclusion that they are all crazy and I - as usual - am right: it sucks)

The Movies I Can't Believe Were Included: Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid (I know I'll catch heat for this one, my husband even owns this, but to me the only joy in this movie comes from Redford & Newman's chemistry. The rest comes off as dated) , Enter the Dragon (Bruce Lee?????) , Terminator 2 (Yes, you may have loved this movie when it came out, but have you seen it recently? It's pretty silly!)

The Movies I Wish Had Been Included: North by Northwest (One of the most perfectly constructed films. Ever.), Metropolis (Gripping. Beautifully shot. Completely ahead of its time), Tootsie (OK, this may be the funniest film ever. How could they forget it?), Amadeus (simply majestic, gorgeous, lavish and filled with amazing performances. Yet they have Titanic which - while lavish - has nothing else to offer), The Princess Bride (Just criminal that it was not mentioned)

The Movies I am So Glad They Remembered: Die Hard (The best action movie ever), Do The Right Thing (finally this film started getting some love after AFI included it on their list), Groundhog Day (No one seemed to like this movie when it came out, but over the years its following has grown considerably), The Lady Eve (One of my very favorite films ever.)

Mark Your Calendars...

2009-03-26T04:14:00.000-07:00

Oscars will be March 7 next year. Clear your schedules, book a room at the Oscarnazi inn today, and start sewing your Clint Eastwood voodoo doll!

Netflix ... Friday? - What are we watching now

2009-03-23T03:59:00.000-07:00

OK - So Friday came and went. Sleepy. Busy. You had better things to do with your weekend than rent movies anyway, right? Right. There wasn't too much action this week anyway, as Darby O'Gill and the Little People took over St. Patrick's day, we squeezed in a viewing of a new margarita classic, "Poseidon," and there was plenty of good TV to be had as well including Lost, 30 Rock, The Office and Bones. So anyway, here's a look at what we are watching:

The Women (1939) - George Cukoor directs an all-female cast in this catty tale about battling and bonding that was edgy for its time -- and is one of the many wonderful films to come out of the year 1939. We were interested in checking this out after the long-in-production remake came out this year and was critically drubbed.... and hey, isn't the original always better? (Unless - of course - it's "The Poseidon Adventure" and then it's equally margarita-tastic.)

Battlestar Galactica: Season 3 Disc 5 - I thought we were at least in season 4 by now! Man, we're dragging this season out. The thing about this show: it's very well-done and thought-provoking but it's so damn serious. It really does need more yucks. I'm not talking about becoming as campy and silly as the original series, but get someone like Joss Whedon behind it and you can certainly balance serious-minded material with wit and humor. (Although, truth be told, I'm a little down on Joss at the moment. Dollhouse is not exactly lighting my world on fire, but I digress).

Saturday night Live: The First 5 Years - OK, I though this was going to be a "best of" show. I wanted to re-live the glory of "Land shark," "Babs' Uvula," "Samurai Optician," and others, but it turned out to be a fairly disjointed and somewhat tiring documentary on the first 5 years of the show. Wow! They all did drugs and had a lot of sex? No way! Fame went to their heads and they became assholes? I'm shocked! They really pushed the envelope and got things on TV that were shocking for the time? Zzzzzzzzzz.... I will definitely have to check the write ups before impulsively adding things to the queue.

That's all for now... see you Friday... maybe? Oh, and if you have 98 minutes - and a LOT of tequilla - to kill, check out Poseidon. You won't be disappointed.

Twilight, it's the Awesomest Movie Ever!

2009-03-17T05:28:00.000-07:00

From Guest Writer Gianna Fregosi:

Fans of Vampire flicks...this is not the movie for you. What do you get if the Disney Channel decided to make a tween-goth love story-Well you would get Stephanie Meyer's idiotic anemic vampire love story Twilight. If you thought you were going to get a dark, menacing, atmospheric love story, this is not the flick for you. If, however, you want to see a brooding pretty boy vampire with all the menacing danger of a bunny rabbit this is the movie of your dreams.

