This post was inspired by a recent screening of an obscure (to me) Spanish film from 1973: Victor Erice's surreal debut, "The Spirit of the Beehive" -- an atmospheric post-Civil War period piece (think of it like "Pan's Labyrinth" without the scary monsters). The plot centers on two young sisters with active imaginations who, after watching a screening of "Frankenstein" at their local theater (a Spanish 'Cinema Paradiso'), create their own fantasy involving an abandoned farmhouse and its supposed inhabitant. Like all good movies from the 1970s, it is deliberate, obtuse, and challenging -- and very perceptive about the complexities of childhood: the innocence, the loss of it, the sibling manipulation and cruelty ... all that good stuff. Much like the following movies (all foreign films, interestingly -- because 'Stand By Me' never really did it for me, Rob Reiner and 'the fat kid'!)
10. The Spirit of the Beehive
9. The River (Jean Renoir)
8. tie: Wild Reeds & Au Revoir, Les Enfants (both about French adolescence)
7. Pather Panchali (India: 1955) -- I can't leave out Apu!
6. I'm Not Scared (one of many Italian films I could have included)
5. The Traveler (Iran: 1974) -- that is how Abbas Kiarostami's black and white masterpiece is listed in IMDB (but I swear I saw it at the National Gallery of Art under a different title). It is about a little boy's efforts to get to Tehran to see the national soccer team play. Brilliant.
4. Chocolat (France: 1988)
3. Ponette (France: 1996)
2. My Life as a Dog (Sweden: 1985)
... and the #1 movie about childhood --
1. To Be and to Have (France) -- nothing is more authentic than a documentary about real French kids!
I know I'm forgetting some, so submit your own nominees.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
"ONCE" Set List
Dateline -- AUSTIN (November 15, 2007):
I am an admittedly biased reviewer, so I will only say that it was a magical night of music at the outdoor stage of Stubb's Barbecue last Thursday night. As anyone who has SEEN the movie knows (and only four people I know have, as far as I can tell), Glen Hansard is a dynamic performer, and he carried the show. Marketa Irglova was, by contrast, very much a supporting player, which also fits her personality (she is not a professional, and this is her first tour ever!)
Hansard came out solo (with that same old, beat-up guitar he used in the film--holes and all) and performed "Say it to Me Now." Next, he introduced Marketa and they did a duet of "All the Way Down." Then, he introduced the rest of The Frames, who came out for "Lies." At one point, she took his old guitar for a solo while he sat down on her piano bench.
The rest of the set (as best I can remember) went like this:
-- two new songs: one with a working title about 'Heartstrings;' the other was called 'Drown Out'
-- "When Your Mind's Made Up"
-- two more new songs: Edges of the Night (?) and "This Low"
--an impromptu audience request of 'Cry Me a River' (a Frames hit?)
-- Falling Slowly
-- Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy (another audience request)
-- Leave
-- ?? lay me down ??
-- a Pixies cover ('I want my life to make more sense'?)
ENCORE #1:
"Once"
"Star-Star ... " ??
"If You Want Me" -- finally, marketa!!
ENCORE #2:
"Fitzcarraldo" (a Frames song)
"Deviltown" (a Daniel Johnston song) -- where he lead the audience in a sing-along, asking the obliging crowd to snap their fingers, repeat the chorus, and file out quietly (which they started to do!). That lead him to shout "Austin, you Fuckin' Rule!!"
And the concert was over.
I am an admittedly biased reviewer, so I will only say that it was a magical night of music at the outdoor stage of Stubb's Barbecue last Thursday night. As anyone who has SEEN the movie knows (and only four people I know have, as far as I can tell), Glen Hansard is a dynamic performer, and he carried the show. Marketa Irglova was, by contrast, very much a supporting player, which also fits her personality (she is not a professional, and this is her first tour ever!)