Kristen Stewart plays Bella, new transplant to the overly cloudy town of Forks, Washington. Instantly she is mesmerized by the oh-so-lovely Cullen family, well make that Edward Cullen (Rob Pattinson), super-dreamy and unattached to boot!

After the expected series of conflicting interactions with Edward (He hates her, He likes her, He hates her etc.), and odd occurrences: he save her life by stopping a truck with his hand, his eyes keep changing color, Bella uncovers Edward's true identity-vampire. This realization doesn't seem to bother her at all, no it intrigues her.

Edward finally admits who he is and shows her his true self. Thought vamps burned up in the sunlight? No, silly, that's a myth (along with just about every other piece of established Vampire-lore). Edward doesn't burn up in the sunlight-he sparkles! Of course now that pretty vampire boy is also pretty sparkly vampire boy-how can Bella resist.

This leads to some pretty inane dialog Ed:'So the Lion fell in love with the lamb.' Bella: 'Stupid lamb.' Ed: 'Stupid masochistic lion.' We also get the 411 on Edward's 'family' they're vegetarians, meaning they don't feast on humans only animals. It's all so wonderful and harmless, who wouldn't want to hook up with a vamp?

Of course since this is an 'epic' love story there has to be conflict. Edward decides to take Bella home to meet the folks. Ever wonder what Ozzie and Harriet would be as vampires, Carlilse and Esmee Cullen are the answer. They welcome Bella in with open arms, make an Italian dinner ('She must be Italian, her name's Bella) and invite her to the family baseball game. It's at the baseball game that we run into a different kind of vampire family, they don't live by the same code as the Cullen's and want to snack on Bella. Even though they leave, Edward knows that they aren't going to rest until they've 'snacked' on Bella. This leads to a cross-country escape, with a climatic scary moment and finally ends with Edward taking Bella to the prom.

The problem with Twilight, is that it has no teeth so to speak. The Cullen vampires are so wholesome and sweet that never once do you feel like there is an element of danger. That's why Meyer's brings in the 'bad' vamps, which is easier to digest than having Edward pose any sort of a threat. When you strip away all elements of danger and conflict, well vamp Edward is about as exciting as a moody Goth boy. I have no problem with rewriting vampire-lore, Joss Whedon has done this to great success. However, it seems Meyer's stripped away everything vampiric about Edward to make him into the perfect teen heartthrob. And that's just boring. Of course this film and book series has legions of fans who go ga-ga over it and Will tell you 'It's the awesomest movie!', and if you're 12 years old, and a girl, I'll give you a pass.

Netflix Fridays: What Are We Watching Now?

2009-03-13T10:57:00.001-07:00

Hi all three of our regular readers (at least as far as we know from our "followers".) Well, the Oscars are over and we have a couple months until the Summer movie season gets going. In between there's... "Escape from Witch Mountain?" Needless to say, we're hungry for things to blog about here. Anyhow, I thought it might be fun to talk a little bit about what we're currently netflix-ing once a week to give you (three) our thoughts on what we're watching or suggestions on what to skip. Have an idea for something we should add to our queue? Let us know in the comments section. So, here we go:

What we have at home currently:

An Evening with Kevin Smith - A collection of video segments from a cross-country lecture tour Smith did of college campuses a few years back. Smith is an entertaining - and thorough - storyteller. An answer to a single question usually takes about 5 minutes for him to answer. He's surprisingly candid about his job, the upper-ups in Hollywood, and his talent level. He's also surprisingly well-spoken blending his notorious foul mouthed tirades with handfuls of "SAT words" and articulate analysis of film making. It's actually even more entertaining than his films are.

24: Season 5, disc 5 - 24 is always an enjoyable adrenaline rush. Watching it on DVD is the only way to go in my humble opinion. I can't imagine the intensity of a season being dragged out over 4 or 5 months. When you watch it in batches, it's almost like peanuts: you just don't want to stop. We had heard that this was the best season from most people (except for John & Stacey) and would have to place it right up there. I see the criticism of it being a little too "over the top" for the first half of the season, but once the real "big bad" was revealed, it down-shifted into damage control and a direct line of taking him down. Plus, there's no cougar traps or Jack pulling a convenience store robbery to bide time. Yet.

Dr. Katz: The Complete Series: Disc 5 - If you never saw this awesome show when it originally ran on Comedy Central in the mid-nineties, or haven't seen it since, you should really check it out on DVD. A lot of the featured comedians went on to larger fame, a lot didn't. Still, by and large, the comedy holds up as does the always entertaining cast of Jonathan Katz, H. Jon Benjamin as his son Ben, and Laura Silverman as the prickly receptionist.

That's if for this week. Have a great weekend everyone!

Margarita Movies: Xanadu

2009-03-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the cream of the crop when it comes to "Bad Movies We Love" would be 1980's musical extravaganza, "Xanadu." Improbably starring Olivia Newton-John as a heavenly muse sent to Earth to help open a roller-derby disco, this movie has it all: atrocious acting, bad special effects, a rocking soundtrack featuring ELO, Gene Kelly (in his last screen appearance) on roller skates... Hell, it even has an animated sequence for no reason! And if that doesn't tempt you, ask yourself this: where else are you going to see a bird in leg warmers? Uh huh, I thought so!

The "story" centers around frustrated painter Sonny Malone, laughably portrayed by Michael Beck. You may remember him from his future appearances on "Murder She Wrote," "Diagnosis Murder" and "Walker, Texas Ranger"... no? ... oh, OK. Anyhow, his job re-painting album covers in large format doesn't "inspire" him anymore. Enter Olivia - because what better use of a daughter of Zeus than to inspire a frustrated painter to open a roller disco palace? Makes sense to me! Unfortunately, poor Sonny doesn't have any money, either. Enter Gene. Poor Gene is a washed up, but still wealthy, jazz musician whom Olivia had helped "inspire" 40 years earlier. He's lost his vision since Olivia left him, so what better way to get it back than enter into a shady deal renovating an abandoned warehouse with a shiftless artist who you met hours earlier on the beach? Makes perfect sense to me!

The film just continues to spiral into a cocaine fueled train wreck from there. Despite past encounters with Da Vinci and Michelangelo, Olivia's muse somehow falls in love with the vest-wearing Mr. Malone, and he must take on Zeus himself to win her. Wacky shenanigans, bad montages of trying on outfits (a staple of any 80s film), and much, much rollerskating follows. Needless to say, all ends well for love. Wish we could say the same for the viewer. So next time you're in the modd to get really drunk, watch a screen icon shed all his dignity and credibility for one last paycheck, and get impossibly catchy, late-era disco songs stuck in your head for weeks, this little beauty will be there.

They call it Xanadu.

Rorschach Test: What will you see when you watch the Watchmen?

2009-03-01T10:31:00.000-08:00

Everyone seems to be asking “Who will watch the Watchmen?” Mainly because it’s a slogan from the book. I was going to ask the same question too, but when I thought about it, it became pretty obvious: many, many people will watch the Watchmen.

The real question is what will you see? A really cool movie? Over-stylized crap that misses the point? Something just a little more disturbing than you expected? I think that what you see in the movie hinges greatly on what your relationship to the comic book is.

Watchmen, written by Allen Moore, is considered the Citizen Kane of comics. In a time (1985-1986) when your classic superheroes were becoming stale, Moore asked some hard, comic book questions: What if there really were superheroes? What kind of people would become superheroes? How would it really affect the world? He then set out to write the anti-superhero comic.

Without going too much into it, the book is dark, dense and considered to be un-filmable. So, of course, someone filmed it. And according to most of the early buzz, the movie is extremely faithful to the source material to the point of reverence.

But because enjoyment of the movie will be shaped by feelings for the book, most of the audience will break up into three major groups.

The first group is the uninitiated: They have never heard of Watchmen. They think that maybe Allen Moore used to play James Bond or something… didn’t he host a game show in the 70s? They are anticipating the movie because they have been hearing about the whole legal megillah in the news and they are being told that they should be greatly anticipating this movie. The trailer looks cool, so they’ll go see it. This is the majority of the audience.