Hansard came out solo (with that same old, beat-up guitar he used in the film--holes and all) and performed "Say it to Me Now." Next, he introduced Marketa and they did a duet of "All the Way Down." Then, he introduced the rest of The Frames, who came out for "Lies." At one point, she took his old guitar for a solo while he sat down on her piano bench.
The rest of the set (as best I can remember) went like this:
-- two new songs: one with a working title about 'Heartstrings;' the other was called 'Drown Out'
-- "When Your Mind's Made Up"
-- two more new songs: Edges of the Night (?) and "This Low"
--an impromptu audience request of 'Cry Me a River' (a Frames hit?)
-- Falling Slowly
-- Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy (another audience request)
-- Leave
-- ?? lay me down ??
-- a Pixies cover ('I want my life to make more sense'?)
ENCORE #1:
"Once"
"Star-Star ... " ??
"If You Want Me" -- finally, marketa!!
ENCORE #2:
"Fitzcarraldo" (a Frames song)
"Deviltown" (a Daniel Johnston song) -- where he lead the audience in a sing-along, asking the obliging crowd to snap their fingers, repeat the chorus, and file out quietly (which they started to do!). That lead him to shout "Austin, you Fuckin' Rule!!"
And the concert was over.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Wes Anderson does it again
[A special 'travelling post' coming to you from the Halcyon coffee shop on 4th St. in lovely downtown Austin, Texas!! (Site of Wes Anderson/Owen Wilson's first collaboration, "Bottle Rocket"). I'm here to see the stars of "Once" -- in concert!]
"The Darjeeling Limited" -- I always enjoy a Wes Anderson movie, no matter what anyone else says: from "Rushmore" (filmed in Houston), to "The Royal Tenenbaums" to "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." And this movie proudly joins that list. Stylistically inventive like his previous films, it is also engaging, funny, clever and cheeky. Shot in vivid colors, it is a sumptuous travelogue of India. It's the kind of film critics love to describe by trotting out useless descriptors like 'precious' and 'twee' -- both of those courtesy of the New York Times -- to denigrate Anderson's unique, quirky style. My retort: "It's his style -- get used to it!"
Also, I have a soft spot for any movie that takes place on a train. (Movie truism #1: train movies work; plane movies do not. Latest example: that Jodie Foster vehicle I refer to as "Panic Room on a Plane" because I can never remember the name of it. Another sexless starring role for Jodie Foster (in addition to the two previously mentioned, look at 'The Brave One' and 'Inside Man') which is a shame from such a fine actress. Why is she afraid to play a character with a sex life??? I do not care what sexual orientation she portrays (or lives) just show us something! Hell, she was asexual in "Anna and the King" and that was a romance!!) [How can you be sexless when you're playing opposite Chow Yun Fat, girlfriend!?!!]
I digress. The performances by the three leads are all on-pitch (Wilson, Schwartzman, and Adrien Brody; even though they share zero sibling resemblance). They are petty and selfish and needy ... just like real brothers! =) The movie does take a too-serious detour that is out-of-step with the mood of the piece (consequently, the emotions it evokes do not feel earned). But it does lead to a necessary flashback sequence that fleshes-out the characters of the three brothers.
I cannot imagine enjoying it as much if I hadn't seen the essential short film that now precedes the feature, "Hotel Chevalier," filmed in the chic Hotel Rafael in Paris. It sets the tone for the feature and informs the Jason Schwartzman character and two key scenes. I wonder why it was not included with the main film in the first place.
Look for great cameos by Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray (redeeming himself for appearing in the execrable "The Lost City" last year), and director Barbet Schroeder (redeeming himself after appearing in an execrable sequence in "Paris, Je t'aime" this year). I suppose I have a favorite adjective, too.