These folks will most likely be bewildered by what they see. It is very different from any comic book movie they’ve seen. They will like the stylization and the general “coolness” of the movie: the real-time-to-slow-motion action sequences, the moody soundtrack, the sleek art direction.

But they will be a little turned off by the general lack of action and the un-likeability of the characters. As dark and brooding as The Dark Knight was, Bruce Wayne is a stand-up, moral guy. Not-so-much with the Watchmen. You really don’t want to cuddle up to The Comedian… he just might try to rape you.

The second group is the other extreme: the religious zealots. They have read and re-read Watchmen. They have dressed up as Rorschach at least once for Halloween (or Comic-Con). They believe that God lives in Allen Moore’s beard. They might have a smiley face with a drop of blood tattooed onto our asses. If not, they want one.

While awash in the excitement of their favorite comic brought to life, they will probably be annoyed by this movie. They will cringe when content is sacrificed and replaced with style. And, according to the director, there’s a lot of content that is sacrificed. And according to the trailer, there’s a lot of style.

The religious are already irritated that the comic-within-a-comic is not included (yet, they are happy that it will be on the DVD). They will appreciate a good effort to make Watchmen into a movie but let’s face it: you might as well make the bible into a movie. I mean the whole Bible.

The third group is the smallest. I call it: me. I’m sure there are others out there like me. We are new to the Watchmen experience. We only recently even heard of Watchmen. I first heard about Watchmen when I saw the first trailer. I got the book as a birthday present shortly after. I’ve only read it five times.

The timing of this movie is perfect for us. We love Watchmen, but we are only vaguely aware that Allan Moore has a beard. We don’t have the smiley face tattoo, but would like a blood-spattered smiley face button.

We can see the movie more objectively than someone with a true passion. We will not see sacrilege in omissions or misrepresentation of characters. We will be able to enjoy the ride while still understanding the context of things that are glossed over.

Even so, I am expecting this movie to be over-stylized to compensate for the loss of content. I know that you can’t put everything from the book into the movie. But I still have trouble imagining how you can put enough of it into a movie. Seriously, show me how time is simultaneous without loosing the audience. Right now, my biggest problem is how the movie is being marketed as a whiz-bang action movie. It really isn’t about the action.

In the end, my prediction is that in all of these groups, their basic opinion of the entire movie will be the same: “It’s OK.” You have too many people from too many angles that you need to please. And you can only satisfy each group so much.

First, you need to have the nerd-cred. Without any approval from the hard-core fan base, you’re not going to get a comic book movie off the ground anymore. Spider-Man and the new Batman movies are chock-a-block with nerd-cred.

Then you need to appeal to the masses. The dumb, awful masses who want everything in washed-out, easy-to-digest servings. This is easier to do with a comic book franchise. Dole out The Green Goblin here and Dr. Octopus there.

It is a tough balance that you need to strike either way. Spider-Man and Batman have been able to successfully strike these balances. But with source material that is as uncompromisingly un-balanced as Watchmen, it becomes one hell of a challenge.

In the attempt to appeal to nerds and appeal to the masses, Watchmen will loose most of it’s punch. It will most likely be like hearing Led Zeppelin performed by the London Philharmonic. Robin Williams without the cocaine. A martini with too much vermouth.

I hope that this is a really great movie. I'd be surprised if it is a really good movie. But I expect it to be an OK movie.

Guest Columnist: John's Oscars by Decade: The Best and the Worst of the Best

2009-02-26T04:22:00.000-08:00

1927-1939 Rank – 4^th

Best Best Picture: It Happened One Night

Worst Best Picture: Cimarron

Sure, this decade gave us some monumental films, but also a lot of mediocre ones (The Life of Emile Zola). (Jami's Note - You used to own Emile Zola!) “It Happened One Night” is perhaps the most perfect romantic comedy ever devised, while “Cimarron” is a dull movie with a great opening sequence. Why not “Gone With the Wind”? It’s overrated and overproduced. Take that Mr. O. Selznick! (Jami’s note – that is categorically untrue)

1940-1949 Rank 2^nd

Best Best Picture: Casablanca

Worst Best Picture: Gentleman’s Agreement

It’s hard to find a bad film in here. It was a race between “How Green” and “Gentleman’s”. Although the first is long a tedious, the second aged very badly, hence my pick. (Jami’s note – Gregory Peck is rolling over in his grave!) Also, “Valley” is gorgeously shot. For the rest of the movies, most are incredible Hollywood classics, and “Casablanca” is perhaps the Best Best Picture of all time.

1950-1959 Rank – 6^th (tie)

Best Best Picture: On the Waterfront

Worst Best Picture: Around the World in 80 Days

The 50’s were hit and miss. 5 films were brilliant, 5 were terrible. I had to go with “On the Waterfront” over “Eve” for sheer iconography. Although “Greatest Show” is one of the three very worst, “Around the World” is almost unwatchable. It even has a Three Stooges cameo! At least “Greatest Show” you can get drunk to. (Jami’s note – Ben Hur is the crappiest piece of crap ever and Around the World is somewhat enjoyable. He’s crazy)

1960-1969 Rank – 3^rd

Best Best Picture: Lawrence of Arabia

Worst Best Picture: Oliver!

Once again, it’s a decade where not much went wrong. Many people hate “Tom Jones”. I don’t, and Jami must deal with that. (Jami’s note - OK) “Oliver!” is decent, but not really impressive. However, I had a hard time going with “Lawrence” over “Apartment”, “West Side” or “Cowboy”, but I think it’s the right call.

1970-1979 Rank – 1^st

Best Best Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Worst Best Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer

Holy crap! What a decade! The 70’s may not be good for much, but it’s a goldmine of movies. My choices were purely gut instincts. “Cuckoo” beat out everything else because it’s the only one that moves me on many emotional levels. “Kramer” drops away because it doesn’t age as well as the others. But choosing between “Patton”, both “Godfather”s, “Sting”, “Connection”, “Cuckoo”, “Annie Hall”, “Deer Hunter”, “Rocky” and “Kramer”, your guess is as good as mine. (Jami’s note – no, my guess is better. Kramer is still awesome and the painful Derr Hunter is a snooze fest)

1980-1989 Rank – 5^th

Best Best Picture: Amadeus

Worst Best Picture: Chariots of Fire

The worst was a real close call between “Chariots” and “Miss Daisy”, but at least Daisy was entertaining. This decade had a lot of overlong prestige pictures (Gandhi, anyone?), but at least one biopic got is solidly right: “Amadeus”. This also is on a short list of the Best Best Pictures Ever.

1990-1999 Rank – 6^th (tie)

Best Best Picture: Schindler’s List

Worst Best Picture: The English Patient

“Schindler” would have probably won it anyway, but it didn’t have a lot of competition. Like the 50’s, the decade was half good (“Shakespeare”, “Lambs”), half bad (“Dances with Wolves”, “Braveheart”). Ultimately “English Patient” won out (or lost) for being the most boring of the bunch. I still don’t get why it won.

2000-2008 Rank – Last

Best Best Picture: The Return of the King

Worst Best Picture: Crash

This decade could have been one of the best of all, but it was constantly upended by ridiculous choices. This was the hardest to pick a worst (so many to choose), but ultimately “Crash” was crappier than “Baby” or “Gladiator”. It was also hard to pick a best, even with the recent additions. The reason I went for “Return of the King” is because I ultimately think is will be regarded as more of a “classic” to the general movie-going public than others like “Departed”, “No Country” or “Slumdog”. To illustrate what could have been, imagine this possible Best Picture list, replacing some winners with other nominees in the same year.

2000 Traffic (or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)

2001 A Beautiful Mind (or In the Bedroom, or Moulin Rouge) (Jami’s note- Moulin Rouge? … Seriously???)

2002 The Pianist (or Gangs of New York) (Jami’s note – Not Gangs of New York! Anything but that!)

2003 The Return of the King

2004 Sideways (or the Aviator, or Finding Nevereland)

2005 Brokeback Mountain (or Good Night and Good Luck, or Capote)

2006 The Departed

2007 No Country for Old Men (or Juno)

2008 Slumdog Millionaire

Kind of makes you cry, doesn’t it?