"The Darjeeling Limited" -- I always enjoy a Wes Anderson movie, no matter what anyone else says: from "Rushmore" (filmed in Houston), to "The Royal Tenenbaums" to "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." And this movie proudly joins that list. Stylistically inventive like his previous films, it is also engaging, funny, clever and cheeky. Shot in vivid colors, it is a sumptuous travelogue of India. It's the kind of film critics love to describe by trotting out useless descriptors like 'precious' and 'twee' -- both of those courtesy of the New York Times -- to denigrate Anderson's unique, quirky style. My retort: "It's his style -- get used to it!"
Also, I have a soft spot for any movie that takes place on a train. (Movie truism #1: train movies work; plane movies do not. Latest example: that Jodie Foster vehicle I refer to as "Panic Room on a Plane" because I can never remember the name of it. Another sexless starring role for Jodie Foster (in addition to the two previously mentioned, look at 'The Brave One' and 'Inside Man') which is a shame from such a fine actress. Why is she afraid to play a character with a sex life??? I do not care what sexual orientation she portrays (or lives) just show us something! Hell, she was asexual in "Anna and the King" and that was a romance!!) [How can you be sexless when you're playing opposite Chow Yun Fat, girlfriend!?!!]
I digress. The performances by the three leads are all on-pitch (Wilson, Schwartzman, and Adrien Brody; even though they share zero sibling resemblance). They are petty and selfish and needy ... just like real brothers! =) The movie does take a too-serious detour that is out-of-step with the mood of the piece (consequently, the emotions it evokes do not feel earned). But it does lead to a necessary flashback sequence that fleshes-out the characters of the three brothers.
I cannot imagine enjoying it as much if I hadn't seen the essential short film that now precedes the feature, "Hotel Chevalier," filmed in the chic Hotel Rafael in Paris. It sets the tone for the feature and informs the Jason Schwartzman character and two key scenes. I wonder why it was not included with the main film in the first place.
Look for great cameos by Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray (redeeming himself for appearing in the execrable "The Lost City" last year), and director Barbet Schroeder (redeeming himself after appearing in an execrable sequence in "Paris, Je t'aime" this year). I suppose I have a favorite adjective, too.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Quick takes (part 2)
"Becoming Jane" -- Any movie with a fan blog as good as this one has to have something going for it: sure, Jane Austen brings her own fan club with her wherever she goes, but I think this movie's success is due more to the charming, assured performance by the Prada Princess herself, Anne Hathaway (if "Brokeback Mountain" had a 'P' in it, I would have referenced that, too). She silences all doubters that a lowly American can play a Brit convincingly (didn't Katy, Texas-native Renee Zellweger silence those haters once and for all?). The historical jumping-off point for the story is purely fictional, but I jumped anyway, and enjoyed the trip!
"The Jane Austen Book Club" -- Speaking of Jane Austen fan clubs, this movie is a tailor-made chick-flick: it's all about relationships, talking about relationships, book clubs, more talking ... and I loved every minute of it! Interesting characters, clever plotting, appealing performances (especially by Emily Blunt, and my fave, Maria Bello), all make you overlook the unconvincing, politically-correct lesbian subplot (all the lesbians are 'hot': how unbelievable is that!?) and the predictability of it all.
"Gone Baby Gone" -- major props to Ben Affleck in his directing debut. The guy was obviously paying attention on the set. He smartly stays in the milieu he is most comfortable: the mean streets of Dorchester, South Boston. And boy are they mean! He brings an obvious affection for the neighborhood and its denizens, while not shying away from the ugly side (and boy does it get ugly!). Amy Ryan is awesome in bringing both sides to life. An effective crime thriller that doesn't shy away from hard-to-answer questions (impressively, it tackles them head-on), this Dennis Lehane story is just a notch below the previous film adaptation of his work, "Mystic River." And a notch below Clint Eastwood is a good place to start.
"Lars & the Real Girl" -- this movie is the cream of the crop, even though it is getting panned as cloying and unbelievable. The guy falls in love with a blow-up doll: what part do you not believe? In a more convincing portrayal than his excellent performance in "Half Nelson", the great Ryan Gosling makes you believe! I bought in to the sadness behind this slapstick premise, precisely because of Gosling's totally committed performance. The supporting cast all bought into it, too, which makes it a more heart-wrenching than laugh-out-loud comedy.