Sean's Oscar Summary

2009-02-23T12:01:00.000-08:00

Well, you may know, that last night was the Oscars. We snacked. We watched. We laughed. We shoveled snow. I may not be the Oscar Nazi, but for the first time, I’m contributing to the annual round-up.

The telecast was as awesome as it was boring. The party was just plain awesome.

Hugh Jackman was tremendous as host and his opening number was one of the best in Oscar history (“I am Wolverine!”). Doing the low-budget sets and including the “Craig’s List Dancers” was inspired. Pulling Anne Hathaway up on stage to play Richard Nixon was genius.

Unfortunately, his second musical number sucked the life out of every musical ever made (except “An American in Paris.” That movie has no life, it just sucks). Seriously, we can’t see the paltry three best song nominees performed in full but we have twenty minutes for this piece of crap? In the end, we found out that it was a Baz Luhrmann production, which makes sense. When that was announced, the whole room when “Ahhhhh… O-kaaay….” But I longed for his signature ferret-on-speed editing that usually accompanies his dance numbers.

The life was also sucked out of the telecast when the Best-Supporting-Actress-Winner-Ya-Ya-Sisterhood came out to give wedding toasts to this year’s nominees. They went on to do it for all the acting categories and wow, was that awful . Who came up with this idea?

“Let’s see… the two biggest complaints about the Oscars is that a.) it’s too long of a long show and b.) has too many long boring speeches. I know: let’s add 20 more boring speeches! That’ll keep the adrenalin up!” Am I the only one who felt that they should have been holding a flute of champagne up as they spoke? At least we didn't hear from the President of the Academy, or worse yet, the accountants.

Other presenters were more entertaining. It seemed to me when they tossed their Vilanchesque scripts into the trash and went their own way, it was gold. Especially Tina Fey & Steve Martin. Also notable was Ben Stiller’s Joaquin Phoenix impression in his hillbilly beard, staring off and wandering around the stage.

Everyone will be talking about the short where Seth Rogan & James Franco revived their “Pineapple Express” characters. A Cheech & Chong for a new millennium. Except for the fact that Rogan & Franco are funny.

They ruined the death montage – I didn’t even mind Queen Latifah singing over it. What I minded was that instead of showing the montage, they showed a collection of TVs showing the montage with weird angles and moving cameras. It was annoying and distracting. Plus: we want the applause-o-meter!

The memorable moments:
Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto – Did this guy make a bet or something? “Dude, if I win, I’ll say it for, like, $500.”

Philippe Petit balancing an Oscar on his chin - Yes, I believe that will be shown at least as often as the one-armed push-up.

Another no-show – Despite his winning streak, Heath ledger still refuses to show up for these award cera-… I’m sorry?... He what?... When?... –never mind.

And how much am I loving that Jack Nicholson was not in the front row. He was never on camera. Was he even there? Did he boycott when he found out that he wouldn’t be treated like royalty? The least likely explanation: he got over himself.

By now you know who won and how everyone pretended to cry when Heath won just in case they were on camera, so I won’t go into all that.

The Party:

Despite a killer snow storm (really, it’s killin’ my back) we had our best Oscar Party turnout yet. And we had a crowd that was really into it. For the first time, over ½ the guests stayed for the entire show! When things got slow, we made fun of things getting slow… or refilled our punch.

It’s always a good sign when the punch runs out before ten.

Jami & Gianna out-did themselves this year. Yummy treats from Tricky Dicks to Heath’s Posthu-Mousse Award. And I’m rolling in leftovers! Woo-Hoo! The Best Snack winner was The Curious Taste of Benjamin’s Buttons. (Click here for the entire menu w/ recipes).

Anne, Cedric Diggory, Jay & Erica put their lives at risk by enduring the long trek through a killer (did I mention my back?) snowstorm to attend. We also had Stephanie & Jami (not my wife, another Jami w/ the same spelling) driving… but they’re local, so they get props, just not as many. Dianne and Saffron drove, but the get no props because they could have walked. (Jami's note: and TRACY! Wonderful, sweet Tracy who traversed the longest road to our party, though avoided the storm, is ALWAYS a wonderful Oscar party attendee!)

We really had a funny, sarcastic crowd and it made the Oscars so much more fun. That’s how you watch the Oscars. Otherwise, the boring parts become painfully boring.

Thanks to all for coming. For those who couldn’t make it, maybe next year. And thanks to Jami & Gianna for all their hard work. Now let’s hope 2009 gives us better Oscar movies!

Hoo-ah!

2009-02-22T09:05:00.000-08:00

OK, my wife covered that it is Oscar night. So, I'm covering... Hoo-Bingo!... Scent of a Woman.

Yes, we viewed this God-awful movie again last night with drinks in hand. We tried to play a Hoo-Ah! drinking game but couldn't keep up.

For those unfamiliar: Al Pacino, in an Oscar-winning turn, plays a cantankerous ex-military recluse with an unsettling familiarity with the women's perfumes and soaps. He drags a prep-school weekend caregiver out for his last hurrah, (stay at a nice hotel, see his brother to apparently piss him off, screw a hooker and kill himself).

Here's what kills me about this movie: people see it as a prestige picture. Not only do they like it, they think it is a high-quality film (not even a movie, a film). What is wrong with people?

Why if I were the man I was five years ago, I'd take a flamethrower to this script! Here is some of the actual Oscar-nominated dialogue:

"Her number tastes like Albany."
"He drives so smooth you can boil an egg on the engine block."
"You're in no position disagree with me, boy. I got a loaded .45 here. You got pimples. "
"You've got integrity Charlie. I don't know whether to shoot you or adopt ya."
"Mmm. Legs. I don't care if they're Greek columns... or secondhand Steinways."
"...there isn't nothin' like the sight of an amputated spirit. There is no prosthetic for that."

And, of course, my personal favorite:
"I can't chew the leather anymore. So why should I share in the tribes provisions? I mean,
there's no one... wants to tear a herring with me anymore."
What the F**K does that mean!?!?!?!

Seriously, there's at least 10 other quotes that I omitted because I didn't want to take up too much of your time. Plus, you really should be drinking to read more of them.

Don't get me wrong, this movie is hilarious. Pacino's performance is so hammy, even Christians can't watch it during Passover.

But how can it be acclaimed? It's not even something that people look back on and say, "well, at the time we thought it was good... but now?" No. I talk to people about Scent of a Woman and they are all up in my grill: "That's a great movie! Pacino is fantastic in that!"

Is it because we live in a Wal-Mart America where crap is hailed? Is it because of the best publicity campaign ever? I don't know. It's a mystery, wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in a Hoo-ha!, and dipped in Jack Daniels.

Either way, it's a great margarita movie. And if you love this movie: re-watch it. Seriously. You need to revisit this with fresh eyes.

Hoo-Bingo!

The Big Night

2009-02-22T07:20:00.000-08:00

Well, we're all a little fuzzy headed after last night's "Hoo aaah" fest. Seriously, if you cut the "Hoo aaahs" out of "Scent of a Woman," the movie's like 3 minutes long. Still, the big day has finally arrived. The fridge is over stuffed, there are coolers and crock pots full of food chilling on the porches. Dishes aplenty are stacked here and there. Sean's awesome signs have been printed out. (It's worth attending the party just to see these things.) We're very excited. Even a pending snowstorm hasn't dampened our attendees' spirits. Every single out-of-towner is still coming and we are duly impressed. If you're not lucky enough to be among the party-goers, don't forget to print out your picks and play along at home. Results, as well as the snacks, recipes, and various highlights will be posted here tomorrow morning.

Have a great Oscar night, and don't forget to "Hoo aaah" at least once today!

-Oscarnazi J

Guest Columnist: Gianna's Best & Worst for 2008

2009-02-20T10:22:00.000-08:00

The Best

Slumdog Millionaire

A practically perfect film. One of the few films this year that I walked away completely bowled over. Danny Boyle is fast becoming one of my favorite directors, with his wide directing range. Every scene in this film perfectly builds to it’s very satisfying end. Just brilliant.