--Hey, I liked all four movies: how unbelievable is that!?! -- ffg
"The Jane Austen Book Club" -- Speaking of Jane Austen fan clubs, this movie is a tailor-made chick-flick: it's all about relationships, talking about relationships, book clubs, more talking ... and I loved every minute of it! Interesting characters, clever plotting, appealing performances (especially by Emily Blunt, and my fave, Maria Bello), all make you overlook the unconvincing, politically-correct lesbian subplot (all the lesbians are 'hot': how unbelievable is that!?) and the predictability of it all.
"Gone Baby Gone" -- major props to Ben Affleck in his directing debut. The guy was obviously paying attention on the set. He smartly stays in the milieu he is most comfortable: the mean streets of Dorchester, South Boston. And boy are they mean! He brings an obvious affection for the neighborhood and its denizens, while not shying away from the ugly side (and boy does it get ugly!). Amy Ryan is awesome in bringing both sides to life. An effective crime thriller that doesn't shy away from hard-to-answer questions (impressively, it tackles them head-on), this Dennis Lehane story is just a notch below the previous film adaptation of his work, "Mystic River." And a notch below Clint Eastwood is a good place to start.
"Lars & the Real Girl" -- this movie is the cream of the crop, even though it is getting panned as cloying and unbelievable. The guy falls in love with a blow-up doll: what part do you not believe? In a more convincing portrayal than his excellent performance in "Half Nelson", the great Ryan Gosling makes you believe! I bought in to the sadness behind this slapstick premise, precisely because of Gosling's totally committed performance. The supporting cast all bought into it, too, which makes it a more heart-wrenching than laugh-out-loud comedy.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
"Across the Universe"
Julie Taymor is a gifted artist and director. Not just for "The Lion King" either: her feature film debut, an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Titus" starring Anthony Hopkins and Kate Beckinsale, was shocking and inspired. So imagine my disappointment after sitting through 140-minutes of "Across the Universe." I won't sugarcoat it: the movie is a complete and total misfire.
It is a great concept: fashioning a story out of the music of the Beatles, set during the time the songs were created, and interpreted by a cast who were not even born when the songs were hits. The cast of young, energetic, relative unknowns acquits itself well. (Except for one female cast member, who goes by the unfortunate name of 'T.V. Carpio' -- with a name like that, I hope she stays unknown!)
But this mess of a story with an oh-so multi-cultural cast often feels like a warmed-over "Rent" (with a better soundtrack). Before that, it comes across as a spin-off of NBC's short-lived "American Dreams." And worst of all, its depiction of the Sixties is so cliche-ridden it has all the complexity of "Forrest Gump" (again with a better soundtrack). [Note: I put that last movie in quotes, to point out that the politics in that overrated movie is even more simplistic than the intelligence of its title character!]
'ATU' never even attempts to create real characters or wring true emotions out of its protagonists. Think of it as the anti-'Once.' Without these elements, it amounts to nothing more than a collection of music videos--and not very cutting-edge videos at that. The dancing, the editing, the camera angles are all so 'been there, seen that on MTV when they used to show videos!' Only one set piece resonated with me: 'Strawberry Fields Forever,' an artistic expression of both the violence in Vietnam and the inability to stop it at home.
The rest of the interpretations are too damn literal! The beauty of a classic Lennon-McCartney song is that it defies literal interpretation. How can you make sense of a song like "I Am the Walrus" ... and why would you want to? In case you think I am exagerrating, note the ludricous heights (or depths) Taymor reaches when she acts out the lyrics "She's so heavy" (from 'I Want You') and "Mother Superior jumped the gun" (from 'Happiness is a Warm Gun'). Cringe-inducing.