WALL-E

Have I said lately how completely in awe I am with Pixar? As an animated movie junkie, I have grown so disheartened by the glut of slapdash animated films. Thankfully, Pixar seems committed to bringing gorgeously animated films that actually have a great story at the base. WALL-E does what Happy Feet wanted to do, but couldn’t-tell an environmental story to children. It does so by wrapping it around a beautiful little love story, and it never feels at any moment like it’s hitting you over the head with it’s message.

Milk

Milk could have very easily been a big message film, your typical Oscar bio-pic of (fill-in minority of your choice) rises up only to be shot down. Instead we have very human face put on Harvey Milk, showing who he was and not focusing exclusively on what he did. Van Sant expertly weaves documentary footage, with faithfully recreated scenes. Go watch the great documentary Times of Harvey Milk, (either before or after) and your appreciation will undoubtedly increase.

Man on Wire

One of the best documentaries I saw this year, a thrilling reminiscence of one man’s obsession. Like Touching the Void, you are on the edge of your seat-even though you full well know that everything turns out okay. Ultimately there’s something very uplifting that stays with you long after you’ve seen the film

The Fall
This film just blew me away! I am an unapologetic sucker for visually stunning films. Some of my favorite directors have incorporated stunning art direction into their films (Kubrick, Gilliam, Burton, Jeaunet & Caro). I loved Tarsem’s first film The Cell, which had some of the most creepy visuals I’ve seen in a long time. The Fall continues his wonderful visual style, while telling a very sweet story. What’s even more impressive is the director’s claim that not one CGI effect was used.

The Worst

The Women

I wasn’t sure if contemporary filmmakers could pull off the catty bitch-fest that is The Women, and I was right. What’s even more disheartening is that a good amount of the film is almost word-for-word recreations of the play and film. However, Diane English decides that she’s going to use the film to make a warm fuzzy comment on sisterhood in the 21st century. Sorry, this ain’t that film. Claire Booth Luce’s play is a vicious attack on the New York society women she encountered in the 30’s, not a ‘no matter what happens, I’ll always have my girlfriends’ story. Let’s be honest too, with all the strides we have made as women, we have all encountered this ‘type’ of woman. More obsessed with some other woman’s misfortune, gossipy, placing a premium on the men in their life. It’s like ordering a completely decadent dinner and then getting some meager Weight Watcher meal. Ick.

An American Carol

The biggest crime any comedy can have is to be completely unfunny and this film has it in spades. Even though I am an unapologetic ‘secular progressive liberal’ from the ‘evil’ state of Vermont, I would have no problem with a right wing comedy if it was actually funny. This one isn’t. In a nutshell-Michael Moore (well they call him Michael Malone, but really), wants to start a ban on July 4th. In true Dickensian fashion, he’s shown the error of his ways by our past political figures-JFK, George Patton, George Washington and Trace Adkins(Yup, Trace). At the base is the common (and obnoxious) notion that if you differ from the far right, then you’re clearly anti-American, immoral etc. etc. There’s also a completely ridiculous scene in which Bill O’Rielley (playing himself) is just as polite (yes POLITE) to ridiculous Mr. Moore. Yeah, this is a man who attacked the son of a 9-11 victim-just.don’t.buy.it. The film is so busy hitting you over the head with its message ‘Conservatives-Good, Liberals-Bad’, that it forgets to be funny. That’s more offensive than any of it’s idealogy.

Hounddog

The infamous ‘Dakota Fanning gets raped movie’. It’s just one long ugly depressing film. Over-done, over-acted and pointless. There’s a reason it went straight to video.

Expelled

The documentary about Intelligent Design, except it’s really not. I was expecting, and hoping that this little doc would actually make a case for why Intelligent Design, should be considered a valid scientific theory and not just Creationism wrapped up in a spanky new name. No it’s more a parade of people saying ‘I put my name on a Intelligent Design Webspace and now I lost my job.’ Which is a great kickoff point, but it doesn’t go much farther than that. Yes we can see the victims of the ‘Science Elite’, but we never hear anything to validate I.D. as a practical scientific theory.