Sure, the screenwriters make maximum use of Beatles lore with inside references and verbal and visual puns: the character names of Jude and Prudence lead to the inevitable (but well done) songs; the main character cuts a Granny Smith apple in half; and the movie's climax comes at an impromptu rooftop concert -- all are nice touches. Some of the best moments are provided by the cameos from real stars: Joe Cocker singing "Come Together"; Bono doing his best non-Irish accented acting before breaking into "I am the Walrus" in full U2 brogue. (This is the second movie in two years where Bono elevates an otherwise weak movie: remember last year's Leonard Cohen doc "I'm Your Man"?)
But this overlong film simply becomes a contest to see how many disparate Fab Four songs it can cram into one movie, without regard to coherence or flow. If Taymor had begun her movie with the end credits (a trippy "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" sung by the incomparable Bono--again!) it would have set the bar at a point where her creativity could have taken off. Instead, we get a brief appearance by her giant puppets (at a protest march, naturally) and not one, but five Salma Hayeks, dressed for Halloween as a 'naughty nurse.' Sometimes you gotta give the people what they want. What I wanted was something a little more daring from the creator of the Lion King and Titus.
It is a great concept: fashioning a story out of the music of the Beatles, set during the time the songs were created, and interpreted by a cast who were not even born when the songs were hits. The cast of young, energetic, relative unknowns acquits itself well. (Except for one female cast member, who goes by the unfortunate name of 'T.V. Carpio' -- with a name like that, I hope she stays unknown!)
But this mess of a story with an oh-so multi-cultural cast often feels like a warmed-over "Rent" (with a better soundtrack). Before that, it comes across as a spin-off of NBC's short-lived "American Dreams." And worst of all, its depiction of the Sixties is so cliche-ridden it has all the complexity of "Forrest Gump" (again with a better soundtrack). [Note: I put that last movie in quotes, to point out that the politics in that overrated movie is even more simplistic than the intelligence of its title character!]
'ATU' never even attempts to create real characters or wring true emotions out of its protagonists. Think of it as the anti-'Once.' Without these elements, it amounts to nothing more than a collection of music videos--and not very cutting-edge videos at that. The dancing, the editing, the camera angles are all so 'been there, seen that on MTV when they used to show videos!' Only one set piece resonated with me: 'Strawberry Fields Forever,' an artistic expression of both the violence in Vietnam and the inability to stop it at home.
The rest of the interpretations are too damn literal! The beauty of a classic Lennon-McCartney song is that it defies literal interpretation. How can you make sense of a song like "I Am the Walrus" ... and why would you want to? In case you think I am exagerrating, note the ludricous heights (or depths) Taymor reaches when she acts out the lyrics "She's so heavy" (from 'I Want You') and "Mother Superior jumped the gun" (from 'Happiness is a Warm Gun'). Cringe-inducing.
Sure, the screenwriters make maximum use of Beatles lore with inside references and verbal and visual puns: the character names of Jude and Prudence lead to the inevitable (but well done) songs; the main character cuts a Granny Smith apple in half; and the movie's climax comes at an impromptu rooftop concert -- all are nice touches. Some of the best moments are provided by the cameos from real stars: Joe Cocker singing "Come Together"; Bono doing his best non-Irish accented acting before breaking into "I am the Walrus" in full U2 brogue. (This is the second movie in two years where Bono elevates an otherwise weak movie: remember last year's Leonard Cohen doc "I'm Your Man"?)
But this overlong film simply becomes a contest to see how many disparate Fab Four songs it can cram into one movie, without regard to coherence or flow. If Taymor had begun her movie with the end credits (a trippy "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" sung by the incomparable Bono--again!) it would have set the bar at a point where her creativity could have taken off. Instead, we get a brief appearance by her giant puppets (at a protest march, naturally) and not one, but five Salma Hayeks, dressed for Halloween as a 'naughty nurse.' Sometimes you gotta give the people what they want. What I wanted was something a little more daring from the creator of the Lion King and Titus.
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